Forward to Happiness

 I have been, am being, and will continue being proven right in my assessments and my responses.  As I've said several times, others will come around to seeing it and will continue to reject me even though I spoke the truth that now accept.  Story of my life.  The truth isn't often welcomed, even though it forms the core of my values.  I'm in a good job for that. But, my point for this post is a tangent of that reality.  I'm driven to only accept objective truth, and I hate (strong word but chosen on purpose) those that promote lies to deceive people... and I see that moreso in religious circles than outside TBH.. but both applies.  I hate those that encourage hate of people for simply their choice to exist and live their lives by their choices.  I'm still not to my central point, though. My point is this.  Consider what you need in your close connections and relationships.  The primary thing we need is feeling safe and valued.  If ...

We have just accepted the idea that if someone gets 49 percent of the vote and the other side gets 47 percent that the higher number party must be given absolute authority to dictate their morals upon the 47 percent and that the 47 percent's opinions doesn't matter... their objections don't matter.. their values don't matter.  Even if the winning party had 51 percent that's stupid.  Even if they had 90 percent, that's stupid.  Everyone matters.  Everyone has value.  Everyone is entitled to freedom to live their lives their way in their homes, their beds, and to speak their minds. The little country of Ukraine has been fighting for years against a much bigger Russia that has been determined to extinguish the county of Ukraine.  People have been saying it couldn't win against Russia.  Yet, years later, it is not only still surviving but is causing damage far inside Russia, itself.  Despite many globally saying they just needed to accept Russian rule...

I got in trouble a few years ago on a singles FB group for saying that being single doesn't mean broken or incomplete and one could be happy and single, alone.  Holy fire rained down on me, and I was eventually expelled from the group for holding that position... even if it is not only true but much healthier than being with someone only because you are not respecting or loving yourself and need someone else to give it to you.  Trust me from experience that path will lead to disaster and back to where you began. In both of my marriages, there was a similar problem.  I was giving an insane amount of effort and romance to someone who felt their only necessary participation was to receive it.  My beginning of asking for them to contribute was the end of the relationship, and it should have been a conversation much earlier, before I got so invested. The flip side makes a very strong case.  When I was single before marriage, between marriages, and after, I focused on...

I think this needs to be said, and it is definitely related to happiness. I've said before in my discussion of the value of darkness that conflicts and open speaking of uncomfortable topics is necessary and beneficial to increase public consideration of ideas that maybe they would not consider, otherwise... and thus elections were good for that reason. It's also good to expose the true beliefs of politicians that would rather not have their illusions challenged.  However, I also think it important when consideration of potential mates and dates. Now... I do not believe in only dating one party, and some disagreements of opinions are healthy in a relationship.  I like how most Tim Allen comedies have him married to someone of opposing political viewpoints. However... election time can highlight important character differences.  For example, I am someone that stands for those in need and victims.  Being with someone that doesn't care if others suffer would be an import...

I was answering questions in a group, today, and they asked what we wanted to be when we were young.  People put teacher, nurse, various superhero names, and I put cop.  Oddly, none of the accountants in our group put accountant, which is hilarious.  But, yeah... I watched all the Police Academy movies, wore a Miami Vice half sleeve shirt like Don Johnson, watched Magnum PI, Equalizer, Chips, Lethal Weapon, and many many other cop movies and shows.  Even as I have empathy, I've always had a need to balance it with justice for those wrong.  It would also inspire me to join the military and consider being a lawyer. Today, I was thinking of another threat from which people need protection... one that I think has slipped from modern minds, because the last big example of it is decades old.  Do you remember the Enron scandal?  Enron was a Texas company that hid its debt from investors.  When it collapsed, a HUGE number of retirement funds of older peop...

I was going to put it off, but I should do this blog post while the ideas and influences are still fresh.. having finished a couple influences related. I just finished Mort in the Terry Pratchett Discworld book series. As always, Terry's works are intricately woven tapestries of thought and plot.  There is never just one thought you can gain from reading it, but it helps you to think through things and develop logic skills.  Mort is on the surface the story of an apprentice of Death, buy it introduces or explores many other concepts.   One of those concepts is the power of our expectations and beliefs.  Death explained that people get what they expected in the afterlife, as it is easier that way.  Further, they talk about how the power of belief in gods makes them exist and not exist when not believed.. a concept also in Disney's Coco, as the person that passed worried no one would remember them to male them exist. Faith has the power to create.  When ...

As I enter into a highly prosperous present and future, I must reiterate that it was my own determination and actions that brought it about... not God.  And... I think that's God's plan.  Indeed.. I doubt very seriously if the hard, evangelical right would argue with me about that point.   After all, they have been watching my every hiccup like a hawk to see of God would FINALLY put me in my place... because I dared to question religion and point out the hypocrisy of his church.  Their worldview MUST have a "good" side and a 'bad" side, which typically is whatever side that differs than their own image or preference.  That's how diversity... different lifestyles or cultures than theirs .. becomes an evil thing that must be silenced and exiled.. or controlled. I've given them a lot of reasons to find me "evil" by defending witches, gays, trans people, opposing political parties, minorities and poor people.  So, my success, instead, must confu...