If it were this easy.....

If it were this easy.....
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

As I have said before, I am going back to school to get a degree in Education (Primary/Elementary) with a technology and special ed. endorsement. Anyway, this is my third time around and will be my second degree (AS in Liberal Arts from HCTC) and the many hours I received in Political Science and Psychology at the University of Kentucky. I am now attending the University of Southern Indiana and liking it quite a bit. I do feel strange being older than half my teachers, but thats the price you pay being a "non-traditional" student. Got to love the labels, they have to label you or they can't do a thing with you. They start labeling you when your a child and the labels morph and grow as you get older. Some people grow out of their labels, and unfortunately others grow into their labels. Labels can be very dangerous and very bad stumbling block along a person's path in life. Please remember that when you are labeling someone, if they don't fit the label perfectly, watch out, they may just grow into it. That can be a bad thing if its not a savory label.
But back to the point, I go off on tangents easily, school has become easier or I have become smarter. I really don't believe the latter, so the first option must be true. I have definitely become somewhat wiser, thank God. Everyone knows I have made enough mistakes in this life to be the wisest man on the planet; unfortunately I have to make the same mistake a few times to really learn the lesson. But back to the point again, they have really softened the classes in these universities compared to the first time I went (1988-1992). I have only taken off a few semesters between 1995 and 2007, I tried to take at least one class ever semester since 1992 and i think I only missed four. So I have seen the classes at a few different schools quickly lower their standards. This is a scary situation and the main problem is money. These schools are to the point of caring much more about tuition than turning out good graduates. Makes me think we all need help buttons, so we can have someone wiser and more intelligent than us, give us unbiased advice. Unfortunately that button doesn't exist so all we can do is try and make due with what is around us and try and make our little part of the world better. I used to worry about the worlds ills (and I still do), but I no longer worry about changing the world, I just try and change my little part of it and hope others will follow my lead... have a great week!! And may all the things you need, not want but need come to you and yours!!

The Sliding Blues

The Sliding Blues
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

I am sure most of you have heard that this area was bit by two mild/moderate earthquakes today..about five hours apart. My morning began at 4:30 am; I went to bed at 2 am unfortunately!! It is getting near the end of the semester and the work is really pilling up. I had just finished a lesson plan and shutdown my computers (checked my flickr site one more time) and laid down. Around 4:25, Nick my runt "MaineCoon" cat jumped on my chest, I figured he was confused and thought it was time to eat. This happens with him from time to time, but this was soon to show itself to be different. A rumble started very low and kept increasing in volume and power, at first I thought it was the neighbor's kid playing is car stereo with four fifteen inch subs, but this wasn't the case. The rumbling kept increasing and no noise from the road was evident, the next thing I thought was a plane flying too low. I began to imagine a jet engine falling into my house...kinda like Donny Darko, but then it hit me. The New Madrid fault, I am feeling an earthquake. I pulled up the widgets on my Mac G5, one is an earthquake around the world alert widget, and clicked on it to look at the USGS (United State Geological Survey) site. After about six refreshes the site showed ILLINOIS (Olney, IL) 5.4. I went from excited to apprehensive to scared. I am never scared in severe weather and usually keep a cool head in most situations, but this was completely different. I have even been in a few quakes of 4 or less, but this 5.2 was a whole new ballgame. Completely out of control is the only way to describe it. Nowhere to run (out of your house, but after that?), nothing to stop it, and its much bigger than you!! I can't imagine what it was like here during the 1812 quake. It was close to a 10 on the Richter Scale (you can find a nice definition of the Richter Scale here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/glossary.php?term=Richter%20scale ) and a IX to a XI on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (Definition and a map of the area and fault I am on is here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/glossary.php?term=intensity ). People wrote about the ground breaking like waves on the ocean, and the Ohio river jump back a mile in some places (North of my house you drive across the Ohio and it is still KY for about two miles..Ellis Park a horse track is on the other side of the Ohio river) and ran backwards for a few hours...now that is power!! Luckily the area around here was sparsely populated and the buildings were made of wood and not over a couple of stories tall. So there were no deaths recorded from that quake. If we had one on that scale today, Evansville, IN, Memphis, TN, St. Louis, MO., Indy, IN, Cincy, OH, Lexington, KY, Louisville, KY, Nashville, TN, Knoxville, TN would have extensive damage if not disappear completely and cities like Chicago and Atlanta would have major damage. Even DC would have a lot of damage. This should remind us there is a sleeping giant or monster right under our feet. This isn't a subduction zone like the Ring of Fire in the Pacific or the spreading of the floor in the Atlantic, but remnant of an ocean that was squeezed out of being to make our continent what it is today. A friendly reminder of our past and a bomb ticking in our future!!

Severe Storms

Fire in the Sky II
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

I promised myself after the drought we have had over the past two years that I wouldn't complain about rain. But the old adage 'When it rains, it pours' is happening here. It has been raining almost none stop for the past month and a half. There have been a few days with more than two inches of rain and then one day of over ten inches of rain. We have gone way past catching up our rain totals and now the ground is saturated, streams are swollen, the Ohio is rising, and the levees are bursting at the seams. The weather around here used to mild except for a few severe storms once in a while, but now it seems it is never just dry, but a drought, a gentle rain storm, but a gully washer that floods the area, a light dusting of snow, but several inches of ice bring the area to a stand still and destroying building, cars and trees. Mother nature is sending us a message, but I am afraid that we are not paying attention, or we are choosing not to hear what is being said!! We need to wake up, if it isn't already too late....

Peep...Peep...peep..PeEp...pEeP....peEP..PEep...pEEp...PeeP...

Peep...Peep...peep..PeEp...pEeP....peEP..PEep...pEEp...PeeP...
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

Seeing that Easter and Easter candy is just a week away, I felt I should shed some light on the Peep Army. This photo should say it all. They are well trained and disciplined and ready to carry out there evil plans. We must stay vigilant and ready for any coming action. If your worried and full of fear, good, we all need to be ready to confront this new enemy. Known in the "intelligence" circles as the PFWD (Peeps-For-World-Domination) they are a growing threat to teeth everywhere. Taking over the world one cavity at a time...so this Easter when you look in your or your child's Easter basket, be prepared to do the right thing and fight off these tyrants and radicals, we can't be beaten by the sugar extremists. Wake up and be informed!!!

Damaged....and Alone...

Damaged....and Alone...
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

I was out driving this afternoon when I came past this old tree in a field. For some reason this tree always caught my eye when I passed this field, an old, strong tree standing lonely in a field. Sadly the last ice storm brought down a large chuck of this old titan's left side. I hope the farmer doesn't bring it down and I hope it lives to see a few more years, but I can only hope. I guess we all become brittle and old and become more susceptible to disease and injury the older we get, too bad that along with wisdom (I hope we all acquire some wisdom with age) that we don't grow stronger and faster as well. But as with everything in this 'verse we live in its a trade off, and wisdom comes with a price and thats it....man I am ready for Spring!!! Promise I will get brighter on this blog the closer spring gets.....;-)

Come on spring...

Or (orton) This?
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

Keep your eye to the ground and look for the little yellow and purple flowers called crocuses॥they are the true heralds of spring॥so ready for spring to bloom!!! This year is the first year I can say I have had enough winter weather. I think the back to back weeks with ice storms has really soured me toward winter this year. but I am sure after the long summer I will be ready for winter then. But for right now bring on the spring flowers and new growth to renew my senses, body, and mind (and spirit as well, the most important actually)!!

Last Weeks Winter Storm (Through out the Tri-State) [Tri-State =

Another Look
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

Like I said earlier in this blog it can always be worse. This picture was taken on Waterworks Road right outside of the River Front and Downtown area of Evansville, Indiana. The Ohio river has flooded way over it banks and has made things a little difficult for the people that have to travel this area to go to work or to get to their homes. And to add insult to injury a winter storm to add snow, sleet and of course more rain to an already saturated ground and streams and rivers that are pouring over their banks and levees. The road here connects downtown Evansville with US41 and the twin bridges to Henderson, Kentucky. As if this last storm wasn't enough, we are expecting another storm today and precipitation through Friday (be it sleet, snow, or freezing rain or a combo of all three). Last summer I promised myself I wouldn't complain about rain or snow because of the drought, but this is starting to get ridiculous. No middle ground in this area any more, either so dry its a dust bowl or so wet its a water bowl. Anyway till later stay warm and dry and ask questions, keep your leaders honest, or at least nervous!! ;-)

Coloured Ice

Coloured Ice
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

Here's how the poor plants around my house looked..it really strained my trees as well. I was very lucky it only took a few limb down here an there in my yard, but almost all my neighbors on Morgan Street lost at least a tree or two. A very inconvenient storm, but it could always be worse, so I try not to complain too much!! ;-)

More Ice

More Ice
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

Here's an example of how thick the ice was from the freezing rain we received last week... it was anywhere from and inch and half to two inches thick. It made everything difficult to do outside..especially walking and forget about driving. The funny thing about this picture is the bottle is an anti-freeze bottle..talk about ironic!!

Ready For Spring.....

Ready For Spring.....
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

With February going out like a lion, winter trying to hold on.. I can truly say I am ready for spring to spring. This last winterly mix of weather has really worn me out. I love snow, but ice..ice(freezing rain and sleet that is) is an inconvenience that I can live without. Snow makes everything look new and clean, but ice makes it impossible to move around at all, and gives me instant cabin fever. I have gotten my ice and snow shots so I am more than ready to see the brightly coloured flowers and the beautiful green of spring... It can't come soon enough!!

Watch Out...Someone's Watching You

Watch Out...Someone's Watching You
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

This is something I really miss about living in a larger city or town..the graffiti. This piece here is a stellar example of the art of graffiti, but I found it rather humors. The first time it caught my eye I thought it was an elephant looking over a dumpster, then the COP caught my attention and I realized it may be a really bad rendering of a sow or boar (what is commonly known as a pig). Then I noticed the pink in the "ear" and realized that was probably what the aspiring artist and social commentator was trying to get at....It looks as if he/she was interrupted in the process of colouring in his/her work of art [hopefully it was by the subject of scorn- ;-) ]. I am going to have to take some time and search Evansville for some interesting street art, and if I don't find any there, you can always find interesting stuff on train box cars. Actually I have found many great pieces on trains...moving art if you will. So next time you see this stuff on a boring run down brick wall or a rusty box car don't look at like vandalism ( and I don't agree with it when it is on new buildings or occupied businesses) but as a message board, a beautification project, self expression, or a public forum for discontent or even a public service announcement. I always felt it was like the salt and pepper of the city..a little spice when it might have been bland otherwise!! IMHO of course!!! Have a great week and weekend!!

We Need to Fix Her

We Need to Fix Her
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©™

This flag was flying on the road to London, Kentucky...on the way to Middlesboro were I have a great friend. I had plenty of time to reflect on the five hour drive by myself. This flag hit me on a very emotional level. I guess the stress of having criminals ruling the country I love and taking our high standing in the world and bring us down to the level of all the thing we historically have fought has gotten the better of me. Usually I wouldn't have given this flag a second look, or if I had I would have just thought to myself how disrespectful it is to let a flag fly in this condition, but on this occasion I had to turn around and photograph it. The reason was this is a perfect symbol of the condition of this country. We are suffering from fear, apathy, and laziness. I am ashamed of what we have let happen, and yes we are all guilty. We no longer take to the streets, much less vote to get the right things done. We just depend on the corporate media to give us thirty second blurbs on things they want us to know and then drown us in Britney Spears and Paris Hilton gossip. We allow "our" (and I use that term loosely) president and vice-president to thumb their nose at the constitution and running rough shot over our country. We have become paralyzed by fear, by this boogey man called a terrorist and we have handed over our freedom to be safe. We must understand that with freedom comes a certain amount of danger. I just hope we have learned a lesson from the past eight years and not allow it to happen again!!

Flowers Bring Colour

Flowers Bring Colour
Originally uploaded by mightyquinninwky©

I am trying to take a cue from this picture and in the New Year I am going to try to bring beauty and colour to every situation I am in.. If we all try to do this we might just make the world a better place to live in.. Thats something we can all be proud of!!! Happy 2008 everyone!!