A reminder for today about doom, gloom, and worry

Friends, this one is going to be short and sweet, but I believe it’s come to me for a reason. There is no shortage of posts, opinions, op-ed pieces and the like predicting everything from imminent nuclear war and the horrors that would follow to the collapse of our country/your country/civilization, to what is commonly abbreviated as TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It). Images abound of pain, suffering, and the never ending tide of mankind’s inhumanity to other members of mankind. It’s little wonder that so many are falling into a seeming never ending spiral of despair, depression and feeling that nothing is going to get better and we’re all doomed.

I ran across this article and it had such an impact on me that I will now post a link to it here. Don’t be misled by the title – it is NOT what you think. Trust me. Read it and see. God grant that, like me, it lifts someone out of that cycle and helps them realize that there IS still beauty in the world, that like “Doctor Google,” constant ingestion of media, social media and internet is NOT good for you, and that we all need to remember to stop, take a breath, and appreciate the bonds of love and joy that we have between our friends, our family and the people around us.

God bless, my friends.

https://mashable.com/article/doomsday-clock-2022-probability-of-nuclear-war

Apologies for the absence! WordPress issues

Just a quick note to let everyone know that my absence this time around was not of my own doing! Apparently it was my turn on the wheel for a known issue with WordPress – namely that of their SMS messages (which I used for 2 step authentication to get into my account) not reaching people. That, combined with the ridiculous hoops I needed to jump through in order to finally reach a live human being in their customer service department just to be able to log into my account again, made it difficult for me to get on and post; more so with other things that have been going on. Needless to say I’m still here, hale and hearty and will be posting again soon!

God bless, my friends!

A heads up for my readers, and an encouraging word at the end.

This one’s a short one, but I’ll begin by saying that to any and all of my readers who celebrate Thanksgiving, I truly pray yours was a relaxing and enjoyable time filled with family, friends, food, and celebration of all the things so many of us have to be thankful for each and every single day. Mine was, and I am grateful for it.

As you can see by the image attached to this post, I am a firm believer in the rational, experiential view that no one is a racist, criminal, or bad “just because.” Sadly, the Salvation Army; a group that has been on a downward slide as far as being anything resembling a “Christian” organization for some years now, has taken the opposite view and is joining the ranks of those who say that you can be racist – or, indeed, you ARE, automatically – JUST because you’re white.

NO. Just NO. There’s only ONE “because” that follows “you’re a racist” and that is ‘because you choose to be.‘ No one on this Earth is born a racist, is born hating others because of their skin, or is born feeling others are inferior. It wasn’t that long ago that all blacks were described in these kinds of terms and it was, rightly, decried and shouted down.

My, how times change.

No matter who you are, no matter your nationality, ethnicity, skin color or any other aspect of who you are, remember that simple fact. Neither you nor anyone else walking the face of God’s Earth is a racist because of their skin color. You, me, or anyone else is, if we are, ONLY because we choose to be.

Oh, and if you’re going to find a group to give to, make it someone else besides the Salvation Army. I think it funny that they’re so willing to put down people because of their skin color but I’d wager they won’t go so far as to turn down their donations.

God bless my friends.

https://www.newsweek.com/salvation-armys-donors-withdraw-support-response-racial-wokeness-initiative-1645658

Using the past as an excuse

I ran across an article in our local paper today (https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/realestate/article/Ashokan-Reservoir-eminent-domain-16527923.php) that described in lurid detail an incident that happened in our area over 100 years ago and yet still caused “generational trauma,” “heartache” and the like to the descendants of those who experienced it – many of whom still cannot drive by the area because of the resentment it causes them (on behalf of those people from a centry ago). What was it, you ask? A mass murder? A horrible tragedy or fire that claimed the lives of hundreds of children or some other massive and unspeakable horror?

No.

It was the fact that NYS exercised its legal right of eminent domain to construct a reservoir that was badly needed to provide water (and still does) to the growing population of New York City. It followed legal procedure, it paid the homeowners for their property (many of whom said they were paid fairly – something that, of course, gets very little press as it isn’t nearly as supportive of the trauma and horror story) and even paid sums to have graves moved.

Friends, whatever you may think of eminent domain or the use of it by any government power, that’s not what this post is about. The Boot of Truth is simply this: if you are, 100 years later, still experiencing “generational trauma” on behalf of people you didn’t know or are a descendant who is still so upset over this issue that you refuse to drive by the reservoir because of the “resentment” it still causes, then you may seriously want to consider two things:

1. Get some help. Really. You’re talking about an event that happened 100 years ago. It’s like someone today still walking around cursing the descendents of the owners of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club because of their role in the Johnstown Flood in 1889 that claimed the life of one of your forebears.
2. Consider that in most cases unless you have direct knowledge and can prove it, statements like “they were underpaid” and “they were cheated” are about as subjective as they can possibly be. Even the article itself is full of “they believe” and “they think.” Hardly conclusive evidence – and even more reason for you to stop wasting what life you have chewing your own liver over the situation.

WAS it traumatic for the families? I can only imagine it must have been to be told one day you’re going to be paid and need to uproot and move. Does that mean that over a century later we are justified in wringing our hands and bemoaning the horror of it all as though there is something that can be done about it? Well that depends – after all, people are still trying to guilt trip those who not only had zero to do with the damages done to the American Indian or slavery but indeed didn’t even have ancestors who did into somehow paying for it. I suppose that may be one reason behind it, and one that only the people involved know.

What I do know is this – it’s a century later. Time to move on, everyone. Come on. Life’s too short to spend looking backward. Look forward, let the dead past rest, and go on.

God bless, my friends.

On graduations, changes, and life in general

“One day I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.” – William Hartnell, as the First Doctor, 1965

Here I am again, and that quote seemed appropriate. It’s been some time since I have posted, and I hope that I have not lost too many followers in the interim. I see from time to time that someone new joins or follows, and that always makes me happy. When I started The Takedown, I promised myself and my readers that I would not post unless it was something I felt was worth posting about, i.e., this would not be another blog of “Today I had X for breakfast” or “Isn’t this cute! My puppy learned to fetch.” I have nothing against those things, mind you, but I think the Internet has enough of those types of sites and I wanted this to be different. I hope that it has been. My prayer, today, is that anyone reading this has begun to get back to a life that has a semblance of normalcy now that the insanity surrounding the Covid-19 situation seems to, finally, be coming to an end.

Today marks a special day for me as I am preparing to watch my youngest son graduate from high school and officially begin his life as an adult. I told him this morning in some private father and son time that he has been a man for some time, but this is different. This is his day, and should rightly be proud of who he is and where he has come from to get there. It marks the change from a boy in school to a young man taking his steps into adulthood. It’s a tradition that I believe has mainly been lost in our world, but it was one I wanted to impress upon him and have him take with him; the importance of what is about to happen. He’s worked hard to overcome his own medical and learning challenges, and needs to know how proud I am of him, and how proud his mother and family are. Most of all, he needs to know that it’s all right to be proud of himself. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of accomplishment, despite what our society tries to teach, and he has been taught that. I hope he carries it with him, today.

Many people have, upon finding out that he is about to graduate, come forth with the standard “Oh it must be so hard to see your last child grow up and graduate.” It’s not for me, not really. My dad didn’t see me graduate, having died suddenly just after my senior year started. My sister’s only child never got the chance to grow up and, in my work in the medical field, I’ve seen far too many people who never had the privilege of growing up, seeing their own children grow up, or being here, themselves, to see their own children get older and graduate. I’ve seen friends and family members go through acrimonious and painful divorces and separations that have forever marred any happy occasions their families may have had. For myself, I have been blessed beyond measure in that God has granted a request of mine that my sons would not go through what I did. I’ve done my part to take care of myself, and today I will see that prayer answered, and for that I am grateful. My wife and are together after almost 25 years and now will be seeing our second son graduate and move on with his life. I could not ask for more. Far from this being a melancholy or bittersweet occasion for me, it’s an incredibly happy one. He’s doing exactly what I, as a dad and what my wife, as his mother, have wanted and worked and raised him to do – graduate and move on with his life as an individual that is as prepared and well-rounded as we can make him.

“What’s the Boot of Truth here?” you may be asking. It’s this. None of us know what life will hold. None of us can tell what will happen in the next breath. All we can do is live life as it happens and make the choice every day, every moment if need be, as to whether or not we let life beat us or we stand up, no matter how bruised and battered, wipe the blood and sweat off and, like Steve Rogers, say “I can do this all day.” All any of us can do is our best, and keep working with the changes that life gives us. I can honestly say I never expected to be the father of two developmentally disabled sons. I also never expected to see them walk across the stage and graduate, having overcome their challenges and persevered – but I have with one and I’m about to with the other.

Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep fighting. Don’t listen to the voices that keep crying about how this “is just so terrible” or “life will never be the same.” Keep looking up, and keep fighting.

God bless you all richly, my friends.

Play stupid games, win – a lot, actually – and sadly.

Here at The Takedown, I have never shied away from topics of controversy. I have never shied away from, as the title of the page says, “Putting the Boot of Truth to subjects that NEED it.” Friends, if there was EVER a subject that needed it, it’s the saga of the Gorilla Glue girl.

By now, I’m sure most of you have seen the ongoing issue of the woman who, having realized she was out of hair spray, decided to use Gorilla Glue in her hair. Unsurprisingly, it turned out VERY badly for her. She posted a tearful video on TikTok in which she seemed astonished that this waterproof, VERY strong adhesive did just what it was supposed to do when she smeared it on her hair. She was further astonished that she couldn’t just simply wash it out.

Naturally, she’s contemplating legal action because, you know, Gorilla Glue didn’t specifically put on their label “Oh yeah – and in case you don’t have the amount of basic sense that God gave a rock, DON’T PUT THIS IN YOUR HAIR. IT’S GLUE.”

I’m not going to address the conspiracy theories going around about how her hair would have kept growing after these weeks but didn’t, and so people think it’s a sham. I am going to ABSOLUTELY decry some of the disgusting and vile racist comments I have seen regarding her race and the name of the product (although to be fair, I’m sure many of her supporters in the Hollyweird circles would have zero problem with terms like “ignorant,” “redneck” and the like had the one that had done this been white, but I digress).

What I am DEFINITELY going to address is how infuriating it is to see people so afraid to speak up and call this exactly what it was – either stupidity or ignorance of mind-blowing proportions. The woman is 40 years old. Come on. She’s hardly a little girl. It makes you wonder how she made it this long without people reminding her to breathe.

Why, you ask are people afraid to say anything? Two reasons: she’s black, and she’s female. THAT is the point we need to put the Boot of Truth to. People are afraid to speak up and call her actions what they are, lest they be called “racist” or “misogynist” or be seen as somehow unsympathetic.

That, friends, is the real tragedy. That and the fact that as of the time of this writing, she’s gotten a $12000+ dollar operation by a plastic surgeon in California, AND has a GoFundMe that has raised over $14000.

All because no one has the brass, any more, to speak up and remind her, and all like her, that bad choices bring bad consequences.

To the enablers, the hand-wringers, the ones who just HAVE to decry the lack of sympathy for this poor, poor, woman, I say “Congratulations. Way to encourage thoughtless behavior in the next person who sees that in the end, there really aren’t any consequences for it, and hey, you may just benefit from it!”

To her, I say “How sad that you have given so much ammunition to those who believe the stereotype of black people being ignorant, and have reinforced that idea by your actions.”

To those of us out there that are of a rational mindset, who realize that you can show empathy and yet not condone a practice I say, “It’s only going to get worse.”

God bless, my friends.

An update and a tip of the hat!

Hello again all! Things have been a bit busy on this end as they have been in most places, but I had an opportunity to share some information and a good story as well, and so here I am. For those that check back and those that have stayed, thank you! For those who come by and decide to stay, thank you! I am glad that anything I post finds favor with those who read it.

First off, my furlough from my job as a medical assistant has, unfortunately, become permanent. I’m o.k. with that, though, for the reasons mentioned in a previous post as to why I was furloughed and the fact that it helped others. It’s also not horrible in that as I was not fired I am free to reapply with them for any position I am qualified for, and they will be giving me a generous severance package since I was let go through no fault of my own. I find that to be incredibly kind, more so because they will provide it even if I find work elsewhere. So now the hunt for work begins, and I will be praying for guidance on that score. For those of you who do, I would appreciate your prayers as well.

On a second note, in our polarized, political world, we often forget that there comes a time when we need to put politics aside and separate them from people and their actions. I neither like nor agree with the political stance and comments made by many of the Avengers actors such as Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo, for example. That being said, they deserve and are hereby given a MOST hearty “WELL DONE” for their actions in the news article I am going to link to, and their kindness toward a young man who saved his sister from the vicious attack of a dog, suffering fairly grievous injuries while doing so. Let’s not become so partisan, so polarized that we forget to offer praise when actions call for it, no matter who the person may be.  The link for the article follows.

God bless, my friends!

https://au.news.yahoo.com/boy-speaks-avenger-chris-evans-saved-sister-dog-attack-044930975.html

A quick note for a friend to my readers

Hello again, faithful readers of The Takedown! As it has been the case with so many of you, I am sure, things on my end have been a bit up in the air as of late. Although by God’s grace I have not been impacted greatly by the Covid-19 situation, I know a great many others who have been and still are. I want to first say to all of you that I pray each and every day that you are well, that you are safe, and that you are keeping your minds and spirits insulated from those who seek to use this only for their own ends or to sow panic in so many. I appreciate the fact that you come back to this blog when I post my offerings, and that’s a fact.

My post today is a little different in that I am putting up a notice from a friend of mine who is an artist. (He had originally sent it to his friends on Facebook. I have slightly edited it for some of the more personal information and have put it here in that form) His name is Phil and his business has been hard hit by the pandemic as he is, primarily, a caricature artist and by virtue of that requires large gatherings in which to work. That hasn’t been happening. Rather than restate a lot of detail that he covers, I’ll put up the information he shared and simply say this – I can attest, personally, to the quality of his work. He is located in upstate NY but I am sure that were you to contact him by email, he would find a way to work with you to do the work he is proposing in his post. If you do find it in your heart to reach out to him, tell him you saw it here on The Takedown, and tell him that you were referred to him by his friend ‘Sir Galahad.’ (I’m not sure he knows my moniker of The Doctor.) He is a good man and could use the help. If not, then I would ask that you remember him in prayer, good thoughts, or whatever way it is that fits you in times like these. Thank you kindly. The information will follow my standard closing.

God bless, my friends!

**Message Begins**

“For the last 33 years I have made most of my income drawing caricatures at parties and events, along with sand sculptures and some special effects gigs doing FX make up. I usually shy away from drawing caricatures from photos and strictly work from a live sitting only. Due to the crazy changes being made to society by the powers that be, I can no longer make a living as I have in the past. What I do requires the gathering of large groups in celebration of some event. Weddings, Birthday parties, Town festivals, College activities, company parties and so on. Because of that, my jobs will be some of the last to return as Entertainment is the last phase of the reopening.

So I have had to reinvent myself until things change. As many of you know I have been defacing trees (with fiberglass faces) and I have other projects going as well. I have even learned to Arc weld a little bit so I can start making some large permanent sculptures.

I am pretty much doing anything I can creatively to stay busy.

Here are some samples of some caricatures I have created from photos that were sent to me during the last few weeks. I am not looking for charity work I am just putting this out there as one of many ways that I am reinventing my business.

So, If having your caricature drawn is something you’ve always wanted done or you have a friend or family member that you would like to surprise with a personal gift, then please email me at philsinger67@yahoo.com

If you send me an email I can give you my prices and explain what types of photos are best to send for the best results.

If you’ve managed to read this to the end I thank you for your patience.”

Updates from the front, so to speak….

Hello friends!

It’s been some time since I’ve had the opportunity to post here, but things have been a bit crazy on this end. I know I’m not alone in that – things have been crazy pretty much everywhere for a while now, but they do appear to be slowing down. Before I do anything else, I want to officially extend my deepest thanks to all those who are deemed essential during this time, whatever your work may be. There are voices being raised (as there always seem to be) in chorus to chant the old Marxist dogma of how all of the gratitude and thanks being shown our healthcare workers, truckers, grocery store workers and others is just another way for “the rich” to exploit and use “the poor” in pursuit of their evil Capitalist gains.

DON’T BELIEVE IT. As General Patton would say – well – I can’t really write what General Patton would say, 🙄 but suffice to say those sentiments are a lot of horse manure. The thanks being given are genuine. I’ve experienced them, myself, both as an EMT and as a medical assistant. You ARE essential, your work IS appreciated, and it IS necessary.

A lot has been going on with me as of late, but I’ll give you the short version. My need to be recertified as an EMT has been extended for a year, owing to the whole Covid-19 scare. I was hired as a certified medical assistant, which was great. Then I was furloughed owing to the Covid-19 scare. Yeah. I feel like Tevye, the main character in Fiddler on the Roof when he says to God, “Sometimes I wonder, when it gets too quiet up there, if You are thinking, “What kind of mischief can I play on My friend Tevye?”  😄

Thankfully, I know two things. One, it will work itself out. I am fortunate enough to not HAVE to work in order to keep food on the table, thanks to the work my wife does. We are blessed in that regard. My being furloughed let others work who were NOT so blessed. I’m ok with that. Two, I know that God hasn’t forgotten me, He’s not just playing mischief on me, and He’s not so easily threatened that He would be upset with my feeling that way from time to time. Isn’t that a freeing thing?

I say that to say this. No matter where you are or what you’re going through right now, as I said in my very first post, and as I am sure I have said in other times and places – HANG ON. Don’t give up, and don’t give in. This WILL pass, and I pray that when it does, changes will occur to stop this kind of media-driven hype from ever happening again. Use this time to better yourself. Look at what may have gone wrong this time, and fix it if you possibly can. If you weren’t prepared in whatever way, don’t let that happen again. If you got caught up in the fear and hysteria only to realize that’s exactly what it was, look into ways to be able to recognize it next time. Reconnect with people you may have lost touch with. Make sure you make it a point to let those you love and who are special to you know it, both now and going forward.

HANG IN THERE.

God bless, my friends.

Hey! I’m still here! Updates, thoughts and good times.

First of all, I was very touched today to see that the post I have pinned to the main page of The Takedown received a like. It makes me happy to know that not only are people still coming to the page and following it but that the posts are still reaching people and making a difference. More than anything else, that post in particular was from the heart and I hope it showed.

On a personal note I have finished my Associate’s Degree and now am a nationally certified medical assistant. It’s been a long road but a rewarding one as I now can begin to work and use many of the same skills that I used (and still use!) as an EMT but in a non-emergency setting. Not bad for a guy pushing 50, eh? It’s a good reminder to all of us (myself, first and foremost) that so long as we’re breathing, we’re NEVER too old to do what we set our minds to do.

My thought for today comes from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and later Stoic philosopher. His Meditations has been widely read and studied and I am now doing so, myself. In my reading I came across this statement and it has given me much to consider. Aurelius says the following: “How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only what he does himself, that it may be just and pure. As Agathon says, ‘Look not around at the depraved morals of others, but run straight along your course without straying from it.'” At first blush it seems like a fancy way of saying “Pay attention to your own business” but I believe it goes much deeper than that. When you consider that at any given moment we can be bombarded with virtually unlimited stories of people, what they do, the opinions of others about what they do, the counter-opinions of the same, and on and on, I believe that what Aurelius is saying becomes more clear. When we pay attention to what others do we upset only ourselves, in the end. Our thoughts and energies are better spent on what we are doing, and whether or not it is just, it is good, and it is pure.

It’s something to think about in our media-soaked, endless news cycle, swimming in social media world, don’t you think?

God bless, my friends – and thank you for visiting, and for staying around! Believe me when I say I DO appreciate it!