Wrapping up the week

Image: Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Charlotte, North Carolina - USA
Moose 135

Most Friday nights find me watching airplanes land and take off. As a child my parents would take us to a special overlook to see them up close and personal. The airplane in the first photo is directly across from the overlook.

Back in those days we weren't "International," but my how things have changed. A lovely spot, and we'd often take a picnic basket. The best entertainment in the world. We would run around screaming when those big engines roared.  These bigger fellas came later - I was grown and off to college.

So there you are! I head into the weekend thinking about airplanes. Charlotte has four runways... many flight paths! Over 4.3 million people went through Charlotte last year. Over 42,000 flights. It never gets old.

  









 Have a great weekend!

Alzheimer's: "I'm not gonna miss you"

Image: Feelings - Ann Croon

Music has always been a part of life for me. Not just me, but other fellow bloggers paint, write, and do other artistic renderings with a background of music.

Music is part of many surgical rooms and wards. Some patients even request music to be played during their post op time. So began my search that expounded on the value of music and illness. I was rocking along until I came to the Alzheimer Disease - the one that slowly robs one of precious memory. Many years of research but as yet no cure. No one panics when they can't remember something - they whip out an iPhone... right? Plenty of jokes available!

I came across a video of Glen Campbell - a country music artist from the 1960's onward. I wasn't a big country fan but I liked many of his songs. This video was intriguing as he recorded two years ago... back when he was still able to speak, much less sing. Occasionally he can play guitar and it fascinates people that he remembers the cords. The song is the from the perspective of the sufferer. He acknowledges that friends and family will suffer along with him, but he won't know it. "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" says it all.

It's quite thought provoking. Listen if you have the time.

I'm Not Gonna Miss You

Can Life Cheat Us?

Do you ever feel that life has cheated you? Are the naysayers right, that remaining positive makes it all worthwhile, in the end? Is attitude everything?

You know the question: why do bad things happen to good people? I look at the flip side: why do good things happen to bad people?

Is there fate? Are there muses? Do you hear a voice that leads the way? Have you at your current age, decided on a belief that gives you comfort and understanding of this world?

I'm older and more grounded. I'm content when stress is absent. When it hangs around I stand my ground even though I'm human and prone to weakness.

A moment of doubt does not define me, although I sense I'm a part of something greater than I cannot define. I seek wisdom - the only thing that gives meaning. Having it grounds me, and allows me contentment in the face of adversity.

I'm older but the journey continues. In the big scheme of things I'm young, and therefore continue seeking.

Has life cheated me? Sometimes I have thought so. Then somewhere down the road I received a reason for the "disappointing " moment. I'd like to share a song. I'm not pushing beliefs; just listen to the words and apply it to your own idea of life, and the idea that we can be cheated. Can we?

http://vimeo.com/17239912

No time

With all of today's technology and ways to communicate, we have become a very distant world. At the touch of the fingertips - a message can be sped off into the wireless night. Heaven help you if you're expecting an answer within 72 hours. (Some say I have more time than they do.) Really? Aren't there 24 hours in a single day for everyone, equally? (Oh, but you  know what "we" mean? You have more free time.) No I don't. Please explain. Long ago I figured out that time is not free. You can waste it all you want, and you'll never get it back. You might as well enjoy whatever you do... whether in work or in pleasure.

Here's my point. I take four seconds to text a "Hello, how are you?" message. Why? Because you don't have time for face to face or telephone conversations. Now! it's not even worth a minute of  your time to answer? You could say, "Fine, hope you are." You could say, "Busy, but okay." See how few seconds that took?!! Yet today I run into this attitude from everywhere. It's pandemic. No time.

But let my phone ring or receive a text message? Heaven help me to rush back an answer to you. Let me memorize all the latest abbreviations. BTW, LOL, OTW, OVA.... etc., to infinity and beyond!

Maybe I should let you know that most of the time... my phone stays in the desk drawer. Yes it's on. And the land line has voice mail too.  But I was busy, and you were right... 72 hours isn't that long of a wait after all.    :)