I don't know why I smoke. It just makes me more nervous and jittery than I already am. But it, as well as alcohol and many other things, is an addiction. I'm not using that as an excuse (please read the scripture link).
"I'm on the wagon." A good way to remember what the "wagon" is: The "wagon" is a water wagon. I very much prefer to "ride" as opposed to walking (or running away!), sleeping in the gutter, and/or waking up to another personal "hell".
Update as of October 4, 2011: Well, I went five weeks without any drink and last night I screwed up. :-( I guess it truly is an addiction/illness as "they" say. I really think now that I'm "self medicating". It's amazing - I'm pretty messed up right now, but I still feel the Presence of God, the Holy Spirit, speaking to me. Thank You, Lord!
No matter what I've gone through, I've pretty much kept my sense of humor, dry as it may be. I'm very thankful for that because I consider it "therapy" and, hopefully, an inspiration to others.
ig ><>
C's status as of 20111002, 9:27pm: "I've never been better."
Ig's thoughts, rants, raves, cheers, jeers, ponderings, introspectives, musings, inspirations... you get the idea.
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Thoughts...
I'm sitting here eating, smoking, and wasting time when I could be writing down my thoughts. Hmmm...
I've been playing much more guitar lately. My finger callouses were pretty gone, but now I almost have them "up to par". I love playing the acoustic guitar and have always loved playing since I learned the instrument in 1974, thanks to my good friend, R. C., who is in my prayers.
Please add him to your prayers. He's had MND (Motor Neuron Disease) for many years now, and it's progressively getting worse.
Both he and his wife are some of the most generous people I've ever met. Back in '74 when he was teaching me how to play, he bought me an inexpensive guitar with a case! Before long, he told me that I played better than him! That's the kind of friend he was and is. God, bless him!
It was another beautiful day here in the Midwest. I love this time of year! I really enjoy going for short walks. I also enjoy finding some wood to whittle on. Most of the time I just whittle small crosses to give away.
About a week ago I gave one to a young man. It was probably the best cross I had ever made. I didn't get the chance to add thread and glue in order to "finish" it because he was sitting on the same "wall" as I was when I carved it.
Okay. Time for bed.
ig ><>
I'm sitting here eating, smoking, and wasting time when I could be writing down my thoughts. Hmmm...
I've been playing much more guitar lately. My finger callouses were pretty gone, but now I almost have them "up to par". I love playing the acoustic guitar and have always loved playing since I learned the instrument in 1974, thanks to my good friend, R. C., who is in my prayers.
Please add him to your prayers. He's had MND (Motor Neuron Disease) for many years now, and it's progressively getting worse.
Both he and his wife are some of the most generous people I've ever met. Back in '74 when he was teaching me how to play, he bought me an inexpensive guitar with a case! Before long, he told me that I played better than him! That's the kind of friend he was and is. God, bless him!
It was another beautiful day here in the Midwest. I love this time of year! I really enjoy going for short walks. I also enjoy finding some wood to whittle on. Most of the time I just whittle small crosses to give away.
About a week ago I gave one to a young man. It was probably the best cross I had ever made. I didn't get the chance to add thread and glue in order to "finish" it because he was sitting on the same "wall" as I was when I carved it.
Okay. Time for bed.
ig ><>
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Praise God! I haven't had a drink in five weeks! I have to give the glory to Him because it's an answer to many prayers. I couldn't do it on just my strength alone. I can only pray that this will be encouragment to others.
Now, all I have to do is work on smoking, but that shouldn't be much of a problem. I've only been smoking for a little over a year. :-{
"Seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
ig ><>
Now, all I have to do is work on smoking, but that shouldn't be much of a problem. I've only been smoking for a little over a year. :-{
"Seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
ig ><>
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Well, once again, I've stayed up all night drinking. God, help me. I'm smarter than this. I'm stronger than this. I guess I forgot how to reach deep down inside and find the strength to overcome things that seem to rule my life. But, I haven't lost faith in Christ. He's seen me through many struggles... so many. And, I'm not going to quit believing now. I can only hope that this will serve as an inspiration to others.
ig ><>
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Woe is me...
I've always wanted to excel in something... anything. But, looking back through my 50 years, it doesn't seem like there was one thing that I excelled in. And, most likely, there won't be in the future.
Some would say that I excel in acoustic guitar playing. That's based on the fact that I know how to do a few things that impress friends, even other guitar players. But, truth be known, those things aren't that difficult to do. Or, maybe they are, but I just have a "knack" for doing them.
Anyway, I've always thought that it would be nice to find what I'm best at, then try to find a way to make money doing it. That hasn't happened because of health problems - three problems, to be exact. It's no fun being sick and disabled.
Maybe in the next few years I'll find something that I'm really good at, then find a way to make money doing just that. I'm pretty stubborn about never losing hope.
Ig <><
I've always wanted to excel in something... anything. But, looking back through my 50 years, it doesn't seem like there was one thing that I excelled in. And, most likely, there won't be in the future.
Some would say that I excel in acoustic guitar playing. That's based on the fact that I know how to do a few things that impress friends, even other guitar players. But, truth be known, those things aren't that difficult to do. Or, maybe they are, but I just have a "knack" for doing them.
Anyway, I've always thought that it would be nice to find what I'm best at, then try to find a way to make money doing it. That hasn't happened because of health problems - three problems, to be exact. It's no fun being sick and disabled.
Maybe in the next few years I'll find something that I'm really good at, then find a way to make money doing just that. I'm pretty stubborn about never losing hope.
Ig <><
Monday, January 23, 2006
Ancient gay bashing?
Irish Bog Mummy Used Hair Gel
By Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery News
Jan. 19, 2006— Evidence for Iron Age male vanity has emerged from an Irish peat bog, according to archaeologists who discovered the savagely murdered bodies of two prehistoric men.
Named after the places in central Ireland where they were found in 2003 — Croghan Hill and Clonycavan — the bog men, both over 2,300 years old, revealed surprising fashion customs: one used hair gel to keep his hairdo in place and the other had dainty, well-manicured fingernails on lifelike hands.
A young male just five feet, two inches (160 centimeters) tall, Clonycavan Man died from a severe head wound with an axe.
His forearms, hands and lower abdomen are missing: most likely, they were hacked off by a peatcutting machine.
"Clonycavan Man's hair style was swept upward on top of his head, perhaps to add a few inches to his height. The hair was held in place by a type of 'hair gel' which was composed of a mixture of pine resin and vegetable oil," Bog Bodies Project coordinator Isabella Mulhall told Discovery News. Read entire story...
ig <><
Irish Bog Mummy Used Hair Gel
By Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery News
Jan. 19, 2006— Evidence for Iron Age male vanity has emerged from an Irish peat bog, according to archaeologists who discovered the savagely murdered bodies of two prehistoric men.
Named after the places in central Ireland where they were found in 2003 — Croghan Hill and Clonycavan — the bog men, both over 2,300 years old, revealed surprising fashion customs: one used hair gel to keep his hairdo in place and the other had dainty, well-manicured fingernails on lifelike hands.
A young male just five feet, two inches (160 centimeters) tall, Clonycavan Man died from a severe head wound with an axe.
His forearms, hands and lower abdomen are missing: most likely, they were hacked off by a peatcutting machine.
"Clonycavan Man's hair style was swept upward on top of his head, perhaps to add a few inches to his height. The hair was held in place by a type of 'hair gel' which was composed of a mixture of pine resin and vegetable oil," Bog Bodies Project coordinator Isabella Mulhall told Discovery News. Read entire story...
ig <><
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
"Runaway bride" - my thoughts:
Hey, gotta get away and think? ROAD TRIP, DUDE! Oh wait... that's illegal now. When did this country become communist?
Seriously, this world, or at least this country (US), can't seem to find any kindness, forgiveness, etc, in their hearts. We always seem to have a person convicted before they're even tried. And when they ARE tried and convicted, we seem to want the maximum penalty that the law allows.
This girl who left town recently and went to Las Vegas and Albuquerque doesn't deserve punishment. She needed to get away and think for a while. Since when is that a crime? GIVE ME A BREAK! Sure... she inconvenienced a lot of people, and maybe she should give a public apology. But to fine her thousands of dollars and possibly sentence her to jail? This is an outrage!
Hey, I just farted in public and caused several people to be uncomfortable, and possibly "grossed out" for a while. Well, I hope you all visit me in jail because I can't possibly pay the fines thrown at me due to the lawsuits won against me by the people surrounding me in that "fart" moment. The world -- too hardcore, too litigious, too unsympathetic. I've always said in a "joking around manner" that this world would be a great place to live if it weren't for people. Now I wonder how joking around I am when I say it.
ig <><
P.S. A personal note to Jennifer Wilbanks: Hey babe, a little less Red Bull, alright? Your eyes are gonna 'splode.
Hey, gotta get away and think? ROAD TRIP, DUDE! Oh wait... that's illegal now. When did this country become communist?
Seriously, this world, or at least this country (US), can't seem to find any kindness, forgiveness, etc, in their hearts. We always seem to have a person convicted before they're even tried. And when they ARE tried and convicted, we seem to want the maximum penalty that the law allows.
This girl who left town recently and went to Las Vegas and Albuquerque doesn't deserve punishment. She needed to get away and think for a while. Since when is that a crime? GIVE ME A BREAK! Sure... she inconvenienced a lot of people, and maybe she should give a public apology. But to fine her thousands of dollars and possibly sentence her to jail? This is an outrage!
Hey, I just farted in public and caused several people to be uncomfortable, and possibly "grossed out" for a while. Well, I hope you all visit me in jail because I can't possibly pay the fines thrown at me due to the lawsuits won against me by the people surrounding me in that "fart" moment. The world -- too hardcore, too litigious, too unsympathetic. I've always said in a "joking around manner" that this world would be a great place to live if it weren't for people. Now I wonder how joking around I am when I say it.
ig <><
P.S. A personal note to Jennifer Wilbanks: Hey babe, a little less Red Bull, alright? Your eyes are gonna 'splode.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Friday, April 23, 2004
Saturday, July 26, 2003
His shoulders...
I currently have a lot of things that normally would weigh a person down to the point of insanity. My son is about to become homeless (long story); I'm about to become a grandfather but there are strong signs of a problem with the pregnancy; I was just denied Social Security once again, yet I'm disabled; my father could die at any time, etc.
I put everything on God's shoulders. I couldn't bear all of this by myself, and His shoulders are much larger than can be imagined. May I suggest the same for you? We live in a world of hurt. We all have problems, small and/or large. Look to God for help.
ig <><
I currently have a lot of things that normally would weigh a person down to the point of insanity. My son is about to become homeless (long story); I'm about to become a grandfather but there are strong signs of a problem with the pregnancy; I was just denied Social Security once again, yet I'm disabled; my father could die at any time, etc.
I put everything on God's shoulders. I couldn't bear all of this by myself, and His shoulders are much larger than can be imagined. May I suggest the same for you? We live in a world of hurt. We all have problems, small and/or large. Look to God for help.
ig <><
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
The Lord's Prayer...
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Matthew 6:9-13
The Lord's prayer really isn't that long. It doesn't take any time at all to say/pray it. And... it pretty much "covers all of the bases". Way back when I was a teenager, I used to say it every night before I went to bed- even before I was a Christian. Drunk and/or stoned, it really didn't matter. God still heard me. And believe me, most of the time I was drunk and/or stoned!
ig <><
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Matthew 6:9-13
The Lord's prayer really isn't that long. It doesn't take any time at all to say/pray it. And... it pretty much "covers all of the bases". Way back when I was a teenager, I used to say it every night before I went to bed- even before I was a Christian. Drunk and/or stoned, it really didn't matter. God still heard me. And believe me, most of the time I was drunk and/or stoned!
ig <><
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Good news...
Study: Mental Fitness Wards Off Dementia/Alzheimer's
By JEFF DONN, Associated Press Writer
BOSTON (AP) -- An absorbing book or a challenging crossword puzzle may keep your mind more than busy. It may keep it healthy, too, according to a 21-year study of mental breakdown in old age.
Read the entire article here!
ig <><
Study: Mental Fitness Wards Off Dementia/Alzheimer's
By JEFF DONN, Associated Press Writer
BOSTON (AP) -- An absorbing book or a challenging crossword puzzle may keep your mind more than busy. It may keep it healthy, too, according to a 21-year study of mental breakdown in old age.
Read the entire article here!
ig <><
Monday, June 16, 2003
Word of the Day...
The Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16 is:
Davy Jones's locker \day-vee-joanz-LAH-ker\ noun
: the bottom of the ocean
Example sentence:
The old seaman shook his head sadly and said, "That ship
was sunk on a reef three years ago, and every poor soul aboard
sent to Davy Jones's locker."
Did you know?
Was there a real Davy Jones? Folks have been pondering that
question for centuries. Sailors have long used "Davy Jones" as
the name of a personified evil spirit of the ocean depths, but
no one knows exactly why. Some claim the original Davy Jones was
a British pirate, but the evidence that this person existed is
lacking. Others swear he was a London pub owner who kept drugged
ale in a special locker, served it to the unwary, then had them
shanghaied. But the theory considered most plausible is
that "Davy" was inspired by St. David, the patron saint of
Wales. (St. David was often invoked by Welsh sailors.) "Jones"
is traced to Jonah, the biblical figure who was swallowed by a
whale. --Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
ig <><
The Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 16 is:
Davy Jones's locker \day-vee-joanz-LAH-ker\ noun
: the bottom of the ocean
Example sentence:
The old seaman shook his head sadly and said, "That ship
was sunk on a reef three years ago, and every poor soul aboard
sent to Davy Jones's locker."
Did you know?
Was there a real Davy Jones? Folks have been pondering that
question for centuries. Sailors have long used "Davy Jones" as
the name of a personified evil spirit of the ocean depths, but
no one knows exactly why. Some claim the original Davy Jones was
a British pirate, but the evidence that this person existed is
lacking. Others swear he was a London pub owner who kept drugged
ale in a special locker, served it to the unwary, then had them
shanghaied. But the theory considered most plausible is
that "Davy" was inspired by St. David, the patron saint of
Wales. (St. David was often invoked by Welsh sailors.) "Jones"
is traced to Jonah, the biblical figure who was swallowed by a
whale. --Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
ig <><
Sunday, June 15, 2003
Yesterday's photo shoot...
Yesterday I shot a few rolls of film for my son's band. He's a very good drummer for a somewhat local Christian rock band. It's been quite some time since I've done any photography "for hire", but it's about like riding a bicycle-- you don't forget how. We walked through trails in the woods and got some really nice shots. A couple of them will, hopefully, end up on their first CD. It's great "getting back in the saddle" for an afternoon.
ig <><
Yesterday I shot a few rolls of film for my son's band. He's a very good drummer for a somewhat local Christian rock band. It's been quite some time since I've done any photography "for hire", but it's about like riding a bicycle-- you don't forget how. We walked through trails in the woods and got some really nice shots. A couple of them will, hopefully, end up on their first CD. It's great "getting back in the saddle" for an afternoon.
ig <><
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