“It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever – the one who recognizes the challenges and does something about it.” ~Vince Lombardi~

Before I begin writing I have something to say. Not really. But I thought it sounded cool so I threw it out there, you know, like the old saying, throw it up against the wall and see what sticks. It most likely didn't, therefore, we will move on. It is Tuesday, January 8, 2012, and I do bid you a hearty hello on what is supposed to end up being a very rainy day. Thanks so much to those who said they missed my blogs while I was in the wilderness of being disconnected. It may be true that no man is an island but it sure doesn't mean you can't find yourself isolated. I wasn't ready to rub sticks together or tie a string to a couple of soup cans but if one is the loneliest number then zero can't be far behind. I do respect folks who live without most of what is thought to be required technology. I read the other day about a missionary family that lives in a very remote area of the world. They do have a cell phone but keep it on vibrate. They reported how they were recently visiting in a town and their little boy heard a phone ringing and asked what that sound was. Who's to say they are deprived? They are where God wants them to be and that trumps everything. Amen.

I heard someone talking about how totally crazy teenagers get if they are not able to send and receive texts, even for a few minutes. We worry about distracted drivers but I wonder if we are not a people who are becoming more and more distracted in our living. Because it's not just the younger folks that have to be plugged in and actively engaged seemingly on a 24x7 basis. I've been in some serious meetings about matters of some importance and seen participants continue to send and receive texts even in the midst of deliberative discussions. I also know folks whose single point of reference is their personal digital assistant. That PDA is a little smart computerized phone, scheduler, organizer, video player, internet connection, and all-of-the-above type device. Some people cannot function without their little handheld because it tells them everything. Literally. It's got their entire life under control, like where they have been and where they need to go next along with everything else important in their life. I don't have a problem with these tools if we remember that's what they are.... tools. I saw the photo I used today shared by one family as a joke in their Christmas card. But is it really not closer to the truth than we might like to think?


I know you probably get tired of hearing me say the more things change, the more they stay the same. But it is pretty much exactly how it works. We find out that not only did everyone drawing a paycheck have their taxes increased but the so called vote that avoided the cliff jumping episode hit the poorest of the poor the hardest. And, since the actual portion of the bill that did deal with income taxes hits only people who draw a paycheck, you know, subject to tax deductions, this plan hardly touched the wealthiest of the wealthy because they don't typically draw a salary, their money is all tied up in investment income. This means that after all the wailing and gnashing we heard, and after all the smoke clears, the famous billionaire will likely continue to pay a lower effective tax rate than his secretary. Someone opined this had to be this way because it's those big money folks who contribute the most to the campaigns, host the fund raisers, and generally take special care of the ones that really count, you know, the politicians. Don't even go there if you think I am bitter because I'm only giving you the facts as I see them and we all are entitled to investigate and report. I think we can still do that. Can't we? Go back and read that sentence about how it typically works and then move on because allowing these kinds of things to get you down will only cause you to miss a text or two, and Lord knows, we wouldn't want that to happen. Have a good one and I'll see you next time. May God bless. Amen.    .....More later.