In this age of social contact we find ourselves communicating via Twitter, Facebook and of course just plain Email. The art of letter writing just seems to be gone forever. Snail mail no more. In many ways this is too bad because so much can be poured out in a written communication that is just between two parties. All the rest of this Internet stuff somehow finds it way into a more than communication between two individuals. I can't blame the computer for this lost art though because before the computer became popular I found that in general people just didn't want to spend that quiet time with pen in hand pouring out ideas and feelings to be shared with someone who was far enough away not to be called or visited but always close enough to keep in contact with via the US Post Office. I guess the advent of the cell phone and texting with all it's shorthand has contributed to the lost art of letter writing. I do find the texting shorthand contributing to this generation's loss of using well written and spoken English. Se la vie!
Speaking about communicating, I wonder when it becomes evident that the one you are communicating with no longer wants to continue the relationship but doesn't know how to come right out and tell you so. I have been contacted at various times through AARP, some social sites etc. and have had some nice contacts and all of a sudden the emails become shorter, or don't come as regularly. At times I might inquire as to how everything was going and then all of a sudden there is no mail at all. This makes me wonder, did the person suddenly get ill, or die, or just get tired of the conversation? A few times I just didn't initiate any response to the non-response and suddenly I received a nasty correspondence kissing me off for being unfeeling. Ah what's one to do? I shall leave this question up in the air.
Sometimes people assume too much and we all know what happens when we assume as put by Felix Unger, "We make an Ass out of you and me!". One time this lady from Pennsylvania stuck up a Email correspondence with me for a few months before Thanksgiving. About a month before Thanksgiving she asked what I would be doing on the holiday to which I informed her I'd be with my children and their family to which she managed to tell me she'd like to come . Now I thought this was a bit unusual since she had to travel about 150 miles one way and of course my kids would think I was crazy inviting some from that distance whom I really didn't know. I tried to evade the real reason why this wasn't going to happen until about a week before she became adamant and I became truthful and told her she was loco for the reasons I mentioned above. She responded with a scathing Email calling me all kinds of names which I shall not repeat here. I responded with a terse rejoinder,"I guess this means we aren't friends anymore?". I won't bother to tell you her response but needless to say we do not correspond anymore.
Modern day athletes are really something and the New York Knicks have a bunch of them led by Carmelo Anthony who are mega millionaires and mega liars with gigantic egos. The Knicks were a terrible Basketball team for so long that when they were starting to become good the owner decided he had to have Carmelo Anthony. Anthony joined the team and it retrogressed. This year Anthony got hurt and this let a bunch of no-names led by Jeremy Lin to some exciting play and a winning record that is until Anthony returned and then they became awful again. The coach resigned. Anthony said he didn't have anything to do with it but of course he was lying since he refused to play in the offensive system the coach wanted and Anthony played very little defense. Now with the coach gone Anthony has played two hustling games, and the Knicks are exciting again. I guess you can't fire the team these days so the coach has to go so the guys will play up to the level they are getting paid to play. In the old days the players were never more important than the Manger or Coaches and they had to play or they'd be shipped out no matter how big they were. Of course the owners took advantage of the situation which has led to the current situation where the player, the STAR, rules. All this is no good for the sport or the fans especially for the children who look up to these guys as heroes. They are not good examples, in general, to be followed. Some are, most AIN'T.
A solider who is sent back for his fourth deployment in a war, Afghanistan, has lost part of his foot and had a brain injury in an earlier deployment in Iraq. He snaps and commits atrocities killing men, women and children. Terrible, and of course he will pay for this as someone should. BUT, isn't the system at fault. We keep sending our men back until they break. Where was the chain of command? How could those who oversee the troops miss this? What about the Doctors who cleared him for duty? AND what the hell are we doing there anyway? We've accomplished our mission. The Afghans don't want us there. So let's get the hell out. AND before we jump into the next war, God forbid, let's make sure we are prepared for a good exit strategy as well as an entry strategy. I would suggest re-instituting a draft so every one can feel the horrors and burdens of any conflict and maybe if we all feel the onus the population will force our leaders NOT TO GO INTO ANY WAR!
April 8, 2012, Easter. Rejoice and be glad! Yes even with the horrors around us there is good reason to rejoice in Jesus' Resurrection because it bring hope, that there is a good and loving God who will make sure those who mistreated horribly will have comfort, joy and happiness as will all of us who try to better this world even if it is in the smallest way possible, bringing a smile to one who is crying or feeding multitudes it doesn't matter. A single act can cause a ripple effect that can be tsunami of good works alleviating many evils. This is the message of Easter.
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