Five Hundred
As I sat down to begin writing this I was flashed an e-ad for a T-shirt with the caption, “I had Potential.” End of blog, what else is there to say?
I started this wee blogging endeavour with the notion of providing yet another travel bog, a way of showing photos and perspectives that engaged folks and offered ideas a little out of the box. To do that you have to travel. There has been precious little of that although not all journies are measured in miles. Of course I’ve been providing myself yet another creative outlet with this blog. Along the way my readership has developed a following of folks who tell me they look forward to what I offer. Their interest in turn gives me reason to keep looking for good photos and perhaps a reason to live beyond my own selfish parameters. I have made some wonderful friends, upset a few others and documented both the interesting and the mundane. The world is not a better place for anything I’ve done, but damnit, at least I’ve done something!
And so this is blog number five-hundred. It is no great personal achievement but I wonder if there will be a thousand some day. This continuing effort has given me clarity and purpose. I thank all my readers for their support and input.
There’s a four-letter word I have come to hate. FIFA. I am not a sports person in any way although I do not begrudge anyone else their passions. If soccer is your religion, bow down and remain devout. But World Cup my ass! We’re forced to endure the endless drivel about the seven World Cup Games to be played in Vancouver. Look! The whole world is not gaga about kicking a ball about. In fact there will be less intererst after all this manic irresponsibility has been forced on us. If the fuss was about all the World Cup games I could be more tolerant. But seven, a mere seven games! The media’s focus is almost exclusively on this. (Gaza, Iran, the Ukraine are all in the “Oh yeah” file but Trump’s name still makes it into every newscast.) Multiple billions have been spent to turn the city of Vancouver upside down, roust the homeless, disrupt weeks of commerce for many small buinesses, brigades of extra police have been brought in. The price of everything for both locals and visitors has been jacked outrageously. This mayhem provides no lasting benefit other than the hope of having some temporary global attention. Soccer is a noble ancient sport but we have other desperate issues needing the focus our wealth and passion.
Well it is coming on to mid-June. There are no clouds in the sky this morning, water use restrictions have been advanced, river levels are desperately low and we all live in terror of wildfires. I’ve spent my five-hundredth blog growling at a football corporation and the dogs need a walk before it it gets too warm. Onwards and sideways. 501 or bust! Today is now already summer solstice and so I had best get this posted. The weather is perfect, no conflagrations in the forest although I’m sure some idiot is working on it and life goes on. Let’s get a piece.
“It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.”
US Air Force Manual