Different Slants

Today, Thursday, April 30th 2009, is my 59th birthday.

Glad I made it.  That wasn’t always a real good bet, after 30 operations.

In the last two weeks I had a stubborn bronchial infection that seemed to resist antibiotics and even an inhaler.  This came right after I attempted to lift a box I should have known not to lift and threw out my back. So, for about half of this April, except for standing, sitting, breathing, sleeping and feeling endlessly tired and short of breath, I was just fine.  Really.

Anybody who survives cancer, as I have since 1968, has no damn reason to bitch about getting older, aches, pains, lesser illnesses, greying or losing hair, or arthritis.  Dead people have none of those (as far as I know) and I don’t know anyone in a big hurry to die to avoid the complaints of old age.

The whole point is to get old. Then you win. For me, every extra year is a victory. Any person who beats a heart attack, or similar catastrophe where death was expected, will understand what I mean. In the fight to keep going, I’m in round 42.

So there, Death!!!

Yes, most of us want to be loved.  We want to be able to move around independently, to be able to see well enough to read and enjoy another season of spring flowers.  We want to still be able to hear a symphony, or rock n’ roll or a quiet conversation, without saying: “WHAT??” every other sentence.  We want to be able to enjoy good food.

In this depressing recession, with a Swine Flu epidemic slowly closing in on the planet while many of us wait to hear the latest news about how many new cases are confirmed, how many died and how many schools are being closed to protect our young, I was musing this morning as I drove to work in my old grey car on a grey, grey day with unceasing rain to dampen my mood.

Happy birthday to me, I thought.  What is really important to me?  I decided: Friendship.

The British broadcaster on BBC radio said, cutely, that good friends will help you move, but a REALLY good friend would help you move–a body.

This is probably another good reason why they lost their Empire.

So, here’s my thoughts about that same topic, after 21,535 days to think it over, so far.

(Read on …)

Here is another conspiracy theory video. This one tells us that it doen’t matter who is president, the Bilderberg group and the Tri-Lateral Commission run everything on behalf of the bankers.

Like most of the videos I find in this genre, it is about 20% interesting information, 40% questionable information and 40% hallucination.  Still, I found it worth watching and you might too.

© February 2009

 

 

Windsor Castle

Stone Henge

Double-decker

Red buses

 

I’m flying to England!

 

Pubs

Warm beer

Lusty

Busty

Bar-maids

 

I’m flying to England!

 

Fish n’ Chips

Big Ben

The Thames River

 

I’m…ok, ok, you know

 

I snake through the line

at the

International

Terminal

 Hours early

I take

No chances

 

Just

One

Carry-on

I have my book

I’m smuggling

Dark chocolate bars

In my bag

In case

I

Really

Need it

 

The line creeps along

Bags rolling behind

Impatient people

Babies cry

Among the

Thousands

Leaving

America

 

I have my

ID

Hung around my neck

I’m so ready

So organized

The ideal traveler

Ready to go

(Read on …)