Happy Inauguration Day: Straight Talk About Some Things We Should Have Learned in Kindergarten and a Few More Fun Ideas

In honor of Inauguration Day there are a few things I feel that need to be brought up to all American’s who are actively involved in politics. Whether that be in an official office held position or in a strictly “I share Facebook Meme’s” way.

First off I am thoroughly aware the laughing joke that this last presidential election was. There is a joke by Gabriel Iglesias on an old TV Special that stated we should just make presidential elections a reality TV show with an 800 number at the bottom for voting and call it “Who is Going to Run This B***h” because American’s are more likely to vote for, at the time, the next American Idol, versus the presidential election. Somewhere along the line, someone took him seriously.

Never during the election was I all about Clinton nor was I all about Trump. I really started to feel like the media must have had to pay someone off in order to create this monstrosity in order to up ratings. While I have always wanted someone in office who was smart, could be familiar with the government handlings, a business (wo)man and most importantly not a politician; never did I think they were going to say here he is folks, Donald Trump.

But what is done is done. And Happy Inauguration Day. Pro-Trump, Anti-Trump, Indifferent-Trump it’s all the same. Every single person should be happy to celebrate a day that comes only every four years. Why? Because it means that America still exists. It means we still have a fighting chance of making it till the next Inauguration Day.

There should be none of this boycotting of the Inauguration by congress members, no #notmypresident. Why? Because it’s a load of crap. It wouldn’t matter if the situations were reversed and it was #shesnotmypresident. He is your president. You are (assumingly) an American citizen and things like this just make us a laughing stock of the greater world population. When you have citizens not to mention congress refusing to acknowledge a president that just makes America weak. It makes us look like what regrettably, we really are. A bunch of unruly heathens who skipped kindergarten and never learned to play well with others.

All this election has done is create one big self-destruction button on America and it has gone too far. The great thing about America is we have the right to believe what we believe and the right to expression of those beliefs. But everyone is just running around like a bunch of playground bullies, pushing, shoving and belittling people and stealing lunch money every chance they get.

To both democrats and republicans. It’s time to stop the whole high school clique situation we live in and start acting like mature, responsible adults trying to raise families and keep a country afloat so we have an America to leave to our children. You have to learn to work with each other and compromise, (see another Kindergarten word of the day). Learn it’s okay to agree with an idea even if the proposer isn’t red or isn’t blue. The founding fathers themselves knew a two party system was to be our down fall and they were right.

Life isn’t always black or white sometimes we have to see the grey and look at both sides of the scenarios. Personally I love the idea concept of Obamacare or the Affordable Health Care Act, whatever name you know it by. Do I think that it was a fairytale? Heck yes it was. Because while it worked successfully for some it screwed others. Just the way Washington intends things. I don’t want people to lose their coverage, for my personal situation I just want one minor detail to change. Don’t force me to have health insurance. I couldn’t afford it before, I still can’t afford it now but I have a plan that for two years I paid outrageously for that has never shelled out a dime, just so I don’t get fined.

We have to meet part way on immigration. Do I think the wall is a bit of a stretch? Hell yes I do. The Berlin wall was insanity and how long ago was it that China built their great wall to keep out invaders? And did that work? No because it’s just a wall. So we have to learn to deal with deportation. Even though the idea of removing families is heartbreaking America can barely take care of its legal citizens let alone its illegals. For those of you who follow up with the argument, “Anyone who is not pure Native American Indian is an illegal immigrant,” let me tell you, you are most certainly right. And for those of you who may know your Native American history or ever watched a Western, let me remind you, them trusting immigrants and helping them not to starve to death in the holiday we now call Thanksgiving, is what truly screwed them royally. This country was built on immigrants… that stole everything from the Native Americans. That is why we must be just a little more cautious when it comes to immigration. Every history teacher we ever had told us we must study history so not to repeat it. Let’s not repeat it shall we?

Now that we have brought up repeating history, bring on the people who think Trump is the next Hitler and will bring back segregation and all that it stands for. First off, there has been more racial tension under Obama than there has been in last fifty years. You have to be living under a rock to think differently. Secondly, if you think for one tiny second that Trump by just sitting in the White House will be responsible for hate growing that’s ignorant. Because we are the only people who are responsible for hate. Only ourselves can be responsible for how we treat others and how we let others treatment of us effect how we feel. There is always going to be hate in the world; that is just part of life. I am not saying toss out the definition of hate crimes and stop fighting bullies, not in the least. But take part in solution by treating others the way you want to be treated and teaching your children the same thing!

But seriously these whole “safe zone” for “feelings” for college aged people, that is a little farfetched folks.

At the end of Friday just remember, you are American we have to be proud to be American or what’s the point? We have to be United we Stand, Divided we fall. It’s been too long since this country has been united in anything. So at least let’s be untied in our pride for our home. Even if we are not happy about the next White House residences lets at least be united in our respect for Trump out of the respect for his office. If we can’t even agree on that we might as well be painting a giant target on ourselves for attack and for failure. Inauguration Day begins a new chapter in America’s story book, Trump doesn’t write all those next pages. Every elected official in DC has the ability to make its mark, as does each and every American.

Happy Inauguration day for those of you who made it this far in my rant and give a hoot about Trump taking office. Most importantly, Happy Friday and God Bless.

Descendants of Fools

I am the descendants of fools. Not my parents not my grandparents but those before them and those before them. A lot of the blood beating through my veins is that of the Indian’s (although you could never tell it by looking at me) and German. My genetics are, without a doubt mixed enough of the melting pot that I suppose it doesn’t really matter.

But these people were fools nonetheless. Fools for believing in leaders they choose. The Indian’s, the made their first mistake in saving the original colonists, the homesteaders. Making deals and believing that the “fathers in Washington” would hold to their end. The Cherokee who sold nearly half the land in Tennessee for fifty-thousand dollars in worthless American paper money. Then in the end still walked to their deaths in the Trail of Tears. Other tribes were talked into giving up their weapons and going onto reservations, convinced that they would be protected. Most were slaughtered by the US military anyhow.

My German blood is no better. Although my forefathers crossed the Atlantic and had done settled along the Illinois River bottoms decades before Germany’s biggest mistake doesn’t make the people I have been breed from any less the fools. Germany was devastated after the First World War. Torn. Broken. Tired. Destroyed. Hungry and desperate. In true fashion of those who are struggling they looked for a leader. And a leader they did find. Adolf Hitler was not a bad leader. Hitler succeeded in raising their hopes, bringing them together to rebuild their tattered country. He also gave them somebody to hate. Somebody to blame for the devastation of their people and the loosing of the war. He found a way to manipulate their weakness and in turn bring them together and fight for his own twisted war and do his own horrific killings.

Hitler wasn’t a bad leader. He offered everything a good leader would need. But his own twisted mind lead him astray and the power went to his head and lead him to further destroy a once powerful country. He raised high hopes in his people, offered them great reward for their duty and the likes. By the time he had them doing his dirty work he had them brainwashed. Convinced that they were doing the right thing. That they were best to give up their freedoms and work for the country as a whole and not for themselves, their families or the like. Adolf convinced them to give themselves to the bettering of a government which was himself, and their high powered dirty, twisted, vicious and atrocious colleagues. The people of Germany was put last and one by one they found people to hate and blame for their own misery. When that happened they killed them off by the millions.

Growing up I understood both sides of the American frontier. The white’s need to move West and the Indian’s need to stand their ground. But I saw the way the American’s tricked the Indian’s and killed them when they wouldn’t be forced off their lands. They massacred men, women and children. But the history books don’t call the killing of no Indian’s massacres. But when the Indian’s killed any white’s it was massacre.

As I got older I began to understand it was a white man’s greed that killed off most of the original American’s. I understood a lot of it was big money. Greed. Now that more time has passed I see that it’s not just the color of a person’s skin that can possess them with a white mans greed. It’s just an expression. Like green with envy. Red with anger. Blue with sadness. Any person can be white with greed.

Both the Indian’s and the Germans were led astray by white greed. By leaders who were graced with devils tongues who could talk their way around anything. Lie through any circumstance. Deceive and disgrace any deal.

Those people who lead everyone astray were good leaders. Some of the best. But a good leader has to have good intentions to be worthy of their people. A leader doesn’t have to be worthy of followers. Most of the great leaders were smart men who could deceive people and convince them of bad decisions that could nearly demolish their people.

I am the descendants of fools. Fools who were led by smart people but horrible ones. Those who can no longer distinguish the thoughts of right and wrong in their minds for the good of the people. Washington is plagued with such leaders. Those who do and serve only for themselves not for the people whom they are supposed to work for and protect with their laws and such. As for me I will not follow such leaders I will not be blinded by their pretty lies and twisted words. I will admit I am a fool on many levels but I will not be a fool on this such level.

Westboro Baptist Church Daring to Protest STL!

Westboro Baptist Church is at it again! They have attacked my favorite musicians; Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. Now they are coming to my local city St. Louis, to picket the World Series and the Cardinals. I’ll admit I could not give a damn about the World Series or the Cardinals. Not a baseball fan. But that’s not the point.

Who can believe that God punished the Boston Red Sox’s for being a baseball team by having the Boston bombings? Or blame the Cardinals for the Joplin tornado’s back in May of 2011? It is sickening to see that these people are trying to spread such hate. How can they be tax exempted and still be recognized as a Baptist Church? Of all the things the government allows this is a hate group. This is the same as a Black Panther organization or a KKK.

I support our right to demonstrate but the signs the accusations, even as far left field as they are, are just sickening!

“Titan perverts”, is how the Westboro’s are describing the STL Cardinals. Among other things. Saying that the red color of the Cardinal’s and the Red Sox’s are fitting for the sins they have caused and the blood they have spilt.

We as a nation cannot allow people like these to taint our families and attempt to fill them with hate. I do believe that as a nation we are not as religious as we should be but we have the right as America to choose our religion. Although, be reminded the nation was built on Christianity. This isn’t the type of religion our forefathers believed in nor is it healthy for a nation who has been grieving for too much too long.

The Westboro Baptist Church and their accusations and how they speak of the soldiers is the same way the nation of veterans were treated while coming home from Vietnam. The treatment of those soldiers was inhumane and wrong. A nation of beliefs that damn near broke a country in two.

We cannot allow a group, even as publicly hated as they are, like the Westboro Baptist Church to disgrace soldiers, artiest, or even players who have done not a damn thing wrong. (Okay. Drinking and adultery effy lines but nothing like this!)

The atrocities that spew from the mouths and protests of the “Baptist Church” are sickening and should not be allowed. As American’s and just humans in general with a third of a brain, we should see that this cult should not have power and do something about it. Show that here in America homeland we do not take to those who disgrace those we love especially those who give their lives to protect us. We cannot let them think that they can abuse and use the tragedies of the tornado’s and the bombings to their advantage and disgrace those who lost their lives in the tragedies.

On Facebook status I have seen about the “Church” have concluded that they can’t charge 20,000 plus Cardinals fans with murder. But another tragedy (yes to some levels it would be a tragedy) is not the answer my friends. Hate does not balance out with hate.

I may not have the solution for what they are doing but there is something that must be done Saint Louis. America in general these people must be stopped. We cannot let them continue with these atrocities!

Rant Ended!

In Jesus name, as a Christian, Amen!

The American Party

In this next election, there’s always one coming up, I would like to see a new party formed. The American Party. A political party that’s not made up of politicians. I want to see a party of Americans for Americans.

I want to see veterans. Real veterans who have sacrificed time with their families, lost friends in battle, those who are missing limbs that they have lost in the name of America. A man or a woman who has spilt blood in the name of America. Better yet a soldier who has spilt blood in the decisions of political power.

I want to see middle class workers in the capitol. I want to see people who have slaved away to make ends meet in the way of living the American dream. People who have paid mortgages on $40,000 home and not had the money to just “pay it off”.

I want to see those students who had pay off student loans at ridiculous prices and interest rates to have just a hope of getting a job in a bad economy. Those who kept second waitressing jobs and worked seven days a week just so they didn’t drown in the debt.

I want to see farmers in the capitol building. Those who work the land, the herds. Those who feed, fuel and clothe the politicians that are there now. Side note: I don’t even know if those people eat, use or wear anything American anymore.

I want to see school teachers in the capitol. People who understand what it is like to deal with the education system first hand. How to educate children and what is good for them and what’s not.

I want to see people in the capitol who care about the same things and values that built America. Things like family, loyalty, and yes God. We chose to free ourselves from a tyrant we called King. Now we have to free ourselves from other’s who think they are kings.

The main problem that is coming round and round again that we can’t break ourselves of is the fact that people cannot govern a body of people that they have nothing in common with. Politicians especially those who are in the highest elected levels of the American government have very little in common with those of us in the middle class level. But guess what? The middle class is the largest class of America.

No matter our religious, sexual, moral, or color differences we all of something in common, we are effected by the decisions of DC. And those decisions are not the best ones for us. The thing that the politicians have figured out is that the laws they make and attempt to enforce upon us do not include them and their families.

They can’t make rules for our health insurance when we foot the bill for their full coverage. They can’t make decisions for our social security, our unemployment, our anything because majority of DC has never been in the average American’s shoes. People cannot make decisions about my personal life if they haven’t been in situations at least similar. They make their living governing us. Lying to us. It doesn’t matter the political stand point you have, it’s way too easy to see that we have to make decisions that affect people on a different level.

I understand that they cannot make decisions that will be perfect for all people. But right now the government is making decisions for the top maybe twenty percent of America and making it try to fit another seventy percent.

America needs leaders that keep their day jobs. Keep their touch with reality and remember what it’s like to be an American dealing with every day American problems and not just running with the elite.

Is it just me who feels this way?

Anarchy & Revaluation

Anarchy. That defines America this week. A place of political confusion of lack of government and political power.

The United States government has shut down. Everyone has their own opinions on it. But the one thing that doesn’t change is the fact that it is something that isn’t good for America. Not from government officials to the poorest of poor. Our soldiers overseas’ are getting IOUs the Department of Agriculture website was taken down due to lack of funds.

The rumor mill can fly quickly surrounding the issue’s at hand. Especially in a day and age of Twitter, Facebook and the like. America’s government shutting down, is just senseless. There is no other practical terminology about it.

America isn’t the nation she once was. The rest of the world see’s that too. See’s that she is a sick and cancerous nation that is struggling. However, it is not a terminal cancer. But it is life altering. It’s something that can be overcame but heart and soul have to be put into it and we have to have a governing body who will treat our fragile nation as just that. Right now our governing body is supposed to be acting like a caring physician who will do everything possible to save their patience’s life. Instead Washington is acting like an abusive, drunken husband. One that claims to love his wife but makes bad decisions, beats her and then sobers up for Sunday morning church telling the congregation that he loves her and will do right by her this time.

History shows that drunken husband will probably beat his wife again. Just as we keep having just enough faith in the current government that they will do right by us.

Right now the America needs a protecting government. The Middle East is still a threat. Syria is quiet stirred up, China is breathing down our necks and that’s just issues from abroad. America cannot afford to be weak at this moment.

With the government shut down it is just showing that we have incapable leaders. If there was to be an attack on America right now would be the ideal time to such. Washington is not functioning making delays in moving military units a sad and scary reality.

I look at Washington and I do see a monkey sitting in a place where real leaders had sat. Obama was at a time a hope for most of America citizens. But then again Hitler was once the idealistic leader for a Post-World War I Germany. Obama makes promises he can’t keep. He courted much of America with a smile and offered things that would make America the new Promised Land once again. He won his office by doing what very few other politicians had done. He made lower class, and lower ethically statured people feel important. In much of the very same way a girl with low self-esteem would fall for a man who could end up in an abusive relationship. For once feeling like she mattered and was important fell for him and married him and when true colors began to show, did not walk away because they are incapable of doing so and don’t want to feel embarrassed by their mistakes and are quite frankly, fearful of what else could happen after that abusive relationship.

Sounds familiar does it not? Obama made an entire group of citizens that did not previously take part in the election of government officials feel important and therefor was able to not only get their vote but get them too vote.

Obama was smart. Obama is smart. There is no denying that. What there is to deny, is his common sense and where his loyalties lie. I don’t believe that Obama’s loyalties lie with America and her people. I haven’t ever believed that.

Being one of the main reasons why the government shut down, is Obama Care. I have the basic insurance I am required by law to have. Automobile insurance and home owners insurance due to my mortgage. I do not have any form of health insurance. Something, I do admit, would be nice to have. I’m a twenty-year-old college student and waitress. Health insurance is not something feasible at this moment. I do plan ahead financially for doctor’s visits and prescription costs though. It would be able to go to the doctor for every slight whim. It’s frivolous I’ll admit but for many people there are many times where having health insurance for all, one that is realistic, would be amazing.

Obama Care is Obama’s attempt to fulfill promises that he made in order to win office both times he ran. It’s a beautiful idea. But so are unicorns and gold at the end of rainbows, fairies, and other fictitious things. That is what the trouble is. So many people heard the idea and thought of how terrific it would be. But they didn’t ask how everything can get from one level to another. And that’s impossible.

America is the land of a million dreams and endless possibilities. But there are something’s that just can’t be done. Like turning back the hands of time, Obama Care is impossible.

For the first in years America has to stand up for what it believes in and for herself. The Patriot movie in the beginning there is a line that Mel Gibson’s character Benjamin Martin says “Why trade one tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants one mile away.”

When our forefathers freed the thirteen original colonies from the King of England that’s what ended up happening. Our government of elected officials has become in all reality, tyrants. I am not one to propose war. I believe it to be necessary upon occasion and support soldiers always, but, I do not advocate for it. America needs to see that in our government, on every level it seems but, most pressingly the head of our governing body has failed us. It’s time for another revolution. One that shouldn’t cost us blood and lives but one that should in turn be able to free us from such a catch 22. Reform needs to happen in Washington, it has to soon or I feel as much strength and hope I have in such a great nation will not be enough. Washington leaders will not do reform. They will not cut their pay, arrange their own benefits, or erect laws that apply to both us and themselves as a whole nation.

If we, average American citizen, does not take this shut down of the government as a signal as to what it truly is, a failing government, a flat line, then I fear that a sick nation will not survive and that I may be alive to see this nation be buried. That saddens me, because this is the greatest nation on earth still. Nowhere else I would rather live or raise a family.

Anarchy is something that The Sons have popularized. But it’s not something that America needs to follow in suit.

Sides of Me

One of Johnny Cash’s most famous sayings was that there was two men inside of him. One was John the other Cash. Cash caused all the trouble and the two fought. I have come to believe we all have at least two people inside of us. Maybe three… four tops. Once you get to five your most likely, certifiably crazy. The sides of us – these other people – balance us. Drive us. They are the constant argument inside of our bodies. These personalities makes us who we are.

One keeps the other in check. Like the balance on the scales of justice. When I look back on my past I see two people. I see Kendra, the whole person who works and goes to school and hangs out with friends. But I see Gabby (a CB handle I was given as a small child and hold dear.) *Editor’s note.* Gabby the girl who was raised in camouflage on a polled Hereford farm in Fieldon, lived only for coyote hunting and being better than the boys. I also accuse her for any lapses in sanity and judgment.

Kendra and Gabby argue a lot. Gabby wants to get back to her roots and Kendra has a strong mental illusion that she hasn’t lost it. They fight over her mental stability among other things.

It’s the inner nice girl and the inner witch. In most cases that balance each other out. Yin and Yang. Equal halves of a whole. Southern Comfort and Mountain Dew. Okay… maybe not a great example. But you get the point.

They say that a light amount of stress at temporary length of time is good for you. It drives you and pushes you to meet goals and to get where you need to be. You know that final peak of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs called self-actualization? Okay so you failed Health but at least I learned something in Medical Assisting classes today.

A good amount of inner battle is good as well. Driving someone to do better. Pushing them beyond their limits and testing new waters. Even if it’s all on an inner dare.

If Johnny and Cash hadn’t fought the life of country music would be much different and probably a bore. Johnny never would have done music in places like Folsom Prison and we wouldn’t have songs like Cocaine Blues. Cash may never have gotten June if Cash hadn’t been such an ass about it because Johnny never would have ruined his first marriage. And we would be without one of the greatest love stories country music has ever known. No spouse can make us ‘Walk the Line’, but, instead it’s the inner battle that pulls us in both direction and helps us choose that inner balance that inner line to walk. When we find that it’s what takes us to our own actualization.  

 

 

*If you don’t know what a CB handle is you have two choices, stop reading now and never return or watch Smokey and the Bandit for some lessons on life.*

 

 

"God Knows When You Don't Tip"

I have been a lot of things in my short working career. Lawn care provider, farm hand, peach sorter, ice cream cone maker, library assistant, sporting goods associate at the local Wal-Mart a credit union teller, restaurant kitchen helper and most currently a waitress.

 

For all the places that have cut me a paycheck I have seemed to enjoy the last quite a bit. Only God knows why. But my place of employment, who will be kept nameless for my job security sake, isn't a bad place to work.

 

Waitressing has given me plenty of opportunities to study people and many personality traits to add to my ever growing ideas that spawn into books and things like this. However do this, currently doesn't pay the bills. So I work for tip money mainly. $4.95 an hour, my waitressing pay, doesn't keep the electricity on either unfortunately.

So me and my fellow servers have to rely on our ever so charming people skills and the generosity of others in order to make do. Not exactly the best way to make a living always.

 

There are exceptions to tipping bad... so many they are impossible to list. But if your server has busted his or her tail to keep your wine flowing your food presentable between the kitchen and your table and in all honesty dealt with your crabby demanding mother-in-law with a smile on their face recall that perhaps an extra dollar or two in their tip is acceptable. Always.

 

Twenty-percent is now what we consider the normal for tipping however ten to fifteen percent is still acceptable anything lower is just insulting if your service was passable. If you want to be waited on hand in foot for free while eating stay living with your mother. If you want a decent night with a lovely meal and wonderful service tip your server.

 

Because remember God knows when you don't tip.

 

Sincerely,

Kendra

 

P.S. Thank God for freedom of speech.