A Tough Presidency

The Tough Guy is thinking that a very big change is about to happen our country. and it won’t be pretty. The government is about to go thru a major upheaval. There is a feeling of impeachment and charges of treason is going to turn this country around. But the question is, will this unite the people or divide us even more?

The odds of Trump being impeached are pretty high. And the aftermath will be very ugly. Politically, the congress as a whole will breathe a collective sigh, only to have many more indictments delivered. The GOP constituency, however, is going to see the tRumpies go beserk, citing fake news and conspiracy. A literal insurgeny may occur, led by the “alt-right”. The calls for a military coup grow louder by the day. and the thought of a moron like Pence, or even worse, Ryan, as the POTUS, is even scarier than Trump. It will take a clean sweep of the gang of 8, plus a few more, to even start to drain the corporate influence over our government. The only real hope being that congress takes heed and pays attention to what it’s constituency wants before bending over to corporate money.

Our country is getting screwed by our sponsored congress. Laws concerning womens rights, workers rights, health care, retirement, pensions, environmental responsibility, and governmental authority, are being changed or deleted every day. and not just Obama related laws. all sorts of laws concerning taxes, financing, international trade, and here’sthe one that hits all of us, social security. and let’s not forget about a persons right to choose what to do with their own body or a persons right to fair and gainful employment. Or this country’s legacy as a home for all people, from all walks of life. Yes, there are always problems with groups of refugees. But in the long run, they do assimilate. History does tend to repeat itself. And our country will survive this and even get stronger.

You see, the problem in a nutshell, is the constitution clearly defines that “there shall be a separation between church and state”. This applies to all religions, no exceptions. the phrase, “In God We Trust” does not imply any one specific god, rather, a god, any god, or even, gasp, no god. It just says god. Not Jesus, not Brahma, not Allah. This is the reason why people from all over the world want to come to America. Freedom. From religious persecution. And yes, The Tough Guy agrees, there should be a line as to which religions present a danger to others, and how to treat them. Our country already has, or more than likely now, had, laws and policies established, that actually worked very well. Yes, there were obviously bad people who got in that should not have. No system is perfect if executive privelege can supercede law and moral, and “christian”, morality.

In The Tough Guys opinion, American christianity has gone backwards to a mix between an idealogic Happy Days/Father Knows Best era, and the days of the christian crusades. An attitude of “fuck everybody else, I want my rights and dignity back” pervades the white culture. They blindly swing at the windmills of change. The bad news being that the change that is happening will not benefit them, but more than likely will negatively impact them financially and physically. Anybody who actually works for a living is going to be impacted by this current congress’s actions.

Change is coming, people. Soon. Be ready. Be smart. Let’s move forwards and not backwards. It’s a Tough Move.

Tough Compassion.

   This last year has been pretty crazy. I have been trying to adjust some attitudes around and become a better person. Still, and always, The Tough Guy. But trying to show a little trust in my fellow man, has only been futile at this point. 

  For example, my son (22 at the time), asks me if we could help out this girl he knows that was becoming homeless. Just a kid. 19. Before she came here, I asked why she couldn’t go back home. She gave a plausible answer and I left it at that. Then I learn she has cancer. Or so she says. Found out is was a lie. Gave her a month to find a new place. Her step dad died a few weeks later. Gave her another month. I just did not want any of the drama and the monthly ER trips were annoying. She hadn’t found any other accomodations after that month was up, but I didn’t care at that point. Just needed the bs to go away. Immediately. I’ve been called a cold hearted bastard before. But The Tough Guy felt like one that day. 

   Now you would think lesson learned, right? WRONG!!  Another kid, 22, one I had been working with for about 6 months, was breaking up with his wife and needed a place for a month or so. I could use some cash, soooo, again trying to lend a hand up ends up giving them the boot out the door. This one drank my bar clean. Like $1600 worth of booze. In a month. 4 freakin weeks. 9 handles, 8 quarts, 15 bottles of foo foo shit, and a 30 pack of beer. The Tough Guys consumption of alkyhaul is minimal anymore. Rather smoke. That wasn’t so bad except he thought it was ok to drink the entire bar, and it would be automatically replaced. What a maroon! And he kept on drinking. To the point where he lost a good job twice, and the trust of his roomates, and a good place to stay. It wasn’t the drinking. It was the lying and denials. He left on good terms, even though he snagged my lighter at the bus station. But I would not allow him back here again. It got so bad, him looking for a drink, and being broke, that he started watering down a bottle of Jægermeister that I had hidden. I really hope he gets his shit together. He’s a nice kid, just an alcoholic. And that is truly sad at 22. 

   In the midst of all this, The Tough Guy has also taken in a female friend and confidant of a few years. Yes we have exchanged much more than just pleasantries and it was great. Hoping like hell that the lessons previously learned  are not applicable to the current situation. They don’t seem to be. Maybe my karma is improving. 

Beijing? Pretty Tough!

This is an average day in Beijing, China. About 12.5 million people live, work, and sleep there. About half the time, the city is under a severe smog alert. 12.5 million people!  

  No matter how bad it gets here, hust remember this. Without the EPA, most US big cities will become exactly this. 

A Tough Attitude in a Tough Time

  

Back in the great crash of ’08, a lot of little guys got hurt pretty bad, financially. We’re talking about everyday Joes, the real Tough Guys, not investment advisors. There were many people who we doing doing the exact same thing as The Tough Guy was trying to do back then. Play the stock market and make a fortune while working their 40 hour a week job to just make the ends meet up. Dreaming of an early retirement turned into a nightmare.  And recovery seemed insurmountabe. At least The Tough Guy had created a financial table with 3 legs, figuring that 3 legs are the minumum to create  stability. That is true, but when one leg becomes 90% shorter, then you end up with a toughly balanced table that wobbles at the slightest provocation. And there are always slight constant provocations in life. Endless, ever changing, provocations that drains the wallet in an almost divine, and precise pattern. 

  Having been on backup plan B for years, the fruits of labor (the 40+ hour a week leg of the table), have not grown as expected. But it has kept the floor stable and earthquake free. Having just gotten to that “sees the light and the end of the tunnel point, and hopes it’s not another train barreling down” stage, the plan now needs to look at how to build another leg. Looking at what is on the table right now is the most important thing. 
  The table holds the key to investments, and how to manage money. And yes there is even a note that says hold coins in the matress. There are many uses for pennies besides putting them in the leave a penny cup at you local convience store. Bullets come to mind. The scariest table leg never to be built is the “go out and rob a bank” leg. But it was designed. Lol. The first thing you notice on the table is really all the bills. The services, the mortgage, the insurances, the unexpected occurances, and the card debts. The latter is the first pile you should eliminate. That is debt that can accrue to the point of bankruptcy if not taken care of. The Personally Tough debt reduction plan is working on schedule. 
Austerity really does suck. It requires you to shop for the bargains, turn down activities due do the money factor, and to forget about holidays, birthdays, and lotto.  Every dollar matters at that time. And $10 “wasted” means another month in debt. When one is austere, they shop for the day old breads and the must sell now meats. The damaged boxes and cans. All to stay with a mandated budget. Austerity also means to shop for the best value in services like auto repair, appliance repair, and home repair. And a lot of do it yourself repairs. Things like replacing an ignitor on a furnace, a fan on a refrigerator, the radiator in your car, and rescreening your widows are the norm. The Tough Guy even painted his Tough Home to save money. And still arguing with the insurance company about hail damage on the roof. Austerity is also opting for the cheapest way to keep your sanity. For some it’s shopping, others sports, and others it’s hanging out with friends. Personally, it’s hiking. Glad to be 5 minutes away from 3 state parks. Without that, depression would have sunk in to a very deep and scary place.
   You need to realize that while money is not everything, being without money eventually kills you. It is a necessity in this society. Without it, you end up alone and dying, rather than surrounded by paid, caring, strangers who at the end of their day, forget you. Without it, you cannot care for others because you cannot care for yourself. Without money, life is a constant worry. Which affects the mental state, which affects health. And makes for a Very Tough Attitude. We, as a whole, need to take a very tough look at where OUR society is headed. All The Tough People out there are getting back in the game of living. And it’s going to be one hell of a  Tough Renaissance. 

A Tough Fitness Test

 

  One of my goals in this life is to hike all the 14,000′ peaks in Colorado. There are 52 of them. I have done 15. Some, many times due to the close proximity. Like Long’s Peak. Probably the hardest, and definitely the longest hike of a 14’er I love to do. I have summitted Long’s at least 8 times. The view makes the effort worthwhile. 

  This year, I am taking on the Collegiate range. I will attempt a triple summit in one day. Princeton, Havard, and Yale peaks are a 7+ mile hike round trip. (Long’s is 15 mile round trip.) all of this is at or above 11,000′ and if you are not acclimated to the altitude, you can feel pretty sick. I know people from the coastal area that cannot handle 5280′. (1 mile above sea level, Denver’s elevation.) 

For all of you wondering why this is relevant, it is because I am older now. 57 to be exact. And I smoke cigarettes, about 15 a day. And I do not go and work out. I get my exercise at work. Stocking a freezer is a great way to stay in shape. And last year, I suffered from medical conditions that were the most painful things I have ever experienced. See my previous posts for more on that.  And yet, despite all that, I seem to be in better shape now. I have kept my weight at 170# and I am more energetic lately despite the heavy allergens in the air this year. 

   Doing these 14’ers proves to me that I am still in shape. I will do this every year until I cannot. I love being at high altitude. The air might be thinner, but it is fresher and cleaner than being in the plains or in Denver. It helps me clear my mind and focus. And the views are just stunning. So is the wildlife. I always feel so comfortable in the wilderness. It’s how I grew up. 

   I will post some pictures after the hike. Feel free to use any of them. And wish this crazy old fart some luck. I am hoping most of the snow will be gone. Either melted or blown away. And that I won’t have a stroke. Lol  I hope my genetics are strong. This is my first major hike of the season and hoping it will be the best. Here’s to success!

A Very Tough Earth

  

HAPPY EARTH DAY

The Earth is going to be around long after we humans go extinct or away. And it will in all likelihood, be better off without us. but while we are here, don’t you think we should show a little respect and kindness to Mother Earth?
Today is the day you show you care about this planet we live on. Most people go out and plant a tree. Here is The Tough Pitch for today. When you go outside today, pick up the first piece of trash you see. Do at least that. If nothing else, pick up one piece of trash and dispose of it properly.
Personally, The Tough Guy is a anti polluter, picking up trash from every trail hiked, and every campsite used. There is nothing worse than getting to a campsite and finding broken glass everywhere. But you don’t have to be in the wilderness to help clean up the planet. Please. Today. One piece of trash. Thanks.

Getting it back is tough

  

Hey there all you tough people. The Tough Guy is not really back yet. Still can’t get into the proper frame of mind yet. A lot of things to take care of and a lot of bills to pay. Sometimes being tough gets mighty rough. Not complaining, mind you. The Tough Guy is a survivor. But even The Toughest need to stop and regroup sometimes. Mine’s taking a little longer that expected, but blogging seemed to help with the positivity. (Little steps. Little steps) 

   After dealing with a few minor reoccurrences of gall bladder backup, meaning more gallstones, and the ex’s suicide, son’s legal problems, and subsequent 1 year ban from any college loans, and stupid head games that life deals out, The Tough Guy is tired. Oh, don’t forget about work, either. The overtime is finally coming down from 45-50 hours a week to 42-44 per week. The bigger paychecks will be missed. But spare time might be used for sleeping or market analysis. The trading has slowed down and the account needs to be liquidated. Physically tired is one thing. But mentally tired, or burnout, is a different game, indeed. 

   So until The Tough Guy gets his act up and running again, the posts will be sporadic at best. So much to blog about and not a thought that matters. And there is so much stuff to admire. Here’s a positive thought to ponder. Musical instruments are tuned to a pitch of 440hz. It became an accepted standard in the 1700’s. But the pitch of 432hz is in harmony with nature, producing symmetric waveforms, whereas 440hz is a static broken wave. Tell me what you think, please. Your comments will help motivate me into being more productive. Because honestly, The Tough Guy has been in a TTGdgaf depression and and loathes pharmaceuticals. Doctor, medicate thyself. Knowing what battles lie ahead is a motivator, but caring about it has become difficult. So until The Tough Guy gives enough of a crap to blog some more, may you have warm days, hot nights, and an attitude to match it. 

Business Is Tough

It seems that the average business owner has been putting off a lot of necessary improvements the last few years. Improvements like manpower and building improvements are still lagging if the reports on labor and CAPEX spending are accurate. All to beat stock market expectations. Why, you might ask? The answer is obvious. The need to create a better profit now, is overweighing the need to treat the physical company better.
This leads to conclude that a lot of businesses are not in business for the long haul anymore. Instead they are taking the get rich approach. Become another 15 minute wonder. And get out after 16 minutes. Take the money and run, baby! And this brings the crux of the matter.
If a business is only concerned about how much money they can make, instead of how to make (almost started to laugh) the best product at the lowest cost, then how are we to trust that product? Overworked and underpaid workers are not going to go that extra step. Poor quality materials will slip unnoticed into production. And eventually, and usually too late, the comsumer realizes the product sucks and stops buying it. Cycle complete for the short term company. Here’s an example. Remember the “Zune”? How about the “Yugo”?
Nowadays, corporate strategy is all about the “now”. Make money now. Forget about your employees now. Get the cheapest supplier possible. Make money now. This shit is going to bite EVERBODY’s collective asses in about 4 of 5 years. MARK MY WORDS! Too many good companies are now willing to go belly up to make more money now, than stay in business and make a whole lot more over the long run. It’s kind of like big business getting ADHD. And that is Tough for Everyone.

Corporate Ethics in a Tough Place

The thought for the day. If corporations are people, too, they why should they not follow a code of ethics that do not harm people? The first and primary responsibility of a publically traded company is to increase value of it’s shares. So the shareholders may profit. First. The Tough Guy is having a problem with that lately.

As a Tough Kid, the assumption was that corporations helped people live better. By and large they still do. But too much muckety muck has been put in the way for that to be priority anymore.

Corporate responsibility. Big words. No meaning anymore. Let’s make food with unsafe chemicals for our citizens, even though we cannot sell this stuff in the rest of the world. Really responsible ethics. What ethics, you ask? Yea, The Tough Guy has been asking himself the same question. More examples? Sure! How about creating a way that realeses trapped oil and gas underground? When the contiguous surronding properties become uninhabitable, deny all allegations and hope you can wait it out. Or build a faulty machine that ends up killing people. Cover it up and when exposed then do something about it.

Seems to me another God is around. The Corporate God of Greed. Gotta fufill the first responsibility. Feed the shareholders. Don’t get me wrong, stock ownership is a good thing. But it takes money to make money. And major shareholders have money. Not all shareholders are rich,The Tough Guy being a prime example. But when looking at the overall (big) picture, this first priority should actually be third or fourth. Priority one has been and should always be the customer. The health and safety of employees and customers should always be #1!! Always!! Then the process and improvements. Then shareholders and their money.

Like people, corporations tend to follow the flock and lose their way.    This, my fellow Toughlings, is the crux of the biscuit. Corporate America has lost it’s morals and ethical direction. Cutting corners to appease activist investors is plain wrong. And activist investors who try to increase value in a company, without spending significant time at that company are fools.

All these actions are done for one reason. Greed. Mo’ money. There is a growing gap between the rich and poor. The middle class is becoming the new poor. And the poor are dying from starvation. Or disease. (The ACA is a different blog. Not today.) Corporations need to reprioritize. And not listen to the greedmongers. Look what happened to Hostess. Have you noticed? Everything is a little bit smaller now? The customer is not first and that is where corporate America fails all of us, the consumer. Until this changes, The Tough Guy leaves you with two words. BUYER BEWARE!

Diverticulitis is Tough

A first person post today. It’s been a long time between posts. So I have diverticulitis, and gall stones. And when those two conditions decided to team up against me, it made me literally want to die. That was the most pain my body has ever felt. And believe me, with over 20 total broken bones, and a car accident that quite literally killed me, you know that is a lot of pain. Too much pain.
It all started late June when the ex wife killed herself. Stupid bitch! So anti gun I still can’t believe she shot herself in the head. Sent a letter to my son that he got two days after the fact. I followed him over to her place and discovered what happened. I still wake up hearing his cry of “Nooo!”
The next six days were spent packing, cleaning, and moving everything she owned to my house. In 97* heat the whole week. And dealing with all the legal crap as well. And trying to keep my 21 year old from going insane. This is the very definition of stress. And stress is what can cause your digestive system to fail. Or initiate a very painful cleansing.
I’ve been trying to get my weight down to 179#’s and was at 185 when this happened. Today, after gaining back 9 pounds, I weigh a cool 170. Not too bad for being at 218, 10 years ago. (That’s is a quarter person I lost!) But I lost the weight in a way that is not recommended. And way too fast. I could not keep food or water down for more than a half hour for 3 days. Then I hit the ER. Went in at 162 pounds. I bottomed that day at 158. Got a sexy selfie to prove it. Lmao.
But seriously, I have never felt pain that intense before. What happened, in layman terms, is my gall bladder stopped secreting the bile necessary to keep pushing the food to the bottom of the colon. It was blocked by hundreds of tiny gallstones. So food was stuck. And diverticulitis is the result of food, like nuts and seeds, getting trapped in these little “pouches” that are in your colon. They can, eventually, rip your colon apart from the inside if not treated. Treatment consists of antibiotics and and antimicrobial antibiotics. And pain pills. Thank god for those. Got some dilaudid in the ER. Walked out of there feeling like a million bucks. Lasted for 4-5 hours. On that day my weight fluctuated between 171and 158 pounds. Dehydration had taken over my body.
I felt mortal for the first time in decades. I always thought I would die like my Gramps. 87 and cantankerous. Died doing what he loved. Mowing his lawn. I figured he maybe had 30 seconds of pain before passing. Dr. said his heart gave out. I prided myself on proving 55 is the new 35. Out work the young kids. Out hike the kids. Get to 14,000’and parkour a peak. Blow peoples minds with that one. And I smoke. Even better. But ever since this attack of the gut, I am looking at my life a little differently.
My diet has changed again. No nuts, no seeds, and now I get to incorporate a cleanse in my routine. But only every few months. Now for the gross part. C’mon, y’all are tough if you read me. The antibiotics made me expell what was probably over 100 gallstones. Tiny little green and dark brown stones. Along with slightly bigger chunks of undigested food. Gristle, seeds, etc. that had been in me for god knows how long came out. And yea, it was nasty. The green stones float and the brown ones sink. That is because the green ones consist of cholesterol while the brown ones are mainly calcium. Either one can clog up the bile duct in the gallbladder. But when the gallbladder won’t work, the colon will expand because without bile, food won’t move, and the “diverticulae” expand and catch food. Very painful. VERY painful.
I have learned a lot from this. First, I am human and therefore succeptable to human conditions. (Don’t want to admit this part) I am older and therefore need to take better care of myself. Eat better, and exercise regularly. And see the freaking doctor every year. Beware and be aware of stress in your body and mind. And lastly, diluadid rocks!! (Seriously, I shouted “top o the world, ma” walking out of the ER. Also that olive oil and lemon juice make a great liver/gallbladder cleanse. But you need to alkaline your blood chemistry first. (I used epsom salt). It’s all online if you need it. It’s call the amazing liver and gallbladder flush. And it worked pretty well for me. This is not an endorsement.
So from this man, who still doesn’t want to grow old, to all of you, I leave you with these observations.
You are as old as you feel. Take care to feel good as much as possible. Age is just a number. Exercise not just your body, but your mind as well. And you are what you eat. Those are my Tough Truths to myself. Y’all have a great day.