Pappa Hardy's Musings on Life.

Family Harmonics

Mike — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:57:22 +0000

One of the fun things about getting together is the impromptu singing that seems to break out if someone is playing a song. Of course, sometimes the intent is to make fun of the family member that is playing the song (Julie for example) but a lot of the times it is just because the family seems to like to sing. That suits me just fine. I like to sing and I like to have fun. I like engaging in family harmonics.

I Am A Photographer

Mike — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:58:33 +0000

I have realized lately that I am a Photographer. I guess I have always known that and I have always enjoyed very much taking pictures. However, I love to pose the shots, make sure that the right lighting is present, and I like to make sure they are good. Nothing makes me feel better than a good photo that I have taken, and nothing makes me madder than either an uncooperative subject or a picture that is ruined because I can’t seem to get it right.

I wonder at times if I should have taken a vow of poverty and run my own photography business. I certainly would have loved doing that. Working with the people would have been tougher, if working with members of my family is any indication. A photograph is more than just taking a picture of a thing. It is also including life in the photos, not only sterile landscapes. I want some memories too, and I am constantly battling people who don’t want to cooperate. It makes it tough for me, and is perhaps the reason why I backed away from doing something I love for a living and instead I am doing something I can barely tolerate. I am a photographer. I am not so sure I am a banker.

You Have Got To Be Kidding

Mike — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:30:08 +0000

I saw the following article on the internet this morning concerning the price of fuel in America:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Remember $4 gas? Soon it will be $2 gas.
As the nation’s economy worsens, the demand for oil and gas wanes. As a result, prices drop. And drop. And drop.

The price of gas fell overnight Sunday for the 60th consecutive day.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline fell 2 cents to $2.105 a gallon, according to a survey released Sunday by the American Automobile Association.
A gallon of gas has dropped nearly in half since hitting an all-time high of $4.114 on July 17. It’s been nearly two years since prices were this low, according to AAA figures.
At the high end, drivers in two states are paying an average of $3 or more: Alaska, at $3.181 a gallon, and Hawaii, at $3.049.

But there are now 16 states where the average price has fallen below $2. Missouri had the cheapest gas in the nation, at $1.816 a gallon.

The rapid decline in gas prices comes as the price of crude oil continues to collapse. Crude prices, which make up roughly half of gasoline prices, have fallen more than 60% since hitting a record $147.27 a barrel on July 11.

Crude for December delivery fell $1.20 to settle at $57.04 a barrel on Friday.

On Saturday evening I bought fuel for $1.92 which seemed to be the cheapest I had purchased it forever and ever. That is great news for the consumer in our country, but is just another indication of how bad the economic situation has gotten for everyone worldwide. These are scary economic times for everyone as the world, not just the United States, has come upon tough economic times. I am hoping that sometime soon we will have good economic news. With the significant drop in fuel prices, that has made the fall a little bit softer.

Beautiful Fall Day

Mike — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:56:36 +0000

Today was one of those days that was just right. There is much to be appreciative of, and today was one of those. I came home from Church related activities and the temperature was just about perfect, there were no clouds, and it was a great day. Bonnie and I went out in the yard and did some cleanup work. It was just a really nice day.

The Michigan Wolverines

Mike — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:19:32 +0000

This has been a tough year to be a Michigan fan. The team has a new coach. He came as the team went through a number of significant changes. Many seniors graduated, were drafted into the NFL, or players left the team for other schools because they were afraid that they wouldn’t fit in. Therefore, Rich Rodriguez has a large number of freshman, and this year it is showing. For the first year in my memory, it appears that Michigan will have a losing record. This is a painful year to be a Michigan Wolverine fan. Oh, the pain.

Ames Monument

Mike — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:39:47 +0000

It is funny what you remember from driving the same old road many times a week. I used to make the drive to Laramie, Wyoming, from Cheyenne, Wyoming, at least once a week and maybe more often than that. One thing that I would do to pass the time of day was to fixate on seeing the same landmark on each drive. For me, that landmark was Ames Monument. It was a pyramid like monument structure, built for what reason I am not sure of and donâ€™t remember. However, sometimes I could see it and sometimes not, depending on how big of a car I was in, and if I was watching at the right time. I would watch it shift across the landscape as I drove on, and then it would be over for another week. Ames Monument is still a place I look for when I drive that bit of road.

Scary People

Mike — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:04:31 +0000

Sometimes when you visit a bigger city you have an opportunity to run into what my wife calls â€œScary Peopleâ€. These are usually individuals who because of some reason or another have been cast out of mental institutions, or they have broken down and no longer are able to function as a normal person in society.

In Las Vegas, we saw one such man. He was at a corner cross walk, dirty, disheveled, and he didnâ€™t seem very coherent. He was pushing buttons, obviously talking to someone or somebody who wasnâ€™t there. He was pointing at someone or somewhere, and didnâ€™t appear to be talking to anyone is particular. I felt sorry for him. He was the kind of person that I am not sure we would want to approach on our own, but somehow we should be able to help these type of people.

Mama in 1500 Languages

Mike — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:30:14 +0000

Why is it that babies almost universally say the word mama first? That word, as far as I know, appears in a lot of languages in that form. Possibly (I am really speaking out of school here) that is one of the easiest sounds to make for a newborn. As a male, I want to make sure that they say Daddy first. After all, fathers are the most important creatures on the planet. It is just that those sneaky women are with the babies for more of the day than us guys. That is the only real reason, right? Well, regardless, I recently was in a crowd of a lot of non-English foreign speakers and I heard a lot of “mamas” coming out of those child’s mouths, but not much else of their languages made sense to me.

I Will Never Look at Campaign Signs the Same Way Again!!

Mike — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:20:48 +0000

Like other things in life, the recent summer trip for me to Las Vegas brought varied reactions on some old things that I was seeing from a new perspective. What is it that hit my button you might ask? Well, while driving around trying in vain to find a Wal-Mart to buy some water for the heat, I saw political campaign signs of the various people running for various offices in the city of Las Vegas or Cooke County.

I look at signs, and instead of seeing the ad for who is running, I see how big it is, how it is constructed, how much it likely costs, and what colors are they using. I look and see if I think it will withstand a windstorm, a tornado, and how will it weather the elements of rain and wind. I determine is it well designed, effectively getting across the message the candidate wants to give to his target voters. Sometimes these life experiences that we all have forever change the way we look at things. Campaign signs were a simple and obnoxious experience for me before I ran for political office, and now they are an experience that will be forever changed for me.

The End of the Line

Mike — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:49:38 +0000

Today marks the end of the line. The Traveling Wilburys wrote a song called “End of the Line”.

(Chorus 1)
Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, doing the best you can
Well it’s all right, as long as you lend a hand

You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring
Waiting for someone to tell you everything
Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring
Maybe a diamond ring

(Chorus 2)
Well it’s all right, even if they say you’re wrong
Well it’s all right, sometimes you gotta be strong
Well it’s all right, As long as you got somewhere to lay
Well it’s all right, everyday is Judgement Day

Maybe somewhere down the road aways
You’ll think of me, and wonder where I am these days
Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays
Purple haze

(Chorus 3)
Well it’s all right, even when push comes to shove
Well it’s all right, if you got someone to love
Well it’s all right, everything’ll work out fine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

Don’t have to be ashamed of the car I drive
I’m just glad to be here, happy to be alive
It don’t matter if you’re by my side
I’m satisfied

(Chorus 4)
Well it’s all right, even if you’re old and grey
Well it’s all right, you still got something to say
Well it’s all right, remember to live and let live
Well it’s all right, the best you can do is forgive

(Chorus 5)
Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, even if the sun don’t shine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

I wish that I were that positive about what I see at the end of the line. Today marks the end of the Presidential Campaign process, which in this country started well over two years ago. I am sick of the process, of the incessant finger pointing that goes on in this country between the Republicans and the Democrats. If I had my way, we would through all of the office holders out and elect new ones. Unfortunately, that won’t happen.

We have got way too partisan. I fear that Barack Obama is going to be the next President of the United States. In my mind, he is way too liberal. However, we have got to make sure that our elected representatives get the work of the people done, and that hasn’t been happening for at least the last 30 years, if not longer. Whomever is elected, must get the work of the people done, doing it in the best interests of all the people, or we need to through them out and find someone who will do the work of the people. We can’t bicker any more.

I fear what is going to happen in a socialist America, because that is where I believe we are heading. However, if the voice of the people is to make this a socialist paradise, then let’s do what is reasonable and get the work done. No more pointing fingers. No more disenfranchising or favoring whole sections of the population. Lets do the work of the people, or this great nation will truly be at “The End of the Line”.