Happy Labor Day Weekend

The Labor Day weekend is here, and here at The Compound, the 'Rents and I are all three deep into doing some labor.  The Old Man is on the tractor mowing the back forty, wearing his cool Austrailian hat of course, to keep the harmful UV rays off of his face and neck, and my Sweet Mother and I are doing laundry. It didn't take us long to realize that the clothes were not going to go down to the basement and wash themselves. But on this hot day, we're cheating the electric company because we've got our laundry out on the clothes line drying insted of using the dryer.  Take that, LG&E.  And later on this evening after it's cooled down a bit, we'll be doing some more labor - we're going to wash all three of the vehicles here at The Compound.  Then tomorrow, we will rest.

Flashback Friday

With all of the hype and talk this week about Miley Cyrus and her appearance on MTV's Video Music Awards, it made me think back to the early days of MTV and VH1 when they actually played music videos.  Today, it's mainly the horrid reality shows. 

I miss the music videos and Nina Blackwood.

Get Well Soon, Cuz

TWIT would like to wish my Cuz down in Georgia a very fast and thorough recovery from some badass kidney stone issues he's had for the past few months.  His long weekend trip up here to the 'Ville had to get postponed due to this. 

We're praying for healing and no discomfort, and are looking forward to your visit up here in October.  I will give you warning now: it will be a house divided, because on that Saturday, the UK Wildcats will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Flashback Wednesday

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. 

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.  Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!  Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!  Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!  Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.  From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Graph This!

I've mentioned previously that I've taken some pretty in-depth Excel classes this summer.  At times it was overwhelming but I stuck with it and have been practicing at home and at work.  Today, my mad skills came to good use. 

A friend called me today asking if I could help out with his son's advanced Calculus class (that phrase right there made me almost fall out of my chair) by making an Excel spreadsheet and graphing the info.  I was only happy to oblige.  The classes I sat through for those few days paid off, and I was able to get the kid's graph done without too much effort. 

I sure do enjoy it when I'm able to help a friend's kid with their homework.

A Lesson About Maw

As I've mentioned before, I work in the 'hood, and less than a mile from work is a new, very cool grocery store, deeper in the 'hood.  They have all kinds of cool soul foods, and it is the cleanest, well-stocked grocery store that I patronize. 

I went to this store today after work to buy some jowl bacon, and while looking for the jowl bacon, I saw packages of chittlins, pigs feet and even pigs ears.  And I also saw packages of something that had me stumped.  The packages were labeled "hog maws".  Now, everyone knows (or they should know) that a true hog maw would be called a sow.  Bug I digress.  The package looked very flat, and looked like nothing but a package of skin. 

I couldn't wait to get home to Google it and see what it was.  I was surprised to find out that hog maws is the lining of the stomach of a hog.  I was more surprised to find out that if it is cleaned properly, it is has almost no fat.  I'm not going to try it out, but I was glad I learned something today.

Way To Go, Mom!!

We interrupt today's regularly scheduled Link/App Of The Week to congratulate my sweet Mother on winning a ribbon at this year's Kentucky State Fair for her carefully crafted watermelon slice.

A few years ago, we had two 45 year-old trees cut down in the back yard, and she when we saw one of the wedges cut from one of the trees, we thought it looked like a wedge of watermelon, so we saved it.  Mom painted to look like said watermelon wedge, and it's been the topic of many a conversation here at The Compound.  I think it's the most amusing thing ever, and wanted to share it with the state, so I entered it in the fair for her.  Lo and behold, she won a ribbon.  It's an Honerable Mention ribbon, but a winner nonetheless.  And when you consider the thousands and thousands of entries in the state fair, this is quite an accomplishment.  Not everyone can proudly boast that they have a state fair winner in their family.

Quote Of The Week (Possibly Year)

Dad and I were having a serious discussion last night about a couple of current issues that have us a bit concerned, and Dad summed up the situations by saying something that I needed to be reminded of.  And I quote:

"I try hard not to judge people.  That's God's job. And He doesn't need my help with it."

Wise words from a wise man. 

Apologies

I apologize, faithful readers, for missing the post yesterday.  It was almost midnight when I got home from a trip to the oldies concert at the fair and I was wiped out.  I will make it up to you with a few posts this weekend. 

I just got in from a fundraiser dinner at church and once again I'm wiped out.  Plus it's been a very bad week for allergy and sinus issues for me and the 'Rents.  Ahhh, the joys of living in the Ohio Valley. 

Something You Don't See Every Day

My cousin flew back to California on Monday after her visit with us here at The Compound, and she emailed me after she got home to report that she see witnessed something on the plane that she'd never seen before.  After reading the email, I knew I had to post it. 

I'm more and more amazed at the things people do when they're traveling. I smelled barbecue on the flight and wondered what in the world it was as it certainly wasn't food being prepared on the plane. The lady sitting in front of me had picked up some wings before she got on the plane and was eating them. She had sauce all over her fingers and the smell just started going through the plane.


Yep, that's something you don't see every day.

Back To School

TWIT would to say well done for all of my friends and coworkers kids who had their first day back at school today.  My southern Indiana friends sent their kids back two weeks ago.  But I digress.  I'm happy to report that everyone I spoke to or texted today reported no issues with the first day of school.  In fact, some said it was the best first-day back that they and their kids have experienced.  Keep up the good work kids.  I hope you have an awesome year.

Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By

It's been a rough night here at The Compound. The power has been out since about 7:00 and needless to say we're pretty irritable right now.  Everyone in the neighborhood was outside until it got dark then we went inside to our dark houses. One of the neighbors called LG&E and was told power would be restored shortly.  We'll see about that.  Thank goodness all mobile devices and our portable digital TV are charged up.

P.S. I'm happy to report that the power just came back on at 9:31.  

Another Farmtown Update

We interrupt today's regularly scheduled Link/App Of The Week to bring you another Farmtown update. 

The 'Rents and the Visiting Cousin picked another bushel of green beans and a half a bushel of tomatoes last night. 

My suggestion was to set up a stand in the front yard and sell some of the stuff.  Everyone agreed that I should be the one out in the yard selling it.  That's not the response I intended.

Each of us took a big bag holding 2 or 3 smaller bags of beans, tomatoes and corn today to about a dozen friends at church.  We were tired by the time we got to Sunday School from carrying and delivering all of the bags.  But it's an awesome feeling -- the 'Rents are proud to see such a boutiful harvest from all of their hard work in growing the stuff, and me and my Visiting Cousin were happy to see such smiling faces as we delivered the stuff. 

Farmtown Update

I apologize for not giving regular updates on Farmtown, but in the past 7 days, the 'Rents and my cousin (who thought she was coming here for rest and relaxation on vacation) have picked over 5 bushels of green beans and probably that many bushels of tomatoes.  Last Sunday they canned 26 quarts of beans and 14 quarts of tomatoes, and a few days ago Mom canned 6 pints of salsa and 6 quarts of tomato juice.  It's been a pretty productive summer so far at Farmtown. 

And in case you're wondering, I help by staying out of the way.

Something You Don't See Every Day

A friend emailed me this picture tonight, and the subject of his email was "Something you don't see every day."  This definitely fits.

He was helping count the offering at his church tonight, and came across this old Malibu Grand Prix token that someone put in the offering plate.  Yep, it is definitely something that you don't see every day.

Did Anyone Lose A Shoe

I had to make a trip downtown to church yesterday afternoon, and on the way to and from church, I saw six different shoes along the road.  Yep, six.  None of them were pairs, either.  There were two flip flops, one black and one white, and four tennis shoes of various colors and styles.  I just thought it was odd.  Seeing one shoe on the side of the road isn't all that out of place anymore, but to see a total of 6 shoes on a 13-mile one-way trip is kinda bizarre. If I'd had time and would have had the opportunity I should have taken pictures of all of the shoes.  Oh well.  Another time.

Summer Weather Update

I don't believe I am typing this, but at 3:00 today - which is considered to be the heat of the day - it was 70 degrees here at The Compound.  Yes, it's the middle of August and the high was 70 degrees.  And did I mention it was alsos sunny, gorgeous and not humid? I wonder if this will be any indication of how our winter will be. 

GSSC, At Your Service

After truly years of studying, learning, working, waiting and praying, I am very, very proud and excited to announce that Good Shepherd Security Consulting has it's first paying customer.  I received an email last night from a church in Huntington, West Virginia that said they would like to proceed and have GSSC come and help them "worship without worry." 

When I read the email last night, it was late, and the 'Rents were already asleep, so I didn't want to wake them up.  But in the minutes after I read the email, I laughed, cried, was excited, was worried, and just about every other emotion you can think of.  I have worked very hard for this, and I am well prepared and am ready to get this project going. 

I also have a few other churches that I've contacted, and will be following up with them in a few days.  But it is so exciting to know that my website is working; the Huntinginton church found me through doing a Google search for "church security" and there they found GSSC!

I hope this is just the first of many future GSSC updates of other churches that I will be working with.

I thank you, faithful readers, for your support and encouragement.



Whatever Update

I'm happy to report I am over the bummed out mood I was in.  I talked to a friend over the weekend, and she told me something that I should have realized:  the only person I need to compare myself to is the person that I want to be.

Link Of The Week

I've been careful not to use the same Link Of The Week in the years that I've been blogging, but today, I feel I need to repeat.  

Please take a few moments today, Monday and Tuesday to vote for Louisville's Slugger Park as the best minor league baseball stadium.  Currently, we're in second place but I know with enough votes we can get to first place.  Visit  http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-minor-league-ballpark/ and cast your vote for Slugger Field.  You can vote once a day.  And please take a minute to post the link on your Facebook page or on Twitter and ask your friends to vote.  


 

Whatever, Continued

This is the second time this week I've felt "whatever" over some people and things.  This is highly unlike me.  In fact, it's almost like the AFD (Annual Fall Depression) that I haven't had in ages.  I know what has caused this mood, though, and I know I can change it.  I'll be totally honest and admit to you, faithful readers, what the issue is:  this feeling of "whatever" is caused by me comparing myself to others -- what they have, what they do, and even how others think and feel about them.  Nobody can change this attitude but me, and I'm trying.

It's not jealousy; I can't really define how I feel so I won't try.  I know there is no reason for me to compare myself to others and what they do, have, or how they are seen.  I'll snap out of. 

Flashback Friday

Friends with kids are deep in the throes of back-to-school shopping.  I know this not because school starts week after next here in Jefferson County, but because I've had a lot of friends tell me how much $$$ they've had to peel this week for school uniforms, shoes, fees, books, supplies, more fees, and more fees.  One friend showed me the list of supplies for one of her kids and it blew me away.  When I was in elementary school back in the Dark Ages, I don't think the school gave us a list.  Your parents bought the old school tablets according to your grade, and you got pencils, a binder, crayons and that was pretty much it.  The rest of the stuff was supplied by the school and was already in your classroom.  We've sure come a long way.

You're Welcome

I stopped on the way to work this morning to pick up a dozen donuts for a coworker's birthday, and when I paid at the drive-thru window and the clerk gave me my change, I said "thank you."  The clerk said "No problem."  At first, I didn't think anything about it.  But as the day progressed and the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me. 

What happened to people saying "You're welcome" when someone tells them "Thank you."? 

I don't think I can pinpoint when it happened, but it sure did.  Even in person at restaurants or fast food places, you almost never hear someone tell you "You're welcome" when you say "Thank you."  I don't know why  it bothers me, but it just does.

I think it's part of the current generation - all they know about is texting and communicating in abbreviated words and sentences, and they've morphed out of knowing when you need to say "You're welcome." 

When I hear "No problem", to me, that means that there could have possibly been a problem but it's not a problem now.  Sure, that's an exagerration, but I hope you get my drift.  We've got a generation that does not know to say "You're welcome" when someone thanks them.  How sad.

Whatever

The title of this post is pretty much what I feel right now over a myriad of things and people.

Summertime, And The Living Is Easy

Last night on the 11:00 news, the weatherazzi I was watching gave a summer report -- when comparing June through August of 2012, we had 53 days with temperatures over 90.  For June through August so far in 2013, we've only had 18 days with temps over 90.  And in that same period in 2012, we had 10 days with the temps over 100.  Blech.  Thank goodness that hasn't happened so far. 

So to sum it all up, this summertime, the living has in deed been easy.

Farmtown Update

I apologize for being remiss in posting pictures of the garden here at The Compound, but I'll give a quick update.  After just a few days of picking, the tally is as follows:

Green beans - 7 quarts canned
Tomatoes - 11 quarts, 1 pint canned

App Of The Week

It's back-to-school time, and I've heard from quite a few friends in the past week how they would rather be shot than to have to shop for school supplies.  Not having kids to school shop for, I can only go on heresay.  But I digress. 

I found an app this week that might make your shopping -- be it back-to-school or otherwise -- easier.  It's called Shoptopia.  It will use your location and find you the best deals on whatever it is you're looking for.  
You can download at the iTunes store or wherever you download your Android apps.  Happy shopping!

Security Tip Saturday

Farmtown is in full-swing right now, and the 'Rents spend a lot of time out in the garden every day.  They've started doing one simple thing without me having to ask or remind them, and that makes me proud that they are thinking in "security mode".  Whenever they go out to the garden, or just go outside for that matter, they've gotten in the habit of locking the back door. 

With the current rash of "clipboard people" going through neighborhoods acting like they're selling something door-to-door, we've all got to be alert and take precautions, and locking your door when you're outside is something we all should be doing. 

And I'll take this one step further; while you're in the house, you might as well keep the doors locked, too.  One of us is usually in the family room, and you can see out the French doors and notice if anyone pulls in the drive or is walking up the driveway, and we used to think this was enough.  Not anymore.  You hate to feel like you're on lockdown, but we can't be too safe anymore.

Flashback Friday

This is a personal flashback today.  I thought back to this day in 1992.  I was still in the hospital after my wreck, and this day was the pivot point on my recovery and rehab.  It was a Friday, like today.  I had been in the hospital for almost a week, and the time was about 8:00 or so; I remember the time because "Family Matters" with Steve Urkel was on and it was the show I was watching in my hospital room. 

I had a bad day with the physical therapist.  They came on Friday morning and took me to therapy and gave me a pair of crutches and told me that I had to learn to use the crutches before they would discharge me.  The first therapy session was Friday morning and it ended in tears.  I was in a lot of pain from my hip area where they took a piece of bone to put in my foot.  The second therapy session didn't go much better; I still had a lot of pain in my hip area, but I did manage to use the crutches to go up and down two steps in the therapy area.  Back in my room, I was disgusted.  I called home and talked to Dad (who had just left my hospital room just a couple of hours earlier when he and Mom were there visiting).  He gave me the attitude adjustment that I needed.  He told me to "suck it up".  It wasn't what I really wanted to hear, but I'm glad he said it.  After I hung up the phone, I called for a nurse.  When she got to my room, I asked her to hand me my crutches because I wanted to take a walk.  Then she and I proceeded to walk, albeit slowly, down the hallway, but I was moving on my crutches.  And I was discharged the next day.

Something You Don't Hear Every Day

And I quote:

"A homeless man stole my good scissors." 

Hand to heaven, I heard this today, and it is a true statement.