Early Retirement for Injured Federal Employees
Those are the only two choices for most of life’s challenges and encounters: To fight for something, or to abandon it completely. Of course, the “middle ground” is often preached — as in some sort of compromise, or to learn the “tools” of “conflict resolution”, etc. But that all depends upon the conflict itself, doesn’t it? Some issues of contentiousness simply do not accord a middle ground; […]
The “I”, of course, always dominates; but the two cannot be separated, for they are inevitably interlinked and intertwined in the consciousness of our collective selves. And so the “we” is subsumed by the “I”, and the “I” cannot effectively be distinguished from the “we”. Who we are is inextricably aggregated with who I am; who I am is a product of who we are. […]
Why is it that we never question the statement, “Well, this is an imperfect world; but in a perfect world…”. What is “perfection” and who defines it? Doesn’t it all depend upon the details within the definition? Is a “perfect world” the same for everyone, across all cultural lines and within every community? Or does it vary depending upon one’s background and upbringing? Would a picture of a “perfect world” be the same, say, for a pious, religious zealot as opposed to a hedonist? How about the contrast between a Libertarian and an Authoritarian? […]
The segmentation of time may be artificial; the rhythms of life, are not. The 7-day week, 30-day month (give or take a couple here and there) and the 12-month cycle constitute human constructs that impose a rigid system of divisions based upon productivity, leisure, an admixture of both (isn’t it universal that Saturdays are spent in doing chores otherwise unattended to during the week, and Sunday is that respite and escape in total destitution of depleted dreariness?) […]
It may give one a sense of short-term satisfaction; sort of like Chinese carry-out, it satisfies for an hour or so, then seems to lose its efficacy for fulfillment. Whereas, there are other foods that tend to last for greater time; and so it is with receiving news or information of other’s misery. It certainly allows for a comparison of sorts; of tilting balances imagined, or even for contrasting accomplishments forsaken, dreams yet unfulfilled or misery unabated. […]