James Hauenstein's Blog, page 11

Climbing A Tree

This is a true story.This really happened to me two days ago!    I was with a friend of mine in the local park when he decided to climb a tree. After he got up into the bulk of the branches, he calls down to me and says, "Hey, come on up."   I'm 6 foot, but he is taller than me, so the lower limb that he used to pull himself up was just out of reach for me.   No longer in my youth, but still eating the same way as I did back then, I have gained a few pounds since. So the lower branch that I might have been able to jump to in my younger days was frustratingly hard for me to reach on this day.   I tried jumping straight up a few times to grad hold of the limb but to no avail. On my last try I took a running start at the California Rosewood where I used the trunk of the tree as a platform to push off with my left foot to reach the cursed branch.   Feeling good about my first victory in this endeavor, I made my way back towards the bulk of the tree with my hands. Getting close enough so I could do a pull up to get my chin above the branch, while at the same time, trying to lift my left leg high enough to insert it on top of a v-shaped split in the trunk.   Working hard to accomplish this, I could feel the water droplets of sweat forming on my forehead and that burning sensation in the muscles of my arms as they began to hurt.   But still, as hard as I tried, I couldn't get my leg up around the tree.
   That's when it all blew up on me!   My daughter came busting into my room, waking me up from that point in my nap where you think your dream is reality, for a question that could have easily been answered at anytime of the day!   The dream was so vivid that I woke up feeling exhausted, anxious, and frustrated!   Inside my mind, I actually felt mad at myself for never finishing the task of climbing that tree!

This is,My Dreams Are So Vivid That I Often Remember At Least One Of Them After I Wake UpMost Of My Stories I Write Here Are From The Dreams I Have Had
Jim Hauenstein And, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt - 
That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You

Bread Verses Traffic

   I guess I have been keeping a secret for way too long. It happened such a long time ago that I have been afraid to tell people in case I would look foolish. I never confessed it to anyone after it happened and I have never confessed it to anyone until now. Yes, it's about a woman.   Back in high school I was very fortunate to have a beautiful and a intelligent woman as my girlfriend. I say this because she was light years ahead of me as far as being mature and knowing what kind of future she was looking for.   One day, we were driving around in my car, listening to the radio when she said, "We need to pick a song, that will be our song, so every time we hear it we will remember our days in school."   "That's a great idea," I said, "and I have just the song."  At the time, we were listening to a lot of good classic rock like, Neil Young, Beatles, Genesis, Carol King, and so on. Deep down inside, I never let on to my friends that I also liked Pop Music. At the time I think they called it Bubble Gum Music because it was so sweet.   I was thinking that we had to pick a song about our love for each other, so I said, "How about Baby I'm-A Want You!" It's a song by the group called Bread.   She couldn't stop laughing at me and said, "I was thinking more along the lines of the song, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys!" A song by the talented group Traffic.YES, I WAS EMBARRASSED!This is,BreadJim Hauenstein
And,
I did seeThe Monkeesin 1969 at the
Milwaukee Pop FestivalSo I have a long history of likingPop Music!
“People haven't always been there for me but music always has.”
- Taylor Swift -

 That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You

 

Where Is Waldo Now?

   One of my daughters once told me that I am very open-minded about all kinds of music. That I am not one of those older people who always say, "In my day, that's when music was good. Not this programmed junk you hear today!"   This is one of the greatest compliments I could ever have received, since music always played a big part in my life.   The other nice part about this endorsement, of appreciating a variety of music no matter the decade it was written in, is that my family agreed with her.   Last year, when I was visiting the town in Wisconsin where I grew up in, I did hear by more than one old friend the phrase; "In my day, that's when music was good." But I would just tell them, "There is really good music out there. You just have to know where to find it."   Then there is the other side to my answer where I say, "How the Hell did this get made?"Waldo is the name of the Parrot who is the lead singer of the band! 
This is,Incredible How They Got Signed To Warner Brother's Music Jim Hauenstein
 And,
"They didn't have any Social Media in my day so I could promote my music to the world!" - An Old Geezer -
https://www.youtube.com/user/twobuckhowie “You call it demonic because you hear screaming, I call it life saving because I hear the meaning.”
- Mitch Lucker - That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You 

My Ghosts Haunt Me Day And Night

   I'm not afraid to tell you that I'm scared sometimes. This isn't supposed to happen to someone like me. It happens to those other people. Like the ones who say those crazy things on TV who are trying to get their 15 minutes of fame promised to them by Andy Warhol. I wasn't even born yet when he was making cans of soup popular art.   See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm an educated guy, studied art in school, traveled a bit and I have an analytical mind. I'm not supposed to believe in the possibility of ghosts or the supernatural. That's for those gullible folks who live on the fringes of society.   Shhhh. Did you hear that? No?   Okaaay.
   What I don't understand is how my ghosts are manifesting themselves during the day. In all the movies I've seen, the TV programs I've watched, and all the books I've read, show that spirits only come out at night.   My ghosts don't only haunt me at night. They haunt me during the daylight hours too! Because they don't follow the rules.   Its just not right.   Are you sure you didn't hear anything? Really? Your sure?   Well, okay.   Its not like they come out when I have friends over anyways. I've never seen them around when other people are here. It's like they get all of their joy out of haunting me while I'm alone.   It's very irritating.
   Why? It's irritating because when I tell someone who is alive, they don't believe me. They either think I'm kidding, or crazy, or both.   Its not like I have a lot of proof to show if the ghosts don't manifest themselves when somebody else is here. They don't do any major poltergeist activity. Like start fires, throw furniture around, or wield a weapon which could hurt me. They mostly sneak up on me and go boo. Appear in my bathroom mirror while I'm shaving. Or just stand around my bed until I wake up.   It doesn't sound dangerous or too scary I know, but how would you like it if five ghosts stood around you in the morning, watching while you got dressed, go to the bathroom, take a bath, or do anything!   They have no boundaries and they are always trying to scare me at the most inappropriate time.   What do you mean they are board? I have my own life to live and what happens if I ever get married? Should I bring home a partner, to this place, so they can be tortured day and night alongside of me?   That's it. If you won't help me I'm either going to get a professional exorcist or sell the damn place.   What? Oh, real mature.   Sticks and stones. You don't even have any bones!This is,Me Saying I Have Fun With My GhostsJim Hauenstein
And,
“The house smelled musty and damp, and a little sweet, as if it were haunted by the ghosts of long-dead cookies.”
- Neil Gaiman -
 That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You

I Need To Confess My Deepest Darkest Secret

   Mothers and fathers. Hide your children in another room of your house. Don't let them see or read my story. It could haunt them for the rest of their lives! It could haunt you for the rest of yours!
   Okay, it all started when I was a small boy.   I know. I know what you are already thinking? How could this happen to a small boy. How could ADDICTION capture the soul of a five year old? Well I will tell you.   I didn't notice it happening at first. I had no idea what addiction was or how someone could become an addict. But it becomes really easy when all your loved ones think they are doing the right thing by being enablers.   I hold no grudges against anyone though. They didn't know any better at the time.
   Now you are asking, what could he have possibly been addicted to?   The most prevalent and accessible substance on the streets to this very day!   Ketchup. That's right. You heard me. Ketchup!
   The addiction began from a use of small amounts as most addictions do. I would get a fast-food hamburger from someplace and there would be a small amount on the meat. And I would think, "Yeah, this good. I like it. I want more."    That is where the small packets of ketchup come into play. In my eyes they were not just for putting on top of french fries anymore. I grab as many as I could without drawing attention to myself and then make a large pile, either on a paper plate or the paper wrapper the hamburger came in. Then I would dunk!   Dunking my fries and hamburger into a pile of ketchup! Until your could only taste the sweet watery red sauce and nothing else.   It didn't stop there. I put ketchup on all kinds of meat after I was a full fledged addict. Chicken, pork, beef, venison, duck, and even steak.   I remember being at a five star restaurant with my parents asking our waitress if she get me a bottle of ketchup so I could pour it on my steak. She said they might have A1 sauce but they would never have ketchup in there fine establishment.   Inside of getting mad I just pulled out six or seven packets and smothered my sirloin with the condiment.   When I was older and I was at a bar or someone's house I would excuse myself and say I had to go outside for a smoke. Really, I didn't want people seeing me at my lowest point of my addiction sucking on a couple of packets to get a ketchup rush.   My shame didn't stop there. I saw the addiction hit my daughter when we were on a road trip and we forgot to ask for extra ketchup while going through the drive-thru of a fast-food joint. She was so upset I had to convince her that she had imaginary ketchup on her fries. I don't know if was from the effects of withdrawals but she started tasting it on her food. So all was well until we could get the real thing.
   That's when I knew I had to end this cycle of addiction in our family! No more going to the warehouse stores once a week and buying five gallon containers of the stuff. We became a ketchup free household! For my health and the health of my family.
   That was 17 tears ago. I have had ketchup off and on since then but I know I am no longer addicted. Because I can quit whenever I want. Cause I have, 10 or 12 times already in my life.   And right now I just don't want to.This is,Some Serious StuffAnd Don't Me Started On Spaghetti Sauce EitherJim Hauenstein And, “Isn't ketchup technically a fruit smoothie?”
- Arizona Tape -  That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You 

Eddie - Without any commentary because Google is a pain in the @$$

What My Grandson Said This Time

The original story that I posted on my blog is called
"What My Grandson Said."I wrote it inApril of 2015.At the time he asked me,
"Papa, can you smell that?"I said,
"Sorry Grandson,but I lost my sense of smell a long time ago."So he replied,
"Papa, when I get old and you're dead......"I interrupted him right there!"Grandson, I don't like that kind of talk, where you say I'm dead."He said,"OK, OK. It's not like it's the end of the world or anything."
This is,
Saying It Would Be The End Of The World For Me!
Jim Hauenstein,*****Now,seven years later he often goes with me on my morning walks when he comes over on the weekends to visit me.After a mile into our walk this last Saturday,he turns and says to me,"Grandpa we need to spend as much time as we can together because you might not live much longer."I let it slide this time around,about him referring to my inevitable demise.His heart is in the right placeand with him wanting to spend time with me,it put a smile on my face.Then he started playing around!He kept walking in front of me so I would almost trip over him.I said, "If you keep it up I'll give you a good shove!"He replied, "No you won't. You're afraid of my Mom!"I laughed, he stopped,and I texted his Mother about our conversation.She texted me back,"You are!" This is,I Love My Family So Much This photo doesn't include my son Henrico and his family,my son Monchito and his girlfriend,and my daughter Danielle, her son and boyfriend.My dream is to have everyone in one photo someday.Jim Hauenstein  And,

“Don't wake me for the end of the world unless it has very good special effects.”
- Roger Zelazny, -  That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You 

Eddie

Recently,my twelve year old grandson has been making shortYouTubevideos for his cousins, aunts, and hisMom.Being the mature adult that I am,I cried,"Where's mine?"So I went into the archivesand pulled out an old song I wrote with the groupTwoBuckHowie With The Exact ChangeThe song is so new I can't even embed it on thisBlogyet! ;(You just have to follow this linkhttps://youtu.be/gTsKPUqFJzgto see his wonderful artistic abilitiesand hear the classic song called "Eddie!"    This is,The Inspiration Of Horror Movies From Psycho To Leather FaceJim Hauenstein
And,
“I think perhaps all of us go a little crazy at times.”
- Robert Bloch -  That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You 

An Up Close Encounter

   Hi, I can't believe it finally happened to me. It was frightening at first but I learned a long time ago that if you don't keep your cool, things can get much worse then they already are. In a hurry too!
   Maybe I should start with a little background to my story first, while I explain what just happened to me.   I haven't been writing on my Blog on the weekends anymore because my grandson comes over now and stays with me from Friday to Sunday evening. We decided to go for a walks together on each Saturday and Sunday morning when he is here. It has been going on for awhile now and it has been a big help to me physically because I can feel the difference. We've been walking two and a half miles per day!   So today, Monday, I decided I was going to extend my two and a half miles to something like three or four. Depending on how I felt.   I live in Southern California so going a mile and a half to two miles away from my home brings me up a mountainside and past the dried up riverbed, where water only flows when it rains.   No housing can be built up there since it's sacred tribal land of the Pechanga Indians. But they don't seem to mind a hiker or two walking about.   I walk in the early mornings, if you can call 7am early. Before seven, people with kids and jobs are bustling about to get here and there. Dropping off children and rushing off to beat the punch clock. So it gives people like me the freedom to go roundabout with a quit anonymity. To go where we like with no hassles.   It's relaxing because there is no traffic to worry about, the neighborhood kids are all in school or daycare, and there is a sense of peace which you can only find at this time of day.   It felt so good I planned on walking up to four miles today.   I was at the two mile mark and was going to turn around when I saw, coming over the top ridge of the mountain, two glowing white pulsating round spheres. They were the size of those exercise balls people use to workout with at the gym.   They immediately seemed to be intelligent because they paused as soon as they saw me. I couldn't tell the difference from the front to the sides of the spheres, but they slowly turned to one another and started pulsating rhythmically, as if communicating with each other.   Then, before I could blink twice, the spheres came shooting towards me at lightening speed, surrounding me by going around me in circles.   I was frozen in place.
   I was frozen, not by anything the spheres did to me, but by my own fear.   The spheres started pulsating again as they circled me. Thankfully, there were no aggressive movements towards me, but I couldn't help wondering what they might be saying to one another.   Once again they moved in less than a blink. This time they lined up in front of me one on top of the other with the upper sphere slightly behind the bottom sphere. It reminded me of soldiers from the American Revolution. How the front row of men would kneel down while aiming their guns at the enemy and the second row stood up behind them aiming theirs.   Were they sizing up the situation before they fired?   The pulsating started anew. I was so scared. Unconsciously I reached for the plug at the end of my earbuds connecting to my phone and pulled. The music started blaring as loud as a blaring cell phone can and the lower sphere came up close to me. Its light started flickering to the beat of the music. The other sphere then came closer to me and did the same. A small latch on that sphere opened up on the front of it and I saw blue, green, and red lights. I thought I was going to split a gut when it started to talk to me through those lights. It said, "I like that song. What's the name of it?"   Stunned I replied, "Dancing Queen by Abba."   "I love those guys," the other sphere said. "Sorry, we have to go."   And with three blinks of an eye, they were past the clouds in the sky. Out of sight.   I'll never forget today and I will be walking up the same side of the mountain from now on. I'll have my phone playing music as I go along. Hopefully these unidentified flying spheres will enjoy a little Ed Sheeran or Beatles and not just disco.   Wouldn't it be weird if the whole Galaxy was into Disco and Synth Pop?This is,I'm Telling The Whole TruthAnd Nothing But The TruthJim Hauenstein, And, “Disco sucks? You never heard that from me.”
- John Lydon -  That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You

I Work On My Afflictions

 The reason I didn't write yesterday will become apparent after you read today's
Post
called
Afflicted By One Of The Seven Deadly Sins
dated
October 5th, 2015.
(Man, that was a lot of work.)
*****
 I have written
Posts
onListening,Obsession,Choices,Being Important,Anger,and otherSkills & Habitsthe
Human Species
develops during a person's lifetime.But there is a threat to our very existence that each of us must fight off each day of our lives.You might be thinking that this menace could be anAddiction,or aDisease?Might it beGluttony,Envy,Pride,Lust,Greed,or something simple as beingAngry
all the time.No,it's not one of these selfish traits,but is one of the most heinous of all theSeven Deadly Sins.This threat is eating at the heart of
Humanities
survival.That if left unchecked,it could mean the end of mankind!What am I talking about?What is this parasite that all of us should fear?It's called,LAZINESS!(Sloth is the name of the sin in Christianity.) Yes,Laziness.So get off your buttocksand do something in this
World
worthwhile.Help someone in need.Help your neighbor,a friend,or a family member.Listen to someone who needs to talk to feel better.Give your time to a charitable cause.Just don't sit theirand be a pessimist on the state of the
World!Do something about it!Like I did today.(Patting myself on the back.) Getting off the
Freeway
I saw aHomeless Manholding up a cardboard sign which read,Hungry, Will Work For Food.So,you know what I did?I said,"Here, take this dollar. No I have no work for you or refuge from this rain. And no, I can't give you a ride to the Homeless Shelter."Why?Because I'm too damn lazy!(At least I gave him a buck.)
This is,My Words Speak Louder Then My Actions Sometimes,Jim Hauenstein,
And,
  "Do as I say, not as I do."- Ancient Proverb -

 That is my story and I am sticking to it! Like what you are reading? Sign up as a Followeror leave a CommentIf it's worthy enoughI'll answer you in a Post
Thanks for reading
Be Kind To Everyone
I'll Be Seeing You