My latest work

     I created this drawing of my niece and nephew for my sister to give as a gift to her mother and father in law. I was asked at the last minute if I could complete this drawing by Christmas. I had to work fast and there are some things about it I would do differently if I had more time. I also do not have any good drawing materials and had to do it on computer paper with a number 2 pencil. I was thinking about the artist James Hampton who was an African American artist who worked as a janitor and used scavenged materials to create religious art. If he can create something out of nothing then so can I.

Libby's Art

     It appears as though my niece is quite the artist. She loves creating things and one of her birthday gifts was more paper for her easel. My sister sent me these pictures she painted and explained that the only help she received with the bird paintings was in rendering the feet and the beak.
     I am very impressed with these paintings. They are very well done for a 4 year old and extremely advanced for any child. The only reason she needs help rendering some detail is because she does not hold the paint brush properly. Once she learns this skill she may end up being a regular Picasso.
     I also like the abstract painting along with it's title. Very creative!!!!!

Hell on Earth

     Religion is about learning how to love yourself so you will be able to love others. It's about learning how to forgive and turn the other cheek. It is about caring for those who are less fortunate. Religion teaches things like compassion, understanding, sharing, and empathy.  It helps us to understand our suffering and how it can make us stronger. It teaches us how to live in peace in our communities, and accept people for who they are, and understand that none of us are perfect.
     I believe this is the sole purpose of religion. These are important lessons we can learn from religion. If one is able to extract these ideas from religion, and avoid focusing on all the crap that people who know nothing about religion try to emphasize, you will avoid a hellish life on earth. Hell on earth is definitely real.
     Religion is not about judging people and condemning them to hell if they don't believe everything you believe. I am willing to bet my own life that there is no place called hell, where if you don't live a perfect life, you will be condemned to this place for eternity. The idea that a loving and forgiving god would create a place like that is asinine.
     But if there was a Hell, I kinda wonder what would that Hell would be like? For some people it my be an enclosed space with only a single TV. And that TV only will allow you to turn off the power if you have the remote. And the remote is nowhere to be found. As you spend eternity searching for this non-existing remote you are forced to watch re-runs of "Joey" or "Cop Rocks." Or maybe your Hell would be an eternity of driving in Florida traffic where the person in front of you avoids the left-turning lane to make a left turn, stops at green lights, and travels 15 mph under the posted speed limit.
     My personal Hell would be sitting and listening to right-winged fundamentalists speak about religion (something they know nothing about) and being annoyed by stupid, pointless religious messages on an interstate highway. So to all those fundamentalists and stupid religious billboard makers out there; "you are all annoying cock-weasels, and if I am going to hell, I can guarantee now that god knows what my personal hell would be, I will be taking you with me."   PEACE :)

Two Birds with one Stone

     I travelled to Nashville this weekend to attend my nieces' birthday party and the baptism ceremony of my nephew. The first night I had a sleep over with my niece Libby. She was upset because her cousin did not want to sleep over in her room the night before her party. My sister said, "I bet uncle jack will have a sleep over with you." I agreed and before too long was snuggled up in a princess sleeping bag that was bursting at the seems as I attempted to fit inside it.
     Libby wanted me to sing her some songs before "sleep time" and requested "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." I gladly sung it for her. Her next request I was concerned that I did not know all the words. She requested that I sing "The Camptown Ladies." I informed her that I did not know the whole song and she said "do your best." This is all I knew:


The Campptown ladies sing this song,
Doo-da, Doo-da
The Camptown racetrack's five miles long
Oh, de doo-da day
Goin' to run all night
Goin' to run all day

At this point I just started making up words hoping that she would not notice. I mean come on she just turned four. After I was done she said "You were right Uncle Jack you don't know that song" I asked her to help refresh my memory to see if she knew the words. In her High Pitched Nashville twang she said;

"I bet my money on a bob-tailed nag
Somebody bet on the gray"

I could not stop laughing. Anyway it was a fun trip and we hit a snow storm on the way back.

   Libby loves dogs. She asked me what my favorite animal was and I said the Duckbill Platypus.
   She then proceeded to ask if the platypus was nocturnal or diurnal. I said "nocturnal of course."