Of This And That

The days are getting longer. We are getting closer to Spring, 55 more days to go. In Michigan it very easy to get weary of the snow and cold. Our "winter" actually started in November before Thanksgiving Day. In the midst of it all I am thankful for my Toro snowblower. We've had it for 7 years and the 2 cycle engine runs like a champ. I have little problem getting it started, and I credit it with saving me from a multitude of heart attacks.

...............

The day after President Obama's Inauguration, my friend Roger commented, tongue in cheek, that we were one day closer to a new president. I suppose that's one way of looking at it positively. I can't believe the amount of vindictive venom that has been directed towards now former President George W. Bush. To hear some folks and to read some pundits you would think there is more hope for the devil then for GW. GW may not have been a "saint", but objective history will treat him kinder then the current pundits. GW was not the worst President we have ever had. In my life time Jimmy Carter holds that distinction. There is a reason Carter was only a one term President.

................

My wife and I have realized in recent weeks how much of our thinking is impacted by the consumer oriented society mentality. The issue came up with regards to TV stations changing from analog to digital signals on February 15. We do not have a HD TV. Neither do we have cable or satellite. We discussed the pros and cons of cable versus dish. We talked about how nice it would be to have a 32" flat screen HD TV.

But the bottom line is, if we are honest, we should not be spending money on a new TV, nor on the monthly fees for cable or dish. We don't have to have either, and we really need to do a whole lot better at saving money then we are. To make a long story short, we went out this afternoon and plunked down the cash for the converter box.

I have to confess that listening to Dave Ramsey is wearing off on me and I look at these things more seriously then I would have even a few months ago. Why do we think that when ever we get a little money saved up, we have to go out and get "things"? Why? I enjoy the finer things in life as much as anyone, but the truth is that way to many of us are only a few short pay cheeks away from financial impoverishment. Yes, we are on top of our bills, and we manage to stay away from a lot of unnecessary debt, credit card or otherwise, but if the bottom falls out, we would very quickly be in a world of financial hurt.

............................

I finished reading For Whom The Bell Tolls. For me this is Ernest Hemingway's best novel. Back in college, many ages ago, I Had to read The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway's first novel. I hated it. What was worse we had to write a paper about it. The Lit' Professor hated my paper about as much as I hated the book. I took my D- and let it go at that. I now think that if we had read Farewell To Arms or For Whom The Bell Tolls first, I would have understood and maybe appreciated The Sun Also Rises a little more then I did at that time. I have it in mind to do a more extensive post at some point, so will save the analysis and review for then.

.............................

Question: Are you "X", or are you "Y"?
Answer: Yes....

So much for the fallacy of the false dichotomy...

Assertion: If you are "X", by logical extension you must be "Y".
Response: Pure 100% unadulterated bull manure.

So much for the fallacy of logical extension...

...............................

Shalom!

~ The Billy Goat ~