The Winds of Change

Change... That's all I ever hear! I've had to learn to adapt to changing situations just in time for the whole house to collapse on me. My younger brothers are growing up... fast. They've invested in some pretty old cars, but with some of my brothers' TLC, those old cars ('94- '95's) have become things of beauty. My middle sibling has just invested in some coolant for the A/C in his car, which, by the way, is the only vehicle to have such in two years. My dad finally got the Escort towed away. I'll miss it. I went on my first Boy Scout campout in it, and the majority thereafter. Oh, well, I'll just put the license plate up on my wall with all the others. My brothers are working jobs part- time, and doing school. Having little memory, I can't remember their schedules, so I often make the mistake of calling up the stairs, to somebody's who's not home. My memory re-call has shortened to a minute and a half, so often, I am redundant in asking questions, and I hate doing that to people. Personaly, my schoolwork has been ramped up, and I'm rising to the challenge, getting done this week with my assignments before noon. New too, is my CPAP Machine, which I've taken to like a fish in water. It's a machine that helps you sleep at night without snoring, and it turns out that that I have a few, little episodes during the night where I snore lightly, but I'm a border case. All I know is that I feel better, and that the pockets under my eyes, which I mistook were for my wallet and keys, are clearing up, and I'm not as tired as I used to be. Not all change is for the worse. A lesson I had to learn early in my childhood. I was afraid of everything, and now, at times, I feel like I could take on the world. Talk about a 180 degree swing on the compass. So the solution to changes, at least to me, who has a big problem with it, is to make a small adjustment in kind.
Jack Sparrow: That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child. Savvy?
Mr. Gibbs: Is he now? 'Leverage,' says you. 'I think I feel a change in the wind,' says I.
Pirates of the Carribean

Speaking In Tongues

To kill a Mockingbird... Lemme think about that. Nope, not gonna happen in this young man's world. I know that they are annoying, especially in the middle of the night, but they do have a curious gift. If you'll hang ten with me, I'll show you where I'm going with this. A few years back, my dad's former company, which was Finnish, by the way, had the company shrink walk in. He gathers the crew around him and asks "what sort of power animal they would want to be." My dad, an American, tried to answer with the most ridiculous critter that ever inhabited our fair orb. Most of the other employees found this excercise in futility, also. My answer to this question: a Mockingbird. See, the Mockingbird doesn't have a song, he just mimics the sound of other birds. So do I, only for people, and I whistle birdsong. In fact, I've trained my dog, Sara, to come to me when she hears the whistle of a Bobwhite. Back to people, though. I've memorized lines from movies, real life etc, So, that's how I "speak in tongues," as it were. Of course, the challenge is the accent. It also helps to collect quotes, and watch your targets often, to get the swing of the accent and speech. So, far, I've nailed G. W. Baily (MASH), and Rev. Jeremiah Wright. It's easy to do; just pick an actor or person in your voice range, and go for it. I also practice talking to myself, even without knowing it. Sadly, I'm my second-best friend. I'd wear out a best friend with all the talkng I've done over the countless years. But, if you dig deep, there is a me under all the quotes, lines, and accents that I do, But I do a who lot more singing, just like a Mockingbird.