Sen Collins makes stance on trans athletes in women's sports clear as Maine bucks Trump's executive order

My Stories, My Insight, My Blog. All stories contained within are by me.

Hi, I’m Mike, and this is my blog. I am an Independent by choice and Scottish by The Grace Of God! The year is 2025, and climate change is a big concern in a lot of people’s minds. This year, I am 70, and I just can’t wrap my mind around the notion of things getting warmer. I haven’t noticed a measurable difference, but I don’t keep records.

I started writing on my blog about a year ago on my desktop and there has been a lengthy hiatus between my last sit down. I enjoy writing and I hope you will take some time out of your busy day to read my thoughts.

My articles are brief and designed to provoke thought. I research topics where applicable to provide correct information and try not to make stuff up.

I try to spend most evenings working on my blog. I am using a content management system I designed myself “HomePage” to create this site. If you see something I should add or change, don't hesitate to get in touch with me. There is no purposeful plagiarism here.

My humor, intrigue, suspense, boredom, and downright good taste are the things you’ll find but no profanity.

How does legal immigration work?

To immigrate legally, a person must receive permission from the U.S. government before entering.

• There are many different visa categories, each with its requirements, rights, and responsibilities.
• Other common pathways include employment, humanitarian protection, and the green card lottery.

Immigrants who are granted permanent residence are known as lawful permanent residents (LPRs) or "green card" holders.

If they marry a U.S. citizen, LPRs can apply for U.S. citizenship after five or three years.

What are the rights of legal immigrants?

Legal immigrants can work without special restrictions, own property, and receive financial assistance at public colleges and universities. They can also join the Armed Forces.

Illegal immigration, also known as unlawful immigration, occurs when a foreign-born person enters the U.S. without a valid visa or other immigration documentation.

"Homelessness is defined as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. It can be caused by many factors, including income insecurity, healthcare insecurity, and basic needs insecurity."

I live in a tornado-prone area and can be one brief second away from being homeless if Mother Nature so chooses. Anyone can become homeless. And it doesn't take any planning to get there. I own my house but that doesn't mean I'm in a secure situation. 

Some people become homeless by choice. Watch this video to get a feel of what homelessness is all about. 

It would seem sensible to attach serenity to solitude. Aren't they the same thing? A person can be in a serene state of mind and body while being in solitude or alone from anyone else. I looked up both trying to find similarities and while disclaiming any other person I find that they both relate.

I live alone in quasi-solitude with the Internet being my only resolve 70% of the time.I don't think it's possible to find a place of solitude without being alone and away from other people or distractions. But let's stray away from the official definition and venture into reality. If I'm reading a book or writing on my computer, I am in a state of complete comfort free from any distractions. When someone enters the house both solitude and serenity become violated somewhat but to varying degrees. I can no longer concentrate on what I'm doing but still stay comfortable. Because my surroundings have changed I am placed at odds with not being alone anymore. Solitude fades away but serenity doesn't.

You can calm stress through security and solitude. A person suffering from stress, that's caused by any outside influence, will not find relief until they can eliminate those things causing the stress. Simple right? Money, or lack thereof, is the most identifiable cause of stress. People become homeless by choice or tiny house dwellers to live a debt-free existence which was or may have been the driving factor causing stress.

Let's say I am stressed and go to a therapist to see if I can work it out. The therapist relates my stress to the same causes that affect say 85% of the population. But, my causes for stress aren't being addressed and the therapist may suggest ways to work through stress while not identifying the cause. And the suggested remedies are getting by myself and relaxing even though they may not be the solution.

You’ve seen the movies where the lady comes home to her apartment, kicks off her shoes, changes clothes, and turns on the music. Next, there’s a glass of wine and a cat to stroke. She’s alone and her mind is free of the day’s stresses.

But everyone’s idea of what makes them safe secure and comfortable is different. A person working in a busy factory doesn’t have solitude but has serenity through the confidence in their abilities to perform a repetitious task while the newcomer doesn’t have either.

Now, say I live in a city where solitude is only a word. Regardless of where I go, there is no getting away from others except maybe in my residence, and that's not a good choice because I lack the money to get a quiet place. So let's say I live alone in solitude. But what else can I do? The country setting is a welcoming place, but other stressful people in the city may think the same thing. Ever tried going to the lake on a Saturday? So the residence it is and I've solved the solitude problem at least to my satisfaction. Now to work on serenity (remember the need to satisfy the therapist's recommendations).

Serenity is easier to satisfy than getting alone time and if you have a quiet space, there is also reading, writing, meditation, yoga, and your inventions.

My inventions are probably different from yours. And because they’re mine my past life’s experiences shaped them. But many people, well probably most people, will at least attempt to satisfy any solutions that the therapist recommended. Some will go to great lengths to try those new things too. And it will convince some people that those new ideas are working and that the therapist has changed their whole outlook on life. That’s how so many of these so-called experts get their reputations.

Some will be so utterly convinced that they will say “Oh you must try Suzie because she is so in tune with my psyche that I don’t know where I would be in my life today without her.” While not realizing that Suzie most likely wasn’t there with them daily while they were thinking through those new experiences. They are giving Suzie credit for something that they worked through themselves.

Past life’s experiences and mindset are two of the most powerful things you must overcome if you truly want to reach a state of mental peace, which is actually what solitude and serenity is. It is what you think it is, based on your own experiences. Some people are completely at rest in hectic, noisy environments because that is what we accustom them to, and are uncomfortable when things get quiet. Then others are completely the opposite. The definition of solitude and serenity shapes us individually.

I can now start a new year of wishful thinking. I have a wood shop full of almost every tool anyone would need to build anything. But I still need more. I wish my kids would buy me another tool or anything for my shop. I still have a few places where it's safe to step. New tools are too much to wish for. Christmas 2017 is just around the corner and instead of clothes (the regular), I need something I can use. Kevin and I (my son-in-law) have an old lawn mower that has pretty much blown up. It was on its last leg anyway for the last year but we've been babying it along.

I could wish for just about anything but that doesn't mean I'm going to get it.

Well ... it's now 6-2018 and we have a new lawn mower, a new weed eater, and my oldest daughter has a new car. So I guess the word 'new' has been used quite a bit around our homesteads this summer. So I'm now going to close out my short "Wishful Thinking" article and just say that I, at this time, am not doing any more wishful thinking. After all my wishful thinking has only resulted in more yard work for me.

Here I am folks, egocentric, getting set to conduct my continuation of study while writing my thought-inspiring or provoking, (whichever you prefer) essay/blog. I have gathered worthy information from the intellectual crowd to be sure through the use of books and whatnot.

Let’s see, I want to start today with the information required to continue building upon my infallible thinking coupled with the proven and documented art of scientific renderings. The large picture will change because of my effort to make things come together in a thought-provoking way.

Now, my next day of research leaves me wanting to work on the intricate matter of biology. But I’m not studying Biology, am I? Well yes, I can’t come to any conclusion, on my own, without delving into those little microscopic things that live inside us. So onward I go.

Starting yet another new day finds me throwing things around as if I’m cleaning out the closet. Now, I am prejudiced towards my attempts but things will get better, they seldom get worse.

Now in my wanton efforts at pursuing perfection, the prior is true. Tripping over chairs, and sliding across the floor on my face is the usual route why wouldn’t it be?

Ah, Willpower

We hear a lot about karma, and our spiritual well-being, these days with the word 'fitness' becoming more popular. But wait, when was the day that fitness wasn't popular? It's always been out there all we ever needed to do was reach out and take part in it. There would be a lot more healthy people in the good ole USA if it weren't for one curse word 'willpower'.

I can say I am nowhere near being fit. But, I can be, by just listening to my own 'willpower' and being more of a friend to it. Friends stick together and when one suggests something that makes sense we listen to it. We heed that willpower's voice commanding us to control our urges.

Willpower is a strange thing though, it drives who we are and what we do and just seems to impede anything fun. Just look at eating pizza, you want to eat another piece but your 'willpower' jumps in and says NO! Darn that 'willpower' sit over there and shut up, I'm grown and I'll do whatever I want.

Now we get on our favorite set of scales the next day and when we look down we say, out loud, I should never have eaten that extra piece of pizza if I only had the 'willpower' to put it down. Darn, that 'willpower' I never listen to it.

We all need a ... friend, don't we?