Appreciation

    Oh my. I got paid today and treated myself to a big burger and some beer. And what a treat it was. The 5th Quadrant is where I ate. They represent a local brewery and use local, organic beef between their buns. The burger was beyond good and for the first time I had gouda cheese with it. Yum, perfect compliment. I also had two Sockeye Cream Stouts via nitro. Too good. For those who do not know, nitro is sometimes used instead of  Co2 to get the beer out of the keg. It makes for a smoother creamer taste. Much preferred by myself. I had never heard of it till moving here. Anyway, I enjoyed my treat and that has as much to do with the fact that I just got paid for some work I am doing. I have not had any significant work in months so have not been able to go out and get a burger and beer in some time. There is nothing like lack to make one appreciate some seemingly simple things. Of course I have been enjoying myself without money as there is still plenty of living to be had for free. It's my goal now to be even more self-sufficient. What does that mean? Is anyone truly free or SELF-sufficient? It's a matter of degree but just having to rely on others for income is not self-sufficient. But there is a great deal one can do for themselves, even in the city, to minimize dependency. So yeah, land of the free, home of the brave. I think not. At least no more than many other "Lands".  But why would we compare ourselves to say... Palestine. Apple to apple we are pretty ordinary and much more dependent than we ever think about. And brave? Have you sucked up your dose of fear today?

    ANYWAY......... So while I was sitting there eating I noticed this tiny, bright-green bug walking across the beer menu. Little bug lost. An aphid out of place, and I thought, like with the buzzing fly, to squash it. No reason for that, but one might think maybe it would be better for the bug. Put it out of its misery. What misery? One would not do that to a person. Let's lend a hand. Of course I did not bother with the bug anymore than I usually bother with the person on the street asking for some change. Im sure the guys on the street need much more than some change and it's not anything I can really help with. But the bug... The irony of it is that being a gardener, if I had found it with a bunch of other aphids in excess on some plant I probably would have suffocated them all with soap and water. Hey... there's no shortage of aphids. Hum... one could say that about us humans too but I don't believe it. I think there is enough for all but we let fear and greed rule us from the highest realms of humanity. We are humans not aphids. We should live accordingly. What separates humans from aphids? Yeah, yeah ,yeah, we've got big brains and can create things we are not mature enough to use. Always reaching for more of nothing and not realizing that we've got it all going. Fa ree and brave.

Great burger. I think Im going to go get me some ice cream. Or better yet the same thing only different made with coconut milk. Got to love coconut though.