OOPS! I ALMOST FORGOT TO HODGEPODGE, HODGEPODGE!

     Yesterday, my beloved SWMBO and I had our usual Tuesday visit with our granddaughters. As usually happens, by the time they are picked up by their dad everyone is tired. SWMBO, the two Littles and yours truly were spent but it was a good kind of tired. My point, you may be asking yourself, is that I forgot about the Wednesday Hodgepodge until late Wednesday morning. So better late than never, here's this weeks Hodgepodge.

1. Do your actions match your words? Elaborate.

     To be completely honest, not always. Sometimes I find myself going against my own advice. Sometimes situations arise where a different course of action is called for and so I adapt my response as the situation warrants. 

2. Sick as a dog, go to the dogs, dog days of summer, dog tired, it's a dog's life, every dog has it's day, can't teach an old dog new tricks...now doggone it which saying could most recently be applied to your life?

     I would say "dog tired" and "can't teach an old dog new tricks" apply to my life right now. I have been experiencing more fatigue these days and I'm not sure why. I recently went to the vet for a routine follow up and all systems are operating as designed. 

   Regarding the Old Dog/New Tricks thing, I tend to be set and comfortable in my ways and no matter how hard I try I cannot change my bad habits. I still persist in trying but it seems hopeless. It is similar to the conflict the Apostle Paul describes in the 7th chapter of his letter to the Romans.

     Just for the record "It's a dog's life" is not a negative thing in our house. Our dogs have a lavish and full life style. I should be so spoiled!

3. Your favorite book featuring a dog in the storyline? What makes it a favorite?

     There are two books that come to mind. WHITE FANG by Jack London and THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY by Shirley Burnford. I read both books during my youth.

4. What's something you hope to one day have the confidence to do?

      This is really a great question. This is really a difficult question. I am sure that there are things that I lack the confidence to try but I can't think of what they are. Maybe directly confronting someone who is out of line? I will have to ponder this question. 

    

5. August 16th is National Tell a Joke Day. So tell us a joke.

     Little Johnny was sitting on a park bench and eating a bunch of candy. An old lady was walking by and saw Little Johnny eating all that candy. She stopped and said "You shouldn't be eating all that candy at once. You could get cavities, acne and a stomach ache." Little Johnny replied "My grandfather lived to the ripe old age of 105 years." The Old Lady asked "Did your grandfather eat five candy bars at one time?" Little Johnny answered "No, he minded his own freaking business."

6. Insert your own random thought here.

     WARNING...DOUBLE STANDARD RANT! 

     Recently there have been two glaring examples of a double standard reported in the so called news media. The recent tension with North Korea and the kerfuffle in Charlottesville, VA. I'll dress only one of these issues this week.

     THE FIRST ONE: The nut job with a bad haircut leading North Korea made fairly specific threats that he was going to launch ballistic missiles on the United States. President Trump warned him, in no uncertain terms, that the United States was prepared to meet such an attack and respond with sufficient force leading to the destruction of North Korea. 

     Then some in the news media chastised President Trump for speaking so provocatively. They urged the president to not say anything that would make the bad haircut guy angry. They had nothing to say about the bad haircut guy  repeatedly speaking provocatively and threatening the United States and our allies with a nuclear attack.

     It is my humble opinion that if someone threatens to kill you, you would be wise to believe them and take reasonable steps to protect yourself. This is wise at the personal level as well as at the national level. I stand with the president on this one.