As is our custom, about once a month Mrs. Cog and I venture out from our homestead up here on the mountain and seek out civilization. While the Beverly Hillbillies considered this to be movie stars and swimming pools ('ceement' ponds actually) in our case, civilization is defined as more than two retail stores per square mile.
Normally we head south towards that North Carolina city with the Phallus Palace (aka The Wells Fargo Center) where they have 11,592 retail stores per square mile, more than enough to quell the withdrawal symptoms from our shopping addiction.
But Saturday morning was different. Normally at the end of our mile long dirt road, where tires first hit pavement, we turn left and head down the mountain towards thicker air and warmer climate. This time we turned right towards a new destination, a place we had repeatedly heard mentioned by the locals, but had not yet visited. Continue reading The New Normal: From $34.00 an hour to $2.65 plus tips.→
Have you ever experienced a situation while driving where, suddenly, you find yourself in unfamiliar territory and you’re not exactly sure where you are……even though you know you’re close to home or another well-known-to-you area? Maybe you were distracted, daydreaming or preoccupied by thoughts of work or personal issues. It has happened to all of us, that momentary confusion because the surroundings look unfamiliar.
Once we have traveled a path enough times, we remember the sequence of turns and specific landmarks more than the individual trees, houses or businesses on our route. As we travel down a familiar road, on a barely conscious level we tick off the various items that mark our progression towards our destination. Continue reading Assessing Blame and the Victim Mentality→
We all begin with assumptions, though most of us think of them as truths. Mention the name Donald Trump in a crowded room and you will be on the receiving end of a boat load of opinions; all formed with the benefit of assumptions and preconceived notions customized to each individual’s point of view of how the ‘system’ (aka The Empire) works.
While our ego leads us to believe our ‘opinion’ is based upon logic, critical thinking and factual evidence, the reality is just the opposite. Opinions are often little more than (firm) beliefs dressed up in pretty clothes in order to legitimize and affirm us. Just as clothes ‘make’ the man, so to does his opinions.
