Having My SayLeave a comment

Mosaic of Life #94 – Ode To Van Gogh – My Mind’s Eye

RJ Walters

For this mosaic, I want to talk a little about AI (artificial intelligence) and how it relates to “My Mind’s Eye”. I am a techie, but even I am getting a little disturbed about the constant presence of AI in my life. Maybe the most disturbing thing is AI is that it is becoming more and more dominant as the days and months go by. I realize that this is new stuff that will eventually settle down to some established state, but right now it just seems too pervasive. Some say that AI will replace artists, but, I kind of … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #94 – Ode To Van Gogh – My Mind’s Eye

Having My Say3 Comments

Fundamental Sameness Of All Human Beings

RJ Walters

When I came across the quote from the Dalia Lama below, it immediately got my attention. I am convinced that each one of us who currently occupies this earth are unique unto themselves, but at the same time, we all share a common core of what it is to be human. That common core must reject excluding others that are not quite like us. As the Dalia Lama says we must cultivate a healthy respect for each other. Having a “healthy respect” is not the same thing as agreeing with everything. There will always be disagreements, but the human core … Continue reading Fundamental Sameness Of All Human Beings

Having My Say2 Comments

What We Don’t Understand…

RJ Walters

I am constantly on the lookout for ways to explain why so many fear so much in the world today. The quote above is the most succinct description of that process I have come across. Considering that fear is such a debilitating condition, it seems like everyone ought to be doing whatever they can to figure out a way to eliminate fear from their lives. In someways dibalitating fear might be more damaging than cancer, at least for most of us. I think that maybe one group of people that have been the most fearful lately are Evangelical Christians. It … Continue reading What We Don’t Understand…

Having My SayLeave a comment

Mosaic of Life #56 – Texture 2

RJ Walters

When it comes to texture, I slip between two extremes. One extreme is the rough texture as shown above. The other is glass smooth, and particularly reflections. You will be seeing both in spades in the course of RJsMosaics. The picture above was taken with one of my cameras that doesn’t have GPS, so I don’t know exactly where it was. But, I do know it was just a small town along a State road in northern Indiana. When I saw the barn, I had to turn around and get the picture to add to my collection. I can just … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #56 – Texture 2

Having My SayLeave a comment

A Letter To Will… January 2020

RJ Walters

I wrote the letter below in 2020 to one of my primary heroes in life, Will Rogers. Of course, I never got around to writing to him again. But, I will now try to make up for that in the coming days. It’s time to dust off all the books and literature I have collected about his life. It’s time to try and learn what he might teach me about living the times I have left. Continue reading A Letter To Will… January 2020

Having My SayLeave a comment

Mosaic of Life #48 – Oh, The Kid In Me… Disney World, Lion King

RJ Walters

My wife wasn’t too excited about it, but for our 30th wedding anniversary we went to Disney World. When I told her about the idea, she blurted out, “Disney World is for kids”! I replied, “you ought to know by now that I am a forever kid.” Anyway, we spent five beautiful days in a very fantasy place. Looking back, I think the highlight of it was the performance of Lion King. Even though I couldn’t hear the music, the constant drum beats across my chest were enough to keep me in the mood. Instead of trying to describe all … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #48 – Oh, The Kid In Me… Disney World, Lion King

Having My Say5 Comments

Lessons Learned About Retirement Communities

RJ Walters

I am going to use my three years of experience living in a RetCom (retirement community) and visiting a dozen others, to pass on some information I wish I had earlier. It is about choosing the RetCom that is right for you. I am always one to plan everything out. I thoroughly study the destinations and route for all the many vacation trips I have taken. So, it should not be surprising to find that I had done the same thing in choosing where I would spend my final years. Up front, I want to get something that bugs me … Continue reading Lessons Learned About Retirement Communities

Having My SayLeave a comment

Suffocating Interest Rates

RJ Walters

This post is a Will Rogers’ tongue-in-cheek rant about those who are whining about today’s mortgage interest rates. I hear so much now about those god-awful high-interest home mortgage rates for Gen Zs. Who can afford to buy a house when you have to pay 6% interest on a mortgage! Let me tell you about the “good-old-days”. I graduated from college in 1970 and bought my first home in 1983. It took me that long to save up enough for the required 20% down payment and monthly mortgage rate of 12.9%. It was a good feeling to finally be able … Continue reading Suffocating Interest Rates

Having My SayLeave a comment

Mosaic of Life #85 – Sam

RJ Walters

I have had pets for most of my life, but my first personal pet was Sam. Before that, they were always family pets. I got Sam as a puppy in October 1972. When I graduated from college in June 1970, I got an apartment about 5 miles from where I worked. It was the first time I had ever lived alone. The first two years I enjoyed the solitude, but within a couple of years I started getting lonely. It was time for a pet. I really don’t know why I chose a dachshund who was the biggest in the … Continue reading Mosaic of Life #85 – Sam

Having My SayLeave a comment

I Will Struggle To My Last Breath…

RJ Walters

I will struggle to my last breath to convince you that diversity is what has made the U.S. a shining beacon to the rest of the world. • You have nothing to fear from those who might not agree with you on all issues.• You have nothing to fear because a person’s skin color is different from yours.• You have nothing to fear because I am deaf. It is not contagious.• You have nothing to fear because of my neurological differences, and that I might not perceive things the same as you. • You have nothing to fear because I … Continue reading I Will Struggle To My Last Breath…

Having My SayLeave a comment

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…

Having My SayLeave a comment

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…