captainseapig's Blog

For the past year we all have been enlightened by Valintyne's posts and comments. A brilliant thought provocking young mom. I guess she's super busy raising her family. I hope all is well. Your insights are missed.

A huge problem in this global economy is US Dollars going to other countries and not staying here. When our dollars get sent to South America to countries like Brazil it helps Brazil dramatically. Billions of tax free under the table dollars are sent each year, probably each month. No wonder Brazil is getting stronger.

Look at the little country of Dubai, Billions of dollars from oil creating a city of opulence and over the top luxury. Not good. This money should be staying in America. Generating American business fueling our economy. The biggest drain is energy dollars going to Arab states. We must create our own sources of energy. Solar, wind, natural gas ,coal, nuclear plants and drilling for oil. We need to start now with tax breaks on all  installations of these new technologies to home owners and small businesses.Our leaders talked about this in the 70's but did nothing about it, lets not repeat that mistake. Get moving now. These weak arguments about offshore drilling not helping us for years is lame. Better late than never. Progress is important no matter how slow. The American people are incredibly influential if we work together in a common cause.  Individual selfishness prevents us from making a dramatic influence on world markets.  Our political leaders listen to us but ignore our plight. They talk and talk but no action is ever taken they are crippled by the fear of offending someone, someone who lines their pockets with money. Well ya can't please all the people all the time.What are we manufacturing in this country? What is our chief export? Is everything we buy made in China and other countries, are all our dollars going there?I miss the good old days when everything we bought had a label or stamp that said 'made in the USA'. It meant families were employed. It meant that employers knew that dads having jobs was more important for America than stock holder greed for low foreign production cost and high profits. It is time that patriotism meant buying American, investing in american companies that do business in America. We lead the world in our innovation and technology. Unfortunately our greed for easy profit and constant inability to come to a consensus and a positive plan of action not words is harming us. We are not like our forefathers, we lake courage and the willingness to sacrifice for the common good. We are a selfish greedy culture. We need to change, maybe all the troubles we are in are just the wake up call we need.

Dramamama just got done directing 'Mulan' for Hudson Arts Alliance. She had 52 kids mostly girls with about 4 boys. The lead was a cute vivacious 12 year old girl who was perfect for the role of Mulan. Her leading man was a tall handsome 14 year old blond haired boy, barley containing himself amidst 50 girls. Costumes were scavenged from closets at home, silk pajamas. A mom made helmets for the soldiers in the show out of plastic milk jugs. Intuition and skill produced some lovely backdrops. The dollar store was the source of 30 broom handles used for fighting sticks.

I had the opportunity to sit through all the rehearsals because I had nothing else to do. (recovering from surgery) I watched as Dramamama and her staff shaped and formed these kids into good actors over several weeks. They worked those kids to death. One girl who Dramamama had as a student a year earlier had terrible stage fright  and couldn't go on stage last year. DM cornered her and encouraged her to get back, suck it up and do it, not to give into panic and fear. This year at the end of the performance she gave a wonderful tribute to DM. Meanwhile a professional voice instructor who has worked with international opera stars, told me, "that girl has a wonderful voice" Imagine the loss if DM didn't take the time last year to encourage this young woman to face her fears and conquer them. Perhaps she will preform professionally someday or perhaps she will never be afraid to try something new ever again.Her basic philosophy is that we do not demand enough from our young people. They are capable of so much more. They have the capacity to do excellent work and rise to the occasion if encouraged with love and positive reinforcement and disciplined with fairness and directness.I saw the results of kids changed, changed for the better. After "Mulan' was over and the curtain closed I've never been prouder  of my wife. I say that every year, after a performance and I mean it.

Pride is misunderstood... Most of us think of pride as being self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All these are elements of pride, but the heart, or core, is still missing.

The central feature of pride is 'enmity'- enmity toward God and enmity against our fellow men. Enmity means, 'hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition'. It is a very negative and dark power.Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God's. When we direct our pride toward God it is in the spirit of, 'my will and not thine be done'..... Our will in competition to God's will allows, desires, appetites and passions to go unbridled.The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. They pit their perceptions of truth against Gods great knowledge, their abilities versus God's power and authority, their accomplishments against his mighty works.Pride distorts the truth about things as they are as they have been and as they will be. Pride and honesty cannot coexist.

The History Channel has a new show called Surviving History. Basically these very talented carpenters and fabricators build ancient torture devices and demonstrate them. The other day they built a 'Brazen Bull' basically it's an oven in the shape of a big cow. Despots would put their victims inside and cook them alive. Sick. I was appalled at this that the producers and executives would find any socially redeeming value in is programing. You might as well build a miniature Aushwitz oven and demonstrate it.

Surely these artisens could put thier talents to better use on 'This Old House' on PBS or 'Trick My Truck' on CMT.They have built stocks put people in them and allowed the public to throw vegtables etc at them. And this is teaching us what?I say shame on History Channel executives that gave the OK to this program.

A few weeks ago dramama made me go get a colonoscopy. I'm 53 years old. They found a polyp that was big. I needed surgery they couldn't take it out as an out patient procedure. Two weeks ago I went into surgery and now I am home recovering. The polyp was non cancerous which caused us to rejoice. Because I listened to my wives advice my life has been blessed. If I had waited and not done an exam it would have been a terrible ordeal especially if things got blocked. My sweetheart saved my life. Now I have about 6 more weeks of recovery before I can lift sufficient weights to go back to work. My friends have kept me in their prayers and I can feel the healing hand of our Father in Heaven helping me. A blessing in disguise finding this thing in me.

More good news 3 of my 50 plus friends are getting colonoscopies  soon. I talked them into it. Please if you are 50 go get one they are NOT painful and they will save your life. They take only 30 minutes and they make you a little loopy while they do it. Go do it, please. I am so grateful for my wife's insistence. Where would I be without her?

It was good to hear that there is progress in finding the serial killer who has been killing prostitutes in Metro-west over the last 10 years. My wife teaches one of the victims children in Marlboro Public Schools. She says he's a delightful boy from very tragic circumstances.

DNA is such a powerful tool against criminals a wonder of science. I'm so glad the police have been able to make a connection.

With gas prices soaring and food costs climbing. Riots in the streets of other countries over rice and wheat supplies. Rationing at BJ's on rice just 50 pounds per customer. Economic turmoil. I look at Mr. Romney and his fiscal management skills his hard core polices that make things happen. A anti waste attitude and strong organizational skills and wish he were still in the race. He has an understanding of international business Obama and Clinton do not possess. He has a even temperament that McCain doesn't possess. He looks better all the time. I'm sorry he's out of the race.

The Savior provided the perfect example of service. He explained that he didn't come to earth to be served but to serve and to give his life for us. ( Matthew 20:28)Jesus loves all of us more than we can understand. When he was on earth he served the poor, the ignorant, the sinner the despised. He taught the gospel to all who would listen, fed crowds of hungry people who came to hear him, healed the sick and raised the dead.He is our God and Savior and Lord of the universe, yet he did many acts of humble service. Just before his crucifixion he met with his disciples. After teaching them, he took a basin of water and a towel and washed their feet ( John 13:4-10). In those days washing a visitors feet was a sign of honor and was usually done by a servant. Jesus did this as an example of love and service. When we willingly serve others in the spirit of love, we become more like him.Service and voluntary giving of our time and effort bring us closer to the way the Lord would like us to treat each other. We can start in our families and homes serving one another freely and unselfishly. Making a little heaven on earth.

Here are some suggestions to get better gas milage out of your car. If you are like me and have a used car thats pretty old these ideas will help. First, Inflate your tires to the proper PSI between 28 and 32 is normal. Under inflated tires cause poor gas milage. Second, Get a tune up. Have your timing checked have the technician plug in the computer and go through the performance tests. Third check the air filters and make sure they are clean. If you hold them up to a light bulb and can not see the glow of the bulb, change them to new. Fourth, buy good gasoline, the gasoline recommended by the manufacturer octane level that is. Most run fine on regular unless otherwise specified in the owners manual. Fifth change the oil when you are supposed to. A well lubricated engine runs smother and more efficiently. A bad oxygen sensor or egr valve can ruin gas milage. Thats why it's important to have a diagnostic check every once in a while.

Or you can go out and buy a pre owned Geo Metro, they have a small three cylinder Susuki engine that helped the car get about 45 MPG. They stopped making them in about  2002 but you can pick up a used one up for about 2K. They did just as well if not better on MPG than the new hybrid Toyota and Hondas.

Each of us should ask ourselves why we obey Gods commandments. Is it because we fear punishment? Is it because we desire the rewards for living a good life?  Is it because we love God and Jesus Christ and want to serve them? It is better to obey the commandments because we fear punishment than not to obey them at all. But we will be much happier if we obey God because we love him and want to obey him. When we obey him freely he can bless us freely.

Sometimes we may think a commandment is not very important. The scriptures tell us of a man named Naaman who thought that way. Naaman had a dreadful disease and traveled from Syria to Israel to ask the prophet Elisha to heal him. Naaman was an important man in his own country, so he was offended when Elisha did not greet him in person but sent his servant instead. Naaman was even more offended when he received Elisha's message: "wash seven times in the river Jordan". " Are not the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?" he demanded. He went away in a rage. But his servants asked him, " If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, would have you done it? How much rather then, when he sayeth unto thee, wash and be clean?" Naaman was wise enough to understand that it was important to obey the prophet of God even if it seemed a small matter. so he washed in the Jordan river and was healed. 2 KIngs: 5 1-14Sometimes we may think a commandment is too hard to obey, like Abraham being asked to sacrifice his only son. Look at the blessings that came to Abraham because of his obedience, his son was spared and the Lord promised that his seed or posterity shall number as much as the sands on the seashore. And that Jesus himself would be born through his lineage. What an honor. The kingdom of heaven is governed by law, we need to learn obedience now so we will be prepared when we get there.

How can we increase our faith in Christ? Knowing of the many blessings that come through exercising faith in Jesus Christ, we should seek to increase our faith in him. The Savior said:" If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed.....nothing shall be impossible to you. (Matthew:17:20)
A mustard seed is very small, but it grows into a large tree.
We can increase our faith in God by acting on our desire to have faith in him. We can also increase our faith by praying to Heavenly Father about our hopes, desires and needs. We must not suppose, that all we have to do is ask. We are told in the scriptures, "That faith if it hath not works is dead, being alone". (James 2:7) Spencer W. Kimball has said, "There must be works with faith. How foolish it would be to ask the Lord to give us knowledge, but how wise to ask the Lords help to acquire knowledge, to study constructively, to think clearly, and to retain those things we have learned." An important way to increase our faith is to hear and study the word of the Lord. We can hear the word of the Lord at our church meetings. we can study his word in the scriptures. Faith involves doing all we can to bring about the things we hope and pray for. If we pray for an education we must do all we can to be the best student, setting time apart to study and do the home work. To pay attention in class and humbly learn from those with more experience. My faith is increased when i observe other people helping others. Their WORKS inspire me. People helping tornado victims clean up the rubble and give them food. They don't just pray for them, they also give real assistance, food ,shelter, clothing. In doing good we increase our faith in Christ for he taught that we all should be busy doing good, we have it within us to do so.

One of the first signs of spring is the yellow forsythia beginning to bloom and the robins starting to show up on the lawn. Peepers in the wetlands and red winged blackbirds sounding. Farmers begin to turn the soil with their plows. I can remember as a kid Mr Walker of Goodman Hill Rd. Sudbury getting out his horse drawn plow and turning the earth of his one acre garden. He had a big clydesdale that pulled it.                                                                My grandfather would start up his 1920 Model T doodle-bug and begin his springtime ritual of turning the earth in the garden.Between our house and his was a garden of about  the size of 3/4 of a football field. Along the side was a path that led to both our homes. Along the path were mature Lilac bushes that filled the air with their magnificent scent. Literally a little Garden of Eden as far as i was concerned. The hay was low in the barn from being used up over the winter. Gramps would be sowing some rye in one part of the garden for bread later in the year. He would also take the time to sharpen and ready all his farming equipment for use over the next 8 months. Ducks would fly in from their southern retreat and begin to nest in the wetland near our home. My brother and I would break out the baseball mitts oil them up and start tossing the baseball back and forth. we looked forward to baseball season. Just the other day i saw a baseball coach warming up his team in an empty parking lot. Ah spring. Now we can all get out into our gardens work a little longer in them because we have more daylight and maybe have time to take a little walk too.

In California in a small mountain town gasoline cost five dollars a gallon. It's about $3.15 for regular around here, it's supposed to climb to $4.00 by the end of the summer. How many are going to down size their next car? I'm going to go with a corolla or civic when i get another car. If it goes to $5.00 I think it's going to be a motorcycle.

This weekend marks the General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It originates in Salt Lake City and is broadcast worldwide over the churches satellite-network to congregations all over the world. It is also broadcast on BYU Television, channel 374 on Direct TV's satellite network.

General Conference is held twice a year, once in April and again in October. It is when the leadership  of the church addresses the membership. It starts on Saturday 12pm-2pm EST with talks from the woman's leadership and the leadership for the Primary (children's Sunday School) organization.  Then Sunday at 12pm-2pm EST is for the general populace of the church and again at 4pm-6pm EST. This particular conference is special because we have a new President of the church ,Thomas S. Monson and many are interested to hear what he has to say. He precedes Gordon B. Hinkley who passed away this past  winter. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings at these meetings and they are amazing and most inspiring. The whole experience is very uplifting and wonderful. I like the music best. If your interested tune in on channel 374 on Direct Satellite TV. You can also go to www.lds.org for more info and internet viewing.