The end is near

The year could be so much better; there is still time.

… Thanksgiving with my family was what I had hoped for; spending time with everyone since I hardly have a chance to do that on a yearly basis sometimes.

It was the first time the whole family had been together since my mother’s funeral in April. Thanksgiving dinner did not have the entire family as one of my sisters stayed behind to work. She did make it up for the next night’s dinner where we celebrated my father’s 80th birthday two days early. There we had dad pose again with his grandchildren for another photo.

Some of my family left on Saturday while I stayed behind with two other sisters and the sister that lived there. We talked throughout the day. On Sunday, we went to church then lunch. The kids played in the front yard where I had raked leaves so they could jump into and we took one my photo with the grandchildren that remained and my dad.

I get to see my dad again next month when he comes down to visit for almost a month in Pasadena.

… I recently found a documentary series on the Internet about the Cold War. It was something I meant to watch when it came out, but I’m glad I found it now.

One of the best classes I ever had in college was United States history after World War II. I always found the progress and development of the nation, along with another world superpower that rivaled it, fascinating.

The series has given me a better understanding of how the Soviet Union actually did view the U.S. All I was ever taught, for the most part, was our side of things. This series actually gives you feedback on what the other side thought; not only from diplomats and advisors, but common people. The consensus I get is the common folk thought the U.S. would start the third world war, complete with total destruction with nuclear weapons.

So far I’ve learned the Soviet leadership after Stalin were better visionaries in regards to science and technology than our leadership. However, just because they were better visionaries, it didn’t mean they were ahead of us since the U.S. still had the ways and means to out produce the Soviet Union.

The one observation I have made is: Why are there no videos of people fleeing towards Communism?

… I knew 2009 was going to be a tough year even before it began when the company I worked for said they would not do a company match on the 401k. Once the year did start, they said they would be moving my job to West Covina in a few months. Then while the sting of all that was happening; a good friend of mine was laid off.

There are a just a few weeks left now in the year that was. So the question is what more can happen? I’ll find out soon enough.