Merry Christmas to all

God bless us everyone.

Gratitude Goulash by Doug von Koss

 

Take down your biggest pot,

bigger than you think you need

 

Slice, dice or cut into manageable pieces

memories of unbounded joy

and the desiccated remains

of life's calamitous events

 

Now throw them in the pot

Look around for missed ingredients

there are bound to be some

 

Add spring water, local honey, vinegar,

a pinch of heaven

a smidgen of hell

 

Bring this mess to a rolling boil, cover, reduce heat

simmer on a back burner for

as long as it takes

stirring occasionally

 

When your kitchen has a mysterious scent

ask a close friend to dinner

 

Get out a couple bowls

they need not match

Just before serving fold in

a cup of success

and a quarter pound of failure

 

Then be very liberal with paprika

this is goulash after all

 

Welcome your friend to the table

solemnly bless what’s there

taste the bitter and the sweet

 

One bite is all you’ll need

enough to taste

the complex flavors of gratitude

 

Now forget the goulash

take your friend out to dinner

 

Order something you’ve never tried.

 

Thanksgiving

 

Air warmed by oven heat

negates the use of thermostat

Logs crackle in the fireplace

More for atmosphere than need

Thanksgiving Day parade down 5^th Avenue

Magically beamed into our parlor

Children scurry around and catch

infectious excitement from adults

Days of preparation for the holiday

Culminate into this moment

Table set with mama’s china

Linen napkins at each place

Salt and pepper shakers

shaped like miniature turkeys

Pumpkin spice and apple pies

Bowls of vegetables, stuffing and gravy

compliment the golden turkey

But mostly our joy comes

from being together­­---family.

 

 

politics

 

 My friend Jean sent this to me:

A small boy asks his Dad, "Daddy, what is politics?"

 Dad says, "Well son, let me try to explain it this way: I'm the breadwinner of the family, so let's call me Capitalism. Your mom, she's the administrator of the money, so we'll call her the Government. We're here to take care of your needs, so we'll call you the People. The nanny, we'll consider her the Working Class. And your baby brother, we'll call him the Future. Now, think about that and see if that makes sense."

 So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what Dad has said. Later that night, he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him. He finds that the baby has severely soiled his diaper. The little boy goes to his parents' room and finds his mother sound asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny's room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father having sex with the nanny. He gives up and goes back to bed.

 The next morning, the little boy says to his father, "Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics now." The father says, "Good, son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about." The little boy replies, "Well, while Capitalism is screwing the Working Class, the Government is sound asleep, the People are being ignored and the Future is in Deep Shit.”

 

Politics - Definition

Poly comes from the Greek meaning MANY

TICS are blood sucking parasites