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

There is nothing like being in the sunshine.  After a week of gloomy, rainy weather today the sky was blue and it even hit seventy.  My wife was depressed and tried to dispel her gloom.  She took a chair, placed it in the sunlight and basked in it.  It is too easy to be depressed when the weather is cold and the sun is far away.  It was a perfect Autumn day and she decided to enjoy it and went out into our yard.  Maybe later I will have a Scrabble game there.  The days are running out I can do that.  There is nothing like a clear, warm day to cheer you up.

Tags: autumn, blue sky, cheer you up, cold weather, depressed, gloomy rainy weather, my wife, Scrabble, sky was blue, sunshine, warm weather, yard
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There are too many things in this house.  And it has me depressed.  There are too many piles in different corners.  It is just too hard going through this stuff.  I see a stack of canceled checks on the desk.  Your father has been dead twenty years.  Why are they not in the trash?  We can’t even throw away broken down electronics.  That video/dvd player does work any more.  Why is it sitting on those records?  I even tried it again.  I already told my other it no longer works.  None of the lights on it worked.  I just want to pitch it.  It is preventing me from going through the pile of LP’s it is laying on.  Why are we keeping those two stacks of “Architectural Digest”.  When is the last time you looked at an issue.  I have to run everything by you.  You have to make a decision on everything.  All of this has me depressed.  Why don’t you let me have control of the decisions on most things.  And when I complain of too many things still in the house, you tell me of all the things you have given away and pitched.  There may be a lot of truth to that.  There is still too many things in this house.  And I don’t want to work so hard in eliminating them.  There are still too many piles, boxes and books and LP’s everywhere.

Tags: "Architectural Digest", books, boxes, broken video/dvd player, depressed, electronics, give away, have control, house, LP's, make a decision, old cancelled checks, piles in corners, records, stuff, throw away, too many piles of things, too many things, trash
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I can’t save him.  I know someone who is struggling with alcoholism.  He is at a turning point.  He has to make the decision whether he wants to live or die.  I can encourage him but that is it.  It is his fight.  Ultimately, he has to take the steps necessary to break the addiction alcohol has on him.  It will be baby steps at first but every major change in a person’s life started that way.  Maybe, I can steer him in the right direction but that is about it.  I can’t save him.  He is the only person who can do that.  He has to want change in his life bad enough.  Going backwards has to be totally unacceptable.  Sometimes you just have to hit bottom before you can go up.  He is there but does he want it enough.  We will see.

Tags: addiction, alcoholism, baby steps, can't save him, change your life, encourage, fight, God, hit bottom, major change, save, turning point
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Joy is gratitude.  It is looking at your life and every aspect of it and thanking the Lord for every simple thing He has given you.  Sometimes it is others you need to give a simple “thank you”.  God works through other people all the time.  Don’t take any gift you have for granted.  As well as all the simple pleasures that come your way.  Joy is gratitude and thanking the Lord for the simplest gifts He has given you.  He has given your life.  And every morning you wake up you need to thank Him for every breath you take.  Get in the habit of thanking others and the Almighty for every single gift.  Life is composed of myriad details.  And prayerfully thank someone for every detail of your life–every pleasure-every thing.  He does not owe you anything.  And He usually gives us abundance.  Don’t be an ungrateful taker.  Thank Him for every detail of your life.  Joy will always follow gratitude.

Tags: abundance, be grateful, every breath, gifts, God, gratutude, joy, joy is gratitude, Lord, prayer, simple gifts, take for granted, thank Him, thank the Lord, thank-you, thanking others, The Almighty, your life
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The tuna salad with a cut up Ginger Gold apple was a real treat.  It was the second portion I ate that way.  The apple must have been picked this week.  The crisp pieces, slightly tart, set off the salad well.  Ginger Gold apples do not retain their crispness too long and I do not make this salad too often so I will enjoy this meal now and if I remember I will try the same combination next year.  It was a meal fit for a king.

Tags: food, fruit, Ginger Gold apple, meal fit for a king, pasta tuna salad
Posted in health, local, nature, seasons, time | 2 Comments »

I have thousands of LP’s, CD’s and cassettes but always return to this one.  My nerves are ragged and when this happens I “pull out” this 60’s album “Clouds” by Joni Mitchell.  I did put it on cassette years ago.

The music is soothing and I will play it over and over and also search for other quiet music until this phase of mine passes.  I can’t listen to uptempo music right now.  I don’t think my episode will last too long.  I am still sleeping whole nights so I am not overly concerned.  I will play it by ear.  The more I can soothe my nerves the quicker I will return to normal.

Tags: "Clouds" album, 1960's, cassette, CD, Joni Mitchell, LP, music, my nerves, quiet music, record albums, sleep, soothing, uptempo music
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We have been home (from the Jersey Shore) less than 24 hours and what I most appreciate is the quiet here.  All I hear here is the ?crickets or is it the ?cicadas.  And the occasional “whoosh” of a car passing nearby.

The bed and breakfast we stayed at for three nights was on a busy road.  It was very difficult to make a left hand turn.  It was only a block away from the ocean.  New Jersey just had too many people.

For some reason I become very unsettled in crowded areas.  It is not my fault.  I just do.  I will appreciate my house better.  It is not on a main fare.  I watch the birds come to and fro my feeders all day.  Especially the hummingbirds who never fail to delight me.

There is a reason mental hospitals always were situated in the country.  They used to be called rest homes.  Many years ago the array of medications to treat mental illness did not exist.

People who had nervous breakdowns were sent to hospitals in the countryside to recuperate and recover.  There is nothing like the calm found in nature to do so.

I will appreciate my home better.  It is just a relief to be here.  My trip to the Jersey shore reminded me how fortunate I am to be on the edge of country.

Tags: Atlantic ocean, bed and breakfast, bird-feeders, bird-watching, birds, calm found in nature, cicadas, country, crickets, crowds, edge of country, home, hummingbirds, Jersey Shore, medications, mental hospitals, mental illness, nature, nervous breakdown, New Jersey, quiet, recuperate, rest homes
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Are we our brothers’ keeper?  There is a struggle in Washington DC:  the President wants to raise the ceiling of the National debt we are allowed legally to have.  Our country may default on our interest payments for the first time.  And who knows what international effect that would have on our economy if that happens.

Our economy is really on shaky grounds.  Many people are suffering in this country, have lost their homes, are unemployed and struggling just to put food on the table for their families.  And the rich seem to get richer.

One party wants the President to cut programs like Medicare and others.  The struggles between the major parties are very acrimonious.  The Republicans have not forgotten how the President “rammed” through his bill to provide health coverage to millions of other Americans when he had control of both houses.  I am not going to debate the merits of that bill.

One little fact came to the ”surface”:  the US is near the bottom of developed countries as far as the tax rate its citizens pay.  Taxes need to go up and services to the most unfortunate, the ill, the handicapped need to be maintained.  Again, I have to ask:  Are we our brothers’ keeper?

I was amazed how high the percentage is of Americans who do not pay any federal income tax.  It is very high but the rich ought to pay more–a greater percentage than they do.  Those companies with “deep pockets” do not want that to happen and also want to erase laws that prevent them from polluting the water, air, etc.

Raising taxes now in this economic climate is not very popular.  And frankly there is much I do not understand when it comes to the economy but I have to ask again:  Are we our brothers’ keeper?  I do not like the Republicans’ stance.  I am not sure I like the Democrats much better.  Too much of government is run by big business.

Each of us are commanded to help the less fortunate.  I don’t care what your circumstances are.  There is someone around you that needs your help.

You don’t need big government necessarily to help fellow men but one function of government is to protect you and taking money away (and support) from the poorest and making sure the rich get richer does not seem right.  Again I ask the question:  Are we our brothers’ keeper?

Tags: America, big business, Democrat, economy, fellow men, God, government, health coverage, help the less fortunate, income tax, Medicare, National debt, our brothers' keeper, our country, people are suffering, pollution, poor, president, raising taxes, Republican, rich companies, rich get richer, tax rate, USA, Washington DC
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Life ain’t fair.  There is no way to get around that.  Wealth is not distributed evenly.  Financial wealth is just one kind.  Gifts given to each individual are never equal and some people are more gifted than others.  That is why coveting is a sin and why each person is commanded to help those less fortunate and it is a sin to walk away and not help someone when it was in your power to do so.

Railing at your misfortune never accomplishes anything.  It makes it harder.  Instead of making the best of your situation.  It diffuses valuable energy that could be directed elsewhere more positively.  Life simply is not fair.  Some people suffer more than others.  And someone pointing out to you that you are better off than X or Y does not help much.  You do what you can and then rest.  And help those around you with whatever you got.  Give cheerfully and you will never be unhappy.

Tags: coveting, do what you can, financial, gifts, give cheerfully, God, help others, life, make the best of your situation, misfortune, sin, suffer, talents, wealth
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Sometimes I do not know how to get past my depression.  Sure I can view my life and give all kind of reasons why but that does not help me.  Somehow I need to chip away at it.  I just don’t know where to start.  I know things don’t make me happy.  It is not possessions that keep me going.  The things that are wrong in my life money can’t change.  It is hard listening to your ‘”tiny voice” when it is being drowned out by depression.  I just don’t know where to start.  Somehow I need to figure out what I really have any control of.  And start there.  Working on at (???) those things.  One by one.  That is all I can do.  And in the process accept the things that are out of my control.  I have a plan.  I just don’t know when the depression will start to lift.  It is just painful enduring it.

Tags: accept, chip away at depression, depression, don't know where to start, enduring, happiness, have a plan, money can't change, possessions, take control of what you can, things don't make me happy, view my life, where to start, your tiny voice
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It makes a difference how you eat.  Is your diet balanced?  This might make a difference in your energy level.  Lately, I have not been eating too well and running out of energy really quickly.  My wife’s diet has affected my meals:  we usually eat together and she has cut down on her cigarettes significantly.  Until recently she has been filling up on matzohs and other crunchy food.  All this has affected my diet for I usually make one or two good meals a day.  And often she does not want to eat for she has filled her belly on something else although not a very balanced meal.  She had to have something in her mouth to pacify her nicotine cravings.  She might be past this stage so we might eat together more normally.  I am hoping returning to a more balanced diet will return my energy level.  It does make a difference in how you eat.

Tags: balanced diet, balanced meal, crunchy food, energy level, how you eat, matzohs, my wife
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Sometimes you need to get physically moving to dispel your depression.  I woke up depressed.  I found out after moving around and doing chores most of the depression lifted.  It helps when you do not stay in one spot too long and face your day.  It is too easy to give in to your depressed thoughts.  Thank God for routine.  It does not give you the privilege of bemoaning your fate.  There are always tasks that need to be done.  And you have to focus on that.  It gets you out of yourself.  And that is a good thing.

Tags: bemoaning your fate, depressed thoughts, depression, doing chores, face your day, get physically moving, God, routine, tasks, thank God
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