People and their Pets

I was too lazy to write this story, so I just recorded it!
Hope you like it.

Mango

Aaarrrrgghhhhh!!!!!

• 

The empty suit

Loose dogs

Two-faced people

Lies

Hitting a swarm of bugs with a freshly waxed car

Rudeness

Getting up late

Being late

Laziness

Getting rushed

Cell phone drivers

Doctors being late to their appointments

Unbridled kids at the store

Dirty diapers laying in the parking lot

Cars parked in two spots

But the worst, sickness

These are things that get my goat!!


Mango

What Can I Truly Change?

I have been taught all my life that anyone can change and improve if they want to. We are not locked into what we are, unless that is what we want !
Other people can try to change us, but that never seems to work out. An old proverb that my grandmother taught me is, A person changed against his will, is of the same opinion still!
The only change that is real, is radical change. Meaning from the base up to the top. Attitude shifting is a real thing. That change comes from a deep rethink. If your change comes from a tragic event or from a joyous moment, it is more than likely, real and will last.
That change can come from a relationship with the creator. He did makes us and give us the ability to improve ourselves. As for me change is usually forced on me, because of behavior and wanting to stay 35 years old my whole life.

Mango

I Want a Do-Over -- Happy New Year

2009 is finally over and I want a do-over! This looks like an opportunity for a new start on this track that we call life. We just finished a year that will likely be used as a benchmark for future generations. Only time will tell, because history is written by the victorious!
Time is a human obsession to be able to measure everything. We celebrate birth dates, anniversaries, graduations, and of course, New Year. Realistically we don't become one year older, nor does a year evolve overnight. We just become 1 day older, nothing more. Time just marches on, and we can go with the march or just quit and die. Measuring time is a good way for we humans to see how things are changing. Am I doing okay? Will I succeed?

As for 2009, it was a year of major changes and challenges. Health, both physical and emotional. I met people that I wish that I hadn't. I met people that will be part of my life for the balance. I re met people that we had lost touch with each other. Friends that watched the utter nonsense of my life's events, powerless to change anything or save me from myself! 3 bouts of pneumonia, chronic hypertension, becoming blind in one eye, and even went dancing with the pig and his flu! My year looking back sucked in many ways, but at least it is over!

Now considering 2010, the excitement is back and building quickly. I only got 1 day older. Decisions have been made to make it a great year. Realistic goals are now set, the gun was fired, and I left the starting blocks and I am in stride as we speak!


Mango

Emergency Waiting Room Tales

Recently a friend of mine called and asked if I could pick her up at the hospital and take her to her vehicle. She was in the emergency room for a sudden and painful illness. I agreed and got under way to go get her. I arrived about 30 minutes later, she was still in the waiting room, waiting! I asked what was going on and she said she had been there an hour or better, still waiting to be seen.
Well, I was there, so I decided to wait for her, how long could it be? Some decisions we make are not very good, and this was one of those not very good ones. It was almost 2 hours later when she finally was taken to a room. Fast, huh! While she was in the room I decided that it was a good time to go get some supper.
Went to one of my favorite fast food places, Carl's Jr. I ate rather hurriedly because it should not be long till my friend was released, I reasoned. What a poor thought, she was not out yet when I got back. The only entertainment was to watch the crowd of people bitch about the wait, or play games on the laptop.
Playing games on the laptop was fun until the battery died. So watching was the only thing left to do. I looked at the clock, it was 4 hours since I had arrived. Man, am I ready to go. This entire episode was obviously written by a very cruel taskmaster! I am so ready to go, things to do, places to go, people to see, will this torment ever end? Perhaps my friend is dying, going in for surgery, maybe she is dead? There is only one thing to do, ask! Going up to the check-in is another thing, there is a rumor that people actually work there. It was a huge bother for them to stop chatting and come to the window. "Sorry to bother you" I said, " but did my friend die and nobody has been able to come tell me?" After all it had been almost 7 hours at that point. These wide awake people told me that she was indeed alive and would I like to go back in the ER. "Sure why not, my evening is already ruined, I did have an appointment with a cold beer and my bed"I mentioned, " take back please."
A nurse came and got me and led me to the room. When I arrived, she was sitting on the bed, mad as hell. She had seen the Dr. and he said there was nothing to worry about, she had been given some pain pills and was supposed to call her Dr the next day.
From that point it was another hour until she was released, the only Dr. on duty was sitting at the nurse's desk telling stories and jokes with the nurses and PAs. It is amazing this major hospital only has one Dr on duty in this ER. There is 20 beds, all full, and about 20 people in the waiting room.
My guess is that the bean counters on the board want to make as much and spend as little as is possible. Their road to success is paved over the graves of their patients!

Mango

Thinking About Thanksgiving

I have already received invitations for Thanksgiving Dinner. It can be a wonderful and delightful gathering, or sometimes it is a circus. Many times the experience has been memorable and fun. Great food, wonderful desserts, and of course Cowboys football. I am from Texas after all!!
As a kid, there was always a huge crowd at our house, lots of relatives we only saw once a year. It was fun to sneak bites of desserts, all the while our mothers were yelling at us to get out of the kitchen. Grandmother would slip us some treats, because she was the mom of all the moms. She had the power to do that. There was always gallons of fresh tea, coffee and of course water.
The table would be set for the adults, and then there was the kid tables for all us young ones to sit down and eat. We would have our meal and dessert, The men would retire to the TV and the moms would clean up the aftermath! Normal by most standards.
The reason for this story is to let you know how I learned the holiday standards. A while back a friend invited me to have Thanksgiving with his family. I felt honored to be invited to such a sacred event with his family! What a surprise awaited me. When we got to his parents house I expected some sort of decorum similar to what was the standard I was raised up with. Wrong! His mother was sitting on the front porch drinking a Natural Light, there was already 6 empty cans on the table beside her. No problem, I thought, maybe there were some other people drinking the same thing. That changed when she said to my friend" I hope you boys brought your own beer"! So we go in the house, his Dad was feeling no pain at all. He was laying on the couch after imbibing a large whiskey on ice. His brother and family were there as well as his 5 time divorced sister, she had her new boyfriend with her. This was the start to an experience that must be told. The table was too small for everyone to sit around, so we just sat anywhere open, sofa, arm chairs, folding chairs, stools and etc. The traditional prayer for his family was short and to the point. Then everybody dug in to the setting. I grabbed some turkey, dressing, rolls, and something that looked like potatoes. I found a place to set and dug in. The first bite and I was looking to throw the rest in the trash! The turkey was drier than cardboard, and it had a taste worse than anything I have ever had. Well I decided to try the dressing, oh my, what a fiasco! I think it was shake and bake, perhaps it started out that way, but something was lost in the preparation. Next was the rolls, did you ever try to eat bread that mortar mix was used instead of flour? My fear overwhelmed me when it came to the potato-like substance, so they were passed over! I pretended to enjoy the food while playing with the fork. When his brother went towards the trash, I followed close behind and disposed of the "meal". My buddy had mentioned that his family always watched the game, so off to the Mini-Mart we went. His brother said he wanted to go along, so we told him to load up.

His brother was already loaded, and I mean loaded. When we got to the only store open in town, that happened to be owned by some people from India, my friends brother started mouthing the store owner. The store owner was a gentleman, he never even began to get upset, he should have thrown the brother out! The brother bought his beer, poured the cans into the ice chest, and threw the trash onto the parking lot. What a drunk Jack-Ass!!! Back to the house, time for the game. Well, mom was on the porch, still drinking, 10 empties now. Dad was in and out!

The game kicked off, I suppose that was the only normal thing experienced that day. The desserts were offered, but I passed, some made up intolerance that was being suffered. Did I mention that the brother and his teenage son were in the front yard getting ready to shoot the plastic reindeer in the yard down the street!

I survived and I am proud to report that this year is going to be different. I hope.

Mango

Hypertension, Part Deux

The rumors of my premature death have been greatly exaggerated! My old Nemesis, hypertension has attacked again, with a vengeance! Now it seems that things are finally under control and life can get back to normal. There is debris along side the road to recovery. I can no longer enjoy my favorite adult beverage, cold beer. Oh well, it is just the way it is. I now have a little energy to start irritating people again.

Mango