About this “blog”
First, it is not a “blog”. It is more of a collection of my writings, updated as rarely or as often as the mood strikes, and dealing only with topics that both interest me and don’t annoy me. This second thing is why politics rarely qualifies. I’ve found over the years that the things that do meet those standards tend to be related to sports, health, education, faith, families (including my own), and anything relating to examples of honor, sacrifice, and leadership (usually, the military). Also, idiots I encounter during daily living, especially on public roads.
I run three different “main” pages at this site, the main page, the “Notable” page, and the “Essays” page. The main page contains more writing, the “Notable” page is more links to items of interest along with my very pithy comments, and the “Essays” page is essays, pretty much. I update the first two multiple times per week, normally; the other, much less often. You can thank me later.
I’ve been “blogging” (how I hate that word) since Sept. 2002, at various locations and with various goals. Those are all gone now, though I have archived all the content for my own disgust/edification, depending on the piece itself and my own mood that day.
Comments are open. Feel free, also, to send them via email. I control all content that appears on this site, and I reserve the right to delete or edit any comment at any time, for any reason. I also reserve the right to edit and publish any email I get. So, you know, behave. To contact me use this email (the italicized bits represent symbols, duh) jeffbrokaw -at- gmail -dot- com.
About me
I’ve been around the block a few times, and I believe in pragmatic examination of problems in order to find solutions that work. Anything else is more about making oneself feel good about caring, about wanting to fix something, than actually fixing it.
I believe in reading as the single most important thing a person can do to become educated, and therefore to contribute to society as an informed citizen. It used to be a duty, but has become viewed as optional in latter times, since we must first find the time to track the TV exploits of an American Idol or a Bachelor. Food for thought: “celebrityhood” in all its componentry is the work of Satan. Discuss.
I believe in people being different in some crucial ways, but alike in many others, and I refuse to follow the words of those who sow seeds of victimhood or exploitation. Men/women, European/American/Arab/, black/brown/while/yellow/other, gay/straight, urban/rural, whatever. Look for commonality first. Cultural brainwashing accounts for much of the rest. Smart people can overcome these limitations. And it may come down to that for our survival.
I believe in believing, when it comes to the power of spirituality and religion, though organized religion has its own set of problems. Everybody believes in something, but those who practice faith understand something better than those who don’t: the power, and proper role, of belief in their lives. And I recommend only investing that power where it is deserved, which would exclude politicians, “global warming”, politics, drugs, food, experts of all stripes, doctors, lawyers, and most especially, politicians. Oh, and did I mention politicians?
I believe in the power of a good marriage, which is either built up or torn down every day by the interactions you have. Faith is not just for church. You married this person. Have faith in them, and in their motives. By doing so, you are teaching your kids the value of respecting loved ones, and providing them with a foundation they can fall back on in their own future relationships.
I believe that kids possess good memories, and will remember how you treated them. Watch out. But do your job, and provide both love and discipline. You aren’t doing them any favors if you set them up for failure in life.
That’s all for now.
