Don't be like Brad.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Be Adventurous and Try New Things
Be adventurous! Try new things! That's always been my motto.
Today, I tried gluten-free pizza. I may be less adventurous going forward. ;-)
Accountability In Politics
Conflict of interest is status quo for this new administration. Today, Speaker Paul Ryan said that he didn't see any reason why Rep. Devin Nunes should recuse himself from the Russia investigation (an investigation that Nunes has done everything in his power to derail). The Republican Senate blocked President Obama from appointing a Supreme Court Justice. Now they want to ram through confirmation of their own guy.
Is there no accountability in politics anymore?
Friday, March 24, 2017
Why Won't We Try A Single-Payer Healthcare System?
According to an article published by Bloomberg on 28 September 2016, the US healthcare system ranks fiftieth out of fifty-five countries for efficiency and effectiveness. That's dismal performance for any country, but when you consider that we have the world largest economy, it seems even more pathetic.
The article is linked here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-29/u-s-health-care-system-ranks-as-one-of-the-least-efficient
Canada ranks 16th. It's not a perfect system, but it's a lot better than our mess.
Australia ranks tenth. Japan is fourth. And in first place, Hong Kong.
All of those countries have single-payer healthcare systems. Here's the big question: Why wouldn't we want to try to emulate their success?
I am quite confident that insurance companies in Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, and Canada make plenty of money. I'm sure that investors and investment firms in those countries make good returns. A single-payer system is not going to destroy capitalism.
If you want to succeed, model someone who's already accomplished the goal that you're trying to achieve. At the very least, we could give it a try for some period. If after five years we don't like it, we can return to the failed system that we have today.
At candidate Trump once asked: "What have you got to lose?"
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Gluten-Free Lifestyle
You see a slice of bread or a roll or a pizza crust. I see a powerful narcotic that's going to put me into a coma for the next twenty-four hours.
Such is the gluten-free lifestyle. :-(
Such is the gluten-free lifestyle. :-(
Anti-Diversion Therapy
How can I help someone today? What can I accomplish? What projects can I attempt? What good things can I make happen?
What positive, productive activity can I do in lieu of wasting time on pointless or self-destructive diversions?
Let me ponder these questions for a bit. I would like this to be a day to remember.
What positive, productive activity can I do in lieu of wasting time on pointless or self-destructive diversions?
Let me ponder these questions for a bit. I would like this to be a day to remember.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
In Solidarity With London
Sending heartfelt sympathies to the people of London, one of the world's greatest cities and a place where I have experienced much joy.
Warm and Pleasant Times
The springtime sun shines brightly
But a chilling north wind blows
When warm and pleasant times will come
Only heaven knows
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
New York Minute 54 - Graffiti Assassin
While waiting for the subway last evening, I noticed a woman using a marker on one of the advertising posters hanging on the side the platform. She was small, no more than five feet tall, wearing a coat with the hood pulled up. She waited for the train to approach, left her mark on the poster, and then walked quickly to the far end of the platform.
As the train approached, I walked over to see what she had written. The six-foot-wide poster was an advertisement for a movie or a television series, one that I hadn't heard of previously. In the bottom center of the poster are the male and female leads. I don't remember the man's name, but the woman is a well-known actor named Amanda Peet.
The woman with the marker didn't write anything legible, not did she attempt to draw some sort of image or design. All she did was to scribble black ink over the face of the female actor. The left the man's face untouched.
The vandal deliberately targeted the face of the woman in the advertisement. Why is anyone's guess, but I have to admit that it unnerved me. This was a hateful act, and whether it was directed toward a specific woman or at the female image in general, it reveals serious emotional issues in the mind and heart of the perpetrator. Let's just be thankful that this cowardly criminal's weapon of choice - for the moment at least - is nothing more damaging than a magic marker.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Monday, March 20, 2017
Spring Has Sprung!
Spring has sprung! The bright half of the year has begun. May all of your prospects be sunny!
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Dealing With Problems
You can hide from your problems, deny that they exist, or distract yourself by keeping busy. Nothing will improve until you face the truth.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Anger vs Depression
Anger jolts us awake and spurs us into action. Depression maroons us in bed and makes us feel guilty for doing nothing. I'd rather be angry.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Friday, March 17, 2017
A St. Patrick's Day Memory
It was the most improbable of encounters. My band was about to play the first set of our Saturday Night gig. We were on stage and ready to go - our lead singer was a stickler for starting on time.
I felt thirsty. I unstrapped my bass and set it on the stand.
"Where are you going?" the singer asked (predictably).
"I need a drink."
"It's ten o'clock. It's time to start."
"I'll be right back."
I walked over to the bar and asked for a coke. - I never drank alcohol when I performed. I wanted to be sharp and focused.
As I waited for my drink, I noticed a stunning brunette sitting on the bar stool beside me. I said "Hi," in a polite and not overly enthusiastic way. She smiled shyly and glanced down toward her drink.
I asked a daft question. It was a private club, so I inquired as to whether she was a member. I didn't understand that the members were all men, but ladies were always welcome. She smiled but said nothing.
I paid for the drink and walked back over to the stage. The singer didn't look happy, but once the music started, we locked into our usual effortless groove, and all was forgiven.
On our first break, I chatted with friends who had come out to see us. I didn't think to go back over to the bar. The lady hadn't seemed particularly interested.
The second break was at midnight. I needed a refill on my drink. The beautiful brunette was still sitting at the bar where a girlfriend had joined her. We made our introductions.
I would learn later that the two of them had planned leave early and head over to another establishment. The brunette decided to change those plans after I said my awkward hello. Apparently, she wanted to see if I would come back over talk some more. I nearly blew that opportunity.
On the third break, the lady handed me a cocktail napkin with her number on it. I called a couple of days later, and we enjoyed a warm and lengthy chat. More calls followed included one that lasted until 5:30 in the morning. We learned a lot about each other that night.
We had our first date and then our second. A few weeks later, she came to see my band play again. I got to know more of her friends and her family, including an adorable niece and nephew who were about five and six at the time. Things were going well.
I fell in love with that lady. I asked her to be my wife. She is the mother of my child and one of the great loves of my life.
A chance encounter can change everything in profound and lasting ways. I have no idea what my life would be like today if I hadn't set down my bass and bought a coke - over my band mate's objection. But I am honored beyond measure to be the father of that lovely lady's son, a kind, intelligent, thoughtful, productive, funny, fascinating, caring, committed, and delightful man. I am thrilled beyond words every time I hear that man call me Dad.
Trust your heart. When it urges you to say hello to someone, say hello.
Trust your gut. When it tells you to do something, do it, even if the timing seems all wrong, even if your friends complain.
Life is short. Opportunities are precious and maddeningly fleeting. Take a chance. Dare to be bold. Make peace with risk. Act without thinking, if you have to, and speak from your heart.
Give yourself permission to fail, gloriously and publicly if it turns out that way, and then get up and prepare yourself to fail again. You can always have a laugh about it later. Your friends will howl when you tell them the story.
In life, you won't get a chance unless you take a chance. There's no reason to hold back, no reason to hide, and no reason to settle. And none of us are getting any younger.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, and may the luck of the Irish be with ya!
I felt thirsty. I unstrapped my bass and set it on the stand.
"Where are you going?" the singer asked (predictably).
"I need a drink."
"It's ten o'clock. It's time to start."
"I'll be right back."
I walked over to the bar and asked for a coke. - I never drank alcohol when I performed. I wanted to be sharp and focused.
As I waited for my drink, I noticed a stunning brunette sitting on the bar stool beside me. I said "Hi," in a polite and not overly enthusiastic way. She smiled shyly and glanced down toward her drink.
I asked a daft question. It was a private club, so I inquired as to whether she was a member. I didn't understand that the members were all men, but ladies were always welcome. She smiled but said nothing.
I paid for the drink and walked back over to the stage. The singer didn't look happy, but once the music started, we locked into our usual effortless groove, and all was forgiven.
On our first break, I chatted with friends who had come out to see us. I didn't think to go back over to the bar. The lady hadn't seemed particularly interested.
The second break was at midnight. I needed a refill on my drink. The beautiful brunette was still sitting at the bar where a girlfriend had joined her. We made our introductions.
I would learn later that the two of them had planned leave early and head over to another establishment. The brunette decided to change those plans after I said my awkward hello. Apparently, she wanted to see if I would come back over talk some more. I nearly blew that opportunity.
On the third break, the lady handed me a cocktail napkin with her number on it. I called a couple of days later, and we enjoyed a warm and lengthy chat. More calls followed included one that lasted until 5:30 in the morning. We learned a lot about each other that night.
We had our first date and then our second. A few weeks later, she came to see my band play again. I got to know more of her friends and her family, including an adorable niece and nephew who were about five and six at the time. Things were going well.
I fell in love with that lady. I asked her to be my wife. She is the mother of my child and one of the great loves of my life.
A chance encounter can change everything in profound and lasting ways. I have no idea what my life would be like today if I hadn't set down my bass and bought a coke - over my band mate's objection. But I am honored beyond measure to be the father of that lovely lady's son, a kind, intelligent, thoughtful, productive, funny, fascinating, caring, committed, and delightful man. I am thrilled beyond words every time I hear that man call me Dad.
Trust your heart. When it urges you to say hello to someone, say hello.
Trust your gut. When it tells you to do something, do it, even if the timing seems all wrong, even if your friends complain.
Life is short. Opportunities are precious and maddeningly fleeting. Take a chance. Dare to be bold. Make peace with risk. Act without thinking, if you have to, and speak from your heart.
Give yourself permission to fail, gloriously and publicly if it turns out that way, and then get up and prepare yourself to fail again. You can always have a laugh about it later. Your friends will howl when you tell them the story.
In life, you won't get a chance unless you take a chance. There's no reason to hold back, no reason to hide, and no reason to settle. And none of us are getting any younger.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, and may the luck of the Irish be with ya!
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Dubious Advice
Have you ever seen someone giving advice and thought, "This person shouldn't be giving advice"?
Words and Actions
Words can't unsay what actions have spoken. Actions must speak for themselves.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
A Light In The Darkness
No matter how much darkness is around you, always shine a beautiful light.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Time Well Spent
There are two ways to spend your time: You can spend it on activities that move you forward or on those that don't.
Would you like to have a glimpse into your future? Look at how you're spending your time today. Are you taking steps to improve your career and your financial situation? Are you engaging in activities that strengthen your personal relationships? Are you developing skills? Enhancing your knowledge? Taking care of your health?
What would you like to change in your future? Would you like to have a more fulfilling marriage, a more rewarding career, better health? Would you like the chance to travel? Would you like to accomplish something that's always been important to you?
Change the way that you are spending your time.
It's important to maintain a balance between advancement and enjoyment. The objective is not to make every minute of your day productive. Obsessive activity leads to burnout, general unhappiness, and potentially, poor health and failed relationships.
That said, most of us can afford to scale back on unimportant tasks and unproductive relationships. How many times a day do you need to check email or social media? Could you scale it back a bit? How many times a month do you need to meet friends or colleagues at a bar? Could you cut back enough to take a class, read a book, of squeeze in some workouts?
And when you do dedicate time to productive tasks, make sure that you are using that time efficiently. Studying for two hours while watching television is not as efficient as focusing on the subject for an hour without distractions. Make the most of your time, even your productive time.
It's hard to break habits. It's hard to not look at your phone, to avoid television, to refuse a tempting invitation. It's even more challenging to distance yourself from people who waste your time.
Resolve to make small changes in your schedule, to monitor your progress, and to continue to look for ways to accomplish more in the time that's available. That's the best that any of us can do. Fortunately, if we dedicate ourselves to using time more wisely, it will be enough.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Happy Women's Day
I love women. I have loved women all of my life. I have adored and cherished and idolized women since long before I actually wanted to date one.
I was raised in a family of strong, intelligent, independent-minded women. Even in childhood, I had enormous respect and appreciation for the gifts and the blessings that those women brought into our lives.
Women fascinate me, not just with their beauty, but with their sensitivity, their capacity for nurturing and supporting those in need, and with the astounding insight and power of their intuition.
Women are delightful in countless ways - their empathy, their ingenuity, their emotional expressiveness, their creativity, their curiosity, their sense of humor and sense of style.
Women are proud, dependable, dedicated, sensible, skillful, organized, productive, bold, and brilliant. Women remain open and receptive to the ideas and feelings of others, in good times and in challenging times.
Women are courageous beyond measure, navigating their way deftly and craftily though a world where they always run the risk of encountering physical intimidation from males.
I adore women, their bodies, their hearts, their minds, their taste in all things artistic and their sense in all things practical. I relish the wisdom of a woman's thoughts, the depth of her feelings, the warmth of her embrace, the ecstasy of her passion, and the enduring encouragement of her friendship.
A woman will touch your heart in her most vulnerable moments as readily as she will allure you when she is at her most glamourous and powerful best.
No matter where you are in your life or what you happen to be doing, your experience of any given moment will be enhanced and made more special, more memorable, and more fully realized when you share it with a woman.
Thank you to all of the women who raised me, taught me, befriended me, loved me, consoled me, supported me, inspired me, listened to me, encouraged me, and shared in the adventures of my lifetime. To each of you, and to every special, wonderful, loving, and uniquely beautiful woman in this world, I salute you, honor you, and wish you a most Delightful and Happy Women's Day. I wish you joy and happiness and fulfillment on every day of the year.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
You Should Be A Feminist
If you are a man who loves and appreciates women, you should be a feminist.
Saturday, March 4, 2017
New York Minute 53 - Hot Cab Cold Morning
It was cold this morning, one of the coldest mornings of the winter. I jumped into a cab because I needed to get to my destination quickly. The cab driver had his heater set to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
I don't mind warming up after being out in the cold, but I wasn't expecting a sauna. I had to roll the windows down to keep from sweating. - It's dangerous to have damp clothing in cold weather.
Then the guy turns onto a route that I know will lead through Times Square. Why would anyone drive through Times Square with all of the crowds and construction and security there? I took a cab because I wanted to get somewhere quickly, not to take a joy ride or simmer at eighty degrees.
I instructed the driver to follow a different route. People drive me crazy sometimes.
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 126
Watch the rising sun
Believe that anyone can
Fall in love again
Believe that anyone can
Fall in love again
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 125
He went down in flames
Saying one of the Lord's names
Not so sure which one
Saying one of the Lord's names
Not so sure which one
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 124
Words just come to mind
Then I write them down like this
They mean what they mean
Then I write them down like this
They mean what they mean
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Friday, March 3, 2017
Haiku 123
You will reach the light
At the end of the tunnel
It just takes a while
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 122
Elevate my teeth
To a higher realm of clean
Transcendental floss
To a higher realm of clean
Transcendental floss
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Good Mood
You know that you're in a good mood when you walk out of the office singing Stevie Wonder's 'Sir Duke' at full volume, your voice echoing down the corridors as colleagues wonder what drugs you're taking.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Haiku 121
It's a long story
Before I tell you the rest
Pour another drink
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 120
It's ridiculous
How good we are together
The love of my life
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 119
Don't lose hope my friend
You can do it if you try
Just get back to work
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Haiku 118
We had such good times
Why do some friends drift away?
Seems to be life's way
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Haiku 117
If I'd only known
That it was our last goodbye
So much more to say
Copyright © 2017 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
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