Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

Tilla gets all the belly rubs he wants.  He is one of my black dogs.  He rolls over quite readily asking for a belly rub.  And he usually gets it.  Why do humans have such problems in seeking affection from others?  And why does it get so complicated?

I really do not know.  Why can’t others be more honest.  Of course we can’t roll over on our bellies but we can approach each other without guile.  You are more likely to get strokes from others if you are not deceitful.

I know Tilla loves me.  He is a dog.  So what.  There is something very simple about pets:  they either like you or they don’t.  They never feign affection.  We can learn something from this behaviour.  Be who you are, whoever you are.  It will pay in the future.

Don’t be so afraid of getting hurt.  Of course, children, most children are honest and open in their dealings and expression of their emotions.  And somehow a lot of people lose something in the process of growing up.

Never pretend to be something you are not.  Others usually see through other people’s disguises.  Just be who you are.  A tall order but simple.  You will benefit in the long run.

Tags: be more honest, be who you are, belly rubs, children, dogs, don't be so afraid of getting hurt, expression of emotions, never pretend, people's disguises, pets, seeking affection, Tilla, Tilla loves me
Posted in children, knowledge&learning, life, love, pets, relationships, wisdom | No Comments »

I just don’t quite trust my Honda Accord but it treated me well.  It is a 1993–seventeen years old.  I never had a car that age that did not burn one quart of oil.  It had regular oil changes.  And does not have much rust on it.

It has over 200,000 miles on it and this year we bought a 2006 Honda CRV which is now our main vehicle.  We were putting too much money in the older Honda for repairs.

My wife loves our new red car.  And that is all she drives now.  I have to run the older Honda every day to the post office so the battery does not go dead on it.

Our gray Honda took us to Texas and back and gave us many years of reliable service.  My wife inherited the car from her deceased father-in-law.

I don’t quite trust the old car:  it occasionally does not start.  And idiot lights go off once in awhile scaring me for I have no idea why and then it misbehaves.

It still runs, though, and is our backup vehicle.  It has treated us well and I want to recognize that.  And not be too harsh on it for it just got old and has its idiosyncrasies.

Tags: car just got old, car treated us well, Honda Accord, Honda CRV, idiot lights, my wife, seventeen year old car, years of reliable service
Posted in death, humor, local, time | No Comments »

Most people’s concept of sex is too narrow.  Sex is not just purely physical.  It is any exchange that goes on between two human beings.  We label others far too readily:  bisexual, homosexual and heterosexual are a few of these labels.  Sex ranges the whole spectrum from a look to a hug to intercourse.

Sex between partners is extremely sacred and forms an almost unbreakable bond.  You have to be very careful you do not violate your partner’s trust.  It is very difficult to win it back if you break it.

The baby knows how the mother views her own body and exactly the attitude she portrays toward him/her–to the degree she accept her new arrival.  The fetus at an unconscious level knows all this.

Every person has feeling toward the same sex.  That is totally natural.  It does not mean you have to physically express it.  Sex can be a very powerful force and you must remain aware of what you are doing.  You always have a choice on how to use it.

It can lift you up or in the worse possible scenario even destroy you.  You have to be very careful and do not put yourself in compromising positions.  You have to guard your chastity (remaining faithful to your partner).  It matters.

Tags: bisexual, do not put yourself in compromising positions, God, guard your chastity, heterosexual, homosexual, label others too readily, marriage, powerful force, remain faithful, sacred, sex not purely physical
Posted in knowledge&learning, life, love, marriage, relationships, wisdom | No Comments »

Food is always about love.  When I prepare a meal for my wife, I want it to be as good as I can make it.  I prepare it carefully, making sure it looks attractive.  I want her to look at the plate and want her to want to eat the meal.

I do most of the cooking for I am the one driven to get a meal on the table, which is not to say she can’t cook well.  She does.  Every once in awhile I ask her to make dinner.  And it is usually delicious.

Most of the meals I make are quite simple.  Every once in a while I make something more complicated.  Cooking usually involves a number of steps.  I just take care in the individual steps.

I do know how to follow a recipe but I have become more adventurous as far as spices and creating dishes.  It is fun.  I appreciate her.  I am blessed that I have someone to make a meal for.  Food is always about love (and the care you spend preparing it).

Tags: blessed, cooking, dinner, food, food is about love, my wife, prepare a meal, recipe, someone to make a meal for, spices
Posted in beauty, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, relationships, wisdom | No Comments »

Less than four weeks away–spring.  Already it has become slightly warmer.  Temperatures been averaging 30’s and 40’s.  I am anticipating spring and the end is near for the snow and the colder weather.

This is something I go through every year.  Winter appears endless.  I bundle up, even hide in my house and go out only when it is necessary to shop for food.  Thank God for heat.

I once had a speech teacher who could not understand all the literature regarding spring.  The reason was simple.  She was from Hawaii.

I really have no idea how it would be if I lived elsewhere.  I have always lived in a temperate climate where there are four distinct seasons.

I have considered moving to Florida but I wonder how I would feel without a winter season.  Then I would have to deal with hurricanes.  I guess you can’t win.

Tags: bundle up, Florida, four distinct seasons, hurricanes, snow, spring, temperate climate, thank God, winter, winter appears endless
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, nature, seasons, time | No Comments »

I do not want to tell you

Sometimes I want

To surprise you,

Greet you eagerly

Maybe engulf you

Swallowing you whole

Other times

I just want

To let you know

I am thinking

Of it

And then forget

And be surprised

Other times

It will be

Furthest from

My mind

And you will

Slowly kindle me

And the roller coaster

Will go out

Of control

And I will fall out

Off the edge

And in the peace

And I will slumber

No more

Asleep

Tags: asleep, be surprised, sex
Posted in local, love, marriage, relationships, time | No Comments »

Don’t torture yourself with the question why.  There is no answer.  Why did this happen?  Why me?  There is no answer to that question.  As King Solomon (as well as other people) said bad things happen to good people also.

There really is no answer to that question and if you ask yourself that question why this or that happens is all kinds of reasons will cycle endlessly in your mind.  And it is non productive.

I like the much quoted lines from Dwight D. Eisenhower’s mom.  I don’t remember the quote exactly but she said, “Every one gets dealt a certain hand (in cards); what matters is what you do with that hand.”

That is what she taught her son who later became a four star general and our President.  The only important thing is what are you going to do with your particular set of circumstances.  That is it.

No mulling endlessly, Why or Why me?  What are you going to do now?  That is the only thing that matters.

Tags: Bible, don't ask why, Dwight D. Eisenhower, four star general, King Solomon, president, why me, your circumstances
Posted in death, God, knowledge&learning, life, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

The “Blue Laws”?!  Are you old enough to remember them?  It used to be illegal for most places to be open on Sunday.  They were called the “blue laws”.  I am not sure how they came about.

It probably had something to do with Sunday being the Sabbath and a day of rest.  Now most establishments are open on Sunday–at least most retail stores.

It is just another sales day.  I am not convinced stores make more sales (and money) because they are open seven days a weeks but most stores are afraid they will lose business if they are not open, also, on Sunday.

It really is not a bad idea to recognize one day as the Sabbath and have one day to rest.  There is a reason one of the ten commandments is to observe the Sabbath.

God certainly does not need a day to rest.  A day of rest one day a week forces you to regularly evaluate your life and change direction if you need to.

It is too easy to keep going faster and faster and get nowhere.  The Sabbath enables you to get off the treadmill.

Tags: Blue Laws, day of rest, evaluate your life, get off the treadmill, God, retail stores, Sabbath, Sunday, ten commandments
Posted in balance, God, health, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, time, wisdom | No Comments »

Which comes first:  the depression or the depressed thoughts.  It was unusual.  I fell into a depression early in the morning and then could find all kinds of reasons to justify it.

Most of the time I become depressed in the late afternoon or evening because of fatigue.  I can’t give that reason this time obviously.

I just wonder though.  Was it totally biochemical or was it an accumulation of events that set off a depression.  One more is just enough to tip over the bucket and cause depression.

I really do not know sometimes.  Nor do I spend an inordinate time trying to figure it out.  Depressions sometimes come and go.  That Is all I need to know.  They will end.

Tags: accumulation of events, biochemical, depressed thoughts, depression, depressions come and go, depressions will end, fatigue
Posted in balance, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, time, wisdom | 2 Comments »

I renamed Pax the oldest dog we have:  his new name is now “Big Woof” or “Woof” for short.  He is the most vocal of our four dogs.  He is always barking at us.  His one kid “Tilla” is always trying to get a rise out of him and teases him, running at his heels.  Big Woof is an affectionate though quite scary Rottweiler mix, all ninety-three pounds of him.  He usually gets his way for I can’t stand his loud barking right in my ears.  He always comes to me when he wants something for I always give him his way.  He is really my wife’s dog and he spends nights asleep at her feet.  He seems to like his new name.

Tags: "Big Woof", big dog, dog bark, dogs, my wife, Pax, pets, rottweiler mix, Tilla, woof
Posted in humor, local, pets | No Comments »

Every day someone get to name my duckie.  It is a little yellow duck I keep in my pants pocket that flashes and quacks.  One person named it Snot.  Yesterday it was called Herman and the piano player of my church got to call it Toby Duck today.

The next day it will be called Beatrice.  Every day someone gets the opportunity to name it for one day.  It is a little silly I have to admit.

Others often take themselves too seriously.  It lightens my day when I take it out of my pocket let it quack and light and then introduce the person I am talking to to its present name.

It is a small game I play every day.  I also take myself too seriously.  It lightens up my mood and hopefully in the process does the same to others.

Tags: humor, lightens up my mood, my duckie, name it for one day, silly, take themselves too seriously
Posted in humor, knowledge&learning, local, time | No Comments »

Why should anyone care about you if you have not reached out to them.  Roots in a community take years, maybe decades to develop.  First of all you have to stay put.  For a long time.  And reach out to others in ways you are able to.

Why should anyone care about you if you have not invested time in them, reached out to them when they were in need.  It is not always money others need.  Often it is just taking the time talking to them, lending an ear.

All that takes time.  But that is the way you develop roots in a community.  You can also get involved in a local church.  There are different ways.  Whatever suits you.  Don’t be a hermit.  Get out of the house.  Go to the local store, diner or post office.

Take a chance.  Learn other peoples’ names.  And take the time to have on going conversations with the inhabitants of your town.  All that takes time and effort.  But if you don’t how you you possibly learn about other peoples’ needs and wants if you don’t get to know them?

And your roots become deeper and deeper in a community if you do some of these things.  You have to put yourself out there.  It just takes a long time and effort on your part.  Roots do not happen overnight.

Tags: don't be a hermit, get involved, get out of the house, learn other people's names, local church, reach out to people, roots take years to develop
Posted in knowledge&learning, life, local, love, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »