wheel of perception

It’s been an eventful couple days, and I’ve done alota driving, from the beautiful tree filled mountains to the dry desert cities, and as in the early morning hours I transversed that lonely highway it hit me about how close not just geographically, but personally from such a drastic difference in scenery and lifestyle. Upon arriving in the traffic riddled city streets I found my way to the hospital where my dad whom had just undergone emergency surgery. I walked down that seemingly endless hallway, passing room after room of sick and weak looking individuals, it gave me a chill, I continued, in my mind expecting to see in room 1408 the strong image of my father that I had always known. Turning that corner my heart dropped, there in that bed, was a man that though masking pain with a smile, resembled very little the symbol of strength and power he had always been. This just another example of how close I was from a drastically new outlook, as well as a questioning of my own strength. All this ran through my mind as I headed back out of the valley into the mountains.
So if things can so easily shift my perception, this shift being so close, is it possible that I could beat that event by shifting my perception beforehand? The problem with this is it is hard to know what you need to change before it happens. So instead of trying to figure out what you need to change just be ready for the change that is looming.
As for me, I more fully realize how fragile life is and how miniscule my strength. Even with this enhanced perception I still have a hard time letting things out of my own hands and trusting others. The very fact that I’m writing this though offers some hope for me. Anyhow that’s all I got, God Bless the USA.

Hurts like it should

So i feel like a one string banjo, every post is all about keep it simple, work hard, life's not so bad, keep friends close.

Well what about the times when you feel lonely sitting among friends? For those that find life hard and complicated wishing they could turn back time to try it again? For the people who no matter what they do seem to get it wrong and never measure up?

Well from the guy who repeated over and over the concept of pushing through comes a little bit of country style understanding and emotion.

Now even the best of us fall to the pressure and pains in life, some of us grab a bottle and like a liquid eraser start in on the feelings and memories, some fill up the time with non stop work and play and like running across hot coals don't feel more than a twinge, and one of my favorites grabbing the keys and entering the black zone, a place where thoughts and emotions get blurred with the passing scenery like blacking out in a plane crash. The problem with these solutions? The liquid eraser only covers it up for awhile, the coals still burn your feet, and the planes gone down, any way you look at it you end up in pain. Now I'm not here to tell you how to fix problems, there are plenty of people better than myself who have covered that topic, I'm merely here to acknowledge that pain is real, and it strikes whenever it wants, at whatever it wants.

One of my favorite songs by Chris Knight talks about how you can't hang yourself if you don't have enough rope. It also says "i'm thankful for all the things i have and all the things i dont i got dreams that will come true i got some that won't" if i could only accept what will come true and what wont i wouldn't keep trying to hang myself with yarn. All i'm saying is pain comes in small medium big and super sizes, each one costs more than the last and sometimes you don't think you can get through the whole thing, but you're not alone, we've all been there and we'll all be there again. So I hope if nothing else you know I too have things which drag me down, but I keep standin up. Hope you do the same.

anyhow thats all for now, God Bless the U.S.A

Luke

Moonlit Beach

So early this morning I was sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll in, as the fog followed behind it. It was there in the sand that I came to realize just how little I need, and how life isn't really so complicated.

sometimes it's hard to take your own advice to heart. But the powdery sand, rolling waves and early morning haze help make everything clear: I don't have the answers, but maybe I don't need them. Anyhow this was just a short post after my night on the beach.

Pop that Blue collar

This Economic ressesion that we are in has revealed a sad change in Americans, during the Great Depression people blamed themselves for the fall of the economy, they tried all they could to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, all or nothing type attitudes. The welfare that arose out of the terrible economic climate in that time was met with appreciation and as a chance to turn things around, today in America welfare is not met with appreciation but rather expectation. People expect the government to fix their problems right the wrongs that turbulent times have created.

It's time to get back to the nose to the grindstone-blue collar attitude that pulled this country to prominence, the never say die attitude that America is so well known for. Let's not lay down and expect the government to pick up the slack. Put away those credit cards, pick up a hammer and start fixin whats wrong, be a neighbor to someone in need, start creating communities again, unplug that ipod, turn off that cellphone, go outside see your neighbors, feel the sun, listen to the traffic or the ocean or the swiriling wind; watch fields of wheat dance in the wind, watch cars speed on by, watch children playing in the streets- Thats America-wake up the sleeping Giant that the Axis feared in WWII, the sleeping Giant of American courage, bravery, independence and community.

It's time to seek out hard work, put away the complaints, give the shirt off your back, and keep what matters close, stop thinking in dollars and cents, start thinking with a little heart and soul. Either in the concrete jungle or back out in the woods, it's time to remember who we are.

So raise a glass, pop a top, those who can give, give, those who can't, reach your hand up not out. In the end we're all in this together, better or worse, so let's take the burden back, let's be worthy and proud to be citizens of the United States of America.

Thats all I got this SanDiegan Morning, God Bless the USA, keep it simple, lifes not fair but sometimes it's not fair in your favor. O and as far as golden tounged socialists (there's been alot of em) that want to make everything fair for everyone, and take healthcare out of the private realm, well just go look at the constitution...http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.overview.html

Think or do?

So it's been awhile since my last post, college has sucked up every free moment i've had outside of work. but still here I am. Well I've been in the lovely State of Arizona this past week, and the week before that I was out in California. During all this time I've had plenty of time to think, and let things eat away at my mind. First, as college and overachieving college students that I must interact with are a large part of my current time table i feel compelled to talk about it. First of all, these college books, someone was paid to sit and think, and then write down in a manner so eloquent, that it makes you feel inferior for not knowing the words they made up. Then there are the students that wish to join these thinkers, who post long drawn out circular reasoning to somehow ask a question. Why? does all this metaphysic/anti-foundationilist(look that one up on spell check cause it don't exist)/epogramic(I made that one up) conjecturing(another college word) get anybody anywhere? Yes! It makes jobs for those white collar workers that have nothing better to do than make money for thinking. Let me put it this way:

we are now in the 1970's and all the leading scientists are ranting about the coming ice age that will freeze over the earth, and all the thinkers are thinking, they think we should get more scientists to research this terrible occurence... so the masses call for the addition of new scientists to study this horrible impending future. All these scientists discover that no actual dramatic cooling exsits. so what do we do now? We have all these thinkers and no job for them. Here comes Global Warming! Sure Everyone believed we'd all freeze why not switch it up and go the opposite direction with it? Does it work? O I dunno probably not, it Just incorporates billion dollars of go Green mercahndise and advancement, as well as affecting the political realm with it's own legislation. I'd say those thinkers done well for themselves.

Now it's the year 2009 and the thinkers are still...thinking. Now I'm not condeming technological advancement or science in any way. I just see a problem with thinkers thinking for our country and our future politicians spending their time writing aimlessly to impress the thinkers. Sometimes you gotta do and let the thinking come later. Anyone who has done anything daring knows, the more you think the harder it is to do. Do you jump off that bridge with only a big rubberband around your ankles? of course! Do you ride that bull? You betcha. Why do people get bolder the more beer they drink? Cause the more you drink the less you think.

Now thinking has its place, and doing has its, so think clearly and do boldly and that ain't overthinking a thing.

Well that looks to be all I got for now, God Bless America, Keep it Simple, and if you voted for Obama think about regreting it.

Midnight Air

The fog rolled in with the fall of night, the temperature
steadily creeping down and the ocean breeze filling the air
with its pungent aroma.And as sweet as it seems her cruel
nature lies just under the surface.This is where i find
myself as another august weekend rolls around and we reach
the fringes of summer. It also makes me think with how
little i've been home i come to find happiness in being on
road and seeing new places, at least it keeps me busy and
my mind from getting to proccupied, and I realized how easily
your attitude can change, from frustration to ease, anger to
contentment. It can be the simpliest of things, a smile, a
song, a moment alone, a beautiful view of nature or being
placed in a fearful situation. Controlling your outlook is
key, if you see the good you'll reflect it, now is it possible
to always be happy? I guess so but nobodys perfect, shoot even
Jesus had times where he wasn't happy, but his outlook always
stayed on the big picture so it wasn't an overwhelming emotional
response. I guess basically what I'm saying is, there are things
you can't control, things that destroy dreams, things that
break your heart, things that force you to fight, things that
force you to run for someone elses good. All these things are
part of life and trying to fight every single one of them
only aggrivates, and frustrates because you can't win, so instead
I'll get new dreams, move on, get my knuckles bloody, and blisters
on my feet. Just as long as what I'm doing is right, and part
of the big picture, let it come let it go I'll be right here
and be the man I am. Wherever the road takes me next I'll keep
being me and I hope if nothing else you take away that you don't
always have to win, life is more than that, so pop a top to the
good times and the bad, enjoy lifes finer things, keep it simple
and keep the memories close. Thats all I got for now, God bless
the USA.

Home?

So after a couple weeks on the road i've made it home, and as ready as i was to get back the first thing that came to my mind walking off the plane was how much i wanted to get out of here. That doesn't sound much like home to me, sounds more like another place to visit. Don't get me wrong I love seeing all my friends and my family and relaxing a bit, but there's just something about this place that makes the walls feel like they're closing in. Sittin on the plane in from El Paso I was sittin between a lady who had some big important job, traveling around inspecting stores, and on my other side a young girl headin home in oakland. As I sat there I wondered if they were happy about where they were going, and i woulda asked had not one been enveloped by a book about some guy named kyle going into a hotel room to meet some fbi agents at least thats all i read over her shoulder, and the other was curled up next to the window lost in a dream.

The one nice thing about being home though, was having some company while i was sittin out front, enjoyin a few of lifes finer things. Which I enjoy more and more as this little life of mine gets more complcated. The trouble is, it don't ever slow down to gimmie a little time to think, so I just gotta slow down and let it pass me by for a little while. In the end it looks to me like I'll be a simple hardworking man, not rich or famous and thats okay with me. Anyhow keepin it country God Bless the USA