Random Musings of a Ramblin' Fool XLIX

Yes, that is the correct roman numeral for 49, not IL which is what I was going to put initially... until I checked. For a great explanation of why that is check HERE. Anywho, this hasn't happened in awhile: three Random Musings columns in 3 weeks or less, but that is fitting given all that is going on in my life at present. The only previous occasions it happened were in both April and June of 2008 in my first several editions of this blog. 

Easter 2013 Observances

This year I got more heavily involved with Easter than in any previous year. I attended a Good Friday evening service at my home church North County Christian Fellowship. Then in the morning of Holy Saturday I did my first ever Stations of the Cross (albeit an abbreviated version) at First Baptist Church in Paso Robles, CA. Later that day I attended the final service ever for Harvest Christian Church here in town as it shutters its doors for good. Then this morning I attended Easter Sunday services at North County Christian Fellowship and helped out working in the cafe there. Now that I no longer work every second or third weekend I am availing myself of what I have been missing which is more involvement in my church and more generally with fellow believers in my community. This is merely a behavioral expression of what is going on inside of me as I reemphasize in my own life my relationship with my Creator and invest more time and effort in it. I can't grow properly if I'm not placing maximum priority on my walk. Not that it hasn't already been thus but it's easy to get caught up in the daily routine of life and get a bit sloppy and lose having a laser focus.

 A Brother Offended?

As some of you might recall I posted a rather fiery rant last year in regards to a sermon by a new associate pastor at my church. He's certainly a a nice enough guy and a decent giver of sermons, However, he got under my skin in one of his sermons I to which I had the ignominious distinction of bearing witness. This was quite unfortunately one of the more superstitious and unenlightened examples of the down side of Pentecostalism I have ever witnessed coming from a pulpit. Needless to say, in my rant I did not hold back much. The guy keeps away from me and is noticeably reserved around me. From this I sense he has read or heard about my blog rant about his sermon and is hurt/indignant about it. Perhaps I'm imaging things but I believe I have equal odds of being accurate on this one. I can see pros and cons to reaching out to him or not doing so. To be quite honest my critique was sound and I don't regret my feelings about the content of said sermon. However, perhaps I was a bit harsh in my wording or, contrariwise, perhaps a bit of a bitch slap was in order there as tough love to a brother in Christ. I need to ponder this one some more methinks.

My Cuesta & Cal Poly Doin's

I have misplaced my password into my Cal Poly SLO account but from the emails I am getting from them it sure sounds like they accepted my application. If so that is cool but I will delay going one more year to get more transferable units out of the way at Cuesta College and apply for the Fall 2014 term. As previously stated on this blog I'm on track to graduate from Cuesta at the end of this Spring term pending passage of all my classes.

Cuesta Job Fair Rocked

A couple of Tuesdays ago I attended the job fair at Cuesta College's main SLO campus where 35 employers were represented.I was surprised so many local employers are looking for fresh employees. I picked up information from many of them and Vina Robles even asked for my resume and seemed the most interested which has me rather excited. I will be interviewed by them in April. There are some other jobs I might be able to pick up as well and I will update this space once there is anything specific and concrete to report. 

 Mental Health First Aid Certified

The same week as the job fair I completed the second part of Mental Health First Aid USA's free workshop held at Cuesta College in the same building as the job fair. I took the first installment of the workshop two weeks previous to that in the same location. I am now officially certified for mental health first aid as I also am for physical first aid and CPR through the American Red Cross. I need to get that re-upped this coming month before it expires and I have to start over entirely.

Spring Break 2013

Cuesta College's 2013 Spring Break is currently underway and not a day too soon. I need this week to be busy doing other things beside school, except that I have plenty of schoolwork to do this week as well as work for a few clients and also social stuff such as go visit my grandmother in Fremont, CA. I also need to get accomplished some cleaning up of my living space and storage unit. In the process of that I hope to get rid of some things thus making my footprint in this life smaller and hopefully pick up some cash along the way.

Getting Back In Shape

This "vacation" is also an excellent time for me to refocus my efforts getting back into physical shape. My current health education class has me more focused on my weight and diet and fitness level. This is good because I am an overweight-American! That's correct folks: DO NOT say anything insensitive and disrespectful around me such as refer to "you people". Anywho, for most of this year to date I've walked the dog of an older woman in my church who is shut in due to health problems. I walk my dog and her dog together and I get a walk out of it as well. This is usually about half an hour long which I need but is inadequate for me. Yesterday I took the dogs on an hour walk while today I took a break from walking the lady's dog but took Tequila and I on a 5.8-mile walk which took us less than two hours to complete. I have also of late been shunning processed food and cooking nearly all my own food or eating home-cooked food provided me by others. This is both healthier and cheaper.

CERT Training

I have signed up for CERT training through North SLO Co. CERT. I begin classes in May on Thursday nights and it wraps up in early June on a Saturday. I am looking forward to this more than I can perhaps adequately put into words here. I have been interested in doing this since meeting and being in a relationship with my ex-girlfriend from Northern California (as opposed to my more recent local one). Going back to college as well as becoming Red Cross certified for first aid and CPR were other seemingly unattainable things that I have since accomplished and now I get to add CERT training to that list of long-delayed accomplishments.

Fire Season 2013

The grasses across the North County of San Luis Obispo County prematurely began drying out in March this year. They will probably be burning by April which is much earlier than is typical around here. As if to underscore this concern I heard on the scanner today Air Attack 500 ( a training air attack) leaving Paso Robles Air Attack Base for McClellan Air Force Base which is where CalFire stores most/all of their firefighting aircraft during the ebb/lull months of California's now nearly year-around fire season.

Lightning Last Night

As some of you may or may not know I LOVE lightning and thunder. Last night while playing card games at a friend's house in the hills west of Paso Robles I had front row seats and a beautiful electric storm in the skies of the North County. What a thrill it was! I even caught one or two distant peals of thunder. I needed my lightning and thunder fix following such a lackluster winter rainy season.

Driving While In A Beater (DWIB)

Lately I keep getting pulled over by the SLO Sheriff's Office or the Paso Robles Police Department. It's never for anything significant but rather for things like burned out brake light bulbs or failure to turn down my headlights or failure to have a license plate on the front (my 1994 Volvo didn't come with one). Those are the recent reasons. A couple of years ago I was getting pulled over my pickup's problems which were mechanical but that's a moot point now. Anywho, cops are people and people have their biases both conscious and sub-conscious. I drive a beater I payed a grand for and it looks like it. The car is great in its functioning but is not much to look at and as such perhaps looks like a "scary-mobile" such as one might imagine a creepy dude driving. Also, the sorts of people cops deal with in regards to crime tend to drive cars more like my own and less so nicer cars. I understand this even while I'm getting a bit tired of the attention. Each encounter has been courteous and professional and I was bid a good day or good night and that was that. However, I know damned well were I driving a 2013 Volvo I would not be getting the same sort of notice.

Mad Men & The Walking Dead

As I have stated here before I LOVE The Walking Dead on AMC. It is my current favorite television program following my previous favorite Battlestar Galactica. Tonight, Season Three of TWD concluded with more tragedy as another main character got killed off as well as multiple peripheral characters. The final tally of lost main characters this season ended at four. So as to not spoil things for those of you who have not yet watched the series and plan to I won't say who here. I can't wait for this season to come out on DVD. Recently, my friend Mark who got my turned on to TWD also introduced me to the series Mad Men also on AMC. Tonight I saw the second and third episodes of Season One. The more I watch it the more intrigued by it I become despite the ugliness and vapidity of most of the character's dismal and phony lives.

22nd Annual Paso Rock Show Planning

As chairman of the 22nd Annual Rockhound Roundup Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show I have been a very busy man coordinating the many elements which comprise planning such an event. Fortunately, I'm good at managing teams of people and this has been a generally positive experience again this year following my maiden voyage in that capacity last year. The time is short and we are now having show committee meetings every other weeks with the next one this coming Wednesday night at 7 p.m. I have also been having regular "safety meetings" with dealer chair Dale Conrad where we go over the dealer list and map out who goes where in the show based upon the latest sign-ups by dealers. We have a few more empty slots to fill. 

R.I.P. Former Friendship

This is the last I will make mention of this matter on this blog unless some new significant development comes up. The saga of my falling out with my former friend and employer reached a crescendo early this month. I don't want it to leave this month and leak into April so I wrap it up here to the extent that is possible. 

I feel I need to make a correction or two about things I said about the man in previous comments. I said he was a phony friend who was just using me. Upon further reflection that is inaccurate. He was a genuine friend who was not using me. However, he sucked at friendship because he sucks at interpersonal relationships with other people in general. That is a major component of why he is so damned lonely and is perpetually baffled by and disappointed in people. 

That also explains how he manages to put off so many people whom become close to him. Some of them never tell him he offended them and some do. I'm the sort of communicative man who does not keep things to myself indefinitely. I gave him three years to improve but instead things got worse and I finally reached a breaking point. I sent him a respectful and articulate letter outlining my grievances with him. 

At that point the situation was still manageable by both of us and could have been resolved reasonably simply. However, his personal pride, stubbornness, and contrarian nature, hyper-frenetic controlling nature caused him to do something very foolish, selfish, and disrespectful by way of refusing to even accept my letter and read it. My reasons for communicating initially by letter regarding these matters were manifold and well-reasoned. He slapped me in the face and defecated on our friendship in so doing. As a result he ended our friendship himself. What happened is 100% on him! 

As stated previously I forgive him but unless he demonstrates some class and character and contacts me and says and does the right thing he and I are done for good. I am rather surprised how good I feel no longer having to regularly deal with the myriad personality issues I had to deal with nearly constantly while associating with that man. My stress-level has plummeted while my joy and peace and happiness levels have skyrocketed. I thank my former friend for the experiences and opportunities I benefited from during our association and thank him for the things he gave me on occasion. He is also quite welcome for what I contributed to his business enterprise! So long and have a nice life!

Picture of the Day - Cali Blue Mine Rough Cleaned Up

Here is the cleaned up and gleaned out rough from the California Blue Mine which I shared HERE a couple of days ago fresh out of the grab bag in its dirty and unfiltered form. This material has been cleaned up here and the dirt and smaller stones discarded. Those aquamarines look almost emeralds. The smoky quartz at the top right actually has needles of black tourmaline running through it. I thank the folks who gave this material to me at the Nipomo Gem & Mineral Show last year. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

R.I.P. Harvest Bible Church

Tonight was the final regular service for Harvest Bible Church in Paso Robles, CA. After a decade they are closing their doors as their mission is complete and the seed of that church is being scattered throughout the community in order for a new crop to germinate in God's service. Tomorrow morning there will be an Easter Sunday sunrise service at Barney Schwartz Park in Paso Robles.

The last song ever for Harvest Bible Church's worship team to perform was "10,000 Reasons".

The Harvest Bible Church Worship team being honored by the congregation.

Both photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved)

Ali G Hijinx

Ever since I first watched clips (on Youtube) from Da Ali G Show (never complete episodes) I have been addicted to comedic actor Sasha Baron's Cohen's British wannabee American-esque gangsta with a non-European ethnic immigrant flavoring. The comedy contained within this character and his supporting cast is wonderfully zany and cuttingly satirical if not a bit course at times. Ali G is played as a young, ignorant buffoon trying too hard to imitate black urban American culture. Below are two segments from the movie Ali G Indahouse based upon the television show.

Picture of the Day - California Blue Mine Rough

At last year's Nipomo Gem & Mineral Show while trolling the showgrounds looking for dealers for the upcoming Paso Robles Gem & Mineral Show I encountered representatives of the California Blue Mine. They graciously handed me a complimentary sealed paper lunch grab-bag of rough material from their mine. Since that August day I had not bothered to open it up until earlier this week. Above are the opened contents of said bag. They include beryl, variation aquamarine; albite, variation cleavelandite; other feldspar, variation plagioclase and quartz, variation smoky quartz. To see how it all cleaned up view HERE. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Picture of the Day - Cuesta College's New Neighbors

If you are attending classes at Cuesta College North County Campus (NCC) like me then you probably noticed this week that ground was broken in the previously-vacant field across the street from campus to the south. For your information this is going to be a new Ayres Resort & Spa. Hey, that's an employment possibility for students! Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

My Top 10 Favorite Books of Fiction

It has been a while since I last posted one of my Top Ten Lists and tonight I find myself inspired to do one on my favorite books of fiction. What follows is my list at present but is subject to change as I read more books. One will invariably notice none of my choices are of recent publication. Obviously I'm not too much into modern authors. I'm also not into impressing anybody with my reading list quite obviously! Note: I count entire book trilogies or series as one unit for purposes of this list.

1. The Hobbit ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Lord of the Rings ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
3. The Chronicles of Narnia ~ C.S. Lewis
4. The Hound of of the Baskervilles ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5. Treasure Island ~ Robert Lewis Stevenson
6. Huckleberry Finn ~ Mark Twain
7. Heart of Darkness ~ Joseph Conrad
8. Animal Farm ~ George Orwell
9. 1984 ~ George Orwell 
10. The Martian Chronicles ~ Ray Bradbury

Cuesta College Mammatiform Clouds

The scene from Cuesta College North County Campus (NCC) late this morning as a storm front approached. Note the mammatus clouds and the rain showers descending from them.

Note the smoke lazily rising from behind the hills in the middle of the image... that was from a controlled burn that was set prior to the arrival of this storm front which did pass over dumping a brief, intense rain shower. Photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Crescent City's Dark Disaster

At this hour 49 years ago a series of tsunami waves was rolling into Crescent City, CA, in what has become known as the Crescent City Tsunami of 1964. It was generated by the M9.2 Good Friday Earthquake of 1964. I am the proud owner of a pristine copy of the now out-of-print book above that was published on the 20-year anniversary in 1984. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Galifianakis: 2 ~ Drunk Blonds: 0

I have learned to respect Zack Galifianakis as a stand-up comedian much more since watching the short clips below of his stand-up work in the face of dealing with drunk audience members and having to "wing-it" and go off-script where he was as funny and clever as with his scripted work - if not more so. 

I Detect A Disturbance In The Force

Actually, I do. Image courtesy of digitaldeconstruction.com

Post-Apocalyptic Hunt

In light of all the End-Of-Civilization-themed creative enterprises that have come out of our culture with increasing frequency in recent decades as a fatalistic sense of foreboding and future doom deepens it is with great pleasure that I share this quite funny comedy short by Key & Peele.

Quote of the Day - Kahlil Gibran

I found the following quote tonight and was immediately struck by how it resonated with my soul in regards to a recent development in my life.

"I left the dark paths of their duplicity and turned my eyes toward the light where there is salvation, truth, and justice. They have exiled me now from their society, yet I am content. Mankind only exiles the one whose large spirit rebels against injustice and tyranny. He who does not prefer exile to servility is not free in the true and necessary sense of freedom." ~ Kahlil Gibran

Picture of the Day - Church Tri-Tip Feed

This was the hectic yet not chaotic scene in the kitchen at North County Christian Fellowship in Paso Robles, CA, this morning where the leftover Tri-Tip from yesterday morning's mens prayer breakfast was served in sandwich form early this afternoon following the second service. I had the honor of both attending the second service and helping out in the kitchen both serving coffee drinks between services and then with the Tri-Tip feast. From left to right are Terry and Gary Del Giorgio and Ted Weber. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Scripture of the Day - Paul (Eph.4:26)

Those of you who have been following this blog of late know I have had an unfortunate and in some respects outrageous falling out with a friend this month. The outrageous nature of how this has played out is beyond the pale of decent behavior. My friendship was betrayed by this person who turned out to not be the sort of friend or man I had once thought. Et tu, Brute? To be quite honest I have had to deal internally with issues of bitterness and anger that transcend righteous indignation and descend into wanting to sully myself by confronting this person and verbally putting him in his place. That was sort of the main point in writing him a letter along with the fact I did not wish to be interrupted as would have been the case had I spoken to him as well as the fact I wanted him to be able to repeatedly look at the letter and take in everything it contained which would not have been possible had I simply spoken to him. Of course, all of this is a moot point as he rejected the letter and returned it without reading it, a letter whose contents would have answered a lot of questions my friend has shared with me over the past three years about a great many things. His loss!

In any case, a week ago today I was struggling with my anger and bitterness. I attended two different sermons at two different churches: North County Christian Fellowship and Paso Robles Bible Church. Both Steve Calagna at the former and Dave Rusco at the latter touched on topics that spoke directly to my issues. I realized during both sermons that I was being spoken to directly by God and felt both blessed and a bit chastened. Interestingly and not coincidentally they BOTH quoted Ephesians 4:26 which goes:

"It's okay to be angry but don't descend into the wrath of man. Do not let your day end on an angry note." (Kimicus ad Absurdum translation)

Picture of the Day - 1991 Maacama Creek Cab

This image came about by way of a synergistic symbiosis of creativity and FUBAR. The very fact that I actually attempted (even if not what I originally started out intending to do) this image combined with the fact I just used "synergistic" and "symbiosis" in a most pretentious-sounding fashion suggests to me that perhaps I'm segueing into a new phase of the evolution of my photographic genius "creativity". Okay, I admit it: I kept fracking up the pictures I was taking of this bottle for simple "Picture of the Day" column here and then would leave the previous image up on my monitor and snap the next image of the bottle parked in front of it. Perhaps I'm just out of my gourd tired and need to go to bed. Anywho, here is an image within an image within and image within an image of one of the last bottles remaining from my original wine collection. It's one of the first bottles I ever purchased in my entire life if not the very first such bottle. Note: the image in the background of the furthest image of the bottle is my Facebook page on my computer monitor. I hope that makes sense. Anywho, this is a bottle of cabernet sauvignon from Maacama Creek Winery from their 1991 vintage from their Melim Vineyard in Alexander Valley. I purchased this bottle from the Jimtown Store in 1992. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

"Is It Love" With Nadia Ali?

For me it was love at first hearing of the voice of Nadia Ali, an American of Pakistani ethnic extraction born in Libya. This was in the early 2000s when I first began to listen to trance music mixes. Over time I became more familiar with her work and then and now thoroughly enjoy both the lyrics she writes as well as her haunting and exotic vocals. She's also easy on the eyes. She first emerged in the electronic dance music scene with the group iio which she co-founded in the early 2000's with Markus Moser in New York City near the end of the height of trance music's artistic purity and cultural relevance, a genre to which iio partly belonged. It is worth noting that I posted a blog about her back in 2008 or 2009 but deleted it when I revamped this blog following my long hiatus from posting here.

Below are a series of videos featuring a nice sampling of some of her best stuff. First below is her most haunting display of her vocal ability "Is It Love" and features a nice montage of her work in other music videos and concert performances, but is a track that was released by iio after she had left it to work solo. The two videos below it are the two hits she had with iio while still in the group. It's worth noting she wrote the lyrics to the first three videos below.






Below is my favorite track from her solo career to which she also wrote the lyrics. I do not like her newer work as much as her work for iio but given this track was done in collaboration with German electronica artist Schiller she could not get this one wrong. If you have been following this blog you know how much I love Schiller so I'm obviously biased! If I subsequently find anything else by Nadia Ali from her solo career that I find myself actually loving as much as her iio stuff I'll share it on this blog. 

It It Isn't Broken, Break It

When a life-giving surgery is being conducted on a human heart, in order to access the chest cavity not only is skin cut open and pulled aside, but ribs are broken and likewise pulled aside. A great deal of blood is also shed as a result of this process. Were the patient to be awake during the procedure the pain and stress of the experience would perhaps kill them or otherwise leave them permanently damaged mentally-emotionally-psychologically. Yet all this constructive destruction allows for heart blockages to be opened up and heart valves to be repaired or replaced and so on depending upon the malady being addressed. Destruction must precede progress.

When a new structure must be built in place of an older structure it is first necessary to tear down and destroy the old structure, often even digging up its old foundation and excavating down to the mineral soil beneath. Then a new foundation is laid in place and the new structure built atop it. Destruction must precede progress. In economics this principle is referred to as constructive destruction.

This same principle applies in our lives as well. Often in order for us to move forward in our lives and grow as people our old familiar, comfortable, well-established life must be turned upside down and destroyed. This must be done in order to make way for something better as well as our continued healthy development as people. It's so easy to get stuck in one's own life: I could write a book on that from personal experience. Change is inevitable anyway so why fight it to one's own detriment by stubbornly holding onto elements of our lives that are impeding our progress?

On a spiritual level, the parent-child relationship is symbolic and metaphoric of the God-Human relationship.
With that in mind we must remember that parents must force their children out of their comfort zone at various key points in their formative years. For example, at some  point they must make them ride a bike without training wheels or swim without water-wings or drive a car for the first time all the while they are anywhere from uncomfortable to terrified in each of these scenarios at the time. Yet being shoved out of the nest is an inevitable part of the development of every child.

We are God's children and He does the same with us at various points in our lives if we recognize it or not. It's up to us to recognize it and respond to it properly and work WITH God through our process so we can learn what we need to and grow and move forward. We CANNOT grow as much or at all while we remain in our comfort zone... at least not for long. God being a great parent periodically forces us with a gentle nudge or a swift kick in the ass to leave our comfort zone.

AT present, significant elements of my old life are being replaced with new and improved ones. Likewise, I am being forced out of my comfort zone and made to grow by being given a sink-or-swim command to try new things for a living that will move me forward. I am grateful for the opportunity my former friend/boss gave me and for all the things I learned during that three-year period and for the growth that I achieved during that time and the adventures I experienced.

However, in recent months it seemed to me my life had begun to stagnate in a number of areas that were inextricably connected to my involvement in that endeavor and close association with my friend its owner. I began to question if my professional circumstances were actually all that beneficial anymore to my spiritual and emotional and social and professional health and continued growth. If one must ask oneself such questions, well then probably one already has the answer staring them in the face.

Had the character defects and personality flaws of my former friend/boss not been a huge element in everything all the time then there would have been an amicable parting of ways at some point in the not-too-distant future but certainly not this month and in such a dysfunctional manner. God knowing this from eternity past factored that into His plan for both myself and my former friend/boss and both me and him are now being pressed a little, more so me now while my dust settles but later on him more so than me after I am reestablished in my life and his isolation and loneliness settles in more.

I am exercising my personal agency by choosing to embrace all this change and not resist it. To my surprise I am rather excited about the various prospects that are being dangled in front of me. I have more options than I know what to do with as a result of this week's job fair I attended on Tuesday not to mention a couple of part-time job offerings that came my way prior to this week. I even had the gumption to generate a resume last Monday night and Tuesday morning which turned out better than I anticipated. Me having a resume? Who knew?

Next up: pick up some part-time jobs as part of cobbling together a new and more dynamic and emotionally and spiritually nurturing professional life where I don't have to leave town regularly thus leaving my pets and missing church. I don't yet know the details of how precisely this will play out but I know that all things work together for good to those who love God and since God is in the details this will all work out fine.

Picture of the Day - Cuesta Virga

This was the scene today on the first day of spring as I walked into my 4 p.m. world history class at Cuesta College North County Campus. A cold front passed over our area today causing some short-lived showers or sprinkles but also some virga as seen here. Virga is rain that does not reach the ground due to evaporation in more dry air lower in the atmosphere than the clouds from which the rain originates. Threatening skies that fail to bring significant rain like this one are symptomatic and well-representative of this just-ended winter. Next up: a week wildlflower season and then an early start to a long and nasty fire season! Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Paper Will Never Be Completely Dead

Simply click on the Vimeo link and watch and enjoy!

Racism In The Zombie Apocalypse

Recently I have had the privilege of viewing two hilarious and clever comedy sketches inspired by the AMC hit television series The Walking Dead. The first one below debuted on Saturday Night Live a couple of weeks ago but since I don't have television I saw it on Hulu a few days later. In it we see an alternate scene in which fun is poked at the topic of black-instigated guilt-manipulation based upon imagined or outright false allegations of racism in order to intimidate whites. In the scene below that we see a comedy sketch by Comedy Central's Key & Peele poking fun at deeply-ingrained suburban white racial hang-ups about blacks as well as at black stereotypes of the nature of suburban whites as it relates to perceived racist attitudes.

A Sad Turn Of Affairs

Yesterday as some of you might know from reading last night's installment of "Random Musings" I received back vis-a-vis "Return To Sender" the letter I sent to my former friend/boss last Monday. My reaction yesterday was that the post office had royally goofed up and I went off on them last night in that column based upon that false assumption.

By this morning I realized the letter had been received by its proper recipient but contemptuously left unread and presumptuously returned. I therefore deleted the part of last night's column that pertained to this matter as it was based upon a false premise. It now appears I overestimated the character and level of class of the individual in question and assumed he valued our friendship more than he actually ever did. He was simply using me for what I could do for him and that was all there was to the arrangement. Certainly if that was untrue he would have cared enough and been considerate enough to read what I took the time to compose and hear me out just as I heard him out for over three years.

For a man perpetually complaining about how unfair things are (to him) and how little respect is shown him by the Universe he certainly is anything but effusive with respect towards me (and others I have noted) and has certainly not treated me fairly or for that matter a few other people we jointly know. He richly enjoys criticizing others but will not accept criticism from others. That sort of selfishness and pride and hypocrisy are things to which I no longer have to contend. I am equal measures grateful it's over and sad things played out the way they did. However,  that is 100% on him and we are where we are 100% as a result of his choices.

The ball is still firmly in his court to either do the right thing and make amends or become even more isolated and add to his ever-lengthening list of people in his life he has alienated and lost be they friends or employees or people like me who were once both. I already forgive him and will not give my spiritual enemy a foothold in my life by way of a bitter heart. However, that is not to say that on a human level I am not deeply offended and outraged. Proverbs 18:19 comes to mind in this matter and is quite apropos.

Somewhere Inside

It surprises me that I have not previously shared this magical trance track by Tiesto heretofore. I came across it the other night thus reminding me of it and now share it with you (better late than never). The voice is that of Julie Thompson. This is the long mix so the first 1:40 or so is a prelude and not indicative of overall sound of the track which is much more haunting and atmospheric. This used to be featured on Youtube accompanied by an amazing animated video but that seems gone now so below is the best I could do. The lyrics are worth reading and I have placed them below the music player. 

Who am I, love?
What am I supposed to be?
One life alone,
Oh somehow it's made for me What do I do?
What can I say?
It's nothing new,
The choice was made
But what if I lose my way?
And run right into you,
Deep inside we'll never be anything other than lonely,
Tell me what does it take?
To breathe it into you,
Weak inside we'll never be anything other than lonely
One bleeding scar,
Still feels how it used to feel,
It's all so wrong,
No easy way to believe
What do I do?
What can I say?
It's nothing new,
The choice was made
But what if I lose my way?
And run right into you,
Deep inside we'll never be anything other than lonely,
Tell me what does it take?
To breathe it into you,
Weak inside we'll never be anything other than lonely
I wanna ride,
I wanna hide,
What I've become,
Now you're no longer mine,
I wanna feel,
Something that's real,
Somewhere inside
But what if I lose my way?
And run right into you,
Deep inside we'll never be anything other than lonely,
Tell me what does it take?
To breathe it into you,
Weak inside we'll never be anything other than lonely
I wanna ride,
I wanna hide,
What I've become,
Now you're no longer mine,
I wanna feel,
Something that's real,
Somewhere inside

Source: justsomelyrics.com

Random Musings of a Ramblin' Fool XLVII

Well this is a first in a few years: two of these columns in "relatively" close succession. I have enough to say to warrant it without being too redundant and seemingly self-occupied.

I'm Not Fat; The World Shrank!

WTF happened to me the past several months? I'm now up to 260 lbs! I suppose a lot of things converged to cause this. I have not been exercising this year as regularly as I have for most the past few years. I have been eating for convenience and immediate-term performance while going to school and not eating for long-term health. I have been comfort eating to deal with my mild S.A.D. and my general unhappiness in my work environment which I have managed to hide quite effectively aside from the weight gain. I have also not been exercising adequate time management skills in order to make the time in my daily routine to regularly fix healthy meals. Consequently, I have ballooned out a bit and have nearly reached my maximum weight I ever recorded (264 lbs. although that may very well not actually be the heaviest I've ever actually been as I might have reached higher but never recorded the peak). Anywho, in any case I need to turn this crap around right now as I feel this weight on my and don't like it one damned bit.

Lemoore Gem & Mineral Show

This morning I carpooled with friend and fellow-Santa Lucia Rockhounds member David Nelson up to the  5th annual Lemoore Gem & Mineral Show hosted by the local club there. This was my first visit to this show and after hearing much about it over the years from my friend Keith Olivas, owner of the Art of Jewelry. He had wanted me in it on its inaugural flight but for reasons I cannot recall I did not do it despite the fact that was the last year I did shows within the context of my now-defunct business (well, except for my dabbling my K&K Earthwerks eBay store). Anywho, we hung out a few hours and then returned to the North County (it's about an hour's drive up there and likewise the return). However, that was not before I got a laundry list of things accomplished. Of primary significance I received back signed contracts and money from some of the dealers there who will also be at our 22nd Annual Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show the first weekend in May. I also gave contracts to two other dealers there one of whom is definitely coming to our show and the other whom used to come and may send her son with some inventory as we need more lapidary equipment being sold in our show.  I also was able to derive some fresh ideas for our show from things I observed (and in some cases photographed) at their show which I shall share with our show board. I also got to have a nice, long talk with Susan Chaisson-Walblom.

Occupy CFMS Is Postponed (For Now)

The revolution against the Old Guard at the California Federation of Minerological Societies (CFMS) is called off for now! For years I have heard of nothing but problems between the various gem amd mineral clubs around the state whom host federation shows and the federation itself which has often been ham-fisted and tone-deaf in its dealings with its constituent member clubs. A few weeks ago at the Ventura show I heard some new grievances and it all seemed to point to the Old Guard whom are employed or appointed at the CFMS and are not elected. These people seemed and seem from what I have heard from reliable sources to be old and out of touch and suffering from delusions of self-importance leading to condescension and obstructionism much like I've been hearing of for years. I experienced an epiphany of sorts at the Ventura show by way of the idea that the clubs should simply refuse to pay next year's club dues until the entire Old Guard resigned/retired. As a group the clubs could go get insurance apart from the CFMS it seemed to me. Today CFMS Past-President and friend Susan Chaisson-Walblom set me straight and convinced me that now is not the time for this as some seemingly-meaningful change seems to be occurring from within the system there as generational shifts play out over recent years. I will shelve promoting the idea unless/until I hear that the CFMS has systemically and institutionally gotten stuck again. In that event I would consider it an honor to play the role of Thomas Paine in fomenting a revolution against the CFMS establishment.

The Drought Here Is Bad

I marveled today at how dry are the grasses along the route between Paso Robles and Lemoore, CA. We are technically still in late winter and there is hardly any green grass to be seen, no wildflowers, and lots of brown grass... from last year's crop. Earlier this evening there was a one-acre grass fire out in the Parkhill area of northern SLO County. We are so screwed this coming fire season... which has apparently already begun... or perhaps it would be more accurate to say last year's fire season has transitioned into this year's fire season without without ever fully ending. Elsewhere in drought news.: parts of Colorado are burning and the entire state of New Mexico is under Red Flag Warnings and has begun experiencing consistent wildfire activity. Just a little further east and from north to south from the Dakotas down to Texas are areas of extreme drought some of which have been going on for multiple years now such as in the Lone Star State.

A Strange Case of Roll Reversal

When my friend moved in next door in 1997 we hit it off fairly quickly and he become my older brother over the 15-1/2 years since then. At that time I was deeply in the throes of mental illness and the social isolation attendant unto it but was perhaps already into my long and gradual rise up out of it that would take another dozen years of my life to complete. Anywho, during those years of friendship with my friend he seemed a paragon of strength and self-confidence even if at times it came across as more bravado and braggadocio than actual foundational strength. However, even back then I noticed certain personality flaws and character defects and spiritual inadequacies which would intensify in their prominence in his life over the course of the years I knew him. Since these long-term shifts gradually played out over many years I did not recognize an overall deterioration until my friend retired from his state job. From that point onwards he seemed to emotionally tank upon retirement, a retirement he had long anticipated and believed would bring him the joy and peace he perpetually lacked.

By last year I noticed things that in hindsight now I must say were instances of the early advent of paranoid delusions and unstable hyper-sensitivity to imagined threats while not taking care of his affairs in the real world but that at the time I dismissed as my friend merely acting weak-minded and saying stupid things. Things are now in complete collapse in his life as he has lost his job and may not possess guns due to a suicidal episode. He is inconsolable and keeps repeating that his life is over and that he failed spiritually and in every other way and that there is no point in doing anything but awaiting the end. I employed my mental health first aid training today and empathetically listened to him and probed to see where his head was and if he was in danger or was a danger.

While he lay pouting on his sofa in his front room I asked him about his responsibility to provide for his wife and adult child who has developmental disabilities and he told me "they're gonna have to figure something out". I am in a quandry as to if I should be empathetic of his clearly suffering a deep and pervasive mental illness involving depression, narcissism,  a bit of being paranoid delusional and quite possibly being bipolar. Bipolar would explain just about everything up to this point. Or should I should be outraged at his callous selfishness and lack of regard for his family responsibilities and his utter self-centeredness and wretched self-pitying? Do I treat him like a victim and try to further employ my mental health first aid en route to facilitating his institutionalization or do I need to chew his ass for being such a selfish coward and demand he gird up his loins like a man? At what point does the mental illness segue into spiritual ineptitude and a crisis of character?

Why am I so cursed that the two most prominent men in my life are to varying degrees crazy and don't act like men? I was once crazy but now am dangerously well. However, it seems so many around me (and not just the two aforementioned "men") are going crazy or perhaps they always were but I failed to recognize it through the fog of my own past unhealthiness.

Headstrong "Tears"

This extended Aurosonic remix of "Tears" by Headstrong with vocals by the surprising Stine Grove just blew my doors off just now. Not only is this haunting trance track amazing but this video accompanying it features some sumptuous scenes of the beauty of our world both urban and natural.

Need To Feel Loved

I just found this song for the first time only last night despite the fact it came out in 2004 when I was heavily listening to trance and actually had money to purchase music. This is a goosebump-inducing trance track of high quality by the British trance act Reflekt. I am enamored with this which means I will probably play it dozens of times in the coming days and I like its theme to which I can so utterly relate.

Can't Sleep

Tonight it appears I'm afflicted with a bit of insomnia which brought to my mind this Above & Beyond classic which I share in its extended version for your nocturnal listening enjoyment. Below the music player are the sumptuous lyrics to this trance gem.

Four thirty A.M, I'm awake again
Singing to the dark through open eyes
While dreaming I see only you and me
Stuck between desire and compromise

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

You're leaving me scars scattered in my heart
A road map of all the places you have been
And I can't escape, can't wash this away
Love has burned your mark so deep within

If I said I want you back I'd be a liar
There's nothing left of us to long for anymore
But inside the ashes burns an endless fire
And every night I can't help reaching out for more

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep

And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep
And I can't sleep... You're so far away from me
And I can't sleep... And I can't sleep 

Source: AZLyrics.com

Quote of the Day - Thomas Wolfe

"You can't go home again." ~ Thomas Wolfe

 The central idea of this novel title by Thomas Wolfe has come up oft in my life. It did so again last week as I drove through the town in which I was born and spent a lot of my childhood either living in or near or otherwise visiting with great regularity. The place is Pasadena, CA, and it has changed and so have I. This is not to say I do not hold fond memories of it or that I don't derive great pleasure from passing through it but the thought of actually living there depresses me greatly at present. However, I suppose a great life with an amazing woman while living there in a Craftsman-style California bungalow could conceivably change my mind on the matter. On a side note my inner sci-fi dork must point out the obscure factoid that this is also the title of Episode #5 of Season One of Battlestar Galactica.

Picture of the Day - Newborn Baby Cockatiel Feeding

This was the scene today as my friend Janet fed one of her newborn baby cockatiels. Photo by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Scripture of the Day - Solomon

Proverbs 27:6 seems particularly apropos in my life at present and has been on my mind as one might expect:

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the affections of an adversary are insincere." (Kimicus ad Absurdum translation)

Whip It!

While coming back from running an errand a short time ago I heard Devo's 80's masterpiece "Whip It" and immediately recognized my theme song for today.

Random Musings of a Ramblin' Fool XLVII

This blog has now been visited nearly 207,000 times and I'm grateful to each of you who checked in for one reason or another. I appreciate the mostly useful or insightful feedbacks of those of you whom leave it in response to some of my postings. The posting most visited and most commented upon is LifeVantage/Protandim Is a Scam which has over 19,000 visits and 136 comments The second most visited blog article here is Picture of the Day - Primm Valley Solar Tower which has over 17,000 visits but a mere four comments. That low number of comments versus visits is because most people visit it as they drive along Interstate 15 near the CA-NV border and see the big solar plant under construction and wonder what it is and then Google it and my informative posting about it pops up fairly high in the search ratings. A fifth comment about that posting by coincidence was waiting in the queue tonight to be approved. I rejected it given its bizarre conspiracy theory implications. The internet is certainly filled with interesting people.

On The School Front

Things got off to a bit of a rough start this semester as I juggled school and a heightened workload. At times school suffered as an expense of working given that this is the most important time of the year with Tucson and such occurring I needed to strike while the iron was hot and do what needed doing for Rocks & Relics and I did. I feel like I'm regaining control in school as a result of reapplying myself and perhaps regaining a bit of perspective. When one feels down about something it is easy to be overly pessimistic and fail to see the big picture. Semester classes (in contrast to quarter classes) are more of a marathon and not so much a sprint. Therefore compensation for short-term setbacks can be easily achieved. At present I am on track for at best three A's and one B but more likely will achieve a split of A's and B's which is actually just fine. I am also on track to graduate this May from Cuesta College with an associate of arts degree. Even if I do accomplish this goal I will continue to take more classes at Cuesta until Fall 2014 when I hope to enroll at Cal Poly although that is not final by any means. I have also applied for local grants this semester for the first time.

On The Work Front

This Tuesday I shall be attending my first ever job fair at Cuesta College main campus where 35 employers will be interviewing people. I look forward to this but need to compose my first ever resume this weekend in anticipation of this new experience for me. I already have one part-time job opening up for me that allows me to work online for a friend I have known for a number of years who just started up a company of his own after working for someone in a similar endeavor until that owner died in an accident last year. I also have another friend having offered me some part-time work last year that will open up this spring. I am excited at all these opportunities and grateful to have them.

On The Estranged Friend Front

As stated previously I am on hiatus working for my friend following three years of working together. This status is pending some necessary and healthy changes. I certainly hope there is reconciliation and restoration  for our friendship. The future of our working arrangement is secondary to our friendship as far as I'm concerned as that is the true priority. The ball is in his court for now though and I'm content to let the dust settle and him work things out at his pace. I wish him well and do not begrudge him  now that he knows where I stand on things after airing my grievances. Unfortunately, to date what little communication I have received from him has been wholly unacceptable. I even received a demand from him that I remove from this blog all references to this disagreement. This attempt at censorship brought to my mind the following funny meme:

On The Health Front

I've ballooned a bit this winter due to a combination of factors running the gamut from the necessity to spend little if any time preparing food given both my legitimate time constraints as well as my poor time management at times. Also, I have needed to eat food stuffs that provide immediate gratification for energy for work and school which has meant a great deal of processed food. I have also done my fair share of comfort eating as a result of my mild to moderate annual S.A.D. issues not to mention comfort eating to make me feel better about some of the aforementioned work-related stress. It is rather remarkable how people can transfer their own stress and and unhappiness and unhealthiness to others who themselves then become similarly-afflicted. Perhaps most significantly contributing to my weight gain this winter has been my failure to walk and hike like I need to do and was doing in the first half of last year. Major healthy changes are taking place in my life as I reassert control of my life through my healthier choices and behaviors. This has already begun for me this week with more walking and less eating and healthier eating.

I Don't Get S.A.D. From Daylight Savings Time

I am so very happy  that we are into mid-March and Daylight Savings Time even if it comes a little earlier than seems necessary. As those of you who follow this blog know by now I have a recurring struggle with mild to moderate Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) so needless to say November to February is my least favorite time of year. Throughout any given year I notice every subtle change of the sun's intensity and angle and amount of time in the sky. This year as in most years nowadays the Central Coast of California broke out into Spring a month or so before the advent of astronomic spring on March 20th and now landscaping is exploding with growth and neighborhoods teem with landscapers coming and going about their spring yard cleanup. The trees are in full bloom or have already peaked out blooming and the last vestiges of winter have exited the state of seasons. I am already taking advantage of the additional hours of light every day by walking more frequently this week.

On The Tax Front

If one does not pay taxes AND vote then one has not right to complain about the state of affairs in our land. I voted last November and apparently I will be paying over a grand in taxes to the federal government my poverty notwithstanding. This is due to a convergence of factors what were not present in the past recent years. Fortunately, I have the option to inform the I.R.S. that I am too poor to pay at present and they will let me pay later on when I have a career and the interest amount will be small so I plan to opt for that plan.

On The Family Front

There was supposed to be a Noyes Family get-together last week at Grandma Martha's place in Fremont, CA, but it did not work out as a result of my brother's significant other severely breaking her ankle. Hopefully, this will result in a postponement and not ultimately a cancellation.

On The Mental Health First Aid Front

A week from this Friday I shall complete the Cuesta College Mental Health Workshop at the main campus with my dear friend Erin who invited me to participate. Upon completion I shall be certified for Mental Health First Aid. This will augment my Red Cross certification for physical first aid and CPR. I shall be doing this none too soon in light of the fact one of my best friends is currently embroiled in a mental and spiritual health crisis which has already cost him his job and caused his guns to be removed from his house. I hope I can be of use to him in hopefully seeking help.

On the Paso Rock Show Front

I am the chairman of this year's rock show in Paso Robles (22nd Annual Rockhound Roundup) once again but we have moved it to the first weekend in May (this year that will be May 4-5). To my surprise it is not going just like it did last year. One would assume that since it's the same show as before that there would be the same things to do from year to year and up to a point that is true. However, I have recently marveled at how many things are different this year than last year. It makes me wonder how much is random about putting on these events as in how arbitrary from year to year are the requirements by the various parties with whom we must coordinate. Perhaps this is a case of perception-as-reality. However, my dealer chair agrees with me on this so it's not only I who have noticed this. Despite this the show plans must go on and they are and I am excited about this show much more than even last year's event which was beset with hot weather but otherwise went quite well.

The Doors On My Present Life

The past 24 hours have been rather remarkable for me. Of late I have felt a bit overwhelmed in general and feeling like I'm falling behind in school in particular. I have been under a lot of pressure and stress relating to school and work and my volunteerism with the Santa Lucia Rockhounds for whom I'm their show chairman with the show coming up in early May. Needless to say I have a lot of irons in my fire.

Last night I was struggling with what felt like an insurmountable online homework burden due at 11:30 p.m. for which I had this overwhelming mental block that it could not be accomplished in time or that I could even do some of it at all due to its seeming technical complexity. Failure to do this work would threaten my ability to pass this class and graduate this coming May. It would also endanger my financial aid based upon my being a full-time student versus a part-time student. The previous online homework module saw me hardly complete any of it and fall completely out of contention for an A in the class due to my work schedule and poor time management by me. I soldiered on last night and did not quit and "kept chopping wood" and was able to "Brake On Through To The Other Side" to quote a Doors song title and lyric which is in my head tonight.

Also last night I completed composing a letter to my friend and boss listing changes in his behavior around me he will need to enact if I am to continue to work for him as the work environment has become increasingly frustrating and stressful not to mention dehumanizing. I will tolerate no more indignities and outrages from this man. I realized the time had come for this step a couple of weekends ago at the Ventura Gem & Mineral Show. After realizing this I could not get the Doors song "The End" out of my head for much of one of the days of the show. I don't know if I should have done this sooner but I finally did it after thinking about it since last year and often considering quitting out of frustration and exasperation. I mailed the missive this morning and had great peace in my heart throughout the composition of this piece and while printing it and while and since sending it off.

I am rather surprised and struck by two phenomenon that have emerged during this period. One is the surprisingly great peace and confidence I possess in my heart despite the fact my association with this man is probably over as a result of the letter. The other is the striking level of blessing I experienced today seeming as if in response to this act of faith in placing everything on the line with my primary employer. Everything went right for me today from big things to little thing both in regards to things to which I was expecting some less desirable outcome as well as in things I did not even see coming at all. I had an unexpected and delightful lunch with my dearest female friend other than my own mother. My public speaking class today went smooth and I understood some concepts being taught in it that had previously eluded me not to mention got back an assignment for which I got 100% credit and now feel in control in that class. I got a B and not a D on my math test last Wednesday I discovered tonight and understood everything discussed in math tonight. I got around to finally doing some small household chores that I have not been able to previously muster the energy to make myself do like take down my Christmas lights. I walked my dog for a second time today and dieted today getting the feeling I lost weight. I got show chairman business accomplished over the phone. I got employment lined up for myself tomorrow. I even received  a part-time job offer via email this morning. It was an unbelievable day with other details I won't get into but this suffices as a nice sampler.

I am excited at what the future holds for me with all of its inevitable changes and transitions all the while God is sovereign and omnipotent and fully in control of everything in my life and I trust Him wholly to provide for me and protect me as He has always done and always will. 

Below are the two aforementioned Doors song for your edification.

My Rockhounding Pedigree Runs Deep

Today my mother showed me some images she recently received of herself and her parents (Dr. and Mrs. J. Vernon McGee) taken back in the 1930's and 1940's. The source of the images are the Dunn Family whom attended Lincoln Avenue Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, CA, people whom the McGee's liked and respected. Amongst the images a member of the Dunn Family recently sent mom are three showing my grandparents out on the Mojave Desert on a rockhounding excursion with the Dunn Family. We already knew the McGee's liked to do that sort of thing back when my mother was a child. Mom had childhood memories of making such trips out to the Mojave Desert back in the 1940's into the 1950's including to Scotty's Castle back when it was still managed by the Gospel Foundation which repeatedly allowed the McGee Family to lodge there. What we did not know was that my grandparents went on rockhounding jaunts prior to my mom's birth and that they specifically visited the mining town of Calico, CA, in the late 1930's, something we realized as a result of viewing the images below. Calico is a place that has always been special to me and my parents as they used to take my brother and I out there when we were growing up in the 1970's into early 1980's. I visited the place again twice in the 2000's. Now that I know more fully my family connection to the place I feel compelled to get back out there as soon as I can make the trip. I also now know that my family rockhounding legacy goes back about 75 years. It is also worth noting that my paternal grandfather James Edwin Noyes also cast about on the Mojave Desert back in the early days around this same time and ultimately worked for Continental Conveyor which designed and built conveyor belt systems for mines and quarries around the world. Special thanks to my friend Mark Wiberg for digitalizing these images for me and to Lin Kerns for cleaning them up for me.

Grandpa McGee at far right and Grandma McGee second from left.

Grandpa McGee resting on a blanket while Grandma McGee snacks.

Grandpa McGee (foreground) walking out of the Calico General Store circa late 1930's.

  All photos by Gene & Alice Dunn or Luther & Helen Dunn courtesy of Margie Dunn (All rights reserved).

Limits Upon Unlawful Seizures Thru History

Recently I opened my Bible and on the page I opened to my eye went directly to Ezekiel 46:18 which goes:

"The prince may not seize the property of the people by force to evict them from it but shall give to his sons of his own property so that no man be deprived of his land." ~ (Kimicus ad Absurdum translation)

The moment I read it I was rather struck by how familiar its 6th Century B.C.E. principles sounded in light of the fact I have been of late studying the Magna Carta which was written in 1215 C.E. which charter seems to contain echoes of that earlier principle as delineated in Clause 12 of the charter:

"Neither we nor our officials will seize any land or rent in payment of a debt, so long as the debtor has movable goods sufficient to discharge the debt. A debtor's sureties shall not be distrained upon so long as the debtor himself can discharge his debt. If, for lack of means, the debtor is unable to discharge his debt, his sureties shall be answerable for it. If they so desire, they may have the debtor's lands and rents until they have received satisfaction for the debt that they paid for him, unless the debtor can show that he has settled his obligations to them."

Although not entirely talking about the same precise thing it seems to me that the Magna Carta had a Biblical precedent although I doubt the framers of the charter were thinking about any Scripture. I suggest that the principles of property detailed in Clauses 7-12 of the Magna Carta are embodied in that aforementioned passage from the Book of Ezekiel. 

However, this historical thread does not end there because Enlightenment giant John Locke came next in history in the 17th Century C.E. He seems to have been inspired at least in part by the principles the Magna Carta outlined in regards to the social contract between the government and the people which is to say, what constitutes the limits of power as it pertains to property. This is perhaps best demonstrated in Chapter 11 of his Second Treatise on Civil Government written in 1690 where he states:

"It cannot be supposed that [the hypothetical contractors] they should intend, had they a power so to do, to give any one or more an absolute arbitrary power over their persons and estates, and put a force into the magistrate's hand to execute his unlimited will arbitrarily upon them; this were to put themselves into a worse condition than the state of nature, wherein they had a liberty to defend their right against the injuries of others, and were upon equal terms of force to maintain it, whether invaded by a single man or many in combination. Whereas by supposing they have given up themselves to the absolute arbitrary power and will of a legislator, they have disarmed themselves, and armed him to make a prey of them when he pleases..."

 Given the regard the Founding Fathers of the United States had for John Locke and Enlightenment ideals it is hardly surprising that this line of thinking passed further forward in history into the Constitution of the United States. The Fourth Amendment which is contained within the Bill of Rights as primarily penned in 1789 C.E. by no less an Enlightenment fan than Thomas Jefferson declares:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized"

 And yet this thread is not finished as it is true that a great many constitutions and bodies of laws in other nations that have been since written contain similar concepts and principles. In my mind this is one continuous ideological thread laced through the past two and a half millenia of human history and continues forward to this day.

What I Did With My Day

I figure that given that I am Red Cross certified for physical first aid and CPR why shouldn't I be certified for mental health first aid as well?