What I've Learned Continued...

In other news, something is happening right under our eyes. a little battle is starting to rage between the light and dark side of the American consciousness. The dark forces known as ‘the Bush Administration’ have most of the free world in the grips of an almost paralyzing fear of what they might do next. They sit and watch and silently pray for a miracle, that somehow, anyhow, the dark forces that are holding America captive will be defeated. The civilized countries around the world voice their concern politely, with levity and lightheartedness, but with fear in their eyes and in their hearts; they are afraid to do anything or say anything, as we all are, because as everyone knows, the dark forces that control this administration, now have control of all of America’s weapons of mass destruction, all of America’s money, and they have shown over the last three years very quickly and resolutely,  that they will break every law, every treaty, every agreement, and every basic human understanding that we have come to over the last fifty years. all of the world’s hard work and effort and millions of lives lost in order to create a better more peaceful world are being tossed aside like yesterdays news by these new age terrorists. It is a new kind of terrorism that the world is witnessing now. Right here in America. 

Last night on the Grammy's, in his acceptance speech, Chris martin of coldplay made a simple comment about looking forward to our new president Kerry. Sting snickered. It is ‘that thing’ that is on the tip of every thinking person’s tongue these days. People aren't holding back anymore. Its like a little war is being fought. On the streets and in the press. And out of the blue comes this quiet soldier. A more valiant candidate for president I don't think we have had in decades. A war hero AND an anti-war protestor all in one? Is it just a dream? Could it be real? If it is true, I mean, if he is real, then he would be the epitome of the evolved American mind. The best that America has to offer itself and the rest of the world. Someone who gladly served to defend their country, who started out on one end, and came out on the other, on the side of the light. There could be no better example of why America is such a great country as this if he is for real. 

Here's a bit from CNN:
“Kerry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1966 and served as the officer of a swift boat that patrolled the Mekong Delta. He left Vietnam in 1969 after being wounded three times. He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple hearts.
His campaign Web site says Kerry became an antiwar demonstrator because he believed that decisions "were being made to protect those in positions of authority in Washington at the expense of the soldiers carrying on the fighting in Vietnam."
In 1971, Kerry and other veterans threw their military decorations and dog tags onto the steps of the Capitol.
"This was an organization of men who risked their lives in Vietnam, who considered themselves totally patriotic," Fonda said of Kerry's antiwar group.
Fonda also dismissed attempts to link Kerry to her controversial antiwar past with the photograph as "a dirty black propaganda tactic."
"My reaction is that the American people have had it with the big lie," she told CNN Wednesday. "Any attempts to link Kerry to me and make him look bad with that connection is completely false. We were at a rally for veterans at the same time. I spoke, Donald Sutherland spoke, John Kerry spoke at the end. I don't even think we shook hands.
"I'm tired of the government lying. I'm tired of people desperately pulling out anything that they can do to hurt another candidate, and I think that the American people feel that way, too," she said. "It's a bunch of hogwash."
But the president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Bobby Muller, said Kerry has strong support among Vietnam vets.
"We have been contacted by veterans across the country [asking], 'How do I connect to the Kerry campaign?'" he said. "I have not seen in the 26 years that I've been in Washington, ever, the kind of dynamic and energizing of a Vietnam veteran community in this country as I am right now."
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The old spook said write. So I write. Take little notes whenever something comes to mind that I have learned over the last ten years. Since the last “void.”

And from all the writing, the smoke has started to clear. The fog is lifting a bit. Just from the writing of it all.

A lot of the things I have written about are so vague, so general. A little voice whispers in my ear to write more personal, more specific.... so what else?

Sometimes you gotta walk away. and sometimes you gotta run away. sometimes you gotta just throw it all away. Just bail. Don't look back. I've learned this too.

On a lighter note,
Spreadsheets are important.
External backup drives are important.
Anti-virus software is important
Budgets are important
Espresso is important
Fine wine, Brie, and chocolate are all very important

I have learned that good friends are one of the most important things in the world. But friends can change. And that's o.k. sometimes we change and they don't. And that's o.k. we can move on. Sometimes they change and we don't, and that's o.k. too. We can allow them to move on.

I have learned that family perhaps is the most important thing in the world. To me at least. I used not to think about family too much. I used to think that money and parties and fame and getting girls and seeing the world were the most important things. But I've been rich, and had some fame, and gotten some girls, been to lots of parties, and seen the world, and I would trade it all for a home-cooked meal from my mom, or to share a smoke and a brandy with Beav or just sit and watch a good movie with him, laughing our asses off.

As we all get older, we get married and have children. Some of us do. and the more married and the more children that we all have, the harder it is for people to just get together and be goofy together or simply hang out. I have noticed this.

Speaking of all of that, I have learned something else. Be careful who you marry. Because they may end up raising your kids one day. And your family is pretty much marrying them too. so you have to be careful. There’s no going back. a good marriage can inspire and lift you up. a bad marriage can haunt you the rest of your life.

And about divorce. We have to find a way to let the stigma of it go. Realize that it isn't the worst thing in the world. Divorce happens. it doesn’t have to. but it does sometimes. And that's o.k.

People can move on. They can be o.k. with who they are and the decisions they make.

I'm noticing a pattern to all of this. That for every rule, for almost every axiom of truth, there is the other side of it just as true, depending on the circumstances.