Things Changed

So, earlier in the day, I confirmed that I've been retired...A.K.A., laid off.  While not being totally unexpected, it still feels sudden, as if "out of the blue".  The wife and I have regarded my continuing to work as not absolutely necessary, but more as a bonus financially.  Of course.  Who doesn't like extra scratch coming in when the effort to acquire it is so low, as my situation was.  It was simple.  I was down to two nights per week (from three, which happened in the same way a few weeks ago), driving two hours and swapping trailers with another dude and returning to the postal processing center from which I originated.  Totally easy money and I always ended my day well before the end of the paid amount of hours my run presented.  Indeed, aside from having to do it, it was pretty much the perfect situation for someone who's been looking to retire.  Now, there will be two days this week when I'll be taking the two trucks used by drivers out of this location to Columbia, about 1.5 hours away.  Then that'll be it.  Done.

Now I have to deal with not working.  I've always worked aside from a period during the economic troubles around 2008, which is when I turned to trucking to pay the bills.  It was a career move from one career for which I had no driving interest (no pun intended) to another with no more.  I had a family to support and that was what mattered.  

So it's a weird feeling, despite always wanting it.  The wife had wanted it, too.  As CFO of this operation, she assures me that my income isn't absolutely necessary and I shouldn't have to work anymore (I got me a good one!).  But, I don't want her stressing more about her own job (not that she is at this point) or about paying the bills.  She now is suggesting I take two or three months...maybe go beyond the holidays...and we can see how things go without me bringing in a paycheck.  We've never lived extravagantly, so it shouldn't be a problem.  However, I'll be keeping the eyes peeled for opportunities.  I just wanted to stop working, not stop earning.  More dough's always better than less dough, and I need money for beer and ammo.  This will be either a new chapter, or a pause in the existing one.  Time will tell. 

A Worthy, Though Sad Distraction From The Nonsense I've Been Presenting

Well, that's not totally true, but what I mean is, I want to speak a bit on the Maui situation.  

Beginning with our honeymoon, the fetching Mrs. Marshal Art and I have visited Hawaii five times.  Our honeymoon began on the Big Island, which to those who don't know is actually called "Hawaii".  We actually spent Easter there and had dinner in an open air restaurant.  A light rain shower began once we entered, but had finished by the time dinner was over.  It was a lovely dinner.  The only other memory I have of that island is a cool pair of eel skin boots I foolishly declined to buy.  They were awesome and only around $165 which even at the time didn't seem outlandish.  I wish I was wearing those boots every time I kick myself in the ass for not buying them.  

From there we finished our honeymoon on Maui, and that became our destination for the subsequent fours trips we took over the years.  Though I've wanted to visit the other islands, we never did get the chance.  Our trips weren't so long that island hopping made sense, and, at least in my mind, I didn't want to go and not visit Maui...though I think I could have dealt with spending a week on Kauai.  It's supposed to be a paradise. 

We've stayed in the swanky resort hotels of Wailea the first two visits, which I loved.  What we don't love is spending so much of our limited funds on accommodations in which we won't spend most of any given day.  Thus, we opted for renting condos.  Our last was on the water in a town called Maalaea, which is between Kihei and Lahaina.  One couldn't swim off the beach right outside our building, but every night we'd see the sea turtles coming in and feeding there.  They were huge. 

I really love Maui.  There are three places we've visited almost every time we've gone there.  Hana (the road to which is the epitome of "it's the journey, not the destination"), Mama's Fish House...which is in the north shore town of Paia...I may be wrong, but I think we hit this place on every visit, and the historic whaling village of Lahaina.  

We definitely hit this town every visit.  What a great place!  There was a Bubba-Gump's on the water.  The shops and galleries were all wonderful.  There's a huge banyan tree there which was planted in 1873 and shades about 3/4 of an acre. 

That tree suffered in the wild fire which destroyed this wonderful town, but it is said it may be salvaged.  I hope so.   I hope the town can be rebuilt to its former glory.  

The wife and I were devastated to hear the news of the preventable tragedy.  From all reports, it's another case of the type seen so perennially in California, wherein forest management is criminally negligent.  There's foreign grasses which have spread which are part of the reason the fire did as well.  The winds from a hurricane pushed the flames very quickly.  People were said to be running into the sea for protection.  Videos taken by other people fleeing in their cars showed just how difficult it was to escape it.  Rt. 30 was congested, to say the least, but it's the main road through and out of town. 

The state boasts one of the most state of the art early warning systems for events such as this.  No one heard sirens because those in charge of these things totally dropped the ball.  There was a story about water to quench the fire being withheld unreasonably.  The military installations on Oahu has all manner of means by which aid could be rendered, and as one person who's been there for lesser incidents has said, there's little change the high winds would have stopped the military personnel from providing aid, and from what I've heard, there is still not much from them at this point (I could be wrong on that point).

What I know for sure is that with every mention of this tragedy, with a continually climbing death toll which is around 100 at this point, I am equal parts sadness and anger.  Video of Lahaina presents a view of someplace unrecognizable to me.  I've had a strong desire to live there since my first visit, though it's a rather expensive place to live, especially the cost of food and gasoline.  But the state is run by morons, just as is Illinois, California, New Jersey and other blue states.  

By all accounts, this was a tragedy waiting to happen.  According to a story in AmericanThinker, they've had issues of arsonists starting fires for several years.  How this one began remains...for me at least...to be seen.  How it raged is inexcusable for asshole politicians who claim to have great concern and compassion for the environment.  Some of these bastards immediately went the "climate change" route, and I'd love to slap the crap out them for daring to shit that crap out of their mouths, those exploitative sons-of-bitches.

And the people of the area.  God have mercy on them.  They will be needlessly suffering because of government failure for a very long time.  The state, that is the people, will lose financially as its tourism will be impeded for who knows how long.  

If only they had a Ron DeSantis, who has demonstrated how real servants of the people respond to natural disasters.  If only they had a Donald Trump who knows how to marshal both the public and private sectors to get things done quickly.  

But they have Democrats.  I've no confidence whatsoever and its maddening.  This is what comes from voting for Democrats.

I hope everyone reading this will send a few shekels to help out.  And pray.  Please pray for them. 

Leftist Shamefulness: Race-hustling Liars Edition

 As I was about to review and respond to comments on the previous post, I first check my emails to see who might have sought access before checking the dashboard here.  Among the tons of emails I get, I receive columns from a few notables, such as Matt Walsh.  I present below a link to the column I received:

https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-media-is-still-lying-about-michael-brown-9-years-later-heres-why

 Walsh's column covers multiple areas of shamefulness of the left, or various manifestations which can be categorized in a number of ways.  But the story he's covering does indeed touch on a few.  For example:

1.  The political left are willing liars.

2.  The leftist media are willing liars and wholly untrustworthy...truly the enemy of the people.

3.  Both the above are contemptible race-hustlers.

And implied is that those who defend the two are themselves contemptible for doing so when the truth about them is so obvious, as Walsh's column points out.  And it far more than implies that the left in general is wholly in favor of stoking the flames of racism, projecting their own evil upon their ideological opponents.  

As Walsh points out, defending one's self against accusations of racism is to the left evidence of racism.  The reality, in fact, is that for the left to falsely accuse their opponents of racism is manifestly racism.  It is the exploitation of racial differences to exert power and control and that's exactly what they seek to accomplish by framing every such incident such as the self-inflicted death of a punk like Michael Brown as an example of white racism.  The enemy of the people...the leftist media...is complicit in the perpetuation of this lie.

Read the column.  Watch the videos within it.  Then try to tell me the leftist politicians and media aren't corrupt race-hustlers deserving of scorn.

Leftist Shamefulness: Should I Bother?

It's been mentioned many times that I'm wasting my time with the likes of a piece of shit like Dan, to whom I just refer as the Son of the Father of Lies.  Dan supports every vile, non-Christian position which results in the most harm to humans everywhere.  He clings to those positions as if they were somehow reflective of the Christian faith to which he only pays lip service.  He exploits the label of "Christian" to serve his most unChristian agenda items.  

I have to admit.  I think I've about run out of patience.  While on the one hand, I enjoy so easily exposing him for the piece of shit he is, I also regard him as representative of all which is bad in this nation and its culture.  He's truly vile, truly a liar and truly a mockery of actual Christian principle. 

Punching the fuck out of Dan is a fantasy with true appeal.  Of course, that's not possible for one who truly strives to abide the Will of God.  This fantasy no doubt serves as support for the encouragement to shake the dust from my sandals...to no longer cast peals before this incredible swine of an alleged human being.  

I stand opposed to the vile practice of abortion, confident as are so many with more knowledge than I that it is NEVER necessary.

I stand opposed to the physical oppression of the immoral in our society despite my firm belief they have no Constitutional right to demand their perversions be respected, accepted or tolerated in any way. 

I stand opposed to cruel and unusual punishment of the worst of our culture and society, despite a desire they be punished when justly brought to account.

But I have no opposition to the likes of a Dan Trabue to suffer in any way for his crimes against God and righteousness.  

Dan is vermin of the worst kind.  He gets no sympathy from me for any suffering he may endure, and there's a part of me which sees suffering by him to be justice from Above.   But it would be my bad luck to come upon him in such suffering and by my God be compelled to render aid.  I would withhold it for a time and be cursed for enjoying his torment, but I can't help but believe he has it coming.  

So am I done with his sorry ass as so many encourage I should be?  

Perhaps.  While I needn't direct my posts and comments to him, he does represent all that's wrong with our culture.  He still stands as a source for content here at this blog, as he is so naturally predisposed to express counter-Christian views.  

He sickens me.  He is vile and cretinous.  There's no truth in him and no desire to embrace truth, while he pretends to "embrace grace".   That's what liars do.  That's what Dan is.   Right at this moment, I can't handle his falseness, his mockery of God, his devotion to death.  

God spare me.