A Bullet doesn’t Care

A bullet tears into his chest, and life exits his body. The bullet doesn’t care. It has no feelings, and no agenda. A violent act has taken place, whether it’s justified or not.

     The shooter took a life and the fact that he’s black or white shouldn’t make a difference. But it does in our society. A white person shooting a black person is a tragedy, it truly is, no question. Equally tragic is a black shooting a black.

    We only seem to care and report the incident if the shooter is white. Justification is not a factor that is considered. Police are always viewed as guilty until . . .  We as a society need to stand together as one race, the human race. Stand up against the tragedy of all violence. The bullet doesn’t care, but we need to. “Just Saying . . .”

The Pandemic Opportunity

Did you spend your downtime stressing over the news reports about the virus? Did you miss the opportunity to expand your life with new skills? 

     None of us knew how long we would have to be sequestered in our homes binge watching Netflix. But as time ticked away, we all recognized this was going to take longer than expected. This was our opportunity to learn new skills or expand old ones. Of course, it would be easy to stay glued to the TV and veg out. It’s somewhat satisfying. I have those days when channel surfing is a fun activity, but a year of it is too much for me. 

     A perfect time to learn some new and fun activity. One of the good things about the Internet are the ‘How to videos.’ You can get instruction on just about anything, so why not take advantage of it. Did you always have a secret desire to be a chef, photographer, painter or musician? Well, there are people on YouTube that will teach you anything you want to know and much of it is free.

     I have friends that have dipped their toe into the painting world with paint-by-numbers, others have taken up once forgotten hobbies by picking up their guitar and relearning the instrument via You Tube. Still others are learning new motorcycle skills, and some are finding their new passion by writing short stories.

     Although it was easy to get distracted by the news, once you set the remote down and move on to a new activity, it becomes easier to ignore the virus distraction. If you are still laying on the couch munching on chips and rewatching an old tv series, it’s okay. There’s still time to discover a hidden talent or skill and find a new passion. The opportunity is still there. That’s what’s cool about opportunity. It never goes away, never. It’s always waiting for you. 

     So whatever your interest, the opportunity exist for you to pursue it, now or later. Why not do it now? “Just Saying . . .”

Smell This or Taste This

A Sommelier, by definition, is a wine steward. They’re a person that is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional. Sounds like a tough job having to taste and judge unique and expensive wines. They are experts in wine and food pairing, which is highly valued in the food industry. It would be no surprise that they are often asked to “Smell This, Taste This.” It’s their job, and they are paid handsomely for it.

I, too, have a special talent related to taste buds. My wife will say. “Taste this,

please,” then hands me a glass filled with liquid. I don’t know if this a normal question for married couples, but this is often asked of me. Great, you may say, you get to taste an expensive wine or a new and unique mixed drink. That’s funny. No, it’s quite the opposite. 

Sometimes I’m requested to “Smell this.” It isn’t because it’s the sweet smell of 

lavender or an aroma from a spice-filled dish she just prepared, but a glass of milk. One that has passed the expiration date, but I smell it anyway. It’s my job, just like the wine Sommelier; I‘m the go-to guy to smell and taste milk that’s maybe going bad. If I say, “It smells fine,” she will often say “Taste it” just to ensure she doesn’t pour sour milk on her Crispix cereal. I pair milk with cereal. It’s not the favorite part of my day, but I’ve been doing it for forty-three years, so it’s become routine. 

After many years of tasting wine, some Sommeliers earn the title of Master

Sommelier. They go through rigorous exams to achieve this privileged title.  

I’ve searched the Internet and have found no information regarding milk 

Sommeliers, let alone a Master milk Sommeliers, but that does not deter me. I will let my forty-three years of experience speak for itself. Due to my extensive background, I am prepared to declare myself as a Master milk Sommelier.

What's your special skill?