Baseball's Winter Meetings

Rarely do I wake from a dream and start blogging about it, but I went to sleep Christmas Eve really sick.  My stomach had me doubled over in stabbing pains.  I was fine until my wife made these incredible rich Ice Cream Sandwiches.  Then all of a sudden, while watching Christmas vacation I got lower intestinal cramps like crazy.  I spent about 15 minutes in the bathroom in traumatic agony, I came out and passed out on my bed in my cloths with army boots on.  And no, I haven't had any Alcohol since June or earlier.  I quit on February 15th with a few exceptions, When Stephen R.Covey Died and When Neil Armstrong died.  Two of the few Humans I can  say had an effect on who I am.

I wish I could say it was my parents, but they left me decades ago.  My mom died in 67' and my father passed in 76.  I was 20 when my father passed but even worse, I was out at sea.

Without parents, I grabbed and held on to my two passions in life.   The two things that have always been there for me since my mom died. Music and Baseball.  Music is what turned out to be my natural talent.  Baseball I ended up admiring those who could play it.  At the age of 30 I started a Strat-0-matic league that lasted until 2010. My team, the Bombers won 3 Championships.  In 2011, I won a championship in someone else's strat-0-matic league.  BTW in 1970 (I think it was) my dad told me I sucked as a ballplayer)  (In 2005,my music mentor Dick Dale told me I was very, very "twice" cool as a guitarist).  In 2012, I lost my love for the game.  For some reason, last night I dreamed that I was in centerfield talking to Buster Posey about catching and backup catchers.  It's funny because Buster was playing on my Strat-0-matic team in center field.  I guess his ankle injury caught up with him.

So speaking of Buster Posey, I would like to start my favorite list of my favorite all=time Strat-0-matic players I've had.  I'll mention my all-star team of my players, and notable back ups.  I will eliminate those who were found guilty of Steroids. (Jose Canseco)

Catcher - Buster Posey.  Although Buster has had a short career as of this writing (3 years) and may end up playing someplace else other than catcher, He was so exciting to watch almost single handed pull the Giants out of the basement in 2010 once Bruce Bochey got the guts to bench Benji Molina.  Before Buster got drafted by MLB, I saw him catch, Pitch, and play shortstop vs. Stanford in the 2008 College World Series.  He won the golden spikes award that year.  He was also voted the NL MVP in 2012.

Notable Mention- My first catcher ever, Gary Carter.  A member of the 86 World series Mets and the best Catcher to come along since Johnny Bench.  He (Like Buster) did it all, but I never saw him pitch.

First Base- Don Mattingly.  I had Don almost his whole career. which was brief due to a back injury. He denies it and says he wanted to spend more time with the family, but I think the back injury left him a shadow of his 86 season which put him in a class with Lou Gehrig.  He hit 36 (real) Home runs, hit .352 and had 110 RBIs.  Not to mention his gold glove.  I've had other fine 1st basemen like Adrian Gonzalez; but Mattingly was and will always be the benchmark.

2nd Base- Ryne Sandberg.  There was only one.  He was my 2nd basemen his whole career. He got out before the steroid craze.  He was always good for 20 plus Homeruns a year and a golden glove.

Shortstop - Troy Tulowitsky.  I had never seen anyone turn an unassisted triple play before.  I made a shrude deal to get Tulo from Bill Trapp and never let go. 
Notable mention- Alan Trammel.  But that was a miserable story

3rd Base- Evan Longorio. Bar none.

Left Field - Ricky Henderson.  Perhaps the greatest Left Fielder and lead off hitter/base stealer of all time.

Centerfield - Colby Rasmuth.  There were many but Colby helped me to a couple of Championships.
notable mention- Eric Davis.  Too bad drugs ruined his career.

Right Field - Ichiro Suzuki  I should just insert video of Ichiro's fence climb in 2005.  He climbed the Washington Mutual sign at Bomber Stadium (Seattle) and perched on top of the fenced, turned to his right and robbed a sure homerun.

DH- The DH's that were strictly DH's on my teams were excluded because of Steroids (Manny) but usually, my DH was a young 4 tool player that hadn't developed his defensive skills yet.  For example, Colby Rasmuth would DH and Andres Torres would play CF until Rasmuth could field the position.  Unfortunately, there is a long list of Manny's and Cansecos.  Sometimes I would keep around a favorite such as my other favorite first baseman "Todd Helton".  Once he came down with Crone's disease, he became a left handed Designated Hitter. 

In 2008, John Arcieri and Bob Oakman (originals from 1986) moved on, leaving just me and Bill Trapp (the founders) In 2009 the league was resurrected with newcomers, Larry &Clyde.  In 2011 I played with almost my same team in the East Coast League and not only won the championship but took my division too.  I guess when you win the championship on your first full year, in some leagues they show you the door.

Bill was unable to compete in 2012 because of personal changes in his life. So 2012 was the first year since 03 that we had taken a year off from Strat-0-matic. Although I have a credit for another season at Strat, I just don't have the love for the game any more.  It was the one thing that kept me tied to my father's legacy.  He use to love baseball.  He would watch a game on the black &White TV while listen to another game on the Sony Radio.

I thought that on Christmas day I would be writing something profound.  I guess this is my formal goodbye and Thank you to John Arcieri, Bob Oakman and Bill Trapp.  As well as the above mentioned favorites.  Thank you all for 30 years of enjoyment. 

Thin and Productive People

Thin and productive people are usually "Happy" people.  If you look at those who are over weight, the seeds of their obesity is often planted in their self-esteem/sub-conscious mind.  It actually takes very few calories to keep a busy office person healthy.

Oprah once said (during one of her roller coaster diets) That if she's had a bad day, 3 days later it will show up on her "Behind".  And in general, when our lives are not fulfilled by our work, our belief structure, or our simple existence, we need an artificial form of gratitude. 

The sad part is; many of us don't even know we're unhappy.  When the White House preaches about Obesity, why don't they address the real underlying issue of man's abusive behavior.  But just as violence can not be abolished with gun control laws (O.J.?) Washington can't legislate morality which is one of the roots of good self-esteem.

Mayan Calendar May have quit but.....

Life Goes On

Now I almost say that with disappointment.  On the other hand, we might not be out of the woods yet.  Nasa Scientist say we can expect severe solar flares at the end of 2012.  That's another 9 days. 

I recently wrote an outline on my life's story.  47 pages so far filled with childhood trauma, military Trauma, poor decisions as an adult, and how we can't just go back and erase history.  Man's memory has an uncanny ability to let negative experience burn a scar in your memory and the good times seem to fade.  I guess that's because God gives us a new day in which to create more good times. In fact; It scares me when life goes "somewhat" uneventful for a period of time.  I guess that's pretty crappy when "uneventful" replaces "A good time" .  Perhaps Thoreau was right, man spends his life in a state of wandering desperation.  I like to translate that by saying today is another day.  Make the best of it.  Even if that means trying to make someone else's day.

I think it would have been hard for me to have been Domingo, Sam, Zamudio You may or may not know him as Sam the Sham and his back up group "The Pharaohs". His claim to fame was the Huge Hit song Wooly Bully..  He got the name "The Sham" because he couldn't sing.  The sad thing about the Sam story is, and I was fortunate enough to be living in the Bay Area in the late 70s to 2006, one of the local news stations did a "Look who we found"/"Where are they now segment" on Sam.  At the time he was a furniture mover in Marin county.  I believe Sam was in his 40s.  Now I don't recall if Sam ran the furniture moving business or was just a mover, but this was in the early 80s and my impression was one of horror. (I know moving is hard work) Today Sam is a Gospel singer and  a motivational speaker. Is he happy?  You'll have to ask Sam. Hey; Today is the only day that counts.

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America's 2nd Civil War

America is primed for a 2^nd civil war.  People were predicting this as early as 11/2008.  Yet recently with the re-election of the 44^th President, rhetoric is reaching an all-time dangerous high.  Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa Junior used the term civil war if the Governor of Michigan signed the Right to work bill into law.

 

The words blood have been thrown around like Romans in the coliseum.  Comedian and Fox commentator Dennis Miller made a recent comment that he felt the president hated him and other successful Americans.

I don’t disagree with them.

 It won’t be a north vs. south civil war.  It will be a metropolitan vs. rest of the country civil war.  I would imagine the government would try to disarm those living in the metropolitan areas like they did in New Orleans during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  They would then methodically hit the suburbs of the metro-cities to disarm the people city by city.  This would be met with great resistance.  The government would have to engage their own people ala “Ruby ridge”.  Hopefully the “Oathers” in the military would keep their oath.

 There are so many flash points that could set off the fighting from a George Zimmerman innocent verdict to a Barack Obama scandal and impeachment.  At the current time it looks like the Unions are ironically in the same disarray as the Republican Party. 

The last thing this country needs is to fall apart as millions of Muslim extremist cells lay in waiting.  Many are fleeing to the state of Texas.  (Which was once a republic).  Many are leaving New York and California for this very reason.  December 21^st may not bring the end of the world, however; it could bring an end to the world as we know it.

Hitler - Favorite Target of the Left

The following is a letter I sent to Brad Meltzer of BM Decoded.  In reference to him referring to Adolf Hitler as "The most Evil Man in History".

 

Adolf Hitler was far from (To quote your episode)"The most evil man in history". I agree Himmler was very sinister and Hitler was a sociopath with an Oedipus complex. His roots do not differ much from another community organizer who came to power with a messianic image. Yet the holocaust as tragic as it was only took the lives of 6 million Jews and so called undesirables. (6 Million is a mutually accepted figure by historians) This was indeed an act of genocide.

 

Yet how can you dismiss the 15 million Russians executed, and another 10 to 15 million Ukrainians killed by famine all at the hands of Joseph Stalin,  A man who murdered 22,000 Polish officers in the Katyn forest and tried to blame it on his partner at the time Adolf Hitler. Stalin was singly responsible for the death of over 35 Million Russians. 

 

Finally Mao Zedong.  One number 50,000,000 dead. 

 

Why is Hitler the “Iconic face of Evil” ? Why do Stalin and Mao get a pass?  Is it their politics?  Are you a left wing Socialist/Communist leaning producer?  Just answer that one question. Why is Hitler the Iconic face of Evil when those in the Allied forces went on to kill a combined 85 Million innocent people.  Sincerely, Ace Andres  PS. Please feel free to fact check my numbers. I believe them to be conservative numbers.  Let me add one more fact.  Why isn’t Stalin the Iconic face of Evil by the simple command of allowing his red Army to Rape and Kill 2 million (Some argue 80,000) innocent women and children of Berlin in 1945?  I believe Stalin’s exact quote was: “Tell the troops to enjoy themselves”. No, Hitler was an awful dictatorial madman surrounded by evil buffoons.  But the acts of Rape, Murder and Starvation by Stalin or Mao make Hitler look like a 3^rd rate mobster.  Far from the most evil man in history.

 

End

I wanted to go on and mention Napoleon, Atilla and other Evil killers, but Chairman Mao, who is very popular with this administration, and Joseph Stalin are the real faces of Evil in the History of mankind.  Even more so because they killed their own people.

 

 

 

 

LOVE and Man's Free Will

We often wonder why God allows bad things to happen to good people.  (See previous post on JOB)  In a deep discussion today, I concluded, and I could be way off topic on this so please cut me some slack, and God please don't punish me too hard, but, Man's Free Will is the ability to make the choice to accept God or reject God.  God's will shall prevail over your will.  So what if you "think" that you can make your own life effecting decisions, think again.  If you make plans and you've covered every possible angle, and the bridge to your destination crumbles from stress (ala Minnesota) what good has your "Free Will" done?

 Let's say a country is starting to take it's freedom for granted, so a dictator is elected.  In the first term the people don't learn and the takers re-elect the dictator.  Some say it's God's plan.  I mean; God allowed His people to live in bondage for 400 years.  Then before entering the promised land, he punished them by making them wander aimlessly in the desert for 40 years.  Moses who by the hand of God, lead God's chosen people out of Egypt died before he saw the Promised Land.  It wasn't Moses who built a graven image out of gold.  Where was Moses' free will? 

We are free to choose to listen to God's word and follow the direction of the Holy Spirit. (I know I'm going to upset my "Church of Christ" friends) or we can do as we please.  We are Free to Worship graven images and give up our liberty for "security".  Even if you have been "SAVED" You still have the FREE WILL to walk away from your salvation. 

That's Free Will.

12/12/12

So I guess this date only comes around once every century?

LOVE- When God allows Bad things

I started thinking today about good vs. evil.  In times of disaster or "mega-disasters" we are quick to turn to God and as "WHY GOD".  Again, the answer I'm content with is; it's the price of "Free will".  I know that sounds like an oxymoron.  The price of something free.  We (Most of us Veterans say: "Free speech is not free".  Meaning men died for those of us to protest against the government, worship God in what ever way, you can even burn the U.S. Flag if you so desire.

Some of the freedoms would get you a swift beheading in other less "free" countries and cultures.

So if bad things happen to good people because of free will, then I guess that explains why good things happen to those who act like "Bad People".  Personally I don't buy into the good person bad person paradigm.  Although I like to think I'm on the path to righteousness, it doesn't take much to get me wandering off into the tall grass.  But I guess what is important is that I continue to seek the path and pray that I'm on the correct path.

When I think of bad things happening to good people, I bring myself back to the biblical story of Job.  Here is guy that reminds me of Mitt Romney.  He's spent his life seeking righteousness and doing "The Lord's work" and felt he could help the shining city on the hill get some of it's light back.  It is my POV that evil triumphed over good.  I also believe that God will allow Satan to have his way with us for doing so.  It's the "unintended consequences of free will".  

If you've never read the book of Job (Old testament), I'll give you the reader's digest version.  Job is a righteous man. The devil tells God that Job is only righteous because he's been so successful.  Damn that sounds like Obama.  So God who knows Job's heart says: "Go for it. Tempt him" So God allows Satan to do horrible things to Job.  He allows Satan to kill off Job's family.  All of Job's material possessions are taken by the bad guys".  But Job continues to worship his Lord. 

So Satan ups the stakes and says he still has his health.  So God, who knows Job's heart, says: "Go ahead but don't kill him".   So Satan proceeds to inflict Job with what we think today was "Adult Chicken Pox".  Hey I had Chicken Pox at the age of 28.  I don't think I have ever been as painfully sick as I was for those 10 days.  And to make matters even more intolerable, God allows Satan to send 3 idiot friends and a nagging wife into the mix.  Each of Job's friends approach him, each with accusations of sins he MUST have committed.  On top of all of the pontificating and judging, Job's wife says to Job: "Why don't you just curse God and die". (WHOA)

Job stands fast. (It's a military term for stands his ground) Then God sends a youngster named Elihu into Job's life.  Elihu represents innocence and tells Job in chapter 37, (and I'll paraphrase) "Job.  I know I'm not a great wise man, but, we are not able to understand why God does what He does.  He makes the clouds thunder in a way that is beyond our comprehension".  This kid is not your average x-box addict.

Job understands that whether it's a test or whether it's God's wrath, where else is there to go?  What else could a righteous man do?

Then in the closing chapters, God restores what he allowed Satan to take away (and then some) and Job lived happily ever after.  I can't say the same for Job's 3 friends who seemed to just annoy God.

Back to my point.  Whenever I hear a preacher say: "My god is a loving god and would not allow this to happen to his people".  I think of Job's 3 friends then think of Elihu.

When I ask myself: "Why did God allow Hitler to escape 2 bomb blasts and 25 very close attempts on his life.  and why did God allow Mao to kill 50 MILLION of his own people, and why did God allow Stalin to kill millions of Russians and allow his red army to rape 2 million German women".  I think of Job and Elihu and it reminds me of the song: "This world is not my home, I'm just passing through.  If heaven is not my home then Lord what will I do? The Angels beckon me from heaven's open door and I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

Remember, when you see the disappointment, the suffering, the horror and the cheaters and killing, remember Job and Elihu's words.  We are not capable of understanding why God does what He does and allows what he allows.  

 

 

LOVE - Not to be confused with..... Like

Love is a culture that does not necessary involve the verb "like".  One would ask how can you Love someone you don't like?  Because it's the Godly example.  God hates the sin but LOVES the Sinner.  Jesus said Love your enemy.  Patton said Kill your enemy.  I think given the choice I would prefer to love my enemy, but loving my enemy doesn't mean allow him to kill me.  My point is, you don't have to like someone to love them. 

In the culture of Love, you Love everyone.  (Translated) You want the best for every person.  You want to see that person become righteous.  This may mean denying that person of something that is hurting them, like drugs and alcohol.  You do it because you care about their spiritual well being.  You can't help some one's spirit without the physical aspect of their incarnation. (Don't ask me about the spiritual mediums)

I may not like you, but I can still be concerned for your spiritual excellence. That is the culture of LOVE.

LOVE is a CULTURE

Love is a Culture. It has nothing to do with Romance, Sex or "Soul Mates". It's about making the other person a better spiritual being.

LOVE - An example of the Culture

I delight in using this example.  Because the people on this show are far from perfect.  They, for the most part are very attractive. But they could use a bar of soap for their mouths.  Yet they have the courage to "Pray" on Television.  They pray not only for their own safety, yet for the safety of the "Bad Guy" they are setting out to apprehend. 


This, for all the production and music, is Love. 

I'm Talking about the recently cancelled show "Dog the Bounty Hunter".  For those of you who aren't familiar with the reality show, Duane (Dog)Chapman is a former prisoner of the Texas State Prison System.  He was found guilty in a murder case as an accessory.  He was found sitting in the get away car after a murder was committed. . 

Dog saw the light upon leaving prison.  He undertands the drug culture.  He fights his drug urges daily.  He can communicate with the law breakers from a user's POV.. 

Dog uses his story to try and help those bail jumpers that he catches.  He is now a successful bail bondsman in which his family make up his bounty hunting team. 

Their motto is: Catch them and "Fix" them.  The most important aspect of the show is the preaching that goes on in the back seat of the SUV on the way to the Jail.  I've seen episodes where I wanted to strangle the perp.  Yet Dog will say to his wife Beth, I can't just throw him in without trying to say something to him to give him or her hope.  He sets his anger aside and tries to show love and kindness to a drug dealer who just spit at Dog. 

This is the CULTURE of LOVE.

LOVE - Now that you know that- Read this

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~ Jesus

LOVE - WHAT IS IT ACE????

Love (My friends and pundits) is a Culture.  It's the kind of culture that involves a state of mind, a state of being and a state of communication. 

Gandhi once wrote Man can not do evil in one aspect of life while trying to do good in another.  Man (and Woman) is one indivisible whole.  The culture of Love I've compared to courage.  When something tragic happens, the brave do not stop to evaluate if it's worth saving the life.  They will risk their own life to save Charles Mansion's life.  Not for Karma, Not for heavenly points, Not because they have an attraction to Crazy Charlie, but because courage is courage.  If you are a courageous person, you will just do it.

Love is the same way.  Strip away good looks.  Strip away a stacked bank account.  Strip away the violins and champagne.  Love is a higher state of being that desires what's good for your fellow man.  If you want to pick a mate; you want to pick a mate that has this quality.  With this "Culture of Love in mind; re-read what Paul wrote in I Corrinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

If this were a college course, we would take the above paragraph and analyze each sentence.  You can try that on your own and I will be glad to give you my translation.  But if you understand that Love is a state of being that you become or work towards, then these claims about Love make sense.
Just as a millionaire who loses their money are able to make it back in a year, it's because of the culture of finance or money they grew up in. This is what many scammers are trying to sell as a "Secret".  The truth is, we all grow up in some form of culture.  We can be blessed with it or cursed by it.  But we are not bound by it. 

Culture Defined:
1.

the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.

2.

that which is excellent in the arts, manners, etc.

3.

a particular form or stage of civilization, as that of a certain nation or period: Greek culture.

4.

development or improvement of the mind by education or training.

5.

the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group: the youth culture; the drug culture.

If you grew up in a culture where Love was not part of it, you may have to learn it.  There are many cultures worth understanding and practicing.  Among all of them, Love is the most important.  Courage and money are also helpful.  But my purpose is to try and help you understand love. 

LOVE-Such an abused word

At times when I hear people respond to the question: "How are you" (Or god forbid, How do you do) I cringe when I hear the ignorant response: "Good".  

People, "good" is an adverb.  Your are good at "doing" something.  How are you is asking for your current state.  Your reply should be an adjective.

The correct answer could be, "I am fine" or "I am well"

The word "Love" on the other hand is so ambiguous it's used for airplane glue. "I LOVE that brand of glue".  "I Love the Jersey Shore".  "I Love talking about myself" I Love capitalizing the word Love". 

People, Love is not a verb.  It isn't a higher form of admire, like or lust for.  Are you ready for this?

Love is.....

noun

1.

a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2.

a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

3.

sexual passion or desire.

4.

a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

5.

(used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?

verb (used with object)

1.

to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.

2 

to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).

3 

to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.

4 

to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.

5 

to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.

I oppose all of the above.  I offer a definition based on a higher level of quantum Vibration.

 

BTW, I speak German and have a bad habit of capitalizing Nouns.

LOVE is much like

Courage you don't fall in courage.  You don't let visions of attraction define your courage.  If you have courage, it's not just between 2 people.  You never get jealous of another person's courage.  Courage exists in the fabric of your being.  You don't pick and choose who's life you save.

LOVE-What it is NOT

Contrary to what most people believe; Love is NOT a relationship between two people.  It's not something you MAKE.  I use to kid my room mate in the military by saying: "Humans make Love; Animals fuck".  I guess at times humans act like animals. Now I'm older and understand Love.  It's not about Romeo & Juliet.  It's not about poetry or flowers. 

Love is easier to understand if you erase what you "think" you understand from the Bible and every thing you've read from Shakespeare.  Sex is not Love.  Even good sexual procreation is NOT love. When you have Sex you make babies, you don't make love.  You can't MAKE LOVE.

Jesus tries to explain LOVE in the new testament when He says how can a man have love in his heart yet hate his brother?

Love is much much deeper than you ever imagined.  It's simple, yet we need to rinse the stories of Disney out of our heads.  We need to get the romance novels out of our head.  Romance is Romance it's not LOVE.

LOVE - The WHY of it

I  am intrigued by reading NDE testimonies. (Near Death Experiences).  A mass majority of those who crossed into the light via the tunnel say the same thing.  It was "such a feeling of LOVE".  Are we here to gain a conscious understanding of love?  Is this knowledge essential for when we cross back over? (To where ever we go)

LOVE as a Lie

The biggest physiological effect on LOVE is our Self-esteem.  Meet the "Rebound relationship"  The rebound relationship is a convenient way of easing the pain of being dumped from a relationship you weren't aware was not as good as you thought it was.

Enter some smuck, we,ll call him "Ace" who is flattered by your attraction to him.  Ace thinks this is great.  Thank you Jesus.  She's wonderful.  She really loves me for who I am.  This is LOVE.

NO IT'S NOT.  It's an emotional band-aid, maybe even a tourniquet that eases the pain of being dumped.  She says, aha, I'll show him, look I am acceptable.  The problem is, it's not about the couple, it's a lie that's dealing with her inner issue (It works both ways ladies). 

This lie is quite devastating once the truth is uncovered by one or both.  If you're dating, don't even think of the word "Serious" until you've known the other person 18 months to 2 years.  Even then, some people can live with the lie for a LONG TIME.

Rebound relationships hurt everyone.  They hurt the poor sucker that is the victim of the self-esteem boost.  It hurts the person using the poor smuck. AND it takes away the "Dumper's" chance to change his mind.  If he does, look out.  Some one is going to get ugly.

LOVE according to Steve Martin

"Why is it you never know the point where you fall in love; but you always know the exact time it's over"?

LOVE VS. FANTASY

In the old days, a Fantasy love was something that existed on the ride home from the theater to the house.  Fantasies can be healthy.  Fantasies can be not so healthy. 

A Healthy Fantasy: "Every thing begins with a dream".  To think that you would have a fulfilling love relationship with Angelina Jolie pushes the edge of your self-esteem.  In the back of your mind; you're telling yourself.  I'm good enough for Angelina damn it.

An unhealthy Fantasy: Besides the millions of people locked up for stalking each year, energy wasted on someone you don't even know is unhealthy. 

Fatal Fantasies: Recently in the news, a man was having an emotional relationship with a woman he worked with.  She responded by flirting in what she felt was a "harmless" game.  The fantasy grew into an unhealthy "disillusion.  At some point the man started hearing voices telling him to kill the husband of the woman that was flirting (or using words he perceived as flirts) with him.  I can't remember exactly, but the fascination turned into a homicide. 

Moral of the story? Keep your fantasies personal.

LOVE LETTERS in the Military

They usually start out:

The best part of being on this damn ship is getting mail from you.  Your letters and pictures keep me alive.  I'd rather be with you than here.  When I get home we will never ever leave each other again.

It's easy to tell how well the relationship is going by how many letters you get at the next port you pull into.  It's the pictures and letters that keep you from the unfaithful arms of the locals.

LOVE in South East Asia on Liberty

"Hi Sailor.  I Lub you, no shit, buy me honda".

LOVE Explaiined to a Child

You act the way you want you want your children to act.  The 80/20 rules applies to parenthood.  They repsond to 80% of what they see you do and listen to 20% of what you tell them to do.

LOVE explained to a child

"NO"

As in no that's bad for you.  No you can't have that.  No, you need to eat your vegetables.

LOVE VS. LUST

LOVE innocently explains its' self.

LUST is often explained by an attorney.

LOVE Defined by the Apostle Paul to John in 1st letter

We know love by this, that He (Jesus) laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

LOVE Defined by The Bible

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part;  but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.  When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.  But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

LOVE- How to tell a BS definition of Love

Any time Love is described with the introduction line: "If you really Loved me you would......."

LOVE - According to Matthew Kelly

We love people.  We use things.  It's important not to confuse the two.

LOVE Defined -Verb Female POV #2

Necessary performance to go through to attain half of stupid male's possesions and/or including 100% of real estate once referred to as "home".

LOVE Defined - The Scientific version

2 mutual sets of reproductive organs actively secreting hormones. Often accompanied by a mating call such as "Koo-hoo"  or "Hey baby, come here often"?

Love Defined - A Sailors Perspective

How did I get here? Where's my money?  Where did I get this tatoo that says Shiela?

LOVE Defined from a female perspective

A wallet with a penis.

LOVE The Rock Version

Two tits, a hole and a heartbeat.

LOVE Defined Personal definition

A state of caring more about another's Physical, emotional, and Spiritual health than your own.

LOVE Defined Noun:

The score of Zero in Tennis.

Speaking of SEX..........



For me, I’ve always “tried” to define sex as: “The Physical Manifestation of Spiritual Unity”.  I always told myself, I would never have sex with a partner that I wasn’t willing to legally father any offspring that should result in such activity. 

I think they call that thinking with your Big head.

On the other hand, our creator endowed us with organs that would inspire us to procreate to keep the Human race from extinction.  Sometimes this would also inspire thinking with the smaller head. 

In the 60’s, the term “Free Love” became popular.  20 years later a term called “socially transmitted disease” became popular.  The truth is/was “Free Love” meant nothing more than a sexual hand shake and like the Jersey shore; cheapened man’s values of that which might have been sacred at one point.  

The next time you have sex; ask yourself if you are two spirits uniting through physical manifestation?

Agape Love - The Wings of Eagles

The single most important thing you can do right now to make yourself a better person is to practice Agape Love.  Not only will it make you a better person, but it will release your mind from the chains of emotional bondage.

So He or She left you.  You prbably feel like bird droppings.  If you go out into the world and smile at an old person, or offer to help them get a loaf of bread off of a shelf they can't reach, you will raise your spiritual vibrations. Love is the spiritual vibration that is at the top of the human ladder.  And here a secret.  When you start loving people, I mean really feeling for people, wonderful things will happen to you.  When you say things to other people that make them feel good, it comes back to you.  I'm not talking about Karma either. 

Karma involves a score card,  Agape love is a practice that makes you a higher level human being.  And the best time to show love is when you need it yourself.  The best way to rid your self of that feeling of hunger is to give your lunch to someone that hasn't eaten in a day.

When you can look at your fear, or pain or embarassment and realize that you can RISE ABOVE IT, Your God or higher being or source energy will lift you up to soar with wings of Eagles. 

Love, Lust and Friendship

Agape, Eros and Philia are 3 words used in the Holy Bible to describe love.

Agape is your love for mankind. It’s the reason you stop and call 911 to help a person laying on the ground.

Eros is Greek for Lust. It’s the root form of “Erotic”.

Philia is a combo word used to describe an attraction. It’s the root word in Philadelphia, “The city of brotherly Love”.

If you’ve followed my blog over the years you know I’ve explained these 3 definitions of love. I am going to devote the Café to those in need of emotional therapy. I hope once a week (or more) to write articles on aspects of love. It’s one topic that I’ve had a tumultuous experience with. If I can share my successes and failures with mankind I will have made a difference on this spinning orb.