Visiting articles on Yahoo! News brought more tears as I read comments made by heartless people.

I look around and wonder where happiness went?

The fear I see in many people’s eyes, and hear in their blog posts, makes the tears flow more.

I am afraid.

Many are afraid.

The world as we know it has changed.  We all know at times change is good.  But the change we are seeing and living is not so good.  The fear of the unknown has tripled for many people.  Dreams have turned to nightmares.  We wake from the nightmares to only see we are closer to them coming true than ever before.

Hatred oozes from the pores of many.  At times it appears physical in a black, ugly cloud around them.  They smile an evil grin, not understanding how consumed with hate they are.   Tolerance of the different has vanished.

… and so I weep.

We have one chance to chase the nightmares away.

We have one chance to bring tolerance out of hiding.

We have one chance to bring hope back to the eyes of the elderly and the young.

We have one chance to wrap our arms around this great lady and pull her up out of despair and doom.

We have one chance.

… and so I weep.

I grew up in southern Minnesota.  Living mostly in rural communities and on farms where working was something you just did.  There were crops to weed and bring in; cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, etc to feed and take care of.  Machinery had to be cleaned and maintained properly and grass had to be mowed.

I never thought working for a living was wrong.  My grandmother always told me to earn my way.  Mother said the same thing at times.  I’ve worked at pulling weeds from soybean fields, de-tassling corn, and building grain silos.   When I was got older, I starting working as a bus girl, then waitress at a local restaurant.

Being from a farming family, college was never discussed as an option when I left high school.   I never excelled at anything to even think about a scholarship, so what to do after graduation was limited.  What I did know for sure was living in that part of the country for the rest of my life wasn’t going to happen.  One way or another I was getting out of that hole where you either worked in the factory or pumped out babies as a living.

No thanks – I wanted better for myself.

One of my classmates signed up for the delayed entry program for the United States Army.   She too did not want to be part of the dirt that made up that community.  (Unfortunately, she is back there and part of it now – last I heard).  I followed her lead and signed up.  In November after graduation, I left Minnesota for the southern states of the US.

I have been working at one job  or another since that time.  One year out of my life while married to my first husband I did spend seeing what it was like being a stay at home housewife.   I’m surprised I survived that.  Yucko!

I pay my taxes.

I support local charities.

I buy what I can pay for and save for what I want.

My husband served this country for 23 years.

He pays taxes.

He supports local military charities.

He buys what he can pay for and saves for what he wants.

Our debt is only in our home and one vehicle.

Our credit cards are paid off.

We are of the 53%.

We want no hand out from the government.

We want our freedom to be and do what we want.

We will continue to fight for that freedom.

And in about 20 days, those resolutions will be excuses.

Yes, making lists helps people focus on a goal.   I make lists at work.  Before I go home at night, I jot down what I need to do first thing when I get in the next day.

The biggest resolution heard is people want to lose weight.   They vow to eat better and go to the gym.   Some even say, “I want to lose XX pounds by next Christmas”   These are all well meaning goals, but ones that must be looked at in reality.

Losing 25 pounds for anyone is a mountain when looking at it.  How about instead of putting a mountain in front of you, put a mole hill.   Resolve to lose weight healthily but changing a lifestyle choice that can put you over that hill.   How about instead of losing 25 pounds, you start out with trading out that weekly, or daily, Starbucks triple chocolate latte with a Starbucks skinny vanilla latte?  It is a small, mole hill, goal  but one that can put you on the road to the mountain of 25 pounds lost.

Join a gym is another resolution often heard.  Bravo!  But — cost is a factor now a days.  Research gyms in the area.  You don’t need to go to the brand name gyms to lose weight.   And oft times those gyms are packed and when you walk in the door to work out, you feel intimidated around all those hard bodies, or the equipment you want to use is unavailable.   I use a small, local area gym myself.  It is on the way home from work, or five minutes from my house the other way.   More times than not, when I go in the treadmill I like to use is available.   Start out slow.  Adding just 30 minutes every other day to your normal routine isn’t so daunting you stop after your 3rd visit.

My advice is if you do make resolutions – make them attainable.   Then you won’t quit so fast.  I’m sure when I go to the gym today, there will be new faces hitting all the machines.   They will be so sore tomorrow that soon enough, I won’t see their faces again.

Goals are a good way to keep you focused, but unrealistic goals burn you out.

I do not make resolutions myself.  But I wish you good luck in yours!

Frankly – I’m filled up and over flowing.

Family is the worst place for drama and everyone has a drama queen/king to contend with.  These are people so insecure in their own lives they have to feel good about themselves by causing others pain.  

dra·ma (noun)
1. a composition in prose or verse presenting in dialogue or pantomime a story involving conflict or contrast of character, especially one intended to be acted on the stage; a play.
2. the branch of literature having such compositions as its subject; dramatic art or representation.
3. the art dealing with the writing and production of plays.
4. any situation or series of events having vivid, emotional, conflicting, or striking interest or results: the drama of a murder trial.
5. the quality of being dramatic.

Of course you can tell which one I’m talking about (if not, look at #4 and #5).  Normally, if people around me start putting on their drama queen hat, I just turn and walk away.   But  when dealing with a drama queen or king in your family, walking away a lot of times has more ramifications than dealing with stranger drama.

I have no contact with my family – period.  This is because I shut off access to myself because of mother’s drama.  Clearly my sisters have sided with her, as they have made little attempt to stay in contact with me.   This saddens me, but sanity is paramount in my life.

Please, if you have to be the center of attention, head on over to your nearest psychiatrists office and beg for help.

Carry on…

I have taken up with Google+ and really enjoy being able to put my thoughts out there and get instant reaction.

No having to subscribe to my RSS feed, just put me in a circle.

(sighing)

Maybe one day again I will get hit by the bug.

I’m not closing it down yet.

Thanks for those that keep me in their RSS Reader for hopes sake!

Later …

Don’t get your panties in a snit because some of us out here in the general public believe supporting cop killers is offensive and someone who does shouldn’t be allowed near the White House.  The White House represents America and frankly, that peice of trash “Common” (like common folk?), doesn’t represent me.

I have determined that liberals have the brains of rocks and really should not be allowed near sharp objects. 

One is a liar.

One is not conservative enough.

One has baggage.

One has blah – blah – blah.

If you think you can do a better job – get out there and run for president.

Otherwise shut the hell up.

You all are starting to sound like a bunch of libs on Air America.

Tell us the facts, leave your opinions in the trash, and go forward.

The best thing about being in America is that ANYONE CAN RUN FOR OFFICE!!!   Evidenced by the shit ass we have in the White House now.

So if someone wants to take up the call to bring this country back to its roots and turn it away from total destruction, we need to respect them for it.

Because you talking heads just want to sit on your asses behind your microphones or computers and bitch and moan like little girls with skint knees.

The Army moved to a more “PC” way of dealing with people during the Clinton Administration.  Stress cards in Basic Training, Touchy Feely classes, etc.

Now that era is coming back to haunt us.

There are people in the military who don’t give a damn about political correctness and call a spade a spade; but evidently, none of these people with backbone were around Major Nidal Malik Hasan.    The murders on that day are also the responsibility of Hasan’s chain of command.  Hind-sight is 20/20, but anyone with two brain cells can understand that PC got in the way of stopping this man.  Hasan should have been kicked to the curb years ago and put on the terrorist watch list.  Instead – he was allowed to roam free on a military installation, in uniform, to plot and plan a massacre.

Senators Lieberman & Collins have released a report on the shooting, “A Ticking Time Bomb – Counterterrorism Lessons from the U.S. Government’s Failure to Prevent the Fort Hood Attack.”  (Link is to the .pdf document of the report)

When will the next attack on American soil happen because of Political Correctness?  Only the radical muslim knows.

Its high time this country wake up and realize there are just some people who need to be dealt with harshly; religion, color of skin be damned. 

Additional Reading:

* Ft. Hood’s victims: sacrificed for PC
* Ignoring red flags brings disgrace to nation
* Homegrown hate crimes against our troops
.

Getty Images

But lately, I have really not had the need to get a blog post up every day, or even every week.  There are so many news sources out there and  other great blogs that cover or say what I’m feeling.

So this sits here with an old post on the front page for days, even weeks at a time before I find something I want to talk about.

This is not to say that I won’t go back to blogging regular, but that I won’t be pushing myself to do it.

I believe eventually Jo’s Cafe will disappear completely, as I have no motivation or desire to deal with what it takes to blog anymore.  The updating of the blogging software, dealing with the spam and jerks on the internet, and frankly the time to put together a blog post that makes sense.

So, this is where I am at – or not at.

Thanks for the people that do read when I post and have followed me from the beginning to now.

Later ….