Ideas

A bird flits from tree
To tree - a mind jumps from idea
To idea - its free.


July 16, 2008

The Moon

The moon still high in
A sunlit morning sky shines
On dewy damp doeskin.


07/22/2008

Paddlers Wave

A paddle slices the wave
Rising from the surface it drips
The Kayak slips by.


08/24/2008

Silent Snow (Var.)

The orange snow fence
A gash slicing the snowy field
Like a wounded dove's breast.

December 18, 2008

Silent Snow

The swift silver stream
Slices through the silent snowy fields
An owl greets the day.

December 17, 2008

Access IV

It is imposing
Recognition it does not grant
as if you're an ant

December 11, 2008

Access III

Or does it see you
As something decomposing
A ghost, a former self.

December 11, 2008

Access II

It wont let you in
Can it see how old and cold
You are? - Does it laugh?

December 11, 2008

Access I

Access is denied
Somehow it thinks you lied
Can it be you died.

December 11, 2008

Spectral Light V

The violet waves are
Short, rapid, undulations
Like hummingbird wings.

December 8, 2008

Spectral Light IV

Now each one heard
Alone, distinct and pure
Each performing it's own aria.


December 3, 2008

Spectral Light III

A choir of voices
At once many blended
voices in unison.


December 3,2008

Spectral Light II

A single beam bursts
Into many single colors
That vibrate, harmonize.

December 3, 2008

Spectral Light I

Blinding white light might
Pass trough a drop of water
To reveal it's nature.

December 3, 2008

Snowy Morning III

Don the hats and gloves
Snow is drifting up the drive
Shovel - Feel alive.

December 2, 2008

Snowy Morning II

Shed the pajamas
As snow flakes glide to earth
Comets falling gently.

December 1, 2008

Snowy Morning I

Rise as another
Dawn stretches into day
And the snow lies down.

December 1, 2008

Walk V

Descending to earth

Joining the dust to become
One with life again.


November 19, 2008

Walk IV

Glowing red embers
Quickly burn out, beginning
A circular flight



November 19, 2008

Walk III

Smell the leaves burning
Listen as the brittle fire cracks
And the ash rises in the sky



November 19, 2008

Walk II

Feel the sun drifting
Away, see the change in light's
length and time's shape



November 19, 2008

Walk I

Walk on an autumn
Evening, feel the air chill
As the day shortens



November 19, 2008

Grant Park VIII

General Logan

Still stands on a grassy hill

A witness to the times.

November 18,2008

Grant Park VII

Young women dancing
Jesse Jackson's tears flow down cheeks
The millennium cloud gate reflects the joy.


November 8, 2008

Grant Park VI

Forty years later
Barack Obama celebrates his election
In the same Grant Park.


November 8, 2008

Grant Park V

Shock and awe at home
Cops beating the children
Seeing it on TV.


November 8, 2008

Grant Park IV

The whole world was watching
Boys in blue drawing blood with
Badges in their pockets.

November 5, 2008

Grant Park III

All around us were
Chicago's finest - a malevolent
sea of baby blue.

November 5, 2008

Grant Park II

Our uniform was sweaty t-shirts
and helmets of long matted hair
A chant cutting through the air.

November 5, 2008

Grant Park I

We rallied at the
stature of General Logan
We called out slogans.

November 5, 2008

The Bus II

Just one of the few
On the big yellow bus to school
the few who knew.

October 29,2008

The Bus

On the bus ride to
School - I often felt just like a fool
I was never alone.

October 29, 2008

Shirt V

Brushed corn silk hair

Frame s pale cheeks and aqua blue eyes

On a red pillow.

October 28,2008

Shirt IV

That reveals the true

Peace that lies within myself

Created by her touch.

October 27, 2008

Shirt III

She is an artist

Every move brightly animates

My mental movie.

October 27, 2008

Shirt II

Her goose-pimpled flesh

Smell of turpentine and musk

caresses my nose.

October 27, 2008

Shirt

An unbuttoned
Lemon yellow shirt loosely
Hangs from her shoulders.

October 8, 2008.

The History of Tonight

Alan proceeded Paar both sat up all night to talk to anyone who showed.

Carson shot Paar while McMahon downed Hugh,

Later Leno beat Letterman.

September 15,2008

September Exit

September exit is
On the wind - coloring leaves
As they dance away.

September 30, 2008

A wanderer

A wanderer passes
The vineyard as the sun licks
The dew frosted grapes.

September 29,2008.

Fog II

Insensate, reaching
Not able to touch something
Yet knowing it's there.

September 23, 2008.

Fog

A white soft-edged
Nothingness with which every
Object blends - fog.

September 22,2008.

The Runner V

Leaning, breaks the tape
Flailing at the air, stumbling
dropping to his knees.

October 13, 2008

The runner IV

The runner's wan face
A vision of agony
Limp lips, vacant eyes.

September 10, 2008

The Runner III

The rain drops driving
Into his flesh, stinging his face
And hands, small, biting.

September 9,2008

The runner II

Gaunt, leaning forward
Into the wind, rain washing
In waves over him.

September 9,2008

The Runner I

Out the window
In the distance - a figure
A lonely runner.

September 8,2008

Bus to the Beach XIV

The bus clattered
Down Western away from dreams
Away, towards home.


September 3, 2008

Bus to the Beach XIII

Sun glinting windows
Signal the arriving bus
And the boy gets on.


September 3, 2008

Bus to the Beach XII

Lying on the rocks
Hear the water splish, quiet
Evening settles in.



September 3, 2008

Bus to the Beach XI

Like a bully that
Is spoiling for a fight with
A queasy easy mark.


September 2, 2008

Bus to the beach X

Feel the under tow
That could grab them and hold them
Drag them out to the sea.


September 2, 2008

Bus to the beach IX

Feet that rarely stay
Still long enough to squish sand
Between the toes - or


September 2, 2008

Bus to the beach VIII

The rush of water
Over and under, diving
Children, under legs.


September 2, 2008

Bus to the beach VII

Crowds of children roam
The shore in water, laughing
Dunking each other.


September 2, 2008

Bus to the Beach VI

White caps splashing the
Kids and the Kids slapping water
at each other and


September 2, 2008

Bus to the Beach V

An eight-year old boy
His towel and trunks in a roll
Surfing on dream waves.


August 28, 2008

Bus to the Beach IV

He clutches a transfer
With spindly-skinny fingers
Nails edged in black.


August 27, 2008

Bus to the Beach III

The sweetly-sweatly
Swaying bodies side to side
To the rythm of the street


August 27, 2008

Bus to the Beach II

Sun on his face
The breeze whistles past his ears
His eyelids slip shut.


August 27, 2008

Bus to the Beach I

Going to the beach
Bouncing down Western Avenue
Riding on the bus.


August 27, 2008

NeoCon Robot IV

Cheney unplugged
Him and said "Bye George!, Next?"
"Volunteers? - McCain?".


August 27, 2008

NeoCon Robot III

"I have no senses!"
Stated George W. Bush
Slapping at his ears.

August 27, 2008

NeoCon Robot II

"Am I not blind?"
Asked George W. Bush
Pennies on his eyes.

August 27, 2008

Neocon Robot I

"Am I not tone deaf?"
Asked George W. Bush
Fingers in his ears.


August 27, 2008

Union Station

At Union station
Concrete halls and echoing calls
A cacophony.



August 26, 2008

Bicycles

Along Black Earth Creek
The bicycles swiftly spun
Downhill past the oaks.


August 18, 2008

The swing

A whoosh slices the air
As the club rushes to earth
Ping - the ball takes flight.

August 21, 2008

Roadside Stand

A whitewashed stand
Vegetables for sale stacked
In wide-colored rows.


August 14, 2008

Sandlot IV.B

The chalk all but gone
The right field line barley tells
A fair ball from foul.

August 13, 2008

Which do you prefer A or B? Please explain.

Sandlot IV.A

The right field line fades
Away fair and foul not limned
Clearly any longer.



August 13, 2008

Sandlot III

Home plate hiding 'neath
The sand, sand that slither-slides
Wraith-like in the wind.



August 12, 2008

Sandlot II

An empty batter's
Box, not cut by cleats since Ruth
Weeds now crowd the plate.



August 11, 2008

Sandlot I

An empty baseball
Field, white lines zip through the weeds
Guiding no runner.



August 7, 2008

Learned Grace

Some men stub their toes
On the same rock in the path
Daily others but once.


07/31/2008

Cat

Cat in the dark sat
Expectant, wary, ready to pounce
With every single ounce.


07/28/2008

Butterfly

A white butterfly
Slyly slips past the window
Like a young girl's sigh.



08/06/2008

Lure

Skipping over the wake
A yellow spinner slices swirls
And swims through the lake.



08/05/2008

July Moon

A July full moon
Sitting high in the morning sky
Disappearing by noon.

July 23, 2008

Dawn

In an empty Cafe
The morning sun splits a table
Between night and day.

07/23/2008

Altar Boy VI

Serve Communion
To those who are not worthy
The unwhole billion.

July 14, 2008

Altar Boy V

Only to rise and
Follow father confessor
And stand at his right hand.

July 14, 2008

Altar Boy IV

He rings the bells three
Times like Peter denying Christ
He thinks himself free.

July 14, 2008

Altar Boy III

With his sullen face
Empty eyes, lip-syncing Latin
He is far from grace.

July 14, 2008

Altar Boy II

Looking Innocent
But sneaking altar wine and
Being insolent.

July 14, 2008

Altar Boy I

An altar boy kneels
The cassock's hem dirty and
Gum stuck to the heels.

July 14, 2008

Sun/Shadow

In the rising sun
All shadows slowly shorten
Diminish to none.

July 30, 2008

Brother Fox

A fox at woods edge
His coat looking mangy and thin
Ducks into the sedge.

July 10, 2008

Trio

Three birds on a tree
Pick the bugs from leaves
Feasting - fleetingly.


July 8, 2008

Pool

In a shallow pool
A hawk spies his refection
Beak bloody, eyes cool.


July 7, 2008

Summer

Summer is at its best
In the cool calm sunny morning
After a nights rest.


July 3, 2008

Brother foxes

A red fox crosses
The plain to a wood, another
Watches from the reeds.



July 2, 2008

Lillys

Lilly form random
Isles on veridian seas
Supple and lissome.


July 1, 2008

Artificial Inteligence

If a robot thinks
The question is, who thought it
Man/Machine in sync.


July 1, 2008

Luck

A ball hits a tree
It bounces to the fairway
Golfer smiles with glee.

June 30, 2008

Waiting Too Long

Colors, old - faded
Of the sail ripping in the wind
Crew Dissipated.



June 26, 2008

Ignorance

Human ignorance
Is a balloon blocking the view
Knowledge a lance.



June 25, 2008

After the Flood

Water receding
Mud and silt rim the beaches
Calm to chaos ceding.



June 24, 2008

Dark

A reflecting pool
outside of space and time -
Image less, dark, cruel.


06/20/2008

Service

A playful cat swings
A mouse by the scruff of the neck
Cat's collar bell rings.


06/19/2008

Unnoticed

The wind unnoticed
animates leaves and branches -
Mimics graceful dances.


06/18/2008

Suspended

A mallard wings past -
A feather spins in descent
In the shadow cast.


06/17/2008

Neglect

Loney children play
A man day dreams away all
Of the night and day.



06/16/2008

Recovery

Peonies lying
Heavy heads upon the ground -
The sun, warm, drying.


06/13/2008

The Flood

Surging streams cut new
Paths, while bone cold heavy rains
Chill a sandbag crew.



06/11/2008

Big Bang

Nature fills all vacuums
Could it be the cause
For that first boom.

June 24, 2008

Lake Delton

Boats peak from a high
Cliff, a dry lake bed below -
Echoing gulls cry.


06/10/2008

House on Lake Delton

House rushing downstream
Looking out a window, still -
It must be a dream.



06/10/2008

Overflow

River banks overflow
With rapids rushing away
Field corn row by row.



06/09/2008

Fecund

Rain sheeting on the glass
Overlooking a field of green
Tall, seeded wild grass.




06/05/2008

Getting By

Low, ground hugging trees
Crouched and bent sneaking by
Leaves blown in the breeze.



06/04/2008

Careless

Lovely purple strife
Marching across the wetland
Crowds out native life.

Seeds

Seeds cast to the wind
Float on air, will fall anywhere
A farmer chagrined.



06/02/2008

Corn

A new field of corn
Small green dots in a blanket of black -
Soon a sea of green.



05/30/2008

Eavesdropping

Skies, cloudy and grey
Eyeseering from the woods edge
Spies upon the magpies.


05/29/2008

Hunger

Lioness Dying
Cubs left alone crying
A lion eyeing.


05/28/2008

Membership

The creatures of myth
Are gathering in the wood
to witness a b'rith.





May 27, 2008

Family

Foilage rustles with
Creatures running through waves
Of grass are our kith.





May 27, 2008

A Spotlight

Sunny shaft of light
Slices through the forests canopy -
A flea takes a bite.

05/27/2008

Duality

Hand on the tiller
Gnarled knuckles, cracked, soiled,skin -
Hand of a killer.

May 1,2008

Drizzle

Drizzle on the street
the splashing on the pavement
Lulaby so sweet.

05/07/2008

Rain

Plop! A rain drop falls
The body shivers anticipating
The cold summer squals.

05/07/2008

Breeze

Steady breeze fills

Sails pushing the sloop seaward -

The clouds appear still.



May 05,2008

Ears Bleeding

Jargon jars my brain
Each syllable slam my severy sense -
Meaning from words drain.




May 1, 2008.

Falls II

Rushing water
A crescendo, all ears it's thrall
The winters echo.

Creation

A germinating seed
Stars and sand, a desert sky -
A God's single deed.

April

April wild winds ransack
The woods. Breaking branches, limbs creak
A woodsman, An ax.

Lilacs II

The wind lifts lilacs
Fragrance upon it's shoulders
carrying past smokestacks.

Lilacs

Lilacs lick the wind
Like the sound of a clarinet
Soft, clear, low and sweet.

Fog Bound

Fog bound village square
Standing water pooling 'neath
A blossoming pear.

Gentle Rain

Gentle rain washes
The patio table and eases
a thirsty basil.

Violent Weather

Violets shiver -
Winds whip the decaying leaves
And branches quiver.

Heavy Air

Humid morning air
Sunless skies, rolling shadows
Cross the dewy grass.

Falcon

An Early Golfer
Strikes a pose behind the ball
A Falcon goes into a stall.

More Remebering 1968

Rhapsodising wrens
give voice to the morning hymns
Trees raise dew kiss'd limbs.

Remembering 1968

A riot of robins
Stormed the gates of morning -
An owl cries warning.

Remember 1968

A riot of robins
Stormed the gates of morning -
An owl cries warning.

River

The river's rising
Rushing ribbons of water
sating an aster.

Rain

Saturating soil -
Quenching the tulips thirst
Flowering feeds first.

Rain

Splashing on the roof -
Soaking, slowly to the shoot -
Rinsing off the soot.

Easter/Passover

Daffodils bursting
Open landscapes, abstact color
signals revival.

The Fox Returns

A bold red fox stalked
Across the fairway. A Golfer
Club in hand walked.

Wordsworth II

Wind-blown wanderer -
A cloud leading the way cross
A verdant valley.

Wiliam Wordsworth I

Daffodils budding
Shafts of green topped with gold -
A lone man hiking.

Hunters

Foraging cats eat
eggs stolen from an empty next
An owlet in retreat.

Hunters

An owl diving at
A vole dropping down a hole.
Raider of an owl nest, a cat.

Hunter

An owl Circles the prey
A shadow darkens the earth.
A mouse gets away.

Aging

Gums receding, tooth
exposed and darkening
Time has no ruth.

Anticipation

Orange Blossom
A lingering promise of
An afternoon kiss.

The Prey Sleeps

A sleeping fox
Deaming of the hunts chase.
running feet.

Prey III

Alert, wary
A wren watches.
A cats approach.

Prey II

Attentive
The mouse watches
An owl fly.

Prey I

Standing still
Observing the hunt.
Quietly waits.

A Start

A emerging shoot
Piercing the frozen earth
Thirsting for new rain.

Transition

The snow is
Washed away by rain.
Seasons change.

Sentinel

In the fog
a naked tree stands
sentinel.

Spring haiku

Snow melting
Water running fast
Rivers rise.

Saturday Morning

Four-thirty

Stumble down the path

Young, dirty

Returning to

Hearth and home

in need of a wash and a comb.

 

Five O'clock

Stumble down to Breakfast.

Eat fast

Catch the bus in a rush.

Stumble in to work.

 

Five O'clock

Rush out of work

Down to the bar

To start the journey back.

 

Four-thirty

Stumble down the path

Young, dirty

Returning to

Hearth and home

in need of a wash and a comb.

 

 

 

 

 

Day Dream Creek

Waiting for
Cold rushing streams.
Kayak Dreams.

Winter's Edge

Shortening
Day, overcast skies
The snow flies.

Winter Fog

Frost hangs in the air
Crystalline & clear.
A shoot peeks through the snow.

April is Soon to Come

Receding
Snow blanket. New Grass
Reseeding.

I Can Smell Baseball in August

A bat's crack
Cuts the moist night air.
A pop fly.

Fox Hunt

Snow blankets the lake
A fox tracks write a story
Red punctuates the last sentence.

Spring Haiku

Streams Rush
The trilling of a thrush
budding brush.

Refeshment

Komodo
Eyes slit, tongue flies.
Morning dew.

Winter Robin

The ground with snow besmirched
Lies beneath the robin perched
In a naked oak.

Winter/Spring Haiku

Grass peaks through the snow
A vibrant green against white.
Sun plays hide & seek.

William F. Buckley Jr.

William F. Buckley Jr. died today at the age of 82. He is remembered has having done more to popularize conservatism in post-New Deal America than anyone other then Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Pat Buchan called him the "spiritual father of the movement' while Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. called him "the scourge of liberalism". William Buckley took Mr... Schlesinger's comment as a compliment and with characteristic good cheer wore it as a badge.

His career began in earnest after having spent two years in the army, He attended Yale University. He found himself feeling alienated by the secular-humanist ethos of the university. He attacked this in his first book "God and Man at Yale" (1951). The book caused a stir and established the author’s reputation.

Following a brief stint in Mexico in the employ of the CIA, Bill Buckley returned to politics. Mr. Buckley and His brother-in-law wrote a defense of Senator Joe McCarthy called "McCarthy and his Enemies" (1954) in which they argued that he was heading "a movement around which men of good will and stern morality can close ranks."

In 1955 Mr. Buckley started the National Review as a voice for "the disciples of truth, who defend the organic moral order". Circulation increased from 16,000 in 1957 to 125,000 in 1964. The magazine offered a forum to many conservatives, like Russell Kirk and Robert Nisbet. It also launched the careers of several young writers, including Garry Wills, Joan Didion and John Leonard.

The National Review led Bill Buckley being offered the a syndicated newspaper column in 1962. At the height of its popularity it ran in more than 300 newspapers. In 1966 Bill Buckley became host of a television program called "Firing Line". Its format was that of a traditional debate. The program made Mr. Buckley a celebrity. He style was snobby but enthusiastic with a quick and withering wit. Because of his distinctive mannerisms he was one of the most mimicked men in America.

William F. Buckley Jr. died today at the age of 82. He is remembered has having done more to popularize conservatism in post-New Deal America than anyone other then Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Pat Buchan called him the "spiritual father of the movement' while Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. called him "the scourge of liberalism". William Buckley took Mr. Schlesinger's comment as a compliment and with characteristic good cheer wore it as a badge.

His career began in earnest after having spent two years in the army, He attended Yale University. He found himself feeling alienated by the secular-humanist ethos of the university. He attacked this in his first book "God and Man at Yale" (1951). The book caused a stir and established the author’s reputation.

Following a brief stint in Mexico in the employ of the CIA, Bill Buckley returned to politics. Mr. Buckley and His brother-in-law wrote a defense of Senator Joe McCarthy called "McCarthy and his Enemies" (1954) in which they argued that he was heading "a movement around which men of good will and stern morality can close ranks."

In 1955 Mr. Buckley started the National Review as a voice for "the disciples of truth, who defend the organic moral order". Circulation increased from 16,000 in 1957 to 125,000 in 1964. The magazine offered a forum to many conservatives, like Russell Kirk and Robert Nisbet. It also launched the careers of several young writers, including Garry Wills, Joan Didion and John Leonard.

The success of the National Review led to Bill Buckley being offered a syndicated newspaper column in 1962. At the height of its popularity it ran in more than 300 newspapers. In 1966 Bill Buckley became host of a television program called "Firing Line". Its format was that of a traditional debate. The program made Mr. Buckley a celebrity. He style was snobby but enthusiastic with a quick and withering wit. Because of his distinctive mannerisms he was one of the most mimicked men in America.

Mr. Buckley’s reputation for wit and humor are well known. I am hard pressed to choose just one example but perhaps his self depreciating remark when ran asked as a candidate for the Conservative party for Mayor of New York will do well enough. When he was asked what he might do should he win the election he said, he would demand a recount.

He will be missed.

Thanks.

New Words: Terms that May Not be Endearing

English has always been a bit of a mongrel. It has Germanic origins, with French and Latin added for flavor. Words from many other languages have been added as the British Empire grew. The fast pace of technological change has also made a significant contribution. English speakers have always found ways to bend and twist the language to make it more useful and more amusing in describing the people, places, things and events that make up our daily lives.

Here are few examples I found while searching the Internet today.

Anti-Fonzi: Uncool. (A bit dated don't you think?)

Billary: Pertaining to Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Blankle: A common US colloquialism for blanket that was added in December to the Oxford English Dictionary. Something about always gathering at the ankle and leaving the rest of you quite cold, I believe.)

Bullshot: An artificial screenshot used to promote a computer game. (Others might call it marketing, but one mans marketing is another mans fraud.)

Celebufreak: A freak with fame.

Godzone: A humorous name for New Zealand, taken from the first two words of a popular description of the island nation as "God's own country".

Henchgoon: An administrative assistant.

Latte Liberal: A dismissive term for a fashionable liberal. (the way the word is used today I thought liberal was a dismissive term.)

Locavore: Someone who eats food grown and produced locally.

Nanoblahblah: Nanotechnology nonsense. (My favorite variation on the theme is, Nanobabble, I think it's the same thing, people keep talking about technology until you go away.)

Obesogen: a chemical that causes weight gain.

Tapafication: The tendency of some restaurants to serve small tapas like portions.

I always enjoy language and would welcome your sharing variations that you have come to know and love.

Thanks.

A Good Idea, Regarding Mortagages

In a recent Sunday New York Times there was an article that should be read by everyone who is currently applying for the job of President of the United States. It was titled "From the New Deal, a Way out of a Mess", by Alan S. Blinder. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/business/24view.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=holc&st=nyt&oref=slogin)



It discusses a government agency created in 1933 to address a problem similar to one faced by many families today, foreclosure. The name of the agency was the Home Owners Loan Corporation, (HOLC). It provided help to families who were in danger of loosing their homes, by providing refinancing with more affordable loans. It provided this financing to home owners for a limited period of time. The agency even showed a small profit when it was dissolved in 1960.

This sounds like a program that directly addresses one of the fundamental problems in the economy today. The sub-prime mortgage crisis. If that is the case, why are we not hearing more discussion of programs and propositions like this? Good Question!

I suspect that it might represent to obvious a solution, to a problem that if we ignore can only become worse.

Please read it and think about it.

Thanks.

A two Story Snowman spotted on Pleasant View Road

It is winter and I certainly feel my fair share of discontent. The snow continues to fall as do the temperatures. In the beginning of February the groundhog did not see his shadow, and so this continues.

Just a week or so ago, we had the honor of breaking the record for snow accumulation. The previous record was 76.1 inches. Now in mid February, we have had more then 79.1 inches. (I really believe we ought to just round it on up to 80 inches, who’s going to notice.) This marvelous achievement was followed by an incredible week of bitter cold.

Well this weekend we were lucky enough to have some sunshine and moderate temperatures. That means that people were out busily enjoying the heat wave and chipping out the sewers so there was someplace for the water from the melting ice and snow to melt. I took a break from all the fun to take a ride to the other side of town so I could get a picture of this snowman. It is out on Pleasant View road maybe a mile past Mineral Point.

The two story snow man is dedicated to all the fun we have been having this winter. The hat is three tractor tires stacked on top of each other and the carrot like nose is a large orange traffic cone. Isn't wonderful what you can do when faced with so much snow and so little you can do about it!

By the way we are expecting a few more inches of snow this evening.

Enjoy!

My First Post

This is the first posting to what I hope will be an interesting and diverting place for myself and other to visit.


For quite sometime, I have been playing with the idea of starting a blog. It seemed such an egotistical thing to do! Create a place where I can explore any issue I want, air any grievances that takes my fancy. Let me rephrase that, a place where I can publicly say anything I want on any subject that I want and expect that someone would care to read it. Just the notion that someone might care to read it seems a little ridiculous to me, but I have finally done it.


So here I am with this brand new web site and suddenly I have nothing to say. That seems a bit odd. Everyday for the past week I have telling myself to save all sorts of transient thoughts for a quick little note to the web site, the blog that was coming. I had grand visions of writing lengthy scholarly dissertations on many of the hot topics of the day:


- Obama versus Clinton

- McCain versus Huckabee

- Are we in a recession

- or which young actress America would most like to see naked?


Well, as you can see from the list of topics, I seemed to have stored those ideas in some brain cells that have fallen victim to the large quantities of wine I drank last night. That being the case the best I can do for my introductory remarks is make clear to all of you just how unqualified I am to discuss any of these topics.


I am a 58 year old business consultant who lives in Madison Wisconsin. I have opinions that I always seem to be expressing as colorfully and loudly as possible. At least that is the impression that my wife children leave me. It seems every time I open my mouth they develop an urgent need that requires their leaving the room. I often find myself delivering my lectures on the important issues of the day to the furniture.

Of course, this has led me to believe that my arguments are very persuasive. In the end the furniture receives my words with a respectful silence. This I interpret as an experience similar to the shock and awe that President Bush is always talking about.

In reality, it is really a demonstration of how incredibly dumbfounding stupid these opinions are. In that sense it must be very similar to the experience President Bush has each time he speaks. In reality the ideas are so ill informed that even the furniture is frozen in an embarrassed silence.


In the outside world I am more circumspect. I have learned over the years to keep my own counsel. That sharing my opinions can have a decidedly unpleasant effect on my relationship with others. So perhaps it is only natural that when presented with a real opportunity to voice my opinion, I can not for the life of me remember having any.


Thanks.

Office Maxim (Business Holy Grail)

Organization
People Process & systems -
Optimization.

May 8,2008