21st Century Alchemy
Bumper sticker of the week: Everyone is entitled to my opinion.
Quote of the week: ''That's what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too. Lead will play its role until the world has no further need for lead; and then lead will have to turn itself into gold.'' The Alchemist, Paulo Chelho
I've never quite figured out if parents who home-school their children do it out of love or fear. I get the feeling they want to shelter their children from all the difficulties and corruption that exists in the world, ignoring the fact that one day they will have to face it, and will than be defenseless against it.
We went to Chicago for the weekend. I would have to say, all things being equal, I still believe Chicago is an alien planet. We went to The Taste of Chicago. I'm pretty sure 2 1/2 million people were there. You talk about fun. I did see the largest human being I have ever seen. He was about 6'10'' and weighed around 450. I was real nice to him. I offered him my $4 beer, but he said he didn't drink anymore after having killed someone while drunk. As if that wasn't bad enough, I stepped on his girlfriend's toe. She had an awful deep voice. Anyway, on the way back to my son's apartment, I had the opportunity to converse with at least 4 or 5 intoxicated citizens. They were all very enlightening. In between all this socializing, our van was towed. Seems we parked in a private space. The sign was four buildings over. Buying your car back for $125 from a bunch of felons did not really strike me as very proper, but I tried to view it as a good-bye. On the way out of town, we hit a traffic jam. Seems it was Gay Pride Day. The parade draws tens of thousands. I'd have stayed to lend my support, but by this time I was edging towards homicidal thoughts and I didn't want to be wrongfully accused of a hate crime. When I got back home, I swore I'd never say anything bad about Galesburg again. Then I watched the city council meeting on Monday night. Chicago does have some good points.
Tax dollars to pay for private schooling: You had to figure it would come down to this. With the Supremes weighing in at 5-4, they affirmed the right of right-winged crusaders to school their children in right-winged ways, at our expense. So much for the separation of church and state. I don't particularly mind religious groups training their children to follow the leader, but I don't necessarily want to pay for it. But I suppose it does free me up to start my own school: The Peever's School of Social Decadence. I'm going to change these little right-winged control freaks into their parents' worst nightmares. I may even do it for free.
21st Century Alchemy:
--It's still worthwhile trying to turn lead into gold.--
You cannot kill your way to peace. It is impossible. Even a child knows this.--
It is possible to turn right into left. See above.--
When you are certain that you know what is best for everyone; when you are at that moment in time when ''the truth'' seems attainable; it is at that exact moment that you need to start all over. You have come full-circle back to the beginning.--
Fear makes it impossible to attain your dreams. The fear of death often steps in our way. The alchemist must overcome this fear. He or she must ask the question: Is it better to live and die, or die and live.--
The water and the air and the wind and the rain and the forests and the fire flow from our fingertips into the Earth. If this connection ends due to our ignorance to understand our place in Nature, the search will be over and God will die.--
If it weren't for dreams, lead would always be just that. Lead. Our destiny lies in changing it to Gold.