Pipeology - The Fine Art of Pipe Smoking and Thought

 I had an article about ghosts written but deleted it.  I have no explanation as to why some people believe in ghosts and some don't.  There are those who believe in a spirit world, because ghosts have no logical reason to exist.  And some deny an afterlife and the existence of the soul, so ghosts are against their logic.  There is equipment manufactured to locate and communicate with ghosts, but the question is:  Does this equipment work?  Einstein felt that the energy of a deceased person still exists.  But that does not mean he believed in ghosts.   The referencing of ghosts first appears in a manuscript written 1500 BC.  And throughout history references to ghosts are a part of most Eastern cultures.  But then in Mexico The Day of the Dead is recognized as November 1.  As to whether apparitions appear on that date no one really knows.  There are things science can't explain.  But that is not to say that resea...

 I am a kind of nomad.  I can't just live in the same place for decades doing the same job and then retire in a place here in Florida.  That is not me.  But some people will spend a lifetime in search of a place only to find that place isn't perfect.  I might be a kind of modern day nomad, but let me just say I have belonged every place I have ever been doing what I was supposed to do.  If success is to retire with a huge back account then that has not been my life.  Sure, everyone has struggles, but if we had waited until we could afford to do things we have done we wouldn't have done them.   And too, one can't put a square peg in a round hole.  I could say my life is different because that is some kind of design that it is.  As Colonel Potter in M*A*S*H  so famously says, "If you ain't where you're at, you're no place."  And he's one hundred percent correct.  If you try to make a place you don't want to be then the ...

 The Vietnam War was not a popular War.  I never protested the war, but chose the path of education instead.  I was 17 when I graduated from high school and the draft had been put on hold from September, which is my birth month, of 1969 until December.  But I was in college when I turned 18 and registered for the draft.  College deferments were offered then, but because the lottery was to take place in December, I had to wait to see what number was going to be assigned to my birthdate.  The first lottery was held and my birthday was 313 out of 366. and the highest number for that year was 197 of those that were drafted, but my feelings about the war didn't matter.  I wasn't going to serve. The fact is that the draft changed so many things at that time.  It was believed that if 18 year olds were old enough to serve, they were old enough to drink and vote.  They were old enough to get legally married.  And they were old enough to own prope...

 As one can see from my posts here, I sit in an easy chair and observe, then I comment on my observations.  I could delve into either the religious or the political, but I don't want to.  I'll mention Angels here, but if you want an experience with Angels they'll come to you.  Maybe some people can summon demons, but I have yet to figure out how to summon Angels.  If anyone knows  how I would love to hear from them.  I can't summon Angels for anyone.  I have reminders, which I guess defines religion.  It is a reminder.   Religion celebrates history and tradition.  Without it some people feel lost.  Ronald Reagan once said politics reflects our religious values.  So, if one has no religion, according to such thinking, one has no values.  So instead of dealing with either politics or religion, I prefer to observe than participate.  And when I do participate, it is not by politics or by religious values.  ...

 I might refer to my English professor pipe smoking bud from time to time, but that is in part because he taught me to think in complete sentences and formulate paragraphs.  I once asked him if the English language has changed much over the years, but now I can say it has.  Someone asked the question as to why actors in movies in the 40's spoke the way they did.  Well, our style of speaking has changed to some degree in my lifetime, but in some ways the language from the 60's hasn't changed all that much, except now it seems everything in today's world has much less formality to it. Gone are the leisure suits of the 70's but they've been replaced by Levi jeans and Polo shirts.  I guess we can thank Steve Jobs for the more casual dress of tofay, where only bankers and lawyers wear suits.  Gone are the wide collars and button-down images, where it seems T-shirts and shorts are more business attire than even Polo shirts.  But the casual attire in business...

 I have to admit that I burned out on people long ago.  I just read an article about a Walmart cashier who had a very difficult customer to deal with.  Someone commented that they were very happy not to deal with the public any longer, as I suppose they work from home or are retired.  I try my best to make any worker in retail to feel appreciated because I think working retail, particularly as a cashier, is a thankless job.  Cashiers generally can't win. Now some would say stores need all check-outs to be self check-outs.  My wife and I both disagree and avoid using self check-outs if at all possible, unless we are buying just a few things.  But one can be accused of theft if not done properly.  As much as I hate Amazon, if I'm in need of just an item or two, I would prefer buying from Amazon and wait a day or two for it.  Even while shopping I'll mention to my wife that instead of going all over a huge Walmart in search of an item or two, we...

 I try to be as upbeat as I can when I am writing these essays.  It is Tuesday afternoon as I write and I am smoking my Savinelli Author pipe today.  I had an essay ready to go asking whether world cities are in ruin.  I've since deleted that essay believing it bordered on politics and was quite dark.  There are enough informative material on the various social media sites telling you all you need to know.  I have turned off those videos I thought to be dark and instead I try to watch YouTube videos of other stuff. If you want to know about a collapsing economy or about the sinking of Venice, you can watch gloom and doom videos all you want, but so much of it is depressing.  The other evening my wife and I watched a Hollywood Squares video from the late seventies and laughed at every Paul Lynd answer.  He was just so cleverly funny and that show was a perfect forum for his humor. There is no doubt that the Match Game was perfect for Richard Dawson...