Granddads and Grandkids (Reflecting on the past - Imagining the future)

I suppose it's natural at this time of year to reflect on the past and to set our sights on the future, but it's usually a relatively short time-span - the previous year and the next year. I find myself now thinking back to my childhood and thinking ahead for the next 20+ years. I also find myself thinking from the perspective of a grandfather, now that I am one.

My paternal grandfather was a difficult man to know. He was all work - no play, children should be seen not heard. You know the type. My brother and I would spend some time with him on the farm just about every summer. I suppose that was to give my parents a break from us. I didn't especially look forward to that time because Granddad would usually put us to work immediately, hoeing weeds in the garden or plowing a field - not exactly a kids idea of a vacation. He never really took an interest in us grandkids unless it was to help him do some work. We never went fishing in the pond, walking through the woods, or hunting crawdads in the creek. About the most fun we had was eating popcorn and watching wrestling on TV. Yes, wrestling was fake way back then too, but you couldn't convince my Granddad. On the flip side of things, I did look forward to Christmas at my Granddad's house. All the aunts, uncles, and cousins would show up so there was plenty of excitement and kids running around... and enough food to feed a small army. We weren't really close to my aunts, uncles, and cousins so it was a time for catching up and that means a lot of lively discussion. To sum it up, I guess there were some fond memories and some not-so-fond memories. Don't get me wrong. I totally respect my Granddad because I know he was an honest, God-fearing man who worked hard in difficult times to provide for his family. But somewhere along the way he forgot how to relax and have some fun.

My maternal grandfather, Pappa, was the exact opposite of my paternal grandfather. I have only fond memories of Pappa. He was a cool ole dude. Always had a smile and a joke or funny story to tell... and could he ever tell a story! Whenever we grandkids showed up, any thought of work stopped immediately and his attention was totally devoted to us. He lived in Florida at the time and his favorite passtime was fishing from piers. That worked out pretty good because we liked to go fishing with Pappa. He actually took time to show us how to fish and made us feel like we were important to him. The sad part of this story is that since he lived in Florida, we didn't get to spend much time with him. We were lucky if we got to see him once a year.

Having reflected back on my own grandfathers, the question comes to mind, which grandfather will I emulate? What will my relationship with my grandchildren be like? Will they one day think back to fond memories of their grandfather? I hope the answers are obvious. I want to be the cool ole dude grandfather, the one who takes an interest in them and plays with them and teaches them how to do things. I want to be their biggest fan, cheering them on in any situation. I want them to know that I think they're important, and that I'll always be honest with them even if they don't like what I have to say. Admittedly, this will not come naturally for the Dorris side of my character. Let's just hope the Pappa Jones side of my character is dominant when it comes to relations with grandkids.

Random Thoughts

#1
I recently received these quotes in an email and thought they were worthy of passing along.

"The trouble with socialism is, sooner or later you run out of other people's money" - Margaret Thatcher

"When you subsidize poverty and failure, you get more of both" - James Dale Davidson, National Taxpayers Union

Now if our political representatives would just take heed of these statements and stop spending money we don't have for things we don't need, then our future generations might have a chance to succeed without having to pay for our mistakes.

#2
What's up with all the rain? Must it be feast or famine, drought or flood? How about something in the middle. Ok, would it please just stop raining long enough for the leaves to dry so I can get them up and out of the yard?

#3
"A healthy self-image is a good thing... so is a little humility." That's a Dad original, feel free to quote me while I feign a little humility.

#4
We're a society of rubber-neckers. Every time someone on the public stage trips, we have to stop what we're doing and absorb all the gorey details... do we really need to know every person that Tiger Woods fooled around with?

#5
Do you think the day will come when we'll be taxed for breathing? After all, we do expel co2 and that's a greenhouse gas responsible for melting the polar ice-caps, right? Here's a thought - trees absorb co2... let's figure out how many trees it takes to absorb the amount of co2 expelled by a human... then everytime a human is born, we plant that many trees... problem solved.

The Holidays - Good News, Bad News

Generally speaking, I like the holiday season. However, as with most things in life, there's a down-side and leave it to me to point that out... sorry, it's who I am. Thankfully, the good far outweighs the bad. Here are a few of the good/bad things that come to mind. See if any of this rings a bell.

Food

Good - What can I say? The food is fabulous, the ultimate comfort food, and there's usually enough leftovers to last for several more meals.
Bad - As always I eat too much and feel miserable... for a while.

Good - Traditional making and eating of the Chex Mix. I like tradition and I like Chex Mix.
Bad - It's like an addiction. Once I start eating it, I just can't stop. Then my digestive system revolts. I won't get any more descriptive than that. Use your imagination... it's a lot of fiber, you know.

Family

Good - I love having family around, at least for a short time, even the in-laws.
Bad - Trying not to step on or trip over any one of 5 dogs and a cat.

Good - The kids are starting their own families and holiday traditions.
Bad - It's getting more difficult to schedule family gatherings so that no family is left out.

Good - Going back to Nashville to see extended family and my parents.
Bad - Coming up with yet another excuse as to why we're not spending the night at my parents house. I love my parents dearly, but my nerves can't handle spending too much time there.

Gift Giving

Good - I love the spirit of giving
Bad - It's frustrating that I can't afford to give as much as I would like

Good - Finding that perfect gift for a loved one
Bad - Trying to find that perfect gift for a loved one

Good - Seeing the gifts all wrapped and piling up around the Christmas tree.
Bad - Actually wrapping the gifts

Holiday Decorations

Good - I love to see all the pretty decorations, the lights, the ornaments, etc. It just makes things seem a little more festive.
Bad - I dislike actually doing the decorating, then naturally followed by the un-decorating.


As I said, in my mind anyway, the good far outweighs the bad. I hope it is the same for you and that you all have a wonderful holiday season.

I'm Tired and I Don't Understand

Of what am I tired? The list is lengthy but here's the short list.

1. I'm tired of double standards, but not all of them. Pick a subject, any subject, anywhere you look there are double standards. There are some who would say that all double standards are bad, but I believe there are a few that are ok and were actually intended that way since the creation of man/woman. So, is it a double standard to say that not all double standards are bad?

2. I'm tired of double-speak. All men are created equal, but we should embrace and indeed celebrate our diversity.

3. I'm tired of guilt trips, real or perceived. There are plenty of things in my life that I rightfully feel guilty about. I don't need help from anyone else in that regard.

4. I'm tired of political correctness. It would be politically incorrect for me to tell all the things of which I'm tired.


What don't I understand? Again, the list is too long, but here's a sample.

1. I don't understand how millions of people can be held captive by a single person... think North Korea.

2. I don't understand why so many people have been killed in the name of religion... and Christians are not blameless in this regard.

3. I don't understand why so many people in 3rd-world areas have not advanced beyond tribal knowledge.

4. I don't understand why so many people have no shame in expecting others to provide for them.

5. I don't understand why if you illegally cross the border into N. Korea or Iran, you get charged with espionage and sentenced to hard labor or even death. But if you illegally cross the border into the U.S. you get a job, free healthcare, and a fast track to citizenship.

6. I don't understand why our own government reports show that the U.S. has oil reservoirs equal to, if not exceeding, those of the Middle East, yet we can't go after it and are held captive to Middle Eastern oil.

7. I don't understand how a person can be convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve 14 - 20 years, but the law requires him to be released after 9 years... saw that on 20/20.

8. I don't understand why it's ok to destroy a living human fetus, but you can go to jail for kicking your dog.

9. I don't understand why we need to send people back to the moon. What could we possibly gain that justifies the expense?

10. I don't understand why my body develops aches & pains for no apparent reason, and I'm tired of it.

Another Government Entitlement Program - Really?

I'm not certain where it all started, but there's a list of government-backed, taxpayer funded entitlement programs that would choke a horse. I won't even attempt to name them and I'm sure there are many of which I've never heard. The point is, are they truly justified and necessary? I'm sure they are well-intentioned, at least in the beginning, but do they achieve the intended results?

I could go on and on about the pros and cons of various entitlement programs, but let's skip to the "my opinion" part. In my opinion, there is no justifiable government-backed, taxypayer funded entitlement program, period. Everything that is intended to be achieved by these government programs can and should be achieved through the private sector and more importantly through personal responsibility and self-reliance.

I absolutely believe there are those who, through no fault of their own, are in dire circumstances and need assistance. I also absolutely believe it is not the federal government's responsibility to provide that assistance by stealing my money and giving it to them. How did these people survive long ago before these programs existed? They got help from friends, neighbors, family, churches and other charitable organizations.

If I wasn't already paying between 40 - 50% of my income to the government, then I would be in a much better position to help those in need. But no, the government believes they know better how to spend my money... nevermind that the government programs are rife with corruption and fraud.

Cutting to the chase, it's probably obvious that I don't take kindly to the government stealing my money to fund their corrupt programs. It's a much longer discussion, but the arguement could be made that the real motive behind some of these programs is nothing more than to buy votes.

Now for the latest insults to my sensibilities, the government is considering two more permanent entitlement programs.

One that I'm sure you've heard about is the Healthcare Reform effort currently going through Congress. The latest word is that it will cost all taxypayers almost $900 Billion over 10 years and still there will be approximately 20 million people without health insurance. Really??? Is there not a better way???

One that you may not have heard about is the consideration of giving every newborn child a $500 savings account. Really??? Are you freakin kidding me???

God help us... where will it end?

Yes, I'm an old fart, but there's hope

With all the new technology and applications available today, I'm starting to understand how my father (83 years old) felt just a few years ago when he adamantly said, "I don't want a computer in my house." My brother and I dragged him, figuratively kicking and screaming, into the computer age and he now communicates via email with all his family and friends. Of course, email is the only thing he'll ever do with his computer, but it was a giant leap nonetheless.



For me, texting... who needs it, iphone... too complicated and expensive. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter... don't have time, don't need the headache. At least that's the way I feel now. Who knows? Maybe in a few years when today's technology is becoming obsolete, I'll be dragged, figuratively kicking and screaming, into using some new-fangled, gee-whiz, techno-gadget.



Today, I enter the blog community. Let's just be satisfied with that for now. Admittedly, one of my reasons is to keep up with the thoughts of at least two of my kids. Sorry kids, hope this doesn't spoil it for you.



Yes, I'm an old fart, but there's hope.