Okay.  Here we go.  My first post.  As with any endeavor, getting started is the most difficult part of, of………….., of getting started.  So, let’s get started.  The last thing that I would ever want to do is sound like some crotchety old man.  Since I am sixty three years of age, many readers might believe it impossible for me to not sound like a crotchety old man.  I’m going to give it a try anyway.  Do you want to know what confuses me?  Check the title of this post.  The title is, “I’m Confused.  What About You?”.   Values.  Yes values, that’s what confuses me.  More appropriately, the seeming lack of values in the American society today.

Many readers not initially confused, may now be joining the confused.  Why?  Because we may not share the same definition of the word, values.  You do realize don’t you, that words are big deals.  Words are powerful agents that set the tone of every conversation, no matter if the conversation is written or spoken.  I speak no language other than English, so I have no point of reference for other tongues, but I know for a fact that English is a complicated and a confusing language.  Complicated because we have many words; because several words sound identical but have different spellings as well as different definitions; because many words have multiple definitions; because of countless grammatical rules; on and on and on.  Don’t even get me started on punctuation.  I hope, dear reader that you get the point.

Now that I’ve set the stage, please allow me to clear up a few items.  First, let’s return to the subject of words.  As previously stated, to be perfectly clear when communicating with others, the writer/speaker must ensure that all concerned understand the definitions of certain terms.  For that reason, at times I will include definitions somewhere in my posts.  Unless otherwise noted, all definitions will be sourced from Webster’s New School and Office Dictionary; 1959; The World Publishing Company, Cleveland and New York.  Yes, I know the copyright date and the title are at odds.  How can this dictionary be titled New and be published in 1959?  I will apologize, but I am not ashamed.  I make no excuses.  I like this dictionary.  Additionally,  it’s my blog, therefore I get to make the rules.

With that stated, let’s define values.  This is not from Webster, but is an Alexander paraphrased definition.  Values:  what one believes to be right or wrong.  Yes, what one believes to be right or wrong, and not just part of the time.  Not just when it is convenient.  What one believes to be right or wrong all of the time.

Before I close, let’s establish one more thing.  Please excuse errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, etc.  I actually have a decent command of the English language.  Why back in the Spring of 1970, while a Senior at Atkins high School in Atkins, Arkansas I scored highly enough on an English proficiency test to receive three hours credit in Freshman grammar, courtesy of Arkansas Polytechnic College, Russellville, Arkansas.  Please keep in mind that this is a blog.  By definition, a personal journal of an individual whose soul is bared to the world.  This is not a newspaper article, short story, a novel, or a textbook.  It’s a self published blog.  I have no editorial staff.  If I don’t catch the error, it gets published.  I feel certain that I will miss many errors.  If I spend too much time attempting to self edit, I’ll never post anything.  This being said, please don’t point out those glaring errors of the King’s English.  I do know better.  Ernestine Haralson,  Gaye Morgan, and Alta Cheek saw to that.  “Who are these ladies”, you ask?  Those ladies, those fine ladies were my English instructors in junior high and high school.  And they were the best.