The Serenity Prayer

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
—    Reinhold Niebuhr
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On This Day In:
2022	For A While
2021	The Cautionary Tale Of 6 January 2021
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2020	65K
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2019	Tomorrow’s Bread
2018	Impeach 45: Make America Great Again
2017	Training Shoulders
2016	You Just Have To Care
	Day 4 – Blending
2015	My Slow Education
2014	Great Service
2013	You Really Should Wear More Sweaters
	Here I Am God
2012	The Serenity Prayer
2011	The Victory Of Life

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Keen To Be Alone

No matter how instinctively gregarious one may be there are times when one longs for solitude.  I like people.  I like to be with my family, my friends, my fighting men;  and probably just because I am so keen for companionship, I am at times equally keen to be alone.  It is at such times that I can best resolve the knotty problems of government in times of war or peace.  It is then that I can meditate upon all the various aspects of a full life such as I lead;  and, being human, I have plenty of mistakes upon which to meditate that I may fortify myself against their recommission.
—    John Carter (of Mars)
From the book:  “Llana Of Gathol“
Written by:  Edgar Rice Burroughs
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On This Day In:
2022	What You Know
2021	Some Doctors Are Better Than Others
	Lessons
2020	A Liar As President Corrupts Us
2019	Is It Dark And Quiet For You?
2018	Undeniable Requirement
2017	Orange Corrosion
2016	Both Particle And Wave
2015	Deep In Debt
2014	The Difference
2013	My Heart Is Described
2012	Keen To Be Alone
2011	The Ideal Business…
2010	55

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Aequanimitas!

Be calm and strong and patient.  Meet failure and disappointment with courage.  Rise superior to the trials of life, and never give in to hopelessness or despair.  In danger, in adversity, cling to your principles and ideals.  Aequanimitas!
—    Sir William Osler
(the father of modern medicine)
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On This Day In:
2022	Completely Reasonable To Worry
2021	Seeking Happiness
	Check Your Watch
2020	Expectation For The Near Future
2019	Indian Myth
	Did He Even Have The Courage To Ask?
2018	Nothing
2017	Approval First
2016	In Search Of Words
	Day 2 – Blending
2015	At What Price?
2014	Intricate And Subtle Order
2013	Attention To Detail
2012	Aequanimitas!
2011	Consider This

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Keeping Young

It is magnificent to grow old, if one keeps young.
—    Harry Emerson Fosdick
[Happy BD to me!!    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	The Air Is Thinner, But It’s A Killer View
2021	Staying Young While Getting Old
	Mid-Afternoon (Hopefully)
2020	Still Measuring
2019	Living On The Couch
	Who Am I – One Interpretation
2018	A Gardening Goal: Feed The Flowers
2017	Freakishly Happy Cowboy
2016	One More, Please
2015	Infinite Adventure
2014	Unpaved
2013	Headstones
2012	Keeping Young
2011	Lessons Well Learned

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Far Better Off With Books

Books are information – they remind readers that nothing under the sun is new – so if you cut, or drink, or suffer abuse, you are not the only one.  If you dream of a world where you make a better vampire than you do human, where it’s possible to fly through the galaxy, where exist dragons and villains, and most importantly, allies, you are not alone.  If you live a sheltered life, books are where you can face fear or recognize compassion and true friendship for the first time.  Books allow you to fall in love and to test out feelings that have no outlet outside of literature.  Books are cathartic.  Books are a lifeline.  Books are dear friends when life is mysterious and dark and sad.  Books are information.  They are power.  They are perspective.
Does this mean you have to read every book out there?  No.  You don’t even have to allow your children to read any book that they want; but if you do, or if you have an honest conversation about why a particular book might be less age-appropriate, or more disturbing than another, you’re teaching your children that you value the experience they’re bringing to the table, not just your own.  Maybe it will prompt you to read a book that your child is reading so that you can try to answer questions or concerns they have.  Maybe it will remind you that not every experience is yours, and that the child you’re raising will be far better off equipped with knowledge than they will ignorance.
—    Maria Mankin
Quoted from her blog site:  “Books, j’adore“
From the blog:  “Censorship in the YA world” dated December 26, 2011
[Every now and then, when I find an interesting blog I go back to the first entry to see how much the person has changed in their writing style.  In this case, not so much change (since Dec ’11).  But when words touch my soul – when I Grok them – I have to include parts on my own site.  Please take a few moments to visit her site and you’ll see what I mean.  It’s not JUST her love of reading; it’s her love of words and ideas.   —   kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	One Hour Per Year
2021	If You’re A Lucky 11 Year Old
	Just Got To Be
	Masked Countdown And Gratitude
2020	Democratic Aspiration
2019	Soul Before Will
2018	Small Things
2017	Clear And Warm To Me
2016	Ripple
2015	Amazing Or Full Of Wonder?
2014	Are You Confused?
2013	But The Odds Are Against It
2012	Far Better Off With Books
2011	Timid And Fainthearted

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The Story Of Joe (Middle-Class Republican)

One of my favorites from Thom Hartman.  His recital of John Gray’s “Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican“:
“A Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican“
Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee.  He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards.  He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee.  His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.
All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too.  He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day.  Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.
Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; his bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.  Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath.  The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.  He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees.  You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.
Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards.  Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call the union.  If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.
Its noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills.  Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FDIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.
Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.
Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country.  He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards.  He arrives at his boyhood home.  He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans.  The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification.  (Those rural Republican’s would still be sitting in the dark)
He is happy to see his dad who is now retired.  His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to.  After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.
He turns on a radio talk show, the host’s keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good.  (He doesn’t tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.
—    The above was “borrowed” from the Norman Goldman website.
You can find this entry “The Story of Joe!” by clicking here.
This particular posting was done on:  Wednesday, March 07, 2012
[I listen to Norman Goldman most afternoons on my drive home after work.  One day, he read the above.  I enjoyed it so much I went to his website to “borrow” it for re-posting here.  When you hear “conservatives” railing against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”), please remember how Social Security was labelled a Communist plot to destroy the average American’s individual initiative and our ability to plan and save for our own future retirement.  Then ask your retired grand-parents, parents, aunts and uncle’s how Social Security has worked out for them so far…    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	A Whole New Kind
2021	Yea, Spring!
	Smile On Your Brother
2020	Spoken And Shared
2019	Real Tools
	Three Cruelties
2018	United States
2017	Out Of Luck
2016	Wavelengths Of The Earth
2015	God Said What To You?
2014	Not Saying
2013	Ears And Tongue
2012	The Story Of Joe (Middle-Class Republican)
2011	Happy Birthday, Diana
	Depending On Kindness

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Spherical Knowledge Of Hamsters

Even though I’ve hunted animals for food as my family has for generations, and have seen more of death in my life than I’d care to;  I learned how to cultivate respect and nurture heartfelt compassion for all life that one afternoon so many years ago.  All life is truly precious, and so very fragile.  On the grand scale; every living organism plays a vital role in the fabric of existence, no matter how big or small it is.
Compassion for all life is the key to witnessing creation in all of its beauty.  Learn how to be a steward, not a master.
—    From the blogsite:  KNOWTHESPHERE
Posted on March 23, 2012
in a blog titled:  “Wise Hamster“
[KnowTheSphere is another of the blogs I follow (and read) regularly.  I’m new to following it and the site seems new, but it’s well worth a visit, read, and a few moments of consideration…  Like most things I stumble on to, there’s a background story.  The first book I bought and read about Aikido was titled:  ‘Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere“, and written by Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook.  This blog site’s title caught my eye and the rest is history.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	Understanding True Achievement
2021	Avoiding Corners
	Nobody Knows
	A Novel War
2020	First Buds
	To Fly
2019	What If Nobody Believes Them Either
2018	It’s About Heart Not Skill
2017	Winning So Much I’m Already Tired Of It (Not)
2016	Punishing Red Binge
2015	Bits In The Soup
2014	More Beef, Less Bull
2013	Where Are Your Mountains
2012	Spherical Knowledge Of Hamsters
2011	Taking Stock Over Time

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Bits And Bobs And Birthdays

First off, Happy Birthday to my younger brother Sean!!
You gave us quite a scare with all this Cancer business back in December and January.   Fortunately, you’ve come through for another BD (and hopefully, many more to come).
As to my own health, I’m still working through gallstones.  I’ve got my gall bladder removal scheduled for early May so (fingers crossed) I can start getting back to working out and losing some weight.
I was doing some random browsing and I stumbled on an article about how few Catholics have actually read the Holy Bible from cover to cover.  Well, I must admit to being one of those who haven’t.  So, I’ve decided to rectify that.  This week I started at page one.  I’ll periodically be posting thoughts and quotes as I go along.  I’m not going off the religious deep end (well, anymore than usual), but I would like to be able to say I’ve read the Bible all the way through at least once in my life.  (Ego rearing it’s ugly head, again.)
As a coincidence, I’m also currently struggling through a book which is an introduction to calculus.  I took analytic geometry / pre-calc when I was in high school, but I never had much of a math requirement when I went through college, so I never had to get stuck into calculus.  I wouldn’t say I’ve regretted it, but calculus has always been one of those topics I’ve never been able to discuss – because I’m ignorant of it.  (Hmmm, I wonder how many will say that’s never stopped me talking about other things I was ignorant of.)  Anyway, I’m slogging through an intro to calculus book, too.
My oldest daughter is off on a business trip to Washington, D.C.  She had a few hours off, so she texted me she was doing some sight-seeing at the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.  It brought back memories of my only trip to D.C., back when I was in the Army, and I took a long weekend off to visit.  When I was growing up, I saw a photo of some kids playing in the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.  I thought, “I’d like to do that some time…”  Well, I didn’t play, but I did soak my feet.  It was a typical hot, muggy, Washington afternoon and the water was terrifically refreshing!  If you ever get to D.C. in the summer, I highly recommend it.
Anyway, my daughter’s text was that the Cherry blossom’s were out in full force.  I was (am) soooo jealous!!  I’ve always wanted to see the Washington Cherry blossom season.  (Is it a “season“, when it’s only a couple of weeks long?)  Oh, well, some other year…  Another item for the bucket list.
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On This Day In:
2022	Following His Own Path
2021	Show A Brother Some Love
	Beyond Words
2020	Especially You, Bro
	Words Without Explanation
2019	Enjoy!
2018	Happy Birthday, Bro!
2017	Love Can Change The World In A Minute
2016	60, Little Bro!
2015	Vision and Courage
2014	58 – Little Bro
2013	New Adventures And Old Hopes
	Caving In
2012	Bits And Bobs And Birthdays
	Always Hope
2011	Wet Snow And Long Hills

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Always Hope

My hopes are not always realized, but I always hope.
—    Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)
From:  “Heroides“
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On This Day In:
2022	Following His Own Path
2021	Show A Brother Some Love
	Beyond Words
2020	Especially You, Bro
	Words Without Explanation
2019	Enjoy!
2018	Happy Birthday, Bro!
2017	Love Can Change The World In A Minute
2016	60, Little Bro!
2015	Vision and Courage
2014	58 – Little Bro
2013	New Adventures And Old Hopes
	Caving In
2012	Bits And Bobs And Birthdays
	Always Hope
2011	Wet Snow And Long Hills

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Good Hearts

True goodness springs from a man’s own heart.  All men are born good.
—    Confucius
From:  “Analects“
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On This Day In:
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2021	It’s 12 O’clock Somewhere
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2020	And #IncompetentDonald Weakens It
2019	Morning Mirror
2018	Wondering About #45
2017	A Prayer For London
2016	Don’t Default
2015	Her Pilgrim Soul
2014	Three Observations
2013	Robbed Again
2012	Good Hearts
2011	Interesting Reading
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Good Knowledge

The greatest good of the mind is the knowledge of God.
—  Spinoza
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On This Day In:
2022	Make It Easy
	On A Lighter Note
2021	I Hope Not
	Diggin’ It
2020	Organized Skepticism
2019	An Interest In Life
2018	Two: A Current President With Both
2017	Watch This Space
2016	Beyond The Foundation
2015	Become An Affliction
2014	Just Setting Out
2013	Scott’s Inscription
2012	Good Knowledge
2011	Social Safety Nets

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Lost For Words

A Washington society woman was siting next to President Coolidge at a party.
“Oh, Mr. President,” she said gushingly, “you are so silent.  I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you.“
“You lose,” the President replied.
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On This Day In:
2022	One World (Our Only Place)…
2021	Move The Heart
	Join Hands
2020	He Broke Even
	Whoever / Whatever
2019	The Right Anger
	Another P&P Review
2018	Does Fatalism Equal Mental Health?
2017	Choice
2016	Growing Worlds
2015	Change The Tide
	Martyr, n.
2014	You, Too!
2013	Bitter Stand
2012	Lost For Words
2011	On Market Reactions…

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Swing Higher

I have believed the best of every man,
And find that to believe it is enough
To make a bad man show him at his best,
Or even a good man swing his lantern higher.
—    William Butler Yeats
From:  “Deirdre“
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On This Day In:
2022	Seek Good
2021	Aging Well
	Now And Forever
2020	Always
2019	#45 Is More Of A Piddle Than A Puddle
2018	Found Out
	A Message To The “Wanna Be” Dictator On Leadership
2017	Still Waiting…
2016	Same Old, Same Old
2015	Shout!
2014	I Hear Voices
2013	Ethics And Standards
2012	Swing Higher
2011	Convicted For Life

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Hopeful Flights

The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.
—    Samuel Johnson
From:  “The Rambler“
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On This Day In:
2022	Be Someone For Somebody
2021	Genius (And Other Details)
	I Don’t Know Why
	Going Into The Deep End
2020	Repercussions For Health
2019	Chained To #45
2018	Some Men Make Their Office As Small As Themselves
2017	Too Many
2016	Not Yet, Anyway
2015	On Pornography
2014	Nudge, Nudge
2013	The Journey Will Be Joy
2012	Hopeful Flights
2011	Irrationally Predictable
	Lawful Restraint

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Love Your Life And Sing

Words Of Wisdom
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about their religion;  respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.
Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.
Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place.
Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way.
Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
—    Chief Tecumseh (1768-1813 )
Shawnee Nation
[One of the blogs I follow is Command Performance Leadership.  The blog mentions the above “poem” as being read during the final scene of the movie “Act Of Valor” (which I have not yet seen).  (Click here for the link to the specific blog…)  Because I AM the nerd I am, I researched the poem a little to learn more before posting this blog.  In doing so, I found another interesting site titled:  Wisdom Commons.  Enjoy!!
Finally, I believe from the moment of birth we each begin to sing our “death song“.  I only hope my own last notes are sung “like those of a hero going home.”    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	How About: Just Be Kind…
2021	Try To Choose Wisely
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2020	We Have A Window
2019	No Escape
2018	Except When It Is From The Oval Office
2017	Bad Karma
2016	Poor Management Choices
2015	Is It Still Dark Out?
2014	Rule One
2013	Spelling God’s Name
2012	Love Your Life And Sing
	Feeling Under the Weather?
2011	Cheers, Friend!

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