Youngstown, OH – The Mill Steel mills were an important part of the Industrial Age of a century ago and Youngstown was very much a part of the legacy. If you are ever in the area I would highly encourage … Continue reading Youngstown History…
With this post I will conclude my discussion about what might make the wealthy among us seem so callous to others needs. The source for these posts came as a surprise to me. Here is some more quotes from that article. A UCLA neuroscientist named Keely Muscatell has published an interesting paper showing that wealth quiets the nerves in the brain associated with empathy: If you show rich people and poor people pictures of kids with cancer, the poor people’s brains exhibit a great deal more activity than the rich people’s. (An inability to empathize with others has just got … Continue reading What Wealth Does To Your Soul – Part 2
Youngstown, OH – Steel Town Let’s spend this week on ISOA looking at one historical center. This is a picture of a picture found in the Youngstown Historical Center of the conditions in the shantytowns that were close to almost … Continue reading Steel Mills..
One thing that has struck me and so many others as a very deadly thing to our country is the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. Another is how many in the rich category seem to be uncaring and even callous to those who don’t have the luxury that they have. That fact struck me at a personal level when we were recently on a visit with some relatives. I know the age old mantra to not discuss religion or politics at family get-togethers but sometimes we foolishly ignore that advice. During some discussions with a niece the … Continue reading What wealth does to your soul
Gridlock seems to be endemic within our political system here in the U.S. for decades now but never so much as it is today. Those guys in Washington just can’t get along no matter what the circumstances are. The solution to this problem seems insurmountable using any conventional wisdom of the day. So it is time to attack the problem with some “off-the-wall” thinking. If RJsCorner is anything it is about off-the-wall thinking, it is about viewing things for a different angle. So why not tackle this issue head-on. Why not be a “Fixer” at least in a metaphorical sense? Someone … Continue reading Gridlock Busters…The Genesis…
I just finished watching an episode of American Chopper. The Paul Jr. Designs bike commemorating the World Trade Center Memorial was an awesome creation. It reminded me of the picture above. Continue reading Milwaukee Art Museum
Northern Wisconsin – Cows Of course farming and dairy are very much a part of the heart of America. What State do you think of when you see cows? Usually, except for my west coast friends, it is Wisconsin. My wife was born there so we return often. She recently got a refrigerator magnet there that proclaimed that Wisconsin is Cows, Cheese, Brats, & Beer. That isn’t very far off the mark for how I see it… Continue reading Cows, Cheese, Brats &….
Northern Wisconsin – Cows Of course farming and dairy are very much a part of the heart of America. What State do you think of when you see cows? Usually, except for my west coast friends, it is Wisconsin. My … Continue reading Cows, Cheese, Brats &….
I am going to spend the next few Sundays re-blogging some posts from my now inactive blog over at RedLetterLiving.net. I spent over five years there working through my faith journey. I didn’t know it at the time but this was the last post I made there in April of last year. I think it is worth a second look as something encouraging in Christ’s church: I’ve seen the light go out in people’s eyes when they decide it’s safer to embrace a doctrine or a policy that their gut tells them is wrong than it is to challenge those … Continue reading Conformity… In The Name of God??
Omaha, NB – Boys Town Boys Town in Omaha is very much a part of the heart of America. They have been helping poor kids for more than a hundred years now. This pic was taken at a display in … Continue reading Boys Town…
When we visited our neighbors to the north in 2011 we came across many things that we had not seen before the this mural is one of them. The whole side of the building is a painting. It is all make-believe. I spent perhaps a half hour just taking it in. Click on the pic to see a larger view with more details…. Continue reading The Mind's Eye
I took this picture while walking my dog Beulah last winter. We have numerous mature oaks on the 2 1/2 acre homestead. Continue reading Snow in the Oaks…
Dreaming of a field of wildflowers this cold January morning. This one was taken at a State Park in Indiana a few years ago. Continue reading Flowers Of Spring…
Clarence, IA – Tombstones Since I didn’t have gps tagging at the time I’m not sure but I think this tombstone was in a cemetery in Clarence Iowa. As you can tell it is probably a replacement for the original. … Continue reading Tombstones…
Madison, WI – Mustard Museum Who would have thought that mustard is very American. If you don’t believe me just visit the Mustard Museum in Madison to see how many companies there are in the U.S. that make mustard. There … Continue reading Mustard Museum??
This post finishes up my multi-part “insights” series about where and how I go from here. My overall goal is to do what is necessary to live a happy, wild, and free retirement. Some of my commitments are personal in nature so I won’t be sharing them here. But I will give you the others. It was a very enlightening time for me. I finally managed to “listen to myself” and gain some new sometimes surprising insights: I vow to be more tolerant of other’s beliefs but that does not mean I will let others run roughshod over me. I believe that we are all praying to the same God. It … Continue reading Epilog — Personal Resolutions…
Any guesses as to what this is? Continue reading Monolith…
Baltimore, MD – Harbor Anyone that has ever visited the Baltimore harbor knows that they celebrate the War of 1812 more than most American cities. The battle at Fort McHenry there is where the Stars Spangled Banner was written about. … Continue reading Battle of Fort McHenry…
You have two choices in life: You can disappear into the mainstream , or you can be true to yourself and swim against the current. One is a form of self-abandonment ; the other is an adventure into new worlds and dimensions. — from Life’s Secret Handbook… If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up way too much space. — Unknown wise person “It’s never too late,” concluded George Eliot, “to be what you might have been.” I n this regard, retirement gives you the time and freedom to become more than you have ever been. … Continue reading Insight 8 – You Have Choices…
New Charlie Hebdo Issue Sells Out Charlie Hebdo’s defiant new issue sold out around Paris on Wednesday, with scuffles over copies of the paper fronting the Prophet Muhammad. The issue hit newsstands just as the Yemen-based branch of al-Qaeda officially claimed responsibility for attack SOURCE: TIME – Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews. I gotta hand it to the French. They might be arrogant but they got hutzpah. They definitely fit the moniker that “fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. If what happened in France last week had happened here we would all most likely … Continue reading They Got Hutzpah….
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Native Americans were of course the original citizens of America. It is shameful what we did to them to establish our version of America. Mesa Verde is all about Native American ruins from six hundred years … Continue reading Native Americans
Regardless of how much you want to immerse yourself in your major purpose or your most passionate pursuit in life, you should still learn how to enjoy other leisure activities. In the event that you are semi-retired, it’s wise to avoid being overly goal-oriented or judging yourself totally on work-related and materialistic accomplishments. The quality of each and every one of your retirement days should be evaluated , at least in part, by how much you relaxed, laughed, and played while immersed in activities other than your part-time job Consider each day you haven’t laughed, played, and celebrated your life … Continue reading Insight 7 — Its Not All About Purpose…
Washington DC – Jefferson Memorial Jefferson was perhaps the most eloquent of the founding fathers. He spent his life before and after the White House with books and his writing. Even though it is a little out of the way … Continue reading Jefferson
Always be true to yourself. Do not blindly believe what you are told about what brings happiness, even what is reported in this book. Find out for yourself what brings joy and contentment to your world. Your inner voice will tell you what will bring you peace of mind. Above all , ask yourself what would give you true happiness. Listen to your answers carefully. Then do what you have to do to attain it. You cannot afford not to. Many years from now you will regret the things that you didn’t do much more so than the ones you … Continue reading Insight 6 – Listen To Yourself…
This is one of my favorite edited pictures of Mamason our beloved pet from years ago. Continue reading Mamason
Somewhere in the Hinterland – Barn If Thomas Jefferson had his way we would still be a nation of farmers. He simply did not trust the monied interests in his time. Continue reading An Agrarian Country??
Somewhere in the Hinterland – Barn If Thomas Jefferson had his way we would still be a nation of farmers. He simply did not trust the monied interests in his time. Continue reading dAn Agrarian Country??
I talked a little about “craziness” in the last post but I want to expand that concept this time to include eccentricity. A definition of this word is: a strange and unconventional behavior. In some ways that fits my current life. I seem to be a person who always looks at the unconventional way of doing things. I just don’t generally go with the flow so to speak. Is eccentricity something I should value more in my retirement life? Here is a little about what Ernie Zelinski says about this topic. “Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a … Continue reading Insight 5 — Eccentricity
Hannibal, MO – Mark Twain Mark Twain is widely considered America’s author. Continue reading America's Author…
We found a few of these painted walls while visiting Quebec. You have to take a quick second look to make sure it is not real. I can only dream of having that kind of talent. Continue reading Quebec Wall
Francis issued a blistering indictment of the Vatican bureaucracy Monday, accusing the cardinals, bishops and priests who serve him of using their Vatican careers to grab power and wealth, of living “hypocritical” double lives and forgetting that they’re supposed to be joyful men of God. Francis turned the traditional, genteel exchange of Christmas greetings into a public dressing down of the Curia, the central administration of the Holy See which governs the 1.2-billion strong Catholic Church. He made clear that his plans for a radical reform of the structures of church power must be accompanied by an even more radical … Continue reading Pope in blistering critique of Vatican bureaucrats
Peoria, IL – Skyline Peoria is a very picturesque town along the Illinois river. Peoria is the headquarters for Caterpillar Inc. which is very much a part of the heart of America. Continue reading Big Town/ Small City
I’m going to get a little wordy with my Saturday picture post here to explain a new category that I will be using here. Editorial cartoons do a great service toward the goal of free speech throughout the world. To see a couple of nuts who proclaim, but in no way represent a muslim religion, murder some of these artists in Paris recently is a tragedy all of us should mourn. A picture is worth a thousand words is a very appropriate phrase for editorial cartoons. They often say things that others would not dare to put into words. One of … Continue reading Editorial Cartoons…
One part of me that I often struggle with is my level of creativity. I never think I have enough. Yeah, I know it takes creativity to blog the amount that I do. I think I have created somewhere in the neighborhood of five thousands post on my various blogs over the years but the creativity I think I miss out on is the artistic type. I am never satisfied with that aspect of my life. Here is a quote from Ernie to start our discussions in this area. You as a creative individual have the ability to pursue interesting … Continue reading Insight 4 — Creativity…
We came across this very creative advertising in Kentucky this Spring. It reminds me of the 1960s :) Continue reading Hippies??
Manitowac, WI – Pinecrest Historical Village Yeah, even though we don’t like to think about it lawyers have always been a big part of America. Even in the late 1800’s as preserved here. Pinecrest is one of thousands of historical … Continue reading Lawyers…
This post is a continuation of the discernment period I recently spent on thought of where I go from here. I retired from the corporate world fifteen years ago and from my own business nine years ago. Since then I have struggled with my retirement years. Part of that struggle is due to the very different approaches to life between myself and my spouse. I love her dearly but we are two very different people. She is content with living a simple life of computer games, puzzles, TV, and naps. It is all she needs to have a fulfilled life. … Continue reading Insight 3 — Personal Time… Doing Your Own Thing
I very much enjoy going to historical encampments, especially those not having to do with the Civil War, This one was in Wisconsin in 2013 but I have lost the exact location. I can see myself doing this some day. … Continue reading French Indian Encampment
Sometimes creative pictures just present themselves to you. That is if you take the time to see them.. :) This one came as a result of an ice storm last Spring. Continue reading Cardinals in the Ice…
New York, NY – 911 Museum The picture above is of one of the original girders left standing from the World Trade Center after 9/11. It is in a large atrium in the new museum there. Continue reading 9/11 Museum
One thing that helped me during my recent discernment period was a book by Ernie Zelinski entitled: How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free. Ernie has written several very popular books about retirement. I don’t really know what drew me to this one but it was worth the effort as it addressed many of my concerns that other books on retirement have not. It seemed this book was mainly a collection of clichés but that was ok. It was what I needed. Let’s talk about a quote from that book: Regardless of how talented you are and how successful you are in the workplace, there is some … Continue reading Insight 1 — Waiting For Fate…
Fort Wayne, IN – Railroad Crew Nothing says the heart of America more that group pictures. This on was photographed from the original in a Fort Wayne Indiana museum. The railroad was very important in the founding of the industrial … Continue reading The Railroad…
Ottawa Windows – Taken July 2011 There are many glass buildings such as this one in Ottawa. They are interspersed with centuries old building. I love the way the reflections of their neighbors and the sky play off on the window panes. Continue reading Windows
The end of each year is a time for reflection for many of us. We like to look back on the year to see if we spent it as we hoped we would. Since this year was a milestone in many regards for me I took this period much more seriously than I have in many past years. My sense of my own mortality is creeping up on me. I certainly see that my days are numbered so to speak, but then again aren’t all our days numbered? It is a matter of how small the number is. I did something this year … Continue reading A Different Path?…
Kennett Square, PA – Longwood Gardens Longwood Gardens is one of the U.S. premiere botanical gardens. It was the private estate of Pierre DuPont from 1906 to the mid 1930’s. It is over 1,000 acres so plan on spending the day … Continue reading Longwood Gardens
