Does anyone else feel the same way I do about reciting the Pledge of Allegiance? (drafted in 1892)

The first issue I have with the pledge is that it is directed to a piece of fabric ("I pledge allegiance to the flag"). One could argue that the flag is just a symbol that encompasses what we are as a nation. If that is the case, we should skip the flag and pledge directly to what the flag represents ("...to the Republic").

"One Nation under God"(added to the pledge in 1954) Are we really?

2.4 percent of the U.S. population (7.4 million) in 2009 claimed to be atheist, according to a Pew survey on religious affiliation. I would also add that a good many people who are affiliated with a religion live their lives in a manner that is not consistent with that religion's core beliefs. "One Nation under God" seems to be a bit of a fallacy.

I'm not suggesting that we alter the pledge. It seems to be a ritual that has become outdated in my opinion. Also, I have never been an advocate for pledges. The way I conduct myself in the American public speaks more than any pledge. If you ever see me at a school board meeting sitting silently during The Pledge of Allegiance, please do not think poorly of me.

God's Intentions?

Can I just say that it is really hard for me to truly listen to those who inject their God or their holy book into certain conversations/discussions. Lately it seems that every time I go over to my parents' house someone (by someone, I mean sister, mother, grandfather or Bill) tries to engage me in political, social, or religious discussions.

For example, I was over visiting just a couple days ago and everyone started talking about the role of male and female in society. This comment was made and I quote "I just don't see the future of this country being as good as it once was because the role of men and women are moving away from the way God intended."

I really hope that by reading what I just quoted, you have a similar reaction that I had at the time. I only wish that I had responded sarcastically by saying this "I agree. I think women should still be treated as though they are property. That they are inferior to men. That their job is to be barefoot and pregnant, because that is the way God intended." I truly believe that each man and each woman are born different. We all have different abilities, likes and dislikes, and preferences. I know for a fact that my wife could never be a stay-at-home mother. If that was the case, would she be going against God's intentions?

The social aspects of our humanity are always changing (evolving). We, as individuals, ultimately decide the role we play in society. And that my friend is how God intended it to be.

Emotion

Emotion, not as interesting of a title as some of my other posts, but a title none the less. It is also a very powerful tool. I guess you could say that without emotion, many corporations would cease to exist. The business world has mastered the use of emotion to manipulate people into handing over hard-earned money for many years. Whether it be cars, IPhones, clothes, or peace of mind, we hand our money over and blindly at times. My focus for this post will not be on the cars, IPhones or clothes because transportation, communication and clothing ourselves are fairly important to American culture. Instead my focus is on peace of mind (my favorite).

How about a quick example of peace of mind. You're driving down Sunnyside Road when the light suddenly turns red. Not wanting to break the law, you stop. While sitting at the red light you notice a scruffy old man wearing an eye patch with a dog holding a sign that reads, "Homeless! Need help for food or shelter!" Now I ask you, what is this man trying to sell you? If you gave him money, he just sold you the warm and fuzzy feeling that you get inside from helping out another human. I'm here to tell you that the feeling he just sold you is a load of shit. This is how people are constantly taken advantage of in this world.

I would love to go on with this post, but I'm afraid it would just turn into me ranting and raving as I do at work sometimes. I know the people there probably get tired of listening to me talk about such things. My hope for all of you is that you take a second and think logically about some of the decisions that you are faced with in your life, because EMOTION can cloud ones judgement at times.

A trip to P-town on Two wheels

Lately I've been riding my bike on a 22 mile loop from my house in Milwaukie to downtown Portland and back. I've made the journey about five times to date. For this post on my blog I thought that I would share the so-called "adventure" of riding downtown.

The best part of the ride is what I call "Seeing" and "Being seen". What I really mean to say is that I love to watch people and yet, I love for people to watch me. It may sound twisted, but that is how many of us humans define our existence. Plus, it is hilarious to see a group of college students run through a fountain on a cool September night. I would have joined in, but I thought it best to re-live my youth by watching them horse-play in the fountain (No chance of catching a cold that way). Of course they probably thought I was just as crazy dressed in a florescent yellow vest, black socks pulled up to the knees and Velcro sandals. I guess that is how I want to be seen. :)

I've seen much from my two wheels. To this point I've seen two wedding parties, a group of 20 or so bongo drummers, dancing hippie chicks, a giant unicycle cyclist, a cute dog wearing sunglasses, big rats scavenging for food, met a man who thought I should sell used cars on Craig's list, and caught a glimpse of the Rose City Rollers. Even with all of that, I'm sure that there are many more things to see on future rides.

I travel the above mentioned loop about twice a week, so if any of you out there who think this might be something you'd like to give a try, it shouldn't be hard to get in touch with me or leave a comment.

Nothing Ever Happens....Till one day, it Does!

Just last year a mother of two threw her children off of the Sellwood bridge. We watch the story unravel on the news in shock and horror. How could this have happened? What kind of mother would do this to her own children? These are often the questions I hear family members or others ask. The question I often wonder is what were the warning signs that were overlooked by those who were closer to the mother than myself? It's only after the incident happens you hear the interviews of those on the news stating those very signs that might have saved those children if someone had taken the time to report them. Most people go through life as though nothing like this could ever happen to someone in their family. Till one day, it does.

This brings me to a story that I need to tell. I know a mother who has a child. She is single, but lives with her parents who help support the two of them. The mother of the child has been battling depression for a long time. However, she has never sought the help of a professional to help her deal with her depression. She also develops massive anxiety when left alone for more than eight hours and has been known to make poor decisions during these episodes. Recently, she packed up her child and a child she had been watching and drove them to a relative who lives 20 minutes away. This would be considered normal except that she is not insured to drive. Also, on her last episode she phoned a registered sex offender to help comfort her at a nearby restaurant. Again, not good judgement because she had both children with her in this incident.

My question is, would you report this behavior to the proper authority? Most of us would not. To be honest, I might even down play such an incident. What if I told you that the next time this person had an episode like this, she would throw her kids off of a bridge? Would you then report it? Just remember that nothing ever happens, till one day, it does.

Writer's Block!

You ever have so many ideas bouncing around in your head that you can't focus on writing on just one? Well, I guess you could say that is what I'm experiencing right now. I thought about writing on the philosophical argument my wife and I had with my parents regarding ideas on making the world a better place. Their idea is to basically force the teaching of Christian morals in public schools to be the answer. I'm sure that would go over quite well with our Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Atheist populations. I won't bore you with the details. If you ever want to know where I stand on this question, just ask me.

Then my brain started thinking about my being sick and that I'm feeling really good right now. Crap! I hope I didn't just jinx it. Nah, that's just a bunch of BS anyway. I do feel pretty good right now even though it is 3:41 am. I think I'll go ahead and end this to go slip into bed. I would be willing to bet $20 right now that the dog is on my side of the bed. He's about to have a rude awakening. Till next time, live purposely.

"Is this Heaven? No it's Iowa" (Field of Dreams reference)

All I can say right now is that I just got back from heaven. A part of me still might be there. I don't want to be the cause of some philosophical debate. I just think that heaven can be experienced right here on earth. It really is mostly a kind of state-of-mind. I kept a positive attitude at work today which lead to an awesome workout in the gym. It doesn't stop there. I sat in the hot tub tonight. I bet that I could convince some of the people on this planet that I had an out-of-body experience. OK, I won't go that far.

I always thought that the world would be a better place if more people took the time to get to their "Heaven" so-to-speak. I can tell you the ingredients to mine but they will most likely not be the same for you. It is simple for me. Hot tub + good beer + nice cigar + starry sky = My Heaven. I have nothing more wise to say except to request politely that you find your "Heaven".