Manns Medium

  As far back as the memories will allow, life has not been the subject of legends living with Doris. From the denial of saying goodbye to your father at the age of three to leaving your alone to fend for yourself at the age of seven. From attempting to sell your off to marry for off to some very old guy to disappearing for weeks with no word and no apology when she finally returned. All of these your still find it hard to forgive and even though your wish you could forget, you know that forgetting is not possible so your simply exist and struggle every day not to retaliate especially since you took her into your home over seven years ago and her health is declining. For the remainder of her earthly life, you dedicate yourself to her service, making and transporting to hundreds of doctor’s appointments, juggling work, family, and her care. Going to bed each night mentally and physically drained only to get the very next day and doing it all again. Weekends bring a small bit of ...

  The Idea that because something bad has or is happening to me, gives me the right to take any action that I deem appropriate even if it results the most unnatural act of all, the taking of another human being’s life.   Ethan Crumbley entered his Oxford High School armed with a pistol and the knowledge that it was okay to shoot it up because his family had been totally disrespected by those immigrant parents who did not care about learning and is the primary cause to his family’s financial struggles. He wanted to change his mind and was hoping that someone would talk him out of it or stop him from completing his task, but no one stood up for him, no one saw him, no one heard him, and no one listened to him.   The desire to win the admiration of his parents won out that day and ends now with a 15-year-old teen being charged as an adult on 24 counts of murder and terrorism. He sits in his jail cell, under suicide watch and with a public defender at his side, while ...

Talk to many men and their number one issue with women is the inability to understand them.  Some men have went gone as far as to question their closest female friends or even secured the friendship of the most feminine of males to help them with this issue but I recently discovered that my youngest daughter was the key to my better understanding of women and this may be true for you as well. For example, when she is picking through her food, my first thought is that she must not be hungry or have a personal problem that she does not feel comfortable talking with me about but I have recently discovered that the main reason she does so is she is currently on her period and already feels bloated and in pain.  This explains quite a bit about her going off on her brother during these times for little to nothing.  This also provides me with an excellent opportunity to not only learn more myself but explain it in a male fashion to my son so that he does not grow up as igno...

Find me anyone who disagrees with this title and allow me to have a conversation with them, before long you will see clear and convincing evidence that this is more than just pure speculation, it is fact.  It will begin, as all things normally do, as a frank debate and civil discussion but soon it will elevate to personal attacks and in some cases violence because one of those speaking will run out of defenses for their indefensible behavior and resort to that tried and true method of dismissing, ignoring and cowardly act which is violence.  Begin to notice people, that those who turn to personal attacks do so because reasonable retorts to opposition of ideas are no longer available to them. To watch children play proves that they do not care what color that other child is as long as they play nice.  They do not care about color as long as the other child treats them with respect and as a friend.  They do not care unless they have reason to care and that reason ...

This thought occurred to me as I was looking at answering yes to all of my youngest daughter’s recent requests.  I surmised that since she has already gone through things that no child should ever have to endure at such a young age, that saying yes would make her feel and know that she was loved and appreciated.  It wasn’t until she kept asking for one thing after another that it dawned on me that maybe what I was doing was not actually for her but only to make myself feel better.  I dawned upon me that I was actually doing her more harm than good by saying yes to everything. I began to truly think about that concept of giving in makes them give up and the more I thought about it the more it began to make sense and possibly explain why kids today have little or no respect for anything or anyone.  The primary reason is the lack of a good example set by their parents, guardians or caretakers but a large factor appears to be our desire to try and make things better...

Formed from clay and infused with and brought alive by a spirit made in the image of God and blessed with the power to reproduce and re-create these man-made bodies, we occupy these worlds and spend much of our earthly lives searching for a reason for us existing.  Only to finally come to a realization that our being here is not by accident but because of a purposeful and loving God who chose to create a spirit that would take the best of him and spread it all over these universes.  However, by putting evil in charge of preparing these nations for our arrival, God overlooked the thought that evil would be filled with so much hate for him, that he would turn that hate on his greatest creations and add something to preparation of nations by making it very easy to corrupt God’s greatest gift to any nation. I say that this is true, not because I claim to be smarter and more intelligent than any others that have come before me and shall come after and not because I wish to bec...

Ashley Madison was a typical mixed race child with her daddy’s features and her mother ways.  She was a social butterfly when she was born but slipped back into her cocoon when reaching grade 5.  Her family wondered what happened to the care-free child of birth but never was able to help her break out of her shell.  They tried desperately to return her to the person she was at birth but failed in every attempt because Ashley was not ready to blossom.  So all that they could do is constantly remind her just how special she was and to make sure she knew that the world was a much better place with her in it. Through the years, Ashley remained somewhat settled within her shell and her parents would see glimpse of her when she was around family.  It seemed that the harder she tried to make friends, the less successful she was.   Ashley's  interest in art was sparked when her parents purchased an art set for her one Christmas and that proved more h...

Often time’s things happen in life that forces us to ask the question “What was that about” and when that happens there are but two clear choices.  The first is you deserve the fire for what you did but choose not to remember or it is what is referred to as “displaced anger”.  In order to know which one, take a step back and search your very soul to find out if it was truly something you did.  If it was then simply apologizing will correct the situation but if it wasn’t then take heart in knowing that the anger you just witness is an indication of something much deeper and if that person is truly a friend.  It is a sign that maybe you need to offer your help in solving. Many times anger directed toward us is really not about us and more about a deeper unsettling of the person expressing that anger.  Suppose you have finally gotten your fill of someone seemingly to be taking advantage of you.  You feel less like telling them where to go and drawing them...

An enemy is defined as “a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something” while the Urban Dictionary defines enemy as “a former friend or acquaintance whose company is no longer considered to be beneficial to a relationship”.  Now I don’t know about you but man’s definitions of words we have used so often and have come to believe in are in serious need of renovation when it comes to the realization of the public today. These definitions should clearly show why there is so much hatred in this world and how we have been lead to believe that this hatred is justified.  These definitions tells us that it is okay, fair and just to look upon anyone who opposes, disagrees with, or cannot understand us to be tagged as an enemy and therefore destroyed.  We wonder why all this hatred comes from and we wonder how we, as a just society, could allow such actions to be a common part of our lives, well we need to wonder no longer.  We are the reason for all t...

This is the question that people have been asking for quite some time.  To many it seems never too important unless it deals with them directly.  We are often conditioned to think that as long as something does not directly affect you, then it is no big deal but then isn’t that the trick that Satan plays upon us every day?  Getting us to ignore things going on around us so that he and his demons can continue to rap society at will and with no recourse?  Perhaps understanding better why we get so angry may just help us curtail the primary driving force in many of our thoughts, ideas and actions. Try this on for size.  An article, from the Associated Press out of Washington, about a 911 dispatcher and the call from a 13 year old girl about an accident that both parents were involved in may just shine some light on the subject.  It reports that “a 911 dispatcher twice told an emotional 13-year-old girl to "stop whining" as her father lay dying after a hit...

For all of you citizens who think that there are no “good” cops and for you cops that this that there are no “good” citizens, this story is for you and it is all the proof you may need to understand why I say evil will never win.  The article is titled “ Florida teen saves life of Fort Lauderdale police officer as he is being arrested ” written by David Edwards for The Raw Story.  It reports “A Florida teenager was honored on Tuesday for helping to save the life of a Fort Lauderdale police officer who was processing his arrest for a parole violation.  Video released by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department shows Officer Franklin Foulks processing Jamal Rutledge after he was arrested for criminal mischief and burglary probation violations, according to WTVJ.  When Foulks suddenly collapsed, Rutledge “immediately began to kick the security fence and yell to alert officers in the area,” a statement from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department said.  Sgt. Todd Bunin ...

There are many driving forces that feeds our lack of understanding and because of that, many of us just give up totally on trying to even come close to figuring out what the other person means.  We can’t seem to get it and because we don’t get it, we don’t get them.  Not getting them means you have to rank them somewhere so human beings “catch-all” column for anything or anyone they do not understand is the ignore list.  So why do we do this and how valuable is this list? We do this because when we talk about values we lie because there are only really two values and no one human being is equipped with both so basically each of us that wear this meat suit will either possess and display one value or another.  The two values are being right and doing right.  Now for many of you, your first thought is that you can have both and there we must agree to disagree.  There is a very huge but single difference between being right and doing right.   ...

Trying to understand and keep some women constantly happy is an age old journey that men have been on for years and is still searching for an answer today.  One can assume that it began when Eve was born of Adam’s Ribs.  When it was first realized was probably also when the phrase “walking on eggshells” came from. Here’s the condensed version of the situation.  Some men will go out of their way to make the lady in their lives happy even if it means doing a lot of things that they really do not want to do.  They will rationalize it as “no big deal” or “a happy wife is a happy life” but really it is to keep the drama and noise down at home.  If you wish to watch your favorite television show, you must first make sure that you have done everything your lady wants you to do before it starts, so you ask the question and whatever she says at that time, you make happen.  Once you have satisfied all of those requirements, you confidently think that now you wil...

The word enemy is thrown out frequently and often means the same to everyone who hears it but what would you say if I told you that we all had it wrong.  That those we consider our enemy is nothing but a person with a different view of things.  That the outcome which often accompanies that label “enemy” is not necessary in all cases and often times is unwarranted in many. The true definition of an enemy is something or someone you know whose only intention is to cause you pain, suffering, injury or death.  Something or someone you know who harbors nothing of value except for the value that they place themselves within, far and above the value that it or they place upon others similar but different than them or it.  Something or someone who is consistent in their loathing or anything or anyone that exist within their sphere or vicinity.  This enemy can be one or many and even sometimes may not even exist in reality at all. Just because you fancy yourself...

As a dad who has fallen behind on child support, I was very interested in your story yesterday.  It taught me that people often hide behind personal attitudes and use the law to justify their bias.  There are so many saying that it is all about the kids, which I strongly believe is a lie and a cover.  If it really was about the kids, courts would mandate visitation instead of money, parents would seek to unite kids with their missing parent, unless that parent refuses to have anything to do with the child, or has shown signs of abusing the child.  Money does not raise a child nor does it replace the love, attention and closeness of a parent.  You speak of deadbeat dads and you make is sound like anyone who falls behind on child support, does not love, care for or would give their life for their child.   Now the object is to take away driver's license, so how could a decent dad ever find and secure a job depending on rides from other people or RMTD...

My favorite moments was less about speeches and more about, sometimes, missed actions by those who participated.  The little things that makes one heart sing and reinforce your belief in the goodness of people. One of these was the sincere look Michelle Obama had on her face when she spoke about how her husband sat and read those letters, committing and re-committing himself to doing whatever he could to ease their pain.  Another was hearing Joe Biden tell us how his first question was always “How will this effect the lives of everyday people.”  For a person to make this there first priority means that he surely seeks to answer to a much higher power than delegates and donors.  I was touched by Bill Clinton’s real reaction when he turned to see Barack coming toward him on the stage.  The bending at the waist was a real reaction and not a staged one.  The embrace that both man shared and the closing of their eyes to soak in the true meaning of their relat...

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line roasting pan with aluminum foil large enough to cover all sides and top of meat.   Spoon into the pan your margarine or butter and let melt in the preheating oven.   Once margarine or butter has melted, remove pan from oven and set aside. While margarine or butter is melting, cut up some potatoes to your particular liked size and place them into a large bowl.   Slice up one small onion or half of one large one, making sure to peel it first before cutting and placing it also in the same bowl.   Add in as many baby carrots as you desire to the bowl then pour your melted butter or margarine over the top of them.   Sprinkle in your salt, pepper, paprika, sugar and vanilla flavoring.   Stir and mix well. Wash your chuck roast well to remove any manufactured and packaging residue.   Place your roast into the pan making sure that you left a little bit of melted butter or margarine to line the foil.   Slowly po...

Yesterday, I attended a gathering and was listening to a young man tell me about some of the promises made to him by a Marine Recruiter.   I found myself strangely confused by what I was hearing because it sounded nothing like the Marines that I spent over 9 years in.   It made so little sense that I had to question him about it and was surprised to find that he took offense to my asking. The main question focused on the information that being a felony would not mean anything as far as owning a firearm because the Marines would not only wipe that away but allow him to gather items associated with firearms outside of the realm of the military.   He stated that he would not only be able to own a firearm with his felony conviction but also purchase silencers.   Now while this may not appear such a big deal to most people, it truly concerned me. The Marines, to me, was an organization that prided itself on choosing the best and the brightest to wear that uniform...

Being raised in the south I was always exposed to old wise tales or adages to help guide me through life.   When I repeat these to my children they tend to look at me as if I have lost my mind.   As they mature, they soon recognize that many of these adages still hold true today.   Some but not all. One of the many which has been proven wrong time after time is the old adage that “good guys always finish last”.   This one is no longer true and probably wasn’t when it was first introduced because good guys are typically more content and seldom has to fear any regulators of rules because they are seldom if ever broken.   We honor those “bad boys and girls” with hit TV Shows or block-busting movies but in the end they all will finally pay the ultimate price for their actions.   Ever wonder why a bank robber who gets away clean will finally keeps trying until they get caught?   It’s not because of the thrill, contrary to popular belief, it’s because they ...

When the Rapper/Actor Will Smith first came out with his song “Parents Just Don’t Understand”, I fell in love with it and it really spoke to me.   As time passed and I became a parent, I understood why that song bothered my mother when she heard it because she would tell us that she understood more than we thought.   After watching other parents operate and dealing with my two smaller children another realization appeared.   Was visiting my two youngest children yesterday and had a great time.   After arriving back home, I got a phone call from my fiancée who was complaining about the two little sweet angels that I had just left were now running around with pitch-forks and a tail.    While allowing her to vent, it occurred to me that some parents really don’t understand. She asked me for my opinion about the situation and this was my advice to her.   Many times parents look at children and something inside of them assume that the children should know w...