Equal Time

With the recent passing of The Lil' Rascal. I thought Honey's eulogy would be approriate to add here. Shes been gone a little over a year now and not a day goes by that I don't think of her.

Traveling Eyes

She rarely asks for walks
She rarely asks for much
A belly rub
A treat
For her traveling eyes a view of the street

She never goes abroad
She almost never leaves our block
She never goes to far
Yet her traveling eyes can see a star

She can see your past
She can see your soul
She can see your truth
her traveling eyes never lose their youth

Her courage is that of a lion
Her compassion is that of a saint
Her tail is like a bed spring
And in her eyes she is always traveling

Shes the dog with traveling eyes
Her legs are to short
Her chest is to wide
Yet she is the dog with traveling eyes

She lived long
She lived well
Now shes gone traveling
I wish I could hear the tales those eyes could tell.

The lil' Rascal

Last night, Our beloved Brindle American Pit bull Terrier / Great Dane mix died.
The front door of the house was left ajar, he and Miss Lola saw an opportunity to go adventuring and seized it. The Lil' Rascal ventured onto state highway 55 and was struck by a young motorist. he was struck in the head and died instantly. It was not the drivers fault.

I know this to be fact because I witnessed it as it happened. This was one of the most traumatic things I've seen in my very much unsheltered life.
As I pulled onto the highway in my search for The Rascal, not more than 15 car lengths ahead of me, I saw him dart into the street from a grassy hillock. His tail was held high, his ears perked and tongue lolling. The perfect image of a pup on a great adventure. The driver had no chance to apply his brakes until after the impact. He was thrown to the shoulder and had already breathed his last breath as I run up to him. I won't go into details of the anguish and pain I felt kneeling on the side of that wet road, for Him, My Wife and Children and myself, for it is too near and fresh in my mind, it is as a taste it upon my lips, an odor in my nose.
My Wife in inconsolable, My children are emotionally shattered, Miss Lola is hurting, searching the house and yard for her companion. I to, am hurt deeply but I must see them all through this as this has always been my roll in life. Keep everything together, keep focus and direction and make sure no one is left behind.

The Rascal is home now, forever. We buried him beneath the trampoline that he first feared, then grew to love and did actually jump up and down on. We will not see his greeting smile with those incredibly crooked teeth, nor hear him sing "Who Let the Dogs Out?" in the light of day but, despite our grief, we see it all in our minds and and smile.
Some dogs share our lives for many years. They enrich our lives and add a light that defies description. Honey was one such dog we were fortunate enough to have in our lives. Others, Like The Rascal don't just add light, they burn brightly. They are more "Here" They are more "Real" than the common animal. When one burns this brightly, I believe, one cannot last long nor, are they meant to.
This describes The Lil' Rascal perfectly. He survived early separation from his Mother, puppy illness and then, he was rescued on his last day at the pound before they were to euthanize him. Every day with him (to Him) was a joy and a new adventure. always happy and goofy. Never dull or stupid. He was a real pleasure to have in the Family.

You, who have never shared a bond with an animal will not understand, nor will I attempt to make you understand the level of grief and despair you can experience in this situation.
I'm not comparing the loss of an "Animal" to a human loss. I have survived the loss of a close family member, which is of course, devastating. But, it also was not entirely unexpected. To lose a young, vibrant Animal (to those of use who consider them part of the Pack) to me and my family, is indeed, the sudden unexpected loss of a Family member.

I hope everyone of you gets the chance to experience the joy, happiness and satisfaction that is felt in your heart when such an animal shares their life with you. May their lives be long and full like our Honey's was. I hope none of you ever has to go through what we are going through now, with a bare patch of earth in the backyard and a bare patch on our hearts.

TV and Me

It seems I can, like many of my generation, mark points in my life with what was on TV at the time. I wont go into "The TV generation" and how its adverly affected America and Americans for all time, that has been beaten to death already, Instead, lets just look at one American's journey through time via the Cathode Ray Tube...

I recall my preschool days with (aside from outdoor activites which we did enjoy quite often) Mr. Peabody and Sherman traveling in the way back machine. Mighty Mouse who always blushed when kissed by that cute She Mouse. Hucleberry Hound, Snaggle Puss, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Plus many more. I also recall the ones our kids will never see like Felix the Cat battling theProfessor and Master Cylinder. Lil' Black Bosco outwitting his foes. Unedited Tom and Jerry beating the living crap outta' each other. Ther are many others, but you get the point.
I learned from the TV that we have a guy called The President. I was 5 yrs old when Kennedy was shot and killed.
I learned a lot of basic learning skills fron Sherriff John. A local kids TV celeb.
I learned how to make friends and treat others from Hobo Kelly. Another local kids TV celeb.
A little later in life I discovered the wonderful world of sitcoms. I was about 7 years old when the Professor built every modern convienence known to man EXCEPT a way to patch a hole in a boat for the Castaways on Gilligan's Island. I believe this to be the first show I ever watched that had absolutely nothing in it I could translate to real life situations... This comment takes into consideration Tom & Jerry cartoons!
The Monkee's Michael Nesmith taught me how to be Cool and funny. One of which I did achieve.
The Brady Bunch taught me there is a basic yet fundamental difference between Boys and Girls. But we, as Men, have yet to figure out exactly what that is.
In July of 1969 TV showed Mr. Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon. I was 10 years old and I believe this was the first time I remember thinking "What an impact TV has on our lives"
All to soon after, The Olympic tragedy of the Israeli team being killed both by terrorists and thier would be rescuers was brodcast live from Munich Germany to our living rooms. It was 1972, I was 14 years old.
The Viet Nam War was continuously broadcast to out eager young eyes and minds raising our collective awareness of world affairs and the people whoes lives were/are affected by them.
The war "Ended" (last living American out) in April, 1975 at a cost of over 58,000 dead, more than 2000 missing and over 300,000 wounded. I was 17.
So many other events, All of them, in fact, have been chronicled by TV. My Mind staggers at the thought of a life without this instantaneous medium. I cannot concieve of waiting days, weeks or even months to recieve information that is made accessable by this incredible device at near a blink of an eye.
TV, The cause of "The Dumbing of America"? Quite possibly, and indeed likely if used incorrectly. TV, The tool giving us access to the world, it's people and a better personal, national and global understanding? Quite possibly, and indeed likely if used correctly.

Your past. Lifes best teacher

Here I sit, in my Family room, with my computer in my lap. I cast my gaze about the room, taking in all the stuff (I.E. junk) we have accumulated over the years, with all this stuff we have now, whats the future gonna' hold in store? and that get me thinking "What would Captain Buzz (an alias from my checkered past) say about the current condition of my life?" Let us take a little journey into Mike's imagination.

C.B. "Mike, Dude, is that really a GAS fireplace with CEMENT logs and a ELECTRONIC lighter?"
Mike "Well, yes. It's clean and green."
C.B. "Dudester. Thats NOT the kind of green I was lookin' for. Whats with that little pager on your hip (sniggers up his sleeve)"
Mike "That not a pager, its a cell phone"
C.B. "...sure it is. Everyone knows mobile phones come in a small suit case with a hand set attached to a cord. Honestly Dude, You be trippin' on a little purple barrel?"
Mike "I've been sober for nearly 17 years"
C.B. "... your scaring me here. What this about? It looks like a little foreign sports car. You once told me a four banger is half a car. What happened to the '69 Road Runner? Man, that old Road Turkey could burn up the road almost as fast as it burned that 67 cent gasoline"
Mike "Todays small cars can outperform yesterdays Muscle Cars without spending the thousands we spent on the Road Turkey making go faster. Also Captain Buzz, Gas recently hit over 4.00 per gallon"
C.B. "Stop it Man. Your words hurt my ears. So, why you got all these... (grimaces) knick knacks, everywhere? we used to laugh at old folks, you know, the ones over 40, who had this kinda' stuff. 'member?"
Mike "most have a fond memory attached to them. Besides, I'm married. She brings alot of this "stuff" into my life. and, more importantly, they make her happy."
C.B. "Whoa whoa whoa!!! DudeMan!! YOUR married? What a buzzkill! Total ruinage! Your missin' out Dudeage. Your really missin' out."
Mike looks around the room again. This time with a fresh eye. He sees so many years gone by filled with love, and memories. Struggles and triumphs. Hopes strived for, hopes fufilled and yes, hopes as of yet, unfullfilled. Nearly every item he sees has a personal story. Everywhere he looks he sees his Life, His children and grand children. And, unlike Captain Buzz, He sees his future. From here, it looks pretty bright.

Initial Blog

To Blog or not to Blog. It seems this is not even a question any longer. I've always said "Keep moving up, or die." Of course, I actually applied that grim statement more towards my work ethic but, what the heck, its dramatic enough to launch me into this particular venture.

I see there are a few toys to play with here, lets try one ...


My daughter & my Grandson (her Nephew)


That worked well. But Changing text color is plain old annoying. You wont catch much of that in the future.
I am curious to see where this public yet almost entirely unobserved diatribe will lead. I'm sure there will be some humor, perhaps some truths and observations. Who can say for certain? Stay tuned, or don't. Your option. In either case I promise to respect you in the morning.

M.