Where are you? pt. 2
….. the wind rips the question from my lips with such force it pulls the very breath from my lungs.
In shock I watch as it gathers strength and speed. The skies turn black and my head begins to spin.
I feel as though I am losing control, losing consciousness.
First comes fear, the fear I may never live to find you. Next, comes dread as I dread the moment where I lose consciousness to the growing storm.
Finally, Panic engulfs me as I fight to stay awake in hopes of just catching a glimpse of you before I die.
Oh, how I could rest knowing at least you were coming for me.
The storm grows in strength. The winds pull the breath from me. The light in my eyes begin to dim.
As I slip from the Mountain top toward the valley far below. With my final breath I ask one last time, Where are you?
Out of the Storm winds is a touch on my shoulder soft as a dove.
With a calm whisper you say “I’ve always been right here my love.”
Rolling Thunder 2016; My experience.
Since the American Legion Riders Post 31, Shinnston WV have been back from Rolling Thunder I have been trying to find a way to put into words what I experienced. But every time I try it just doesn’t do it justice. So this is the best I can relay. Saturday, we go down to the National Mall and Thunder Alley. We pick up our Pins, t-Shirts, patches etc. Then we tour all of the Monuments. It was a couple of the party’s first time there. The ambience that day was like every other rally. People being cool. People comparing places they’ve been and sharing how far they’ve rode for this event. VERY HOT day, sit in cooking temperature for 45 minutes waiting to get into Arlington Cemetery to watch the Changing of the guard. ALWAYS worth it!
Sunday morning, We leave early (0615, we thought was early) from our hotel for the Pentagon North Parking lot. We get a half mile from the entrance and right then is when the emotion and the realization that we are part of something extremely huge smacks me right in the face. THOUSANDS of bikes had left earlier than us. It takes 30 minutes to navigate into the entrance in a column of two. My clutch overheats and I walk my bike in the last two hundred yards. It seemed like 2 miles. Thankfully the pace was slow enough I could keep up and not lose my place in line. Bikes are an endless stream from two separate exits. So much, the police have to alternate between the two to try and keep a steady flow. We park, finally at around 0800. Bikes are a steady stream until 1200 when the procession begins. Even then as bikes are pulling out onto the route there’s still a steady stream pulling in to be parked into the Pentagon South Parking lot. It seems it will never stop.
While waiting the four hours in the parking lot as the sun gets hotter and higher in the sky everyone crams into every piece of shade available to try and rest and not overheat before the parade of bikes begins. There’s a small hill to our right and most everyone at one time or another makes their way there to get a view of the parking lot full of bikes. From this spot I stand and see for the first time just how huge this event is that I am participating in. My eyes see it, but my mind cannot grasp the enormity of the number of motorcycles parked and STILL coming in! My adrenaline starts running, my breath catches as I try to take a deep breath. I walk down to catch a few vendors, grab a bite to eat, stay hydrated and find some shade until it’s time to ride out.
The time comes and the bikes start moving. I watch as the Police escort of at least 20 bikes leads the lead bike and Medal of Honor recipient up the ramp and out of site. Over the next couple of hours the line gets shorter as it gets closer for us to ride out. The closer it gets I can’t help but get nervous and excited all at the same time. My adrenaline spills and my hands shake. All I can think is please don’t let me dump this clutch and stall when I pull out. My time comes and I pull out with what feels like a flow of pride and honor for now I am truly part of this enormous event and there’s no turning back now barring a breakdown.
We proceed up the ramp and onto the route across Arlington Memorial Bridge. People are lined up and cheering. Cold chills sweep through my body! We turn left around part of the circle to the Lincoln Memorial and then turn left onto 23rd st. Lincoln Memorial in my rear view mirrors. So many people! Waving, shouting, crying, cheering, reaching out for a high five and saluting! It’s almost overwhelming! We come to the turn at 23rd and Constitution and there is a Marine in Dress Blues getting married! We rev our engines, lay on the horns, make the turn and speed down Constitution Avenue for a way! I felt like I was taking off into the clouds to forever be gone. No more pain in my body, no more bullshit in my life, No more negativity! The streets are lined with people who love us, who respect us, who thank us…… and we them! I’ve never felt anything like that in my life! I was finally brought to tears when I passed this little girl in a wheel chair on my right hand side. She was such a frail little thing. She was by herself in her chair is what caught my eye with a huge sign and a smile just as big that said “I STAND WITH YOU!” I pointed at her and laid on my horn the entire time I went by her! I just know for that brief moment neither one of us felt anything but a swelled up heart! And that was GOOD! The rest of the ride was a blur……
…Disgusting America!
The mentality and shape of this once great nation has become appalling! Everyday I see things that sicken me to the point of wanting to withdraw to seclusion. I see that people have become lazy and infected with the attitude that they are owed something for their very existence. I see people complaining of not being able to work and expect to be handed a life. These same people go out and ride four wheelers and all kinds of other things because they can get away with the lies and milk the system. They live self destructive lives and want someone to compensate them for the damage they’ve chosen to do to themselves. I mean let’s face it with very few exceptions no one forced you to smoke 3 packs of cigarettes a day. No one forced you to drink a 30 pack of beer every other day or a 1/5 of liquor a day. No one forced you to eat fast food 3 times a day 4 times a week and not do some sort of exercise. No one forced you to shove a needle in your veins or eat pills etc. (except for maybe a severe pain event that ended with being addicted to pain pills.) Now before anyone gets their pretty panties in a wad this writing includes myself. I am not perfect nor do I claim to be.
The whole view of today is someone else is responsible for my actions not me. I’m the victim! IT’S TOTAL BULLSHIT! A huge amount of people today are all about ME, me, me and who can I step on to get just a foot further than them. The moral compass of the nation and people worldwide is so far out of whack it’s causing an ever increasing ripple effect to the point of destruction. Something will have to give eventually and it will be the fragile tolerance of people towards each other. People get offended over anything anymore. Take the end of the year holidays for example. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa etc. People get offended by someone wishing someone else a good day or “happy holiday”. If someone says Merry Christmas, instead of being offended why not just respond with your version? People have no clue as to what your affiliation is. By responding in your version of “happy holiday” you are both wishing each other well. “Merry Christmas Joe.” “Happy Hanukkah Darren.” Done, over and both feel good by being wish of well being.
Another thing is the lack of deductive reasoning. I see more and more people that can not complete the simplest tasks. It really is pathetic to say the least. One of such things is the lack of basic grammar. Then get all pissed off because someone points it out. Another is the use of a machine that has pictures AND words to guide you through the STEP BY STEP instructions. They get all pissed of and start cursing the machine, hitting the machine and throw a temper tantrum instead of asking for help. THEN get mad at you for coming to help them through something that they didn’t take a moment and pay attention to in the first place!! I can’t, I can’t, I don’t want to has become the replacement for I think I can, I think I can.
The fact is AMERICAN life has become so easy that it allows weak minded people to indulge in excesses to the point of self destruction. When a person can live better on a handout from the state or federal government than another with a minimal skill set can by trying to be a productive member of society by working then there is a severe problem! The whole system is upside down! You can see why, someone with no work ethic or someone that is tired of busting their ass and getting nowhere and seeing someone milking the system living better than them, they say “Why the hell should I? I can get it for doing nothing.” You have to face the reality of life. In the big scheme of things our live mean nothing. The only reason that we are even remembered is because of those that gave birth to us and those we touch in whatever way. Does anyone remember the countless children dumped down Roman sewers? Does the world remember the dinosaurs that were done wrong by their own kind? NO, we are a section of life that is just a blink of the eye in time. You have just one life. You are not guaranteed one moment in life. You are conceived and then you die. The real life could care less if you live or die. I promise you, you will die. You slip up and life will let you know in an instant who is in control. Something has to change because this is ……Disgusting America!
Will suicide eventually win?
When I was a kid I dreamed of enlisting and going to war.
I really didn’t know what I was headed for.
I enlisted and got the call to strap on gear and go over there.
I walked tall and thought that they should all be aware.
Once I landed I saw humanity at it’s worst.
It filled me with so many emotions I felt as if I were to burst.
After doing this twice I came home numb.
I was judged and called a liar by those that still have no clue.
They can’t direct their own lives and I’m the one who’s dumb?!
So many things and faces run through my head.
I try everyday to find something to keep my mind busy.
Sometimes those things are so great I wish I were dead.
Sometimes they’re just enough to only make me dizzy.
I try, I try and I try not to let the bad things in.
But all I can wonder is “Will suicide eventually win?”
The demise of privacy in America
Do you think you have privacy here in America? What is the definition of privacy? pri·va·cy [ prvəssee ] seclusion: the state of being apart from other people and not seen, heard, or disturbed by them. freedom from attention of others: freedom from the observation, intrusion, or attention of others. hidden condition: the state of being kept secret. Can you go anywhere or do anything without someone knowing what your shopping patterns, travel patterns even your television or gaming patterns are?
The answer is no you cannot. Almost every aspect of your life is tracked or monitored in today’s world. Think about it. The popular social media sites use a form facial recognition. It recognize a face and you tell it who it is. Apple and Google among other companies are in the process of launching facial recognition products. Although facial recognition has been around in some format since the late sixties it’s just recently that the technology has gotten fast enough to transmit data in a time efficient manner. It is to the point that now the technology can scan a crowd at a sporting event or concert and recognize people who are deemed a threat, criminals or terrorists maybe up to no good. While I’m sure there are uses that will help in this manner as with anything there is opportunity to abuse this technology.
Think about what else in your life is tracked or monitored. Your cell phone can be tracked to determine your location, listen in when you least expect it, also your phone calls can be pulled. next you have schools asking for social security numbers (which you do NOT have to and should not give them). Retail stores asking for your zip code and or phone number. Anything you do with a credit or debit card is tracked not only your purchasing habits but your location or movement habits. If you use the internet your browsing patterns, shopping patterns and reading patterns are tracked and stored. Outside while you’re driving around the combination of cameras and facial recognition can identify you at stop lights. multimedia such as netflix, Pandora and even game consoles such as the new generation Xbox one and possibly others will be “always on” consoles which will not only be listening so you can use voice commands but possibly the cameras that are included will be able to be used by outside sources.
Any of this technology in and of itself doesn’t seem to be a big issue but when you look at it over the course of a day in your life it’s terrifying to know you cannot do anything without someone who becomes infatuated with you for whatever reason knowing what you’re doing. Now I ask you this question again. Do you think you have privacy here in America? I say no. Now, who out there is watching you, figuring out your patterns? Do they make a judgment to determine if you may be mentally ill or a threat to society because of your patterns or habits?
We here in America are losing our privacy, self sufficiency and freedoms little by little every day! When is enough going to be enough?!
Believe what you want….
You can believe what you want.
I can believe what I want.
This doesn’t make us enemies.
It just makes us….well, just different.
What makes us enemies is you trying to prove my belief is either wrong or less than yours!
I am… MADNESS
I am all that you have done.
I am all that you have endured.
We have met in battle, but I have always won.
In the end, your soul to me is ensured.
I dominate the shadows of your mind’s eye.
Try as you may, fight as you can.
Your struggle is futile, nothing you can do but die.
You fight and struggle because you think it makes you a man.
I will devour your mind like the night devours the day.
Time is on my side and it will not bend.
Soon I will consume you, I am on my way.
I am…..MADNESS and your mind will be mine before the end.
YOUR duties as an AMERICAN citizen!
I have tried time and time again to either wake people up or educate on what is going bad just on my word because that actually means something to me. So, let me remind you of YOUR duty as an AMERICAN CITIZEN!!! YES you have duties, not to just reap and take advantage of the freedoms this great country provides! This is something you should all know! Link from Tripd.com http://bloo109.tripod.com/id2.html
FEMA FAIL!
FEMA itself is hinting that they cannot take care of you if you do nothing to prepare yourself!!!!!! THE reason to understand that it is YOUR responsibility to protect you and yours because the government CAN’T!!!! And IMO shouldn’t!!!!! Please read and spread!!! http://incaseofemergencyblog.com/2010/08/23/dont-ask-do-tell-govt-should-be-putting-more-emphasis-on-personal-responsibility-in-its-citizen-preparedness-messaging/
The Bipartisan parties are dead…
The Bipartisan Parties are dead, corrupt and no longer have the best interests of our country in mind. I know a great number of American citizens are oblivious to this and even don’t really care because they have personally not been affected yet. We must wake up, stand our ground and IF it is not too late we must elect an administration that will abide by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Ignore for a moment the attack on our gun rights. The corruption in our system is immense and intolerable. HOW can you/we as American people sit by and let our system change right under our noses from “By the people and for the people” to a Tyrannical “Do what I say or we’ll ruin your life” type of government. For the AMERICAN way of life and Freedom to succeed the Government has to fear the power of the masses of citizens demanding what’s right for the Country as a whole. Like it or not, believe or not this Country was founded on Christian beliefs and principles. That’s just the way it is. You have the right to practice whatever religion or lack of that you see fit. But you do NOT have a right to use your religion to kill your fellow countrymen. You do NOT have the right to tell others their religion is wrong. No system and no person is perfect but there sure are those that are less corrupt than others. It IS your duty as an AMERICAN citizen to not sit on your ass until it’s at your front door! By then it is too late! WE as a country need to wake up and take our country back! Demand that the current administration IMPEACH the current white house holder for not only treason but perjury of his oath of office to Conduct unbecoming and more!! Regain your self awareness, get help to get off the junk you’re destroying your body with, get off the welfare system as soon as you can, get a job no matter what it is (sometimes you may have to demean yourself by taking a menial job to get enough foothold to improve), live within your means, make decisions that IMPROVE you!!! It is YOUR responsibility to prepare yourself in case of an emergency no one else’s!!! I challenge you to not only make yourself better and stronger but our country as well!!
Before those of you whine that I’m on a pedestal or soapbox, YES I need work as well but am striving to do what I can as fast as I can. I’m aware that these things are hurtful and in your face but it is reality. Grasp it now while you can make a difference before the next reality is standing in numerous lines to fight for a slice of bread or wait to have a bullet put in your head because the government can feed you either. An awakening for AMERICA is coming, what will you do?!
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darrenhardman 