Trust the man who searches for truth, but not the one who's found it

Today was a beautiful Spring Florida day. A little breezy coming in from the northwest, portending the rain that is to arrive later in the day. But the sun was out and I was in a mind to do just that which needed doing. Now, I can be called a lot of things, and in fact I have. But shirker of doing that which needs doing is not one of them.

I received a phone call from my 3 year old neighbor, Noah. It showed as his mama's cell phone, so I suspect there was a bit of cahoots going on. First thing he asks, and yes, this is a completely true story, was, "Hey Ed. Are you at work?" "No, Noah. I'm home watching a movie." [Kill Bill Pt.1] "Ed...come play water with me." So there I was, 11 AM on a beautiful day, running back and forth in the sprinklers like I was 47 years younger. That's right...make me grow up!

County fines have been paid and my impending legal troubles have evaporated. I got promoted at work and I have a 2 week vacation in Thailand scheduled to start next Friday. The wife is staying in Bangkok an additional 6 weeks past me, so it's like another vacation when I get home. All is not kumbayah and flutterbyes, but things are better.

I may blog from Thailand, especially if I can get some protester pictures, but mostly I intend to go deep underground and push the daily trials and tribulations out of the back of my mind. And I intend to get a daily massage. Word.


I am still on 3 types of medicine. But since 2 of them are fun and make the world all warm and fuzzy, I don't consider it work. Anyway, the only "mandatory" prescription I have is for cholesterol and it seems to be working. Egad! I sound so aged. Stop me if I start musing on hip replacements.

Y'all are going to see some great pictures below. I ran across this guy's work when googling "Whiteville, NC" and thought to myself, what better way to show my appreciation for his work than to post it on my blog without permission or compensation. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'm thinking that theft comes in second. 'Sall I'm saying.

Anybody who also reads Appalachianist's blog has run across Sage's musings...rambling stories...keen insight...whatever. Anyway, ol Sage used to stomp around my neck of SENCland (South East North Carolina) as the Wilmington paper referred to it. He was familiar with Riegelwood, which is where I grew up. He even mentioned Lake Waccamaw. Growing up I remember hearing about a type of fish (shad, crappie, or perch) that was easy to catch. You just went out on the lake and started smacking the water with your paddle and they would come to investigate. They would school up right on top of the water and all you had to do was scoop them out with a landing net. I searched google and Bing, but could find no corroboration, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

One more thing I remember about living in SENCland. The county seat was held in high esteem. I have not lived anywhere since that I have even heard the term "County Seat", much less where everybody knew where it was. But in Columbus County North Carolina, everyboody knew that Whiteville was ours. That culrural awareness of it's place in the scheme of things did not, however, save it from being small and boring.

Was going to rhyme for you, but the Rhyme-o-tron wouldn't fire up this morning. However, on the new Trucker's album "The Big To Do" there is a song told from the perspective of a dancer in a strip club. Might take you a couple of readings to see it, but this is one of the most beautiful things I have read in some time. I hope it will suffice:

The pretty girls from the smallest towns
get remembered like storms and droughts
that old men talk about for years to come
I guess that's why they give us names
So a few old men can say they saw us rain when we were young

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read, out
Ramblin' Ed

Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck

Been watching this show called Parenthood. I started because I have been in lust with Lauren Graham since Gilmore Girls and I like most things (couldn't take Cocoon, no matter the story) that Ron Howard gets into. The theme song during the opening credits is Dylan's "Forever Young". And it's even Dylan singing. That song is just so great. Tangled Up In Blue has it beat, and always will, but Forever Young has legs of it's own.

So Appalachianist surprised me. Thrice. 1) He's still reading this, which is a shocker. 2) He mentioned Wrightsville Beach to me, which is pretty much where I grew up. In the Wilmington, NC (area) before it beccame the cool mecca for shooting CW teen dramas. And 3) He quoted from "Amber", which means he read the poems, which equates to shocker #2. Way to go App! Keep 'em on their toes.

I have been going to therapy. Not the touchy feely kind. Or maybe it is. Don't really have anything to compare. Well, I went through therapy with Tony Soprano for 6 or 8 seasons, if that counts. Anyway story long --> shorter, my mental relief valve is all stopped up. Dang, I hate to hear that. But it does explain a lot. So anyway, a lot of energy going into working on that. I am pretty resiliant, bouncy actually, so now that I see the problem, and the crux of the problem is that people don't do what I want, I should be able to tweak me brain. I asked him if I'd ever be a carefree hippie again, but he didn't answer.

Work is going great. I solidified my leadership position in our satellite office. I was meritoriously promoted to a higher pay band, moving from Technical Trainer to Sr. Technical Trainer. Yep, already ordered the business cards. I don't mind working hard, in fact I kind of like the feeling of accomplishment. But that's just it, there has to be that feeling of accomplishment.

I think our Governor, the very gumby Charlie Crist, has decided that he can't win a Senate seat as a Republican due to his inability to take a stand on principle, no matter how wrong the principle. He has not said that yet, but he gotten all backboney, whipping out the veto pen and going pure maverick on everybody in sight. It has forced him to do the right thing a few times, which may not have happened if he had kept his cushy lead over the whippersnapper Marco Rubio, who is fast blowing in from his South Florida fan base. So I think he is doing the "in your eye" samba so that in a few weeks he can announce that he has philosophical differences with both the Democrats and his own party, and therefore must (MUST!) run as an Independant. Just my guess. In other news, Alex Sink continues to run for Governor using the mesmerizingly weird strategy of, yeah, I'm running for Governor, but you can't tell I'm running for Governor. I'm in-vis-a-ble.

Drive by quoting: I’m waning on awake

Got a brand new this morning rhyme for you below. Hope I post a little more frequently than this.

Yeah, I'm posting, but you can't tell I'm posting, out
Ramblin' Ed

Grinning Crooked 16 April, 2010

I have often gone and done
what I have never meant to do
I have asked for your forgiveness
but I gave forgiveness, too
We ain't neither one been someone
that nobody ought to trust
Yeah, water flows
What's done is done

You were pretty as a picture
I still picture you sometimes
Sittiing in them roadside flowers
grinning crooked, quoting Prine
With the wind from semi-trailers
blowing back your auburn hair
Ain't ours to choose
What's there is there

If I've ever found the easy road
I could not find the ramp
If I've ever had the perfect line
I could not find a stamp
If you ever thought I wasn't
who I always tried to be
You let it slide
That's you and me

Simple is as simple does
and ever after never was
I was raised beside the swampland
you were not, and that's a plus
We ain't neither one been someone
got them stars stuck in our eyes
Truth's like a snake
and there it lies

Just like a snake
Right there it lies

I have often gone and done
what all I told me not to do
I have left behind these dirt roads
For a slippery slope or two
I have tangled up my mind
Until I twisted and I spun
That's how it goes
what's done is done

And may we stay
Forever young

(Thanks Bobby)

Ed
Cigar Tree