What a thing it is to be alive right now...

[Gaillo]

Thread subject pretty much says it all. What an amazing... and terrifying time to be alive!

I'm just going to "free-form" it here... let my thoughts pour out as a pure (or muddy, depending on my eloquence or lack thereof!) stream of thought.

I know many of you have probably noticed that I haven't been here much lately... my family and work commitments have left me very little free time for "the internets" - but I'm here in spirit, if not in actuality. Don't worry though... I've kept JQP and madfranks apprised of the situation - so they can "circle and glare" (as I typically do!) in my absence! ;D

Some of you, afraid of death or looking for the realm of a better "reality" that supercedes what seems to pass for humanity's "best" these days, have turned to religion for your solace. I cannot judge you or say you are on the wrong path... lord knows I've spent enough years in religious search of the golden, holy heart of fire and light... assured of eventual peaceful heavenly destiny and paradise! I know VERY well the state of mind that goes along with seeking the divine and holy path. I sometimes even look back fondly and almost miss that special, golden kind of yearning that used to torture me so beautifully.

Touch down on today. I've had the first "good" day in about three weeks or so of stress-filled, nightmarish "getting through" with work and other commitments. I actually breathed a sigh of relief a few hours ago, knowing that even though the work was not yet complete, I had at least reached some kind of milestone in the epic struggle we call life.

I know there are HORRIBLE, SICKENING, NIGHTMARISH things going on right now just a short ocean away in the land of the rising sun... a land that I've always felt a special kinship with through my martial arts training, my historical studies, and my fondness toward raw fish cuisine and Sake... but I am still able to step back, breath, and say with complete honesty and certainty:

BEING HERE is so amazing... to sit, think, and BASK IN THE GLOW of my senses... to be ALIVE!!!

Nothing compares. Nothing can take it away... and NOTHING can take its place as a cheap-ass counterfeit substitute! 8)

Live, while you still can - nobody knows when the "end" will arrive. The S has H The F in Japan for thousands of thinking, feeling, learning, and loving beings - may they rest in peace following a horrible drowned/crushed death... and may WE take a "hint" from their passing and THINK about what OUR remaining time, however long it may be, and what it will finally amount to when we have finally passed on.

-Gaillo

[cortez]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNiie_zmSr8

[cortez]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEMuAnFH_lM&feature=related

[mrnhtbr2232]

We definitely have front row seats. Unfortunately the melancholy is short-lived when the realities of these times are all around us to deal with. I still remember to pause and appreciate nature because it sustains life and spiritual awareness. I also have a love for the arts and sciences - these are some of mankind's greatest achievements. Yet the big challenge of our time is being able to filter the wheat from the chaff. Organized religion is rapidly becoming a shop-worn thug in world development. It is not the good people of faith that are directly responsible, but rather their leadership and the corruption of man. Still, through their beliefs they end up enabling evil by extension. That is what stands out for me as representing the 21st century: mind control. Technology is killing what I call civilization, and I honestly dread the world my grandchildren are going to grow up in, if we even exist that long. Doom - the other white meat.

[Twisted Titan]

We are all witness to History and every one of us is a Keeper of Records

Make a Journal, Keep News Clipings, archival video, I personally make voice records every three days on the Musings of the day and wisdom for My Daughter.

DO NOT FALL SHORT IN YOUR DUTY TO PASS A ACCURATE RECORD OF TIMES ON.

Cause rest assured whoever the "winners" are the History Books of the Future will be very kind to them

[General of Darkness]

Too damn funny G, I was having this exact same conversation last night with a friend.

[willie pete]

We are all witness to History and every one of us is a Keeper of Records

Make a Journal, Keep News Clipings, archival video, I personally make voice records every three days on the Musings of the day and wisdom for My Daughter.

DO NOT FALL SHORT IN YOUR DUTY TO PASS A ACCURATE RECORD OF TIMES ON.

Cause rest assured whoever the "winners" are the History Books of the Future will be very kind to them


I have lots of vids of my little girl, it's great to be able to reflect back on those days..... ;D

[Ponce]

For me nothing has changed..........only sitting here and waiting for the invading forces to come to my house........I never worry about something that I cannnot stop......only to get ready for it.

[Book]

I still remember to pause and appreciate nature because it sustains life and spiritual awareness.



Ok by me if some want to bring their Bible along while they enjoy the Earth (http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=573&q=nature&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=) that was given to us.

:)

[Half Sense]

I did note that I had less of an emotional reaction to the tragedy in Japan. I guess it's to be expected since part of preparedness is to harden my resolve and not be overwhelmed by events. Also in many ways I mourn each day for all of humanity, so perhaps it's harder to make additional tears for the ones swept away in their beds. But maybe they're the lucky ones. They won't have to endure the hellish years ahead.

[MAGNES]

Less doom and gloom, more living, I don't worry about things I can't control,
don't have much doom and gloom in my life, just minor hurdles to overcome
for now, like everyone else, religion alone isn't going to save anyone, the world is
what you make it, even some of the most religious empires and people fought to
survive and made it their own, wrote their own future.

The Japanese will make it, what happened to the USA and those countries
following in last 10 years is worse in my very strong and not so humble
opinion, we can't even see a bottom or end to the madness.

Everyone have a drink and a smoke, make some babies, and be nicer to your family.

If you are on the west coast, prepare for worse, it ain't paranoia to be prepared.
I have a brother on the east coast, he just called me telling me how silver is getting
cleaned out of a dealer he uses, there was a lineup of attempted buyers.

My thanks to Gaillo for putting up with some of the BS here.

[SLV^GLD]

I did note that I had less of an emotional reaction to the tragedy in Japan. I guess it's to be expected since part of preparedness is to harden my resolve and not be overwhelmed by events. Also in many ways I mourn each day for all of humanity, so perhaps it's harder to make additional tears for the ones swept away in their beds. But maybe they're the lucky ones. They won't have to endure the hellish years ahead.
I can't say that I didn't 100% empathize but I can say I reviewed my preps as being 100% inadequate in the face of that disaster but my location as being completely outside the immediate influence oi such. It is the aftermath of such an event that I have no idea how to prepare for.

[Spectrism]

These days are to be unlike any that have gone before. They will be like a fighter in the ring that gets hit, struggles to recover his senses, and gets hit again.... and again. Or like a ship at sea being tossed by the waves when the bilge pumps break down, and the electrical system shorts out, and the engine gets fouled with sea water.

Preps give us that moment to breathe and attempt to recover our senses. Mental preparedness gives us that inner ability to reason what is happening externally when our emotions want to run wild. Foreknowledge let's us know how to find the lifeboats when the ship is about to sink. Above all, if you are alive in the Spirit, you will be told where to turn and what to do by the One who knows everything and cares for you.