What Do You Think?

   Well here it is! The new design on my page. It's a lot different, and I'm not entirely sure I like it yet. If you have any tech problems, or if something doesn't look right, please mention it to me in a comment below. I would greatly appreciate your helping me get the new format looking and working right.

   I like the cleaner, less cluttered look, but all the peripherals are harder to find. If you look upwards (no not that far...) there should be a black header bar. On that bar is a place that says "Pages" click there to find my links to some of my favorite reading, a link to contact elected officials in your area, and links to find me and my pages across the web.

   Next, on the right side of the screen, if you'll just slide your mouse that way... You should find a pop-out menu. There you can see some information about me, you can add me on G+, join this site with google friend connect, and find my reading list of blogs I like to read.

   If you were on my blogroll, and you don't see your blog on my list... Don't worry, it's still there. If my settings are correct it should only show ten blogs at a time. And it rotates according to most recent postings.

   I am still going to do some advertising, but I'm still considering a couple of different options, so that may be a bit yet while I work out the details.

   And finally, I have created a facebook page, to represent my blog there. That way all my friends who have no interest in reading :(  don't get a bunch of unwanted ramblings flooding their feeds. I'm out to speak my mind, not shove it down your throat...

   Thanks for following along on my journey here. Blogging has been a great experience for me. And you... The people who come here, read what I have to say, and leave your opinions for me... You're what made it that way. See ya'...

Time For A Change

   Over the next week or so I am going to be revamping my page. I have already changed who can comment. Unfortunately, I will not be able to accept comments from anonymous sources anymore. In a way, that really kind of sucks, I like to give people the opportunity to say whatever they want and feel secure doing it, and some of the people I really like to hear from post anonymously (like my brother), but the spammers are killing me... Registered users only from here on out, sorry.

   I'm also going to redesign the look and format. I don't know exactly what that will entail yet, but my page needs a change. I am also going to try and write more often, I'm hoping at least once a week I will have something new for you to read here.

   And finally, I am going to start advertising. That one is hard for me. I don't like the idea of feeling like I am selling my opinions. Opinions should be given freely... Openly... And without ulterior motive. I don't like endorsing products. I don't like associating my name with companies and corporations. I don't like the idea of helping the rich get richer. I also don't like the idea of being broke. Two years with no steady income starts to get to you... And the people around you. So, I need to start generating income (even a little) somehow.

   I'm open for suggestions with these changes. If you have suggestions that you think will make this page better, I'd love to hear them. If there are things here on my page you don't like, I'd like to hear that even more. However it goes, I hope you will continue to come along for the ride.

PUT UP, OR SHUT UP...

    Okay, I have to say I am a little disgusted by some of the things I have read within social media this morning. Today is November 6, 2012. It is our day to vote. And I believe in voting. I have read several posts on facebook and two blog posts that are just eating at me... Now I am just as cynical as the next guy, maybe even more so in a lot of ways. But to hear people say that MY vote doesn't count pisses me off. For you to insinuate that I am ignorant for believing that MY vote DOES count, offends my intelligence. You say that if I believe I matter as an individual I don't understand the electoral process... Sorry, but the reverse is true. Yes, who becomes President is decided by the electoral college (which in my opinion is crap), and my individual vote does not directly dictate who is elected to this office. But the President is not the only office on the ballot. There are other federal positions to vote on, there are state positions to vote on, there are local positions to vote on... And my individual vote DOES count in who gets elected to these positions, that in turn influences the electoral college and who gets elected to the Presidents Office.
    But to be completely honest I don't care WHO gets elected to a position. Even the president. They are just people and they will be gone in the blink of an eye. Here today gone tomorrow. More important to me on election day than the WHO is the WHAT. The proposals that we vote on are far more important in my opinion. These are new laws, and Constitutional amendments that are going to directly influence my day to day life. These are issues that are going to last longer than the politicians who propose them. These are issues that are going to carry on to our children and grandchildren. And MY vote MATTERS. 
    So... You want to tell me I'm wasting my time voting. I want to tell you, YOU ARE a waste of time if you don't. And what really pisses me off is YOU are going to be whining and complaining about how messed up you feel things are for the next four years and you'll blame it on everyone else but yourself. 

A Perfect Day???

    Is there such thing as a perfect day? I don't know... But when I woke up this morning, I woke up in a bed, under a roof, and I was covered with a warm blanket. There was food for me to eat, and I am (for the most part) healthy.
    I then got on my computer and checked in with some of family, and some friends. I believe I may have even made a couple of people smile. I seemed to be off to a good start.
    My nieces and nephew came to the house to go play some mini-golf in celebration of my nephew's twelfth birthday. I didn't play. I didn't want to STOMP the rest of them and take all the fun out of the day. But I did go along to enjoy the festivities, and to take some wonderful pictures, full of smiles, of my family enjoying each others company, on a beautiful day.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY

     After mini-golf we returned to the house, and met up with my sister. I was happy to share my pictures with her, and show her how beautiful her children are, and how much fun they had during the day. We all visited for a while on the deck, on a warm sunny afternoon. After they went home my mother and I retired to the patio, and enjoyed a very pleasant evening. The Rose of Sharon is in bloom right now so I took some pictures of some beautiful flowers...

     After I very peaceful evening outside in the fresh air, I went inside and sat back in a comfortable chair. I watched a little television, and turned the computer back on. I went to my website and shared a spectacular day with the world.
    I am ready to sleep now. And I will go lay down on my bed, and pull up a warm blanket. I am as healthy as I was this morning when I woke up. My belly is full, my HEART is full... I think I had a perfect day.

The Sunshine Blogger Award.

    I don't think anyone who knows me, I mean really knows me, would use the word sunshine as a descriptive. I guess it is a good thing that http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/ doesn't know me... I connected with http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/ on Bloggers.com. It's a great website for bloggers who want to meet other bloggers. Anyway, when I first joined the site she was one of the first people to welcome me to the site, and she was the first person I felt was genuine about it. As a courtesy for the warm welcome I went to her blog and read one of her posts. Then another, and another, and another... and I have been following her posts ever since. I have come to regard her as an exceptional writer, and a Grade A human being. She takes on real life issues, things that could be embarrassing, things that can be maddening, family trials, and bumps in the road, and whatever else life throws at her, and put's it all down in her blog. And while I don't know if she is always smiling when she is writing her posts, I can guarantee, you will smile when you read them. So, with that being said it is truly and honor for me to accept her award. I have also learned that http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/ is a lover of squirrels, so in her honor, instead of posting pictures of thing that actually pertain to this post... Everywhere I might of posted a relevant picture, I will instead post a picture of a squirrel from my vast collection. (I do love to take pictures...)

    I have mentioned in previous posts, that my writing here is somewhat out of  character for me. For the most part I am a pretty quiet guy, I like to stay in the background and observe rather than be the center of attention. I am so quiet sometimes that I think people misjudge me at times, and think me unsocial, or unfriendly, maybe some think I might be a little slow if ya' know what I mean. And while I have never been one to keep my mouth shut when I feel like I, or someone I care about, is getting the shaft... I am not nearly as eloquent verbally as I can be with the keyboard. I don't blog to make money, I don't try to impress people, I'm not searching for fame and fortune... It doesn't suit me. I blog because it helps me organize my thoughts in a different way. I blog for the simple benefit of learning about myself. I like being able to go back and reread my posts and analyze my own thoughts from a different perspective. It has been a very enlightening experience for me. And if someone else can benefit from my ramblings then all the better. I always try to be real, and I always try to be honest, even if it ain't pertty. So, to receive recognition for my efforts here really is quite an honor for me. All in all, blogging has been a much better experience for me than I ever imagined it would be.

    As always, with anything that seems to be too cool, there is a catch attached to this award... It seems as though I have to answer some questions... Okay, okay, I'll answer them. I'm not scared... I've been through too much, you can't humiliate me or embarrass me any worse than I can myself. However, it also seems I must nominate ten other bloggers for this prestigious award. That might be a little harder... I am very picky about what I like, and very particular about who or what I will endorse. So to find ten bloggers that I think are exceptional out of the thousands I've looked at may not be as easy of a task as it sounds. But I think I can come up with some great people that fit the bill. I have found some blogs that I really like other than http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/, although if it wasn't her who nominated me, she would be my first pick. I have to think about my nominations, so I'll start with the questions. There are ten of them, and they are:
    1. Q: What would you most like to change about yourself?

    1. A: Nothing, I'm perfect...Ahhh ha ha ha, he heee he, hoo ho ho, Bwaaah ha ha ha....ROTFFL... Just kidding... Uh, what would I change? There are too many things to just pick one, I think I would just like to go back to infancy and try the whole life thing over again.
   2. Q: What is your theme song?

    2. A: I never really thought about this, but I think Waylon Jennings song "Just a Good Ol' Boys" (theme song to the Dukes of Hazard) seems to fit. I never meant any harm you know... But I been in trouble with the law since the day I was born...
    3. Q: Name one part of your life, a memory, action, etc. that you wish you could surgically remove from your brain...

    3. A: Well I can't actually mention her name, she probably wouldn't appreciate it...Just joking again, maybe... Wait a minute isn't this the same as the first question.
    4. Q: What generation do you wish you had been a part of?

    4. A: Does the Cro-Magnon period count as a generation??? Sure seems like a simpler life to me.
    5. Q: What was your favorite childhood toy?

    5. A: I usually played with the boxes the toys came in more than the toys. I was pretty destructive and most of my toys didn't, and still don't last long. I did have a stuffed dog, named Turnip, that I just threw out last year. He had a pull string on his back, and he said things like "Give me a hug", "I wuv you", and "Let's take a nap"... In his later years his voice box broke and he said the same things just two hundred miles an hour, kinda like a record playing at 5X speed... It was one of the few childhood mementos that lasted into my adult life. Sadly, my cats destroyed Turnip beyond repair, and I had to put him to rest.
    6. Q: What is your favorite housecleaning chore?

    6. A: I like doing the dishes. And sweeping and mopping is a lot of fun... But I can't decide if I like cleaning litter boxes or toilets the most... What kind of question is this? I'm a red-neck fisherman, I love wallowing in squalor and filth... I don't even know what housecleaning really is...
    7. Q: Do you Twitter?

    7. A: Did you just call me a twit... I think you got the wrong guy... Um actually, I tweet on twitter, yes it's true... And you can follow me there on the sideboard of this page if you want. Although I don't really use twitter for much other than promoting this page.
    8. Q: Any goals?

    8. A: Yeah, I played a little street hockey, I scored a few times...
    9. Q: Do you really drink Margaritas all the time?

    9. A: Huh??? I get the feeling this question was originally intended for http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/ when she was first nominated for this award. As I've seen her mention them a couple of times in her posts, but I'll play along... I have only had one Margarita in my life. My Brother took me out to a fancy dinner for my fortieth birthday. He love's a good Margarita and he said the place had the best around. He ordered them up for us and I really did try to be polite and drink it... But that thing was disgusting... I guess I'm not much of a drinker anyway, but no more Margaritas for me thanks... The food was fabulous by the way.
    10. Q: What is the ugliest car you have ever driven and were embarrassed to be seen in?

    10. A:  Best question yet... I drove a 79' Canadian built Mustang. It had a 1.8 ltr turbo engine. Sounds cool right... It wasn't. It was gray and rust colored. Because it was rusty. It didn't have anywhere that wasn't dented or dinged. The turbo sounded like a choking squirrel, and the only way you could drive it was if you could push it to get it started. As I said earlier, I'm not all that easy to embarrass. But I have to admit, I was a little embarrassed to be seen in it when I crashed it into the back of a brand new, shiny, red Acura that some nice mom was driving home to give to her daughter for her birthday...
    Okay, the easy part is over. Now the hard part. What I look for in a blog is for the writer to move me in some kind of way. I don't care about proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Those things mean nothing to me. If you want me to read your blog regularly, you have to make me laugh, or cry, or make me believe you are standing for something bigger than yourself. I want to connect with real people, with real issues, and real experience. I want you to make me think and view things in a different way than I might have if the subject had crossed my own mind. I don't care about fashion blogs, tech blogs, video game blogs, etc. I suppose they have their place in the Blogosphere but it's just not what I'm interested in. That being said here are my picks in no particular order, I find all these people to be outstanding.
    1. My friend at http://rumpunchdrunk.blogspot.com/ has a way of taking quite sensitive issues, and presenting them in a very thought provoking way. I think he was nominated for this award at the same time I was by the same person, but I second that nomination...
    2. My friend at http://www.owljones.com/ is a fellow fisherman, and extremely knowledgeable about it. He is hilarious, and has a little political fire that I love to see in people. Most of all I like him because he is real, and he says whats on his mind whether you like it or not. Take him or leave him he's Owl Jones.
    3. My friend at http://www.tokeofthetown.com/ Steve Elliot is a warrior for a cause that I believe in a great deal. He is my most reliable source of information on the Cannabis Battlefront, and someone I can often go to for a good laugh. He has one of the very few blogs that I followed before I was a blogger.
    4. My friend at http://blogtruth.wordpress.com/ Atticus Finch may not be the guy you go to for a healthy dose of laughter, but the title of his blog says it all. This man deals in truth and reality. Always thought provoking, he lays his cards on the table and makes the best of what he's got. Love it... Atticus... Hat's off buddy, hope everything is going okay for you.
    5. My Sister at http://traciwhitingisley.blogspot.com/ My sister is always inspiring to me. She has been my biggest supporter with my own blog, and in life as well. She'll give you something to think about. I hope you keep blogging Traci.
    6. My Friend at http://theamericanrose.blogspot.com/ Matt Rosario has an exceptionally well written blog. He comes straight at you with reality and reason. I have enjoyed his posts thoroughly.
    7. My friend at http://alaskapride.blogspot.com/ is a political blogger, who is not afraid to speak their mind about things that may not be so popular to speak your mind about. alaskapride is well written and informative, glad to have found the site.
    8. My friend at http://the-honest-bitch.blogspot.com/ The Honest Bitch is just that... Honest. And sarcastic. And catty. And funny. Her blog is my guilty pleasure. It's like my own little window into the working mind of a woman. Scary stuff I tell ya. And an awesome blog.
    9. My friend at http://crooklynscorner.com/ Is here because she loves Mixed Martial Arts and so do I. Great blog if your into such things.
    10. My friend at http://www.birdsofsaudiarabia.com/ I am a bird watcher after all. This site has some nice pictures of birds from the other side of the world. I love to learn and research my interests so this site fits that bill for me.

    Now that that is over there are just a few more things to say. In very bad form for a blogger, I very rarely leave comments on posts. The majority of people on this list probably didn't even know I read their blogs until right now. But as I said earlier, I'm quiet, I like to observe from the background. Just because I don't comment doesn't mean I'm not paying attention.
    I also get the feeling there isn't anyone on this list who will want to participate in answering silly questions and linking to so many people. I debated on it myself. Let me just say that I had more fun writing this post than I thought I would. I am a beginning writer, and I kind of took this as a creative writing assignment. Writing about something I ordinarily wouldn't, was challenging and enlightening. The rules of the award are that you answer the ten questions, and nominate ten to twelve bloggers yourself. No easy task... But that is how this was given to me, so that is how it goes to you.
    If you don't want to muck with it, don't have the time, it doesn't fit into the scheme of your blog, or you don't like the color of the award... It's all good by me. But please know that my sentiment in offering your blog an award is genuine. I sincerely think all of your blogs are worth recognition. And I will continue to read them whether you like it or not. But give it some thought, you might have some fun with it. I did.
    Marcia at http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/ thank you. Your awesome. I hope you enjoy the post, and I hope it was worth waiting two months for.