Category: Values

The Survivor

On By WinstonIn ValuesLeave a comment

So….. I haven’t posted for a while. Somewhere along the line, I ran out of things to say. I was thinking about this the other day and decided it was time to start writing again.

With nothing else to talk about, I decided to return to poetry. I find that when I write in verse, I’m so focused on the rhymes it frees my subconscious to figure out the story as I go along.

Well, here’s the result… Enjoy!

THE SURVIVOR

I sit and watch the days crawl by,
All different all the same.
The world turns and seasons change,
I can’t recall my name.

I know I’ve heard it recently,
Perhaps twas just a dream.
I have to be so careful now,
If I wake I may scream.

If I scream then the others come,
They pound upon my door.
I make no noise scarce dare to breath,
While huddling on the floor.

I don’t recall when last I slept,
It seems so long ago.
It’s true it seems if you don’t sleep,
Your mind will start to go.

Another day its line of light,
Gleams through its tiny gap.
Perhaps I’ve slept, I’m still alive,
Here in my filthy trap.

I thought for sure it was a prank,
When I first saw the news.
I wish that I could still deny,
The awful truth refuse.

Too late the truth in rotting flesh,
Is shambling closer now.
With clumsy hands they try to claw,
Their way inside somehow.

It’s almost time to let it go,
My larder all but bare.
The truth is I am just as vile,
For how I did prepare.

They let me in but didn’t see,
The simple truth I saw.
Too little food, too many mouths,
It is a cruel law.

And as they slept, I slit their throats,
Now my reward I reap.
The food is mine and mine alone,
Now all alone I weep.

They still want food and want it now
Despite their being dead.
I slit their throats but didn’t think,
To bash them in the head.

***************************************************************

I hope you enjoyed this little morality play. Always remember…. As you sow, so shall you weep.

Cheers, Winston

Ahhhhh Texas

On By WinstonIn Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

There’s a story on Gawker about a man in San Antonio Texas who accidentally shot his girlfriend…. In the chest… With a shotgun. (She is apparently in stable condition now). So far, so tragic.

Given that it was an accident and involved a shotgun you might be thinking hunting accident. Sadly, that was not the case. It apparently went down more like this.

The guys’ ex-girlfriend showed up and there was a verbal altercation. The boyfriend decided that the best way to resolve the situation with the ex involved getting his shotgun. Isn’t that your goto position in a “verbal altercation”?

His girlfriend tried to stop him from shooting his ex. Mr. Wonderful then accidentally shot his current girlfriend… in the chest… with a shotgun. No word on the ex, but I’m guessing she signed up for that private Mars mission that’s been recruiting. Even that may not be far enough away from this guy.

You might wonder why I mention Texas in the title. Surely this could’ve happened anywhere. That is the unfortunate truth, but this story has a twist. It seems the police were initially unsure if charges would be pressed. Now let’s make sure we understand that. He shot his girlfriend while she was trying to keep him from shooting his ex-girlfriend over an argument, but the San Antonio P.D. doesn’t really see anything wrong with all that. S.A.P.D. eventually decided to charge him with “possible aggravated assault”.

I agree with them on a couple of points. He definitely assaulted his girlfriend (with a shotgun!), and it’s pretty safe to say he was aggravated. I’m just not sure why they put the word possible in there. Are they saying “Maybe he wasn’t aggravated.”? I tend to think it’s because it’s Texas. Maybe they just don’t think that blasting your girlfriend with a shotgun should count as assault.

Ahhhhh Texas.

Cheers, Winston

Boy Scouts of America Lifted Ban On Gays

On By WinstonIn Religion, Society, Uncategorized, Values2 Comments

Cue the wrathful Christians. Certain large Christian groups have already announced the end of their affiliation with the BSA. They are cutting funding, and actively encouraging to pull their children out of the Scouts. Apparently these people haven’t got a single clue what a Christian is supposed to be. Christians aren’t dosed to judge, they’re supposed to forgive.

The BSA has made the right call. In an organization which promotes respect and equality, it was becoming increasingly hard to justify a policy of exclusion. Particularly one based on a set of standards which are no longer as widely held as they once were. No matter how strong your belief, it doesn’t give you the right to attempt to coerce others to follow them. That’s exactly what some allegedly Christian organizations tried to do. For years they “encouraged” the Scouts to reject any boy who didn’t live a lie. Now that the BSA has decided to favor inclusiveness over bigotry, the bigots have gone from coercion to punishment. Who knows how many youth will never get to experience the joys of Scouting because some people want to play God and judge when God has reserved that right for His Son.

Frankly, my God is going to be more likely to judge someone who let’s their own petty prejudices hurt a child than they are a gay child. If you or your organization believe that a belief, any belief, is more important than the happiness and social development of a child, you have my pity. If anybody is going to be judged, I bet it’s not the Scouts. I bet it’s the groups that want to exclude and punish kids for not living the way you want them to.

Personally, I’m thrilled the Boy Scouts of America has lifted it’s ban on gay kids. Now let’s work on the ban on gay troop leaders. One step at a time means every step is important.

Cheers, Winston

The War On Terror Has Ended

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, Politics, Values, WarfareLeave a comment

U. S. President Barak Obama has announced an end to the “War on Terror” begun by his predecessor, then President George W. Bush.

I have commented elsewhere on this blog about the futility, indeed idiocy, of a war on a concept. Finally, there is someone in the Whitehouse with enough brains to realize it. Well done Mr. Obama.

Of course the perennial hawks are busy decrying this decision. According to them, the President is capitulating and throwing in the towel. This is definitely not the case. the President was very clear regarding his intent to continue his policy of straight up blowing the crap out of anyone he sees as a threat to the U.S..

He isn’t giving up, he’s just focusing on the issue at hand.  From a huge, amorphous, concept, he is being very specific as to who he wants to blow up. Well, sort of specific.  But much more specific than the previous administrations plan to blow up terror itself.

President Obama is also moving closer to his long standing goal of closing Gitmo.  In a fit of clear– headedness, Mr. Obama realized that illegally detaining foreign nationals could be hurting American credibility on the world stage.  People tend to ignore your human rights complaints when you run an illegal, off-shore detention center.  So now he’s pushing for trials or repatriation where possible.  It’s not going to undo all the damage that’s been done, but at least its a start.

So the war isn’t actually over.  Its just been rebranded, refocused, and given a more achievable mandate.  These are all things I’ve been wanting since W. first announced his ill-conceived war on terror. Of course the people who hate Obama are going to accuse him of trying to appease the terrorists.  The simple fact is that “Drones “R” U.S.” has probably killed more actual terrorists than both of George (The Great Invader)s wars combined.

Now it’s time to gear up for the new and improved War on Terrorists because the war on terror has ended.

Cheers, Winston

Time To Prioritize

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, Movies, Personal, Self Awareness, ValuesLeave a comment

image

I have passes to the advance screening of Star Trek: Into Darkness tonight… in 3D! I am incredibly excited for this… so I lost the tickets. Last night I tore my house apart… repeatedly. Still no passes.

I was incredibly angry with myself. I called me all sorts of unpleasant names and stressed myself to the eyeballs. Over a movie. A movie I wasn’t even paying for. But I really want to see it so after I went to bed I thought of somewhere else to look. I jumped out of bed and went to look. Still no pass. I found myself veering from anger into depression.

By then it’s past midnight. Lynn and Chester have gone to bed but my stressing and roaming around trying to find the pages is keeping them awake. It was about then that I started thinking… maybe I’m looking at things all wrong.

I stopped rushing around and took a few minutes to pet my dog. Then I gave Lynn a foot-rub, and a quick back-rub and went to bed. This morning I looked a bit more but not as frantically as last night. I staggered when Lynn got up, she was going to look some more but I told her not to worry about it.

Why the change of heart? Did I just give up on it? Nope. I just got my priorities straight. Why stress Lynn over free movie tickets? Instead of worrying about some movie passes I don’t have I figure I should focus more on the wonderful things I do have.

I’ve got a wonderful wife who puts up with my insanity and does anything she can to make my world better. Our daughter is beautiful, smart, caring and I’m blessed to have an awesome relationship with her. I also happen to have the world’s greatest puppydog. There’s never going to be movie that’s more important than them.

That’s what I clued in to last night. That’s when I realized it’s time to prioritize.

Cheers, Winston

KEEP MERIDA “BRAVE”!

On By WinstonIn Disney, Media, Personal, Pop Culture, Society, Uncategorized, Values1 Comment

After writing 30 poems in 30 days, I gave myself some celebratory time off. Then I ran across this and had to speak up about it. Apparently Merida, the main character in the recent Pixar movie “BRAVE” is about to be inducted into the Disney Princess club. So far so good. Her father’s a king, so she definitely belongs there. Also, she’s a great role model for young girls. Merida is bold, intelligent, courageous, strong, caring and everything any parent knows their little girl can be.

She also looks like a real girl. At least much more so than many other animated young females. That seems to be a problem for Disney. The following image highlights the difference between Merida as she appears in the movie, and whoever the hell it is that the executives at Disney want to turn her into.

image

On the right, is movie Merida and on the left, Disney s new and “improved” version. Note the wasp-waist, enhanced bustline, curvier hips, fancier and less practical dress, more manageable hair. It all adds up to someone who clearly has nothing at all to do with the character in the movie. Instead of encouraging girls to be strong, independent and their own person, it says “If you want to be a “Princess” you have to be a cookie cutter-sexualized-Barbie looking version of yourself.”

So if you haven’t guessed yet, I’m more than a little bothered by this. The good news is…. I’m not the only one. “A Mighty Girl” has started a petition on change.org urging Disney to rethink their decision. If you’re interested, you can find it and sign it here.

I don’t know if Disney will listen, but I think it’s important to try. If we don’t, who else is going to keep Merida “BRAVE”.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:24 The Dragon And The Boy

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, ValuesLeave a comment

A poem about a dragon, a boy, and how not eating visiting adolescents can actually make a dragon’s life easier… also, real heroes don’t steal dragon treasure.

Enjoy!

The Dragon And The Boy

The dragon sleeps upon his hoard
Beneath a mountain old.
While every town breeds heroes who
Would seize the dragon’s gold.

So every year in summertime
Some fool comes out to try.
They come for glory or for gold
But all come but to die.

A boy lives in a nearby town
In poverty and woe.
He knows to save his people he
Must to the mountain go.

He seeks no glory and no fame
It’s not a path he’d choose.
But famine stalks the ones he loves
He’s nothing left to lose.

He is quite young still just a lad
But fear, he knows it not.
He’s seen such horrors innocence
Is something long forgot.

He travels on through day and night
At last he nears his goal.
There high upon the mountainside
An ancient, ebon hole.

As he climbs toward the lair
He takes a look around.
He sees that bones, half melted blades
Lie scattered on the ground.

The dragon stirs and lumbers out
From his bejeweled lair.
For he has sensed the boys approach
Up steep and final stair.

The boy has reached the place he sought
Prepares to face his fate.
He has not come to slay the beast
No lust for gold to sate.

The dragon steps into the sun
And stares down at the child.
He is intrigued and when he speaks
He tries to sound more mild.

“What brings you to my door young one?
Speak true or you shall die.”
“Oh dragon great I bring a gift.”
Is his shocking reply.

The child then extends his hand
And there for all to see.
A simple copper coin is what
His offering would be.

“In my town all are starving sir.
This coin our only one.
I do not seek your pity for
I know that you have none.

Just take the coin, it is not much
Please add it to your horde.
If years from now you look at it
Remember us my lord.”

The dragon thinks then he replies,
“I’ll honor your request.
But I would ask a boon as well.
I know you’ll do your best.

Please wait right here, I’ll be right back
There’s something I must get.”
He goes inside, brings back a chest
Which on a rock he set.

“Inside is all the coin you need
To make your small town great.
And all I ask is that you spread
The tale of your fate.”

The boy is so amazed that he
Gapes up at him in awe.
Sees finally the ancient scars
Some wounds still fresh and raw.

He weeps to see this ancient beast
Has suffered so much pain.
He vows to do his best to see
It never will again.

He takes the chest and journeys back
And saves his town so dear.
They aid the other towns around
Save them from doom so clear.

A boy lived in a nearby town
Has now become a man.
He’s keeps his oath and tells his tale
To everyone he can.

Those who were saved form Dragonguards
They ring the mountains round.
No weapons are allowed within
For that is dragon ground.

The dragon sleeps upon his hoard
Beneath the sun so bold.
While nearby towns breed heroes who
Still guard the dragon’s gold.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day:23 The Terribly Short Wizard

On By WinstonIn Bullying, NaPoWriMo, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

The other day, I was thinking that after NaPoWriMo I might like to write a short story. While debating what to write about I doodled the following phrase.

A Terribly Short Story About A Terribly Short Wizard With A Terribly Short Temper.

It became this poem. My 23rd for NaPoWriMo.

Enjoy!

The Terribly Short Wizard

Some time ago not very far
From where we sit right now.
There lived a wizard feared by all
But laughed at anyhow.

He lived there in a quite tall house
And wore the tallest hat.
For he, himself was very short
And more so when he sat.

His chairs all had the longest legs
They’d kneel to let him up.
So he could sit there eye to eye
If guests should come to sup.

But guests were few for few would dare
To risk the wizards wrath.
As it was sure to bring ill luck
To cross the wizards path.

He’d been laughed at for his shortness
Back when he was a kid.
He had been hurt that’s why he did
The horrid things he did.

If he could make them all afraid
They’d leave him on his own .
There’d be no one to laugh at him
If he was all alone.

So he lived there in his tall house
Alone and near forgot.
And came to know that loneliness
Was all his anger bought.

So when somebody laughs at you
Don’t let it change your heart.
You’ve all your life ahead of you
That hurt is just one part.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day: 20 A Self Improving Life

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Self Awareness, ValuesLeave a comment

When I was younger, I used to think that anyone who disagreed with me was wrong. More to the point, I didn’t hesitate to tell them how wrong they were. Usually as hurtful as possible. Not a really pleasant trait. So I decided to change it.

My day 20 NaPoWriMo offering is about that effort.

Enjoy!

My Past, My Path

I traveled far, so very far
As far as far can be.
When I arrived well there I was
I can’t escape from me.

Sometimes I say some awful thing
I instantly abhor.
My vile tongue and wicked mind
Wound innocence once more.

This part of me I cannot stand
Yet cannot put aside.
I bury it, try to deny
Yet from it cannot hide.

I’ve forged these chains with petty words
And every, cruel deed.
Until I change I greatly fear
My soul cannot be freed.

And so I work at bettering
Myself now day by day.
And hope in time that I can learn
To live a better way.

Now try to think before I speak
Think more before I act
Now try to see what others see
To feel how they react.

If I can see through others eyes
See me as I am seen.
Perhaps someday I will learn how
To put away the mean.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day: 14 Common Ground

On By WinstonIn Discrimation, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Society, Values1 Comment

As I sneak up on the midpoint of the NaPoWriMo challenge, I wanted to get a bit more personal again. I’ve been the person who assumed their view was the only one. Fortunately, I’m slowly growing out of it. This poem is about the need to make that change, both as individuals and a society.

Common Ground

When I was young I thought I knew
So much more than I did.
But that is often how it is
When you are just a kid.

As I’ve aged my views have changed
As every viewpoint should.
I’ve learned to see a wider world
I wish more people would.

There’d be less strife, less needless hurt
If we just tried to see.
That person there might have a point
The problem could be me.

So spare a moment and a thought
And take a look around.
For when you open up your mind
You’ll find more common ground.

Cheers, Winston