Jay Toups

Lovable, gentle, wise and wonderful 15 year old Mr. Chu passed away on Sunday, July 18. He’d been suffering his age for a while, so it was a relief to have him go peacefully in his sleep to the heavenly doggie playground he so richly deserved. We’re going to miss him!

Chuman was an inspiration to all on matters of general dogginess, exhibiting unconditional love, patience, understanding, tolerance, having a good disposition, and self discipline. He was my best doggy friend from the time we laid eyes on each other back in 1996 or so, when Paul Boruff brought him over to my place to see if I wanted him, talking about “…otherwise it’s going to the dog pound!” Young pit bull had been wandering around a small park near Paul’s house and needed a home. One look at those frightened, curious puppy eyes and I was his.

He was well liked around the neighborhood, always on his best behavior, even when visiting dogs would challenge him with a nip and a ferocious bark. He seldom got angry, and when he did it was for a good reason and usually over in about ten seconds. He was an equanimous doggie. He was good even when he was bad.

I have lots of pics and video of Chu to remind me of my precious years with this marvelous animal. Goodbye Mr. Chu.

Young bear out looking for food; turning over rocks and casting his nose wherever he can in search of calories.

Lapwai Lane Shredders Club Summer House Concerts

Sunday July 11:

Raina Rose Trio w/ Anthony da Costa

www.rainarose.com

Potluck: 6 p.m. Showtime 8 p.m.

Friday August 27:

Mitch Barrett

www.mitchbarrettmusic.com

Potluck: 6 p.m. Showtime 8 p.m.

Shows are $15 in advance, $20 door

More info

How fitting for a large-scale environmental and human disaster to happen in the good old polluted USA on Earth Day, 2010.  It is a vivid reminder of everything the United States has yet to learn about taking care of the planet.  And it offers a compelling reason to reconsider Barack Obama’s recently announced plans for “limited” expansion of U.S. offshore oil and gas drilling.

With today’s massive explosion and complete destruction of Deepwater Horizon there’s been a tragic loss of human life, and the threat of an oil spill that could really make a mess of the Gulf of Mexico.

Think big oil is going to put the brakes on deep water drilling because of this? Think again.

Link to NYT article

You’re part of the solution. Well, technically we’re all parts of the environmental problem and the solution. But are you more “problem” than solution?  Take a good look around at all you and your family or business associates consume and throw away each day; I’ll wait.  See, that didn’t take long. Your lifestyle is a problem because it creates a good deal of solid waste. It’s an American thing. But don’t take it personally. Here’s how you can be more of the solution.

Don’t change a thing. Keep driving, keep throwing away your trash, and continue generating what is generally considered to be a problem (solid waste, tailpipe emissions).

Some enterprising company will find a way to take all that we throw away and turn it into a water soluble, biodegradable mixed alcohol fuel you can put in your tank; and get more power and mileage to boot.

Oh wait, some enterprising company already has.

Whatever happened to truth in advertising? I found the original Walmart Fan Club ad on Facebook deeply offensive and complete devoid of truth.  (I added the word “Avoid.”) First off, one does not—cannot—save money at Walmart.  One spends money at Walmart. That’s the only reason people go there.  And one does not live better because of Walmart. One dies faster and fatter because of Walmart’s smorgasbord of cheap goods, most of which are exceedingly bad for one’s health.

Then I asked my Facebook friends a rhetorical question:

Is this like being a fan of Exxon?

Well, is it?

Of course, we’re all thinking about you today Mom. Our thoughts made all the more wistful knowing that your dear nephew Gene was also put to rest in Ipswich, England early today.

Thanks for all you did for me, our family, and other people and animals in life, and what your memory continually inspires with the passing of years.

“When the foo shits, have the composure to say “yum.”

- Me

If you could fit the entire population of the world into a village consisting of 100 people, maintaining the proportions of all people living on Earth, that village would consist of:

• 57 Asians
• 21 Europeans
• 14 Americans (North, Central and South)
• 8 Africans

There would be:

• 52 women and 48 men
• 30 Caucasians and 70 non-Caucasians
• 30 Christians and 70 non-Christians
• 89 heterosexuals and 11 homosexuals

6 people would possess 59% of the wealth and all would come from the USA

• 80 would live in poverty
• 70 would be illiterate
• 50 would suffer from hunger and malnutrition
• 1 would be dying
• 1 would be being born
• 1 would own a computer
• 1 (yes, only one) would have a university degree

If we looked at the world this way, the need for acceptance and understanding would be obvious.

But, consider the following :

If you woke up this morning in good health, you have more luck than one million people who won’t live through the week.

If you have never experienced the horror of war, the solitude of prison, the pain of torture, were not close to death from starvation, then you are better off than 500 million people.

If you can go to your place of worship without fear that someone will assault or kill you, then you are luckier than 3 billion (that’s right) people.

If you have a full fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are wealthier than 75% of the world’s population.

If you currently have money in the bank, in your wallet and a few coins in your purse, you are one of 8 of the privileged few amongst the 100 people in the world.

If your parents are still alive and still married, you’re a rare individual.

If someone sent you this message, you’re extremely lucky, because someone is thinking of you and because you don’t comprise one of those 2 billion people who can’t read.

And so,

Work like you don’t need the money.
Love like nobody ever hurt you.
Dance like nobody is watching.
Sing like nobody is listening.
Live as if this was paradise on Earth.

Share this message with your friends.

Bypass those who are determined to see the worst in the world no matter what.

If you don’t send it, nothing will happen.  If you do, someone might smile while reading it, and that will be a positive.

And apart from the above, have a nice day.

- Thanks to Mark R. for forwarding this gem, author unknown.

Passive aggression can be a terrible thing when you experience it firsthand from another person. I think you’ll be seeing lots more of this form of anti-social behavior from people as the economy deteriorates further and the pressure to maintain one’s personal status quo and lifestyle increases. I certainly am experiencing it.

Recently a person I believed was a fairly close and trustworthy friend decided to end our friendship in a rather spectacular manner. Even though he’s the one who blew up the friendship for no reason in particular, he blamed it all on me with a searing email that basically took me apart, piece by piece. “I’m selfish. People don’t like me. I don’t do anything for anyone. My pessimism is stifling. My politics are insane.” (He’s a Republican.) I’m a fierce independent who doesn’t cotton to party lines or parroting what I’ve heard somewhere else. Yea, having a personal opinion and the guts to lay it out, I guess that’s insane.

M’kay…So it’s pretty hard to be friends with someone who now thinks that low of me. But I won’t return fire what I could say in response because I still like the guy, in spite of his crudities and massive failure to cope. I think he’s under pressure to keep his life from blowing to smithereens because his family’s overhead is far larger than his family’s income. He could lose his house.

I “caused” it just by being myself, not for having done anything in particular, just for being who I am. Who I am is apparent within an hour of meeting me. It doesn’t take three years to discover what I’m about and form an opinion. I see myself as being like garlic and onions. You either like me or you don’t. Just don’t act like my best buddy for three years, then blow up and expect me to believe the incredibly personal criticisms.

I’m going to keep the sunny side up in all of my interactions with other people even if the other guy goes Ape shit.

*Other People’s Shit

Jay’s Analogous Hierarchy Of Social Shit™ (1st Wipe) (2nd Pass)

• Chicken Shit
• Bull Shit
• Elephant Shit
• Ape Shit

Want to be a social animal, adroitly ascending the proverbial ladder or at least stay put, and hone your natural sensitivity for all kinds of social interactions, occasionally going “deep”, while adeptly keeping even the shallowest friendships and contacts with other acquaintances sunny side up? Me too.

I really need to develop a better nose for detecting the type of shit I’m hearing, or reading. My online and offline social life could well depend on it.

So world, behold what I believe are the 3 4 fundamental political, rhetorical and social interactive devices of our time. It seems much of what dribbles in spurts and gushes from the minds, fingers and mouths of people online and off is classifiable into distinkt, readily detectable buckets of crap. Very much like the odoriferous emanations which flow regularly (and oh so abundantly) from the backsides of the aforementioned animals.

Sure there’s good stuff to be had in almost all the categories. That’s the whole point of human interaction isn’t it? Richness and loamy variety to please the intellectual appetite, not too cheesy or too volatile. But sometimes, what comes from other people needs to be carefully examined and managed before you digest it. So take a deep breath and read on!

(continue reading…)

In Montana, short visits can turn into long ones.

In 1998 almost everyone worried about the Y2K issue.  It turned out not to be a big deal.  Then came September 11, 2001, which continues to be a big deal (at least for some), and our rosily naive American outlook began to crumble across the board, eroding by the day.  Wars, killer hurricanes, and economic calumny ensued. 8 more years pass and today we’re worried (some terrified) about almost everything: the climate, the economy, and the environment.

It’s all gotten much worse, hasn’t it? Oh, you haven’t noticed? Been living under a rock? How about in front of a television? What mainstream media is serving up might not be the whole truth.

Can you see, learn about and appreciate the world better by staying put and browsing your way around the world? Would the world be a better place if more of us stuck closer to home and practiced what is often our worst skill: Internet computing? The answer from my perspective is a definite yes!

By inclination, and twelve years of work-at-home conditioning, I see our world and interact with other people from a very different angle as a telecommuting techie type.  Face time is a rare luxury to me because we live in the woods, and all my clients live somewhere else. Online is it. So when I do interact with people in the real world, it’s a treat because I’m not living among the teeming hordes. As a result I’ve lost that weary, urbanized social fatigue somewhere along the line…I’m not tired of people. Yay! Life among people is a carnival and I have the energy to enjoy them.

For most people I know, travel is something that happens almost exclusively in the physical world, such as driving to work and back each day. Or going on vacation, or “expeditions” to far flung corners of the world.

Online travel? For most people it’s limited to shopping at Amazon (online mall if there ever was one), and Facebook excursions, where people can hook up and exchange one liners across great distances, mostly. Facebook has become the new email on steroids, easier to use, and with words, pics and videos posted in full view of one’s friends, which makes it even more stimulating. But it’s kind of like cotton candy. Tastes good, but gives you no nourishment, save for the few people who take the time to comment or post their own stuff.

After 12 years of working from home here in outer Montana, I’m sure my perspective isn’t just a paranoid Kaczinsky-esque delusion fueled by too many lattes or too many hours years working alone. (I’m down to 1 cup of java a day, so that’s definitely not it…and I’ve been making sure to get out and interact with real people instead of mailing them bombs.)

In the meantime, our world suffers ever more dearly from the byproducts of our supposed freedoms. Travel (at least in a car or truck) is a big nasty byproduct! Until mankind learns to stay put, we’re screwed. Got it?

Recreation, online or offline, is where you find it. And so is a contrary thought to stir the conscience of anyone who ventures here.

Yearling buck takes a grazing break and relaxes under our carport.  I think he likes red!