First of all, don’t make the mistake of thinking this is simply incompetence. That is a factor, but it’s not the only one. Massive forces are at work within our government to destroy America. That is no longer merely a suspicion, but fact. This empty husk was deliberately placed there because he is of course, incompetent, and malleable within that framework of incompetence, and yes, they KNEW he was cognitively declining, and he has only been getting worse. Perfect opportunity for the destructive minded evil folks working inside the government, the so called Deep State. These people are the products of America hating college professors who have indoctrinated them into the same loathing of America and what it stood for (note the past tense). Ok, probably still stands for, but certainly not within the government by a majority of them. Our schools have become a training ground of hatred disguised within a facade of “progressive” thought. Our miitary is being slowly but surely neutered by these dam evil people, by incorporating ‘wokeness’ into military doctrine. There is only one purpose for the military. To break shit and kill our enemies. Except now our enemies are within the government. The military was never meant to be a platform of social engineering. But it has become just that. Now we have Gen. “Thoroughly Modern Milley”, a woke general (those words make me want to vomit and break things simultaneously) in charge and seemingly only concerned with “white rage” (whatever that might be?) and not with blowing shit up and killing the enemy. When we lose focus on that, and hamstring our troops, we get… what has happened in Afghanistan.

Joemama Biden gave a pathetic and weak presser the other night, HOURS after the event, and weakly tried to lay the blame for it on Trump. Really Joe? Please explain that logic. This is on. you. Completely. Granted, the adults are no longer in charge, there are the children with socialist idealism actually calling the shots in the White House now. VP Kneepads is again, conveniently out of the way, doing…I really don’t know what, but sources inside the administration have confessed that she works hard at keeping away from any work whatsoever. Don’t believe me? As evidence, I point to the bang up job she has done with the ‘immigration’ crisis on our southern border. Nothing. Accomplished. Just biding her time to become president. In point of fact, SCOTUS has reinstated the law of holding people at the border (the Mexico side), and although it’s probably an impossible task, all illegal immigrants found will be arrested and returned to said border to wait it out on that side.

But, I digress. The White House, that is to say, the president and all his underlings actually running the show, have broken faith with the American people, the military who literally and repeatedly put their lives on the line. Those who have paid the ultimate price, as in this past week have done. They have flouted the Constitution, but of course, thats just an old piece of paper to these scumbags. Though they gladly trot it out and call it a ‘living document’ when it suits their agenda. I will say it, loud and proud here. They have committed high treason against the United States of America, but giving aid, comfort, advanced weaponry and ammunition to the enemy. Yet Biden defers to them as if they are the legal government of Afghanistan. People who are actively killing, in the most horrible ways. Afghan citizens who have aided us in the fight, will be killed. Horribly. In ways you cannot imagine. American citizens are about to be ADANDONED (yes, Jen Psnarky) in that country, where they too will be used as political leverage, and then also killed in horrible ways you cannot imagine. Because they are psychopathic bloody minded madmen that you cannot negotiate with. The only thing that can be done with these assholes is to kill them.

There WAS an agreement in place with them, not coincidentally, altered by the current occupant of the Oval (because OrangeManBad [tm]) that would have allowed everyone to get out safely, ahead of the military, from a secure airport that Biden abandoned WAY too soon. But he gave that decision to the State Department. Diplomats. Not military experts. Because they’ll continue to agree with us, right? So, because they are in charge, and the military has to follow orders, this is what has happened.

Which brings me to my next point. Why has NO ONE in the upper reaches of command stood up to expose this folly? Because they have placed career minded cowards in charge of the military. There was a competent Lt. Col. of Marines who put his rank, career and future financial standing on the line to call them out, which he did. These cowards have relieved him of command and rest assured, he will be forced out. THAT my friends, is true courage, because he knew this would happen. That is the sort of courage demonstrated by the founding fathers of this country. But even then, it was only a small minority of people who stood up to an insane and tyrannical inbred king of England.

Joe Biden, because the Chinese have paid him millions of dollars through his crack smoking hooker screwing son, is completely and totally compromised. This is also fact, but not reported by the news media who continues to prop up this empty suit. The man can barely even read a teleprompter, and has to refer to note cards of various subjects to form even a half assed reply. Constantly is referring to being ‘instructed’ to only call on certain journalists. Instructed? By whom? If you think he is actually in charge, you are ignoring the obvious.

Are we in too deep and too late? I don’t know. It remains to be seen. I can guarantee that things will most likely get worse. I pray that I am wrong. It is time to stand together as Americans, and not let the media, the politicians, and the Deep State bureaucracy divide us. There are some who cannot break away from the programming. Well, they’re hopeless so don’t bother. In my experience, there are still a majority of Americans who still hold our values dear. Find them, and encourage them to remain steadfast.

Meanwhile, POTUS Joe Biden, this is all I have to say to you.

Much water under the bridge. Many times I’ve thought, I really need to start blogging again, and also… and also…

So here we are again. The fuzzy creature pictured above has come into my life this past year of Covid BS and lies. Made it bearable. She is really a genius dog, which makes me work hard to keep at least one step ahead. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ll be doing more of this, but for now, it’s nice to be back. Jackie Blue the Tactical Heeler also says hello people. She loves people. Everyone. It’s a good way to be.

I tend to look at the events of my life in a rather philosophical manner.  Yeah, I’m one of ‘those’ people.  Things happen for a reason, and no, not just because I make stupid or bad decisions, though I am, as we all are, guilty of that from time to time.  I am someone who believes in a higher power, and that this higher power, if we let it, will guide us through our lives if we just…get the hell out of its way.  Not to say I believe in fate, or why should we even get out of bed in the morning, right?

2016, and to a large extent, 2015 has been a giant shit show, not just overall but personally.  Now that isn’t to say it’s been a total loss either, as I have so many things to be grateful for, even for all of the crap that’s happened.  I had a relationship go terminally south and sideways all at the same time.  I had a dear friend become ill with cancer who was dying, only to turn around and go into remission ‘spontaneously’ (there’s a reason for the quotes, but that’s another story all together), I had some issues from my past come back like a steam roller, which due to the nature of them, I cannot and will not go into just yet.  Negotiations there are somewhat delicate so we’ll just leave that alone for now.  Recently, employment changes and an employer who I had been thoroughly enjoying working for, suddenly becoming…less than honest in their dealings with me.   I guess I may find out about that later if I am patient and just leave it alone for now.  I usually do.

The relationship thing…well, like I said, I usually find out the truth of a thing down the road once I let a thing go long enough.  Apparently this past Thursday was the day to find out about that.  We all know what it’s like to be blindsided, but this was unexpected and when you find out you’ve been lied to and betrayed at a very deep and personal level…let’s just say I reacted in a very primal way.  I have since deleted the Facebook post.  Probably for the best.  At the same time, I am starting a new job.  “They” consider these things stressors, and in this case I agree.  I enjoy(ed) my previous job very much, and the circumstances surrounding my involuntary departure (no I wasn’t fired…but it’s complicated) are upsetting and not nice.  To be very blunt, going back to the EMS world wasn’t my first choice.  There are a number of fly by night operators in the area where I live and choosing the right one was sort of like throwing a dart at a board, given my lack of knowledge but I aftera bit of research, I think I got very lucky (Thank you Ryan!) in landing where I did.

I’m feeling a bit twitchy on an emotional level as a result of all of this, but at the same time, I feel like I am clearing the decks, so to speak.  I think maybe it’s time to stop wandering the world and be home for a while, and live a somewhat normal life.  I don’t know where that’s going to lead me, but as my friend Clint asked me, am I at peace with this, and the answer is yes, I am.  It seems to be the right thing right now.  I go with that ‘gut feeling’ on a lot of things and it’s always led me into the right path in life.  Sometimes life hands you the things you need, versus the things you want.

Some of this sort of points to the thing I mentioned that I said I can’t mention…so to speak.  I’ve been getting the feeling that this is getting closer to some kind of resolution, one way or another.  I don’t know which way it’s going to end up.  I know which way I’d like it to end up, but that’s out of my hands.  Time will tell.  But, if all of this clearing of the decks is happening for the reasons I think it is, then perhaps it is heading in the way that I hope it will.

So what’s my point?  Shit happens.  It’s often for reasons we can’t always comprehend while it’s happening, and it often seems unfair, or it seems as if the universe is kicking the crap out of us while we’re down.  I think we need to look deeper than that if we feel that way because sometimes life is handing us valuable lessons, if we can make ourselves open to them.  Hard lessons are the most valuable.  Yes, they make us feel like shit, but those are the lessons that stick.  Complacency kills.  A sword is sharpened when it is rubbed against a stone.  There are some challenges ahead that frankly I think are necessary, and so…forward and onward and eyes open.  Now excuse me while I dust myself off here and pick the gravel out of my teeth…

I’m angry.  Like really angry.  Enough to drop F bombs, and not to care.  I don’t care if you don’t like it, and I don’t care if it offends the sensibilities of those who this is aimed at either, because amongst the F bombs I am going to drop some fucking Truth bombs.  Those are the things that some of you seem to cringe at the most.  Because you place your trust in politicians who continue to lie to you and you can’t see through it, because they say they are fighting for YOU!  Let me start with the first Truth Bomb.  They don’t give a flying fuck about you.  What they do give a flying fuck about is getting, and maintaining their positions of power.  They will solicit donations of millions upon millions of dollars of Other Peoples Money (even though they are filthy rich themselves) to brainwa…er, convince you that they are fighting for your best interests, which of course is a load of horseshit.

I have been personally vilified by the left (as have many other gay conservatives, and yes there are many more of us), but not nearly as much by the vicious queens of the gay left when they find out this little fact.  They will accuse us of self loathing, being closeted (I am not, obviously), being mentally deficient, mentally ill, and nearly anything else their twisted minds can come up with.  Not to say that conservatives aren’t capable of the same vileness because they are.  Particularly those of the more fundamental religious bent.  I particularly  love it when they call it a ‘lifestyle choice’…when for almost 30 years, I gave it my level best to try to not be gay.  Then their little craniums explode when I ask them when they chose to be straight.  But, craniums explode on both sides of the political spectrum when they find out about this which is entertaining at times, frustrating at others.

What I am specifically angry about is the shooting in Orlando at the gay nightclub.  Not because I am gay (which I am), and not specifically because it was at the hands of an Islamic radical (which it was, and yes I am angry about that too).  What am I angry about, specifically you ask?  Glad you asked.

I have endeavored to make leftists in general comprehend the hatred that the muslim extremists have for those of us in the west, and especially the gay leftists (which of course is an oxymoron).  They reflexively counter with the argument that not all muslims are ‘that way’.  Yes, I know this.  Why would I include them in this conversation?  I have a muslim friend who isn’t insane and so why would I include him in a conversation about the insane ones.  Moving on…  I’m talking about the extremists of course you dolts.  Stop defending them generically and lets talk about the ones who will kill you at the drop of a hat, who will throw you off a building or behead you for being gay.  Enter the denial, the vilification, the accusations of racism (even though Islam isn’t a race, nor is it hardly even a religion), what an ignorant conservative moron I must be to say such a thing then end the ‘discussion’ with a venomously delivered “Namaste” as if it actually meant “Fuck You”.  Don’t laugh, it actually happened to me once.  Well then, I guess I better not tell them I am a concealed handgun permit owner and carrier.  Oh wait, I did, didn’t I?  Yes, well, that makes ME a terrorist doesn’t it?  I guess their legendary Tolerance only extends so far.

Invariably, when I have these conversations with anti-gun progressives, the conversation turns to how THEY could never own a gun because THEY are afraid they would shoot someone in a fit of anger.  Therefore, no one else should own a gun, right?  Well, dear fragile emotional little progressive snowflake, just because you don’t trust yourself with a firearm, doesn’t mean everyone else out there is ready to go on a mass shooting at the snap of a shoelace.  Personally, I’ve never been tempted, it’s never even entered my mind to solve a problem that way, even though, to a progressives mind and standards, I’ve had plenty of reasons to do so.  To my mind and morals and to every other responsible gun owner, none of those things can justify the taking of a human life.  The only thing that can, would be to defend my life, or that of another innocent life.  It’s a curious paradox that a person of a ‘progressive’ bent would do so over a petty argument, and yet not to defend themselves or another.

What does this have to do with the shooting in Orlando?  Glad you asked.  Mind you, I am deeply saddened by the loss of life.  I am sad for the families of those killed.  I am, however, finding it hard to find sympathy for my gay ‘brethren’, who if they knew what I have revealed to you dear reader, would line up to parrot the others in their derision of me like a bunch of school marms.   Yet, if I had been there last night, with my concealed handgun, and defended myself and subsequently, them, to stand behind me and cower, and MAYBE even thank me, grudgingly, for saving their sorry asses because they didn’t have the courage to get the training to get their own concealed handgun permit so that they could defend their own lives should such a thing happen to them.

Am I bitter?  Maybe a little.  Maybe a lot.  I am angry and I believe I am justifiably so.  I can’t tell you how many times I have told these same people that this would happen to them (meaning in the generic sense) one day, and that they might wish one of ‘us’ might be there, armed and ready.  Gay people are already a target, and even more so now with the influx of so many ‘peace loving’ muslims whom the government has admitted they cannot possibly vet.  But they cling to the notion that the government, the police, will protect them because laws.  How did those laws work out for you this early morning in Florida folks?  Do I sound callous?  Well, I sort of hope so.  I hope I’m pissing people off.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I am.  But they already were pissed off at me so I really don’t fucking care if they are more pissed off.  They really need to be pissed off at a government and politicians  that are seeking to infringe more and more, daily on our right to protect ourselves.

This is why I do not support the left, or even the conservatives, and why I do not support gay causes.  At all.  They, specifically the gay community, have done exactly nothing to support me.  They have crucified me publicly for daring to speak up about what I believe.  Their legendary Tolerance only extends to other Progressive weakling dependency monkeys.  So Fuck You Very Much.  Don’t expect me to support you, or defend you.  Not until you show me that you are willing to learn to defend yourselves and stop depending on a government that doesn’t give a wet shit about you.  As William F. Buckley once said, “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”

If I’m getting through to some of you, then good.  If the thought of getting into a concealed handgun certification class is intimidating (and it is to many people, gay and straight) then here is a link to Pink Pistols, a gay friendly organization with chapters across the country who can help you get certified in a friendly environment.  I also know people here in Colorado who can do so, not part of this organization but I can guarantee they are gay friendly because they are friends of mine.  Leave me a comment with an email and I will put you in touch with them.

I leave you with this little nugget to ponder for the month of June, nationwide.  As well as my own parting shot.  I fucking told you so.

I was just reading my last entry. A year goes by very quickly doesn’t it? I had hoped to be more productive here, but well, life happens.  Anyway, I was watching that same X -Files episode mentioned in my last post.  Something about it really pulls at my head.

It’s been another year of ‘interesting times’, to use the old Irish curse. Not that it’s been bad, just interesting. Lessons being learned, it seems that a lot of my life is passing through a transition into…something else. I don’t really have it all fully formed in my head just yet, so this won’t be very deep, meaningful or has it ever really?

The relationship I mentioned, well…for next time perhaps. Suffice to say it was a painful episode and I’ve spent the past year licking my wounds.

Some other things popped up in the middle of that, and well…more on that later. Maybe. As I say, this is probably nothing more than half formed ideas, but I feel like I’m on the verge of some new understanding. I have a mission on the near horizon to accomplish, and just maybe that will clarify some things in my mind. At least I hope so. You dear readers, will most likely know if it does.

So, for now, this is just a placeholder. Sorry it’s so short, but it is what it is.  Writing is also pulling at my head again, but ironically I don’t really have that much to say, at the moment anyway.

This is more like the germ of the seed of an idea that is just now being thought about being planted and I’m wondering where the hell it’s going to get the best sunlight.  Or something like that.

Well, this blog is about photography isn’t it?  Also about life, the universe, everything, 42…

I wanted to post this image as a reminder that persistence pays off.  I’ve grown rather fond of the many hawks and raptors that we have in Colorado.  I love shooting them, even though they can be fiendishly difficult to capture. (Dam you kestrels!)  I haven’t been out to where they live much lately, and they’ve grown wary of my presence…again.  Nothing like hauling out a camera with a huge lens attached only to see them fly away.  Of course, their eyesight is amazing, and I can only imagine what that lens must do to them when they see it.  I managed to get pretty close to this young redtailed hawk before he got nervous enough to fly away.  But apparently not nervous enough to fly right past me.  Fortunately, I’ve gotten used to this lens and am learning to pan effectively with it, and I finally have the settings on the camera dialed in that I was able to pan, autofocus and grab a few nicely focused images of this one in flight.  It’s a big beast of metal and glass, and yet strangely manageable.  With practice.

I didn’t want to keep pursuing him as he was hunting for dinner, and I didn’t want him to have to abandon the prime hunting site that he had staked out.  It’s a field full of prairie dogs, that I fondly call the hawk buffet.  Must be pretty easy pickings for them because I see them along this area frequently.  All those fat little snacks on four legs for them out there.  Yummm…..  At any rate, I was pretty happy with the few good shots I got that didn’t include power poles and power lines in the image, so I called it a day.  Mission accomplished.

Photography is like that sometimes.  We don’t always get the shot we want, or have set out to grab.  Remember to look behind  you.  Sometimes there is something there that we didn’t expect that might be way better that what we set out to find.  In this case, I got what I was after.  However, we should stay flexible, because there is always something else out there to capture in that frozen moment of time that becomes a photograph.  That’s one of the many reasons I love photography.  I count myself lucky to live in the photographers paradise called Colorado.

Life can be like that too (Ha, told you this blog was about life).  Sometimes things don’t always work out the way we want, but it almost always works out the way it’s supposed to.  Like photography, we have to be open to other options, other opportunities that we had not previously considered.  Yea, I know, it sounds like the old saying about one door closing but another window opening.  Sometimes we do have to crawl in through the window, but when we do, we find a treasure of opportunities that we didn’t consider previously  (Wait, did I just use the ‘window of opportunity’ as a metaphor without thinking of it?  I think I did…).

Well.  42 it is.  Keep  your head on a swivel.  Life is just like that sometimes.  I’ve been feeling like a window is about to open in my life.  I have no idea what it is, or where it will be, but I’m trying like hell not to miss it.

Well, I did it.  I moved my old blog over here to WordPress, and glad I did.  I felt it was time for a change and a different approach to blogging, for me at least.  In other words, time to stop doing the same thing over and over.  Who knows what will come of it, but I have some projects in the works, and some of the blogs may or may not be related to them.  But as the tag line says, I may post about things I even understand.  No matter what happens, I plan to do something here weekly, even if it’s just to say hi.

I have just imported all my posts from Blogger over here, in case you are afraid you missed anything.  My apologies for the mixed up fonts, I can only hope that time will sort this out as I’ve selected fonts in this template.