Earths cycles

The Earth has many cycles. Interesting to look at mass extensions that eliminated 80 - 90 % of life on earth.
Mass extensions occur due to extreme devastating climate change
Mass extensions occurred :
445 million years ago
350 million years ago
200 million years ago
250 million years ago
65  million years ago
And then you have today's climate changes
Strangely enough between 445 and 65   million years there has been 5 mass extensions, roughly 380 million years apart,  or on average every 76 million years. So we are 65 million years onto that average cycle of 76 million years. Wow, I guess that means we're safe...right? Well... I don't think I'd count on this... It's all pretty random.
But its a scientific fact that the earth is warming... Fact! The reasons are many, the primary reason is arguable. But average temperatures are going up, polar caps are melting, ocean levels are raising, weather patterns are becoming more severe, and all this has been repeatedly throughout earth history time and time again. Science indicates that these changes are occurring at a faster rate then past occurrences... and like throwing a switch, once a certain threshold is reached, changes can occur very quickly.
It's all the stuff that movies are made of.
Drastic climate changes in my lifetime... Probably not. For kids and grandkids hopefully and probably not. But in the scheme of it all, one thing is sure... humans are but a small speck of existence on the earth, over which we have no influence to avert natural disasters. Disasters like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, massive tidal waves, ice ages, worldwide pandemics, or asteroid impacts.
Mass extensions are part of the earths irregular cycles. So are we living on borrowed time? First, there's nothing you can do about it... so why worry. Cherish each day,  family, friends, and nature. Take it all in. You'll love happier and perhaps longer. Enjoy each day. For me, nature gives me great solace... from the mountains to the sea, valleys to the peaks, firefly's to deer, birds to the beasts, sunrise to sunsets, and the moon & the stars. Coffee helps a lot too! And pie... never forget pie. Y'all enjoy your day.

Childhood memories

Childhood memories... those wonderful memories. Sometimes of not so good moments. I remember them all... Vividly!
Some still ring in my ears.

Can't wait...

Can't wait to try this!
NO ONE EVER SAID!

Debt

Debt. We all learn to live in a world economy where debt is a way of life. Buy today, enjoy today,  and pay for it tomorrow.  Most of us use debt responsibility.  Some learn some debt lessons a bit harder, and take years of hard financial self control to responsibly dig themselves out of a hole. Others are totally irresponsible and use credit cards to maximize their ever increasing debt while evading paying federal and state taxes. Years of intentional abuse owing taxes and accumulating more and more debt.
The vast majority of people are responsible... paying their taxes and responsibility paying off their debt.
Then there's those that don't.
The solution is to virtually give them a free pass for their irresponsible actions.
Commercials on TV for credit card debt and taxes owed to the IRS offers to settle their debt for pennies on the dollar. Example: person owed $120,000 to the IRS settled for less than $8,000. Credit card debt written off by the banks and 19,000 free pass for $2,000 payment.
Did they merely make a mistake?  NO IT WAS A CONSCIOUS CHOICE!
Is it a mental sickness? NO,  AGAIN IT WAS A CHOICE!
Should they still have to pay? YES! EVEN IF FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE!
Debt relief and tax reductions in nothing more than legalized stealing.
I'm sorry... the rest of us pay for their abuse. No free passes... take everything they have... anything less is complete bullshit.

deja vu

There may be something to that feeling of deja vu and  having been someplace before... when you know you have never been there before. Sometimes just a faint fleeing recall of a place knowing what was around the before you got there. A faint feeling, a faint vision, and sometimes even sounds and smells. An unexplained attraction to an historical event... a feeling of a connection beyond todays conscious reality. The explanation? Supernatural or perhaps scientific?

Hard to believe?

It all seems to hard to believe...right?
Not really... but everyone is shocked and surprised.
Science knows and has proven climate changes over thousands of years.
Even in the last 50 years there's being discernible changes.
So lets be amazed and bewildered.
Higher temperatures / heat spells.
Records flooding, record wildfires, record droughts.
Record cold, records snows, record rainfall.
Severe storms,  tornados, hail storms, record lightening strikes.
Ice caps melting and seas level raising.
Decade after decade more and more changes from moderate to intense.
So the debate goes on...yes...no... how fast.
In reality, its not if, but when, and how soon.
Sooner or later there will be catastrophic changes.
Possibly threatening humanity itself.
Or at least life as we know it.

Last warning

Last warning... It's all fun and games...

What do you say?

What do you say to those that survive the loss of a lived one?
Well, thoughts and words to comfort & console just don't seem to exist. The old sayings that seem mostly cliche seem to have little worth. So, what do you say to comfort someone who has experienced the ultimate loss? Is the answer... nothing? I can not imagine my life if something happened to Shelly... I can not imagine anything that anyone could say to provide comfort. Life goes on, day by day, month by month, year by year, you  embrace wonderful memories, cherished those that are part of your life, and breath in and out... looking to new memories... not to fill the void... but to recenter your life and future. I can't imagine that it actually could get any easier... so there's no words or deeds to comfort. The greatest joys shared with that special person leaves the greatest void. So with a heavy heart, each day is filled with mixed of emotions... they say it gets easier to bear. Time doesn't heal all losses, it merely enables us to learn to  live again and cherish memories while reducing the emotional pain. Life goes on, hour by hour, day by day... breathe... knowing that you are in the thoughts of many... that just don't know exactly what to say to comfort you. Always wishing you the best.
The older we get, the realization become greater, that we are closer to the end than the beginning. The older we get, we see more and more of those in our lives pass away. What can be said to comfort those that lost a loved one?
Death surrounded me as a child. Three grand parents dead. Aunts and uncle's dead. Father dead. And shortly into my adult life, grandfather and mother dead. All blood family and relatives...dead. Death is no stranger... It's a cold hard fact of life. We all want to live a long life, but the longer we live,  the greater the loss will be.  Spouse, children, and possibly grandchildren, if you live long enough. How does one endure such losses? It's the price of living a long life. A life that by retirement, society has no ear for your voice... and you circle of friends becomes smaller and smaller until you are the last one remaining. Children and grandchildren, even great grandchildren have their busy lives. Memories stage off the reality that you are closer to the end with each passing day. The joys of a simpler life and nature make aging easier emotionally. My life from youth has been enhanced by family, but the solitary emotional self sufficient, self-reliant mentality has always been in the background. Growing old means little by little growing more lonely... simply  physical manifestation of getting old. How does someone live to be 100 and endure it all?
You make the most of each day, cherish everyone is still in your life, and live day by day... taking all the joys where you can find them. Cherish memories from the past, the present, and those yet to come. Planning your tomorrow's as if the end will never happen.

Classics...

The Classics never get old... No matter how many times you've seen them.
And... It's just in time for the Halloween season.

Still fun?

                                      Still fun?

You're invited...

You're invited to the party... seeya at the Mansion.

Perfect shirt

Here's the perfect shirt for me.
It also serves as notice to all that read it.
NOW YOU KNOW! Thanks J.B.

Neat idea

Very cool...

Simply beautiful

Simply put... most beautiful day.

Shorter days

As the days begin to get shorter, the sunsets becomes more vivid, the evenings a bit cooler, and even some trees are starting to drop some leaves. Fall is in the air and even the full moon on the night sky harkens the changes to come. So as we await the changing of the tree colors, warm days give way to cooler evenings and spectacular sunsets.

Disney magic

Disney magic... Halloween is no exception... in fact Disney Halloween makes the holiday even more magical. Starting in August... Yes,  August... Disney celebrates Halloween with the Not so scary Halloween party. Certainly will put you in the spirit.

Early?

Too early for Halloween?  Clearly its not! Stores are filled with Halloween decorations and related food items are everywhere too. So it's our too early to be thinking Halloween... in think not! Decorations for house & home are unpacked and in the staging area. Mental plans are formulated for the decoration rollout. Bidding my time... biting at the bit ... just waiting until the decorations can go up outside. I'm thinking September 15th? Maybe sneak a few up September 1st. Thinking the caution tape... "Hazzard... Radioactive...Danger" ...  "Do not enter".
Idoeno... maybe just some pumpkin treats for now.

Careful...

Careful... fun & games...

When darkness falls

When darkness falls...

Tick-tock

                                   Tick-tock... tick-tock...

Mansion party

Party in the Mansion... The Haunted Mansion. Dinner and a dance... hosted by the Bride... accompanied by 999 ghosts. Halloween starts early at Disney... And it wouldn't be complete without a visit to the haunted mansion.

Fairy tales...

                  Fairy tales always have happy endings.

Fun & games

Sure... have your fun...

Baltimore baseball

Watching the baseball game between Baltimore and Boston. Notice how carefully I phrases that comment... not saying watching the Orioles play baseball. The last two seasons, plus this year, the Orioles continue to trade any most of the good players. It's all under the premise that they are sacrificing (that's a baseball term) the current team for the future of building a younger better team that can develop into a contending team once again. So when I questioned this, as many other fans have, we have been told the we don't understand anything about baseball. What I do understand,  as many fans have, it's not much fun to watch the Orioles be the second worst team in baseball.... Especially when it seems that the Orioles do everything to make sure they are among the worst. This is reflected by the fans since attendance is third worst in the league, according to this article. So, are they truly working to build the team of the future by what's happening the past three seasons? Perhaps.. but how long will the fans support the team via attendance or watching the team on tv? Apparently fans via attendance indicate that things have reached their limit.
I been thinking about the first "Major League" movie where the owners got rid of all the good players, to have the worst team in baseball, so attendance and fan support  would hit rock bottom,  so they could move the team to another city. Seemed like a far fetched notion.. and then this articles appeared. Maybe ... not just a feeling.

It's all fun...

It's all fun...

Around the World

Around the world at night.  Epcot is our favorite park to enjoy a relaxing evening just walking around talking in the sights.  It never gets old. So beautiful after the sun goes down and the lights go up.

Your hands...

It's all in your hands...

Delightful merchandise

Seemingly more diversified and more exciting than Christmas,  Halloween merchandise is only limited by imagination. Wow... so many wonderful and spooky things from costumes to decorations and everything that goes bump in the night.
Perhaps the excitement of the imagination to create everything Halloween coupled with the imagination of the intangible ... the feeling of something supernatural... the freight factor of the imagination for what's lurking in the shadows, hiding under the bed, or staring in your window from the darkness. Then there's simply the fun if it all.
Merchandise, costumes, parties, and celebrations. There's many ways to enjoy Halloween celebrations...  the ultimate as far as businesses... Disney does it right. Merchandise... decorations in the parks... and the ultimate Halloween party in the most magical place on earth. And to ensure that the masses all have the opportunity to enjoy the party... it starts in mid August running through October 31st.
Magic Kingdom's... Mickey's Not so scary Halloween party highlighted by the ever popular parade. It's their best special event....not to be missed.

It's in your hands

It's in your hands...
(shared from a Facebook site)

In the stores

In the stores early. Every holiday sees stuff in the stores earlier each year. It's not even mid August yet and stores are already putting Halloween stuff our for sale. And not just a little,  but entire sections showing up big time. Like Christmas, Halloween merchandise is a huge business.  And every store wants to get the upper hand,  and early sales, before the competition.  Early Halloween merchandise seems to build the excitement until October 1st when the excitement is no longer contained and everything and everyone goes full force into decorating for the month long celebration culminating in that special day... It's Halloween .
This is Halloween season. Cooler weather,  campfires, hot chocolate,  cinnamon apple cider, scary movies.... flickering candles and spooky stories.  Homemade Halloween treats, everything pumpkin spice, colorful decorations, pumpkins, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, and witches. Frightful spooky sounds and music. Decorating the house inside and out, and fun and scary costumes. It's all fun and games... At least until someone gets a terrible fright.
In the stores... plenty to choose from... seeya in the stores.... until that knock at the door... when you hear... "trick or treat". Me... I'm storing up all those  frightful tricks to go with those treats. All magic comes with a price... And so does Halloween candy.
Be afraid... be very afraid. And if they run away before they get their treat... Well,  that's just more for me. 

Bursting...

Bursting at the seams? Yes... day by day... step by step... inch by inch...
Mentally... ready, willing, and able for Halloween .
I know, is still only August... but Halloween stuff is popping up everywhere in the stores. Setting the mood. Halloween is just not one day anymore... not even just October anymore... but stretching back into September, as early as the first day of the season changing to fall.... and sometimes even before.
Each day the anticipation grows. Plans are formulated and refined... with each passing day. Movies and treats are just the beginning.
Movie night with special treats to set the mood.