Thursday, August 3, 2017

Billy Hill here - Waiting to Die

Don't panic, this is not a Bible lesson, Billy Hill certainly is not qualified to present one of those.

But check this out, Billy Hill is struggling with something (no, not a ponytailed moron in a parking lot).  You see, Billy Hill's mom is living in a nursing home, actually an Alzheimer's facility, and at this very moment is sitting at a table with 4 other ladies, all of which do not really know where they are and how much longer they will actually be able to hold the spoon in their hand and feed themselves.

The residents there all long for love and affection, which is evident as you walk through the lobby because it feels like a scene from the walking dead sans the sword toting Michonne, as they all stand there or move slowly towards you with out stretched arms.  And Billy Hill does not mean to be rude with that statement but that is the best way to describe it.  These people, from all outward appearances seem to be the walking dead.  Billy Hill's mom seems to recognize him but cannot remember his name, if he has kids, what he does, where he lives or even very intimate details about their life together.  And Billy Hill thinks, what the hell God?

Does God put people on the back burner?

Okay, don't get frightened by the scripture references, I said this is not a Bible lesson.

Psalm 139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be
Job 14:5-7 A man's days are numbered.  You know the number of his months.  He cannot live longer than the time You have set.  


Alrighty then, Billy Hill says again, what the hell God?  Why?  He wonders why his mom is still here.  This is no life for her.  He does not like her living in that place that smells of urine, has bland food and where his precious mom is subject to being taken care of by strangers that are human just like Billy Hill.  You see, they have bad days, they have arguments at home, they experience road rage and at times they probably get tired of wiping people's butts, cleaning up urine, cleaning a toilet with crap and pee all over the seat, and they may just have a tendency to take their frustrations out on residents in one way or another.  It is human nature unfortunately.

Billy wanted to move his mom to his home but, family and friends said no, not out of meanness but out of concern.  You see, it is believed that each time an Alzheimer's patient moves they get worse.  But Billy Hill thinks "worse, so freaking what?"  Is it not better to have your child supervise your care rather than strangers?  But nonetheless, like so many others, Billy Hill and his siblings do not have the resources to really care for their mom in their home.

And so, she sits there, waiting to die, getting visits from her family and friends and she just sits there in their presence, not able to speak actual thoughts but, apparently she has some from time to time that she tries to get out.

And again, Billy Hill says what the hell God?  Why?

Recently, Billy Hill took his guitar to his mom's place and set up in the lobby.  The residents poured in and Billy Hill stood there for an hour and a half playing every hymn he could think of.  As Billy Hill played the hymns and they all sang along as best they could, or just sat there and smiled, he basked in the beauty of the moment.  It was quite worshipful and sacred.  So, Billy Hill paused and said "you know what, I don't think God puts people on a back burner and just waits for them to die.  I think that when He is done with you, when He has accomplished all that He wants from you, if you are His, He brings you home".  Billy Hill really believes this.  Like Job said, He has set the time for you to live and surly He knew these folks would have dementia or Alzheimer's for a portion of those days.  And so, Billy Hill said "I don't know why you are still here, but don't think for a moment that it is because God has put you on the back burner and forgotten about you.  Because at a minimum, I know He has totally enjoyed hearing you sing today".

So, Billy Hill continues to take the 5.5 hour one way trudge to Tennessee to see his mom whenever he can.  Why is she still here?  Billy Hill does not know.  Maybe He is giving her a period of rest, maybe there is someone that needs to have the opportunity to love on her, maybe someone is harboring a resentment in their heart and He is giving them an opportunity to forgive my mom.  We most likely will never know on this side of eternity but Billy Hill stands by his position, she is not forgotten and not just sitting on the back burner.

Incidentally, the picture here has Billy Hill's mom cookware sitting on the stove top.  Very expensive stainless steel Chef's Ware by Towncraft cookware that his mother purchased years ago upon learning that her aluminum cookware could promote an onset of Alzheimer's.  The plates in the cabinet above, mom's Blue Onion china that Billy Hill narrowly rescued from being sent to Goodwill by the late great Colonel.

Billy Hill Here, I like it neat.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Love Trumps Hate

So, Billy has a bunch a drafts in his posting box that he began drafting but just never finished.  I think what happened is that there is so much political upheaval that he just did not want to post another biased right wing post that all the Trumpeteers would amen and all the others would get spitting mad over.  But Billy has decided it is time to state the obvious.

Not so long ago a group of people were outraged at the crude and mean attitude that they perceived defined Donald Trump.  They chanted "love trumps hate", which I guess was a statement that Trump is mean to people and that they were going to show that they were better than him because they were not crude and mean but rather characterized by "love".  Billy Hill saw alot of these people wearing vagina hats on their heads, in public, that surely is not crude.  But nonetheless, upon the conclusion of an election just like all of our other elections, Donald Trump was transformed into President Trump.  It was then that the Love Trumps Hate people really began to show their love.  It was a love of self, a love of their own ideals, a love of their own beliefs.  It was not love at all because the words that come out of their mouths today seem more like hate to Billy Hill.

Anyway, Billy Hill went to undergraduate school and emerged with three solid friends that have kept in somewhat contact for the last 35 years.  Getting together for golf outings, email and texting, and staying in contact.  Well, it so happened that one of these guys has emerged as a Trump hater to the big surprise of Billy Hill.  And after a few "encounters" Billy Hill has realized that the polarization is so pronounced, that he thinks a future rendezvous would come close to resulting in fist to cuffs and potentially destroying a friendship, which even makes a badass, tough as nails Billy Hill a little bit melon collie.  [Billy Hill would post his favorite picture of a collie wearing a watermelon helmet here but his attorney has advised him he needs to be careful of copyright violations and so, you miss out but, just do a google for "melon collie" and enjoy]

WHAT IS YOUR POINT BILLY HILL?

I am trying to get to it.  OK, here it is.  Quit being mean and fighting mean.  Here are things that you should not say to Billy Hill if you are an upset person because Trump is our president:

(1) Really, you are an educated man and you like Trump? 
C'mon, at least be honest with your statements and say you think Billy Hill is a moron.  But really, if the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, would not voting for Hillary qualify as insanity?  Unless of course you think that things were going well the last 8 years and that is a whole different kind of insanity.
(2) Trump is as bad as Hitler.  
Wow, just wow.
(3) Trump is an arrogant, egotistical narcissist.  
Yes, like he ran for president, hello. Show me someone that has run for president that isn't.  Insecure people usually just sit in the back ground and make accusations rather than bearing their souls and lives to public scrutiny and ridicule with the belief that they are the best and no one can do the job better.
(4) Trump has bad hair.
Okay, that is a given but, he pays alot of money for that bad hair and at least he is well groomed.
(5) Trump is a bad man.
Well, Billy Hill has met a few billionaires, and pretty much most of them were assholes in some respect, but usually only when you are asking them for money.  But lets see, he has a wife and grown children that seem to flock around him, and even have different opinions than him but yet show respect for the man so apparently he is a good father.  He has hurt many people's feelings, especially Rosie O'Donnell but, he has also done some incredible stuff for other people.  So, Billy Hill wants to know what the definition of "bad man" is.  Billy Hill, now there is a bad man.  OJ Simpson - bad man.  Ben Affleck, bad actor but probably an okay man.  Bruce Jenner, Billy is not sure at this point.  But Trump, be honest, he may rub you the wrong way, he may not say things in a "presidential" manner but, he is not a bad man.
(6) Trump is crude.
How do you feel about Ashley Judd?  Kathy Griffen before she shaved her head?  Bill Clinton?  Johnny Depp?  must Billy Hill go on?
(7) Trump has low self-esteem. 
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha snort ha guffah ha ha ha ha snort ha ha ha ha Billy Hill can't catch his breath.
(8) Trump is a bully.
Do you want a wimpy president?
(9) He bashes the media, discredits the media and THAT is a very serious problem because we need the media to be able to speak truth and have the freedom of press. 
Billy Hill stands with his mouth open and is a loss for words.
(10) I don't have a problem with his policies, I just hate the man. 
So, you want a president that you love and cherish but you don't care what his policies are, just so long as he is huggable?
(11) He just ran for president because he wanted to bolster his ego.  
Well damn, looks like that backfired didn't it?  But what about the fact that Trump and his staff do not take a salary?  That is kind of cool.  So what about the cruel, in your face, disrespectful treatment of him and his family that he has endured.  Why in the heck would a bad man that was just seeking to bolster his ego put up with that crap.  Billy Hill certainly would not.

But suppose it is just this, Trump is a man that loves this country, wants to do good for this country, is politically incorrect, calls a spade a spade and maybe blunders through life like a bull in a china closet but with the greatest of intentions.  If that is the case, then who is the bully?

But Billy Hill's last conversation with his friend stemmed around the President Trump speech to the Boy Scouts of America.  The anti-Trumpers came out with a list of the "cringe worthy statements" Trump made to the Boy Scouts.  So, Billy Hill finally sat down and listened to the whole 40 minute speech.  Billy Hill thought it was an excellent speech.  The response of the crowd seemed to agree.

And so, Billy Hill is going to shut up and go watch TWD re-runs with his zombie mate but he has one last thing to say:

Just shut up with your anti-Trump talk around Billy Hill because he is not going to put up with your whining crap.  Suck it up and go wipe your tears with a vagina hat with all of your Love Trumps Hate hypocrites.  And don't you dare post any anti-Trump crap on Billy Hills blog because he will insult you with his intellect, bludgeon you with his logic,  and leave you curled up in a fetal position in a pool of your own peepee.  Billy Hill would NEVER EVER say, you voted against Trump, you, an educated and intelligent person.  You freaking commie.  :)

Billy Hill Here
And man does he like it neat