Thoughts for Thursday...

Welcome to the month of June - the month that marks the halfway point of this year.
(makes me wonder what's in store for the next 6 months)
And I don't think we're going to get any rain today (wow).
Our Hooiserland weather will find us with sunny skies, temps reaching up to around 77 degrees  and mild breezes.
Let's use a minute or two to grab something to drink (preferably caffeinated) to jump-start ourselves into this day, as we see what's been going on elsewhere...
*** First out of the garden is the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
"The being cannot be termed rational or virtuous, who obeys any authority, but that of reason." 

This was spoken by yet another "newbie" here, one Mary Wollstonecraft (27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797), who was an English writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights.
And here is her WIKI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft

Hers is a very interesting life, and one that carried over with her daughter, who I know you all know.This daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, became an accomplished writer herself, as Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein.
It's another lengthy read, but it's worth the time to bone up on such an advocate of womens' rights LONG before such things were entertained in America, let alone made Constitutional. In many ways and through many people, she helped mold the women who followed in her footsteps to become voices for equality for women (and we're not taking the radical women of the 60s and 70s).
*** Next up, is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature.
Now, it's only fair that we first look at what this month brings us, so here goes:
* - added for 2017
African-American Music Appreciation Month *
Aquarium Month

Fight the Filthy Fly Month
LGBTQIA Pride Month (changed from Gay Pride Month - they added some letters)
Rose Month

Turkey Lovers Month
National Accordion Awareness Month
National Adopt a Cat Month

We were 6 months early on this times 2

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month
National Candy Month 
National Camping Month *
National Country Cooking Month *
National Dairy Month

"Got Moo?"

National Great Outdoors Month *
National Iced Tea Month *

National Papaya Month *
National Soul Food Month *
Funny, I'm seeing a sort of "pattern" with some of these new additions.
Now, let's look at weekly observances:
=========2017===============
Right of Way Professionals Week – 2nd full week of June (new for 2017)

Professionally tearing up our streets

We lost fishing week and email week...weird, huh?
And for today:
JUNE 1 -
---it's National Go Barefoot Day

(can't do that down here, you may find a discarded syringe)
---It's National Hazelnut Cake Day

(cake! and hazelnuts? Yowzah!)
---It's National Heimlich Maneuver Day

(hopefully, you won't need this)
---It's National Nail Polish Day

(I think I'll pass on this one)
---It's National Olive Day

(This one I won't pass on...love green olives)
---It's National Pen Pal Day

(fast becoming part of the ever-growing digital domain)
---It's National Say Something Nice Day

(like what? The TRUTH? That'll surely piss SOME snowflake off)
*** Next up, looks like they have a shooter in the death of that coach from last week. Here's the story:
http://www.wpta21.com/story/35554819/fort-wayne-police-looking-for-help-locating-homicide-suspect

Gee, this Henry Eshon Underwood only looks like a LOT of black males roaming around sector 45 these days.

YOU BE BUSTED!!!

Kinda has that "I have no soul" look about him.
And, this piece of crap is no stranger to FWPD, either. Had two addresses listed.
--2121 Engle RD APT 3A Fort Wayne, IN 46809 
--206 ESMOND ST  Fort Wayne, IN 46806
And, as usual, he plead out back in 2014...free to cause more problems for the citizens of this city.
But, there is good news.
---The latest is that this murdering jerk has been CAUGHT. It happened last night during (of all things)...a TRAFFIC STOP.
Nice job, people. Now, KEEP him off our damn streets.
*** Next up, it's the LAST day of school for FWCS.

Bet the parents have been dreading this one.
I dread it, and I'm not a parent, but that's just because of where we happen to live.
That also means Wifey will be home once again. And the month of June is especially nice for that.
See, we have this birthday/anniversary thing with her....I gotta wait until August for the b'day gig.
Still, we have a good time, such as it is.
*** Next, time to drop by our "Kitten Corner"...

"We're as innocent as the day is long, Daddy."

The "children" were behaving a little more rambunctious as usual, but nothing that cannot be taken care of with some treats and some neck rubbing.
They get this innocent look about them, and that just makes the angst go away.
It's the feline secret weapon.
*** Next, time for another page from our "Tales of Midnight"...

"I can watch the area just as well from HERE."

The furry watchman was right where he was supposed to be - on the patio waiting for his "breakfast". 
And then, it was check out the area for a bit, come back and lounge on the patio until sundown (with a couple handfuls of food along the way.
It's a routine he repeats on a daily basis. As long as he wants to come by, he will always have a couple friends looking out for him.
*** Last back to the compost heap...yes, school is out (and the educators are relieved).

Back when we had our summer vacations, we didn't run rampant along our streets.
That simply was not allowed.
Then again, we had such novel things to busy us such as hobbies, family excursions, books to read, comics to buy, bicycles to ride, toys to play with...usual stuff that children of OUR era had to occupy our time.
Our parents didn't just open the door every morning during summer break and say "bye", expecting us to remain outside (doing God knows what) until dinnertime or sunset...whatever came first.
We were rarely left to our own devices, and were often watched by neighbors, because that's what a REAL community (neighborhood) did - watch out for one another AND their kids.
Not seeing much of that today, and yet all we hear is this "sense of community" crap. Where the hell is it, where did ti go, and why did it ever leave to begin with?

I confess that today, kids have a shitload MORE things to pass the time than we did, and we had more than our parents. And yet, we STILL see kids acting BORED...why?
Can't make up your little minds as to WHAT to do?  Can't think for yourselves?
Well, that would make sense. The world loves to wrest the ability to think AWAY from children, making them into adults that can't do the same either.
Yet, when we take such people to task for the resulting bad behavior, we're admonished for not "understanding" them...that's just bullshit.

They don't understand themselves, and THAT is the problem.
In life, we ALL have to work (that means labor) at learning to understand ourselves, in order to better understand others.
Crazy how that works, isn't it?
This is another instance where such problems need to be DEFINED before any solutions are haphazardly tossed at them.
Getting people to WANT to make the right choices in life to better themselves is the stuff of Herculean labor.
It's also becoming the stuff of legend for way too many.
Maybe that will change, but not today. Maybe tomorrow.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.