Sunday, December 29, 2013

It's official! She's a Bitch now!


     I must guard her a bit.  I think I wouldn't mind finding a suitable mate for her to enjoy.  I think she's enjoy being a mommy!  BTW:  She's pure Shetland Sheep Dog, affectionally called a "Sheltie."

     Also, she was barking at a hawk soaring overhead.  Good girl!

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Bowling Anyone? I could get back into it so easily!





     Clarkesville, Georgia did not have a bowling alley during the last time I lived in Habersham County.  As I discovered recently, now they do!  I decided I would check it out, and I'm glad that I did.

     I used to own my own bowling ball, but I got rid of it a few years ago.  It's okay, because it was a 15 pound ball, and I've gotten to where I can't control a ball of that size anymore.  On the night that I checked out the Clarkesville Lanes, I used a 13 and a 14 pound ball.  

     Overall, a pleasant experience!

You tell the story and write the dialogue!










Friday, December 20, 2013

Maybe I should judge my own speech before I sound it off!

     Freedom of speech is a most precious freedom.  Judgments can come back at you for what you say.  A doctor who lies to his / her patients can be sued.  Pastors / Counselors are liable for the advice that they give.  Teachers are held accountable.  Turn on a fire alarm when there is no fire is a felony offense.  Making bomb threats whether or not there is a bomb is criminal behavior.  Judge your speech well before you actually sound it off.  People are listening.  People will call you on your errors.  Judge well, and prepare to be judged well. 

Thursday, December 19, 2013

I hope to make lap 56 (around the sun) productive! Wish me luck!

   






Thank you, Sarah! BTW: Do you sell those smokescreens?

     Sarah Palin, I applaud your promotion of freedom of speech.  I, too, believe it is a most precious freedom that we'd be wise to protect.  That means I'm eager to have errors called out and even satirized for the sake of truth.  From what I can tell, that "Duck" man spoke from one perspective -- that of one straight man who can't understand gay men.  No one has demanded, or even asked, that he (or anyone else) understand gay men.  I'm not the only one who can assure you that many gay men can't understand straight men.  All anyone needs to understand is that gay men and straight men exist NATURALLY on this planet and war between the two is entirely unnecessary.  Straight people (I would claim) started this unnecessary war, therefore straight people should put a stop to it.  That "Duck" man should have his right to expose his own ignorance protected.  Others should have their right to call him on it, expose the errors, and even satirize the stupidity in his commentary protected also.  Thanks, Sarah, for helping to keep this conversation (or rather SHOUTING match) moving on (hopefully forward).  

  Oh, and one more thing.  Thanks for the smoke screen! 

God's Word does not need any "defending," Pat Robertson!

     I say that Pat Robertson has NOT been defending God's Word, for God's Word is Truth (not an approximation of it, nor a particular spin on it).  Essentially, what he has been doing is mud slinging with his own spin on his own claims about God's Word, and others do us great service to call him (and others) on his errors (logical, historical, linguistic, etc).  God's Word does not need any defending, for it will not "return void."  God's Word will pan out without any help and without any understanding from any of us.  But, if you're going to try to "defend" God's Word, the least you ought to do is invite EVERYONE to the discussion table and allow everyone to include all the facts he / she knows uncensored, and you oughta to abstain from acting like a control freak by forcing a conclusion and dishing it out to itching ears so that you can gain their applaud (and continued financial support). 

      

Thursday, November 7, 2013

The First Noel

http://www.youtube.com/v/K5hkXXowhME?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=V7VfUGEl8f8UU_lJ7_b63w&autohide=1&feature=share

Saturday, August 17, 2013

I never imagined owning one of these!





     It's a 1998 Lincon Town Car with leather seats and all black interior.  I gave up less than $4000 cash for it.  I guess that's not as bad as suffering depreciation....  Though I bought it from a dealer, I spoke (on the phone) with the previous own and asked my dad to look at it and give me his opinion.  As you can see, I must've been satisfied.

     I'm having to get used to driving a big car, especially when parking at WalMart, Ingles, and restaurant parking lots.  

     I'm guessing that I'll get good service from it.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

About those Greek words in the Bible.... many preachers are liars!

Al Mohler Does It Again

     Too many Christians and preachers are liars about this this matter.  This man clearly demonstrates that.  I wish that all Christians truly wanted to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Study: Same-sex marriage has no effect on opposite-sex marriage rates | The Raw Story

Study: Same-sex marriage has no effect on opposite-sex marriage rates | The Raw Story

Many years ago, many of us predicted results like this would be the case.  Gee!  Shall we predict that results like this will continue to be the case?  Yes!!!

The Great Resurrection Debate (2 of 2) (William Lane Craig vs John Shelb...

The Great Resurrection Debate (1 of 2) (William Lane Craig vs John Shelb...

Bishop John Spong on the bible as a source of truth

Bishop John Shelby Spong(9am) - "From a Tribal God to a Universal Presen...

Controversial retired bishop John Spong on religion. full sh

Crackdown filling NKorean prisons with defectors - Yahoo! News

Crackdown filling NKorean prisons with defectors - Yahoo! News



     I just can't wrap my head around punishing people for leaving the country!  It's not like they will fight for the regime!  It seems to me, that this would be generating more resentments (even if it's mixed with fear) towards those in power.  Why not just let them go, and let them fend for themselves if they so wish?


Tuesday, June 11, 2013

I'd Like To Think I'm An Informed Straight Ally, But I'm Embarrassed I Didn't Know This

I'd Like To Think I'm An Informed Straight Ally, But I'm Embarrassed I Didn't Know This

     I totally, totally, TOTALLY get this!  Don't ask / expect me to remain silent while you casually enjoy your marriage, and while you casually ignore (support) the double standard and injustice going on!


Monday, June 10, 2013

Would you believe they treated me like a celebrity?

On my final Monday (6-10-2013) in South Korea, we gathered at a studio and....

Left to right (bottom picture): Tracy, Lucy, Ron, Dana, and Jenny

They asked me to autograph their copies of these photos!


Rabbi Richard A. Block: The God I Don't Believe In

Rabbi Richard A. Block: The God I Don't Believe In



Thank you Rabbi Richard Block!  I wish I could have written all this as well as you before you wrote it all.  Thanks a million!

Friday, June 7, 2013

Pictures like this can preach a message that's as inspirational... as any!

 http://ronaldsbatson.tumblr.com/ A picture like this can preach a message that’s as...

     A picture like this can preach a message that’s as inspirational (if not more so) and worthy of embracing as any ever voiced or written. From it, I can receive fuel for noble purposes.

 http://ronaldsbatson.tumblr.com/post/52440995109 Sat, 08 Jun 2013 01:48:19 -0400

Transgender, former Navy Seal, speaks out

Friday, May 17, 2013

Monday, May 13, 2013

-MISSING HUSBAND-



This is blood boiling!  Walk in THEIR shoes, will ya?  Get this.  It's only ONE example!

Monday, May 6, 2013

"Faith" in the Military. Some Christians just did NOT spread the truth!

Tom Carpenter: The First Casualty of Religious Wars Is Truth

     It's sad (and frustrating) that so many Christians I know do NOT want to know the truth.  They simply want to run their mouths and spread their falsehoods before they've bothered to truly investigate matters.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Being a Christian... Just do it!

   
I mean, for crying out loud, Jesus had been gone for years before they started writing anything!  With all that walking he did, he was never anywhere for very long, so what would people have  remembered about him, and what would they have have remembered him saying? The stuff the gospel writers wrote down must have been the stuff they remembered him saying over and over and over again.

     I can't see that they remembered Jesus saying anything about a "sinner's prayer," or about joining a church membership, or about enrolling in a program.  It seems to me that what they remembered (the stuff he must have said to them, and to everyone else everywhere he went) over and over again was stuff like "follow me," "love one another," ........ just do it as you've seen me do it.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

This is what Gay-Love looks like in my mind.  Pictures like this...

This is what Gay-Love looks like in my mind.  Pictures like this...:

     This is what Gay-Love looks like in my mind.  Pictures like this should be the “poster-children” of Gay-Love rather than the r-rate / x-rated sorts.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Maybe "original sin" was a heterosexuality hoax implemented!

     
     Yes, this is abrupt!  I was venting!  Maybe, I'll ponder on this some more!

     Maybe "original sin" was all a heterosexuality hoax and has remained so all along.  Maybe all of creation was really moving along just fine!  Maybe, God really had no issues about anything going on in the creation He made and called "good."  Maybe the story -- the garden of Eden story -- was put together, way after all the good things naturally happening had been moving along just fine -- as an attempt to own God and to coerce everyone into a heterosexual breeding program to produce sons (faster than wise) who could become warriors against other neighbors adopting the same sort of program.  

     Maybe the "word of God" is really in there, but the lesson has gone over the heads of so many who've seen all the words in the story.  Maybe God has been SHOUTING "WAIT! YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!"

     Maybe everything was going along just fine until humans got over zealous about trying to control everything.  The rest of creation seems to have been moving along just fine!  It wasn't broke!  It didn't need fixing!

          Maybe, all along, homosexuality has been a legitimate (and good) part (10%, 5%, 2%) of the mix.  Maybe, if the hoax hadn't been implemented, and if all the breeding hadn't been so zealously implemented, there wouldn't have been so many wars, so many bloody raids, so much over population (of humans).  Maybe humans should have learned that "zeal without wisdom is folly."  Maybe humans should have learned how and should have been encouraged to move in sync with, should have been able to sum up great value of having homosexuality in the mix! 

     Maybe the story has been showing what can happen when, well, humans get it wrong! 

   

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Ain’t no Foolin’ goin’ on here!  Happy April...

Ain’t no Foolin’ goin’ on here!  Happy April...:

Ain’t no Foolin’ goin’ on here!  Happy April Fools Day to you all!

10 kids, 2 dads: The world’s biggest gay family?

10 kids, 2 dads: The world’s biggest gay family?

Dreamin'

     
     "Ron, if you'd like, I can probably get you a job where I work."

     "Wow!  I wasn't expecting that!  

     "Well, what do you think?"

     "Hmm!  I've thought to myself that it might be kinda nice just to have a job where I can just go, clock in, do my work, clock out and go home and continue to live in peace.   Please don't tell me stuff like this... get my hopes built up... if you're not seriously sure!  And do you think it's a good idea for friends to be working in the same place?  I mean, think about it!  We go to the same church.  We go to the same gym.  That's a lot of time we spend in the same places.  

     "Ron!"

     "Yes?"

     "It won't be a problem.  This friendship is already unfolding into something I'm glad to have.  I think it'd be great having you working nearby.  If you want me to, I'll check into it on Monday.  Can you meet me there on Monday afternoon?"

     "I can leave the school at three-thirty.  I can be there.  Honestly, if that works out, I don't know if I'll be able to thank you enough.  I'm sure mom and dad will feel relieved... excited actually."

     "It's no problem, Ron.  I'll be happy to do it!  So, what are you doing this weekend?"

     "Oh, besides church on Sunday, nothing special.  You?"

     "Same here!  Why don't we ride out to Helen and, maybe, walk a bit up Anna Ruby Falls?"

     "Wow!  It's been a long time -- about thirty years -- since the last time I went there!  In fact, used to be that that was the way I had to drive to get to the college I was attending unless I wanted to drive south towards Atlanta first and then cross over to I-75 north."

     "Where were you going?"

     "'Lee College' it was called back then."

     "Ah!  The Church of God school in Cleveland, Tennessee, right?"

     "Yup!  Since then, it's been turned into a university, 'Lee University.'  I drove through Helen and up those steep winding roads, on through Blairsville to get there.  Did the reverse to get back."

     "Does that mean you'd like to go?"

     "Hmm!"

     "If it's not a good time, we can do it on another day."

     "Well, I can't just give you a short answer.  Get used to that!  So often, 'Yes' or 'No' just doesn't quite get the job done.  Know what I mean?"

     "Yea, I know.  So, what's the long answer?"

     "Wow!"

     "What?"

     "We just met a few hours ago at the gym!  We go to the same church.  Our parents are friends.  You can get me a job.  It all seems so unbelievable!  almost scary!"

     "Ron."

     "Yes?"

     "What on your mind?  Take your time.  Let it out!"

     "Your saying that just makes it that much more unbelievable!" (Sigh)

      "J_____, sure I'd like to go, but"

     "But what?"

     "I'd rather drop some bombshells on you and have you hate me now than... I mean we can part company and go in peace ... I don't want drama!  God, I don't want drama!  I can try to find a different church.  Maybe I can find another gym.  I mean I'm the new guy on the block!  I left Habersham county many years ago... I didn't want embarrassment for my family....  It's been thirty years...  All I want to do is live in peace.  I don't want trouble to happen because of me.  I just want to live in peace!"

     "Ron!"

     "Alright, I'll drop a few bombs now.  Know that there are more!  I'm gay, and my family has known that all along.  I'm broke, and am probably going to file for bankruptcy soon.  I'm not loathing myself.  I'm simply telling it like it is.  I'd rather you hear it from me than through some grapevine."  

     "Ron!"

    "I didn't start going to the gym to cruise after men.  All I wanted was to go there, do my workout,"

     "Ron!  I'm gay too!"

    "and then go home to live in peace with my mom and dad.  Huh!  What!  What did you say?"

     "Ron, I'm gay too, and my parents know."

     "Wait!"

     "Ron, honestly, I had no idea that you were gay, and I haven't cared one way or the other!  It's been good enough that we go to the same gym and church.  As I said, I think the world of your parents.... As everything has been unfolding ... unbelievably unfolding ... I've been totally satisfied in thinking that a really good friendship was happening, one that I'd want to hang on to."

     "You're okay with everything I just told you?"

     "Everyone has a story, Ron!  I know yours is long and detailed.  How can you live fifty plus years and not have a story with bumps, scrapes, bruises, tears, laughter, good times and bad?  Frankly, I'd like for you to tell it to me.  All of it!  Take your time.  Take all the time you need.  I want to hear it from you.  If not now, another day... or how ever many days you need.  I'm sure I'm going to be okay with it all!  I'm sure it'll be exciting... kinda like joining you for the ride.  Every bit of it has added up and has led to here and now.  I have a story too, and I'd like to tell you all about it.  Already, I feel that you'll be okay with it.  Why?  Well, look at how everything has been unfolding already!  It's like God putting it all together.  I didn't set out for this day to turn out the way that it has.  I had no idea!  It's hard for me to not believe that... well... Ron, I don't want to lose this!  I want this!  Ron, do I have a chance with you?"

     "What?!"

     "You're here now!  We're here now!  We know now!"

     "But, there are other bombshells!"

     "I don't care!"

     "But, I want to be sure that I am the one who tells you about them.  I'll be honest enough to concede that I'll be giving you my own spin about them.  Others who know can give you their spins.  I have no wish to hide anything nor to sugar coat any of it.  I've got over a thousand Youtube videos plus my blogs, Facebook and Tumblr telling the whole world my own spin about things."

     "And?"

     "I'm HIV negative.  I don't want sex with anyone until I'm married finally and for good.  I'm so tired of the games!  I've slept with other men -- each of whom told me he loved me and swore to be there until 'death do us part.'  Each was supposed to have been the last, the final, the one with whom I'd live happily ever after.  I've taken chances.  I've had about a half dozen relationships.  I don't want to totally forget about them, because I have pleasant memories from each of them.  I've talked about them on my videos, and I don't want to delete them.  Probably, I'll always reminisce about them.  Before those, I tried to fix things by getting married to a woman.  Two children were born from that marriage.  Both are now adults.  One of them was legally adopted.  The other has given birth to children of her own.  Yes, I'm a grandfather!  I've never met the grandchildren.  I've not seen the children (except on line) since 1995.  I'm getting old.  I use blood pressure, cholesterol, and erectile dysfunction medications.  I'm doing the best I can to live healthy, but I'm getting older and older.  All the past has cost me a lot.  As I said, I'm broke.  I can't say it enough... I simply want to live my life in peace!"

     "Is that all?"

     "I don't want to live in secret, but I want to live in peace.  I don't want sympathy.  I simply want to speak for myself and let others speak for themselves."

     "Ron, I'm speaking for myself, and I want a chance with YOU!  I want a chance to help build a relationship.  I don't want anything below the belt until I'm married, and if there's a chance that our relationship can grow into that, I'd sure like to give a try.  Knowing what I know now, I'm willing to try.  Ron, in spite of the fact that it seems too soon to be asking this, may I have that chance with you?"

     "The short answer is yes, but I sure do want you to think about what you're asking!."

     "What's the long answer?"

     "I'm sure there are more than one, and we'll have to figure many of them out as we go along.  I do know that I'll want our parents to know about it from us.  If the people of our church are to know, I want them to know about it from us.  If anyone is to know, I want them to know from us.  How do we go forward from here, we'll have to figure out.  I want nothing below the belt until I am married.  I don't want peace disturbed.  We've got a peaceful thing going right now.  It ain't broke.  If it ain't broke, let's not try to fix it!" 

     "So, shall we go to Helen tomorrow?"

     "Sure!"

     "You know, mom invited you to stay in the guest room.  I'm sure she has made the bed, placed extra blankets and some towels and wash cloths in the room.  You said your parents will be gone a few days, so why not just make yourself at home at our place?"

     "I'll need to pick up some clothes from my house first,"

     "Ok!  Let's go!"