Running...................Thursday, and so on

Thursday January 31st. Interesting day but then in some ways they all are. I saw this picture and figured I would send it to an old running buddy up North in the land of snow. He needs to see the mountains to the East of us. We used to run just below the Wasatch mountains each day. I remember seeing Venus in the early mornings certain times of the year and the dippers. Seemed like the early mornings up closer to the mountains were time to see the stars. Here next to the Sandia Mountains I just haven't run early mornings. Usually Saturday mornings or afternoons and often Sunday mornings. Running has been a long time passion. My friend and I ran for 25 years. We shared all the stories and viewpoints we could think of. I have on occassion walked with Kathy here before a longer run. My runs have mostly been alone. An Ipod is a companion of sorts but no sharing takes place. I had a couple of interesting runs in El Paso in the last couple of years.

The Green Green Grass of Best

So I have been re reading Politics by Aristotle in order to spend some time with some folks in a couple of days and discuss the ideas in this book. At the bottom of this blog I have inserted some points pulled out of a summary. One key point that is made is that a city is comes about an exists to be of some "good". That perhaps leaves the door open for good, better, best. Maybe one city is only good while another is better and then another best. The differences might rest on the particular "good" that brought the place about. That said I figure that good weather makes for making a good city better. I am pretty certain that "grass" would make it "best". Seems pretty simple once you really get down to it......................

The city is a political partnership that comes into being for purposes

of self-sufficiency but exists primarily for the sake of living well.

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The virtue of a good man and an excellent citizen may be different,

because the virtue of a citizen is determined with a view to the

preservation of the regime. To the extent the actual regime

approximates the best regime, the virtue of a good man

and an excellent citizen will coincide.

A Noble and Great Man lived among us.................

Dallin Oaks wrote a book titled "Pure in Heart". In that book he made the comment that "what we see in life depends on what we seek in life". He also noted the irony and example of this principle shown by those Roman Soldiers who served Pilate and who at the crucifixion of Christ waited at the foot of the Cross while one of the supreme events in all eternity was taking place above their head. Oblivious to that fact they occupied themselves by casting lots to divide the earthly property of the dying Son of God.
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"All they had to do was look up to see the truth"

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"that what we see around us depends on what we seek in life".
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A Giant of a Man in our life time has lived among us. All we have to do is look at his life and see a truly Noble and Great one"

President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away Sunday evening at 7 pm in Salt Lake City.

http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/

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Funeral Services for President Hinckley Announced
SALT LAKE CITY 28 January 2008 Funeral services for President Gordon B. Hinckley, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who died Sunday evening, will be held this Saturday, February 2, in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.
The proceedings will be broadcast via satellite in 69 languages to over 6,000 Church buildings globally. Brigham Young University’s BYU Television will also broadcast the funeral internationally.

Sunday, Church, Talks, Posole, Lincoln , the GrandCat,and Red

Today Mike is making dinner or part of it. Posole. Yesterday we all had lunch at a restaurant and two of the three, as reported much better on Kathy's blog, chose red. I like red you see. Then today a big old pot of Posole will be the end of the day treat.
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Yesterday I got my 5 miles in, along with lunch, a couple of episodes of 3rd Rock, and some emails.
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Today I will give a short talk on "Knowing" I suspect that people "Know" or have their beliefs confirmed in a variety of ways. Of course a variety of things can help but then one thing I might suggest is that all people have within them the ability to know "right vs's wrong". Most of the time people who sincerely ask if something is right or wrong will hear an inner voice answer. The standard that is used to measure and supply the answer is common to all humans. The voice that answers will confirm if your beliefs are true.
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Then too we find that the overall purpose that "He", who put the voice inside us, to answer these questions was still must be the guide. That purpose was a standard within us to know right from wrong. A light within us. "His" light. In that light I recall Lincoln's thoughts below..........favorites
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Abraham Lincoln
Second Inaugural Address Saturday, March 4, 1865

.............................."Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes."

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"The Grandcat"

It has been a week since we went to Mike's place and visited the cat. Twice in two days I have been asked about the cat or our plans to get a kitty and so forth. No report forthcoming on this subject. That is the update.

See with Blinding Sight, and with fierce tears pray

A little rage, a little light
A little forked lightening, into the night
Then, no dying of the light......


Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; dust thou art, to dust returnest, was not spoken of the soul. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Just what we really are matters more than what other people think of us.
Jawaharlal Nehru

It is with the soul that we grasp the essence of another
human being, not with the mind, not even with the heart.
Henry Miller

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Old age should burn and rave, at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their works had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you , my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears. I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Dylan Thomas

knowing

What is it to "know" something? Do we know or do we just believe? We know right from wrong, most of us, maybe all of us. Right may be like "light" and wrong may be like "darkness". Right feels different than Wrong? Perhaps the core of knowing anything is being able to find a "standard" to use to judge "it".

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The standard of right or wrong might be applied to feelings, events, facts, choices, or the days events and the standard will add to your conclusions. You will "know" that what you said or thought was "right or wrong". Or maybe it is what others said or claimed or proclaimed the you will know by the standard of "right or wrong".

A day then could be filled in looking for the "light".

Cranes, cows and more.................

Cranes have been on my mind off and on since before New Years. I had a thought about Cranes that would have made for a good blog but then now I have found a great picture and forgotten the reason.......................The shot of the mountain and the Crane is a good enough reason. That's the Bosque where the trees are.

These all remind me of "us", happy birthday thoughts

I do like these pictures. The make me think of us. The make me look at us and bring up memories and thoughts.

Just look at us

After all these years together

After all that we have been throgh

Still leaning on each other

Just look at you

Still pretty as a picture

Just look at me

Still crazy over you

Still believing in forever

As time goes by

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You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh, the fundamental things apply as time goes by, and when to lovers woo, they still say I love you, on that you can rely, no matter what the future brings as time goes by, .............Moon light and love songs never out of date.

Mid afternoon Moon.

Course what does Mel expect to learn from this
un named entitiy? And then why can't "it"
offer an opinion?

The Moon.............................Yes this "blog" is here to show the moon at about 3:30 PM over the Sandia mountains, not to show Mel, but the Moon. And the story unfolds as I was running North looking to the East on my 5 mile run today. I saw what from the road behind this camera apppeared to be "a big moon". Big, I say. Anyway these pictures don't the moon justice.

Nice sky of course. This day started out cold. Wasn't bad by 3:30PM. Nice day overall. Yes the moon really is there. Look again. Don't fail to succeed in seeing the Moon.

Yep

Hard to get much attention with a Resume and or Actions speak louder than words. This blog may be modified in hours or a day or so, maybe?

It indeed has been a little chilly here
It does show however that one can always
learn. Todays lesson is perhaps on "fuel"

Thinking

is

Good

Been there done that,

Mars, smars, there was a star on the hill, whatever...........................

who is talkin to whom, one might wonder

What does it all mean?
Well I perhaps could offer a thought or two on that subject? .................................On second "thought", not today, maybe I'll just stop fishin for "thoughts".

on the top of a pole in a time far away, perhaps today

Running by a couple of metal horses standing tall in a yard on my run, often makes me think of a horse I remember when I was a young boy. It was on top of a pole in my front yard. The yard itself was framed in metal, at least the porch was and the front gate but the horse sat on top of a long pole. I don't recall it exactly but I often think of it as I run past the neighborhood horses. I will admit I have even thought of that horse as I have ran past a favorite metal cactus on the run. Odd how memory works.







The metal horses has been found. Never lost although it is not on that pole today. It exists in my memory and in this picture. Then too I may exist in this picture. I look myself in the eyes and recognize myself. I had my Tom Sawyer days and they are still here. I do see myself here but then I remember my brother then and a time that was short. Too short. The dog was glad to stand for the picture. Trees in the background make me wish for a color photo. Then for that matter the color photo of the box below just doesn't seem like it belongs on this blog. It was an afterthought. I was already thinking of years ago and I walked into the kitchen to see a bowl of red something being stirred with a spoon. As the spoon went around the small bowel the smell rose from the bowel. I was not close enough to smell but I could see the air and my mind flashed back to times inside this house. Red pudding was a treat then. Then too the river, the park, the trees, the green leaves, snakes, frogs, and the sound day and night of the water was a time where I had roots. Dad was across the river. Mom was in the house. All was mostly well in the world. If you can find those moments then you, in my opinion, can thank parents that allowed them to happen. (Then too will I some time many years from now write of the neighborhood horses....................)

nowhere in time.......................

Somewhere or maybe nowhere in time, perhaps. Not that I have been there, but then it sort of has a "once upon a time" look to it. I made some adjustments on yesterdays blog and then this really isn't todays but then that ball in the sky is interesting..........

Makes one wonder about the past ....................................

Angels on the Playlist, on on our trip

The playlist is what I “run” to……….Then in terms of how I relate to it really gets down to how the words and memories and then two the sights of the day tell me more about who I really and where I have really been. (note to mention help that was received)


Today I took the I Pod and started out on a 8 mile run. East to the base of the Sandias. The playlist was began with: The Love in your Eyes, These arms of Mine, This is Us, Unchained Melody, Hello Darlin, High-tech Redneck, I Walk the Line, I will Always Love You, Remember When, and Angel…………………the playlist marks the miles and the blog.

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The air was crisp and cool and seemed to make all that I saw fresh. The sky was blue and the air clear. To the East were the Sandias, framed with blue sky . I ran about 4 miles one way to the base and turned and 100 miles to the west was Mt Taylor. Snow topped. The city was below stretched miles in all directions. I do find distraction, release, no confusion and time to think as I cover the miles. I did look back to a time when "I was young and so was she". Time didn’t stand still. Love was and is all we knew…… Angels have been with us on our trip.


The Love in your eyes……………..

And I feel I'm driftin'

On a sea of confusion

There's a beacon that always shines

It's the love in eyes It's the love in eyes


Remember When………………
"Remember when I was young and so were you

and time stood still and love was all we knew
Remember when thirty seemed so old

Now lookn' back it's just a steppin' stone

To where we are, Where we've been

Said we'd do it all again

Remember when

Remember when we said when we turned gray

When the children grow up and move away

We won't be sad, we'll be glad

For all the life we've had

And we'll remember when"

Angel ……………………………

"end all your time waiting for that second chance

for a break that would make it okay

there's always some reason to feel not good enough

and it's hard at the end of the day

I need some distraction oh beautiful release

memory seeps from my veins

let me be empty and weightless and maybe

I'll find some peace tonight in the arms of an angel

fly away from here from this dark cold hotel room

and the endlessness that you fear

you are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie

you're in the arms of the angel

may you find some comfort there

so tired of the straight line and everywhere you turn

there's vultures and thieves at your back

and the storm keeps on twisting you

keep on building the lie that you make up for all that you lack

it don't make no difference escaping one last time

it's easier to believe in this sweet madness

oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

in the arms of an angel

fly away from here

from this dark cold hotel room

and the endlessness that you fear

you are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie

you're in the arms of the angel

may you find some comfort there

you're in the arms of the angel

may you find some comfort here"

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct they for good; yea when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep and when though risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God;; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day….. .Alma 37:37

Making the Day, today, Come on...................

Come on, he says, Make My Day,

Yep, it is a New Year. Things could happen. Time to get serious. This looks serious enough don't ya suppose. Well I watched The Buddy Holly Story the other night, again. I do watch a few flicks over and over. Johnny Cash's latest movie, Peggy Sue is due,

Radiate the Light..............................

"There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us." President Gordon B. Hinckley

questions questions, questions

Mike moved out. The cat's gone.

Mike will at least be back for dinner today.

Empty Nesters again....................................

Sailing off in my blog, yep

Course it is Wednesday still. Wondering what to blog. Some folks made a New Years resolution to take a picture every day. Good idea. Works well if you are good at taking pictures. On the other hand it may work well if you don't if you do and like to do it. Then of course posting cartoons is sort of lame. Speaking of Sail Boats I like the William F Buckley Jr books about Sailing. He sort of sailed off a few places. Wrote about each day. One day he gets up and hoists the old sail. Say, by the way, he says, that democrat so and so is a so and so, then he moves on and explains how to sight in on the stars. That was always a good book plot. A little politics or world opinion and something new to think about regarding Sailing. I on the other hand just got in the car and went to work. Say, by the way, did you know that it is an election year. O well too bad. It may have been better news if I could have told you something about sailing along with it. I guess it is time to make some resolutions. Yep

Possibly a Successful Year ahead, perhaps a Tradition

My own tradition looks forward not back. Finds positive to accentuate. Looking forward at tradition in the eye.

2008 ahead and some good thoughts below......................

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands
but in seeing with new eyes.
Proust

We shall not cease from exploration and the end
of our exploring will be to arrive where we started
and to know that place for the first time.
T.S. Elliott

It is important not to mistake the edge of the rut for the horizon

You can and should shape your won future because if you don’t
somebody else surely will.

Whenever someone, somewhere, serves someone else, there is
truly a cause to celebrate.

We had the experience but missed the meaning.
Cats 2nds act

The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.
Pascal

Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other Gods, and worship them.
Deuteronomy 11:13-17

The quality of our lives is the
quality of our communication
Anthony Robbins

The world works from the outside in- The Lord works from the inside out
Ezra Taft Bensen

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioned ability of a man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor
Henry David Thoreau

“If we work upon marble, it will perish,

if we work upon brass, time will efface it;

if we rear temples, they will crumble

into dust. But if we work upon immortal souls,

if we imbue themwith principles,

with the just fear of the Creator

and love of fellow men,we engrave

on those tablets something, which will

brighten all eternity.
Daniel Webster

Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm
Winston Churchill

Success is the sum of small efforts- repeated day in and day out”
Robert Collier

Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it
Chinese Proverb

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen
Harry S. Truman

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure
is trying to please everybody
Bill Cosby

You got to love to be able to play
Louis Armstrong

Lord, grant that I might always aspire to more than I can accomplish Michelangelo

What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Buy the truth, and sell it not

Proverbs 23:23