More than a decade ago I wrote a book, Oft Forgotten and Much Ignored: Common Truths for Uncommon Times.
Although a publisher expressed some interest, he didn't feel there was much of a market for a book of aphorisms.
Up to that point, I didn't know what an aphorism was nor that I had written a book full of them.
Anyhow, here's a sampling.
Note that some are a bit meaningful while some are mostly meaningless.
Few, if any, can resist the siren song within the Washington, D.
C.
Beltline.
Many Mr.
Smiths come to Washington, but few hold on to that initial idealism once they've tasted the power, fame and unwritten rules within that special world.
Throw in continuous campaigning and fund raising, fawning lobbyists and staffs, and attentive media and you could taint a saint.
(I'll soon be writing more on this one) I'd truly be happy if only I had my very own penguin.
That's all I really need.
Except maybe for this here thermos bottle.
Virtually anything tastes good in small quantities.
Dog food on a Ritz would taste great at a supermarket sample table The plane will empty only so quickly, no matter how soon you leap from your seat.
So take a load off, stay seated, and watch your baggage get thrown onto the tarmac.
Dogs have consciences and feel guilt.
Just look at your dog's face when you come home after he's been in the garbage.
Some people, groups and nations need enemies.
Nothing beats a substantial and sometimes manufactured foe for justifying and rationalizing prejudices, intolerance, repression, and general meanness.
Every successful dictator enjoyed and required a formidable and reprehensible adversary.
When you feel excessively superior, go out in the yard and pick up dog poop.
Or borrow someone else's dog and yard.
Nothing will bring you back to reality faster.
Taking out the garbage is good, but doesn't provide as much time for reflection.
The greatest threat to the institution of marriage is the honky-tonk bar I was listening to country music on satellite radio, and it's clear that the honky-tonk is mankind's most insidious source of broken hearts, cheating and weeping over various alcoholic beverages.
Forget gay marriage, let's ban honky-tonks.
Anything can be rationalized.
The most evil act can and will be made right in the perpetrator's mind.
Nobody thinks of themselves as evil, but justify evil acts with musings on righteous revenge, paranoia, conspiracy, debts unhonored, bitterness, envy, and historical fabrication.
For the first time in history, most of us have the time, knowledge and resources to consider who we are and where we're going.
Look at your ancestors.
Chances are they were relatively uneducated farmers, laborers or slaves; totally preoccupied by basic survival, and focused on the local and here and now.
Hopefully we've moved past that.
Evolving democracy and capitalism are innate political and economic states for humanity.
Free elections and markets ultimately fit our natures more than any other alternatives, and most possible alternatives have been attempted.
The true utopia will be a product of the free involvement of all and will benefit from the very different strengths, ambitions and talents of each of its members.
Self-restraint, character and wisdom come much easier during the relatively serene years of middle and late adulthood than during the burning urgency of youth.
Just ask St.
Francis, Buddha, Moses, St.
Paul or St.
Augustine.
We are responsible for our actions.
No matter what happened to us last year or during our childhood.
Our perspective might be skewed, but free will remains.
Activists, no matter how one feels about the issues, cause the long-term effects of encouraging greater awareness of the issues and of subtly altering our direction.
For example, the anti-war and civil rights protests of the late Sixties forever transformed our outlook on racial equality and foreign intervention.
While the environmentalists are far from satisfied, their efforts have resulted in environmental regulations and generally cleaner air and water.
Even the misdirected causes of history such as Nazism, the Klan, Manifest Destiny, and colonialism positively affected our society to some degree by heightening our commitment to avoiding the repetition of such mistakes and by raising our understanding of our weaknesses.
Although a publisher expressed some interest, he didn't feel there was much of a market for a book of aphorisms.
Up to that point, I didn't know what an aphorism was nor that I had written a book full of them.
Anyhow, here's a sampling.
Note that some are a bit meaningful while some are mostly meaningless.
Few, if any, can resist the siren song within the Washington, D.
C.
Beltline.
Many Mr.
Smiths come to Washington, but few hold on to that initial idealism once they've tasted the power, fame and unwritten rules within that special world.
Throw in continuous campaigning and fund raising, fawning lobbyists and staffs, and attentive media and you could taint a saint.
(I'll soon be writing more on this one) I'd truly be happy if only I had my very own penguin.
That's all I really need.
Except maybe for this here thermos bottle.
Virtually anything tastes good in small quantities.
Dog food on a Ritz would taste great at a supermarket sample table The plane will empty only so quickly, no matter how soon you leap from your seat.
So take a load off, stay seated, and watch your baggage get thrown onto the tarmac.
Dogs have consciences and feel guilt.
Just look at your dog's face when you come home after he's been in the garbage.
Some people, groups and nations need enemies.
Nothing beats a substantial and sometimes manufactured foe for justifying and rationalizing prejudices, intolerance, repression, and general meanness.
Every successful dictator enjoyed and required a formidable and reprehensible adversary.
When you feel excessively superior, go out in the yard and pick up dog poop.
Or borrow someone else's dog and yard.
Nothing will bring you back to reality faster.
Taking out the garbage is good, but doesn't provide as much time for reflection.
The greatest threat to the institution of marriage is the honky-tonk bar I was listening to country music on satellite radio, and it's clear that the honky-tonk is mankind's most insidious source of broken hearts, cheating and weeping over various alcoholic beverages.
Forget gay marriage, let's ban honky-tonks.
Anything can be rationalized.
The most evil act can and will be made right in the perpetrator's mind.
Nobody thinks of themselves as evil, but justify evil acts with musings on righteous revenge, paranoia, conspiracy, debts unhonored, bitterness, envy, and historical fabrication.
For the first time in history, most of us have the time, knowledge and resources to consider who we are and where we're going.
Look at your ancestors.
Chances are they were relatively uneducated farmers, laborers or slaves; totally preoccupied by basic survival, and focused on the local and here and now.
Hopefully we've moved past that.
Evolving democracy and capitalism are innate political and economic states for humanity.
Free elections and markets ultimately fit our natures more than any other alternatives, and most possible alternatives have been attempted.
The true utopia will be a product of the free involvement of all and will benefit from the very different strengths, ambitions and talents of each of its members.
Self-restraint, character and wisdom come much easier during the relatively serene years of middle and late adulthood than during the burning urgency of youth.
Just ask St.
Francis, Buddha, Moses, St.
Paul or St.
Augustine.
We are responsible for our actions.
No matter what happened to us last year or during our childhood.
Our perspective might be skewed, but free will remains.
Activists, no matter how one feels about the issues, cause the long-term effects of encouraging greater awareness of the issues and of subtly altering our direction.
For example, the anti-war and civil rights protests of the late Sixties forever transformed our outlook on racial equality and foreign intervention.
While the environmentalists are far from satisfied, their efforts have resulted in environmental regulations and generally cleaner air and water.
Even the misdirected causes of history such as Nazism, the Klan, Manifest Destiny, and colonialism positively affected our society to some degree by heightening our commitment to avoiding the repetition of such mistakes and by raising our understanding of our weaknesses.