So here I sit, on my day off from working in the service department, sitting in the waiting area of another service department, waiting for work to be done on my car. Seems akin to a bus driver taking a bus on vacation. Nonetheless, here I am with nothing to do but tap on a keyboard, sharing my mindless meanderings.

I find myself oddly calm in the face of the challenges harassing the world's collective conscience. The war in Ukraine is a horrible thing, but does not affect me personally with any great force. The obvious physical ramification is an increase in my gasoline price, but that's just a temporary inconvenience as history attests. I feel great sadness for the people of Ukraine and Russia because of the evil acts of a despot. If we are to believe the media (a prospect that is sketchy at best), nobody wants this war but the asshole to commanded it. Complete rebellion in Russia would be the only way to stop it, and we know that this will not happen, unfortunately. So, in the end I'm left with only sympathy for those who must endure this hellish course. Even that must be made transient in my mind, for I must continue to live a life and earn a living. Things would be different if I lived in a neighboring country, for instance. I pray and I go about my day, letting my God be God.

The financial costs of daily living continue to rise, but again I am helpless to stop it. I buy much less, only what I need. Wants just have to wait. First world problems, right? I'm investing in an 11 year old car with 156,000 miles because it makes more sense than taking on a new payment in our current situation. Fortunately, it's a little car that gets good gas mileage. I find that this is the smartest thing I can do. Since the grocery store is close to the house, I buy only the items I want to prepare over just a couple of days. The idea of a week's worth of groceries is out of the question. I find that I end up with less waste that way. Rather than gripe about what I can no longer afford, I have found comfort in just being grateful for what I have. Who among us does not want more, right? "Wants" just simply have to wait this current situation out.

The more time I spend on improving myself, the better off I typically am. The less I worry about the problems of others, the better off I am. It's a wonderful dream that can never come true, but if the entire world of people just simply worked on their own issues instead of worrying about the issues of others, life would improve for everyone. I cannot fix what's wrong outside of me, so why spend effort on that.

Spending time being prayerful (or meditative) is the key to happiness. Living in my "6 foot circle" is the best thing I can do, for it not only works toward my happiness, I become less of a burden for the worriers all around me.

As Nicole Kidman said in Days of Thunder, "Control is an illusion, you infantile egomaniac." Why expend the energy of worry on things that cannot be controlled?

We must allow ourselves our prayers and meditations for those in need that we cannot help directly. But in the end, we have to let it all go. Times are hard, but it will work itself out. It always does. You do not have to believe me. Just look at history. The cycle will turn.

I love y'all (not in THAT way). Will go live later today when I get home. Let's talk about it.

Told you this was a "meandering."