(Credit Photos: Andy Blumenthal)
July 3, 2020
July 2, 2020
Forgot To Bring Blood
Lady pokes my arm, and nothing comes out.
She moves the point of the needle around and around-- still no blood.
She says: "Hey, it's your fault!"
I say:
You're right, no one told me that I was supposed to bring blood with me today.
She looks up and says, "Okay let's try the other arm!"
Then she spanks the arm...and I blurt out laughing, "hey do that again!"
Then poke, poke, and the blood easily fills a half dozen tubes.
She's said, "You see that worked!"
I said:
I only brought blood in my right arm today!
If I could read her mind: "Ok, get the F*** out of the office."
But she was nice and actually says, "You can get your results in about 3 days." ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 1, 2020
When All The World Is Going Crazy
The best thing you can do is stay CALM.
- Calm is where good energy enters and bad doesn't.
- Calm is where rational thinking gets done.
- Calm is where positive action happens.
- Calm is where our inner faith is sustained.
- Calm is where we can inspire and lead ourselves and others to do good.
Calm is where we all yearn to be. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 29, 2020
Tunnel of Luggage
June 28, 2020
Too Much Violence
Physical violence.
Verbal violence.
Emotional violence.
When there aren't body sores.
There are emotional and mental ones.
So much suffering.
The silent masses.
Their doors close.
But behind them.
And outside.
In the chaos of the streets and on the subways.
You can see it in the eyes.
And hear it in their voices.
Maybe they are black and blue.
The people are troubled.
The world is insane.
The children are especially innocent.
The weak at the hands of the strong.
Anarchy reigns where G-dliness is absent.
Why? Why? Why?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 27, 2020
The Only Fixer
I’m reading the famous book, The Fixer by Bernard Malamud. It’s about the horrible pogroms in Russia and the blood libels where the Jews would be ridiculously accused of sorcery and witchcraft, and the killing of Christian children for their blood to put in Passover matzah!
In short, hate and hurt can’t be excused because you can. Wielding power gives you authority, but also the extra responsibility. There is such a thing as acting justly. And then there isn’t. Usually, when someone is acting justly, they can explain themselves in a balanced, calm, and rationale way. It makes sense! When they are doing wrong, it’s usually extreme, abrupt, and ultimately inexplicable and therefore can’t be articulated. Hence, that’s the way it is, Fixer. Who is The Fixer? Again, I don’t care!
(Credit Photo: Minna Blumenthal)
June 26, 2020
Recliner Stuck
After a bolt or two that must have hit our power line, ALL the power went out.
That was not fun when sitting in an La-Z-Boy electric recliner chair.
Where the f*** is the safety release on this thing when there is no power? ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 25, 2020
Grass Not Always Greener
Sometimes the grass isn't (always) greener.
Instead the grass grows in beautiful multi-colors.
The grass art in this garden looks a lot better than the grass itself.
The only real green is money and envy!
When comparing your lot with others, make sure you're comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges.
Even then you'll never know the person's real "package" (or basket) in life.
Be sure that everyone has their share of good and bad, so never be jealous of anyone. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 24, 2020
Copper Pots, Pans, and Bowls
June 23, 2020
Merry-Go-Round and Round
June 22, 2020
Never Any Rest In Life
Dick's Sporting Goods was open, but still not much else.
It was refreshing to look around again.
Nearly all the bicycles were cleaned out with people forced to do their own exercise routines these days.
People walking around mostly like they were on Mars.
Had some restaurants with just their patios open and people are sitting outside in the good weather.
Also, some eateries open for takeout.
Best part is still nature, and all the closures have brought us back to it.
This turtle was tanning in the warm sun on the rocks and swatting the snake away with its rear foot.
Sort of funny that even a turtle can never get any rest in life. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 21, 2020
No Matter How Much You Prepare
Highly trained professionals (military and otherwise) with ALL the skills, experience, and confidence setting out to survive in the arctic, alone.
Each one thinks they can make it and outlast the others.
And watching these folks, you think to yourself, wow, these people can fish, hunt, build shelters, survive off of the land, and know how to survive.
Yet, usually well before 100 days, (virtually) all the contestants are out:
No matter how well prepared they are, life happens!
- They get hugely sick, often from the gross food they are eating.
-They fall down and hurt or break something.
- They cut or stab themselves.
- They lose one or more of their essential survival tools.
- They inadvertently burn down their own shelters.
- Animals steal their food or attack them.
- They starve and their bodies start to break down critical fat stores in their heart or other vital organs.
- They start to lose their minds from the lack of nutrition and mind-numbing loneliness.
It seems like no matter how well trained and prepared they are, they can't outrun, outwit, out-survive what life eventually throws at them.
Even the last person "standing" is still usually more dead than alive.
Anything other than self-control is ultimately an illusion.
Remember, life happens, and eventually everyone needs help from someone.
No man is an island even if you are living on one. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 20, 2020
When We Were Kids
Many moons ago.
Television with rabbit ears in the background.
That's when we all we had were 4 stations ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS.
We called it the "Zombie Box" because you could just stay glued to it for hours and tune the world out mesmerized at the moving pictures.
Everyone knew what was on every station, every hour of the day and still there was a TV Guide published weekly to check.
When the TV went fuzzy, you had to give it a clop on the side and magically the picture cleared up for a few minutes if you were lucky.
Those were the days. ;-)
(Thank you to my sister, Roz, for refreshing a copy of this to me)
June 19, 2020
A Smooth Jazz Shabbat Shalom!
June 18, 2020
Freedom But Disparity
The freedom, rights, and opportunities we have is exceptional and enviable in the world and history.
But the disparity between rich and poor, majorities and minorities is grotesque.
On one side of the street are the mansions, and on the other are the slums.
One on side of the train station are those going off to work, and on the other side are the homeless lying in the gutter.
On one side of the scale are people fat with money and power, and on the other side are people hungry and decaying.
Wealth is overflowing for those that are the fortunate, but also corruption runs systematically deep.
This isn't an issue of political party, but one of the righteousness of men's hearts.
G-d watches and man disappoints, but the the future is still wide open. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 17, 2020
Frog Ready To Spring
June 16, 2020
Just One Punch
It reminds of a childhood friend who was a fighter type.
Whenever somebody got on his nerves, he would bellow out in his machismo way:
I kill your whole family with one punch!
Honestly, it wasn't all that scary a threat even as it echoed.
But it was comical when everyone else would mimic the saying at the slightest annoyance.
Kids are people too, wakadoo wakadoo! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 15, 2020
C Stands For Couch
C stands for Couch.
And a big red one one it is.
Some blue chairs on the periphery.
And a little dot coffee table in the center.
The fake greenery on the wall is kludgy, but we know what they were trying to say.
Overall, a nice welcoming space. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 14, 2020
Never Too Young To Train
June 12, 2020
Defunding The Police Is STUPID!
This time to defund or dismantle the police!
While I am completely against corruption, racism, and police brutality, it is a BIG and STUPID mistake to hyper-generalize from some bad actors to the overwhelming number of good people that serve in law enforcement, who put their lives on the line to protect us everyday.
As with the health workers that protect us from Coronavirus and other horrible illnesses, so too with our police, we should be grateful for their protection and that they ensure some semblance of law and order and security in our society!
Yes the bad apples should be weeded out and punished, absolutely!
Also, after the latest incident with George Floyd, certainly reform is needed in terms of training and additional protections for the public.
But going alt-left crazy with proposals to defund and disband the police is completely over-the-top, irresponsible and destructive.
Hopefully, all the "normal" people out there will see the progressive folly for what it is and support the police in doing their critical mission, while also holding them accountable to do it with the integrity that they must. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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