I was adopted as a child, so the only blood relative I know is my brother; Half-brother, actually. The couple who had adopted my older brother were asked if they wanted me also. They jumped at the chance. I see shows  about adults looking for their “real” family and I can identify with them. While growing up, I too often had the feeling of not belonging, not only at home but anywhere. I always feel I am on the edge of most groups I am involved in, a visitor, an outsider. It is rare to feel like I truly belong. But I don’t feel the burning need to find my biological parents, as some people do. The people who raised me are my parents. They are the ones who took care of me, tried to teach me right from wrong, and encouraged me to be the best I can. I know the name of my biological mother and wish her well, but I can’t give her either credit or blame for who or what I am. She was in prison when I was born (bad checks). If abortion had been legal, I might not even have been born. I do give her credit for giving me up so I could be raised in a good home with a loving family. My adoptive parents treated all children as if they were their own. They had 2 adopted sons and 1 adopted daughter. They also took in a dozen foster sons over the years.

I interviewed today for a job at a company that makes, packages and ships snack foods. I had orientation this afternoon and start work at 8 AM. Still waiting on a background check, but that will most likely come out fine.

(CBS News) WASHINGTON – There were new questions Saturday night concerning if anyone in the White House was aware of the IRS’ targeting of conservative groups.

Inspector General Russell George said he informed a deputy at the Treasury Department in June of 2012 about the probe into the IRS.

The Treasury Department confirmed the timeline but said they did not know the details of the investigation until last week.

It’s the first evidence that someone within the Obama administration knew about the practice during the presidential campaign.

It is unknown whether anyone in the White House was told of the federal investigation.

Republican Congressman Aaron Schock serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the IRS.

“We don’t have any reason to believe at this point that it was anybody outside the IRS directing them to do this,” said Schock. “Obviously there’s been claims that the White House might have been involved and other groups. I don’t have any reason to believe that.”

Read the entire article and watch the video here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57585182/evidence-emerges-that-obama-administration-official-knew-of-irs-targeting-during-2012-campaign/

As some of you know, I spent quite a few years working as a Security Police Officer on an Air National Guard training base, also known as a Combat Readiness Training Center, or CRTC. The base was owned and operated by the State, but both State and Federal Government agencies played their part. Enter bureaucracy at its finest.

Projects to be completed and issues to be resolved often meant the creation of committees which would study the subject at hand and form ideas and proposals on how to deal with it. That, of course, meant meetings. I hate meetings, and avoid them when possible, although some are necessary and important.

Eventually, at our base, we saw an item in the news letter voicing concern that, due to the large number of committees, so many meetings were being held that it was interfering with day-to-day business. I half-jokingly said they would probably form a committee to meet and study how to reduce the number of committees, and thus reduce the number of meetings being held.

They did exactly that.

I am proud to be an American, but I believe our “leaders” have lost touch with what most citizens want America to be like.  In these strange times, when more and more control is being exercised over every aspect of our lives, it sometimes seems futile to speak out, and many are tempted to just tune out.  Instead, we need to become MORE involved, to educate ourselves about what our founding fathers believed in,  and let the politicians know that we must return to a more common sense way of doing things.  As private citizens, we know we can not spend more than we take in.  Government agencies tend to spend without thinking how to pay for what they do.  After all, it is not their money.  Let them know WE are their bosses, not the other way around.  To do that we need to have faith, hope and charity.

I have faith, in the basic goodness of most people.

I have hope, because every breath we take is a chance to start over again, and improve ourselves, even though I may not know where the next money is coming from.

I believe in charity, because who am I to not help someone in need?  I often help people, by giving money when they are shorthanded, and many other random acts of kindness.  I myself have been helped by friends, family and even strangers.  Charity is the voluntary act of helping others.  Government taking more and more of our money, to redistribute it as THEY see fit, is not charity.  It may begin with good intentions, but inevitably invites corruption in our system, as much of the money is funneled to friends of the politicians, and special interest groups. 

Original:

As I write this, it is just after midnight, so Saturday May 11 2013 is newly upon us. I am spending the night at my father-in-law’s house; Tomorrow my wife’s brother-in-law will take me, my few belongings and my dog, to the house he is kindly letting me use. It’s gonna be strange to be living alone with just my dog for company, but at least I won’t have to stress all the time wondering when my wife is going to come home. I bought a laptop so I’ll be able to get online. I’m waiting until I have money coming in to buy a TV, and even then I probably won’t get cable, but a TV that has an analog descrambler built into it, to avoid having a bill. Thanks to all of the friends who have listened patiently when I was stressed out and needed to talk. Yeah, I know I’m actually typing, but same thing.

Take care of yourselves and those you love, my friends.  Appreciate them and make sure they know it. I love you all.

Update:

I’m getting settled in at the house. Living simply. I will be okay and this will be a place to start getting my mind settled and ready for what comes next.

Spent a couple hours at the neighbors’ Mother’s Day. Talk about culture shock!!! A large African-American family with lots of kids, loud, music with words “b!tch, f@ck & n!gg__” used in abundance. Not that that makes them bad people, just different to what I am used to. I wet my mouth a few times with the beer they gave me and, after a nice piece of steak and half cob of corn, thanked the lady of the house and headed back to my dog to give her the bits of steak I brought her. I have had dear friends who were black and have worked and shared meals with black people on many occasions, but they were not like this.

Both kids called to wish their Mom Happy Mother’s Day, as did I. Today I walked to the library, where I am now, and with help I got set up for Wi-Fi.

TTYL, my friends!!!

PHOENIX (AP) — The jury has found Jodi Arias guilty of first-degree murder in the death of her one-time boyfriend in Arizona. Arias initially denied involvement and later blamed the killing on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said she killed Travis Alexander in self-defense.

Read the entire article here:  LINK 

The sentencing phase is next.  After that, I hope we can finally stop hearing about this horrible woman.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The woman’s voice was frantic and breathless, and she was choking back tears. “Help me. I’m Amanda Berry,” she told a 911 dispatcher. “I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years and I’m, I’m here, I’m free now.”

Those words led police to a house near downtown Cleveland where Berry and two other women who vanished a decade ago were found Monday, elating family members and friends who had longed to see them again.

Read the entire article here:  LINK

This post was inspired by the post: You don’t know what you don’t know…, by fellow Xangan #appalolly.

This really hits me right now. 

I went to Culver’s and had this for lunch yesterday.  I cut the sandwich in half and then ate half and took half, along with half of the cheese curds, home to have as a late night snack later.