Lay Me Down to Sleep

When we die, who speaks for us when WE are gone? Sure, the People of the World cry and moan for those recognized as famous, intelligent, learned and so on, BUT for the Common Folk, WHO mourns for us? Who describes our lives and virtues? We stand against the famous and rich who are in the news and newspapers everyday, BUT who will tell our story? We too have lived, and while we have not the status of many others nor have servants to serving us, who will serve us our rightful few minutes of Fame in our Name when we are No Longer?

WHO speaks for us when we are gone? Who will cry when we are dead? Who fights for our Souls when we cannot speak? 

Who loves us when we cannot Love them in return when we are no more?

Who?

Thoughts on a Cold Fall Morning

A Man without seeds sown, departing this Earth without Children, leaves an empty Destiny with no Meaning, Hope nor Future. All Species of this planet thrive on finding a mate to sow its seeds to continue its Heritage, and when that seed grows to finally lift its branches or eyes to the Sky and Sun, and in its own new Life will also one day mate and sow its seeds to look up and see the Sky. 

Life is to continue, NOT die without its Life continuing. 

Life is continuance.

These words are my own, not copied nor changed from someone else's mind. These words in whole or in part, cannot be copied or used without my advance permission.

Clouds seen while on the Road

Well, during the past few weeks we've put more putting miles on that odometer, and this week is NO exception. We are again in the higher latitudes, not high enough to see the aurora forecast for the next few days, but high enough to be able to drive a few hours if the skies were clear (NOT!), to see some green meanies!

We didn't stop as many times on the drive up as we would have liked, but it was still nice with some very nice clouds, and here's a few snaps of the clouds.

We knew in advance the area was getting rain, and sure enough, as we got into the last miles of our looong drive, the rain began. By time we arrived at our final destination Sunday evening, it was pouring down quite nice. 

It's nice of Mother Nature to be so kind to clean our poor dirty minivan!

On the other hand, we regularly pass through Michigan, and this drive was again no exception. Michigan has an interstate speed limit of 70 miles per hour (mph), but still the cars zip by us as if we were standing still. I guessimate their speeds far exceed Michigan's speed limit of 70mph, and we often see cars racing on the interstate roadways. I have often complained of vehicles in the states of New York, Pennsylvania and especially Michigan, how they pass even over double yellow NO-passing lanes, on curves, and seem to enjoy driving at the speed of illegal and suddenly stop approximately two feet behind your back bumper. 

In my opinion, there is NO way to prevent a deadly accident on any roadway while driving 70mph or faster. By allowing vehicles to drive 70mph and above, the state is basically saying you can get to your destination faster, and to the cemetery even faster! It's bad enough that most vehicles that cause an accident kill others while seemingly the vehicles causing those accidents disappear into the distance to again speed recklessly another day. In one recent incident in Michigan, a pickup truck zoomed up to pass but instead encountered two trucks side-by-side, one passing the other. The truck simply veered suddenly to the right of both trucks, passing both on the interstate shoulder, and disappeared within seconds!

The overall sad thing about higher speed limits, is that drivers drive fast everywhere. It seems in these states and others, drivers speed faster than the posted speed limit everywhere, since they are already used to speeding faster than the speed limit. Yesterday, we saw two black sedans racing each other at what I estimated to be 85mph, weaving in and out of traffic, with no regard to the safety of others nor for themselves. Then we passed by a state trooper on the side of the road, after having stopped some other vehicle, but those two speeding racing vehicles had passed by them just minutes ago!!

This story doesn't end there. We are saddened to see so many signs with the following sad words CRASH INVESTIGATION SITE, and the frequency of these signs appearing on roadways is increasing!! We saw one such sign in New York state roadways even, the first ever! On this trip, after crossing into Michigan from the southeast, there must have been 10 and more of these signs. I don't think anyone can see these signs since they are driving faster than the speed of signs!

Wherever you are, stay at a safe speed, and that speed should be the speed you can safely control your vehicle should a situation present you with a split-second decision to decide what action to take: stop, slow down, or steer away. At the top speed of 70mph or faster, any one of the three actions I mentioned, will most likely result in a roll-over, a collision with another vehicle, or all. Other vehicles will then be affected also, building into a high-speed crash scenario that is encouraged by many states by increasing the speed limit. 

How many have, and will die because of these high speeds? How many innocent drivers who are driving below the displayed speed of 70mph, will be affected and/or be seriously injured or killed?

You can write, email or call your state transportation representative or others, to voice your opinion that speed limits need to be lowered. No matter what happens, all of us are affected in one way or another.....  

What will YOU do?

Have you had a close-call with a speeding driver? Please share your experience, detailing the location, the direction you were headed, and what was the posted speed limit....

It's been said before lots but I seriously don't think many are hearing it: BE SAFE OUT THERE!

Maybe it's not too late....

The fog is in and breaks my annual new years' routine of photographing the last sunset of the year, to be followed by capturing the first sunset of the year. As I type this, I am waiting to enter the cold outside to photograph the fireworks near the Ferry Building... little will that do to make me smile as I'll probably be alone... as always.

But sometimes it seems as if the world and Nature is against me. I seem to always be fighting against everything and everybody, thence I gain no ground, yet make no headway. If it looks good for now, don't worry it'll be bad soon, and if it's bad, it'll get worst.

Many years ago while I still lived in Spain I didn't know if I would live another year, let alone another month. When everything looks so down that there is no sky, no hope and no light... the future looks dim. Things haven't much improved, so I still have that lingering thought to keep me company... seems the only sure thing I have keeping me company these days....

It's strange that often I look to and photograph the sky... and while I see the great clouds against a blue sky, it makes me sad.... At least I have my upcoming trip to look forward to... but that is a lot of work alone.

Have you ever thought that Life would be a burden? Ever thought that it's so much easier to just step off that pavement and close your eyes for a split second? Go ahead, nobody knows you, and nobody will care.... the street will be littered with your lifeless broken body and splattered blood for just a few hours, then Life will continue as if you never existed. There might be a mention on the news but nobody will hear it.... or take note.

It's so easy to just do it.... to take it away... throw everything to the wind and die. I've considered it many times, even as recently as a few weeks ago. It's amazing how someone else's anger and hatred can influence another, and drive you to the brink of death.

I do know one thing: nobody will mourn this person should I die. Nobody will care and I will be a forgotten nobody in minutes, if not seconds. Sigh....

It's so easy.....

It'd be a great way to start off the new year!!! Doesn't seem to look like my future will be any brighter....