Musings of the Chronologically Challenged™ Fourth Generation

 
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS

Redneckin’s back!! And the Axis of Weevil has a full house again. A pox (and a pun) on all this sick-stuff going around. Would like to have a poll on how many of the faithful have been incapacitated beyond blogging lately. Chuck and I are two. Anyone else? (And if I missed it, please cut slack to a suffering person!)

Test this.

Can’t wait to see if it was successful. It’s really not true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Actually, you can. But it’s difficult if it’s a dumb old dog! Anyhow, whether the link was accomplished or not, many thanks to all who have tried to help this dumb old dog. A big ole osculation of thanks to each of you.

Oh - and if the link works, those who read redneckin will understand it!!! LOL


posted by HCL at 11:15 PM

 
WOW!!

The closest I’ve ever been to a possum is roadkill. So imagine my surprise and shocked delight to be surfing around Possumblog and seeing my very own nom de plume! This is analogous to riding through South Dakota and seeing one’s face on Mount Rushmore! How did this happen? How could it? Was there a committee meeting? If so, thanks to the committee members who kept their black balls out of sight, thereby enabling me to enjoy this privilege.

About six months ago my friend Chuck quite nonchalantly dropped the word “blog” into a chat. That was my introduction to the phenomena of blogs, blogging, and bloggers. In the interim, it has become an addiction. The first cup of coffee every morning is consumed while reading the new blogs. These URLs have become my main connection to the outside world. This is where I find entertaining, topical, and enlightening reading from a variety of sources and perspectives. It is my microcosm of Americana.

What a humbling honor to be among such august personages. I’m not worthy – but – hey! I’ll give it my best shot. A plus for any readers of Indigoinsights is that I’m usually not long-winded!!! LOL


posted by HCL at 10:29 AM

 
Yeeeee-Haaawww
http://hometown.aol.com/dixieten/index.html


Special treat for possumblog and the Axis of Weevil! If you haven't visited the URL above before, regale yourself with this.. If you have been there before, enjoy again. Browse to your heart's content, but don't miss "Dixie Dew" and "The Great Southern Tragedy". Perfect if your weekend turns out dull. And yes, you'll have to type it in yourself! Sorry.


posted by HCL at 5:54 PM

 
COMMENTS?

I can type (most of the time); I can make a complete sentence; I can spell without a spellcheck. But, dang me, I can't learn the technical aspects and logistics of blogging! Therefore, like many other features available here, I have not added "Comments" - simply because I can't figure it out!!! If anyone who reads this drivel would like to make a comment, please email it to indigoinsights@hotmail.com.
posted by HCL at 9:21 AM

 

Good Morning!

Apologies in advance for the length of this one. The “link” bulb has not gone off in my head yet, but I wanted to share this piece. It adds a dimension to the reparation issue from an American Indian’s perspective – which I have not seen published before. Hopefully you will find it as thought-provoking as I do. WEST is only one of four sections in the Circle of Nations newsletter written by John Two-Hawks, Oglala Lakota. If you would like to read the newsletter in its entirety, the URL is below.

WEST - Wiyohpeyata - Black or Blue (We are STILL Here!)
There is a lot of talk these days about racial 'reparation'. When I first heard about it, I had mixed feelings. I still do I guess. Should the USA pay for what it did to African-American people in the past? Can the USA pay for it? 'Reparation' means 'to repair something'. Can the USA repair what was done? Perhaps not, as it surely cannot raise people from the dead. But what about how what happened in times past has affected our present? Surely much progress has been made in this country regarding race issues, although there is still much room for more growth. But what about the past? Is it really dead and gone? Does it not affect the present? The future? I believe it does. I must confess, I got a bit upset once when I heard a woman (pro-reparation) shouting "we made America, this is our land, and Americans needs to pay up!" I thought, hmmmmmmmm.... ma'am, with all due respect, that land your house sits on is Indian Land. So maybe you should pay us! *giggle* So, what about reparation? The sacred Paha Sapa (black hills) were literally stolen from the Lakota nation by the United States in the late 1800's. Since that time, the U.S. Govt. has offered our nation what is now the equivalent of $500,000,000 in 'reparation'. We have never accepted the money. The only 'reparation' acceptable to our people is the return of the Paha Sapa to the Lakota Nation. Will that ever happen? Hard to say. I wish it would, but to be honest, I have my doubts. The pro-reparation folks are wanting the U.S. to cough up revenue in reparation for the staggering monetary gains the U.S. made from the slave trade. They claim that the mistreatment of their people in those times has contributed directly to many of the problems in the African American community today. Is this true? I believe it may be, but perhaps only in part. All I have to do is visit my people on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to be convinced that the deeds of the past affect the people of today in a very real way. However, the folks on the 'anti-reparation' side claim that the pro-reparation folks are just angry people with a 'victim' mentality. This may be true, but again perhaps only in part. Russell Means, an Oglala Lakota who was a big part of the American Indian activism of the 60's & 70's never met Custer. He never lived in a tipi and he wasn't there at Wounded Knee in 1890 when over 300 Lakota women, children, elders and a few young men were massacred. He wasn't there. But in the 1960's he rose up out of the dust of the white-washed conscious of America and demanded change. Not to change the past, but to change the present conditions our people were living with, which were/are a direct result of the past historic deeds of the U.S. Govt.. Did change come? Some did. There is still much progress to be made. So perhaps there is validity to the claims of the pro-reparation folks, for the past does indeed affect the present. And perhaps the anti-reparation folks have a point too, as the folks living today who are directly affected in some way by the deeds of the past may indeed be 'victims' and be angry about it. Will the U.S. Govt. "pay up"? Who knows. As I said before, I have my doubts. Perhaps there is another way. The USA certainly has plenty of skeletons in its 'history closet'. All in all, much has changed for the better in this country. Heck, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world. But maybe there is a way to at least attempt to right the wrongs of the past that affect the present. I see validity in both arguments. I also see a bit of foolishness in both. Perhaps we should stop arguing and start examining what we can do to heal the wounds of the past, by addressing the conditions or problems they may have contributed to today. I pray for healing....

In the spirit of mending the Sacred Hoop of the nations of the world,
Your Oglala Lakota brother / friend,
John Two-Hawks
http://www.nativecircle.com
http://www.johntwohawks.com




posted by HCL at 8:57 AM

 
WHO NEEDS NRA?

It must have been the disappointment of my Daddy’s life that the new baby (me) was a girl. But he made the best of it and made me his pal anyhow. Most of the practical things that a son learns from his father I learned, along with the practical things a daughter needs to learn from her mother. Probably Daddy’s most meaningful and long-lasting endeavor, however, was teaching me about nature, animals, the woods and what grows there. He made it very clear to a pre-schooler what was safe and what was hazardous – and made it quality time. We must have “walked the woods” together from about the time I could walk because I can’t remember when we didn’t.

My grandmother – lovingly called Mammy by all her grandchildren – dipped snuff. (Is anyone old enough to remember that? LOL) It would have been scandalous for her to smoke cigarettes! There was a certain tree that grew in the woods from which she made her “dipping brushes” Daddy was her hunting son-in-law, so he had the job of searching for that tree when the brush supply got down low. I would go along as his “scout”, helping him to look for the special tree. It had to be a young sapling in order for the brush to turn out right.

As we walked deeper and deeper into the woods, I would collect wild violets. We always carried a bouquet back home to Mother – butter her up so we could go again soon! Along the way, Daddy would point out the different barks of trees, various footprints of critters, introduced me to my first “chewing gum” (pine rosin dripping from a tree), and also the fake “tobacco” (he called it “rabbit tobacco”) that he would let me smoke later when I got into my teens. You must remember smoking was not only acceptable then, it was almost mandatory!

Sometimes, but not always, he would take his shotgun along. We never saw any game. He would shoot it at a specified target a couple of times just to get me used to the loud noise. Even though I was a pre-schooler when these sojourns began, I was never frightened and the walking in the woods became a favorite thing for us to do.

I will never forget the first time he let me shoot the gun. I was five years old, but it’s as vivid in my memory as if it were a few weeks ago. He played a little game with me with the stumps when we were in the woods. He would put me on a stump and I would stand on it and recite “Here I stand upon a stump. Come and kiss me before I jump.” Then Daddy would come up to kiss me and hold out his arms so I could jump into them after the kiss. On the unforgettable day of my first shooting of the shotgun, after the kiss Daddy said “Stay right there on that stump and I’ll let you pull the trigger.” I did. He did. And the rest is the history of why I didn’t need the NRA.

No offense to NRA or its members. I did become a member later in life – but it was not as fun as Daddy.

posted by HCL at 7:52 PM

 
DUH!

Been wondering why I'm so tired; so drained of
patience; so frustrated with normal chores; so burned
out for no overt reason. My usual life rhythm seems to
be totally off the beat - out of sync. And then I
thought - Geez, Louise, no wonder!!! I had house
guests for the entire month of July and so far August
too!!! Obviously, it's time to get back in my rocking
chair for some peace and tranquility; time for much
needed solitude; time for regaining continuity of
habits -- good or bad; time for repairing frayed
nerves. Or else, this malaise could lead to another
rant! (aggggh)

posted by HCL at 3:33 PM

 
LUKE 10:30 IN CYBERSPACE
As I was walking down the road to Samaria (Information Highway), I fell among robbers (cyber glitches) who beat me (would not accept data) and left me half-dead (unable to blog). But a previously unknown Samaritan (blogger) came to me and showed compassion (offered help), bound up my wounds (solved the problem), and made sure I was taken care of (gave advice and encouragement) before leaving me. Terry is a Good Samaritan indeed! I don’t think Jesus (can I say that here?) will mind that I paraphrased his parable to use as my parable. Hopefully, someday I will be knowledgeable enough to “Go and do likewise.” as Jesus said.

posted by HCL at 9:34 AM