Friday, December 21, 2012

Earth 1, Mayan's 0 - The end of The Final Year

It was my goal this year to inform, entertain, and record a year in the history of Bruce and family.  An eventful year, with wars continuing, terrorist acts occurring, floods, droughts, hurricanes, and other related storms.  The Mayan codec, long count calendar ends this year, and some believed a prophecy of end, apocalypse  or more aptly, the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one.

We lost the matriarch of the Walsh family, Peggy Walsh who we all miss very much.  This Christmas will be the first that I can remember that will not be at her house.  We will be hosting Christmas dinner, and will have most of the Walsh siblings to recount good memories, and give thanks for our good health and prosperity.

We all made it through Super Storm Sandy, but saw first hand how fragile we are, and how mother nature can unleash devastation.     We keep hearing how these weather events, drought, floods, and hurricanes seem to be getting more frequent and severe ?  Is this just a statistical anomaly ?

Record heat waves or new record high temperatures are now prevalent, as is the news that Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets are melting faster than the models predicted.  With two energy efficient, renewable sources in my house, solar and biofuel pellets, we are, I hope doing our part to reduce our footprint.  Carpooling is the norm these days as gasoline seems to have settled into an average price of $4 / gallon.

This day in history "Harry Chapin earned a reputation as a politically conscious singer-songwriter who dedicated himself, in the years before his untimely death, to various noble causes, including wiping out world hunger. Indeed, his greatest legacy may stem more from his charitable efforts than from his music itself, but for a brief period in the early 1970s, Harry Chapin was a legitimate pop star. On this day in 1974, he earned his one and only #1 pop hit when his bittersweet story-song "Cat's In The Cradle" reached the top of theBillboard Hot 100."

I pass the Harry Chapin food bank almost every day as it is a couple of blocks from where I work.  It dawns on me nearly everyday how lucky the people working there are, in that they are making a difference.  Small acts of kindness.  Can I find a place, and make a living at a non-profit, benevolent company or charitable association?

As most of you know I took up a new hobby and set a goal to run 1000 miles this year.  Not without setbacks, as I moved from a sedentary to active lifestyle.  Being active is not easy, but with a little determination and a new found addiction, it now seems that I can't live without running.  The NYS Park Summer Run series, and the family participating in our first 5K Thanksgiving weekend were fun.  I hope to continue having the family join in for charity runs.

I ran my first 10K, first 10 miles, and first half marathon this past summer.  I never thought running from home to the Sayville beach was possible, but with a steady pace, and some music playing on my pandora, it was accomplished and recorded.

Luke and I did a great deal of fishing this past summer and fall.  My next blog will highlight, Fishing, Food, and Fitness Long Island.  Today, my first day of winter vacation, Gavin and I went to Connetquot State Park so he can introduce me the trails.  Now seeing the upper river area, and its fishing stations, I know that Luke and I will be getting our permits this spring to try our hand at fly fishing.

December 21 marks the end of the 13th bak'tun, an epoch lasting roughly 400 years. The end of an era and the chance for a new beginning. I for one think we will look back, and our grandchildren will recount in their history books how the years in and around 2012 ushered in a turning point for mankind. At least I have to hope that the world will be a better place for our children and their children.

Brian Walsh facebook entry - To the almost 7 billion members of the human race who survived today's Mayan apocalypse...it is now up to us to make the world a better place.

Pink Floyd Lyrics - Breathe
Breathe, breathe in the air 
Don't be afraid to care 
Leave but don't leave me 
Look around and chose your own ground 
For long you live and high you fly 
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry 
And all you touch and all you see 
Is all your life will ever be 

Photo of the day "Earth 1 Mayans 0"



Magic Number 23 - Follow the conclusion of this running goal on my new Blog

Thanks again to all my followers, and readers.  Even though this marks the end of this blog, I hope to see you on my new blog.  







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