After The Industrial Apocalypse, Welcome Home

Welcome home to all the former residential industrialists who ran for the hills! We're happy to report that most of your homes are left standing, thanks to those who were brave enough to stay behind and defend them.

It's been a tough few days, days of very bad news, with a lot of fear. Many of our number -- it's sad to say -- decided to save their own precious skin, with no regard for anyone else, such as the community they left behind. A few of us, the strong and the brave, the loyal and true, were right here at home, pitching in any way we could to defend our property, our families, and our way of life ... and theirs.

Could we have used everyone else's help? Yes, it would've come in very handy! But, you know, different people have different priorities. Different ones face adversity in different ways. Many folks, unfortunately, are nothing but cowards. I'm just thankful that a few of us were brave enough to make up for them. And, really, who knows? With that kind of wilting character, it may have been true they would've only gotten in the way anyway. They'd always need someone to hold their trembling little hands, lest they got the vapors and wilted away to nothing.

But ... let's let bygones be bygones ... they're on their way home now, now that the danger has passed, so let's open our arms and say, "Welcome home!" If we can physically say the words. We can only hope there's no crisis on the road back, because we know how averse they are to every minor difficulty. It might be too much for them if there's not a helicopter tossing out bottles of water. Or air conditioned tents for their little tent cities up in the hills.

In a terrible crisis, of course what you want to have is All hands on deck! Everyone up and at 'em! Everyone alert to the needs of the moment! No one shirking, no one shrinking away, no one turning tail to run. It's shameful, really, what happened. The Major Industrial Powers -- they had some bravery. They came in with their forces, the military, the militias, the process servers, and all the rest. They weren't shirking. If you would've told me that would've happened, I wouldn't've believed you. I would've thought the Residential Industrialists, if anyone, would've rallied to the cause -- and a few did, but the overwhelming majority simply threw up their hands and ran.

We see it all the time when there's trouble. People are afraid of the big bad hurricane. So they get in their cars and clog up the highway, running for high ground. Or they're afraid of a tornado, hiding out in the basement. Or tsunamis, wearing a raincoat. The list is endless. We teach fear. That's the problem. In school, they teach fear. We all remember the fire drills we had. There's a fire, the first thing you do is abandon the building. Instead of everyone grabbing a glass of water and putting it out! God forbid we save the school! Then people carry over those lessons of running to the point that nothing's worth defending. No matter what it is, Get out of my way! I'm running!

But then, like clockwork, now that the trouble's in the past, the shrinking violets are coming home. So, let me be the first to welcome you back. We hope that somehow, someway, some day, you'll be able to live with yourself, knowing what the rest of us are thinking, that you're nothing but a bunch of slackers. Fair weather friends. In so many ways, a waste of space.

What The Major Industrialists Could've Done

I'm so heavily into the affairs of the Residential Industrial Movement (RIM) these days that I'm not usually thinking of What If questions. This is just the fact of the matter. For me, life is an endless series of new factories opening in people's yards. New products, and all your old favorites, are being manufactured and rushed to market.

And of course, being the philosophical father of the whole thing takes a lot out of me, so I have lots of other tasks and responsibilities -- cutting ribbons and passing out 'first dollar' plaques -- and there's not a lot of extra time for letting down my hair, letting my mind wander, and spacing off, drifting off in a self-indulgent reverie on the issues of alternative history. Like What if?

And yet when I allow myself, at those rare moments, to indulge in the non-practical and unwise past time of backwards speculation, I suddenly realize it really didn't have to be this way. Or to put it a better way, it didn't necessarily have to be this way. After all, the average man existed for thousands of years without his own factory, his own warehouse, his own forklift, his own supply depot, or any of the thousands of other things we now take for granted.

Now that it is this way, of course that's good, that's progress. And it evens out the playing field, taking away from the major industrialists the monopoly they once enjoyed over the means of production and the market. We were mere pawns in their greedy little paws, existing at their whim, and being completely expendable. Of course we felt happy ... I guess ... since we didn't know any better ... until I came along to open everyone's eyes to their misery and what else might be possible. That was April 2010, and nothing's been the same since!

Yet ... What if we were to ask What if? Was there anything the major industrialists could've done differently that would've prevented or forestalled the rising of the RIM?

Right off the bat, and I hate to give them any ideas, but since they're mentally bankrupt there's probably little danger of that, they could've killed me. And they probably would've if they would've had the chance, if they could've captured me. Of course I'm very happy they didn't, but from their point of view, seriously, they should've given it a bit more effort.

And they had me right in their sights, too, since my location isn't exactly a secret. They all know where I live, and they were here. One thing to mention is they probably could've gotten more competent underlings to pursue me. I know if I would've been them, I would've. Looking back, this shouldn't've been that tough to see. It wouldn't've taken much, since I was right in plain site, anyone could've seen me. But they were asleep in my willow trees!

In defense of the underlings, remember they had chiefs too! They probably should've looked for better chiefs. But at that point they would've thought of me as just another burr under their saddle, someone who could've been easily brushed aside with a few threats or payoffs. Yet anyone who knows me could've told them they should've known better! If you shoot fireballs over my house (thank God it wasn't thatch), you should've just burnt the place down. Because anyone who knows me could've told them they would've come to regret it.

So that's where it started. I could've given up, but that would've given them the win. Instead, I redoubled my efforts -- being fervently anti-industry at the time. I didn't back down, so they should've known something would've happened. I changed my focus to being anti major industrialist only, hatching my greatest brainchild ever, which resulted in the birth of the RIM. If some men have a factory, why can't every man have one? The idea could've come to anyone, but it didn't.

And yet, even at that point, it seems like the major industrialists would've had options. Before the foundations for new factories were laid, they could've come in and given the average man a reason to forebear, a pay increase. If I would've been them, maybe I would've quickly cut prices. Maybe I would've bought up all their land. Or, to be drastic, they could've mass produced bombs and destroyed the country's highway system, then they could've poisoned our water system, then they could've tainted our land with poison, and finally they could've crippled us all with napalm. Or, at the very least, they could've asked us nicely.

Frankly, in certain ways, it would've made my life a lot easier. If everyone would've told me my idea was cracked, I would've just gone on my way, alone as ever. And I wouldn't've known the difference. Just think of all the extra time I could've had.

But the major industrialists, being a brainless bunch of dimwitted ignoramuses, didn't do anything right. And now they see, that is the few who have two braincells that still function on special occasions, what they should've seen all along.

The Industrialists Can Keep Their Darned Hole

That was a close call yesterday. I don't believe I'll be going back to that particular park anytime soon!

Reflecting back on it -- I can barely think of anything else -- I can barely believe it happened. It all happened so fast, and it could be my innocence was my saving grace. The timing was such that it could've gone either way, since when I was pulling out I had no idea about the SUVs. Another minute and I would've been trapped for sure.

Had I been trapped I wouldn't've known what to do. It could've been I wouldn't've had any good options. My back would've been up against two inexorable forces, the river and the industrialists themselves. At that point they would've had free reign over me and could've done anything they wanted. And should that've happened, I would've had to've simply given up.

Of course I would've resisted as long as I could've, which likely wouldn't've been long, seeing there would've been a lot more of them than of me. But, like I said, I would've done what I could've. Then as I would've been going down for the last time, I would've rued the day, knowing I shouldn't've even been there. That would've been indisputable.

But there I was -- scoping out the scene of Voice 1, Voice 2, and Thompson's conversation captured on Tape 3. And in the course of that action, I got the very weird word from the guy coming down the path that there was a big hole on the path about 25 yards in. That's so weird. It's an image that I haven't been able to shake.

I'd love to know how big the hole is. Because in my imagination I've got it about the size of a crater. I'm thinking of a big sinkhole that may've opened up from the force of the river and the bend. But then how would it even be a path anymore? What are we dealing with? Men risking their lives to circumnavigate a crater to find the path again? Would it have slippery slopes, meaning once you're in you're in? I clearly saw the guy coming out, giving me the warning that it's there. Somehow he avoided it.

The thing that's going to happen is nothing. I'm never going to know what that darned hole looks like even if it takes me a million years. Unless I can see it on Google Earth. Because I'm not going back there. It's infested my thoughts. I was thinking about it last night of what a life changer that would be for me. In the worst way. To slip down the slope of that terrible hole would be the pits for me. And I actually do have a lot more personal control and personal restraint for that kind of behavior. Even revulsion. I won't touch the walls of a bathroom. So the heck with it!

There's actual people there who stand opposed to me and everything the Residential Industrial Movement stands for. The major industrial powers couldn't be held back when they didn't carry this grievance, so of course there'd be no restraining them now. Let 'em keep their darned hole! I have work to do.

The Focus Without Hocus Pocus

I've got the focus without hocus pocus and you can too.

The focus is the sense of things being right, being at home, being in the slot, the groove, adjusted, well, and undistraught.

Do I always have the focus without hocus pocus? I certainly do not ... or I would've said it long ago.

But since I have it today, of course I can look back and say, "I could've had it, I would've had it, and I should've had it." If I'd've know that I could've, I would've had every reason to have. I should've known!

I do know now. I do know right this minute. I might not know it five minutes from now. Because the focus right now sees me doing hocus pocus.

What's the hocus pocus? The hocus pocus is actually meant to help us, to a certain extent. The whole focus is often surrounded by hocus pocus. And by this, originally at least, we meant well. I still think we mean well. I do.

You get into some of the hocus pocus and the focus is in the middle somewhere. The hocus pocus gets you close, very close. The hocus pocus at its best is a pointer to the focus. It puts you in the right vicinity.

But beware of those who guard and perpetuate the hocus pocus, because they do not necessarily know the focus themselves. They've been so long in the vicinity that the focus has escaped. I think the focus -- and I believe I know this for sure -- enjoys ducking out when the hocus pocus gets too intense. Because, really, what kind of focus wants to be guarded all day? It makes no sense!

The focus comes first. Really. In the beginning was the focus, and the focus was with the focus, and the focus was the focus. The same was in the beginning with the focus. Before there was any hocus pocus. Then the hocus pocus, with all the best intentions in the world, knew the focus and pointed to its light. But then the hocus pocus got too intense and the focus ducked out.

But here it is, the focus -- ducking out, ducking in, bobbing, weaving, taking a dive every now and then just to throw the hocus pocus off track. Which tends to work, because the hocus pocus is so dependent and doesn't know it. The focus is too playful to submit to the hocus pocus forever.

How can I tell you how to get the focus? If I tell you, that's hocus pocus. But believe me, read the words, then forget the words. Eat the soup, not the label.

You will have the focus. The focus will have you. Once in a while.

Would've, Could've, Should've - Part 3

What's the use of numbering my "Would've, Could've, Should've" posts? I guess there's really no use. I'm about to launch a "Drive for Pride" campaign ... sometime this week ... and I guess I'm just very proud of the posts, enough that, so far, I'm keeping track.

I generally keep track of everything until it gets impractical and hard to manage. Then I forget it.

Anyway, I've been giving a lot of thought to the concept of "Would've, Could've, Should've" over the last few days. If you ever try to work with these three words, one thing you notice right away is that it all has to be past tense. So if you're talking about something that happened five minutes ago, you can do it. But if it happened longer than five minutes ago, you're likely to be able to come up with more stuff to say about it.

Another thing. It's got to be something with enough potential regrets and possibilities to lament about. It doesn't seem practical to do a post about sharpening a pencil, for example. What would you say? "I should've sharpened it earlier. I would've had I thought of it. And I could've, since the sharpener was right there." There's hardly any room for regrets. But if you throw in some other circumstances -- you know what? That's where I'm going with this...

The theme today will be sharpening a pencil. I'll see how it goes. It's interesting enough because we've all done it, at least from the generation I'm from when we had to use pencils and didn't have laptops in school. I don't think I can do it. I don't find it compelling. But I'll try ... yawn.

Back when I was in school, having your pencils ready was a big deal. If you didn't, the teacher would've told you you should've. And you had plenty of time before class, so you could've. And they were no-nonsense back in those days, so you should've known. Past experience would've told you that. You could've predicted what would've happened.

We needed them for all kinds of work. Like the basic skills tests. On those we definitely should've known, since they came up every year like clockwork. I hated those tests, but if I had it to do over again I would've done better. I could've too, but I was a lazy kid. Now, I would've tried for the right answer, as every student should've done. But I just filled in blanks at random. I never thought I would've admitted that, but it's been years.

They made a big deal out of it, as well they should've. But they never really impressed the seriousness on me, like possibly they could've. And I'm thinking if they would've that I would've done a better job. But they should've known, when I'm just sitting there filling in blanks. They could've seen at least one kid didn't care. It seems like if they were smart they would've seen that.

Back to the pencils. They made a big deal out of the pencil you used. The computer would've spit out your answers if you would've used the wrong kind of pencil. I could've recited the instructions word for word. I should've known the instructions, having heard them enough! They should've had a computer that wasn't so picky. But who knows if they could've? They were so smart, right? So they should've? It's funny that they would've put the burden on us kids.

I had an interesting way of filling them in. A, B, C, D, E. Then skip to C, then E, then B, etc. You would've thought this would've been a more reliable system. But I should've known, because of course they would've been trickier than a kid. As stupid as I appeared on the tests, I could've been held back all my life. I could've been put back to kindergarten. Who knew I would've ended up in the bottom 5% nationwide?

Certain things I really cared about. If only this could've made a difference. One thing, having the exact right pencil I should've had. I cared. And having two of them sharpened. If they gave an A for that, I would've passed with flying colors. If only I could've gotten credit for that!

Would've-Could've-Should've (Tweets Constituting Part 2 Adjunct)

I look back and see what I should've done. If I would've known how it was going to've turned out, I could've very easily've done it right.

It could've turned out so differently, and perhaps it would've if I should've done it as I should've done it.

But we all have our regrets. I'm forever thinking what I could've said, what I would've done, and how it should've turned out. Hindsight.

I should've just told myself. This is the way it's to be. And I could've stuck to that. If only I would've!

Hey, who are all the ones who quit following me? I'm going to quit sending out $50 1-800-FLOWERS gift certificates to you if this keeps up.

If I would've known how it was going to be, I would've kept my money. I could've spent it on something I would've enjoyed. I should've!

Note to self: These "would've-could've-should've" tweets don't constitute Part 3 but a sort of adjunct to Part 2.

Would've, Could've, Should've - Part 2

It's Part 2 of this beloved series, "Would've, Could've, Should've." Part 1 was back in March.

I should've reread Part 1 to see how this goes. Obviously I could've since I have the link. And I definitely would've if I should've even thought that I couldn't've come up with it otherwise. But if I would've, there's the possibility that it could've sounded pretty much the same. Then I would've said I should've just done it and seen what would've come out. It stands to reason if I could've come up with it in March, there's no reason I wouldn't've been able to've done it in September.

We age though and our abilities change. I'm tired today. And I'm thinking I should've taken a nap before starting. But who knows? It could've been I would've been much more refreshed, or, equally, it could've been I would've been even more fatigued. I've experienced both.

I had a doctor's appointment a couple months ago. I should've asked him a few things about being fatigued. I could've told him it happens when I'm getting to bed later than I should've, then I'm up earlier than I would've liked when the alarm goes off. (Of course the alarm could've been set later.) He no doubt would've told me there's your problem right there. If I could've been getting more rest, I probably should've been. And I would've been but I have all these projects I want to see accomplished.

But that doesn't mean I couldn't've asked the doctor for some ideas of how to perk myself up. I'm sure he would've told me to keep up my exercising. I should've already been doing them faithfully, and I would've, except I have been keeping a very busy schedule. I would've thought just going 100 mph with a dozen different projects would've been something of a substitute. It seems like it would've been true. and I could've at least've said it. As to what he would've said in reply, who knows?

He probably would've said there's no substitute for sustained physical exercise. And I would've nodded my head because I would've had to've agreed. Had it happened, I could've tried to've disagreed, obviously, but with a quick check of his doctor's book, he would've immediately proven me wrong. At which point, I would've said I should've just kept my big mouth shut.

Anyway, he might've said all that. Or it could've been he would've simply said, "Take a nap," and that would've been a hundred bucks for the advice, common sense that anyone should've known all along.

But I do what I can. Whatever my abilities. If it comes out good, fine. Usually I say it could've been better. And maybe it would've been better if I would've done X, Y, and Z. If it's too bad, then I always say I definitely should've. I always know I could've.