Escalator of Life

Standing at the bottom, you see a single escalator rising out of the basement and into the light. You know you must get to the top even though it is moving down towards you. So you start to climb, step after step you walk….getting nowhere. So you start running, gaining speed and you’re half way up when you get so tired from your efforts that stop and rest is what you must do. As you rest…back down to the bottom you glide. Nearing the bottom, your strength regained, you take off again skipping a step with each stride. Again, you are frustrated with failure as the physical toll weighs heavy on your body. Again you try, jumping two or three steps at a time, using your arms to pull you greater distances and yet, once again the weakness sets in.

Sometimes we may not realize it…but we are on this escalator. As we try to deal with the struggles that life provides us, the weakness sets in and we begin to glide back down towards the basement where the darkness of anger, depression, and fear reside. It is our ability to pick ourselves up when we fall that guides the light in our lives, that sets us apart. We may never reach the top…does not mean we will stop trying to stand strong in the face of things that are not right.

Life, don't talk to me about life.

Each and every one of us has within us positive and negative forces. They each have their own energy, creating a life of their own. When you call forth one of these energies, focus on it, allow it to pass through your very being, you generate more and more of that energy than previously held.

So then the question becomes; what force do you want to rule your life? The answer will come when you are at peace, when you are calm. True power does not flow when you are angry, or sad, or scared, but when you are calm and centered. Only then will one begin to channel the essence of your life force.

Time in a bottle...

The bottles cracked...the cork gone, at long last my journey has reached its conclusion. With a pleasant sigh of release, I begin to ponder what my new-found free time shall become filled with.

My old school pal had E-Mailed me once and said we should meet up--haven't heard from him since **huh**

Gas

This is the part where I get frustrated by connecting some dots that the 'reporters' neglect to mention.
**bare with me**
I received some barbs when I asked why we needed the highway bill -- cause I knew that 18.3 cents of every gallon of gas sold went into a Highway Trust Fund. Now, like all systems, it has been modified over the years...as it sits currently, the tax from gas is split -- 80% of it funds the Highway Trust, and 20% funds Mass Transit.

The gas itself is regulated by additives, mixtures, burn rates, etc... These regulations vary from state to state, and cause the prices to increase because refineries must produce to meet the differing specifications rather than produce volume of a single standard. This is one of the problem points that can (and should) be addressed...IMO. Since fuel is an energy backbone of this nation and it falls into inter-state commerce -- I believe can be regulated federally (moreso than it is) (This is one of the few where I encourage fed to be more involved) As such, there could be a nation-wide fuel enrichment standard...this would enable the refineries to produce without modification -- and in situations like now where there are stations out of service...others can pick up the slack without having to change their mixtures.

As for Bush -- well, it's nice that he's tapped into the reserves...but we needed that before Katrina, not after. Although, he could drop 18cents per gallon by taking away the gas tax (temp) but that would only be a short-term ease...and not address the solution.