It's sometimes hard to imagine that we all inhabit a place that looks like this from space.  This earth, filled with multitudes of people.  I call upon things learned in school, (I am a product of parochial education), and much learned then, is still with me today.  I often ponder what it might be like if there was no hatred in the world.  Hate is a feeling that has caused wars, genocides, massacres, etc.  We all are instilled with this ability to hate, and we use that ability to varying degrees each and every day of our lives.  Whether it's "hating" to get up in the morning, or "hating" a long drive, "hating" a certain food, to maybe even just "hating" hate.  I really struggle hard to contain the temptation to hate something.  But what would it be like to not hate anything at all....I mean I sometimes think that I'll always hate something.  So I'm going to try a little experiment, The next time I tell myself that I hate doing something etc, I'm going to consciously try to change my own opinion about it.  I know this sounds kind of crazy, but I think a debate of this sort is indicative of an elevated intellect..lol.  Maybe my analysis will determine that I should just be a more chill kind of person, and not sweat the small stuff.  We'll have to see.

What's Next???

Every day I like to peruse news stories from various sources, and I came across this one here.  Now...I'm not a watcher of shows like "Honey Boo Boo, "Sister Wives", or this one "19 Kids and Counting",,,,they just don't have anything in them that I find of interest. 

But....I'm so sick and tired of THESE kinds of shows that try to promote their self-righteous, misguided agendas, such as polygamy, over-procreation, or hatred against people because they are different, and it's especially sickening to find that they are so hypocritical.

On this show, the oldest son of 19 children, is an admitted pedophile, who feels that his actions should be excused with an apology???.  In 2003 he evidently was taken by his father "Jim Bob" (his father) and some "church elders", to a law enforcement official who did nothing more than give him a 'stern talking to'  because HE (an Arkansas State Trooper) was into child pornography himself.(He was later arrested, found guilty and is now in prison).  That Josh Duggar can't NOW be prosecuted because of a statute of limitations is incredible.
For the whole story here's the link.   Click here to Open in a new window

I am once again going to try to keep a blog.  I will, as usual, be sharing things that are important to me.  Some of it will be fun, some will be serious, but mostly I hope to just share things that for some reason or other I find interesting.  Some of my interests/observations won't be shared by some of you, but at least this blog will give you a sense of what kind of person I am...or rather the kind of person I've grown into.




Amazing....Isn't it.

Cherry Blossom dawn,  Washington D.C.

Tsar Nicholas II, and his 4 Daughters.  The Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia




















I have always been intrigued and fascinated with Imperial Russia and it's rulers.  The story of Tsar Nicholas II, is especially intriguing because of the part these characters played in one of the most turbulent times in our history.  As time goes by, I will be educating many of you with information gleaned over the years.  While in High School in 1974 I came across a copy of Robert K. Massie's book, "Nicholas and Alexandra", and found the reading very interesting and thought provoking.  Through the years I've read books by many authors and think others might find this topic interesting also.