R.I.P. Phil Rambikur

As many of you know, we have recently moved into a new neighborhood in the semi- bustling town of Hutto, Texas. (Feel free to insert your best "Hee Haw"saaaalute here!) Our neighborhood is called Emory Farms. Yes, part of it is still a farm, which I presume is still run by the Emory family. We have some great neighbors and everyone looks out for everybody else. One of our neighbors, Phil Rambikur, passed away recently from complications related to knee surgery. I didn't really know Phil well, but dutifully went to his funeral yesterday. I didn't know what to expect, but I came away more appreciative for my own being than I did going in.

Phil was only 67 years old when he passed. He had been a teacher, principal and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force. He was part of a C-130 crew that directed missions in Vietnam during that conflict and was subsequently stationed in Germany. He served much of his time as a member of the Air Force Reserve. He had a great, loving family and, as I learned, had a real zest for life. One of his former teachers related a story about how they used to chase each other around the school ( after the students had left for the year) with these big water cannons. The battle escalated from year to year, and Phil, being a military man, developed the biggest and best weaponry of anyone, and dominated the fray. The winner was ultimately determined by how thoroughly soaked one became. Phil planned and carried out his strategy which resulted in total victory.

I think that the way Phil lived his life should be a lesson to all. He handled all situations with humor and a sense of aplomb. I left the services realizing that Phil lived every day to the fullest, and beyond that, lived every day like it could be his last. How many of us, including me, can honestly say that we are like Phil? Not many, I am sure!

So here I am, 68 years old, with ravages of old age starting to creep up on me. I find myself grouchy at times, lots of times according to my family, and attribute it to advancing chronology. However, I am going to try to change my attitude. I will be speaking to myself in the next few stanzas:

"So you have aches and pains; that's what Tylenol was invented for. Take some and quit moaning!"

"So you probably suffer from "low T" A majority of men your age share this malady. Did you ever hear of a Urologist; they are in the phone book! Make an appointment and go to one!"

"So you have trouble getting up from your knees due to two hip replacements? That's one the things that canes were invented for. When you are out working  on the sprinklers or doing woodwork in your shop and have to go to the floor, use your cane. It's a simple movement! Aren't you embarrassed when you have to crawl like a child halfway across the lawn, until you come to a tree that you can use to help you up? I think that you know the answer to that question!"

"At your age you still are not sure of salvation or eternity? You read the Bible, attend Church, pray, try to live a good life, love your family, are kind to strangers and pets, have a smile for the cashier at the grocery store, say "hi" to people that you meet while out walking, and try to respect everyone regardless of race, color, creed, religious or political affiliation (that last one gets harder to do all of the time!). If you talk to the preacher about this, you can predict what the answer will be. The bottom line answer to this burning (no pun intended) issue lies within you. You have to have faith and believe that the Blood of Jesus Christ was shed to save you and all sinners like you."

Hey, that's probably the answer that the preacher would have given me!

If you are still reading, thanks for indulging me. I guess what I am trying to say is that we are never too old to learn from the examples that other people set for us. R.I.P. Phil Rambikur, you were a fine example to us all. May we all strive to live our lives the way that you lived yours!

Parenting

It's your first day of school my son,
Have fun and run and play;
And if you teachers do their job,
You'll learn to read someday.

Try out for Little league today,
I know you're not real good;
It doesn't matter if you play,
For I know that you could.

I'll keep you home from school today,
And it might take a while;
Since you met that bully there,
You just don't seem to smile.

The school says that you need some help,
So they will hold you back;
An extra year won't be so bad,
It might get you on track.

We'll get computers for your room,
They'll help you learn new things;
Make sure you use them just for school,
Or trouble they can bring.

A cell phone is a must for you,
To keep up with your friends;
I wish you wouldn't talk and text,
For hours upon end!

Your new girlfriend is kind of strange,
Her rings, piercings, tatoos...
That odor that is in your room,
Could it be pot or booze??

And those new boys you hang out with,
They're trouble with a "T";
You're such a good boy, what went wrong,
Why won't you talk to me??

And where were you last night, my son,
You snuck in right a dawn;
A local store was robbed last night,
Oh what is going on??

The cops are at the door, my son
They want to talk to you;
I told them that those boys just made,
You do the things you do!

You're now in prison, twenty years,
I guess this is the end,
I wish I'd been your parent,
Instead of your best friend!!

The Violation of Americans By Our Supposed Leaders

OK Americans, do you feel violated?? You should! Your Congress has been complicit with Presitator Obummer in snookering you into believing that we are on the road to fiscal sanity. Nothing could be further from the truth. They have kicked the can of doing something real about the debt limit down the road. In this case Republicans were right leaning Democrats, and Democrats were left leaning Republicans; there is no difference in them. They have the same agenda; and that is to spend us into oblivion and bankruptcy. The Tea Partiers who want real solutions were buried under an avalanche of business as usual in Washington, DC. Taxes WILL go up, all they have to do is sunset the Bush tax cuts, which they will, and voila; 9.5 trillion dollars will magically appear that they can further spend on entitlements to help the non- productive in our society continue to be non- productive. Every hard working American will be expected to "do their share" to continue this insanity.

Have you had enough?? I have!! In November of 2012 please vote these narcissistic idiots out of office and replace them with real patriots who actually give a damn about the future of our country. I am not advocating violence, but I believe that we are not that far away from anarchy of the sort that this Nation has never seen! Our backs are to the wall, we are standing on the ledge of fiscal ruin. One little push is all that it is going to take to complete the destruction of our country. I believe that this was Obama's plan all along and he is very close to accomplishing his Marxist, Lenninistic takeover of the late, great United States of America!!