Head in the clouds.

Today's Tids Issue 3,841

For Awakening Anew:

This is a real blank sheet of paper day. This is a stare at the walls, look up at the sky, what am I going to write today, morning. Gadzooks man, there must be something left in that brain of yours, says I. I don’t feel like commenting on over-sensationalized news already over reported. There is really nothing but hold your breath and wait until the words achieve meaning when it comes to NK and Syria. Today is the day of traitors, when Judas handed over Jesus after those agonizing hours in the garden. It never feels like a garden to me. The weather is spectacular here, but you don’t need The Tids to tell you that. Just look out the window…or better yet walk outside and sniff the breath of spring. Well, my fingers are moving and that’s good sign that my brain may be next. There is still hope for a Tids today. Hang on.

In case you are interested, the consensus is that ants are the most recognizable bug on earth, and they are usually massing atop a dropped Cheeto. Personally, I know a spider when I see one.

Acupuncture is a jab well done.

Tired of driving in the slow lane? The new Dodge SRI has 840 Horsepower! No passenger seats. Zowie. Only good at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Don’t fence me in.

The Question:

Named the Apostles who stayed awake while Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Bonus: Who were the three apostles Jesus wanted close to him that evening.

The Headlines:

--Putin And Tillerson Now In Meeting Together: Russia Sends Message With Nuke Capable Planes Flying Near Japan

--Stock Rally Could Slow As Tax Reform Schedule Stretches Out; Geopolitical Concerns deepen.

--China’s Xi Says They Will Work With US On NK Situation; Both Will Look For Peaceful Situation; Other Asian Allies Cool To Preemptive Strike..

--Trump: We Are Not Going Not Syria.

--Trump Says Health Reform Must Come Before Tax Reform; Infrastructure And Healthcare May Be Package Deal.

--Session tells World That US Borders Are Not Open For Causal Entry - Do Not Come; Says US Will Confront Gangs And Cartel Members.

--Kansas Special Election Has GOP Nipping Opponent Form New Left Dems.

--Trump Looking To Update US Computers And Systems.

I remember when a hot new invention was writing on an egg with a white crayon before you dyed it. Holy Edison, Batman!

Every time I read (And it is more and more often) that a person has driven off a road for no apparent reason, my mind always moves quickly to that invention from hell, the smart phone. If it was really smart, it would say put your hands back on the steering wheel and look straight ahead.

Do you know what is worth its weight in gold? A responsible contractor.

Old line Dems are being “left” in the dust as the new extra liberal branch of happy activists line up for the “Bernie” ticket. The emerging all-or-nothing Dems have one objective an it’s to turn the USA into Cuba, and worse, they don’t even know how to spell compromise.  

Being dragged off of United Airlines may be the best thing that ever happened to “Doctor” Dao. The two lawyers he has hired are saying the clouds in the friendly skies are spelling out “Millions”. But, the real trauma will be the release of the Doctor’s rather sordid past, and info about his psycho-inability to handle difficult situations. I’m sure the Doc and lawyers would prefer a settlement over the trial that reveals all. The Congress will probably get the FAA to change some of the “Oversold Seat” rules. And Twitter nation will go out to look for the next overblown embarrassing incident. People will say to me, “How can you be so cold, so callous, it could happen to you.” It would never happen to me or 99% of the population who understand rules when they see them.

Spring Gardening Tip: To get a little more punch from your compost pile, print out 3 or 4 Tids and throw them in. Watch those flowers bloom!

The next big manufactured battle will be between Arturo DiModica, the sculptor of the Wall Street “Charging Bull”, and the commercial proponents of “Fearless Girl. The sculptor is appalled saying the integrity of his “Art” symbolizing the resilience of America has been corrupted by an advertising effort for State Street Global Advisors. DiModica says he is all for woman, but that he is now talking about art versus commercialism, “marketing trickery”. Fearless Girl was wrought by artist Kristin Visbal, who was distressed by DiModica’s being “upset”, saying that “The Artist’s artistic capabilities are exceptional” So, we are back to the old question, Were Norman Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth really Artists?

Tired of low wages? Send a resume to one of the following highest paid tech companies. WMWare with total average Comp of $167K is the best tech payer followed by big data enterprise Splunk just ahead of engineering and software company Cadence Design Systems. The lowest payer on this list of 20 high paying Tech companies is Akarnai which pays the average employee $121K in base compensation Total median comp is $140k). The rest of the top 10 Tech list is Google, Facebook, NVIDIA, Amazon Lab, Juniper Networks, LinkedIn and Salesforce. Bring your wheelbarrow.

In reality, the truth seems to be in the eyes of whatever side you are on, or how lawyers redefine it.. Absolute truth is a thing of the past. But, not for me, because I am always on my side.

The Parking Lot: Chapter 86.

  It took a while for Alex to decompress, just as it had for Jared when Nancy pushed him to circumstances beyond his experience and physical capability. Nancy has a way of doing that to people, but everybody seems to love her anyhow.

   Now she had two puppies wide eyed before her, waiting her plan. Her phone rang before she could start talking. “Hello,” a pause, “Oh, Hi Claudia.” She sent a thumbs-up to the two men. Her face turned serious as she listened. Her head nodded yes and no to no-one in particular. Just a quiet assimilation of information.

   Nancy smiled slightly when she hung up the phone.

   “What, what?” Alex and Jared said in a harmonic chorus.

   Nancy leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. The two guys leaned forward. “We have been fighting a lot of battles, Jared, You and I.” She stared at him with those eyes that always stopped him. He felt her words and found his body reacting. She did that to him, especially like now when she was thoughtful, looking more beautiful than ever.

   Alex now watched them both, feeling a little jealousy.

   “This started out as a Casino land deal which a group of investors thought was going to be easy. Unfortunately, what they didn’t know was the type of silent partners they had acquired with the deal. And of course, who owned all of the farmland. You and I have met them all, and Claudia now understands who formidable we can be. They scared her too, and she didn’t know how to handle it. She let others take over, like Kendrick.

   But, that isn’t the entire picture. What a lot of this comes down to is the Hicks versus the Howlands. I’ve told you about the history of the lands here and the disputes along the way. Basically, all was good between frailties. The village was happily making moeny and the farmers were happy the village as there. But, things change and as the modes of transportation change the shipping advantage of the village lost its importance. The Howlands owned defined land around the village that was declining in value. The Hicks managed to survive nicely by selling off pieces of land for homes and some commercial use as the farmers retired or went west for better soil.

  And then there is the real problem.

  

The Answer:

None of the apostles stayed awake “Were you not able to keep watch with me for one hour?” Thus came the famous quote: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Bonus: Peter, James and John were his core followers, and he asked them to join him, saying, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me.”

I never feel the agony of my concerns,

No matter how my saddened heart burns.

Because beyond every bitter feeling

There is pure, love for life’s ills healing.