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Other People’s Dreams..

RJ Walters

This is going to be one of those philosophical posts so hang on to your hat.  I have always been a dreamer. For the most part I didn’t imagine that my lofty dreams would ever come true and for the most part, they didn’t. :) When I was young my dreams were often a result of the many fictional books I read. My favorite authors during those years were John Steinbeck and Jack London. These two guys took me to places I never knew existed and to people very different from me. When I got a little older I started dreaming … Continue reading Other People’s Dreams..

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Liar Liar, Hair On Fire

RJ Walters

I know I swore this kind of stuff off but here is a snippet that I just couldn’t resist posting. I’m not much on hashtags but this one I couldn’t avoid inventing. #LLHOF perfectly describes this Time Magazine cover of January 23. The FactCheckers say that the current Oval Office occupant #COOO lied almost 2,000 times in his first year in office. I don’t know if that includes just his tweets but I’m sure it doesn’t include when he lies in the West Wing. I wonder if all those who voted for him are holding him up as a shining … Continue reading Liar Liar, Hair On Fire

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Paoli Wall

RJ Walters

For this artsy Saturday, I wanted to give you something simple yet beautiful. While I was coming back from a three day RV trip to southern Indiana I stopped at Paoli Indiana for lunch. After eating I decided to take a short tour of this three-street town and came across this picture.  It may not be symmetrical but I love the patterns that came through so well in the afternoon sun. One of my Aspie traits is to see and appreciate pattern where others wouldn’t. I  guess this is one of them. Continue reading Paoli Wall

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I’m An Air Force Pilot..

RJ Walters

I want to make it clear up front that I personally am not an Air Force Pilot. :)  I heard this simple phrase on a show I was watching a few minutes ago and realized that that description will come to mean something very different in the next few years. The technology involved in our warplanes has simply outgrown the human interface sitting in them.  When air-to-air combat happens now the pilots of the two planes never actually see each other. Instead, a computer lock on to the target and all the pilot does is push a button.  Computer-guided bombs are … Continue reading I’m An Air Force Pilot..

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I Wish I Could Invite Them All In

RJ Walters

Getting another round of snow here in Indiana right now. Way too much for me but my wife loves it.  When these storms happen it seems the cardinals go into a panic mode.  I wish I could invite them all inside to stay warm… but then there would be the bird dropping and my cat would probably have a heart attack. Click on either image to see a larger version Continue reading I Wish I Could Invite Them All In

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West Virginia, Mountain Mama..

RJ Walters

I want to do an extended post on some of the States I have visited in order to get to know them better. I will start this project out with the State I really know very little about and that is West Virginia.  I have been through it a few couple of times but have never spent much time there.  My initial source of information about WV is from the old John Denver song, thus the title of the post. Here are some of the lyrics from that song: Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River. Life is … Continue reading West Virginia, Mountain Mama..

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Appalacian Folk Art

RJ Walters

When I visited the Museum of Appalachia in Norris Tennessee this last fall I was totally unprepared for the fullness of the experience. I came away with a much-expanded understanding of what it might have been like to live in such an isolated area. The way the museum personalized every display which made me almost think that I knew the people themselves who made the things seen. Sometimes I forget that creativity will flourish wherever it is found. With nothing more than a piece of wood and a whittling knife, true pieces of art were created. Here are a few … Continue reading Appalacian Folk Art

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Our Shrinking Voice…

RJ Walters

One of the sad things about the current US leadership is that much of the world seems to be looking elsewhere for its moral and ethical purpose and why shouldn’t it when most of our citizens are doing the same thing. One of the prime things that the Oval Office occupant wants to do, besides undoing EVERYTHING his predecessor accomplished, is to keep “foreigners” from invading America.  Will there come a day when no one will even think about wanting to come to America?  These are the questions for today’s post. Maybe I am being naive but I kind of … Continue reading Our Shrinking Voice…

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Slavery..

RJ Walters

   I ran across a rather startling picture at the Andrew Johnson Historic site in northern Tennessee this year.  Before I talk about that, I was thoroughly amazed at how Johnson’s hometown managed to spin the story of him to make him appear to be a heroic figure which is very contrary to most public opinion. I guess I have not come across too many photos showing how intrinsic slavery was to the southern States.   This picture, according to the legend below it, was taken in Atlanta in 1864 just after the Emancipation Proclamation.  The “Auction & Negro Sales” store … Continue reading Slavery..