The Mormon Tells About The Atheist

 

The Koi pool electrician I hired is a Mormon.... and when I asked him if that is considered a Protestant church he countered and said it is a Restored church .... the original one of Jesus Christ ...

 

Then he had this to say about atheists .... "There are no atheists in a foxhole!"

 

I laughed..... and it is true ... an atheist is an atheist only until he truly NEEDS God!  and hopefully finds him... some persons deny their spiritual self but then when they are placed in a situation so stressful their defenses drop....

Paintography or Digital Art

A new word, "Paintography" .... a better media...

Digital art just isn't adequate to describe the type of art I do with the computer and I so much appreciated Karen's coining a new word to describe the art media she uses and it is a media just like any of the other traditional art media artists use.  Read her blog at http://artistrymag.com/blog1/?p=74

Below is a "paintography" work I did of "Chris", the woman at the Manzanita Senior Center who is 85 years plus and teaches our creative writing class. Her life's work was teaching English.

A Positive Work History is a Plus in Life

It takes self discipline, team work, dedication, stability, self management of resources (time, training, etc), and many other qualities to have and keep a job or run a business of your own.... ANY JOB, and yes having a work record usually comes with work references, all of which is very indicative of one's character and income earning potential, if not also their educational and training background attainment level....

 

What type of job you choose for your life's work is also revealing of one's life productivity, performance to expectations, and it gives evidence of ability practicing socially learned behavior appropriate for their chosen line of work .... blue collar workers have different social security benefits than professionals or management employees; and workplace behavior is learned and reinforced by established norms suitable for the job. 

 

The unemployables are an interesting lot.They sometime become the small business man or entrepreneur, the enterprising and get rich quick inventors, etc; but the bottom of the barrel unemployables are generally living a life on welfare, fall into criminal positions, or exist by the goodness of a close friend or family member willing to support them.They are needy people who should be helped to be self supporting and given respect, not ridicule, for trying even though they may fail again and again. The disadvantaged, the  ones discriminated, the disabled, the mentally challenged, the too young and the too old,  all have a tough time in the market place seeking employment. even in the best economic times.

 

We all know the artful dodger who poo poos and downplays the merits of having a job history, being a productive member of society... he farts away his life to the dismay of all who care for him.  Perhaps the high school drop out should "drop in" on some of those who dropped out of a productive existence in life with the intent to understand why they should make wiser choices for their future. They can possibly help one another out of the hole they dug for them selves.

 

Life or Not

 

Our world is not sustainable over flowing with individuals who just drift aimlessly through life or even worse live like parasites on the working backs of others. 

 

Persons with higher intellects do have an obligation to be positive achievers, but unfortunately some do use their high IQ criminally and detrimentally and do not contribute to the moral good, peace, and progress of a civilized society sharing a world together.

 

We live only a short while in this world and some do reproduce to ensure life continues, not only just our own species. 

 

Just as we received the accumulated wisdom and positive achievements of those before us, we should not leave a negative account, taking more from this world than we gave. 

 

Generosity of spirit is the mark of a truly great soul, the karma of life versus the grasping hands of inevitable death. It is not a matter of how long we live, but that we do not waste away meaninglessly.  You have the choice of being a credit or a debit. In the end, the sum matters greatly.

 

Why Write

"Everyone has the same God; perceptions differ."  Anton Chekov, Russian Philosopher

 

To perceive is to become aware of something through one's senses..... Conceptions are the product of thought processes which may or may not be aided by one's perceptions ... conceptions require mental processes which augment our senses ... quantity as a concept is more than visual perception and quality also as it involves comparative analysis based on agreed upon criteria.... Since God can not be touched, seen, heard, smelled, or tasted (the senses which are the sources of perception, I dispute that God is the same for all whether or not he may be...... but it is not the perceptions that differ as Chekov (a Russian) asserted but our mental conceptions of a higher deity and our a priori knowledge that is used as a launching pad rather than our perceptual senses. What is self evident and obvious to one is not to another. A priori knowledge differs among individuals because we all have different origins of customs, cultures, source instincts, point of views, perspectives, principles, and personal beliefs core to our singular being. Perceptions do differ but are not the reason for viewing God differently. Concepts of quality, quantity, likeness , existence, life, death, eternity, etc determine what we believe theologically is God or no God. God is not the same for everyone nor will he ever be the same from one individual to another because their mental faculties are never the same. Religions were devised to unify beliefs across individuals, countries, and time to help us deal with the mortality of man.

 

Truthfully though, I beg to differ with Chekov, quantity and quality matters in spiritual beliefs: God is not the same for all. Some have many Gods, not just one, or some have none at all. Perspective, and point of view are just as important, just as necessary, as our perceptions.  Some may think they ARE God or at least they sometimes act like it!

 

Writing is one way to explore our beliefs, refine them, and learn from others who are wiser. Theology is just one of many subjects of interest to many.

 

Blogs, like books , are usually one way communications, any interaction with the author is in the reader's mind; and, unless it is a "meet the author event", no opportunity for conversation with the author exists unless imagined or reader feedback after the fact.   The author writes (expounds)  without interruption and does so sometimes to address a particular audience/reader but other times only to express only what he has thought and cared about enough to write so it can be shared, read, and later referenced. Some authors desire a huge audience while others are content with a small audience or none at all. Speaking for myself, I am content to know I wrote something I felt needed to be expressed in writing, providing the opportunity for other others to read or not.  Authors always read and reference what is written even if no one else does, and when memory is not so good, having thoughts recorded in a more permanent print on paper or via online digital media allows refreshing memories with what the author felt too valuable to forget.

 

Criticism by self wanting to improve or by others will always exist because adversaries will be adversaries for a number of different reasons.  That should not discourage the writer in all of us from writing because the process of writing refines and orders thoughts, reinforces ideas in mind for later recall, increases opportunity for their application/execution, and also exercises writing skills (choosing of correct words, expanding vocabulary proficiency, improving spelling and grammar, etc.). 

 

Authors want what they have taken the time to write to  at least be worthy of the time required to read it. Some author's writings are self promoting or promoting another's art or work.  Great authors achieve a lot more by their writing.  They can and do change the world by the wisdom of their words, they continue to live on via their writing long after they have died.

A poem for Dr. Eddy .... all about rhythm ....

 

Creating a poem of your thoughts or to communicate with others is very helpful in many ways .... selecting the right words to express your thoughts and keeping the arithmetic count of the syllables per line so that their is a rhythmic percussion to the poetry that plays in your mind when reading it. In his series How Music Works, Howard Goodall presents theories that rhythm recalls how we walk and the heartbeat we heard in the womb. More likely is that a simple pulse or di-dah beat recalls the footsteps of another person. Our sympathetic urge to dance is designed to boost our energy levels in order to cope with someone, or some animal chasing us – a fight or flight response. From a less Darwinist perspective, perceiving rhythm is the ability to master the otherwise invisible dimension, time.  The Morse code language is all about rhythm and its shorts and longs of pulses transmitted/received.

Rhythm is "any measured flow or movement, symmetry") ... "Movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." While rhythm most commonly applies to sound, such as music and spoken language, it may also refer to visual presentation, as "timed movement through space."

Poems are art creations that use the media of language with words and writing set to rhythm. Sometimes I just need to express myself by creating a poem expressing a pleasant purpose for being alive.

In His Life Now

Dr. E is now 59,
He is handsome and in his prime.

Helps us to use Corel Painter,
Opacity makes things fainter...

Brushes, layers, colors, to use,
Gradients, patterns, all amuse.

Grids, selections, scales, and options,
Clones, papers, other adoptions.

Students who enroll in his class,
They never fail and always pass.

__._,_.___

Freedoms in United States

 

Freedoms .... in today's world, one does not have the Freedom to live where they choose... Citizens of U.S. are "owned" by the U.S. The country of origin for a person is the one held accountable for that citizen's behavior and also is the one that receives credit for that  citizen's contributions to society and the world.  Government taxes its citizens to pay for community costs, to pay for national defense costs, to pay for the welfare of its citizens costs.

 

I believe illegal immigrants want to avoid those facts of life.

 

 

__._,_.___

Bad Weeks

I've had a strange couple of weeks. On Monday, July 12th, Walgreen's Pharmacy told me that my PCP, Dr. M., would not OK any more of my meds until I came in for a regular physical. I made an appointment and went to see him a week ago last Tuesday, July 20th.

Dr. M. mentioned that he hadn't seen a chest X-ray for me for some time, so we made an appointment. I went in Wednesday. Thursday his receptionist called me that I should come in on Friday, the 23rd, so that he could talk to me about the results of the X-ray.

The doctor said, "Bob, I really hate to have to tell you this, but the X-ray indicates that you have lung cancer. I'll set you up for a CT -scan. and we'll know more." I was, to put it mildly, stunned. A real "Oh, shit!" moment. He scheduled the cat-scan for Monday, July 26th, which I attended.

I had been commiserating with my best friend about his esophageal CA, but lung cancer... particularly horrifying. My mother died of lung cancer. My father died of emphysema. I know I'm mortal and I realize I must die eventually, but I could visualize myself dying as they did--gasping for air, in intractable pain. Not the way I would have chosen.

I wanted to call my daughter Joanne to tell her I was ready to move down to Tucson, but she was still in Spain. Sales meeting with son-in-law. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday not too surprisingly I slid into a black depression, and found myself studying my handguns questioningly. Then, Thursday evening on the 29th at about 6:30 the phone rang.

It was Dr. M., "I have some news."
"Lay it on me," I growled.
"It's really good news. The X-ray was read wrong. The cat-scan shows your lungs completely clear. You don't have lung cancer."

Wow! Huge weight lifted from my shoulders.

I'm not sure whether I'm very grateful to Dr. M., or very angry at him. It would have been a really ugly joke on both of us if I had used my pistol!

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

(I hereby permit my friend and fellow Mensan, Yolanda Martin, to post this anecdote on
her web-log. I retain right of first publication in print media (also
known as "dead tree" media.))

Robert N. Eaton 07/31/10
2310 W. Orangewood Ave., #4
Phoenix, AZ 85021-7668
Motheaton28@aol.com

The Freedom to Be, The Freedom to Choose

The Freedom to Be, The Freedom to Choose

 

One thing we must not lose,

The Freedom to Be,

The Freedom to Choose.

 

Our lives are meant to be

Free and fully filled

With love, you, and me. 

 

We live in peace and know

Our maker provides

Our paths as we go.

 

The freedom to choose,

The freedom to be,

We program our own cruise.

 

(Yolanda Martin)

Well.... What Religion Are You

While in New Zealand I conversed with members of all the many global faiths and churches to be found in Wellington and interacted with their zealots ...

 

I am particularly remembering a conversation with a particular Catholic nun.... at one point she looked me in the face and blurted out, "Well.....!! (humph! she croaked at me like a frog) What Religion Are You Anyway?!!!"

 

I replied meaningfully, "The one before that ever became a question that needed answering".

 

Dispute over religions have been the cause of too much blood shed in our history since the beginning of time.  Religions... rather than unifying people they have divided them. 

 

That is why now I am an Universalist. I am a believer and I have an in depth religious upbringing, studied world religions  and their history during college, and continue to be  interested in theological teachings and their practices.  I do believe I have a soul, but when someone declares to me they have no soul, I do not argue with them.... after all they are the best ones to know and not I.

 

 

SOUL....I think that it is a measure of the self, the lowest common denominator by which you can be compared to anything else, anywhere, anytime, and be assessed a value and worth in relative comparison... the entry in an accountants book of all things that matter. Yo M. ©

 (My web site) http://ymmartin.com

(My blogs)

http://koi-pekingese.blogspot.com/

http://ymmartin.blogspot.com/

Beliefs and Freedom to Believe As You Will

I also don't believe in proselytizing one's religious beliefs...unless one presumes to be here on earth solely for that calling. I resent door knockers telling me they feel their religion is better than the one I have or choose not to have.  While spending inordinate amounts of time spreading the word of "God", one is not spending the time to live and realize the unique life that God has given you: to experience, learn, and be the you as intended by your choices in this world.  Also that you could, just possibly, not  be experiencing this world fully aware and alive just because you are numbed and spending all of your time preparing for the next.  When I write "you",  it is just in general to anyone who I see proselytizing to a fault. I do believe it is good to share with others your own beliefs and blessings but not to feel superior to those of another with or without their own beliefs and blessings.  We have no right to pass judgment on another unless it is a court of law and you are the judge.   Like Mother Teresa said "If you judge people, you have no time to love them"

 

It is not good to be too emphatic about our beliefs such that we invade the personal beliefs of others with endless argument and over persuasion because it may have the reverse effect in many cases. Your listener gets turned off by you.  

 

Persons want the freedom to live and make their own choices based on input they have freely chosen as relevant.  The brain attics are filled differently in free thinking intelligent persons while common stuff is found in followers who chose to let some one else think for them and have become cultists.  God wants spiritual fruits and not religious nuts....

 

' The first condition of proselytism among the Jews was, that he that came to embrace their religion should come voluntarily, and that neither force nor influence should be employed in this business. This is also the first condition required by Jesus Christ, and which he considers as the foundation of all the rest:—If a man be willing to come after me.....

Good, Better, Best

A maxim comes to my mind now...




Good, Better, and Best

Let us not rest until

Our Good is Better, and our Better is Best.

The Uncommon Common Man

THE UNCOMMON COMMON MAN

. 

The uncommon, common man

Speaks his mind when he can.

. 

He knows the value of his stand

This uncommon, common man.

. 

To believe and know, he must share

With all ,in hopes that they might care.

. 

The true danger in this world of ours

Is not the uncommon, common man's powers.

. 

The true danger we all face

Is the loss of human grace.

. 

History favors the uncommon, common man

Without him, we have only a one man band.

. 

(Yolanda Martin)

Blogs ....ezine's and ...... samples ...Taste of Artistry Tips and Tricks

Some declare they will never create a blog .... see below where blogs are now ezine's .... just as with individuals, all blogs are not created equal or of equal interest to the general viewing public, but all writing is of value IMO.... it is the value of each and every human being that matters most in this world and also what is created by individuals being allowed to express them self freely. I share with you the blog link of an artist who I admire and follow named Karen.
*************

 

Here's a taste of my monthly Painter ezine, Artistry Tips and Tricks.

http://artistrymag.com/blog1/


Happy painting!



Karen

Saving money on your electricity bill

 

 

Every little bit of budgeting helps us conserve our resources so that we can have the things we choose (within our budget)... with so much economic distress, it is important to spend wisely.  I have the luxury of my dozen Pekingese of all colors, 4 Koi/Goldfish Water Gardens and 2 indoor aquariums, computers, and TV cable DVR box, but otherwise I do economize every way possible just as others also are trying to do. 

 

My sister says I don't need as many Pekingese as I have and also questions my having the water gardens .... in her mind those things are wasteful of my money, but in my mind they are what makes my life enjoyable, interesting, and most importantly filled with love and companionship.  It is via my Pekingese I have made my Azpekelist Yahoo group friends and others.  It is via my fish keeping that I meet and make like minded friends and learn valuable lessons in life from them.  Well, you probably have also guessed that my sister thinks my art activities also wasteful....  (sigh) My "luxuries" are what I enjoy photographing and rendering into digital art to enter into local art shows or share with online friends.

 

We all have our "sisters" or others in our lives whose judgments and influence over us make us question our own values and beliefs. I believe it is important to not abandon our selves and our choices thus empowering others who have different values and would like to impose their ways upon us.  We need to be the individual we are and not live in the shadow of our self created by another.

 

SRP offers what they call EZ 3 plan where M-F from 3-6 you limit your use of electricity as much as you can... see the savings on my electric bill.... My total bill for 1800 sq ft home was $187... AND WE HAD AN AVG TEMP OF 93.9 DEGREES WHERE AS LAST YEAR'S BILL THE AVG TEMP WAS 98 DEGREES....

"You saved $44.37 this month on the EZ-3 Plan. Your
year-to-date savings are $105.41"

 

Yippee! Yippee Yea! Git along lil doggys.....

 

Yolanda

 

Service Beyond Self

We all know persons who truly give of their self to help their fellow man.  Service beyond self.  Some do it because they say it fulfills them... to do a good deed and practice the Golden Rule daily in their lives.  Sometimes they become martyrs for a cause, and some even go on to be recognized by the Catholic Church as Saints..... but you have to perform miracles for that to happen... LOL

 

The problem in our modern society and at the present time, IMO, is that presently there are not enough givers, but definitely too many takers..... so much so that seems to be the prevailing social conduct ..... get as much as you can and move on to the next hand out.

 

Not enough good, and too much bad.  ??? Do we adequately reinforce the good we see in others.... perhaps we could provide support to someone we see struggling for a cause.

 

Too many criminals, and too few protections to prevent crime.  Adding to the police force in numbers as a magic cure all is too much police and not enough citizen positive action.  I believe in protecting one another and caring for each other's safety.We do not need a large number of police, more, and more until suddenly we are now a police state burdened with the cost of paying the police to do work we can and should do ourselves.
 

Why are illegal aliens dangerous to the American citizen

When I made a life turning decision to spend the rest of my life in New Zealand in 1984, during the divestiture of AT&T (my current employer,  Maitland, Florida), I travelled at my own expense and on personal time to Washington, D.C to be personally interviewed by the New Zealand Embassy. I had to present my entire life's documents and relevant history including past and present financial status  They wanted to know how I planned to support myself in New Zealand for the rest of my life and they asked me did I have friends, employer, or family to depend on for transition matters.

 

After a lengthy process, I was granted a permanent residence VISA for New Zealand. New Zealand is very restrictive as to who it admits legally to their country.  They required me to reside there for 4 years before I would be recognized as a citizen of New Zealand.

 

Shortly after arriving in New Zealand my purse was stolen from my Hotel room and during the flight my many bags of luggage was ripped open and contents stolen. Shortly after that theft, I realized my stolen credit cards and other personal identification was being used in the country I had left (United States).  I tried for almost a year unsuccessfully to recover my identity and protect my property and identity that was still in America.  I was under so much stress my work and health suffered and I left New Zealand before one year's time prematurely to the required 4 year's residency in New Zealand that would have recognized me as a bona vide New Zealand citizen.  After arriving in America, within 10 days  an automobile/bicycle accident nearly fatal to me as the bicyclist prevented future life progress as planned.  The accident was not my fault since I was run over from behind  across from a City Park only blocks from my home, but yet I was cited and given a ticket  by City Police for "unsafe lane change" ? huh? Critically injured and with no one to aid me and no hospital insurance, I was sent home from the hospital  and subsequently suffered agonizing pain from head injuries and physical limbs damages.  Years went by and I managed as best I could.  To this day almost 25 years later I am still in recovery mode and have reconciled that I have residual permanent impairments.  I am alive, but oh at what a cost!  I personally do not believe my "accident" was truly an accident but someone's intent to wipe me out so their criminal use of my identity could continue and they would have access to my property and real estate.

 

The real danger desperate illegal aliens present is that they can slip into and become by replacing the true American they have identified as vulnerable and feel they can accomplish their substitution with their own person.  They need a new identity and want to lose their criminal past.  They want desperately to live with a new beginning and using the stolen ID of a chosen American is one way of achieving their objective.  In 1984, the local police was totally clueless about this type of crime.

 

I have lived and worked in Florida, Texas, and Arizona during my career employment years and am now retired choosing to live in Arizona.

 

I have learned much about the U.S. Customs Agency, the Coast Guard, and the problem that illegal aliens residing in our country or in New Zealand cause and its cost to those who follow legal paths to become a citizen of a new country.

 

I can't think of any country that is so permissive of illegal aliens as is the United States.

 

Refugees seeking and finding  protection in our country is yet another complex issue.

 

It seems that I agree with Gov. Jan Brewer that our Federal government has not done its job to enforce its own laws created to protect the American citizen, his property, and his future.

"Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur" on the seal of the Department of Justice .... American citizenship must be earned justly and legally.

 

http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/INS/index.htm

Arizona's Illegal Immigration Problem

You have to really respect this governor! She's the type of woman who would look good in the White House! She is smart, honest, level headed and has the courage to do what's in the best interest of the people of Arizona, even it she has to stand up to the President to do it!!

The owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, Robert Sarver, opposes AZ's new immigration laws.

 Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer, released the following statement in response to Sarver's criticism of the new law:

"What if the owners of the Suns discovered that hordes of people were sneaking into games without paying?



What if they had a good idea who the gate-crashers are, but the ushers and security personnel were not allowed to ask these folks to produce their ticket stubs, thus non-paying attendees couldn't be ejected.



Furthermore, what if Suns' ownership was expected to provide those who sneaked in with complimentary eats and drink?


And what if, on those days when a gate-crasher became ill or injured, the Suns had to provide free medical care and shelter?"


Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer

Create your own comic strip easily

DO YOU KNOW?

http://stripgenerator.com/strip/407261/do-you-know/view/all/#id=407261;view=all;accordion=0;

Here is the image of the comic strip I created today to honor Pekingese, Koi, and Goldfish keepers...

.

Pekingese Prosperity

PEKINGESE PROSPERITY

To own Pekingese is to enjoy  personal prosperity.  Our pets give us so much enjoyment and companionship daily that I just felt I wanted to emphasize their value in our lives.  They enrich us with their beauty, their personalities, and their playful dances.  They too are enjoying the cool break in our hot Phoenix, Arizona summer weather. 

They remind us to love and be

 loved in return.  God save our Pekingese!

My Koi/Goldfish water garden

Here is a recent photo of my 8 ft round Koi/Goldfish water garden.  I do enjoy this new project I have undertaken which provides learning experiences and enjoyment of water sights and sounds day and night.

Searching for just the right word ....

Authors know the importance of choosing just the right word .... but then someone corrects you (as in this movie which teaches us a lesson in correctness and accuracy in our choice of words and their use).

http://video.merriam-webster.com/0015-octopus.mov
The movie is an excellent example of argument over the correct use of a word for the fault finding pedantic to ponder. Oh, I so enjoyed the speaker and her message!! Hope you can view it ..... if not, have you downloaded QuickTime player (free)?

Prosperity

I believe we live in an age of challenging change and chance. I believe as a person, it is not enough to merely just cope with the circumstances that face us each new day, but that it is imperative to advance, achieve, and answer accountably for all that we do (to be alive), individually or collectively in a group; answer questions for what we did not know we could do (to learn); and answer for what we will do (to plan and execute attainable goals that contribute to peace, prosperity, and progress). I use the word "answer" in the sense of being accountable, true, and responsible to one's self, fellow man, and the environment and government that sustains continued quality life on earth.

I am an Universalist. Both individually and collectively, it is important to answer truthfully to ourselves, our fellowman, and the global environment that sustains our lives. 

Life depends on life. We are all dependants in life. From life we came. For life we live. To life we hinge our souls.