M |Central’s layout was getting long in the tooth so I decided it was time to refresh the layout. I decided to go with a lighter theme, “Garland” by Stefan Nagtegaal and Steven Wittens. Along with the new theme I added on a rating system for each blog posting and comments. The left hand column has the search, but now you can also filter by categories and you can sift through older blogs using the Archives dropdown. On the right hand side is a list of blogs I follow. Down the road I plan to start adding polls that visitors can vote on…
I welcome all your comments and feedback…
Sometime between earlier that day and later that night I was headed to the mall, there was a chill in the air and while I wasn’t in any real rush there was a definite urgency in my stride as I reach the entrance. A few steps away I see an older gentleman walking towards the same entrance; though he’s several feet away, I open the door and hold it for him. His eyes widened with a smile “Why thank you young man” he says politely; he reminds me of the type of grandfather you would see on one of those made for TV holiday movies. “My pleasure” I say. Our exchange of pleasantries ends there, and though at the time I didn’t give it much thought, but I realized I rarely see this anymore. I look around I see people coming and going, and yes I see the door being held as the one passing through holds it with one hand for the person behind. But when it came to seniors, how many people stopped and let them go through? No one. For that matter what about our elders? I was raised to respect my elders – and holding the door to allow them to pass ahead of me was a given. So I’m a bit taken back by how rare a sight it is today. The world is moving forward and changing, old values are making way for new ideas…but I think some its important that we hold onto the essence of some of those old values, the ones that remind us to be thoughtful, courteous and respectful.
As I reach the outskirts, the shimmer and sparkle of the city fade into my rearview mirror, the number of cars on the road become fewer and fewer. Almost symbolic that the sun sets behind me as my visit comes to end, I’m now left with my thoughts and the sound of the music barely audible in the background. If you want an inculcating experience I suggest you take a long drive; preferably one that traverses the void between municipalities. There’s something soothing; maybe it’s the combination of the humming engine and the sound of the wind passing over the cabin in tune with the vibration of the tires on the road. The sun’s all but set and the highway’s now a darken path lit only by my headlights. One could get lost counting the breaks in the yellow lines separating the lanes. It’s amazing the things that come to mind when you let it wander; thoughts on how people would drive these distances alone with no mobile phone, no GPS. Like a rapier through a shroud of cloth my car cuts through the night, I can feel the cool crisp evening air falling from the tilted opening in the moon roof. “How long would this take me on horseback” I wonder, they move pretty quick, and I don’t suppose they had speed limits…so accounting for the fact that they need to rest, would the time be comparable? Up ahead I can see the infamous red and blue lights, a reminder to keep an eye on my speed; so far so good, I’m above (as usual) but within the flow of traffic…all 4 cars in proximity. It’s late in the evening when I realize there’s no shoulder on this road; this prompts the thought “what would I do if I suddenly couldn’t drive…or I got something stuck in my eye and needed to pull over?” I start to wonder if any of the accidents you hear about on decollate roads was from something as innocuous as a piece of grit in the eye to a cramp in your leg, or even an urgent need to pee. En route with a little less than a quarter to go, my foot firmly on the throttle, the cabin is quiet…the radio’s off, and for the remainder of my journey I’m left with my thoughts…and an empty highway…
The last time I ordered pizza I wondered if the small Parlors were in danger of being swallowed up by the Giant Chains…not likely.
Why is it that leaving a voice message has become more complicated, than leaving a voice message?
When the city speed limit is so slow that even a Police Officer won’t obey, it’s time to start asking “what’s the point”.
When I was in primary school my teacher told the class a story that always stuck with me, and of late has been running in my head. I decided it would be a good idea to share the parable.
The moral of the story | If you spend your life trying to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one…including your self.
6:13, I’m sitting in traffic, this isn’t normal. I rolled down my windows and open the moon roof to let in the cool air. Its perfect weather, not a cloud in the sky and the cool air makes sitting in traffic tolerable…but I’m late and I really need to get going. I looked up to see between the cars, I can barely make out the flashing yellow lights of a highway patrol vehicle, we start to inch along a little more, I’m being careful not to get to close to guy in front of me since he’s on his bike. The morning traffic report comes on. An accident on the 20, she says; it’s in the center and right hand lane. At this time of the morning…two lanes affected? It been about 30 minutes, the just for laugh’s track finished playing I laugh at the skit …but I really need to get to the office at this rate I should get there by lunch. I start to see the road flares pushing everyone in to the left lane. I see a VW on the shoulder nothing serious from what I can, there’s another car…facing the opposite direction as I get closer I realize its not facing the other direction its front and back end are side by side. I’m in awe…as see more of the car I see that it’s been twisted, crushed and folded. Then I noticed It’s an Accord or what’s left of it…I drive an Accord…suddenly I associate with the driver and think consider the possibility that could have been me… and then I notice there isn’t anyone in the car? I’m moving slowly enough to count the number of police and firemen…where are the drivers? Then it hits me there’s no ambulance….just a fire truck. Did it leave already? I can still see what’s left of what used to be the Accord, I also see what looks like corn stalks, and there all over the highway…my stomach sinks at the thought of what happened to the occupants of the car? The VW couldn’t have caused that kind of damage to the car…this must have involved a truck, but there isn’t one in the accident zone…did it leave? I start to form a theory of what happened…speed was factor but odds are good that someone was “hot dogging” it, driving fast and tailgating between other motorists. We start clearing the scene and traffic speeds up, I’m in the clear and I start to accelerate, I raise the windows and tilt the moon roof. I’m cruising at about 120kph…the accident shrinks in my rearview mirror – I focus on getting to the office.
Once upon a evening dreary, while I stumbled drunk and weary,
Over many a pint of tasteful and delicious bottle I had poured,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one loudly rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`’Tis some trick or treater,’ I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.’
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, Thinking thoughts no mortal ever dared to think before
But the silence was unbroken, and the children gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word of, `More!’
This was whispered, and an echo murmured back the word of, `More!’
Merely this and nothing more
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Children,’ said I, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and not so gently you came rapping,
And so loudly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I’m sure the dead have heard you’ – as I stood with my open door; -
Quoth the children “trick or treat” this and nothing more”
But the Children, hopes resting solely on the on the goods, spoke only
those three words, as if their souls in those three words they did outpour.
No gratitude did they confess – not a “thank you” was addressed -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `your other friends have said before -
a simple thank you, in kindness of the goods to which they bore.
Yet on their lips no words were spoken, of gratitude or token.
My eyes were wide as my chamber door as I listened,
Quoth a child “Never More”
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so sharply spoken,
`How rude,’ said I, `what he utters is only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy parent whom unmerciful disaster
Followed this child fast and faster till their songs the child bore -
Now he himself is soured, soured by the sins of yore,
For he himself is now a Shit, only this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping no quieter than before.
`Surely,’ said I, `surely another child here to peck at my store;
Let me see then, what guise is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
‘Tis another trick or treater, this nothing more!’
‘Trick or Treat, Be those words our sign of parting, little child’ I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into thou Tempo and drive in to the Night shore!
Leave no lack of manners as a token of those words thy hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! – remove your form from at my door!
Take thy self from off my steps, and take thy hand from out my store!’
Quoth the Child, `Give me more.’
`Moochers!’ said I, `things of evil! – Moochers still, be child or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us – by that God we both adore -
I swear that on my soul unfortunate you arrive with fortunes poor,
It seems that with those who came before you, came and devoured all my store,
The child there motionless he stood, a guise of batman that he bore
Turning to his parent, Quoth “the candy’s gone…there’s nothing more”
