If you want a rational result, take rational actions

Not counting the archaic one’s we have discontinued using, the foreign and ancient language ones we have adopted and the colloquial slang we favor, there are approximately 1,013,913 words in the English language. The “literate” American knows approximately 50,000, a little less than 5%. The “average” American, by some estimates knows around 5,000. I’ll let you do the math. After all 3/4ths of the population tends to finish high school. Of course America only ranks what 25th or 26th in math, so God knows how many of the graduates can actually do the math. … Oh wait, I shouldn’t invoke God because professing a belief structure will get me publically blasted as an intolerant bigoted by those who suppose I might not agree with them…


So let me get back to my core issue today, language. I’m going to be blunt, without the words you don’t have the concepts. Without the concepts, you have very little upon which to base your decisions. Meaning, your actions are likely to be random and ineffective.


A young man is arrested after a robbery of a convince store, when asked for his confession… which he gives because he doesn’t know he can refuse… he says, “I need money so I go to the store and say give me the money.”


Ok, many such men do not speak in full articulated sentences. But, many do only speak in present tense. And I believe this is a lot of why impulses are not self governed. If you think about it, if everything is present, you can’t be blamed for what has happened because it doesn’t exist, and you don’t have to fear consequences because the future isn’t.


Am I saying better language skills would lower the crime rate? … actually I believe they would. With words comes concepts and with concepts comes understanding.


And it’s not just the petty criminals that seem to be losing the benefits of understanding. Let us consider the protest of Chic-fil-A restaurants. Before I wade into this mine field, my position on marriage and civil rights is irrelevant so I will try to avoid it in this post. I should also say that the controversy do not inspire me to eat in their restaurants nor does it push me away. I try hard not to develop any new fast food addictions I do not already possess. For example I will not try the accursed rib sandwich…


So with that preamble, let us consider the protest of Chic-fil-A restaurants. What is being protested? I’ve read the articles claiming this is a first amendment issue …and those saying it’s not. I looked up the organizations that the corporation donated money to and all I can say is that if you think being opposed to same sex marriage is morally wrong; then yes, you are in opposition to the actions of this corporation. If you think that same sex marriage destroys the fabric of our democracy then you probably agree with their actions. If you hold neither extreme opinion then it is probably just a place to get a chicken sandwich.


Now, if you don’t like what a corporation does with its money, then you shouldn’t buy from them. If you don’t like the fact that a Nazi war criminal is on a board of directors, don’t buy the drugs. If you don’t like your products made by near slave labor, shop elsewhere. If you don’t like what a restaurant does with its profits, eat something else. And if you think the situation needs to change… change it.


And is that what we see here? I see a protest in the name of tolerance. And I ask, can an illogical concept yield rational fruit? Conceptually, no. But let’s see what the protests and “kiss-in” are actually accomplishing?


Protesters turned a probably heart felt comment into a movement. …Seriously a “Chic-fil-A appreciation day?” give me a break… People on social network sites are blasting patrons, franchisees and of course Christians in general.


And as a result sales at Chic-fil-A restaurants to jumped record breaking levels, and of course people who didn’t care were galvanized against same sex marriage. And this should have been anticipated. You do not win people over by insulting them or their beliefs. You’re not going to browbeat them into accepting same sex couples by extreme public displays of affections. You simply galvanize them against you.


Let’s face it if you desire to marry someone of the same gender you were already emotionally invested. If you don’t, the odds are you really don’t care. And I’m speaking in unfounded generalities. I know there are always people who look for causes or get sucked in because of friends, family or just the way their social conscious pulls them. But I think we can all agree that these people are the real minority.


We are a young nation not that many generations from the men who knew how to affect a change. We threw off a king and founded a democracy that has changed the world. And I guarantee you it wasn’t by pressing “like” on Facebook. People respond well to positive examples and poorly to name calling.


So, if you want to rant, rant … but if you want a rational result, take rational actions. Show people the benefit, or the lack of harm if that’s all you’ve got. Make a real plan, have a logical discussion. Ask the real questions. And if you want people to tolerate your differences, tolerate theirs. But if you must fight, as any good fencer knows, never attack into invitation.


There is an ultimate truth, even if we do not know what it is. And while one can be certain that all positions are not equally valid, reasonable men can and do disagree.


But above all, study, learn and think things through. This reactionary mentality that has infected our nation is tearing us apart.


Peace
Charles

Dad's Recipes

My dad and I shared the wood shop in the garage for years, even after I moved out. Obviously we shared the tools. But things like aprons, clip boards … these were personal. And I was thinking about it because, even though he’s been dead for a long time now, I still don’t use his apron or clip board and I make sure his hat is always where it belongs if it gets knocked down. But, yesterday my clipboard was out of arms reach so I grabbed his, carefully taking his notes off it so they wouldn’t get lost… then I stopped… and shook my head and went to toss them out. He wouldn’t need them and any projects he was working on were long past the point of worrying about completing.

But I thought better of it and sorted through the stack. Pitched most of it. But at the bottom were the various mushroom recipes he had amassed. Pickled mushrooms, canned dried etc.. For a man who had a file folder for everything his recipes were everywhere.

In fact, a few weeks ago while cleaning out a kitchen cabinet I found the sausage recipes my dad had acquired from my mother’s cousin Joey. We had used them when I was 14-17 to make … well sausage. It was strange because I had been thinking about them not too long ago as I went to make a kielbasa. Honestly I thought they had been left in the butcher shop we set up in southern Illinois.

So now I have a collection of various recipes I haven’t cooked with or eaten since my teen years. And I’m looking at the new one’s I’m working on in connection with a new product under development. And I think I’m switching directions. Now I’m going to incorporate it into old recipes. (Assuming they are as good as my memory seems to believe!)

Peace,
Charles

p.s. I had intended a tasting party for the beginning of the summer, but have just been too busy, anyone interested in attending on mid to late august let me know! Menu to be a surprise!

BYMS - 26

I was listening to a John Denver CD I got out of the $5 bin. Fantastic concert as it turns out. And he had ended with a song I don’t think I have heard since Dan and I raised a glass on June 25th 1997. And it made me think. For me it conjures an image of greatness, discovery, adventure, science, boldly challenging the unknown. I hope you can guess at the song… at least those of you in my age group or older. I suppose if the younger people can’t then the fault belongs to those of us who know.

But there is something sad and poetic in the fate of BYMS -26. Borne as a tool of war and when it was no longer needed for this purpose, renamed and relegated to the mundane task of bus duty. But then she was bought and “leased” to a French officer who had just left his exceptional navel career to found an oceanographic research society. For 46 years, this wooden hulled ship was at the forefront of oceanic study. Then an accident sunk her. She was raised. Her captain died. And in the decade that followed (give or take) she was left to rot while people fought over who got to claim of the notoriety of this ship. Even now, she lies in a state unfit for the oceans that she swept for mines and trolled for the hidden secretes in defiance of her namesake.

To me this morning, she is a symbol of the state of this world. This was a noble ship, built to defend lives, evolved into an icon of the search for knowledge and a vehicle to teach millions. Her life wasn’t about money. It was about doing. And yet her fate may have been sealed over the value of her name. Better I think if she was left in the sea to be a museum for divers.

Now I believe the Cousteau society has control of Calypso again having bought her from the decedent of MP Thomas Guinness for the same pound that was paid for her lease. But, I am sad, to me it is just more evidence that we live in an age without giants. Could a man like Jacques-Yves Cousteau lead and inspire in the world climate of today? If I look at what passes for greatness now … I doubt it.

Peace
Charles

Rare Moments

Break time. I need to pull my head away from my lab work for a few minutes – mental sherbet if you will – and I was just listening to some Jim Croce which reminded me of an experience from my long ago childhood. I had gone with my dad to help an old man in our neighborhood move to Southern Illinois. Actually I didn’t help very much, I was to young to be of much help and the guy was a pack rat like my dad, in fact I still have his meat slicer in my basement. I digress.

On the trip down state, I was in the car with the teenagers who had a tape deck,. and they popped in a tape of Jim Croce music. On the tape, were songs I hadn’t heard before or since. The tape, one of them said, was from a studio secession, an album he was working on when he died. I can’t say weather or not this was true? But it is plausible. Song writers always have something unfinished in progress.

Fast forward several decades, and I think about a tape my brother-in-law gave me of a radio interview of Garnet Rogers where he did a really beautiful song his brother had written but never recorded because it was too emotional. (Hmmm…. Where is that tape … I should digitize it.).

And or course, I think about the live concerts I’ve been to where some unique magical mix of music happened. All through my life there have been these unique moments, and they are not just limited to music – that’s simply what I’m thinking about right now. Life is full of rare experiences. Not all good to be sure, but so many of them are.

So, I guess I’m in the enjoy the rare treasures as they flicker past frame of mind. And with that, I should get back to work.

Peace
Charles

12 String

It’s time again for a post and I have several topics on my mind. So, I’m not really sure where this one will go. But I will start with this: When I was a child my father had a 12-string guitar. Over time, the neck pulled away from the block because of design flaw, although we blamed it on storage at the time. Over the years, the guitar was brought to a few shops to fix. Each saying it would take more to fix than it was worth and there was no guarantee of the sound, and each doing more damage in their examination.

Eventually it was a collection of parts. And, for the last 25 years it has lain in a closet in that condition. Yesterday, I was in a blue mood. So, I knocked off work early. I gathered the pieces and a donor guitar - another dead12 string - and I began to reassemble it. I carved a new bridge, rebored the neck, added new pegs added an acoustic pick-up and equalizer, etc. I have some work still to do. But after 25 years – it is finally a guitar again.

This has me thinking about the people I have known and how differently they react to this sort of thing. For example, I had some guests over awhile back and one of them saw this beautiful antique brass swing arm lamp. She fawned over it. Asked me where I got it, even speculated on the cost. But, when I said, I found it in the alley and restored it, without missing a beat she said wrinkled her nose and said something like “well, maybe your business will pick up and you’ll be able to afford nicer things.”

On the flip side, I’ve also been accused of being overly wasteful because I bought a new flat screen when I had working TVs. (And even once for throwing out a molded peach rather than cutting out the bad part!)

Some people think I just like to tinker and fix things. But the sink in my kitchen - which I will repair or replace as soon as I get the parts - would suggest otherwise. And most recently, I was told how cool I was for being ecological and rehabilitating of old broken things.

But, the truth is I have nothing against buying new and have no grand motive for fixing old. It’s just something I do. Nice is nice even if it takes a little work. And as for the guitar, it’s sentimental. The sound may never be great, certainly not up to the sound of my Guild. But it was my father’s and working on it reminded me of him.


Peace
Charles

The Metaphoric Refrigerator

Well it’s been awhile since I posted here. This year has kicked off really busy. I can’t believe that it’s already Mach! But I guess the year marches on whether or not we’re ready. Pun intended! But I have a lot on my mind this morning and it all surrounds the metaphoric refrigerator.

I may ramble a bit as I am not sure exactly where to start. So, I’ll start in the middle. Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the jazz band concert for one nephew and then a musical where another nephew was performing. Really, I am always struck by how much talent kids show. They do some really cool stuff. So, why are there so many gray adults? I really don’t know.

One answer may be that the fraction of kids that do sports, and theater and music and art and etc… remains the same fraction who do these things as adults. It’s just that active people mix with the grays in adulthood.

Another answer is that we just don’t have time as adults to do all the cool stuff we do as kids. Oh sure we can take an art class, join a softball team, but in the end we still have to work and make a living. So there is just less time.

But the answer I think most fits is that we as adults don’t get the praise and support that kids get. So, it’s just less fulfilling. And maybe this is true. A scribbled drawing that a six year old is praised for is laughed at in the hands of a forty year old.

And this does bring me to the metaphoric refrigerator. Most of us had this in childhood. And it helps us build our self esteem. It prepares us to believe in ourselves for the time when we have to stand alone.

I have seen those who did not have the refrigerator as a child become obnoxious adults just trying to hear, “Wow that’s good!” But as adults we simply do not have the place to hang our drawing and have some one ohh and ahhh. And it doesn’t matter what we are doing.

So why not? Well for one thing as adults we are judged as adults in the field we are dabbling. Everyone else seems to forget that when we are beginners, we are beginners. It doesn’t matter if we are children or adults.

And the truth is beginner’s often suck. It’s true. But all skills take time to develop. But, too often we never get the time for the skill to mature. Whether the cause is opportunity, desire or reward does not matter. Adults just don’t pour themselves into things like kids do.

Some people compensate for this by convincing themselves their scribble should hang in a museum. Some … most in fact compensate by not trying at all. And both lose the joy of true discovery.

So, my theory is that for those that are seeking the “good job!” a metaphoric refrigerator will provide them the validation they need, happiness and may or may not inspire real growth. And for the others who just don’t have the courage to try, the metaphoric refrigerator may be just the crutch they need.

Now, personally I have to say that I am blessed. I have had the time to indulge in artistic pursuits, the opportunity to learn and plenty of people to ooh and ahh over my beginning attempts. And my life is richer for it.

Last month, I had my first solo gig; three sets of original music. As a beginner, I think it went well. Friends, family and even some strangers came to listen. Did I meet professional contemporary standards? Certainly not. I am unpracticed. The distractions one faces in a live performance got the best of me and I screwed up at least half the songs. But I got enough of them right that I’ve been offered the opportunity for additional gigs.

So the question is this, do I focus on the flaws decide I’m not good enough and quit? Do I ignore the errors and pretend I’m good enough because people are willing to let me sing again? Or do I knuckle down, work on the flaws and become better?

Well despite the oh so many errors in my debut, I am not discouraged; actually quite the opposite. Most people have had really nice things to say after. And that’s a huge piece.

In addition, some of my musician friends gave me good technical critiques. I know what I need to work on. I’ve even had some positive feed back on the songs themselves from professional singer/songwriters. And the combination of all the encouragement, gives me the wherewithal to push past the flaws and become better.

I put my music up on the metaphoric refrigerator and got the needed “good job!” I also got the needed support. People who can, are actually helping me get better. And I am richer for it.
So, what’s my take away. 1. Try, learn and really put yourself in what you do. 2. Be honest. Don’t set yourself or other up for failure. See flaws and strengths. But 3. Remember beginners are beginners. Allow yourself your flaws. Encourage the strengths in others. 4. Understand that as even as adults there is a difference in vocation and avocation. You don’t have to be good enough to make a living to grow, learn and enjoy.

Life can be fun, things to learn, experiences to have. But we all do better with an “attaboy!” once in awhile. So we all need to give it once in awhile. When you’re friend shows you a poem she wrote, accept it for what it is. You don’t have to lie. In fact you don’t want to say it’s great if it’s not. That’s setting some one else for failure. But don’t shut her down either. Encourage.

And remember this too takes practice. Support and giving constructive criticism are also skills that need to be developed. So why not start practicing!

Peace
Charles