Floyd, the Tall Skinny Step-brother...

I just heard from Donna's Teddybear again. What a pest he is sometimes but I guess I owe him a favor. He still can't get past Donna Lee on, "A Time and a Place," so he asked me (thought to me) to post this piece of tripe for him so, here goes. 'snort'

CHAPTER THREE…School days…

...Mother took me to register for the first grade in the autumn of 1940. The school officials said I had to be five years old to start. So Mother took me back in January of 1941 and enrolled me in the first grade. I finished the first grade that year and advanced to the second grade when I was still five years old. I went to Galen Clark School.

The following year just before school started Mother took me to the school cafeteria to get my shots. I don’t remember what the shot was for but I know it must have been terrible because every kid there was whimpering or crying out loud in anticipation of the shot. Mom and I got in line and I didn’t have enough sense to be scared so I just went along with line until I reached the nurse who was giving the shots. She smiled at me and told me to roll up my sleeve and I did. She gave me the shot and it stung a little but I didn’t flinch or cry. She looked up at my mother and said,” My, what a brave little Man!” Mom said,” Yes he is.”

Floyd Bue, who would later become my stepbrother, also went to Galen Clark. Floyd had a high squeaky voice and, although he was a tall boy for his age and as physical as he should be for his height, he was timid and afraid of just about anyone who wanted to terrorize him.
There were a lot of Mexicans enrolled in school and three of them liked to wait for Floyd and pick at him as he was walking home from school. The last time they made him cry, he told them that his brother was going to school soon and they had better watch out.

I started awhile later and sure enough, on the way home that first day, the Mexican kids were waiting for him. Floyd was taller than I was but I was fatter than he was and that made me seem bigger. Floyd told me ahead of time about the boys and we were ready for them.

When they approached us, one of them said,” Is that your brother?” and Floyd said it was and he is tough. The boy walked over to me and asked how tough I was and I punched him in the mouth.
He started running away from us and the other two followed him. They never bothered us again. Floyd and I spent a lot of time together and we never bothered anyone and, after that incident, no one bothered us again.

I vaguely remember a water tower we climbed. I don’t remember what we did on it; I think just looked around. I thought up most of the things Floyd and I did together and he usually just went along with them.

*The Teddybear wanted me to add this, too, so here it is.

The following is something that happened which, for whatever reason, has stuck in my mind as one of the most disappointing things I can ever remember happening to me as a child.

The carnival was in town and it is the first carnival I can ever remember. I was very excited about going and thought about it all day the day I was supposed to go. I went to school that day and mother told me to wait at the gate on a certain side of the schoolyard after school was out. I waited at the wrong gate and when they didn’t find me at the right gate, they went on to the carnival without me.

I waited until almost dark then went home. There was nobody there and I didn’t know where the carnival was so I didn’t get to go. It left town the next day. All anyone could say to me was, ” You should have been at the right gate.” Sure. Thanks!

I hated everyone for a long time after that for not looking for me. Sometimes I feel like I still do.Who knows how the mind works.

Arf...

My Donna Lee...My Bright Light...

I never thought it would happen but I must apologize for something; even explain myself. (hard to believe, isn' it)
I have been slow to post on this blog of late and I feel I need to explain.

I am ashamed that, for a while, I neglected to check on my earthly ties, my late family. I guess I was I was too busy conferring with the Top Dog and his doggie angels about ethereal things. (They come to me quite often for advice and my opinion of things of importance)

One day, some time ago, a feeling came over me; a feeling of elation, but oddly, mixed with a feeling of foreboding. 'How can this be,' I asked myself? But I only had to wonder for an instant.

All of a sudden, there was a brilliant flash,-a bright light such as the one described by me in my last post.(as per CA's blog of a while back) I looked in amazement as a flawlessly beautiful body stepped out of that flash of light.
'This person looks familiar,' I thought to myself.

Then it dawned on me; this was the most wonderful person I had ever known on Earth; the only person to whom I had given my complete love and affection while I was in my earthly form; the person I had lived for; this was my Donna Lee dressed in a pure white Heavenly robe and she was here to visit me! It was wonderful!

I rushed over to her and she smiled her sweet smile and picked me up.(this was the first time I had been picked up since I got to Doggie Heaven where I am guarding the Small Doggie Lawn)She nuzzled my cheek and said, 'Chico, my Chico, it's so good to see you again.'

Her breath smelled sweet, just as I remembered it had and I smiled at her (the first time I had ever smiled) and my teeth were white and even! This was, indeed, wonderful!

I asked her how she had gotten here and she told me that the angels in the human part of Heaven had begun to fall down just a little bit in their singing duties so God looked around to find someone who could help and He decided the best one for the job was me. He sent an Angel for me and here I am.
I hated to leave my teddy bear but there was really no choice on my part. You know;-when you are called home, you have to go.'

Then, as she stroked my head, I felt a sharp pain pierce my heart and I yelped softly. In my minds' eye, I saw a man sitting at a computer, staring at the picture of the sweetest, most wonderful person who had ever lived; someone who was half of his life and I felt his profound sorrow that this person had been taken so soon; I felt his deep sadness,-his feeling of helplessness and aloneness there in a now bleak and cold world.
I felt a sob, a catch in my throat and wondered how this could be,-having a feeling such as this even in Heaven. Then I realized,- it wasn't me; it was the man at the computer and, for the very first time in 21 years when I first showed up there on Earth, I almost felt compassion for him; I almost loved him.

My Donna Lee must have known how I was feeling because she said, 'He'll be all right. I'll never leave him,-he knows that and it will help him survive until he and I are together again in a better place.'

Then she set me back down and said, 'It's been wonderful seeing you but I have to go now. My mother and father and, and my son, Barry and our daughter, Rebecca and Jims' mother, Grannie Bue and all the rest are waiting for me. I'll see you again one day and I'll have my teddy bear with me to visit you, too; and this time you'll like him.'
Then there was another and brighter flash of light and Donna Lee, my love, my Earthly mistress, was gone.

I anxiously await another visit from her,-even if she brings her other,-lesser half, her teddy bear, with her. It'll be worth it.

That is my explanation and I hope you will accept it and be happy with it.

Until next time,-Arf...

The Bright Light...

I have neen hearing all kinds of hoop-la about the 'bright light'. I was over at CA's place and came across this post explaining just what the 'bright light' is and I thought it good enough to post here on this, the ultimate blog of wisdom, information and understanding.

No, no; don't thank me,-at least, not yet. Read the piece first.

The Bright Light of Death...or Near Death...
The bright light of death...the light at the end of a corridor...after death experiences...What is happening?

..."However, the researchers believe that neurophysiological processes must play some part in NDE. Similar experiences can be induced through electrical stimulation of the temporal lobe (and hence of the hippocampus) during neurosurgery for epilepsy, with high carbon dioxide levels (hypercarbia), and in decreased cerebral perfusion resulting in local cerebral hypoxia as in rapid acceleration during training of fighter pilots, or as in hyperventilation followed by valsalva manoeuvre. Ketamine-induced experiences resulting from blockage of the NMDA receptor, and the role of endorphin, serotonin, and enkephalin have also been mentioned, as have near-death-like experiences after the use of LSD, psilocarpine, and mescaline. These induced experiences can consist of unconsciousness, out-of-body experiences, and perception of light or flashes of recollection from the past. These recollections, however, consist of fragmented and random memories unlike the panoramic life-review that can occur in NDE. Further, transformational processes with changing life-insight and disappearance of fear of death are rarely reported after induced experiences.Thus, induced experiences are not identical to NDE...*"


I have no idea what that paragraph says or means; I just wanted to get your attention. 'yuk'
What causes the bright light seen by many when they are either near death or, for a short time, clinically dead? Is it an invitation to enter Heaven or some resting place that exists after our soul leaves our body and before whatever happens to it next, happens?
Is it simply an electrical discharge from our brain as it struggles to either end or preserve our life? There are many theories of what causes the light. Guess what...I have my own.
My theory may have been suggested before by someone else but I haven't read it. If it has, I'm sure I'll hear about it from one of my good friends! 'chuckle'
To put it in simple terms, I believe a person who sees the bright light is simply returning to the place from whence he came.
Don't get gross!...that's not what I mean! When a baby is born, he comes from the darkness of his mothers' womb. The first thing he sees when he first opens his eyes is, compared to the darkness of the womb, a bright light.
Then he begins to live a life of whatever the fates dictate. Everything he does, sees and hears is forever stored in his brain.(His hard drive)
*Some think dreams are the way the brain clears itself of information no longer pertinent to its' operation. This leaves room in its' 'memory' (as opposed to hard drive) for things now happening.*
Even though things are seemingly forgotten, they lurk still in some far reach of the brain; waiting to be recalled when needed again at some future time.
At some time and for whatever reason, everyone will die and some will come close to death and survive.
My theory is: At that time of death or near death, all the things that have been experienced by a living being, that are stored in the brain, begin to be placed in a 'recycle bin' to await permanent deletion.
The information is taken from the conscious brain in the reverse of how it was taken in. That is why our life flashes before us as we die or approach death. The last thing of which we were aware presents itself first and events scroll by our minds in that reverse scenario until we finally reach the thing we first experienced at birth; a bright light; the bright light of life after the womb.
This, however, isn't necessarily the end of our life.
First we (or fate) must decide if we will, in fact, end our life or if we (or fate) decide to return to the land of the living.
If we decide to stay alive awhile longer, many have what is known as an 'out of body' experience. This is the spirit hovering above the body, seeing the scene, aware of things happening below it. Then it returns to the body and we awake.
If, on the other hand, we decide to die, our soul leaves our body, the recycle bin empties and that is the end of our worldly existence. We go to a much better place...(hopefully)

Later...

The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle...

The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle...

There has been much ado about crazy goings-on and mysterious happenings in and around the part of the Atlantic Ocean in the Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico area. This area is called the Bermuda Triangle for want of better name and, as you can see, when lines are drawn connecting these three places, the area does resemble a triangle. (For the uninformed, triangle literally means,-three angles)

Within this area strange things have happened. Among other things, entire ships have disappeared and air planes have disappeared. To understand what is happening in this area, one needs to understand a bit about the earth and its construction and makeup.

For instance, the earth is made up of four distinct layers; the inner core which is a solid, extremely hot chunk of metal,- the outer core, which is made of the same metal as the inner core except this extremely hot metal is liquid and moves constantly in accordance with the rotation of the earth, the mantle which is made up of all kinds of materials, rocks and minerals and is not very hot (relatively) and is the thickest of the layers,- and the crust which is the thinnest of the layers and is the layer about which is known the most. We will speak in relative terms.

We know that the earths density and the movements of the different layers (particularly the inner and outer cores) are responsible for the magnetic force which surrounds the earth. It is believed that the magnetic fields are what migratory birds and animals use to chart and stay on the course they use to get to and from their different destinations. There are many other things that are influenced by the magnetic fields.

The amount of radiating emissions of the magnetic fields is determined by the thicknesses of the crust, mantle and outer core and there is a slight fluctuation of magnetic radiance from place to place, depending on that thickness.

The crust is an inch thick while the mantle is ten inches thick, the thickest of the layers. The outer core is six inches thick and the inner core is four inches thick. (all in relative approximations-not to scale)

Now we need to eliminate all underwater fissures and trenches such as the Marianas Trench, which, at almost seven miles deep is the deepest known fissure in the ocean floor. And we need to disregard the highest point on earth, Mount Everest, which is almost five and a half miles above sea level. We will imagine the average elevation between those points and use that. We'll say about six and a quarter miles as a mean. (average)

Now, we will assume that the amount of radiation in the form of a magnetic field is equal all around the earth, so to speak. (Or it should be,-depending on normal fluctuations between the poles, equator and etc)
And, when all is said and done, each spot on earth has an equal radiance of magnetic force. (bouncing off an imagined wall) And, of course, the needle will always point north when placed on a body of water in any container; (or south) the same as a compass.

Now that we have had our lesson in magnetism, fields and the like, let's make our finding. In the 40s, several US military airplanes flew over the Bermuda Triangle and were never heard from again. There were many ships and planes lost both before and after those military planes were lost. We won't go into the specifics. You can look that up any time using Google.

In fact, there is a very large spot under the ocean in the Bermuda Triangle where the mantle is thinner than anywhere else on earth because of a bulge (herniation) caused by pressure from the outer core. The outer core has, for some unknown reason, pushed it's way into the mantle by such an amount as to cause the magnetic field to fluctuate to the degree that makes that area not navigable. (In years to come, the earth itself may begin to feel a slight wobble because of the bulge in the outer core) This affects both airplanes and ships.

And, as for the loss of ships in that area; they sink very quickly (too fast to signal for help or escape) when bubble emissions come up from the sea floor under the ship. These emissions are from several sources; underwater volcanism, trapped air being released from some source and even methane gas released from some place by an underwater earthquake or some such occurrence. If bubbles in monstrous quantities or methane gas rose under a ship of any size, great or small, it would greatly reduce the density of the water and that ship would sink like a rock.

There you have it. Some will call this 'just another theory' but they are free to examine this and make any comment they wish. For my part, I am satisfied that these are the facts so there is really no need to wonder about this 'Bermuda Triangle' mess anymore.

Please don't think you need to thank me; this had to be said and cleared up once and for all and it fell to me to say it. That's what I'm here for!

PS...and, by the way, fyi, there is another strange place right across the earth from the Bermuda Triangle, just south of Japan, called, "The Dragons Triangle" which does the same weird stuff as does the Bermuda one.

Later...

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...

Sometimes we overlook things because they seem trivial to us. Sometimes we underestimate because of the smallness of things… I’ll explain.

This is a story that was told to my great-great grandfather many years ago. It was told as a true story by a man who was acquainted with a monk who was there and witnessed it for himself; at least he and others there concluded by the evidence that what I am about to tell you is the only way this could have happened. It wasn’t carried down through the years much because no one really cared to hear it except my family and me. It seemed a bit too strange but I know it's true,-and not at all unusual for my line.

In the high peaks of the Andes Mountain Range in South America was a temple. The temple was at thirteen thousand feet above sea level and was run and maintained by seven monks, men dedicated to God and his teachings.

Also at the temple was a huge Saint Bernard dog, a pet of the monks and a fearless animal whose bravery was responsible for saving the lives of at least three men who, over the years, had strayed off the familiar trail while they were hiking and each had become lost.

Also, but less noticed at the monastery, was a Mexican Chihuahua named Chico. Chico had been given to the Monks eleven years earlier at age one as thanks from the family of a man the monks had rescued from the icy mountain. Chico was a pure bred, pedigreed hairless Chihuahua and was a dog of integrity and faithfulness. He knew when he arrived at the monastery that this was his home from now to almost forever. (He had to leave the monastery briefly once to marry and produce an heir) He loved the Monks and they loved him.

The Saint Bernard, however, was a different story. The Saint Bernard, whom the monks called simply, Dog, resented Chico from the beginning and was often cross with him. But Chico took it in stride and put up with it just as a thoroughbred should.

Now, on one fateful day, a message came by carrier pigeon from the ranger station below that a man had hiked one of the favorite trails and was several days overdue. The message gave all the pertinent information and the monks began readying themselves for a search.

Their gear was assembled and stowed in backpacks. And, as they always did, they fitted the Saint Bernard with a keg of brandy. (I still to this day don’t know why the rescue dogs always carry brandy instead of Irish Whiskey)

When they were all finished packing, they said a silent prayer for the safety of the lost man and for themselves and their rescue dog, Dog.
They put down extra food and water for Chico in case they should be gone for several days. Then they said goodbye to Chico and departed.

They traveled their familiar route, places where a man could stray off the trail and become lost and, after a full day or fruitless searching, they made camp. They had been going a day and half a night and welcomed the respite. Dog needed rest, too.

During the night, fresh snow began falling and by morning, it was coming down very heavily. Then the wind started blowing and a white out occurred.

The men didn’t worry much about that; they had had to put up with blowing snow many times and hadn’t ever lost their bearings.

They decided to split up, three men and Dog going one way and the other four men, the other way. They agreed that after two more days at most, they would return to the monastery.

The weather got worse but the monks persevered and finally the group of four men found the lost hiker snuggled inside a thick sleeping bag, cold and hungry but in good health. They immediately thanked God for their good fortune and headed back to the monastery.

Two more days passed and they began to wonder about the lateness of the other search party, the three monks and Dog. Then, early the next morning, the three monks arrived back at the monastery, but without Dog.

They said, as they were climbing a narrow part of the trail, Dog had wandered too far toward the edge and the snow gave way and he had fallen far down into the canyon. They heard him yelp on the way down but never heard him again. They looked for a way down to rescue him but, after a full day of searching, finally had to give up. There was no way through the snow to where he had fallen. They sadly accepted what seemed to be the fate of their faithful rescue dog.

Later that day, the rangers came up and got the hiker and returned him to his family. They thanked the monks and offered condolences for the loss of Dog.

Another day passed and the storm continued raging. This was the longest a snowstorm of this magnitude had lasted in a good many years.

Then a day later, Chico’s ears perked up and he looked toward the outside. He jumped up and ran to the front door. The monks watched him and wondered if he had heard some sound, maybe Dog whining outside. They all went outside and looked and listened but saw and heard nothing. Chico would not stop his fussing, running to the door then back again.

Then he went to his dish and ate all of his food and drank all his water then went to one of the monks, the one charged with feeding him, and begged for more. The monk thought this was strange but he put out more food and as much water as he was sure the small dog could drink.

Chico ate his food and drank all of his water then ran to the front door and began to howl softly. The monk called the others over and they wondered aloud what could be the matter with the small dog; was he missing Dog so much that it made him act strangely?

The monks decided to look again outside, at least as far as they could go in the heavily falling snow. The monk in charge of Chico decided to put a sweater on Chico so he wouldn’t get too cold.

When they opened the door, Chico bolted outside and began running as fast as he could away from the monastery and up the hill. He didn’t go up the well-used trail. Instead he veered off to the left toward a very rugged part of the mountain. The monks tried to stop him but they couldn’t catch him and in a second, Chico was out of sight.

Chico very faintly heard a dog sound; actually he felt it more than heard it. He wondered if he could do what he had in mind. If only he was in time and could hold up in this vicious storm. He went at top speed until he passed a place where the terrain dropped very quickly and for a long way down. Then he slowed to a more manageable pace and watched and listened intently.

Chico had been walking for over an hour and he began to feel the cold. It hadn’t occurred to him that he might not be able to finish this. He knew the sweater helped tremendously and was very glad he had it on.

He walked on for two more hours and was now over a mile from the monastery and the cold was beginning to get to him. He started to feel weak in his legs and his pads hurt from the cold. Chico knew there was a chance he had made a mistake about hearing Dog, but he didn’t think so. He knew now that it wasn’t a sound he had heard; this was much too far for any sound to carry. It had been a feeling. He knew he wasn’t wrong. Now he would find out if he could do what he knew he must do.

Chico began slowing down. The cold was starting to get to him. He knew that he had come so far now that he could never get back on his own. He stopped and looked around and listened. He was feeling weak now but he was determined to finish what he had started; if he could.

He sat down in the snow, just by a tree trunk where the wind wasn’t blowing so strongly. He was beginning to feel sleepy and, all of a sudden, he wasn’t as cold as he had been. Strange. His ears began to ring slightly and his eyes started to glaze over. He wasn’t aware of things like, hypothermia and such. He did, however, wonder why, now all of a sudden, he began to feel better and warmer. Strange.
He thought if he could just close his eyes for a moment, he’d see better and be some rested.

Chico didn’t know how long his eyes had been closed but he felt something warm and wet rubbing against his face. He heard a faint whimper. It almost sounded like Dog. He opened his eyes and saw the Saint Bernard lying right beside him and gently licking his face. He looked at Dog and knew the Saint Bernard was very weak,-probably from hunger. He knew that if the bigger dog had food, he would be revived and could probably make it back to the monastery. Chico might not be able to make it back but the rescue dog would be saved.

He knew what he had to do. He rose up on his front legs right at Dog’s face and began to gag himself. He gagged violently until he regurgitated all the food and water he had in his stomach. Dog immediately began eating the regurgitation. As he ate, strength flooded back into his body. He was warmed and all of a sudden he knew he could follow the small dog’s trail and make it back to the monastery. If it’s possible for a dog to do, he thanked God for Chico. Chico lay limp on the snow, unable to move.

Later in the day, the monks heard barking at the front door. They rushed to open it and saw Dog standing there, very tired but in good condition. In his mouth, held very gently, limp and weak, but very alive, was my Great, Great, Great Grandfather, the first Chico the Wonder Dog!
…And we lived happily ever after!

Later...

Why Do I Do It?...

Now that is a good question and, you may think, a hard one to answer. But, before you go off on it, think about the question a bit and think about what you are asking. It's not as simple as you may think but, also, it's not as complicated as you think it may be.

I'll start this discussion with four scenarios as examples.

#1: A ragged begger was on the corner at a street where you turn left to go home. He had a sign that read,"Hungry,-need money for food." Being a sharing type person, you pulled close to him, rolled down the window and gave him a dollar. It wasn't much but maybe it would help.

#2:A ragged beggar was on the corner at a street where you turn left to go home. He had a sign that read,"Hungry,-need money for food." You contemplated giving him a dollar but, just as you turned the corner, he dropped a cigarette onto the ground and mashed it out with his shoe sole. Immediately you decided not to give this man a dollar because, if he were actually hungry, he should quit smoking cigarettes and use the money he spent on smokes to buy food. You passed him by.

#3: Your brother is dying and needs a kidney transplant. You immediately volunteer your own kidney to save his life. The Doctor tells you it could compromise your own health by giving up one of your kidneys but you still agree to donate your kidney.

#4: Your brother is dying and needs a kidney transplant. You immediately volunteer your own kidney to save his life. The Doctor tells you it could compromise your own health by giving up one of your kidneys. You think about it and, after weighing the benefit against your risk, decide not to donate your kidney. There is a chance he can get a kidney from someone else.

Here you have four situations. In two of the scenarios you perform a generous and selfless deed but in the other two scenarios you decide against what would be generous and selfless deeds. What was the difference in the situations? Why did you make different decisions?

First, let's inspect the scenarios.

In scenario number one when you gave a dollar to a needy man, it made the needy man feel good and it made you feel good.

In scenario number two, when you decided not to give the man money, it made the beggar feel bad but it made you feel good because you thought the man didn't need food enough to sacrifice his addiction for it.

In scenario number three, your brother feels good because you are giving him your kidney and you feel good.

In scenario number four, your brother feels bad but you, even though you do not help him, feel good because you are not afraid of being compromised with only one kidney.
In two scenarios, the other party felt good but in two scenarios, the other person felt bad, but(and that's the key word) you felt good in all four scenarios.

That is the complete assessment of the four scenarios. You could use a thousand more scenarios and investigate each of them thoroughly but it would be a waste of time and effort.

The fact is, there are only two things about which to consider to reach a logical conclusion concerning why you did what you did. What are differences in all of the conclusions of the scenarios?

In scenario number one, the beggar felt good and you felt good.

In scenario number two, the beggar felt bad and you felt good.

In scenario number three, your brother felt good and you felt good.

In scenario number four, your brother felt bad and you felt good.

The single thing that should be considered is, someone else felt bad some of the times, but you felt good all the times.

Consider:

Sister Teresa spent many years caring for needy children. She lived in terrible conditions sometimes and every day sacrificed her own well being for the sake of the children. She did it because it made her feel good.

Adolf Hitler was responsible for the slaughter of millions of people by causing World War II. He did it because it made him feel good.

People give gifts to other people because it makes them feel good to see those people happy.

People do bad things to other people because they don't like those people and it makes them feel good to do those bad things.

People do good things for people because it makes them feel good.

Actually, people do anything they do for only one reason; because it makes them feel good.

Sometimes you do very unpleasant things but you do them because it somehow makes you feel good about something.

A man might commit suicide because he thinks it will make him feel good compared to how he feels now.

That's pretty simplistic, you say. Maybe so but the 'Kiss' formula applies here as it should everywhere; Keep It Simple, Stupid."

I could go on and on all day with more and different examples but that would be redundant. I have said all there is worth saying about the subject,"Why Do I Do It?".

Think about it and use any reasoning you wish but if you're completely honest, you'll always come back to this logical conclusion;

Why do I do it? - Because it makes me feel good."

Arf...