HIKING SOBER

Cure for Constipation

2009-04-03T14:09:00.000-04:00

Cure for Constipation

If you are bothered by occasional or frequent constipation, look in the mirror and repeat the following phrase three times in succession when symptoms occur:
"My financial and personal well being are totally in the hands of Barack Obama, Joe Biden,Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Tim Geithner, Rahm Emmanual, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and Al Gore"
If that doesn't scare the shit out of you, then you are probably destined to be backed up for the rest of your life.
There is no need to thank me for this advice, I'm just doing a public service.

The scary part about this is that its true!

Further thoughts.

2009-03-22T07:48:00.005-04:00

I recently poised the question "Is Facebook really a place for this stuff?" Well I'm still struggling with that question which is OK. But besides it being OK its my 'right' as much as its my prerogative. Its my Facebook account. I recently told an old friend you should have the right to say anything on Facebook that you will take COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY for. What made me hesitate was an a** chewing from a buddy on St Croix. But in the chewing he said I was bigoted.....

bigot: : a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices ; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.

OK, I am obstinately devoted to my own opinions . Most of us are. But I'm not even remotely intolerant nor do I treat ANYONE in a hateful fashion. I do hate what I see happening in our republic in the last umpteen years. I remember Limbaugh talking about 'incrementalism' and how liberals/socialist have been very patiently chipping away at the founding fathers ideas and the amended document they created. Some of us see the very founding of our republic as sexist,racists and several other 'ists' and to those of you I speak not to. You are beyond any thought for me as it would be wasted. Which the last statement reminds me of why I started this today. Facebook or Blogger, anything or anyplace I choose to express myself is, in the end my business and my business alone. If someone doesn't share my opinions and views then its easy enough to go look at something else. As I said before, deactivate me from your account, I don't really care if someone does because it does me no good to CARE about the things I can't control. I started drinking and using drugs because I 'cared' what people thought. I always had this feeling that I just didn't 'fit in'. That 'feeling' kept me high for two and a half decades. What a sad waste of time. I could have done a lot of good in that time. But, I've never done much shoulda', coulda', woulda' or maybes, ifs and buts' living and I never will. I look back at the recent exchange with someone I thought, mistakenly I suppose, was my friend and its clear that the person that chewed on me never asserted the virtues of liberalism/socialism. Hell, you can't! Nobody has ever tried to sell me on the idea they just criticize conservatism based on the definition created and applied by , well, liberals. Some of you might have read the little piece I wrote titled "A Shame" on inauguration eve. An excerpt : "Many liberals place themselves on high and and use words like, inclusiveness, fairness, diversity. Hold a 'Personal Responsibility Rally' sponsored by Fox News at ANY state university and you'll be treated with more inclusiveness and fairness than you can stand, along with sneering angry students and faculty throwing a diverse assortment of objects toward you and your hate mongering 'rube' friends." Well my former friend if he so chooses to be proved the point beautifully. He was intolerant of my views. Instead of debating the issue that I and he chose to get involved in he deactivated my link on his Facebook and did so with some parting insults. The old Doug that 'cared' what people thought made a decision to stop sharing my thoughts and items I find in the media and in other outlets that back up my assertions. In truth I haven't posted anything to be ashamed of nor that need be suppressed. Both of my children read what I post and I wouldn't dream of posting anything obscene with that in mind, not to mention my own beliefs with regards to public decency. I have gotten A LOT of support and many people have expressed disappointment that I stopped sharing my thoughts. So I end with this statement. If you don't like what I have to say 'de-friend' me from your Facebook account. I don't care....because I can't care, it does nothing to enrich my life to care. I will never insult anyone personally either. If you'd like to debate me on the subject of conservatism vs liberalism or capitalism vs socialism I welcome it. If you choose to insult me personally than I accept that. I don't have to respect everything I CHOOSE to accept.

The Shot!

2009-02-01T20:47:00.000-05:00

'The Shot' was taken on the 0.6mi 'Mount Cammerer Trail' January 24th 2008 on a perfectly cold, snowy day. I am really proud of this shot. I am having it photo-shopped and I'm going to sell prints, and if the customer wishes, can be matted and framed in either barn wood or an old frame, maybe antique, that Steph and I find when we are out shopping second hand stores and antique shops around the park.
I'll be posting these prints and good or bad I'll trust people not to steal any of them they like. I'll worry about copy rights farther down the road. If someone would like a copy I'll be glad to sell them at a very reasonable price....For now anyway.
Anyway....Thanks.Doug

Forging Ahead?

2009-02-01T17:50:00.000-05:00

Howdy Folks,
Well, I'm done with the whole Face Book thing for now. I was wasting so much time looking at mindless, MIND-NUMBING, 'stuff' it was insane. I really would like to learn the whole blog thing. I know for a fact there is a forum out there that I can enjoy being part of and I'm determined to find it. This is my second post....I have no idea how to get people to check out a blog but with Face Book shelved I feel confident I'll be OK. Please help me! I'll owe ya' a cold, satisfying, frothy, tasty, mug of ..........Carrot juice... From my new 'Acme Supreme Juicerator 5001'? That was an attempt at humour but the 'Acme Supreme Juicerator 5001' is a fine machine.

Oh, by the way, Hiking Sober will coincide with 'Manly Man Home EC. Teacher, Manfred Manly', just so you know. I'll be reviewing and making MY observations (hopefully amusing) on stuff I use around the house and yard.

See ya' on the trail...
Doug

Copy of: A Shame 1/19/2009

2009-01-20T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well, here goes something. This is my first attempt at 'blogging' I have zero idea how to do this but that fact never stopped me before. The following is a post from facebook that got a little attention last night on the eve of the inauguration of our forty fourth president. This thing is liable to go any place and I guess nothing will be off limits. Also, I hike... sober... a lot.

A Shame.

As our new president takes office I must admit I'm a little nervous. Someone asked me why I don't like him and I said I don't know him. I do know how he voted in the five months he actually spent in the Senate when he bothered to vote. I do know I don't believe in his style of governance. I do know the media wanted him elected no matter the cost. I believe the media helped to create our current crisis. All we heard was doom and gloom running up to this election. I personally watched with dismay as some very questionable relationships of our new president were completely ignored. I did hear 'Reverend' Wright! Our new president didn't although he "never missed a service" for many years,his words not mine.I do believe in hard work and being responsible for ones self. Lord knows I've had to take responsibility for my past choices and it was not easy. It's still not easy and I'm still paying. Why is America sprinting toward socialism? Has it worked elsewhere? If it has please point it out to me, maybe I am a little slow after all. I work with vets from the VA and Medicare patients. Ask them how they like their 'free' health care. Go visit an average VA hospital. Why are we, the tax paying citizenry not paying attention to our all powerful, all seeing,all thinking,all caring,all being,all doing government? We seem to hate big tobacco, big oil, big this and big that but say nothing, do nothing about BIG government. No one says anything about BIG education....I respect government school teachers, I have no respect for their union. Unions have done to education what it has done to the American automotive industry. I believe ALL our problems that we deal with today go back to our failed education system and the push to remove God from all things American. Never have so many done so much and spent so much money on so much mediocrity. Mediocrity is the plague of our nation. Why don't the Japanese executives at Denso send their children to public schools? They bought and operate their own school. Why does a Toyota hold it's value? Why when LeBron or A Rod makes a deal with the team they are doing business with do some say 'Can you believe how much he got paid to play ball?" The question is never "Can you believe how much the IRS got because LeBron plays ball?". I can go on, believe me, I can go on, and on. and on....Some will, and with justification say " Who does he think he is? I remember when he.....". I just thought I'd speak while I still can.Many liberals place themselves on high and and use words like, inclusiveness, fairness, diversity. Hold a 'Personal Responsibility Rally' sponsored by Fox News at ANY state university and you'll be treated with more inclusiveness and fairness than you can stand, along with sneering angry students and faculty throwing a diverse assortment of objects toward you and your hate mongering 'rube' friends. I have a fifteen year old and a seventeen year old. It makes me sad that they will never experience the national pride the folks my age felt as a kid. It was admittedly beginning to dwindle but we felt it. We will never have another 1980 Gold Medal hockey team moment again.It makes me sad and it is a shame. I pray for our country and our new president.

Christy Cj Nelson at 11:10pm January 19

Amen Doug Weaver!!! Amen...I especially would like an answer to this question you posed...."Why is America sprinting toward socialism?" Do we seriously NOT see this????? Are we walking with our blinders on????? WAKE UP!!!!!!! The MEDIA is so powerful that we simply BELIEVE what is put on a screen...well behind that screen is a great deal of political influence. Look at all angles before a decision is made. WE have that freedom but that freedom is futile if not put into use.....

Billy Kurtz at 11:22pm January 19

So you don't think talking to all people is good governance!?

Christy Cj Nelson at 11:26pm January 19

Dont understand the question in relatoin to the topic!?!? It s probably me...been a long night!!!Can you elaborate???

Leo Klaes at 11:51pm January 19

So true Doug and Christy! This is truly a scary time for our nation.

Bo Cross at 1:10am January 20

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government."
"A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.""The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years""During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:1. from bondage to spiritual faith;2. from spiritual faith to great courage; 3. from courage to liberty;4. from liberty to abundance; 5. from abundance to complacency; 6. from complacency to apathy;7. from apathy to dependence;8. From dependence back into bondage" we are at no.
6 on the list!

Doug Weaver at 5:39am January 20

Billy I'm not sure what you ask or maybe just the way you ask it. Good governance MANDATES hearing as many sides as possible.It also requires strong leadership not just a promise of a more powerful governing force to 'fix' everything that due to our greed or simply ineptitude have broken.I've read Alexander Tyler which Bo threw into the mix and I was speaking along those lines. Our country has gotten caught up in the deafening chant of "Change, Change" and we have not been listening to what has truly been said. A nuclear blast creates change.........Would a candidate that stated the obvious and told Americans to 'man up' be listened to or vilified for his or her chauvinistic comment?

Doug Weaver at 6:13am January 20

Hey Y'all,
This was not meant to make anyone angry..Maybe this isn't even the proper forum. I'm starting a blog titled 'Hiking Sober'.If it does make you angry than YOU ARE who I'm speaking to. If another mans THOUGHTS anger you I would strongly suggest you relax......Go hiking! Go Obama??

Marjo Aho at 7:21am January 20

Hi Doug ~ good to hear that you are hiking and having thougts and in general just good to hear you are around! For some of us today marks the day that you finally are allowed to have thoughts and opinions again. The past 8 years have been a nightmare for some of us, knowing that our thought (communications) have been monitored and we have not been free to express ourselves. Today is the day that will change.We hope that today we return to a decent governance where detentions without justice, torture and occupation of sovreign nations is a thing of the dark past. Today will mark a day when the good of the nation will take precedence over the good of a greedy few. Today is for all of us, regardless of party affiliation, race or wealth. Today and the coming years will be excatly what WE make it, together. Today is indeed a good day to go hiking sober ;)

Doug Weaver at 8:33am January 20

Hey Marjo,
It's great to hear from you! I trust things are going well for you. I agree with much of what you say and disagree with some also. The one thing I strongly agree with is your PERFECT thought,"Today and the coming years will be exactly what WE make it, together". Everyday is what we CHOOSE to make of it! Thank you for the post. Different idea's provide a foundation for truth.

Anna Boguslawska at 8:37am January 20

Can we just all get along??????

Doug Weaver at 9:14am January 20

No Anna we can't, human nature cannot allow that and to waste intellectual and emotional energy on the thought would be a colossal waste of energy that could otherwise,truly be put to use in a positive manner. It does sound good much like the silly notion of praying for world peace.It makes some FEEL good but does nothing, feelings and reality rarely meet one another. What in man kinds history would make someone think world peace is possible....Much like socialism and communism, they don't funcation without brute force and fear because human nature will not EVER allow it. I think you know that statement to be true more than anyone I know.

Marjo Aho at 9:49am January 20

Hmmm... but as individulas each of us can decide to tolerate eachothers views and opinions and from time to time even go along with a plan that isn't 100% according to our own wishes, but that we see that will benefit the greater good. And I would like to point out that there are plenty of examples of systems that lie between a utopistic 100% free market economy (this does not exist anywhere) and "socialism" that work perfectly fine. Not everything benefits from making profit - Doug, you wouldn't want the firestation to ask for your credit card number before dispatching a firetruck to your burning house.. you woudn't want the police to find out if you have private insurance before they sent a dispatch to save your kids from a[insert here whatever woudl be your worst nightmare]. Some of us belive that there are ares in our societies that need to be organized and paid for collectively and a "everyone fend for themself" policy would simply not do.

Doug Weaver at 9:51am January 20

Just a note: Alexander Tyler is most likely Alexander Tytler and ' The Fall of the Athenian Republic' most likely isn't a titled work. It may or may not be a hoax but the truth of the quote rings true.

Doug Weaver at 10:03am January 20

Again I appreciate your thoughts Marjo. I personally would like to see a much less intrusive government. A saying I heard from a cop friend years ago that meant learn to take care of yourself and family. " The police can be at your home in a matter of minutes........but unfortunately you'll only have seconds..." Bigger government will never benefit the 'greater good' unless more and more people depend on government. Our thoughts here are an example of what I'm/ we are talking about. I don't just TOLERATE your views I respect them and applaud them. I don't have to agree with them.

Bruce Bouldin at 10:08am January 20

I say regardless of of our opinion of Obama we all pray for him and his administration. Also remember "who" is in ultimate control of things!

Tricia Mills Baehr at 10:27am January 20

Doug, Maybe we shouldn't be in touch with our "human nature" perhaps there will come a time when we are in touch with our "higher selves" the part that would allow us to all get along and experience a heaven on earth type of experience. When we are able to let go of fear and live in a world of love then we will all know peace.

Doug Weaver at 10:42am January 20

I agree with you Tricia..I really and truly do...But, again, what in our history would make any of us think that will ever happen. Lord knows I fall short every second of every day from being what He wants me to be so I speak of scripture only wih that footnote included.If you don't share my beliefs I accept and respect that........But He doesn' tell us that there will be heaven on earth.

Tricia Mills Baehr at 10:46am January 20

The only belief that I have is in LOVE ~ when we can love all that God has created with an open heart it changes us in some way- Hopefully our past (history) has served as a purpose for a learning experience for us all. We are all connected by the ONE that created us~each of us a Divine Spark to awaken to our true purpose~here's to a brighter future~ love & light in all ways!!!

Doug Weaver at 11:00am January 20

Amen! How is the weather in your really cool little piece of the universe?

Tricia Mills Baehr at 11:05am January 20

Sunny & Cool~just like us!!

Doug Weaver at 11:11am January 20

Rub some sun and sand on you for me. I normally don't dig the chaffing and other maladies that come with sand, but I'd love nothing more than to roll around in the sand on STX about now.Is the water as cold as I imagine?

Tricia Mills Baehr at 11:21am January 20

The Atlantic is pretty cold this time of year for sure!

Bo Cross at 11:22am January 20

My last thought for this forum: Mankind WILL repeat itself! The american government will not take care of the people like everyone is expecting! You must take care of yourself! Our government is built around the people taking care of it. It's a hungry machine that will devour anything in its path including You! With that being said...All that us americans can do is feed the machine in hopes of a better tomorrow. This land was Taken a founded on "Faith" GOD and hope for a better civiization. Times are a CHANGING alright! To what they are changing too.... thats anyones guess. Man beleived in this country so strongly that he would WALK to washington to talk to government officals! Now all we do is watch CNN or FOX news and Hope for the best! Hold on to GOD, FAITH and your GUNS because that is all that you truely have. Your government will tell you to do the same thing when things really turn Shity! (Just My Opinion) ~ BO

Leisa Ann White at 11:01pm January 20

"Tolerance is a virtue for those who have no convictions." -G.K. Chesterton

Doug Weaver at 11:12pm January 20

Well said G.K......That's a great quote...meaty if you will. Just wrap your mind around it..Thanks Leisa..Talk with you soon..