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"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32
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Author:  Larry Simoneaux
Bio: Larry Simoneaux
Date:  May 10, 2009
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Topic category:  Other/General

I'm not playing any more.

OK. That’s it. Enough’s enough.

I’m a sane (or “nearly normal” as a good friend, Jack Crowther, once said) man.

Stable.

I’ve held a job since 1964, been married to the same woman for 38 years, and can generally be found in bed with a good Tom Clancy novel by about 10 every night.

Reliable.

If I say I’ll be there, I’ll be there. Usually about 20 minutes early. My family will tell you all about that one any time you wish to listen to them grumble.

Love the Lord.

Not sure he’ll claim me, but I’ve tried to stay this side of his rules as best as any of us can.

But I’ve had it. I’m about crisis’d (not sure that’s a word, but it’ll do) out and I’m not playing any more.

The Swine Flu was the last straw.

I know that people are catching it and some are dying from it, but there are a lot more people coming down with and dying from the normal, every day flu than from this new strain. Why isn’t the media going “ga-ga” about that?

But here we are. Night after night, blow-dried anchors and anchorettes breathlessly telling us about the precautions needed (mostly the same ones you’d take if you had that regular flu – stay home, rest, drink fluids, avoid contact with others, see your doctor if symptoms persist or if you get worse) and showing us the world cringing in fear of this new bug.

Gee. Wonder why.

And that did it. Pushed me over the edge. I’m done with crises for a while.

The Taliban’s taking over Pakistan?

Got it. I’m 60-years-old. My war was Viet Nam and we now sell airliners to the folks I once tried to blow off the face of the earth. I don’t know what’s coming down the pike in Pakistan, but I’m assuming that my government and a lot of others recognize that having moonbats with nukes isn’t a great idea and will do something about it whether I’m worried or not.

Global warming?

Trust me, I’m all for reducing energy consumption, not polluting, finding alternate fuels, cutting emissions, and whatnot. Just now, however, don’t expect me to get myself into a lather when the big guns in science still haven’t agreed on what’s actually going on.

Is the earth warming? Probably, but the last time I checked, the earth has been both hotter and colder than it is now because there are these things called cycles that tend to last a bit longer than our current attention span. Too, one can find just as many arguments propounded by just as many scientists, with just as many degrees and honorifics, who say that what’s happening is not all our fault. I’ll start worrying when they come to an agreement on what we need to worry about.

The financial situation?

We’re printing money like it’s confetti and praying that the folks to whom we owe the ranch won’t call in our notes. I’ll pay taxes and buy the things that I need, but there’s not much else I can do except hope that the poohbahs in D.C. have their heads screwed on straight and have some inkling of what they’re doing. My worrying isn’t going to add anything to that equation even though history isn't on our side in this one.

The “Big Three” automakers are in trouble?

So are a lot of others. Build a better product or become a memory. It’s happened before. It’ll happen again. It’s called the free market. If allowed to, it will sort itself out.

They’re coming for my guns? The borders are wide open? Iran’s run by a dingbat? Drugs are everywhere? India and China are handing us our heads in education? You can’t buy a true half-gallon of ice cream any more? California’s bankrupt? I can’t find “The Honeymooners” in reruns?

Sorry, I feel as if I’m being led on a crisis tour to keep me distracted from something and I’ve had enough.

I’ll keep my grass cut, scoop up after my dog, and remember to turn off my cell phone in movies. But, for the next little while, my main worry will be whether I’ve spaced my tomato plants properly.

By my count, there are 300 million other people in this country and about six billion on the planet - more than enough to do whatever worrying needs to be done.

So, I’m taking a breather from it all and guess what? I’m not worried about that either.

Larry Simoneaux

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Biography - Larry Simoneaux

Larry Simoneaux is a regular columnist for The Everett Herald in Washington state. He is a retired ship driver for the US Navy and NOAA.


Read other commentaries by Larry Simoneaux.

Copyright © 2009 by Larry Simoneaux
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