The sunsets have been very difficult to capture lately due to the haze from the volcano so often all I see is a hazy blob falling into the ocean. Last night the sunset colors were pretty showy and I thought I'd share them with you along with other views. Happy Weekend.

Have you ever encountered someone with the need to be right to such an extent they will chase you and spew their rhetoric in the quest for you to break down and agree with them? 

I find this an unusual phenomenon as I have found that even agreeing to disagree with this type is rejected. They must be right and anyone not being able to agree will be lectured until they bend to their wishes. In my experience no matter how diplomatic or respectful I decline their view nothing satisfies them or placates short of caving to their view.

I know I am not right all of the time nor have a need for this as sometimes my view is skewed or influenced by a source I felt was dependable. When someone tells me I’m mistaken about a perspective I listen and will investigate further to see where I’ve been wrong in my opinion. However, if someone demands that I see from their perspective I’m inclined to dismiss them until I can research a bit and see if they are correct. Even when I’ve politely told an insistent one I’ll think about what they have proposed is correct they will not relent and keep on ranting away.

How important is it to be right all of the time? Is it even necessary? Are mistakes so abominable that making one will ruin one’s life? It is more important to be right than to listen to counter ideas? 

I believe part of the issue of those insisting they are the only right over all in their view is a control and power issue. The reason I say this is that most I’ve encountered see others as worthless and ignorant. Another trend I’ve noticed is how they demand that others are trying to disenfranchise them and are mean-spirited if they need a means to make their point. 

With political and religious leaders the ones I distrust the most are the ones that aren’t above maligning others to exalt them in their position. They do not compromise or show compassion for others and are so focused upon their own agendas they are blind to all else. In today’s political and religious arena there are quite a few speaking out to manipulate others to believe what they have to offer yet are selfish in these motivations and will ultimately take much more than they give to society. It is time we discourage allowing these types to speak out in a derogatory manner that hurts our country. There are many in higher places that have absolutely no compassion or caring for the wellbeing or welfare of the country and are only driven to be right and to control us for their personal exhalation and power. Although supremacy has been a continual struggle and goal for centuries I believe it is time to turn a new page in history. 

Here’s a little humor to go with the article.
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We were adopted by a very silly and funny cat that once belonged to the neighbors. She has decided our house is her house and now she owns us.  She's a gecko chaser of the first water and so fast as to be amazing. Geckos are her favorite but a mouse will do in a pinch. She climbs all the trees in the yard, races about and will fall over like she's dead. She loves to help me water the plants and will hang onto the hose for dear life where I find I'm dragging her across the rocks. She doesn't care a bit. She likes being sprayed with the hose and makes sure she is under the plants where I can't see her and delights when I spray the area. She'll leap from the foliage and race around happy as can be.

She has taken over my chair on the lanai and if I'm in it will get into it too and look at me as if to say, "Would you move, I'm trying to be here". Now she has her own cushy chair but mine is closer to the bugs that swirl around the lanai light so I'm sure she prefers this to being over in the dark. If she's in her chair once in awhile she'll get up, walk across the table look at me with a "Are you still here" look.

Needless to say, she's captured our hearts and as pesky as she is we're happy she chose us to hang out with. Tucker the Cat tolerates her as she does him.

Whenever I’m around someone without a sense of humor I feel somewhat unbalanced with him or her. Often they take everything so literally that it gives me cause to want to chuckle but that would be impolite, now wouldn’t it? 

Why some take life lightly and aren’t so intense about every event and others are outraged and offended is a bit of a mystery to me. However, I believe that those taking themselves too seriously is the underlying cause of this bewilderment.

I have observed those that are in auto-grumpy mode continually claiming that others are offensive and mean to them. These types don’t quite get that their approach to others has an affect upon how they are received.  The frontal combat approach does take some aback so if they react negatively to the negativity thrown at them is it no wonder that the offender is confused? Do they expect those responding to them to be cordial and inviting? Is this something they believe they are owed?

One time a truly obnoxious being was having a conversation with another ranting away about how he deserves respect. Now this particular person rarely displayed respect for another yet felt respect was “owed” to him. I have a problem with this, as respect is something we all need to practice regardless of the situation.  Sometimes it is a stretch to be respectful to another that shows none in kind but it doesn’t hurt a bit to give it a go. As far as being “owed” respect that depends perhaps upon whether it has been “earned”.

Those with a well-developed sense of humor seem to glide through life and take many events and setbacks with a grain of salt, so to speak. They are easygoing and do not manifest messes or sticky situations for themselves so they have something to complain about. This type of personality can look at events in a different perspective from those that find fault in everything that surrounds them.

The happiest people I know are the ones with few “problems” due to seeing problems as “situations” and “issues” that need their attention. No “Poor Me, Ain’t It Awful” or “Blame Game” plays are necessary as they seem to realize that in the passage of life bumps in the road are simply bumps to jump over not something to fall flat from tripping over them time and time again. 

I’ve spent years with physically ill people that I suspect cause themselves to be sick due to their outlook on life. I often heard, “They wouldn’t let me”, “I didn’t get to” and “No one asked me” and that sort of response when asked why they were upset, depressed or angry. I also heard “They promised, I was cheated” and the like. Their misery kept them from reaching out to others as often others were viewed as “incompetent” or “idiots”. I’m sure this perspective had a lot to do with why they were continually miserable.

I approach others and practice meeting life face to face without believing life is all about me and no one else.  I do have a serious side; I have immense amounts of compassion for others. I simply have found that life is what it is and I’d rather see a brighter side of this life than rabbit around in the ugly that has a way of infiltrating my personal space now and again.

I am a mull and ponder type of human. I seem to be thinking, imagining and wondering continuously. Nearly everything in life fascinates me and drives me to want to know more about creation and how we come to be.

I do know that there is a massive energy force that drives us. Whether it is a huge collective energy that we manifest in whatever form we desire or it manifests us in whatever form it desires is up for discussion as I don’t really know which way it goes. However I do feel it plays an inaugural part in how we perceive life.

Have you ever been around a person that sucks the energy out of you? One that seemly is able to put you into a near coma leaving you exhausted and worn out? How about the opposite, where someone can energize us to the point of euphoria? I’m partial to this type, of course as they bring out a positive feeling of well being. Is the use of energy important to us? I feel it has a huge impact upon our daily life and shapes our outlook and us.

Have you ever felt you’ve lived as another human or animal? Does it feel natural to think that this is not only possible but also very plausible?  

Do your dreams take you to places that seem unknown but very familiar? Are there times when an image flashes through your mind and you ask yourself where this image could possibly come from and why it showed up when it did?

For those of you that find life on this planet a huge adventure how far are you willing to stretch your imagination without fear of thinking you are boarder line nuts? I don’t ever think I’m crazy for wanting to know all there is to know about reality. I do know the more input the better so if you are inclined I would love to hear your opinions.

Those immersed in corrupt practices have been around since time began. They know the gullible, ignorant and the greedy and understand how easily it is to sway them and involve them in dirty deeds. In many times throughout our history there have been organizations that have been so corrupt that anyone trying to take them to task was eliminated. This of course is still going on to a degree but our society has become a bit more savvy and will actually act, research and investigate, gathering enough information that those threatening others must go underground or take flight. Many are brought to justice and this is what we need more of or face dire consequences. 

In this Internet age those that are practicing criminal acts are more easily called out as the information needed is more readily available to all. When an outrage is voiced more will seek to find out if the claim is legitimate or false and act accordingly.

The corrupt usually make mistakes and these mistakes are their undoing. Think about how many from all sectors have been put in prison for their crimes after years of ripping off or threatening others? I believe that the more we investigate and learn about the activities of those we that have questionable practices the more will be caught and must face their fate. 

As a country of people we are no longer helpless when it comes to corruption. Even in the 30’s people stood up to corrupt practices and did not back down until justice was served. It’s time we all took a part in making sure that our country is safe and a place for all. If we keep pushing to eliminate corrupt practices eventually we’ll put many of the corrupt out of business. It is time for these type to fall from their lofty and controlling positions and have a sit in prison for a spell.

We should not coddle or give favor to criminals simply because they are celebrity or wealthy. All criminals should be treated the same as if this were the case I’m sure some would think twice about their practices that harm others.

These are beautiful and tragic photos everyone needs to view. 

I love sunset!

I thought I'd have a bit of fun with the colors of some gecko photos I took.

I spent most of my life around animals and children and found they were much more delightful, entertaining and better teachers than most adults were.

When I worked in an elementary school the teachers called me the child whisperer as I could calm the children in an easy manner without much effort on my part.  During the seven years I worked in one elementary school I was called upon daily to help a child or a group of children focus or to calm them. I do think this stems from beginning to work with the learning disable when I was 8 years old. In the 50’s children with disabilities were basically ignored. My third grade teacher gave me the three children in our classroom to guide and assist as they could not meet the standards of the “average” learner. These children were a delight for me and I adored them. Sure they were slow learners but incredible humans and I thought this should count for something but the attitudes of the times did not agree with my opinion.

As an adult I worked in the adult world for a time before opting for teaching and administrative assistant in a school district. I always enjoyed my adult coworkers but often found they were pretty boring and unimaginative. This is why I turned to working with children.

Each day brought some wonderful event surrounded by children. Sure I was thrown up upon, caught their diseases and had to scrap dog poop off their shoes, help them find dry clothing after peeing their pants, pick nits out of their hair. I had to deal with crying and meltdowns, call parents and sit with a child that was in “big trouble” but the benefits outweighed the bother 100 fold. 

When a child, ill with a fever in the process of having their throat checked asks, “Can you see my uvula? Is it doing OK?” life couldn’t be better. When a diabetic kindergarten child clings to me and announces, “you’ve saved my life” when they were just a bit low and afraid, I realized how frightening their life might be and so happy I could be of assistance and comfort. 

One asthmatic child had separation anxiety from his mommy and after recess each morning was sent to me. He was a kindergarten student and worried about his breathing problems, which were triggered by exercise. He’d come into the office for a puff from his inhaler and a drink of water but needed a rest also from all the excitement of recess. Sometimes he’d come in clutching his heart and announce he’d had a heart attack on the playground. Once he came in with his arm in the air saying it was stuck and wouldn’t move. There were several of these horrific imagined occurrences and one puff, a drink, calming conversation and a rest remedied these maladies. I saw him through kindergarten, first grade and half of second grade before he no longer needed me. 

My successes with the children in the Autism classrooms were especially rewarding. They were attracted to me to the point that I was used to soothe and communicate with them in the way they communicated.  The children with other learning and physical disabilities were my buddies also. I think this stems from my early experience as a child and I feel blessed to be someone that children feel connect to when they are in need. I also feel blessed that a teacher picked me to work with young children struggling in life, as it certainly has been a benefit to me my entire life.

We can learn an abundance from children if we simply pay attention. I also think that mainstreaming children with disabilities is a wonderful benefit for all children. The children in the school where I worked were encouraged to assist the younger students and those with disabilities. This is a huge leap from the days I was in elementary school and these children were ignored or treated poorly and made fun of.

Have you ever had someone say,  “I didn’t know you were White Trash” just because you were a low paid employee?

Have you ever had a beater dude give you beauty tips, “If you wore a bit of makeup and dyed your hair, I’d ask you out”?

Have you ever had someone invite you out for drinks for your birthday and stiff you then say, “I thought you’d understand I’m broke?”

Have you ever been out to dinner with someone having them tell you,  “I don’t believe in tipping” then steal the one you provided?

Have you ever had someone throw a fit after claiming they’d never been circumcised and they were and your only recourse was to say, “I think it is time you talked to your Mom about this”?

How about your mate informing you that, “We have to stop spending so much money on restaurants and booze” when he/she is the only one doing this?

Life comes with some pretty funny aspects and I often crack up over conversations that come with bizarre comments. Please join in and add to the laughter. I know you’ve had some experience with this type of event.

There is plenty to see on the Big Island and it isn't crowded! This is a big bonus in my book. Lots of wide open spaces, whales, dolphins and wilderness. Come play.

I saw this aircraft flying near my house and wondered what it was up to. Now I know!

Here are some of the birds I see around the island. 

The new crop of lilies are blooming and the geckos are loving them. The baby gecko without a tail is sitting on an Orchid bud.

After a couple of thousand years of indoctrination and dogma with a heavy dose of propaganda there are many that are locked into the belief that what is dictated is law and truth. This myth has caused a rift among humans that often causes great harm. Those initially using a deity to control masses have caused an avalanche of people holding blind faith over critical thinking, logic and reason. Their fear of deviating from their programming keeps them locked into a mindset that sets others apart from them and makes them the enemy.

When we think about how a human is programmed we have to look no further than the parental influence. When a parent is strict, controlling and manipulative they will often punish with the goal of completely molding the mind to obey. The child must conform or be subjected to rejection. The child may eventually become rebellious and take whatever comes their way, breaking free from this control. Many will continue the cycle of control and abuse to keep others under their thumb using whatever means to accomplish this goal.

On the other hand the parent that guides and mentors a child to use their own consciousness to problem solve allows the child to feel connected with their environment and feel at ease with most all they encounter. 

Those that have practiced controlling others have a long history in manipulation. They are quite skilled in finding avenues in which to justify their missions by forbidding their followers from accepting concepts that deviate from their teachings.
Maligning groups that do not comply with laws established is the norm. Indigenous groups were a great target for this abuse and assumption that what they practiced, as a belief was primitive and evil.  The destruction of these people was justified due to the belief that they were a menace and a threat to all mankind. 

The quest for religious dominance wrought destruction and gross abuse justified by those feeling that all must believe as one. Once accepted and practiced beliefs were stomped out and labeled evil practices. Those that refuse to conform were tortured and often murdered due to this quest for dominance.

Presently in this period of history there are still those using God to punish and abuse. They refuse to believe that if there is a creator that perhaps this creator had a purpose for all creation and was not selective, as some believe. They attempt to discredit and reject those that do not follow what they believe. They discriminate and attempt to continue with believing some are evil and refuse to honor their birthright to live as they wish. 

Those using God to undermine free will use God as a crutch and are stealing this power source to control. We must understand that indoctrination is what has brought them to this point and their blindness and refusal to open their minds is due to not knowing how this is done.  Fear of being mistaken about their beliefs overrides the need to expand their consciousness so they will continue to lock out concepts that deviate from what they believe and have been taught. They feel their path is right and the only true path to reaching a highest glory of their creator.

Many devoutly religious have taken the risk in expanding their consciousness and while still believing are able to embrace all for their approach to life. When we can encourage more to understand all of humanity is valued we’ll be much further ahead in the evolution of the human race. We are naturally a race possessing creativity, talents, imagination, curiosity and sense of adventure and this should never be discouraged due to a restrictive belief system.

The soul has no obligation to serve a consciousness with full on energy if the consciousness is not interested in the benefits the soul brings forth.  Many believe a soul is exclusively theirs but this is not true. A soul has many outlets and focuses besides one physical being.  The soul has a connection with all there is on the planet and beyond and this is how we learn to understand this concept by the teachings of the soul.

I have heard many people say they have lost themselves along the way of life. This is reasonable to believe as if a person believes that only outward manifestations bring them the contentment they wish then they will neglect their inner voice, their soul and the soul will find other endeavors more motivating and successful. It isn’t as if the soul will neglect one when in need. There will always be back up from the soul but it will not lie dormant in a consciousness that ignores it.

The question is how do we reconnect with our soul? It isn’t all that difficult. The first thing we must do is by beginning to trust and believe in ourselves explicitly.  Depending upon the self in knowing what is right as individuals will bring energies of the soul back into contact. We can reach out to other sources for knowledge but the ultimate decisions for our path is up to us only.

My friends that have known me for a long time say I’m a “good soul” or and “old soul”. I have been a best buddy with my soul my entire being and it has never let me down. We are on very intimate terms with each other and I know this is what others see when they look at me.

I’m well aware that candidates for any office have a tendency to drag their opponents down and this has been something that is quite normal for most people. However, the awareness level of our country has spiked over the years and with Internet connections what comes out of a person’s mouth can be tracked for accuracy. When a candidate has little to say save malign the current administration or their opponents their format becomes obscure. 

I think it is time for the “This is where I stand on this issue” and forget about the accusations that another isn’t doing their job or can’t do the job. If someone is confident in running for office it would be best if they let their reputation talk and forget about comparisons.  I find I do not fully trust those that cannot speak for themselves without ripping someone else to make their stance seem larger than life. This is tedious and boring and only derails the point the candidate is making.

If a candidate is hoping all will listen to him/her then stand with the “I” not “they” “them” or anyone else’s record. We know what other’s records are so we don’t need a review every time one opens his/her mouth to pound their chest and declare they are the fairest of all in the land and are right for the job.

As a young newly wed in the 60’s I noticed that my husband and I would meet after work and immediately being to gripe and complain about our day. After a few weeks of this I wondered if we were trying to outdo each other in the woes of our work world. One evening this complaint session began and I asked him if we could skip the negative parts of the day and switch to what we enjoyed during our working hours. The change was delightful and made our week much more enjoyable. No longer did we have to wait for Friday to begin having fun once more. 

When my children were small I noticed that they also had an arsenic hour at the end of their day. Fussing over tiredness, a need to go to sleep, rough day, it didn’t seem to matter, they’d raise a ruckus. I experimented with different approaches that helped us through this discontentment. It seemed their left over energy needed to be expended so we’d dance, sing and play then relax with a good book after a bath and all was well.

By the time my children reached school age I found that often they had issues needing to be addressed when the setting was not quite appropriate. One night we sat down and made origami boxes. These boxes were our “Anything Boxes”. In these boxes we put our worries, complaints and woes to be addressed when the time was right. What we discovered is that often times a complaint about another or situation was fleeting and when reviewed wasn’t nearly as horrific as first viewed. 

In conclusion, there are times when we are caught off balance and are tempted to rant, rave and spew negative rhetoric clouding our world with the terrible stench of depressing happenstance.  In putting this aside until it can be examined more closely I have found that most of the time tempering the immediate emotional reaction leaves just a simply situation to solve what we first imagined as a problem. We all have our arsenic hours yet carefully evaluated and examined we usually find they aren’t all that awful after all.  

I'm anticipating the surge every single day but alas nothing yet. I picked through some of the photos I think are pretty cool and depict a very vigorous surf.

Thank goodness I have a sense of humor otherwise aging might present a burden for me. Sure I knew this was going to happen someday but the challenges it often bestows can be a concern. One day I was standing in line at Starbucks waiting with my daughter to pick up her drink order when she reached over a plucked a stray hair off of my chin. I nearly lost it in laughter and she remarked, “What would you do without me?” Well, I’d have stay hairs that’s for sure. Dang, it just doesn’t seem right that when we need better eyesight for such offensive hairs and we don’t even have that going for us.

I don’t feel old at all but my outer shell is telling me that I’d better not try to do some of the stunts I once embraced as a much younger person. I look around at others around my age and think they are quite adorable, here’s hoping I get the same response. Old lady hair, saggy baggy birthday suit it’s all mine and I proud to be walking around with me.

My grandson asked me why my arms we squishy much to my daughter’s chagrin. I told him that grandma arms are squishy because they are appealing to grandchildren, as they are soft and cuddly. He bought right into this.

The bottom line for aging and me is nothing really phases me all that much. I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime so surprises are rare. Most events are very enjoyable or at least enlightening to some extent. Sure, I puddle up at the every adorable view or the most magnificent. I have a lot of passion and compassion for life and the living so I’m constantly entertained. 

If you are one with rumpled body yet youthful mind I salute you. You’ve made that hurdle that some resist and life is a fulfillment that cannot be trumped by any other event. 

It is often said that laughter is the best medicine. When did we take full advantage of laughter? It was in our youth, wasn’t it? Remember how something could be so funny even when it really wasn’t all that funny?  How when we felt sad or were hurt someone would cheer us up and all would be well once again?

I remember as a young one crying my eyes out over some slight or disappointment, go to sleep and awaken to a brand new day and my sorrows would be muted and no longer top priority. I also remember that no matter how hard or horrific something in my life became there was always that ability to laugh. One huge aspect for me is I learned how to laugh at myself.  Throughout my life I have brought myself out of doldrums through asking if I was taking myself too seriously. Often I was and had to own up but in the end it was worth the temporary embarrassment.

As adults we face so many challenges that can nearly be our undoing. We toil and hope often to no avail and lose our sense of worth and identity. When times such as these come along it is best to try to turn our sorrows into lessons and move on. We cannot foresee what’s coming at us but we can certainly make the best of this and make an attempt to understand where we stand at times such as these.

I meet people that have lost their sense of adventure, curiosity, wonder, hope and humor. When I’ve talked to them about their life’s adventures, their childhood joy and taken a bit of a walk through their past I have often noticed they cheer up and relive their memories with joy. I’ve had some wonderful conversations with others in this manner and have discovered bringing back memories of great times seems to lighten their spirit.

Perhaps if we stop and remember more of the joyous times in our lives it will bring our spirits up and give us reason to be motivated and more peaceful within ourselves. There will always be hard times for all of us but if we view these hard times as simply learning experiences and not take ourselves too seriously perhaps there will be more joy in our lives.

http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/state-wire/hawaii-same-sex-couples-entered-civil-unions.html

Hawaii performed its first ceremonies for same-sex couples on Sunday, January 1st.  The union will grant the same privileges as “marriage” yet is called, “Civil Unions”. I’m very joyful for this new beginning for couples that have been disenfranchised from the rest of those that may marry at will. 

When the homosexual community was allowed to adopt I felt they should also be allowed to marry. This hasn’t happened. Knowing many same-sex couples and their children I’ve often wondered “What’s the point of discrimination?” and still do quite a bit. Who are we to tell another that their birth is does qualify them for equality? Who are we to say some are valued over another? It has been proven that homosexuals are capable of being loving and giving parents and I have observed this first hand. We have many successful and long lasting relationships between same-sex couples, doesn’t this count for anything?

Can we get past the hurdles that keep some from embracing all on this planet? Truly is there any reason we must cause pain to some due to our lack of understanding, prejudice and bias? I think we can and a good start would be to forget about fussing over who may marry and who may not.

There seems to be a lot of discussion on the subject of religion and confusion as to how it plays out in society. Some believe we are a Christian nation while others find this ludicrous. If we are a Christian nation does it really matter if Christianity is kept within the confines of the church? This goes for other religions and beliefs also, if kept in the confines of their groups does it do any harm?

The harm it seems is when these groups feel they need to dictate to the entire country, infiltrate government and set laws connected to their beliefs and religious laws. Do we truly need any of this in government? Isn’t this a conflict of interest in its highest form?

The government in my opinion succeeds far better when it is independent of religious influence. Individual freedoms must be preserved. It doesn’t seem correct to expect others to comply with another’s religious belief system when laws need to be made that will benefit all. We need to expand our consciousness to include the needs of everyone not just one group that believes God or some other deity rules the planet. Without criticism for those of faith I reach out to gain their support for keeping religion where it belongs, in the heart and within their religious communities.

There are some rumblings on Newsvine about articles posted by popular Newsvine members. Often I read that an article is inappropriate or has been collapsed as it has offended someone. I read gripes about authors and seeders for posting articles that generate a lot of discussion as being nothing but drivel. 

Newsvine has a lot to offer in a vast variety of subjects.  The top news stories are only a part of what the Newsvine community is all about. There are focus groups and individuals that write enlightening and intelligent articles to enjoy. If one only focuses upon the top news stories I understand the discontentment as these have high traffic and aren’t always educational. Often they are laughter fodder and I find nothing wrong with this. Some however generate an abundance of depth in discussion.

We do need traffic on Newsvine to keep it drawing interest. Without this we’ll lose membership and perhaps the site. Top billed acts often have opening acts that are not advertised as highly and might be ignored due to the popularity of the main event. However, there are times when these obscure performances outshine the focus event. It is important to remember what performances keep the show running.

Happy New Year to All!