Category: Having My Say

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We Don’t Know The End, Until We Get There…

RJ Walters

The more I learn, the more I think for myself, the more I question everything, the more I realize I know nothing. Of course, this is one of the primary lessons from a guy called Socrates. He lived about 2,600 years ago. What I mostly get from Socrates is that even though there is way more to learn than we have years on the earth, we must never stop learning. The more we learn, the more we can contribute to allowing future citizens of earth to have a better life than we had. This finally brings me to the main … Continue reading We Don’t Know The End, Until We Get There…

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Mosaic of Life #31 – One Of My Hobbies…

RJ Walters

I’m not much of a collector of things, but one thing I have collected are model cars, particularly the metal kind of the 1/32 scale from the 1960s. They currently occupy the bottom three shelves in my six-shelf curio cabinet. Being a teenager in the 1960s, I was intimately familiar with most of the cars of that era. My first new car, or any car for that matter, was a 1970 was a Mustang Fastback. I wore it out by 1973. Three years was the typical lifespan of cars during that period of time. Then came the 1980s and all … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #31 – One Of My Hobbies…

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A Report On My Week Without A Calendar

RJ Walters

Last week I told you that I was going to give up my calendar for a week. This post is a report on how that went and what I learned from that experience. Almost everything in the list below is primarily applicable for someone in their retirement years. When you work a mandatory a 40 – 60 hour week, little time is left for much of anything else. So, long story short, I am back to scheduling events and activities daily, but not as obsessed that every minor item needs to be put on that calendar. Sometimes lessons are learned … Continue reading A Report On My Week Without A Calendar

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Mosaic of Life #109 – Ottawa Reflections

RJ Walters

Ottawa, which is the national capital of Canada, is one of my most favorite cities I have ever visited. One of the primary reasons is “reflections”. That is, the old and the new building coexisting and actually complimenting each other. The picture above is replicated there dozens of times. In this particular case, it is a reflection of the Parliament building. Continue reading Mosaic of Life #109 – Ottawa Reflections

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Mosaic of Life #107 – I’m Canadian, “We Don’t Do Proud”

RJ Walters

One of the most memorable places I have visited was the Eastern part of Canada in 2011. The trip was scheduled for a month but was cut a week short due to my wife’s reoccurring illnesses. I have always wanted to go back and finish that trip, but the years have caught up with me so that is no longer a possibility. But, I can relive those times in 2011 with RJsMosaics and stories from my journal of those times. This is the first of several Mosaics yet to come. I’m pretty sure my roots go back to Great Britain, … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #107 – I’m Canadian, “We Don’t Do Proud”

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From The Heart…

RJ Walters

In the old days, it was always believed that the essence of who you are comes from your heart. Of course, we now know that the total function of the heart is to pump blood. It has no part of our essence, other than if it stops working, our essence stops working. Over my years of constantly wondering just who I am, and why I am here, it’s astonishing that I have never thought of looking to neurology for some of those answers. Well, the day has finally come when I look at the three pound cauliflower between my ears … Continue reading From The Heart…

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Mosaic of Life #75 The Thing About Orchids

RJ Walters

It has been a while since I posted an artsy mosaic, so here goes. Almost all my life I have had a green thumb, but that was mostly the outdoor variety. I had my first veggie garden before I was 8 years old. Of course, I don’t specifically remember all those early childhood dates, but I do use one reference to establish the date. In 1955, my mother abandoned us to looker for greener pastures, and I do remember not too long before that is when I was raising radishes, green onions, and leaf lettuce in a small plot in … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #75 The Thing About Orchids

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Mosaic of Life #98 About Jimmy Madison…

RJ Walters

This picture was taken on our “President’s Row” trip in 2011. We visited 6 president’s homes. Jimmy was a quiet guy. He didn’t stand out like so many of his playmates who were much taller and more vocal than him. He was intelligent but didn’t go around bragging about that. But, He was what was needed at the time to make this democracy project a success. I think some of you probably know who I am talking about? I don’t suspect you call him Jimmy, but instead use his God-given name of James. I am talking about James Madison, otherwise … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #98 About Jimmy Madison…

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Mosaic of Life #97 – The Adventures Of Youth… Colorado Mountain Top

RJ Walters

I was a 30-year-old single guy when I took this adventure. It was on a mountain top in southwestern Colorado, although I don’t remember exactly where now. I spent the year before outfitting my recently purchased Chevy van as a camper. My freshly minted roommate and I left Indiana one morning and were at the 10,000 ft elevation twenty-four hours later. That same day, we hiked to the 12,000 level where this picture was taken. Even in my youth I discovered that doing that so quickly was not a smart thing to do. We camped out that night and were … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #97 – The Adventures Of Youth… Colorado Mountain Top

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Mosaic of Life #33 – Mississinewa 1812

RJ Walters

The Battle of 1812 is not high on a level of importance as wars go. It was primarily about Great Britain riling up the Indians who were losing their homeland to the invaders. Except for the annihilation of many tribes in the Northeast, the war didn’t change much, but the reenactment at Mississinewa, Indiana is the biggest one of that war. This particular battle was mainly about ineptitude. Most of the men who signed up for this battle were kids 18 – 20 years old, who were poorly trained and led by the “Indian Hater” William Henry Harrison. (these are … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #33 – Mississinewa 1812

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Mosaic of Life #96 – A Nation of Immigrants

RJ Walters

I have several times in my life, had an “Inspiring/Life Changing” moment, where a solution to a problem that has plagued me seemingly forever suddenly becomes obvious. When that happens, I often look back at that time from the mosaic above. The picture was taken on January 29, 1999. Some of you who know the area probably recognize that it was taken from NYC Battery Park, looking over to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in the distance. Being a U.S. history nut, I have always been inspired by these two places and the number of immigrants who saw … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #96 – A Nation of Immigrants