IT'S THE LAW!

From this day forward you will be required to not just show tolerance for the differences of others. Nay, you will be required by law to genuinely embrace the customs, cultures and lifestyles of everyone that you come into contact with or suffer the consequences. The consequences could include hefty fines and in some cases jail time. Love thy neighbor! It's the law.

How did I get here?

How did I get here and where in the world am I going? http://lance1964.blogspot.com/2015/04/how-did-i-get-here-and-where-in-world.html

Older Blog

My name is Lance http://lance1964.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-name-is-lance.html

How did I get here and where in the world am I going?

Well, I have now made it past the half century mark which sounds weird. Where am I? Currently I'm in the Charleston, South Carolina area. Seriously though I am a husband, a father, grandfather and a car salesman. If you had asked me twenty five years ago if I knew where I would be at fifty I would have told you that I have no idea. The reason being is that I really had no direction. I was really trying to figure it out as I went along. I was poking in the dark with a stick trying to hit something.  I can't honestly say that I had a defined direction or purpose. Why I didn't I don't know or rather I can't pinpoint one reason. I'm sure if I looked at it closely it would be obvious that I was broken, unsure, prideful, lazy and afraid.
So why am I telling you all of this?  Well simply put I know that the burdens I carry and have carried are not a whole lot different than yours. We all have our own story and our own baggage. The good news is what happened before today is only valuable to you as  experiences that you learned something from, nothing more. I think I heard Zig Zigler say once that "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."
It does not matter what your age, sex, color, creed, religion or national origin is you can accomplish anything you want. It all starts inside you with a belief that you can accomplish what you want to accomplish. The first step and sometimes the hardest step is getting out of your own way. The next obstacles you have to go around, up, over, under or through are the people around you. Make no mistake if you don't believe there are doubters naysayers and people with terrible attitudes out there stop what you are doing pick up a rock (not a huge rock) and throw it any direction and you will hit one. Here's the deal though if you feel like your stuck right now in your life and you do nothing the chances are very good that you will be stuck tomorrow, next month and ten years from now. You'll just be an older stuck person. Is that what you want to be? I have made the decision not to be that person. If I can do it, you can do it. Find your passion or rediscover your passion and get busy pursuing it. You have nothing to lose so go after it with that it mind. You need to feel lucky, get out there and make your own day. Thank you Dirty Harry.

Something for everyone

I just got out of the shower... http://lance1964.blogspot.com/2014/04/i-just-got-out-of-shower.html

I just got out of the shower...

I just got out of the shower and I felt inspired to write something. I have solved many of the world's problems while in the shower but this is the first time I got out and immediately laid down my thoughts. I've been having a terrible time lately with the pollen in our area. So much so that I have developed a big time sinus infection. The doctor put me on an antibiotic today coupled with an antihistamine/decongestant and nasal spray. I just realized a few minutes ago in the shower how bad my olfactory senses had gotten when it struck me that I could actually smell the manly fragrance of the body wash I wash using. My sense of smell had been dulled because I have been literally breathing in and swallowing all of the pollen that mother nature has to offer. It enveloped my sinuses passages, blocking, irritating and ultimately infecting them. This is a great example of a good thing gone bad or too much of a good thing. Pollen is of course a good thing and plays and integral part in the circle of life here on our planet.
In a similar way I believe that government is a good thing for our society particularly the Democratic Republic government that we live under here in the United States. It is useful for maintaining infrastructure so that we can maintain clean water and air. Government through the use of our taxes also maintains roads and highways so that we can all go about our business. We rely on government to protect us from harm both foreign and domestic by use of our law enforcement and military. We have also tasked our government with the limited ability to aid those in our society who cannot take care of themselves.
Here is where the picture gets blurred. For some reason our government believes that not just some of, but most of us cannot take care of ourselves. This goes for individuals and corporations. The government in this country right now feels mighty important. Well I have news for you government. You work for us and you have your place in our society and that's where you need to stay. You have proven time and time again that encroaching too much in the lives of Americans only gums up the works and brings us down much in the same way that too much pollen in the sinus cavities will bring down the human body.
What's the cure for America's ills? Quite simply, Americans. We have been down before and have picked ourselves up and become stronger for. It was not so much our government that saved us in the past but the unbeatable human uniquely American spirit.
There is a great reckoning coming among the people of these United States. Eyes are being opened and people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Politicians on all levels be forewarned, if you're overstepping your bounds the light will be shown on you. If you think you hold all the cards up there in your ivory towers you are mistaken. The dialogue is open and flowing and "we the people" are becoming more and more aware that the country is not moving forward. Unfortunately though at this point collectively we don't know what we can do. Many people feel powerless and are of the opinion that they cannot make a difference. The powers that be feed off of that sense of hopelessness and gain strength from our despair.
That said, the first thing that all of us need to do is to be more optimistic and try to maintain a more positive attitude. Collective optimism creates positive energy motivating us to take action.
Activity that creates forward mobility equals progress which gets us closer to taking our country back. If we can put our heads together we can dictate what we want done to our elected officials and no longer have it the other way around.
This is a grand idea, but is it possible? Possible, yes. Anything is possible. Probable is the question. Many of us will not make a move based on a possibility. Probability on the hand is the game changer for many people because there is a chance for success.
I believe that the probability is good that we and not the government can right ourselves. Do you?

Grandpa me?

It looks like today I will become a grandfather. Wow, that sounds strange. Part of me says "Hold the phone a minute! I'm too young to be a grandfather!" Of course that is obviously not so because I am now forty-nine years old. In some circles I would probably be considered a latecomer to the grandfather world. Particularly in the Appalachian region of the United States. No offense to you Appalachians. I'm just being a wiseguy.
Truthfully though I am very excited about being a grandfather. I am very proud of my step-son Ryan and his beautiful wife Hamlet. They are going to be great parents I just know it. Ryan is my step-son, but I couldn't love him more if he were my own flesh and blood. We met when Ryan was eleven and I'm proud to say I played an important role in his upbringing. Flesh and blood or not he is a part of my legacy and today he will begin his own legacy. How cool is that?
My wife Karen is super-excited about being a grandmother and this baby couldn't be getting a better one. Karen is a school teacher and she has a gift when it comes to relating to children. I've seen her in action. It's kind of magical really. This baby boy will be blessed by his lola. Lola is Tagalog for grandmother. Karen decided on Lola because Hamlet is Filipino and it sounds cool. She even has a T-shirt already with Lola emblazoned on it.
Everyone keeps asking me what I want the youngster to call me. I initially said Mister Morrison would be fine. Not everyone found that humorous. As far as I'm concerned he can call me whatever he comes up with although I really like Pop. My old pal Dennis White is Pop to his grand kids. Dennis is one of my favorite people of all time so I'd like to be a Pop too.
It is truly my hope that this child grows up to be all that he can possibly be. I will do my best to help show him the way. I'm sure in the great tradition of grandparenting this kid will be spoiled rotten at our house.
So today I turn the page to start a new chapter of my life. Stay tuned for updates.