Where Do I Stand?

I realized the other day that I had not posted anything in quite awhile.  Honestly, I wrote down my thoughts on subjects that bother me, but what was the point in posting?  The world is going crazy and I don't think it is due to Global Warming.

Earlier this month, the publicized killings of two citizens by police, then the ambush killing of Dallas police officers.  There were other similar killings throughout the country, but not as publicized as these.  I think what I am bothered by the most is the division in this country regarding the police.  The more publicized incidents where someone was killed by the police were heightened by racial profiling.  Media in all forms only pours gasoline on the fire.  

We have a system that is broken.  Rather than trying to pull together and work out these issues, the division keeps getting larger and larger.  I feel that a minority population of both sides cause a lot of this division.  Do I believe that all policemen are good?  Not all.  Some can be downright jerks because they have some sort of power trip.  Is it my right to get in their face when they call me out for something I have done or not done?  No.  That was not how I was taught when I was growing up. 

I was listening to a musical artist on a morning show discussing having children and how times have changed since he was a boy.  He made a very valid point - growing up, many of us were taught to have respect for those in authority.  You respected the police, your teachers, neighbors, as well as your own parents.  Nothing was more horrifying than to have a neighbor say "I am going to have a talk with your mother/father/parents." after you had been caught doing something wrong.  If a police officer caught you doing something that you should not be doing, you knew you were in huge trouble when you got home.

Today?  There is no longer that respect and I cannot help to wonder why.  I feared my mother terribly.  Not that she was a huge abuser, but she did not tolerate misbehaving or disrespect.  Allow me to tell a the story of a 5 year-old in Boston, Mass.  I was sitting on the side of the street with nothing to do.  I watched a couple of older kids tossing rocks across the street.  I decided to do it as well.  Unfortunately, a car came by as I tossed a rock and it hit a window.  The car stopped and as I realized what I had done, I ran into the house, hoping that I was not seen.  

The lady found the apartment we lived in and told my mother.  I said I did not do it, so that was bad for me because I lied.  My mother apologized to the lady, got the information for repairing the window, then proceeded to take off her house shoe and whip me with it until I went to my room.

Later, when asked I why I threw a rock, I said I only did it because I was watching the other kids throwing rocks.  In all honesty, it was not deliberate to have hit the car.  I was just tossing rocks across the street.  However, my luck, I threw a rock and hit a car.  What really caused me to get spanked was that I lied.  If there was one thing in this world my mother did not tolerate, that was lying and stealing.  You paid a price for lying as well as stealing.

In comparison to the actions of young people today, what I did was relatively small.  So, again, we have another minority of children growing up with very little parental authority. Their parents refuse to believe little Johnny/Jane could have possibly done what someone said they did, so there is no punishment for poor behavior.  I am not saying getting a whipping is the answer, but is letting the child walk away from responsibility of his actions the correct way?  I do not think so.

Now, let's look at the policeman's situation.  First, I do not believe all policemen are bad.  I know several and they are good, kind men and women.  They want to see the good in everyone and help them.  Second, many of these people go to work each day and pray that they are able to come home in one piece to their families each night.  Can you even imagine having to worry about the possibility of not coming home?  That is something I feel all of us take for granted because in all honesty, we should.  Those people have to face dangerous situations, similar to the fire department personnel and the military.  However, that does not allow that minority of the group to obtain a power trip.  I do believe that there are some on the force that have become so jaded or burned out that they simply cannot handle the job.  We need to be able to search out and either move them to another department or help them in finding a new profession.  The policeman's job is to protect and serve - believe me - many of us call the police when we fear for our lives or need help.  Those people carry a great load based on society's needs - much of which is not fair for them to have to handle.

In my opinion, we all have a lot of work on our hands to fix the issues that cause problems.  I am not making light of any of the incidents - they are all painful and sad.  However, in order to move forward, we MUST come together and work on those issues and not sweep them under the rug.  We ALL need to do our part - not just certain groups.

Two Months of Cleaning...

While being on vacation the week of my birthday, I realized that there was no way I was going to get any cleaning done that week.  Most of it had been spent running to Oklahoma to WinStar and the other half was spent going to Arlington for the dogs.

This week, I took Friday and Tuesday off to have an extra long holiday vacation.  I rarely do that.  You have to realize, I have 5.5 weeks of vacation to burn.  At this point, I only have 13 days left to burn.  Next year, I will get an extra week of vacation - 6.5 weeks.  It is more time than most of my peers in my current group.  I realized that last year when by October, I had 19 days to burn.  That made the end of the year pretty awkward.

Anyway, I ended up having to work half the day on Friday due to an issue that erupted on the last day of June.  I have to work probably half a day on Tuesday as well.  It is really sort of obscene - I am expected to provide information and I have already stated that I am supposed to be out on vacation.  This is the behavior that really irritates me, but that is another rant.

Let me just be flat out honest - my ability to clean has been dramatically decreased since all of the physical issues.  Yesterday, my back caused me a lot of grief and all I was doing was washing dishes to put into the dishwasher.  This is ridiculous!  I will have to make an appointment to see my podiatrist regarding my left foot.  I can wiggle my toes, but the heel hurts like hell a lot of the time.  I have been trying to ice it as well as baby it.  Unfortunate part is that I have to walk the dogs.   

Next, the summer heat.  Yes, I am a total wuss when it comes to the Texas summer heat.  I would rather stay inside and feel like an ice cube.  I melt when I go outside for anything.  My only regret for getting my hair colored yesterday was doing it during the summer.  I can see areas that do not have color due to my sweating so much.  Oh my goodness!  I got onto the scale the other day and I had lost 12.5 lbs.  It was an amazing feat, but I can tell you, that was water.

My weekends, I always have to go to the grocery store.  By the time I get home, get the dogs settled, I am exhausted from the heat.  Dogs love it because that means I go into seclusion in my bedroom and everyone loves bed.

Originally, I decided that July would be the month of cleaning.  On my way home from getting my hair done, I realized that nothing ever goes as I planned.  So, why not make it two months of cleaning - July and August?  My physical health needs a new overhaul.  My apartment is a huge mess.  I know these things.  However, change does not happen overnight.  Also, I do not have to abide by someone else's schedule on when I need to get things done.  

So, make time to do the cleaning that needs to be done.  Plan and do not get discouraged.