Charlatan

A friend of mine I was working with about potentially opening an auto repair shop is a charlatan. A charlatan is defined as a person falsely claiming to have special knowledge or skill, a fraud.

He was working with me on site acquisition as part of my exploratory work into changing industries. He told me he would be happy to buy the land and I can pay him rent on the land. He claims to have a realtor license and selling ranches in the hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. He also claims to have a drivers ed company, a biohazard disposal company and a private security company.

Earlier this month he claimed he needed help selling his car. A 2018 Kia optima turbo. He owes 12,000 dollars on it. He's upside down. The car is not worth 12k. I agreed to list the car on Craigslist for him and worked to get a car fax for the vehicle. He didn't sell the car. And asked me what to do? Either trade it in and take a bath in the depreciation or lease something that's on special and fold the negative equity into the lease. Or keep it. Then he said he can't afford the car payment anymore. Like what? You're a big shot entrepreneur and you can't afford the payment and you have money to buy land? Something doesn't add up.

He called yesterday and wanted to know what I have planned this week. Shared I had interview with an airline. He wanted more details which I chose not to disclose.

He texted me today to wish me good luck on the interview. He shared someone wants him to be a customer service representative that is contracted for something with the state. I told him to apply. Then he said I need to help him get the job and he has to apply electronically. He doesn't know how to use a computer? He is approximately 10 years older than me.

Who is alive today in America that owns 4 companies and closes high dollar real estate deals and doesn't know how to use a computer? A charlatan. A fraud.

What's interesting is my mom used to call him a charlatan when I was growing up. Mom was an astute judge of character.

I'm all for helping a friend - and have done so with trying to sell his car. I'm not going to fill out an online job application for a grown ass man.

Radical Empathy

 The Des Moines school superintendent was arrested for a visa overstay.  A dude from guyana africa or something with a previous arrest for firearms.  He was given a deportation order and remained in the country.  He somehow managed to infiltrate the highest level of public schools in DSM as their superintendent.  And now he's arrested and probably on the next flight to Africa.

I don't quite understand why American's have sympathy for people who break our laws.  He's here illegally.  He was ordered to be removed from America.  Yet he stayed hoping nobody would find out.  The school board is calling for the community to practice radical empathy for the illegal immigrant superintendent.  Blows my mind people have so much empathy and care towards criminals who break our laws. The citizens of this country that turn a blind eye to immigration fraud and lawlessness are a disgrace.  If you start living as a criminal in a country, chances are good you will remain a criminal in the country.  You have no right to be here.  In other parts of the world you would be deported quickly.  Here, stay as long as you want.  Infiltrate our institutions.  This is unacceptable.

In this country we have laws.  As of late, the only people expected to follow laws are citizens. Immigrants are lawless.  Believe they have a right to be here because they want to be.  I want to be a millionaire.  How do you think that will go over if I go to a bank and demand money through robbery.  I am entitled to a million dollars.  Practice your radical empathy for me. 

Eggheads

Read a review for local eatery. Review says 'several country fried proteins.'

Shut up.

It's fried chicken and chicken fried steak.

Eggheads and liberals ruin everything they touch.

Speaking of liberals - Texas Democrat representative Jasmine Crockett was speaking and said it is not the responsibility of police to deter crime. They’re there to solve crimes. She also said committing a crime doesn’t make you a criminal.  How did she make it this far?  She’s highly educated. Whenever she is speaking she sounds like a ghetto hoodrat instead of an educated woman. 

Birthday giveaways

My wife signs up for all kinds of frequent diner programs and downloads the app for the business on her phone.

Birthday was earlier this month. She got a 'free' hamburger for Red Robin. She enjoys the bonzai burger. So we went there last night.

Everyone ordered and I decided I wanted the 9.99 tavern burger special. Was informed can't have two promotions on the same ticket. So I got a regular burger.

We got the bill. Sticker shock. 70 dollars with her burger zeroed out.

It wasn't a free burger. It was a 70 dollar burger because we wouldn't eat there under any other circumstance. SMH. What a ripoff.

Young Padawan

Being a leader is doing right by your team when the company doesn't.  Being a leader is letting people fail.  Being a leader is working with someone that is imperfect when no one else will.  Being a leader is developing people.  Being a leader is believing in someone's potential when they give you glimpses of brilliance.  Brilliance comes in many forms.  Being a leader is taking the hit for failures and letting the team enjoy the moment of their successes.

I hired someone 7 years ago that was tremendously over qualified for the job.  I promoted him two years ago.  Together we've done a lot of work together.  Investing in him.  Investing in each other.  I was his boss.  We are friends.

I delivered messages to him that he may not have wanted to hear.  I delivered candid feedback to help him understand his strengths, what will hold him back and what will propel him forward.

A funny thing happened yesterday.  He was working in his new station, which I hope is my future station.  He calls me and says he wants to do a Teams call.  We both had a hard time getting the technology to work when I am no longer on the same domain as he is.  After trial and error we got it to work.

He called because he wanted to show me the airport and he took me on a private guided tour of the facility.  Some of the intricacies of operating in new airport and helped me get a much more in depth understanding than I could discern from maps.  Explained things as he walked the facility and let me see firsthand the environment I hope to be working in.  

I didn't ask him to do this - he wanted to do this.  For me - wanting me to be successful in the next interview.  It was just neat to have someone I've mentored and help reverse roles with me as we're both making transitions in our life.  Kindness. 

Nashville is an amazing airport.  Aesthetically pleasing.  Interesting.  Modern.  Nice.  

Affirms direction I am taking my career.   ThankFULL!

What on Earth

I spent the last two hours reading the last year of my blog. Man - some of it is hilarious. 🤣

Some of it is heart wrenching.

Some of it is angry. Some sad. Common theme of mistake in employment role. Common themes of politics, culture, celebrity hate. Questioning existence. Reconciling reality and unknown.

It's pretty amazing to think out of all the chaos of the last year, I feel like I am doing better now than any other time since pre-covidian times.

Been through a lot and somehow came out better than my writing would suggest.

Revival

 Charlie Kirk's death and the events following indicates a renewed interest in religion/spirituality.  Charlie made witnessing and sharing one's faith great again.  When I was growing up, church and religion was just something we did.  Not out of having a relationship with God but something we did on Sunday mornings.  It was rarely talked about before church or anytime after church until we got ready to go again.  It was a ritual that involved passive participation and no real application outside those four walls.  At least I never realized or understood an application beyond the building and Sunday service.  Never felt an inclination to act differently or discuss with anyone - not through the confirmation process or anything else.  It was a complete waste of time.

A year or two leading up to marrying my wife, we got involved in a church.  When Z came we were actively engaged with our church family.  Attending service, volunteering, living the life so to speak, attending events, etc.  Going to church was fundamental to my identity and really played a role into who I was at the time.  At the same time it was something we did with our church family and elevated our/my effectiveness in living out my life.

When I started working at the blue, I was engaged for awhile and dropped out completely after becoming a leader.  The work schedule was less than optimal - it was pretty terrible actually.  I was unwilling to make the sacrifices needed to work God and church within my routine without having negative affects in other parts of my work and home life.  The schedule was hard enough.  So roughly 20 years going about living life on my own with support of close friends and mentors.

2025 has brought a renewed interest in having a relationship with God.  My Mom died.  I believe she proclaimed the promise of her baptism and enjoys everlasting life in heaven.  She became a fierce angel warrior which is different than how she lived her life on Earth.  Her decline and dying brought people back into my circle who I admire and respect that I have not seen in 20 years.  

After my Mom died, would spend time thinking about mom in at attitude and space of prayer.  I found it very focusing and relaxing.  Perhaps how other people feel with meditation.  When I decided to leave the blueniverse, I started attending church online.  While it was nice to be hear the message, it wasn't the same...

Post departure from employment, I attended church in person again. An unexpectedly emotional experience.  Just being in the house of God again.  Singing and praising God.  The fellowship of doing so with like minded people.  The flood of guilt, embarrassment and shame.  Not because of anything that happened out of the ordinary during service - the realization I walked away from that relationship.  Followed by renewed sense of yearning, realization and belonging.  Realizing how important this aspect of life is to who I am as a person.  I felt accepted.  A reunion.  I was home.

It was baby dedication Sunday for the first one.  We had Z dedicated and had dropped out before having J dedicated.  Tears flowed down my cheeks as I watched these families dedicate their kids with the hope and optimism their children would come to know Jesus as the entire family re-committed before the community walk with God.  

It is said men carry the spiritual torch in a household.  It was true of my Grandma and Grandpa.  My Mom and my Dad.  And it is true in my own family.  My wife had every opportunity to continue going to church while I worked or was too tired.  When I dropped out, we all dropped out.  Men - it is your privilege to carry and fan the flame of your torch to lead your family through darkness. 

Over the last 12 years are so, I knew who Charlie Kirk was and found his dialogue with people who think differently than he did amusing.  It wasn't until the last 4-5 years that I witnessed how important Charlie Kirk's faith was to him and how he wanted the same gift/blessing/relationship with God he enjoys for other people.  He boldly stood his ground and shared his faith with nearly anyone and everyone; not out of spite but out of kindness, compassion and strength.

My zeal for God and Christianity has been reborn over the last year.  With this realization and conscious realignment to get back in sync with my faith, I am a better person.  Still broken.  Still struggling.  And working towards being more Christ like in my interactions with others and myself.  Grace.  Compassion.  Forgiveness.  Acceptance.  

 May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious onto you.  May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.  Thanks be to God.  

Random Thoughts

Imagine if Erika Kirk becomes the first female president of the united states.

While in elevator at hotel in Dallas, saw a guy with a marijuana plant tattooed on his left calf.  

Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh and will award the same medal posthumously to Charlie Kirk. Our nation's highest honor for civilians.

 A book of speeches from Charlie Kirk's funeral would be amazing.

100,000 people attended Charlie Kirk's funeral in Phoenix.  God delighted in seeing those in attendance.  Singing and giving praise before and after the service. 

After 21 years the Lexus is a great car for road trips.  Polite, mild mannered, laid back cruising with adequate power.

Outback Steakhouse has new knives.  They’re nicely weighted, nice handles, big and sharp.  Laser etched. I wonder how many get stolen?

The Republican Party was strategically brilliant to align themselves with Charlie Kirk and his conservative movement.

Bob Geiger is a pansy allowing Jimmie kennel back on the air.  He gave in to Michael Eyezner and gave the lefty celebrity alliance a false sense of moral superiority and power. Grow a pair and keep kennel off the air. He wasn’t taken off the air for talking crap about Charlie Kirk. He was taken off the air for lying about Tyler Robinson being maga.   No cares what mark barfalo says or Jennifer Aniston, Steven Coldbear or Jimmie felon.  What a bunch of whiny ass cry babies.  Gangsters.  Designate them a terrorist organization like antifa.  

Dan Brown has a new book.  The intro gave me goosebumps.  As I read the sample, Dan brown is doing placement ads for increased revenue.   That desperate to extract every bit of value by slinging brand names?  

 

In common

What do Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have in common? Every time they open their mouths something stupid happens.  In Kamala's case a word salad comes out. In Donald's case he inserts his foot.

Question from wife

If you could only listen to one piece of music for the rest of your life, what would it be?

An interesting question…. A complicated answer. She suggested Star Wars or
Home Alone. Star Wars is a contender. Not sure it is the answer.

What about Jurassic Park or Hook? Those are for sure epic.

I think the answer may very well be 1941. 1941? Completed in 1979…. Why? Because you can hear foundational phrases, voicing, pacing and hints of music to come as well as a throwback to the past. The same is true with the original Jaws score. It's almost as if both those works hold the keys to not only came from John Williams imagination - but also the future of John Williams. They're both magical that way. They're both important to catching a glimpse into the mind of the greatest living composer of our time.

Charlie Kirks Funeral

 Why does Trump always have to be Trump?  I don't think the man can help himself.  It's who he is in all his brokenness and all his flaws.  At least he's consistent.

Charlie Kirk was who Charlie Kirk was too.  Everyone who spoke of him weren't speaking of someone I didn't know.  They spoke of someone I knew, the same way I knew him.  Consistency speaks to his genuineness and authenticity.    

 It's pretty amazing to think Charlie Kirk spoke to people at the highest levels of government on cell phone.  On a first name basis.  A 31 year old guy on a crusade for Christ having influence at the highest levels of government.  Many people in Trumps cabinet spoke at the funeral:  Ben Carson, Stephen Miller, Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Robert Kennedy, Donald Trump.  A 31 year old guy with that much influence in our culture. 

It's pretty amazing to think Charlie Kirk had a televised funeral that was viewed throughout the world.  He wasn't famous.  He wasn't a government official, wasn't a celebrity or athlete.  Pretty amazing to think people around the world are mourning the loss of a celebrated American patriot and a man living his life to glorify God as he understood.  

Erika Kirk said Charlie prioritized bringing young man to Jesus so they could know the truth that he knew and I know.  Even as her heart is broken, she said she forgives Tyler Robinson.  What if Tyler Robinson's life is spared under our justice system?  Could Robinson come to know Jesus has is Lord and Savior?  Wouldn't that be something?  Would that be a miracle?

Donald Trump said something that was most profound.  Although the bullet was pointed at him, it was aimed at all of us.  My mind was blown.

My wife and I were briefly discussing Charlie Kirk and some of the things he said.  My wife considers some of what he said to be hateful.  My question is was it?  I guess it begs the question of what is truth.  When CK was speaking of alphabet people being under mentally ill.  Or being subject of evilness in the world.  Is that truth?  Is it hateful?  Are they different?  Are they the same?

It is interesting...  the church I grew up in took a vote to leave the evangelical lutheran church in American.  The vote passed.  One of those at the church meeting was speaking about the evilness of transgenderism and children doing irreversible damage to their bodies to have their body parts cut off and or mutilated and was deeply concerned about the ELCA's endorsement of the alphabet agenda.  God says to love your neighbor as yourself.  Even those you don't like.  Do alphabet people really believe their soul was put in the wrong body and it needs to be changed to match the individual's truth?  What about the truth?  Not your truth.  Not a truth.  The TRUTH.

Was CK speaking out against the demons that walk among us?  The evil in the world?  Or the deception the enemy uses to manipulate us?  To damage God's children?  What about homosexuality?  The traditional form of marriage being God's design?  I don't know.

I used think think religion was put in place to control the population.  To put bumper guards up to keep us on a straighter and narrow path.  The older I get and when I am closest to God, I lnow there is an eternal truth.  A great design by our creator.  Or is it all random and we're really a bunch of evolved monkeys? 

Is it a universal principle that like attracts like?  A scientific principle that opposites attract?  Does it depend on the circumstance?

I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the father except through me.  Is Islam the way the truth and the life?  Are they the same?  Are they different? 

Impossible to reconcile in my mind the questions that I ask.  That's not true.  And here is what I've come up with.  It is no longer a question of left vs right, conservative vs liberal, democrat vs republican, light vs dark.  It is a question of good vs evil.  It is spiritual warfare.  And I know - beyond the shadow of a doubt there is biblical and spiritual truth.  Walking with the Lord God almighty is the only way to live.  

Charlie Kirk talked with young people at universities for a reason – he wanted American education to return to traditional values

An interesting article…

https://theconversation.com/charlie-kirk-talked-with-young-people-at-universities-for-a-reason-he-wanted-american-education-to-return-to-traditional-values-265190

December

 The boy and I were in the car and Collective Soul's December came on the radio.  I was like dude, this was a great song back in the day.  I proceeded to tell him this was my "go to" song for car audio and told him the story of how I changed the radio in my old Honda Prelude.  We were listen to the song and was like, do you hear the bongos?  On a good setup you can hear the air in the bongos.  I turned it up and you could hear the air in the bongos in the Lexus.  We're driving down the road and he asked "How did you learn how to change the radio in your car?"  

There weren't any instructions on how to do it.  You went to a store like Circuit City and listened in the demo room and told the guy what you liked and asked what you needed to make it look nice, purchased the items and just started taking the car apart.  Without instructions?  Well, yah, without instructions.  There were no instructions back then.

Car's weren't as elaborate back in the late 80s or early 90s.  The radio was a separate item and not part of some kind of integrated entertainment system.  It was a radio.  So you just took it apart, spliced a few wires and installed the new rig in the dashboard where the old radio was.  Except it now had a cd player in addition to the radio and was more powerful.  

I then explained how Poppy was pretty good with electricity and he showed me how to use a meter to get everything wired in properly into the electrical system of the car.  I don't remember any of the knowledge he shared because I didn't do it enough....

Anyway -back then we didn't wait for a how to guide or watch a video online.  We made do with our own devices and just did things.  Minimal instructions.  We just got our tools, reached under the dash and started disconnecting stuff until we got the existing radio out.  There was nothing to it.

The What's interesting to me is kids today would never think to change their radio and would have no idea where to start.  They'd want a video to watch or a pre-assemgled instruction book with pictures to undertake the project. 

We were either stupid, fearless or both.  We just changed the radio without much of a care in the world.  It was simple enough and we did it.  How times have changed.  

I'm glad I was raised in a simpler time.  A time where we were able to just do things because we wanted to.  Didn't need to know what we were doing.  We just "winged it" and figured it out as we went along.  Nothing lost, some cool gains.  

It's like the kids today are part of a system.  A cog in a machine.  In the 80s and 90s there weren't systems and cogs.  Kids did what they wanted with what resources we had available.  Sure there were the rich kids that paid someone to install their fancy Nakamichi radio with a 200 watt per channel amplifier.  Then there were scrappy kids like me that bought a little radio player and just figured it out.  Somehow got it to work.

I think that's what gets me about being in the job market today.  Those with the jobs look for all this formal education and training.  To talk to someone about why their car doesn't work and what it needs.  Those of us who were scrappy kids learned all this stuff through trial and error.  Not every job needs all these fancy credentials and trainings.  Knowing how to communicate and having a strong work ethic will serve you well.  The trick is convincing others of the practicality of these two qualities in the work space.

Work visa

WGAF? Donald Trump putting a 100,000 dollar fee on visas for IT workers. He's protecting American jobs. My son can't get a job because all these firms hire foreigners. I saw an article about the visa fee disrupting Indian IT workers. I don't give a shit. That's indias problem - not ours. America first.  

Like WTH - you can’t understand any of them on the phone anyway. They’re probably sitting in a hut in India on a computer powered by a generator bobbling their head as they speak to you on their 1994 gaming headset. If Indian people don’t make all the money in IT who is Elon musk gonna sell teslas to?

Not gonna bother applying to UA. I remember back in the day their ticket counters were full of Indians traveling with cart loads of boxes bringing stuff back to their homeland. Line 4 per person. They were heaving all Saran wrapped with a big sticker plastered to the side with their name and address. I don’t want to work for a corporation with over 100000 employees.  Take a dollar from all of them and you can hire Chaka rashakhan to work their help desk. The hell with that. 

Nihilism

Nihilism is a philosophy that denies inherent meaning, morality, or truth in life. Derived from the Latin "nihil" (nothing), it views human existence as absurd, dismisses moral codes as baseless and often calls for dismantling established institutions.

How many people now living in America or in government are nihilists? My guess is quite a few. How many of those in our government are actively working to weaken America? How many people are actively working to advocate for the advancement of Muslim ideologies within our government? How many of these people are bought and paid for to do just that? Most of them.

And I think that is what anger's Donald Trump. He doesn't know how to stop it and he is trying to do so as a man with limited intellect or, a simplistic view of how the world works.

And therein lies the flaw of Donald Trump. His sixth sense is accurate but he doesn't have the political acumen to defeat the nihilists within. Trump is about as emotionally intelligent as a three year old.  The nihilist not only include foreigners but also entire generations of Americans defeated by their reality of earning a degree, struggling to find a good paying job or afford a home. Instead they retreat into unmotivated couch potatoes sitting in front of their computers. Minds being polluted by social media and mindless video games.

The way to fix this is through getting involved in something bigger than yourself with a network of peers that invests in one another. Perhaps getting involved with a life giving Christian church with an active small group ministry.

The pastor at church did a sermon series long ago called forecasting your future. One of the tenants was show me your friends and I'll show you your future. A group of keyboard warriors sitting in the dark interacting behind a screen taking assumed personalities of caricatures and online personas isn't life giving. It's defeating and detaches people from the reality. Again, these people probably sit in the dark in their parent's basement.  Dark is where things go to die.

Participating in life giving small groups could counter the isolation and hopelessness in our society. It is said that iron sharpens iron just as one man sharpens another. An upward spiral of success vs the downward spiral of defeat and hopelessness.

Tweeter totter

Signed up for the Twitter last night and spent too long on it. Some interesting. Some more disturbing than what the algorithm on Facebook was showing me. Got up this morning prior to running errands and looked around more on the Twitter. Too disturbing for me. Erased it this afternoon.

While Twitter is efficient in distribution of content, I am of the opinion most content is not meant for general human consumption. It's called the electronic town square. I'd take it one step further and say it is the town sewer.

Thanks anyway Elon. Keep this garbage to yourself.

Fat bottomed girls

 There’s a whole generation of kids who will never know the rock-ability of fat bottomed girls by queen because the libtards think the title is offensive to fat chicks. Bunch of fatties with buzz cut purple hair, a septum ring and hairy pits. Yuk. 

AI is magic as shown above  

Having a job

In essence having a job means we are not only employees of the company we work for, we are slaves to the government. The government steals money from the population to move their agenda which I do not agree with. I don't get any value in foreign aid, welfare, subsidized housing or regulation. If anything these programs steal from productive members of society and give them to unproductive members of society.

Jimmie kennel

Finally Pulled off the air for running his mouth like a tough guy and Disney finally had enough. What took so long?

Moped mafia

When Z and I were in Boston for the Boston pops concert we ordered food via uber eats or something. It was cost effective and we didn't have to wonder around all the homeless people and drug addicts.

The food came via a moped. The guy walks into the hotel, gives us our food and leaves. The next day noticed there were a bunch of people on mopeds in the city.

Moped mafia does quick errands/pick/deliver for small items in city for a modest fee. Genius business ideas for the 21st century.

Dominating the news cycle

Charlie Kirk's assassination has dominated the news cycle since it happened, snuffing out events such as 9/11 anniversary and a school shooting in Colorado.  It's unheard of for someone who is not a "superstar" to be worthy of this much press.

It's also interesting how this event is testing the limits of free speech when free speech is something Charlie Kirk advocated for.  Now people are getting fired for having "inappropriate" reactions to his death.  Pilots, doctors and teachers are being relieved of their duties for celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk.  The limits of free speech are being tested.  I guess there's free speech unless you're celebrating someone getting killed.  How many people said ugly things when our president missed the same shot by inches?  Was their employment jeopardized?  Or was it okay to say ugly things about trump because he didn't die?  Is there a double standard?

Word in the media is VP Vance will be hosting an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show.  Is it appropriate for a vice-president to be hosting a podcast, regardless of the circumstance?

Recently read there is a republican senator in North Carolina that is upset Trump keeps harping on the murder of the Ukranian lady by a black man who has committed many crimes and repeatedly released back to society without consequence.  Well the consequence of not holding him to account for his crimes was he killed someone.   

 

 

Bad decision

I went to church for the first time since I was hired at my former employer.  That means going to church for the first time in about 20 years.  Two decades.  My response to being back in that familiar place was not what I expected.  The entire facility had been remodeled and refreshed.  The seats were changed from red to blue.  The worship service was a tremendous production.  With 5 cameras in the sanctuary.  Two regular photographers.  The sound was awesome, the band played songs that were unfamiliar to me.  

 It was baby dedication Sunday.  We had Z dedicated when he was just a tot.  I remember that day like it was yesterday.  We never had J dedicated; he was born 5 years after I started at the blue.  That is a regret.  

They say the patriarch of the house sets the spiritual tone for the family.  I find that to be true as my wife never took the kids to church by herself.  Man - 20 year absent from church.  Thinking about my choice weighs heavily on my heart.  I loved church and had tremendous respect for our pastor.  Each week I would be rejuvenated spending time worshiping, singing, enjoying fellowship and engaging with the message our pastor preached.  The songs were the best!  Giving thanks and praise.  Such productive and meaningful chapter of my life.

I am ashamed of the choice I made and how long it's been since attending.  When I left my job, I  eased into worship by watching online.  Given the week we've been through with multiple killings in the news I thought it was the right time to attend in person.

 I was not prepared for the emotion being back at church.  The singing of anthems and more introspective songs of worship and praise.  Being with fellow believers.  Moments of tears.  Moments of joy.  Goosebumps.  A lump in my throat taking it all in.  Watching parents dedicate their children to ourLord.  Seeing the hope and joy in their eyes as the pastors prayed over the kids.  I remember having Z dedicated like it was yesterday.  So terribly sad I dropped out before we could give the same gift to J.  

Pastor Rob spent a few moments commenting on the terrible week our nation has experienced.  Now more than ever, we need Jesus.  We as believers need to be the light shining in a world of darkness.  The message was good and life giving as always.  I was so glad I went to church also lamenting my withdraw from my relationship with God. 

Companies and bosses don't care about giving their employees opportunity go to church.  Everyone jockies for their schedule by seniority and lowest man on the totem pole gets the shaft.  At the time the airline was a 20 hour/day operation.  Sometimes more.  I always chose to work Sun-Thur with Friday and Saturday off.  I never liked dealing with cranky customers at the end of their work week and the off kilter feeling of Saturdays.  Saturdays in airports are the strangest days of all.  Traffic is usually lighter and it is a different kind of customer (aka amateur) compared to the work week professional traveler. I worked the 0400 shift because I didn't want to deal with BS of the PM.  An airline feels like two different companies.  The AM sets the operation up for success with fewer chances of delays or operational irregularities.  The PM is a shitshow with weather, ground delays, increase in mechanical breakdowns, etc.  I hated the PM.

 Anyway, I'm disappointed in exchanging my relationship with God for a better work schedule that really wasn't that great.  Life is full of choices and compromises.  I took my relationship with. God for granted.  I'd say leaving the church was a bad choice. A convenient choice.  An unfortunate choice.  

While I am between jobs, I recommit to following Jesus and growing my relationship with the lord almighty.  At church we say a prayer asking Jesus to be our lord and savior.  Asking him to come into our hearts and taking our sins as far away as the east is to the west.  And committing our lives to him.  While in church I prayed it from memory.  This evening, I can't string it together quite right.

With all the evil and craziness going on in the world, stability and a relationship with something positive that is larger than yourself is needed now more than ever  I want to be light in a world of darkness  I want to be a witness to my faith  I want to walk in a relationship with God.  A multiplier of good in the world  

 

SMH

According to some sources, the Charlie Kirk's assassin is in a relationship with a trans person.  A dude becoming a woman.  I've said it before and I'll say it again...  something is not right with those people and they are falling prey to evil in our society.  Susceptible to being dragged down into a life of sin by demons.  It could be said that because trans people are treated unkindly by a majority of society that they are violent.  I suppose that is possible.  If everyone hates you is it only a natural response to hate everyone else?  I venture to say it because they are hated they would do something to end the life of an outspoken critic of their lifestyle choices.  Or their truth.  Or whatever.

Star Wars goes one step beyond the dichotomy of good vs evil and extends it to a societal tension of order vs chaos.  Trans people cause chaos to the natural order to the biology of man and woman and seeks to disrupt and cause confusion and chaos to that natural order.  You could say the evil/chaos in society is getting amped up.  It takes someone like Charlie Kirk, or any person of Christ, to stand against the evil and chaos in society to restore truth, goodness and order.

Being a man requires taming the demons in your own mind.  Being a man means being victorious over the thoughts and ideas that may drag you into a life of evil and sin.  And possibly lead you to a life seeking revenge against those who sin against you.  Sin can be interpreted as not accepting someone as they are with all their flaws.  Are Christians called to accept and love those who are living a lie - those revolting against the idea of being created perfectly in God's image - as if God somehow made a mistake and put their soul in the wrong vessel?

I come again to the Lord's Prayer. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

My question is this - Is it true Tyler Robinson has a relationship with a trans woman?  If it is true, will it be suppressed by the media?  Another person in the long line of evil swept under the carpet as if there's nothing to see here, move along. Don't believe your lying eyes.

There is a natural tension in our world.  Yin and yang.  Good vs evil.   Light vs darkness.  Order vs chaos.  Truth vs deception.  Conflict vs peace.  Unless there is an intervention of epic proportions the evil among us will continue down the path of darkness, dragged into a life of sin in the underworld.  A place where souls are lost.  We have a choice to live as beacons of hope, shining light against the darkness of evil.  Light brings life to all living things.  Darkness is where all living things go to die.  Only by living as a beacon of hope can we lead and show them the way, the truth and the life.  Leading others to Jesus and proclaiming Jesus as our Lord and Savior is the only path to truth and everlasting life.

It will be interesting to see if there will be a surge in people who want to explore a relationship with God. I predict there will be.  Will it be a temporary fad or will there be revival for Christ? 

Charlie Kirk

Charlie was a good man with a good wife and family. Not everyone agrees with him and that's okay. When you see his wife address what happened, you can see he was a good man who loved well, fought for truth and was fearless.

Love well. Fight for truth. Be fearless. 

Truth

 

Social Media Black Out

 I deleted Facebook social media application and the messenger from my phone.  Someone suggested that all social media companies should be turned off for a year so people can detox and learn how to be normal again.  So much of social media is an echo chamber where thoughts and opinions are amplified and reinforced.  Or, in my case, where it keeps showing me things I disagree with. 

At any rate, society seemed more civilized before the advent of social media.  Social media manipulates us and our perceptions.  No one sees the exact same thing.  They show us content based on some algorithm.  Meaning none of us have the same experience.  Yet we may have a similar experience.  Or something like that.  I don't know.

What I do know is social media mainstreams the fringe.  The extremes.  Things that are better left unknown.  Take my favorite hate topic - tattoo.  Tattoo was not nearly as accepted as it was after a show called Miami Ink was put on some cable channel.  It documented a tattoo shop and the people who deface the human body.  It mainstreams how "personal" a tattoo is.  Or whatever.  Gradually after tattoo became more accepted, body modification through piercing other things besides ears became in vogue.  Then came inserting hoops and gauges into pierced body parts.  And hair dye in extreme colors.  And for some the human body has become nothing more than a surface on which to graffitti and deface...  Or to tell your story.  Or whatever other kind of delusion those who participate in these rituals believe.

Mentally ill people have been given a soap box in the town square.  Their beliefs, their delusions, their distorted perceptions of our world.  And they band together and their world view pollutes the views and perceptions of normal people. Whatever a normal person is.

My wife and I were discussing Charlie Kirk today.  She found an article about all the "terrible things" he said about alphabet people, MLK, the browning of America through immigration and whatever other controversial thing he said.  She also referenced his religious testimonials and musings.  

My wife thinks I'm burdened by CK's shooting because I think the same way he does on quite a few issues - especially when it comes to the alphabet people and immigration.  I don't understand how we as a culture are to affirm a person who is born a man and thinks they're a woman.  The alphabet people claim they "know" their truth.  I have written about a person I used to know named Bruce.  Now he's decided he's Karen and had body modification (mutilation) surgery to become a woman.  He goes to the doctor to have  breast cancer screenings.  And talks about the oppression of women.  None of this makes sense to me.

From my perspective, CK is the only one who spoke truth about these people calling them mentally ill and delusional.  And upon until recently the medical community would concur with alphabet people being mentally ill.  Now members of the medical community affirm whatever these people claim.  And there is an entire school of thought we are just scratching the surface to a more evolved understanding of human nature.  Like men can become pregnant and have babies.  If you think otherwise you're a bigot.  You're transphobic.  Or whatever.  I'd rather be a transphobic bigot than participate in someone else's mental delusion  of themselves.  Like how are we arguing about biological fact?  Sex is "assigned" at birth.  I thought sex was recorded at birth.  The notion of decoupling sex and gender is a fallacy.   I don't want to beat a dead horse.

 If you ask me, large swaths of the population are lemmings that believe whatever they are told.  Believe whatever is fashionable.  Believe whatever nonsense comes out of the university environment.  Say what?  Institutions of higher education are no longer interested in the debate of ideas as evident by what happened yesterday.  While they may have started with the virtuous goal of teaching people to think at a higher level, it seems over the last 25 years they have become institutions of indoctrination.  These so called professors are whack....  they are abusing their positions and betraying the institution for which they are employed.  This week, some teacher was advocating for trans issues being discussed in a children's literature class at Texas A&M university.  A student recorded it, raised a ruckus and it resulted in instructor being terminated for violating a law about indoctrination and promoting the lies of gender studies.  Kudos to Texas A&M.  Kudos to our governor for demanding removal of this faculty member.

I feel like I'm rambling.  

CK spoke truth to the crazies.  Rejected popular narratives about alphabet people, race and immigration.  Exposed those who want to destroy our country who are working to erode the foundations on which it was built.  I am a firm believer that if you don't like America you should leave.  But, the founding fathers (whatever that means) were enlightened enough to provide a government that could change with the times through the passing of laws.  Lunacy has overrun our society and somehow managed to place themselves in positions to legislate change.  There s city in Michigan where the police department has islamic writings on their uniform patches.  Why would anyone feel it is necessary to incorporate islamic writings on an American law enforcement emblem?  

It has been said the islamists or the muslims want to destroy the west.  And we have people like Zooron Mamdani who want to implement socialistic policies.  Or that lady from Minnesota - her name escapes me - the one wearing the hijab or turbin all the time.  Or the one eyed monster Tlaib.  Any member of the squad.  What about that hood rat Jasmine Crockett.  She's well educated and speaks like shes a ghetto girl and justifies crime and violence.

We have people who positions of upholding law who are literally undermining it by releasing people back into society without making restitution for the crimes they commit.  Someone was murdered on a public transit car.  Stabbed in the throat by a black man behind her.  The other black people did nothing and watched in silence.  Supposedly the perpetrator has been released 27 times for committing crimes and then does this.  Donald Trump says he wants to seek the death penality.  And people oppose Donald Trump.  GTFO.

There are people that want to see this country destroyed and they're working to do so from the inside out.  And they're getting away with it.  Surprising and disappointing more people aren't in opposition to the destruction of america.  Or is it an evolution to match the rest of the world.

In my opinion we lost a patriot yesterday.  He is one of the few that regularly spoke out against the subjects above.  But he's the problem.  Trump is the problem.  I'm the problem.  I'd rather live in their version of America than where we are headed. 

 

 

 

CJK RIP

What happened yesterday is Utah is horrifying. A dad killed by one gunshot. There are evil and demonic people among us. I cannot fathom what kind of deranged lunatic would do such a thing. This is the country we live in.

And what's worse? There was school shooting yesterday in Colorado that was completely overshadowed by what happened in Utah.

Evil is alive and well in this country. As a society we need to make insane asylums and mental health hospitals great again.

I spent too much time online last
Night. Saw a video of the shot taken. One perfect shot to the carotid artery; no possible way to survive. Instant bleed out. Shot likely taken from a distance of 200 yards.

Country is polarized to the extremes. What happened to the middle?

Return of the Jedi

ASO is showing return of the Jedi with live orchestra. My wife is shocked I have no interest is seeing it. The orchestra is second tier and the hall is horrible. Why would I waste my money for a subpar experience?

What's interesting about ASO is how many musicians don't live here and have gigs in other states. Gtfo. It's not made up of Austin people. In my mind that's a pathetic excuse for an orchestra. The same was true with the Sarasota orchestra. All the musicians flew in and out for the concerts. Pathetic.

I don’t get it

> I've never seen such support for people who break our laws. For people who deny biological truth. For people who commit crimes.
>
> If the law is not going to be consistently enforced there is absolutely no obligation to comply with any law. Otherwise it is selective enforcement and that is discriminatory.

Skim This?!?!

I am out of work for a week.  What's one thing I notice?  I am starting to unwind and I'm experiencing life differently than I have.  Finally starting to relax; realizing I've gone through a significant portion of time skimming over everything.  Half listening, half engaged, missing out on half of everything I'm exposed.  I can listen and engage fully.  Not being distracted by all the "stuff" that came with the job.  The constant engagement with email and the operation.  Worrying about performance.  This report.  That report.  What happened this day that caused a miss. Did the flight depart?  It's all gone.  I can think.  I can enjoy the silence without worrying. 

It's REFRESHING!

A few people who left the blueniverse later commented to me they needed to decompress for a bit before making their next move.  I understand decompress more now than ever before.  More like unwind.  To let light in where it's been dark for so long.  Tense as a board for so long and finally feeling my back and neck starting to release the tension.  

It's different than a vacation.  You can never really put down a job like the one I had.  I used to call being a GM a lifestyle.  It's not a lifestyle; it's having a job that takes over your life.  Or maybe it's a symptom of not setting boundaries.  Or the pressure "the company" puts on it's people.  Maybe it's the people attracted to the industry or leadership positions.  I don't know and I don't really care.

 Briefly exchanged messages with a friend a few days ago.  He asked, "so... how is it?"  The only answer I could give was "it's a mixed bag."  It's hanging up a career and company I have known for 20 years.  Leaving comes with a sense of loss and at the same time a sense of relief.  He shared with me "it's one of the best decisions that ever happened in my life, but it didn't come easily."  

The future hasn't come into total focus yet.  In the short time I learned I have options, I've turned over a lot of rocks and learned a lot, too.  While there's no need to hurry into the next chapter of life, there is opportunity to be fully engaged and to be thoughtful with how I move forward and do due diligence with every opportunity that comes my way.

When I put my name in the hat for my former position, it was an experience unlike any other.  It felt like it didn't matter what I wanted.  "The machine" decided what it wanted - waves were being made and all I could do was hang on to the board and ride the wave.  Being a GM, I never really got off the wave.  I was constantly hanging on for dear life, waiting to crash.  I did not enjoy the last 2 years.  It was a strategic position to put on my resume.  Thankful the exit opportunity came with a runway (severance) to do something else and I didn't destroy my reputation in the process.  

Career

Maybe I should just become a mechanic.

Places to work

I don't understand places that advertise kindness in their pitch as a place to work. There is no kindness at work. It's a sausage factory. Always has been. Always will be.

Professionalism at work, I mesh with that. Kindness? Nope.

And all this talk about culture?  It’s a bunch of contemporary BS. Out the meat in the grinder and it gets packed in a casing and shipped out. That’s the reality of culture. 

Working at a place for 20 years.  The kindness and culture song and dance only applies to minorities and gender confused individuals. Corporations hate straight white men. 

Note

 From the franchisor:

Thank you for sharing this with me. I respect the thoughtfulness and self-awareness you’ve shown in making this decision, it speaks to your leadership and care for others. Our process is designed to help people discern not just if Christian Brothers Automotive is the right fit, but also the right timing, and I think you’ve done that with honesty and wisdom.

I want you to know I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and seeing the strengths you bring to the table. If down the road your circumstances change, or if you’d like to revisit this opportunity, I’d be glad to continue the conversation. You’d bring a lot of value to our brand.

Influence

Elliot management's new target is Pepsi.  I wonder what demands will be made of Pepsi to extract maximum value from the company as it competes against Coca Cola.  Elliot management has been involved with southwest airlines for what feels like 5 years but is probably 1 year.  In that time that have forced the board to make changes in policies such as seat assignments, persons of size travel, checked baggage fees and 'premium' offerings such as extended leg room, window seats, blahblahblah. Becoming an international carrier, code share agreements, etc...  Extracting every bit of profit possible.  There is a vocal subsection of southwest customers that complain about everything.  If you ask me, the subset of customers don't bring any real revenue to the company.  If they did, Elliot management would take their complaints into consideration.

I wonder how they will change Pepsi.  Maybe a new logo?  Price?  Flavors?  Whatever.  Who cares.

Elliott gains influence because they have deep pockets.  They don't earn their influence.  They buy their influence.  

Reminds me of the days when I had influence in the company as a front line supervisor.  I was the only sup capable of motivating meetings between departments to make things better.  I loved being a front line leader in the trenches with my team. You'd think that level of influence would continue in the GM role.  It didn't.  It was shut up, stay off the radar and don't make waves.  I had more influence as a supervisor than i did as a GM.  Was that a me problem or a company problem?   

 I don't think I accomplished anything as a GM.  Well, I kept people employed and demonstrated to the company that it could be cost neutral to keep our own employees compared to outsourcing jobs to a business partner.  I kept the lights on and hopefully the station turned a corner to a brighter future than the last 5 years. 

I realized it was time to leave when I would be on calls with my peers or other departments.  I disliked every single person that presented on the call.  New policies, new procedures, changes, etc.  Nothing felt genuine or sincere.  It was all an exercise in corporate manipulation.  Either you're on board or you're not.  I got off the bus at the first stop.