[continue reading…]

[continue reading…]

[continue reading…]

Eyes of the Great Depression 001

One of the really neat things about the internet today is the sharing of vintage, mostly public domain, images, many of them through the Library of Congress. While I’ve posted a few on Exit78 on occasion, there hasn’t been any sort of purpose or pattern to it — which is okay, except that it just turned out to be one of those “someday” things: “I’ll post more vintage images someday…, when I get around to it.” I’ve decided to put more ownership and more of myself into posting of vintage images. Focusing on the Great Depression, I’ll be initially posting images of eyes that I’ve cropped from photographs from the 1930s. Later, I hope to develop a web site where visitors will be able to see my work along with copies of the original photograph. These images will be extra content for my visitors — published fairly frequently in addition to my own photography and commentary.

[continue reading…]

“I’m not prejudiced, but…” or “I’m not racist, but…”

The “but” says it all to me…, regardless of what comes after the “but.”

Everyone has prejudice to some degree.  When I was a teen in the 60s and very early 70s, I often said, “The only thing I’m prejudiced against is prejudice.”  Older now, I acknowledge that I’ve had my share of prejudices, some of which I still struggle with.

When someone says, “I’m not prejudiced,” I’m skeptical.

I was watching a video online the other day when a guy actually said, “I’m not prejudiced or a racist, but there ain’t any way that I’m going to vote for a black man.”

The best I can say about that is that it’s partially honest. Because of his prejudice, he is unable to vote for a black person.  It’s too bad that he can’t get past that and vote on the issues rather than the color of a man’s skin.

On an individual basis, I do not care who anyone else is voting for. That’s their personal choice — and, unless they tell me otherwise, I choose to believe that their choices are for reasons other than race or ethnicity.

Hopefully, more people than normal will be able to answer, “Yes,” if someone says, “I voted! Did You?” — and , hopefully, the result will not be significantly influenced by prejudice.

What comes to your mind when you hear someone say, “I’m not prejudiced, but…?”

Image shared on Flickr by Christopher Dick

I guess I don’t know what being retired means.

Either that or it means something different to other folks.

I guess there is being really retired where you don’t do anything that might bring in some extra income.

For some retirement includes working part time to bring in some supplemental income.

Then, there is retired and going to work in an entirely new career field.

As well, there is retired and going to work as a high paid contractor or consultant in the field you retired from — don’t know about the “high paid” part of that.

Then, there is military retirement, which apparently isn’t really enough for anyone to live on, as all the military retirees I know are working full time towards a second retirement income.

———

Even though I went back to my former place of long-term employment for a short stint as a contractor, I was still retired.  Sure, I was getting paid — better than what I was getting before I retired, I might add — for the work, but I was also getting a pension check.

And there was a difference in me that others noticed!

Before I retired, I couldn’t quit without putting my early retirement in jeopardy…, and I was not happy — stuck in a job I couldn’t leave.  As a retiree coming back to work a contract, I always had a smile, something that was more rare than I realized before I left.  I didn’t have to be there and, if I felt like it, I could leave with no adverse consequences other than the loss of pay and reduce likelihood of being asked back again.

Plus, I was getting to do the fun part of the job.

I’m retired and I don’t have plans to look for a new job.  However, if I’m asked, like I was last time, to go back to work for a few months and I get to primarily do the fun parts of the job, I’ll do it.

Until then, Im really retired — I think.

—–

In my recent post, I don’t wear a watch when…, one of the commenters said that she didn’t think I was really retired.

What does retirement mean for you? Do you want retirement without any other work or will retirement include working in some way for you or your significant other?

Image shared on Flickr by fdecomite

When I retired at the beginning of 2007, I stopped wearing my wristwatch.

I didn’t put it back on until I took a short term contract job in February of this year.  At the end of the contract, I again stopped wearing the watch.

I guess, in a way, it’s a symbolic gesture.

I’m no longer tied quite so tightly to the clock, to a routine.

If I need to know what time it is, there’s a clock on my cell phone, in my camera, on the dash of my car, truck, and motorhome, on the back wall of my motorhome, on the TV, computer, microwave — you get the drift.

I don’t need the watch for me to be able to keep track of time.

Not wearing it is pretty much symbolic of a little more freedom.

——–

Is there something you do or don’t do that is symbolic of something?

Image shared on Flickr by allison chase

Whether we like it or not, race is an issue in 21st century America.

If it wasn’t an issue, no one would have said anything in the current election about who played the race card first — because there wouldn’t be a race card.

If race wasn’t an issue, pollsters wouldn’t be asking questions to determine what percentage of whites have negative perceptions about blacks.

If it wasn’t an issue, no one would be saying anything about Barack Obama being black. He would just be a relatively young politician trying to become president. Being the first black man nominated by a major political party as its candidate for president of the United States of America would not be such a big deal.

And Barack is just as much white as he is black — and it really shouldn’t make a difference.

Image shared on Flickr by jurvetson

If race didn’t matter it would be just as correct to call him white as it is to call him black.

Yet, even today, 143 years after the end of the American Civil War, a person with any black ancestry is black — regardless of the percentage of their non-black ancestry…, and it really, really shouldn’t matter — but it does.

Barack Obama being black will not win him the race for the presidency.  However, if he loses, being black will be part of the reason he lost.

Imagine — just for a moment — where the polls would be if Obama was not black.

There are many, many white Americans who will not — cannot — vote for Obama because of his race and who will vote for McCain because McCain is not black.  Many of them will find other reasons to use.  Though they won’t admit it, many will be voting the way they do because race matters to them.  Unfortunately, I know a few people — just a few — that are making such rationalizations over this election — however, I am surprised at some people I know who are leaning towards voting Democrat.

One friend from long ago refuses to vote for a black man, even though she has legal custody of grandchildren who are of mixed parentage.  I can’t understand it.

Race matters to me in a different way.  I am absolutely enthused that we have progressed to the point where a black man is a very serious contender for the presidency of the United States. However, my vote will not be based on race, but rather on the policies and abilities of the candidates.

Race, as a topic, though, matters to me now because, despite the fact that it may make a difference today, I can see that we are moving to a place and time where, perhaps, it may not matter so much after all — as it shouldn’t!

———————–

just a few thoughts from a retired, somewhat overweight, white guy from Arkansas