Monday: Forth of July Special Edition 2016

Happy July 4th, 2016!!! It's an American holiday, and for a number of us, well all of us Americans, it's a 3-Day weekend. All around the world there is chaos, bombings, starvation, and other catastrophes, and our hearts are broken, but for the few days leading to today we are going to take a day to rest from keeping the world in order and celebrate!

It's been since the last American holiday that I took to the keyboard to write, and as the weeks passed, I thought I should share a few thoughts about the world and the lives we live as Americans, but I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to write because of my original plans to be in the HOMELAND. So, without any further ado, here is the Forth of July Special Edition of Rants From A Midwest Guy In The Land Of Milk & Honey!

Yes, it's an American holiday. It's a day when we as Americans take a moment to do what makes us great--grill, gather with friends, eat, go to the lake or beach, camp, and any number of things people do to celebrate having a day off from work and being FREE to do what we want without having to worry that our beliefs may get us killed. Yes. In some places in the world, thinking out loud will get you killed. Living different kinds of life-style will also get you killed....no to mention believing in a different God than some religions. Same effect-DEAD!!!

But not in America.."Merica!" We live under a banner that says you can believe, live, and find
happiness, whatever that means to you, any way you want as long as it does not take away from other peoples' ability to enjoy the same freedom. It's a bit ironic now and days considering all the shootings, the bombing, and the outright terrorists attacks here domestically and all around the world. And we have to ask ourselves some important questions. Do we want to be a nation that is accommodating of everyone at the risk of having a few of those people hate us and attempt to kill us because their belief system is different than ours? It's a hard question to answer because in one instance we should say, "Yes." Yes, we want to be a nation that allows our own people to do what, think like they want, and ultimately do what they want with that underlying understanding that you can do it as long as it doesn't take away from others. So without getting into politics, I say we have to embrace all things and be ready to take those that want to take it too far without becoming a police state.

The first picture above is from one of the Malibu beaches called Paradise Cove. It's pretty much a Cancun beach set-up where you can rent a bed on the beach, get food and beverage service, and walk around point Dume and see the seals or whales. It's not cheap to do the resort thing, but you can park on PCH and walk onto the beach. Considering the holiday weekend, it was a full day and the tide was coming back in. So, the picture was just after I got hit by a wave trying to pull an old sea kayak that washed up around the beach. The undertow was to strong to actually get it turned around, and before I could look up on my last attempt, a couple of French girls and me got hit by a fast wave; totally drenched my shorts! Hahaha. But, the wet shorts did help my look in that photo.

It's been a good 4th of July holiday thus far. I've relaxed, cleaned my jeep, cooked, and now I'm waiting to go watch the fireworks at 9:00 with my housemate a few other peeps. It will be the second time that I get to, and I'm excited for it. I'm kinda more excited that I can do do some karaoke after the fact and see who shows up. After all, it's a holiday, and most people are gonna be getting back to work tomorrow, but not all of us.

For those of you that are not in my Facebook feed, I posted an Instragram picture of my Jeep because 18 years ago this last week I bought it!! Yes!. It had five miles on him, and when I signed the purchase agreement, I hadn't even take it out on a test drive or any other one like it. It's true. I checked the odometer yesterday, and it read: 272421. I mean that's almost half of my life that I spend with that Jeep. It carried me to and from California a number of times. It was with me through most of my significant relationships. I had it when I found out I had cancer and necessarily needed it when I wasn't sure when or where I might live after I survived that surgery. It's the vehicle I drive now to and from Malibu. It has been the one thing that I've had almost the longest of any other possessions of mine less my signet ring (20 years). I can't imagine how my life would've turned out without him, and I'm happy it still runs as good as it does after all this time. Jeep. It runs deep! Hahaha.

I hope you all have a great day. Maybe I'll consider putting another edition come August when I do actually get to make it back to the HOMELAND to hit the Minnesota State Fair!! Yes. Till then, "Be well. Do good work, and come on back!" G. Keiller.