Po-li-ti-cos
All of them are patriots,
at least that's what they say.
They primp and they pontificate,
and try to get their way!
They call each other nasty names,
derogatory labels.
And all of them have secret friends,
who give cash under tables!
They spin and weave their web of words,
and none of them are clear.
To any one who cries "deceit!",
they brand him with a smear!
Who are these patriots, self proclaimed,
demanding such attention?
Our favorite own po-li-ti-cos,
just seeking re-election!
Mark Worden
1/28/05
Friday, January 28, 2005
Friday, January 14, 2005
In The Main....a poem of deceit
In The Main....
There was no WMD,
That anyone could see,
Across the desert wide,
No place that it could hide!
Were told we had to go,
Before Saddam could blow,
Us all away with a big BOOM,
and send us broken, to our tomb!
Now after thousands died,
We find that someone lied,
No WMD, the cause of pain,
Was lack of wisdom, in the main!
There was no WMD,
That anyone could see,
Across the desert wide,
No place that it could hide!
Were told we had to go,
Before Saddam could blow,
Us all away with a big BOOM,
and send us broken, to our tomb!
Now after thousands died,
We find that someone lied,
No WMD, the cause of pain,
Was lack of wisdom, in the main!
Friday, January 07, 2005
Golf Balls--A Poem
Golf Balls
Dimpled,
Shiny white,
In a box
Like eggs!
A dozen,
In a bag,
With clubs
To tee them off!
Struck violently,
Compressed
To fly
Great Distances!
A hole,
So small,
And marked
With a flag,
The target,
And final
Destination
For them all!
Mark Worden
January 7, 2005
Dimpled,
Shiny white,
In a box
Like eggs!
A dozen,
In a bag,
With clubs
To tee them off!
Struck violently,
Compressed
To fly
Great Distances!
A hole,
So small,
And marked
With a flag,
The target,
And final
Destination
For them all!
Mark Worden
January 7, 2005
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Resolutions--An Essay
I used to make resolutions at the start of every new year. I always felt that I was someone who could acheive a great deal more, if only the effort would just be made. So I did what was expected each year and resolutions to improve were made. Then I spent the next few months rationalizing why I either was making no effort at all in actively pursuing any given one of them, or beating my head against a wall in frustration with the effort to accomplish something that was probably beyond my capability, physically and/or mentally.
Every year there was a goal to quit smoking, improve my diet and lose weight, stay with an exercise program, work harder and make more money, make more effort to be more outgoing and remember names of all the people I met, spend more time with my family, take the family on a nice vacation, and learn Spanish, among other things. Every year these were all great goals, and every year started with the thought that if these goals were all acheived, I would be a much better person living a much improved life. Not only that, but my acheivements would lead to more happiness for me, my familiy, and have a positive influence on my relationships with friends, co-workers, and others I contact. And each year I could build on my accomplishments from the year before. I not only would be wealthy, but a great all around guy, much in demand!
I always made a resolution to read at least two books a year on some subject of self improvement and to pick a few recommended actions from each to "implement" to improve my "style" or "relationships". I usually did the reading, and made a very excellent plan of action which was looked at alot for awhile, but not really acted upon, and thus faded away!
So I always felt guilty! Every year was filled with disappointment! Goals clearly were not accomplished! There was failure! And no satisfaction! I was not happy! It was not fun! I was not wealthy! I was not a great all around guy much in demand!
It required a new approach! I thought, "Perhaps I have become an old dog, and you know what they say about teaching an old dog new tricks!" More rationalization? Not good! Even old dogs can improve.
So, rather than buying into the "old dog" rationalization and discarding the whole idea, I decided that it was good to make resolutions!
But I thought, "What about assessing what is good, instead of just what is not so good? After all, I have spent 62 years getting to today, and it seems to me that today is pretty OK! Isn't pretty OK a good place to be? Why do I always have to put myself in a position of guilt regarding failure to effectively act on resolutions?"
I needed to redefine how I thought about resolutions. Striving for some "ideal" state of existance did not seem to be realistic or mentally healthy!
I decided that resolutions should be personal, i. e., they should not relate to work/business or exist just because of a benefit to anyone else. For motivation, there had to be a meaningful and necessary benefit to me! (But it is OK if there are benefits for others as well as a result.)
I thought that stopping doing something could be a resolution, even if it is easy!
And also that continuing to do something that is good is an accomplishment and could be "continued" as a resolution for the next year.
I determined that it is OK to have long term resolutions that are somewhat vague and flexible but have no specific time element! (I'll do it when the time is right or when I get around to it!)
I thought that resolutions should be held to a minimum number, perhaps no more than 6-7, and that they can be changed during the year if it were the sensible thing to do!
And I thought that it would be OK not to have any resolutions at all. (A big relief!)
My 2005 resolutions(a work in process):
1. I will continue to not smoke or chew any tobacco product.
2. I will continue my unbroken lifetime record of saying no to any illegal drug.
3. I will continue to take my medicine and have regular medical checkups twice a year.
4. I will walk rather than riding a cart when I play golf, with few exceptions.
5. I will not gain any weight during the next year. It would be nice, but not necessary, to loose 10 lbs.
6. I will strive to keep a positive attitude each day. Worry causes inflamation, mentally and physically. A sunny disposition is healthy for one's heart, both physical and spiritual, and should be nurtured each day.
These resolutions may not reach very far into the realm of great new acheivements. But many are important maintenance resolutions. And, there is a certain satisfaction that resolutions have been made. (Remember, that it is OK not to make them).
I also now have to think some more about these goals and perhaps add to them as the months go by. It feels good to have some latitude. It feels good to know that accomplishing these resolutions is a positive, and something to feel good about. I think I will treat myself to something good (and probably fattening) to eat today in celebration!!
Every year there was a goal to quit smoking, improve my diet and lose weight, stay with an exercise program, work harder and make more money, make more effort to be more outgoing and remember names of all the people I met, spend more time with my family, take the family on a nice vacation, and learn Spanish, among other things. Every year these were all great goals, and every year started with the thought that if these goals were all acheived, I would be a much better person living a much improved life. Not only that, but my acheivements would lead to more happiness for me, my familiy, and have a positive influence on my relationships with friends, co-workers, and others I contact. And each year I could build on my accomplishments from the year before. I not only would be wealthy, but a great all around guy, much in demand!
I always made a resolution to read at least two books a year on some subject of self improvement and to pick a few recommended actions from each to "implement" to improve my "style" or "relationships". I usually did the reading, and made a very excellent plan of action which was looked at alot for awhile, but not really acted upon, and thus faded away!
So I always felt guilty! Every year was filled with disappointment! Goals clearly were not accomplished! There was failure! And no satisfaction! I was not happy! It was not fun! I was not wealthy! I was not a great all around guy much in demand!
It required a new approach! I thought, "Perhaps I have become an old dog, and you know what they say about teaching an old dog new tricks!" More rationalization? Not good! Even old dogs can improve.
So, rather than buying into the "old dog" rationalization and discarding the whole idea, I decided that it was good to make resolutions!
But I thought, "What about assessing what is good, instead of just what is not so good? After all, I have spent 62 years getting to today, and it seems to me that today is pretty OK! Isn't pretty OK a good place to be? Why do I always have to put myself in a position of guilt regarding failure to effectively act on resolutions?"
I needed to redefine how I thought about resolutions. Striving for some "ideal" state of existance did not seem to be realistic or mentally healthy!
I decided that resolutions should be personal, i. e., they should not relate to work/business or exist just because of a benefit to anyone else. For motivation, there had to be a meaningful and necessary benefit to me! (But it is OK if there are benefits for others as well as a result.)
I thought that stopping doing something could be a resolution, even if it is easy!
And also that continuing to do something that is good is an accomplishment and could be "continued" as a resolution for the next year.
I determined that it is OK to have long term resolutions that are somewhat vague and flexible but have no specific time element! (I'll do it when the time is right or when I get around to it!)
I thought that resolutions should be held to a minimum number, perhaps no more than 6-7, and that they can be changed during the year if it were the sensible thing to do!
And I thought that it would be OK not to have any resolutions at all. (A big relief!)
My 2005 resolutions(a work in process):
1. I will continue to not smoke or chew any tobacco product.
2. I will continue my unbroken lifetime record of saying no to any illegal drug.
3. I will continue to take my medicine and have regular medical checkups twice a year.
4. I will walk rather than riding a cart when I play golf, with few exceptions.
5. I will not gain any weight during the next year. It would be nice, but not necessary, to loose 10 lbs.
6. I will strive to keep a positive attitude each day. Worry causes inflamation, mentally and physically. A sunny disposition is healthy for one's heart, both physical and spiritual, and should be nurtured each day.
These resolutions may not reach very far into the realm of great new acheivements. But many are important maintenance resolutions. And, there is a certain satisfaction that resolutions have been made. (Remember, that it is OK not to make them).
I also now have to think some more about these goals and perhaps add to them as the months go by. It feels good to have some latitude. It feels good to know that accomplishing these resolutions is a positive, and something to feel good about. I think I will treat myself to something good (and probably fattening) to eat today in celebration!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
