Versimillitude

Midnight, somewhere in the Oil Patch stuffing my face with Banana Bread and sipping coffee, again. Lisa is sleeping and I kind of marvel how we just slip back into our schedules. Lisa days, me nights. Almost completely alone here about 80 miles south of San Antonio. Last week I was resigned because of the falling Oil prices that we were all but retired, and our recently contrived Turbo plans placed permanently on the back burner. So we drove some hundred and forty miles to Austin to visit Carl, Loris and Jerrod and basically hang out to get some regroup time. The last time this occurred we were called back in less than two days and whattya know, same thing happened again.

 We're back following a Coil Tubing outfit and feeling lucky. But, to get back here I had to throw some projects together that I had been working on in order to scramble here as fast as we could. Still we arrived here just as it was getting dark and this turned out to be "One of them days". About four hours to accomplish what we usually get done in thirty minutes of hard back breaking work. And in the process of squeezing into our small space the Bronco's little 5.0 started boiling over. Bad Thermostat we found out and with the Bronco disabled we settled into our job. 

 My thoughts are that the day is the harder option but the nights, well sometimes I get to stay up all night, move to another location, repair some item or (as I usually do) the Grocery shopping. Changing the Thermostat out proved to be a bitch but also seemed to fix the problem. Then bed at about two in the PM. The high level of activity with the constant sound of Diesel's, from trucks, generators etc, nor the bells ringing nor the loud greetings from the worker's talking with Lisa kept me from a solid seven hours of sleep. So only now, some four days later am I able recoup. 

 See, I've found nights to be my thing at this stage of my life. I'm busy sometimes but mostly, as in now it's all quiet. Other than for some reason there are a gawdawful number of Coyotes around who every half hour or so set to making a racket. Kind of close too. Think it might set the mood but instead it's just more or less annoying. But it's during this time that I count my own. My nightly activities are not so important as the conclusions that my tired old brain comes too. Sadly, as the axiom goes, had I only known then what I know now plays over and over in my brain. Other "vicious truth's" as my old buddy Ellery used to say:

  That this knowledge dies with us and is non transferrable. Even if we try, our efforts are fruitless because the youngsters, like us in our day, just don't believe us.  (Sad sigh)

 That after a nearly thirty years I finally reached a time when I thought I would retire and do other things. Well, I did and that was over seven years ago and if anything, time flies by even faster.  

 That a lot of folks who have comfortably remained constant in your life, one by one they die off. And if that happens, you are one of the lucky ones. That to be one of the "lucky" ones, the downside is that there are going to be a lot more. Each time will rob you of a tiny little piece, whether you knew them well or not.   And in the back of your mind,  like it or not, everyone is striving for that ultimate goal.  And that is that you are the last one left....if you are lucky.

 Sadly, the only conclusion that answers volumes about questions that arise about one's own life, is that mostly the realization occurs that people are motivated by their own self interests. It's a Machiavellian world out there that one only learns by living in it.  There really is little formal preparation.  Whether it be power, money or fame. It's mostly the attainment of one or more of those goals that accounts for how well or badly you were treated by other people in your life. Or how you treated others. I guess I am talking in an institutional sense. The good experiences along with the bad. Either someone was seeking your good will in order to attain some broader goal, or you were exploited in a manner that helped someone else's ambitions. Or, vice versa. Some tend to be much more skilled in those things.  There just aren't any other answers that make as much sense. And in that vein, one needs to seek responsibility for one's own misdeeds. 

 The above however, does not account for friendship. No friendship, and family is something different. 

 Spirituality exists for me, but not in any of the forms that exist in this world today. It is something that I feel, but cannot define. Yes as I grow older this concept becomes more important to me. 

 Atheists beware. Trash talking religion is one thing. Yes there have been many many bad things that have come about by "Big Church" But there are many many people doing amazing things around the world in the name of religion as well. Tolerance my friends. 

 That people who choose not to have kids, no matter how acceptable that argument is painted, will always regret that decision for better or for worse. Has been my experience.

 And finally Negativity will slowly boil your soul away. I cannot count the times I ruminated on an event where everything didn't just turn out perfect. While putting the countless blessings I have to the back of my mind. In those times Lisa has reminded, no slapped sense into me.  Like most women, Lisa really has no idea how powerful her healing abilities are.

And once again if you got this far, there are no refunds for the last six minutes.

And so, no politics, jokes, pics or quotes. 

Dasvidaniya  (And no I'm not a Socialist)


Mike n' Lisa's quest blog UA-20271220-1 ga(‘set’, ‘&uid’, {{USER_ID}}); // Set the user ID using signed-in user_id.