Wednesday, the 16th day of May, 2012

Another aspect to manage carefully when living up here in ‘these here mountains’ is the intake and processing of information… There are no daily newspapers in Spencer. There is a weekly newspaper – the Mountain View - which reports all local events, from arrests to arraignments to accidents to foreclosures and birthdays! There are local newspapers in Sparta (White County) and McMinnville (Warren County) which are a little removed from us – don’t really care about Warren County High basketball teams – and I don’t know (honestly, I have not inquired) if they deliver to our house. With the newspaper not being there, you have left radio, TV and the web. Well, there are no local radio stations to speak of (although NPR on the WEB is still there) and our TV coverage comes from Nashville (frankly, I really do not care if there was another shooting last night in West Nashville!) So, one is left with network news, and this is where you really have to pay attention, otherwise you fall pray of the nuances of news network… ABC, NBC and CBS network news come up once a day for 30 minutes (actually about 13 minutes if you subtract commercials) at 5:30 PM CST all three of them and, of course, you have to pick one because they even break for commercials at the same time! Although I like Brian Williams from NBC, the level of information is the same in all of them: general, sanitized, summarized and managed for the time allotted, so I does not matter which one you watch. And then you have the really dangerous ones: cable network news! If you watch one, you have to watch them all, otherwise you are left skewed (or is it screwed?). On the left, there is MSNBC with all its liberal biased reporting; on the center there is CNN; and on the right there is the fair-and-balanced, FOX NEWS. The same piece of news is given three different slants; for you to get a flavor of the actual information you have to watch the three channels, sift through the shameful ideological BS, and then take what is left with a grain of salt. (For example, this past week Rupert Murdock – the owner of FOX – was declared unfit to run a corporation by the UK House of Commons. MSNBC reported on it for a whole morning, about five hours; CNN reported on it for about five minutes; FOX reported on it for ZERO seconds!) So, you’re left with the Internet news outlets, most of which are backed by reputable news agencies (AP, EFE, UPI, etc.) and, like with TV, you have to read the same report on more than one outlet in order to get some of the actual facts. Bottom line is that, if you want to learn a bit about what’s going on out there, you have to work for it. More later…

I was remised last week to mention that the Miami Heat CRUSHED AND DESTROYED the NY Knickerbockers! (Thanks Lillian for keeping me on the ball!). Now, on the second round of the playoffs, the Heat is tied at 1 game a piece with the Indiana Pacers; let’s see what kind of spanking they end up administering to the Pacers!

We finally had a break on the dry weather this past week-end… It finally rained long and sustained and, even though we are still several inches below the normal rainfall levels, we are moving in the right direction…

Mothers Day came and went… It was the 2^nd Mothers Day since my mom’s been gone… I tried to give Jan a very pleasant day and I think I was successful even though her children could not be here; several new, old, young and ‘more-mature’ friends called to wish her a good day. Her daughters sent her flowers and have some other presents to give her next week when she’s in Gainesville for a week with them. I called Ligia, my sister, in Venezuela and wished her a Happy Mothers Day!

Now, food for thoughts:

“When a diplomat says ‘yes’, it means ‘maybe’; if they say ‘maybe’, it means ‘no’; if they say ‘no’, they’re not a diplomat at all!”

Warren Christopher

US Secretary of State in the 1990’s

So, keep practicing diplomacy, my friends…

Thursday, the 10th day of May, 2012

I got feedback from two different people regarding my posting from last week; both of them said that it sounded melancholic and as if I was longing for something to be different. Sorry I gave that impression; it was not intended like that at all. The idea behind the writing was to start documenting how different the lifestyles are between here and, say, South Florida. This is nothing short of paradise! I should have added that the only thing I regret about having moved here is that I could not do it ten years earlier! (Oh, and I do miss the daily newspaper; I know I can read it on-line, but it is not the same… I miss the facsimile).

Having said that, get ready for this week’s rendition of Bluffites Lifestyle… When it comes to food acquisition and storage, things get interesting when living in “these here mountains”… To live here, in or around Spencer, TN and specifically Hawks Bluff, and to be happy living here, you have to learn how to manage your food supply down to a science. Save-a-lot is the closest grocery store; it is in Spencer; it is very modest. Then there are Kroger and Wall-Mart in Sparta and McMinnville both(equidistant to us); Food Lion (that used to be in Sparta and it closed) and Sam’s Club are in Cookeville; Publix is in Hixson (north Chattanooga). We very seldom go the Spencer Save-a-lot; most of the time we go to Sparta or McMinnville (30 minutes) or to Cookeville or Hixson (50 minutes) less frequently. Regardless of where you go, a cooler is a must for the perishables you may buy. And what you buy, and how much of it you buy, depends on the size of your cooler, pantry, fridge, and freezer(s). We have not found yet a reliable, convenient and attractive farmers market for the veggies, so we are still dependent on Kroger (Wall-mart veggies are more challenging)… The meats are a crap shoot; we go from Kroger having a decent variety fairly priced, to Publix’s prices being simply outrageous, and any other store in between (Food Lion in Sparta was the best!). We have learned how to include deer and wild hogs into our diets and the variety turns out to be quite pleasant. The flavors are rich, and the different was of preparations are very attractive. Fish is another story… Whatever you find is certainly not fresh (you know you are eating shrimp because you see it, not because you taste it) and the prices are ridiculous; get a load of this: we went to Publix a couple of weeks ago and Tilapia (the same most-insipid-fish-ever that used to be $3.99/lb not too long ago!) was $9.99/lb, Salmon $14.99/lb and Grouper $17.99/lb … stuff that! So, we eat seafood only occasionally… We look forward to the fish fries held occasionally by friends who fish the local waters…

The 138^th Kentucky Derby was ran this past Saturday, May 5^th (also known as Cinco de Mayo to our Mexican friends – The day of the Battle of Puebla). Before the race, the experts and pundits said that this field was exceptionally deep and talented. I noticed a couple of colts that run from the front and were not used to relinquish the lead (Take Charge Indy and Bodemeister); and there were other colts who run from behind (Union Rags, I’ll Have Another, Creative Cause, and Gemologist) which I also liked. The winner ended up being I’ll Have Another, which is who Jan wanted me to place a bet on for her and I forgot the name, so I bet on another horse… Still haven’t heard the end of it…

Now, some food for thought…

“Everybody is a genius; but if you judge a fish on his ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”

Albert Einstein

So, keep on looking for the right tree, my friends…

Thursday, the 3rd day of May, 2012

To live here, in or around Spencer, TN and specifically Hawks Bluff, and to be happy living here, you have to be very comfortable with yourself and with your mate, if you have one. With yourself, because you are apt to spend quite a bit of time by yourself and with yourself; some hunting, and some gardening, and walks around the area, and lots of yard work, and any other hobby or interest you may have will keep you busy and happy. However, if you are an extrovert and need constant company, hopefully your mate shares your view/needs, and he/she likes being with you, and you have each other to keep company; TV becomes your main source of news and entertainment; so you better get a good one and a good signal delivery service (Dish, DirecTV and Ben Lomand – a local provider – are your choices). You get to appreciate your neighbors greatly as they become a key source of support, companionship, learning, a reason for partying and – yes - a source of entertainment as well. On the other hand, if you are one who needs to be busy/entertained often (not too thrilled with being by yourself or with your mate only), then you may be up for a challenge (or up the creek). If you’re one that needs to go to the mall on Monday, to the game on Tuesday, to the movies on Wednesday, bowling on Thursday, to the bar on Friday - and grab a bite on the way to wherever you’re going - this lifestyle may not be quite what you will be comfortable with, unless you are willing to have a long commute each way. All those things are available, plentifully, in Chattanooga (1 ¼ hrs each way), Nashville (2 hrs each way), or Knoxville (2 ¼ hrs each way); and if that is your lifestyle, you may as well move there to begin with, right? To be continued…

The Florida Panthers lost to the New Jersey Devils in the hockey playoffs… Yes, it was 4-3; and yes, the fourth game went to 2 overtime periods; and yada yada yada… The fact of the matter is that they lost and the hockey season, as far as I am concerned, started two weeks ago and is now over! Ah, but not all is lost… The Basketball season (the one I like, the playoffs) started this past weekend and the Miami Heat humiliated the New York Nicks (margin was over 30 points…) YES! They beat them again on Monday (or was it Tuesday?) and will play again today… GO HEAT!

Our garden is in… It is not too big (4x16) and close to the house to see if we can manage better the deer raids… Planted banana peppers (the best flavor ever!) that I bought from the kids at the high school green house, tomatoes (I don’t know what type because they were a present from McGee), broccoli (also a present from McGee) and cabbage, from seeds bought at Wal-Mart (or China-Mart as some folks call it…). Built a simple irrigation system with an old hose and so far we are making sure the little ones do not wilt under the already powerful sun… Next month I will build a more sustainable irrigation system using a barrel to collect (and reuse) rain water…

There are three houses for sale in our neighborhood (HB Phase I)…  Two of the houses are log homes and one is a traditional board sided home… They are 1,500 sq. ft (log, on 16 acres), 2,500 sq. ft. (siding, on 2 acres) and 7,000 sq. ft. (log, on 4 acres) respectively. Any one of them is a great but for anyone…

Now, food for thought…

“Strong hope is a much greater stimulant of life than any realized joy could be.”

 - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

So, stay hopeful, my friends…

Wednesday, the 25th day of April, 2012

This segment is long overdue: as a transplant from South Florida there are some obvious things that are completely different as it relates to living here in, and around, Spencer and Hawks Bluff specifically. Obvious differences are the very low density of population, the absence of traffic jams, the low level of noise, the clean quality of the air, the changing of the seasons (although not severe, still noticeable), the abundant gentleness and politeness of the people. Other things are not so obvious; one may get a hint of those differences while visiting, but they do not manifest themselves with their full impact until one starts living here. I will in future commentaries go into detail on many of these but, for now, I will try to identify the main ones. Amongst them are availability and variety of stores (grocery, general, department, and home improvement), entertainment venues (restaurants, movies, bowling, and sport events), health care facilities (doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies), transportation (public, maintenance shops). When you start living here, you realize very soon, almost immediately, you have to change – radically - the way you conduct your day-to-day affairs. To be continued…

Jan found top soil on sale ($1.19/cubic foot) at Lowe’s in McMinnville; we got 15 bags and, with that, I think I’m ready to start planting the garden next week. They are forecasting another freeze for Sat/Sun (April 21 & 22), hopefully the last of the winter season.  Will plant tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cucumber and butternut squash…

Much to the chagrin of Jan and her brother Rick, the lowly newcomers Nashville Predators defeated the almighty most-successful-outfit-in-all-hockey-history Detroit Red Wings in their playoff series; in the first round! Where is this world going to? Things are upside down! The Mayans were right! Meanwhile, the Panthers and the Devils are tied at 3 apiece. Will play their seventh and final game on Thursday… Go cats!

We went this past Saturday to a fish (and chicken fingers) fry and auction at our local fire house, Piney Fire Department. It was all to raise funds for them since they are all volunteers… The fish fry was ok and the auction was very entertaining! We sat on a table with people we knew (some transplants from Pennsylvania, and some locals) and had a great time. People are very much in favor of supporting the local fire house; some were paying $35 for a coconut cake, and $20 for eight small pieces (1 cubic inch) of chocolate fudge…Ended up buying five plants (basket, oak, plum, burning bush, and another one) and a snuggie for me!

The most powerful mantra of a cult is the claim to be the sole holders of the truth, and that anybody else is lying… To the unsuspecting people whom they recruit, the organization becomes the one and only source of data, information, knowledge and wisdom. Their criteria become the only way to observe, analyze, process and understand anything we see or hear. Beware of politicians, clerics, network news channels who make that claim…

Finally, food for thought:

"You teach a soldier they can be forgiven for being defeated, but they can never be forgiven for being surprised."

General George S. Patton

So, stay alert, my friends…

Wednesday, the 18th day of April, 2012

Alex, my 3^rd daughter (and Jan’s 1^st) came home this past week-end. There is a good chance she may be transferred from Gainesville, FL to Alpharetta, GA by the company she works for. So, we went this past Saturday apartment hunting in the whole Alpharetta/Roswell area of the North Atlanta suburbs… If this happens, she’ll be only 2 ½ hours away from home; she can come for dinner on Friday nights!

…and the hockey playoff are on their way, if they can call that playoff (reminds me of coach Mora: “Playoff?!?!?!”). In most any other sport, out of about 32 teams, eight make it to the playoffs; in hockey, it seems that out of 32 teams, 16 or 24 (or may be all 32, I don’t know) make it to the playoff… Makes no sense to me… Who do I root for? The Florida Panthers, still…

A politics note: according to US Rep Allen West (R-FL), 78 to 81 of the Democrat US Reps are card carrying Communists; they happen to be members of the Liberal Progressive Caucus. This carries the same level of offense as if somebody in the Democratic Party were to say that all US Reps who are members of the Tea Party are Nazis, or Skin Heads, or are card carrying members of the KKK… Give me a break! According to this type of thinking, anyone who is not very conservative is considered liberal (i.e. having anti-American views) -- and therefore anyone who is avowedly liberal is considered a traitor or a communist, or both. How do you like them apples? Welcome back Joe McCarthy...! This has got to stop; this rhetoric is beyond insane; extremism is always toxic… People who think this way (‘I-am-the-only-holder-of-the-truth’) need to move to China or Syria (only one party and only one voice!).

My days as a ‘prepper’ are over. I’ve decided to get out of the game of preparing for an unforeseen event in which we lose use of utilities or comforts we have grown used to. After long consideration of pros and cons, and paying attention to both direct and tacit feedback, I’ve decided that the value on preparing for what may come is equal to the value of fixing what already occurred: none/nil/nada! I will focus my energies on what is clear and present: the here and now. If/when tomorrow comes, and something irregular happens, I will deal with it then, not now.

Now, food for thought… Another potentially controversial one:

“Setting a good example is a far better way to spread ideals than through force of arms.”

- Ron Paul

So, lead by example, my friends…

Thursday, the 12th day of April, 2012

Early on Easter Day, and for reasons I cannot identify, was feeling gloomy; I was missing and remembering my Mom more than usual… We had friends over in afternoon for some BBQ chicken (and trimmings) and I had a good time…

Bella, the German shepherd, seems to be doing better, we believe she has something in her mouth (maybe an abscess or a bad tooth) that is bothering her; but she is not one to let anybody check her out, no sir!… The Belly-Belly is tough when it gets to her mouth and her paws!

On getting ready for contingencies, think in these terms: food & water are everything! If you do not have drinkable water, everything else is merely academic; if you do not have food to sustain you, a way to store it safely, a way to protect it, a way to cook it, then everything else you prepare for becomes a moot point. If you do not eat properly, eventually everything else you store will belong to someone else after you starve to death...

And another thing: a one megaton atomic bomb (like the ones Pakistan has, Iran may soon have, and North Korea has and may soon be able to deliver), if it were to explode at 1.5 miles of altitude over Kansas City, MO will kill very few people, if any, but would cause a EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) event strong enough to knock off electricity to over 99% of the continental US anywhere from 6 to 12 months… Are we ready for that?

This freaking weather is crazy; last night it was around 48 and we had to have a fire on; it was 28 degrees this morning (for the 2^nd morning in a row) and I believe our trees took a beating… Well, we just finished a cursory walk on the yard and it looks like 90% of our trees were burnt by the freezes and we may lose many of them, including several of the oaks lining the driveway… Oh well…

Now, food for thought… This may be a somewhat controversial one:

“If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.” –

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

So, keep trying to make them better, my friends… (but be careful!)

Wednesday, the 4th day of April, 2012

Went to Gainesville, FL this past week-end… Left on Friday morning, at about 9:30 and, after hitting UGLY traffic just south of Macon, GA, made is there at about 6:30 PM… Had a very busy couple of days… Cooked, ate, drank; went to Leah’s Business Fraternity picnic; hung out with Alex; installed Leah’s TV (hanging it from the wall); did Leah’s taxes; made a good paella and ate some more… Very busy! Made it back home Monday afternoon at about 5:30… It was time to rest.

An old friend, with whom I had a special relationship, passed away this past Saturday. He had lost many of his physical faculties due to strokes, but his mind remained as sharp as always; his last few years were hard on him. A very special man he was. I’ll see him on the other side…

One of our pups, Bella, the German shepherd, seems not to be doing well. She’s always had a very healthy appetite and, as of the later part of last week, she has not been too eager to eat and has not finished her rations… The rest of her behaviors appear consistent and normal, no changes, but we are keeping a close eye on her…

Baseball is here… YES! I’ll get to watch sports on TV again. This season will be a little different, though, and here’s why: I was born to a family of NY Yankee fans, and so I follow that tradition. During the ‘70s, I was also a fan of the Cincinnati Reds (Dave Concepción, from Venezuela, was the short stop of the Big Red Machine) but that faded when the “Machine” was no longer. Then, since they came to the league in 1993, I’ve been a fan of the Florida Marlins, and enjoyed tremendously when they won their 1^st World Series in ’97 against the Cleveland Indians, and then again in 2003 when they beat the Yankees (yes, I rooted for the Marlins!). But now, they changed their colors, they changed their location (moved to Miami) and they changed their name (renamed themselves the Miami Marlins). I’ve come to the conclusion there is no link left between the Marlins and me; I’m no longer a fan; ripped the membership card into pieces and sent it in! I’ll be a fully fledged Yankee fan again. In the National League, the closest team is the Atlanta Braves but, for the life of me, I cannot stand them! They seem to be, since the 80s, a group of pompous underachievers, wannabes, which have never amounted to anything, and disappointed everyone (I think they won their division like 13 or 23 or 33 times in a row – who cares? - and were able to win only one World Series in the last 30 years)! So, I’m looking at maybe the Cardinals or the Dodgers…

This is the first and only comment I will make about the Martin shooting by Zimmerman in Sanford, FL. There are still many facts that, for whatever reasons, have not been revealed, but this much is clear to me: Zimmerman could have walked away; he didn’t have to follow Martin; he could have listened to the dispatcher who told him not to follow Martin. If you’re so worried about a suspicious person that you feel the need to call the police on them, and they - the police, tell you to stop following them, you stop following them, for God’s sake, and you wait for the police to come and do their job (that’s why you called them in the first place, right?). I bet you, today, Zimmerman wishes he had walked away and waited… Had he shown self-discipline, stopped and walked away as told, and let the police do their jobs, a 17-year-old boy may not have lost his life, and he may not have lost his, as he knew it…

The new intersection between Baker Mountain Rd./284 and Highway 111 is finally open, although one of the ramps (Baker Mountain Rd. to South 111) is still provisional… And I am quite disappointed! They replaced one intersection that had good visibility with two intersections with poor visibility; they replaced one stop intersection with two stop intersections; they replaced a flashing yellow warning light (which you could see miles away) with nothing. All this after several months of work and several million dollars of expenditures… Now, is there more traffic in that intersection than in Sparta, on 111 and the Wal-Mart street? Or the one on 111 and McDonald’s? I don’t think so; however, they solved their issue with a strobe red light (a few thousands instead of a few millions)… Don’t understand it at all!

Finally, I would be remiss not to mentioned that a day like today, 44 yeas ago, Martin Luther King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. As a tribute to him, and paying respect to his legacy, ponder this...

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" - MLK

Keep dreaming, my friends…