Wasted

　

　

I used to waste time watching TV; now I waste time on my laptop. Am I really wasting time? Is that a philosophical issue or an opinion? Some game playing stimulates your brain, I am told; crossword puzzles supposedly help keep your thinking parts working. Honestly, I doubt it. Crossword puzzles are formulaic, much like sitcoms and TV dramas (sit drams?). Once you do about a million of them you know all the words. Some words are only used in crossword puzzles and never in real life. For example, the following words were in the Washington Post puzzle I did today: “ute”, “olio”, “Eloi”, and “otiose”. I’m guessing that playing solitaire online stimulates only my thumb.

What about Facebook? By now they should be teaching college courses on the effects of this website on the population of the world. It’s amazing that this has only been around since 2004. Right now, I probably only know maybe 3 people, tops, that are not on Facebook. I remember when it started it was for high school and college students--some new thing my kids knew about that never concerned me. I will not admit publicly how much time I spend scrolling its pages. Is it a waste of time? A lot of times, yes. I can get all high and mighty and aver that I learn a lot from news stories, but mostly it’s gossip, memes, nonsense and pictures. I have connected with people I would never have found or kept up with otherwise, but overall it’s become just another part of the hours I spend staring at a screen.

What are useful things to do with one’s time? Creating, exercising, learning new skills, relating to others, participating in groups and petting dogs. I do all those things. Of course, I also work at a full-time job. In the interest of maintaining employment I will not comment on the percentage of that time that is wasted.

As the years slip away, I tell myself I should be more concerned about making good use of my time on earth. There are so many things I have not done, so many years wasted doing the wrong things with the wrong people and all the places I have not been. Then there’s all the foods I have not eaten, the music I haven’t heard, the artwork I haven’t seen and the books I haven’t written. The more I think about it, the more my head spins, much like when I try to contemplate the infinity--or finity--of the universe. Which brings me right back to needing to play solitaire and scan Facebook to avoid a full-blown panic attack.

The Gay 10s

First, my pronouncement: I’m am not now, nor have I ever been, gay. I have no interest in knowing what gay couples do in their bedrooms or wherever; I also have no interest in what any couples do in their bedrooms. So, really and truly I do

not in any way understand why so many Americans are so obsessed with the whole subject. Really.

Front page story in the Waycross Journal Herald: “Obama Urges California Court to Overturn Gay Marriage Ban”. Ok, true enough--but it’s not enough; over that reasonable headline is a picture of “anti-homosexuality citizens” picketing for “the sanctity of traditional ‘man-woman’ marriage in San Francisco in September.” And, over that, in red, the words “Pro-Gay President”. Fascinating. I don’t remember any elected officials being labeled “pro-heterosexuality”--or perhaps more appropriately, “pro-fooling around President, Senator, Congressman, Mayor…..” I think you get my drift. The editor might protest “It’s a story from the AP”. Who chose the picture, not to mention the words in red. All the news that’s fit to print? Sure.

Is there anyone out there who doesn’t have friends or family members who are gay? How about divorced, having affairs, “serial monogamists”, single parents Et Al (or Tom, Dick or Harry). Anyone in the “anti-gay” movement every read any history? Marriage has been many things at many times to many people. That includes polygamy, homosexuality and the ongoing right of men to have mistresses or even a harem. This one man, one woman thing has been very loosely interpreted since the beginning of humanity.

My big question is: how does it affect anyone else for a same sex couple to be together legally? How does it effect your marriage? Oh, it offends you? It’s against the bible? Really. It’s contagious? Uh-huh. Please, anyone, if this is really what you believe, show me the facts.

We already know our President is a Muslim, terrorist, pro-abortion, Socialist Nazi. To that we add “pro-gay”. Truth and facts are irrelevant. What does it mean to be “pro-gay” anyway? Does he want to make everyone gay? Does he want to be gay? Maybe he just wants gay people to rule the world. It couldn’t possibly be that he believes that all Americans should be treated equally under the law. Of course not, because that just makes no sense at all. What does it mean to be “anti-gay”? Round them all up into camps? Torture them until they see the error of their ways? Make it illegal for same sex people to cohabit (think how confusing that would be!)? I guess to keep it legal the only thing this group can do is condemn them to the burning pits of hell--and of course, continue to deny them the same rights as every other American. Does that work for you?