Is This Point of No Return?

Are we at the point of no return? After this week’s heat blast, can ninety-degree temperatures be far away? Think about the parts of the country just weathered ice and snow storms. Was that the norm for the midwest? Perhaps April or May will make history as the craziest Spring on record. 

We are teetering at a point of no return, the point at which anything’s possible. Just when situations seem predictable—things change again. Years ago, certain types of news stores stories were rare. Today we have more of everything—more mass shootings, more political indiscretions, more polar ice caps melting, more somebody (fill in a horrible and bizarre act) somebody. It feels like society’s spiraling out-of-control, but we cruise along as if all’s well. Listen to how we will have further opportunities to change; some scientists call it progress, while others say it’s horrendous.     

 

                                          http://youtu.be/01hbkh4hXEk

 

Everyone wants discoveries to cure diseases and repair or replace failing body parts. It’s interesting how when scientists develop cures and medical advances, somebody always crosses the line and uses the technology to create a horror story. What do you think about transhumanism and its potential impact on society?                

No Debt Ceiling

They say I owe millions, but I disagree. It’s really about several hundred thousand dollars. I blame my debt on the game our family plays at mealtime. Anyone caught staring is fined, and it’s usually for a couple thousand dollars per offense. Since my mealtime seat faces the window, I can’t help gazing out at the beautiful scenery. Every now and then, I get lost in nature and lost in thought, and that’s when I get fined. I don’t know how this crazy game started, but I do know that I’m not paying!

Debt is a funny thing. It creeps up on you and before you know it—bam!—you’ve got a big problem. Let’s see how these folks handle it.

                                             http://youtu.be/5nJw7f3w7eQ

Married and cooped up with the parents. I’m pretty sure that was not this couple’s plan. How do we get trapped in debt? It can be a fun ride getting there, but once the expenses mount up, somebody has to pay. Given our consumer-driven society, debt can be difficult to avoid. Most of us have some type of debt like a mortgage, a car payment or a credit card. What about non-financial debt? Have you been bailed out of a spot so tight that no amount of money can repay the deed? Is there someone you owe in a big way?          

Monsters Inside?

Since we arrived early for a school play, we waited in the parking lot and listened to music on the radio for a few minutes. We talked and waited some more when suddenly our youngest child hopped over to the empty back seat and announced, “I’m taking a time-out. Being human is hard.” Huh? My husband and I exchanged looks. What’s that mean? Actually, there is a lot of truth in it and our culture recognizes it, too. Consider Hollywood’s fascination with monsters in movies. Classic characters like werewolves, vampires, mummies, and zombies are all examples of humans gone haywire. Hollywood often depicts monsters as warped human beings with uncontrollable urges to act out in horrible ways. Here’s a monster who channeled that impulse in a different direction:

                                              http://youtu.be/xd4bb3kCRos

The video shows good ole David Banner (played by Bill Bixby) caught up in another dilemma. He was a nice guy, except when he got angry, and you’d get one warning before his alter ego showed up. He’d say, “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” He was right because green coloring coupled with a bad attitude is never a good combination for a muscled monster. In spite of his frequent temper tantrums, even the Incredible Hulk had a compassionate side. Some scientists believe humans are inherently good, while others believe we’re innately bad. What do you say and why?

     

The Power of a Stare Down

We had another showdown at our house when our youngest child protested about eating vegetables. These encounters occur rather frequently around our dinner table. I stifled a laugh when I looked over and heard a small voice say, “We meet again, enemy.” What a way to talk to your lima beans! Even a serious showdown can end on a lighter note. Take a look:

                                             http://youtu.be/YFX_DDouOmM

Never underestimate the power of a stare down to loosen things up. Mix it with a good laugh, and you’ve got a great diffuser for stress and negative energy. Did you know there are laughter clubs where people gather just to laugh? One New York area club meets in a cemetery. I can’t make this stuff up! If there isn’t one in your area, by all means start one!  

Ok, maybe a laughter club isn’t your thing. What do you do to distress and rejuvenate?

Trapped in the Middle of It

When’s the last time you played London Bridge is Falling Down? It’s the children’s singing game(make the song a ringtone?) where two kids hold hands to form a “bridge” while the rest of the group files under the pair’s swinging arms. At a certain point the arms lower to lock one unsuspecting “prisoner” in. Once the prisoner is released, the game starts over.

 Part of this scenario plays out every day on Main St. In our town, we’re warned of an approaching train by a cute, blinking, digital train picture at the railroad crossing. The problem is it blinks for quite a while before finally it stops, and then you know 1.) a train is close and 2.) the long, red arms of the railroad crossing will come down to lock you on the tracks, if you’re in the wrong spot. Oh sure, you can maneuver around the arms, if the fear of being flattened doesn’t muddle your thinking. Here’s another situation that might send you into a panic:

                                            http://youtu.be/HvIgHb2npOQ

 There’s nothing like the feeling of being trapped, whether it’s on railroad tracks, in an elevator, or in a hairy life situation. When we use the right resources, we can manage through most circumstances. One day we might look back at the experience and find a useful life lesson, along with some wisdom to pass on. How do you deal with situations that cause you to feel trapped?   

Your Dennis-Kim Connection

If you were planning to catch a basketball game, who would you invite—Dennis Rodman or Kim Jong Un? I'll allow some time for the question to sink in.  (Pause) Apparently the pair caught a Harlem Globetrotter exhibition game together in North Korea. Do Rodman and Jong Un have anything in common besides the love of basketball? Regardless of what everyone else thinks, Rodman insists that he has found a new life-long friend in North Korea. Do opposites attract or do birds of a feather flock together?  What do you think about these pairings?

                                              http://youtu.be/AxYiLzWee84

“Hard to explain,” the announcer said. Another animal expert remarked that the animals fulfill each other’s needs. I agree with both statements. There has to be a common bond, an element that attracts two beings to one another. Yes, birds of a feather do flock together. So, where’s the Jong Un-Rodman connection headed? It started with basketball, but what else bonds them? I wonder if their friendship will deepen with Skype, texts, Facebook or long-distance phone chats?  How do you maintain a relationship with your best friend?  

Taking It For Granted?

Are you more likely to clean the inside or the outside of your vehicle? I often try to do a thorough vacuuming before passengers pile in. When it comes to the outside, I hope for a hard rain. Unfortunately, the weather disappoints me. Either it doesn’t rain hard enough to wash away the grime or I’m parked in a place where I miss the cleansing shower. I’m usually the driver with the not-so-clean vehicle, but I’m not the only one.

One day we stopped at a red light and looked over at the vehicle that had pulled up beside us. This driver’s vehicle looked like an angry crowd had pelted it with mud balls. We laughed until our sides ached. I can’t imagine how the vehicle got that dirty. Maybe the driver hoped to run into this guy:

 

                                          http://youtu.be/I9NGuz2U9w8

 He cleaned the window until it sparkled, applied more dirt, then drew a masterpiece. After admiring the art for a moment, he rinsed it off. Why, Scott? Why?! Somebody get this guy some paper! It’s hard to watch beautiful art trickle away. Sometimes the things we have come so easily that we take them for granted. What have you taken for granted lately?