Ramble

      Didn't mean to be away for so many days. I had some personal setbacks and am still fighting that cold. I simply didn't get around to it and didn't have much to write, other than a few whines. However, this place has been comment empty while I've been gone so I don't think you've missed me too much ... unless you've pined away and that's why I haven't heard from you. It's possible, I guess, but unlikely.
      As for the setbacks, I always try to learn from them. Sometimes there's a lesson to be learned if I can just see past the trappings of the problem to the heart of the matter. In this case, however, it looks like there aren't any truths that I can dig out. Sometimes setbacks are simply setbacks. Or maybe their lessons will become clear in the future.
      You have to careful in looking for lessons. It's easy for them to become negative, such as: "Never trust anyone" and "Love is a lie" and "People are weasels." Those are false lessons. They cloak the truth. It's also easy for them to become a way to beat up on yourself. You blame yourself for trusting other people and for loving them. I do that sometimes. It's really neat. You get to beat up on yourself and all the other people in the world. What an opportunity.
      No, the real lessons are somewhere deeper. For the most part, they end up in somewhere in this: "Everything valuable carries with it an element of risk. Love is valuable, hence risk. If you love, you can assume risk. Sometimes love will pay off. Sometimes it won't. That's simply the cost of loving. If you're not willing to pay it and continue to pay it, then you won't have love in your life. If you love and other people disappoint you, the failure is in them, not you. Just because they don't love you, doesn't mean you're unlovable." And so on and so on. Good advice. Hard to believe at times.
      I ate half of a four-meat pizza last night. That might seem an abrupt subject change, but it was another reminder how much my emotions influence my appetite. I get depressed and I reach for the food. It may be more socially acceptable than being an alcoholic, but it's the same impulse. My family has always bought into the idea of comfort food.
      I realize I'm rambling here. You're welcome to wander off or stick around as we trip down along my thoughts. It's a rambling morning. I'm going to have to get ready for work here in a few minutes, and I really don't want to go. I was hoping my company would take today off since we'll be off tomorrow for the Fourth, but we didn't. Makes sense from their viewpoint. We can't sell or service our customers if we're not here. Of course, I'd lay odds that the VPs and directors who decided the company would be open today won't be at work today. Strange how that works out for them.
      Lots of clouds in the morning sky. I'm hoping that means we get rain later. It was cloudy yesterday all day, but no moisture fell. What a bummer. I have a fountain and a birdbath set up in my backyard. The birds just flock in. I think the sound of the water attracts them. It's amazing how dirty they get the water as they bathe and drink. I've been having to empty and clean the birdbath daily. I've been running several gallons of water through the fountain daily and that seems to be keeping it clean. Or cleaner, anyway.
      Not much else to report in my world. Did I mention I twisted my knee a few days back? It still hurts, but it's better. And my back is sore. And my IBD is flaring occasionally. With the addition of my cold, it's plain to see that the warranty on my body has expired. I wonder if I can trade it in on new model.
      I did watch several movies over the weekend. Ultra Violet, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Underworld: Evolution. I can't say any of them had a great story, but they're not terrible, either. Out of five stars I give three stars to Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Ultra Violet and two and a half to Underworld: Evolution. I also rented Rent and Aeon Flux, but haven't watched them yet. I know these are all old movies, but I rarely go to the theater to see a movie at first run. Most of the time, they're not worth the ticket price.
      Time to get ready for work. Have a great day.