


Friday, March 2, 2012

The letter you are about to read was written after the passing of my grandmother, Grace Joanne Culpepper Thrift.  It was intended as a response to the letter she had written me 35 years earlier expressing her joy and fears at becoming a grandparent for the first time.  I hope you will enjoy it.  She was an incredible person, beloved friend, dedicated mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and joy to anyone she ever encountered.

Forever is yours, Maw Maw
By Jason R. Thrift

Dear Maw Maw,

It’s hard to imagine this day has come.  A day when one of this world’s brightest and most loving angels departs, but it has finally happened.  Just like a thief in the night, you were taken from us Maw Maw.  As I see you lying there now, I still can’t believe it, and you weren’t even allowed to say good-bye.  But maybe that is for the best, because you were never one to utter those words to begin with.

When I was two weeks old you once wrote me a letter.  You were telling me about the world I was coming into.  You didn’t scribe this letter with misgivings about overly joyful things, but told the truth.  Because, as you know, life is hard.  That letter was not meant to express fear, either.  It was about the choices that we make in our day-to-day lives.  The choices that set us on a path of which the end is uncertain.  It was about having faith, having hope, and showing love.

In the almost thirty-five years since that time, your words in that letter have echoed from your generation to mine.  We’ve gotten only a taste of some of the trials and tribulations you endured, while at the same time we have become more liberal than ever before.  Now where that will lead us, I do not know.  But what I do know is that through the teachings you gave me throughout my life, if I can grow and build on them, pass them along to my children, and show the next generations to come the same teachings you did, then everything will be just fine.

No matter how hard life gets, how scared we become, how angry you let things make you, or how hopeless situations may seem, we can never fail as long as we have love.  You taught me that, time and time again.  The way you taught me was also what mattered.  You allowed me to take your advice and decide on my own how important it was to me.  I can’t thank you enough for that and would never be able to thank you enough.

My one true regret now is that Abby and Charlie came along when they did, because they never got to know you the way I did.  But, they did get that love from you, every chance you got.  In the years to come they will listen to our stories, watch our videos, and delight in knowing that they had a grandmother so faithful and strong in her commitments to everyone and everything that it is unimaginable to believe she was never one of God’s archangels to begin with.

Everything you ever did, are doing, and will ever do in what is to come always involves love.  Now, you’re going to a place that love abides and is everlasting.  The truth is though; it has always been in you from day one.  You told me once that one day I would remember what it was like to be in heaven, when I asked you why I couldn’t remember it as a child.  You have helped me see it once again.  I take great peace in knowing that forever means you will always be there, waiting patiently for all of us to join you again.

So we won’t say good-bye, because that would be wrong.  Instead, I’ll see you later, Maw Maw and I love you with all my heart!

Your number one,


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Loopholes, Jacob, the island....OH MY!!! Who else is LOST?

Cuse me Damon, but could you explain what is going on here with Lost? Let's face it, this show has loads of people talking. By loads I mean the people that actually still watch it and didn't stop tuning in simply because they wanted to see more of Sawyer doing what he does or Kate's bottom. No, this show is for those with an open mind to possibilities most people could care less about. These same people that claim to be lost on Lost, also buy into the "Lone Gunmen Theory" of the JFK assassination, "NASA faked the Apollo Landing Theory", and they kept voting for Kate Gosselin on Dancing With the Stars simply because she's good entertainment to them.

Hey, we all need a release sometimes. Let's face it, most blondes are great entertainment from their bountiful assets, to their mind numbing dialogue. I can see what people like about Kate, because you truly do see people like her everyday. I just don't understand why it's lasted this long, because you do see people like her everyday! That goes for Survivor, American Idol, The Real World (any of them), Big Brother, or any other TV show that is long overdue for cancellation because of its inherent ability to suck people into a sinking ship.

What's the deal with the love affair some people have with stuff that is basically....well, stupid, for lack of a better word? Are the American people that inebriated by this "entertainment" that they just don't care to rationalize it out at all? I don't even believe it has to do with simple mindedness because some of the people so enamored by such things as Kate seem to be well educated people and you'd think they would ultimately deduce that Kate, and anything else like her, sucks!

Yet, they keep flocking and changing the channel to these shows, all the while ignoring shows like Lost simply because you might have to think a little bit about what is going on as you watch the show. That's the same way for FlashForward, Fringe, and an assortment of other TV shows out there anguishing on the brink of cancellation, hoping to get renewed year after year. I'll admit, V, eh, never been that interested; The Sarah Connor Chronicles could have been done better; but hey, people love the latest Vampire TV series to come out, namely Vampire Diaries. That's an obession for another blog later...don't get me started on this whole Twilight fiasco. Seems like subliminal brainwashing to me.

I didn't watch Lost during the first season mainly because I wasn't watching any TV shows at that time. There was just too much to do in my new home and too many other things I wanted to do in life for TV at that time. But, I watched one episode of the second season and became hooked immediately. The reason, it was more than just some people being lost on an island. I think that's why people tuned in for the first two seasons, especially the first. It seemed like a dramatic version of Survivor, or even a TV version of Cast Away. But this went beyond the "realistic" approach that had Tom Hanks talking to volleyballs and men and women voting each other off the island. Lost presented something every week that you'd never expect. That's what got people so interested in the first place. That and the characters themselves. Who doesn't like Evangeline Lilly in a two piece? Who doesn't just think Sawyer is the cat's me-wow? Who doesn't like seeing the debate waged between Jack and Locke about science and philosophy? Who wasn't curious to see if the Losties would get off the island? It was an awesome first season and lived up to the hype. People talked about it on radio stations, on street corners, during lunch. Great show.

Then they got in the hatch and it's been downhill ever sense. No one seemed to really like Desmond. What was the point in the hatch anyway? What was the hatch protecting? As the 2nd season continued to unfold, grumblings increased, until the hatch blew up and season 3 began.

Then it just got weirder. There's another island to this island? Why all the mind games? How did Locke, Desmond, Eko, and Charlie survive this blast anyway? Why is Desmond shifting through time? Weird, weird, weird! Not as weird though as when you get to the final episode of season 3, rescue is imminent, Jack is happy, only to see Jack bearded up yelling, "We have to go baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!" Huh? They get off the island and he wants to go back???

So season 4 became the arduous journey of simply getting off this island, with an assortment of new characters involved. Basically a 14 episode season reflected all of a week in the Lost universe. But hey, one season of 24 is but a day, so who's counting? And how does this adventure to the boat turn out? Only 6 Losties getting off the island, the boat sinking and the island...DISAPPEARS! WTF???

Now it gets even weirder! If you're a fan of Miss Teen South Carolina, now would be a good time to exit the page, you won't understand this part. The island inhabitants start shifting through time! That's when a lot of people, minus the die hard fans, changed the channel. It was just too weird. The unfortunate thing is, they really missed out on a good season. You got to see flashbacks, flashforwards, flashes through time, and in the 6th and final season you have a flashsideways! Yes, for those of you that thought Season 5 was too weird, you ain't see nothing yet until you've seen season 6 and the Alternate-LA reality where no crash ever took place and the island is sunk!

Alternate realities, time travel, philsophy, science, theology, mythology, black smoke monsters, people living in a foot, the others, the Losties! Oh my! Dorothy's head would have exploded by now. All this stuff is twisting so fast, not even a Twister could keep up with it!

But that's the tapestry that has been weaved, and it is amazing! You have an island, somewhere in the Pacific, where a mysterious energy gives human beings the ability to explore the unknown possibilities of existence. One being guards this secret from others, while another tries to manipulate and use it to their own advantage. All the while, a few chosen people inexplicably end up on the same plane at the same time to crash land on this island and begin experiencing all the island has to offer. Those that can't walk, walk again. Those with incurable diseases go into remission. They find out there is much more to this place than meets the eye. Even when they think they understand what is going on, they still don't. And it's all finally culminating into a dramatic finale where something truly has to give. Not so much so the audience can understand exactly what is going on, but so a resolution to this epic tale can finally unfold.

The thing about Lost that makes it different from most shows on TV, and profoundly more interesting, is that it speaks in parables. Each episode is a story unto it's self, but still a major part of the whole. That's the way life is. Every interaction we have is a story unto itself, but fits into the perspective of our entire life. Once, there was a man that taught in this same format. The purpose of that format was so the listener could grow in understanding of the words that he spoke without having to be spoon fed the answers they seek. His name was Jesus, look him up!

Lost isn't supposed to give you the answers, it's supposed to allow you to figure it out on your own. I believe even once the final episode airs on May 23, 2010, we still won't have all the answers. But that's the point, isn't it? Do we in real life have all the answers figured out? Do we completely understand why we are here? What is the point of all this? And, don't others meet those that attempt to figure it all out with ridicule over their vain attempts? Although it is fun to try and figure out where Lost is going, there's no point to it. It's not about endings, it's about understanding. In order to understand, you have to think. That means you have to stop watching BS shows about supposed reality, which is about as real as Lost is anyway, and start indulging in that which cannot be explained readily. Only then will you come to realize what Lost is truly about. I can tell you, it's not about physics; you don't have to be a mathematician to figure it out; it's about who we are as people, where we are going, what we believe in, and most importantly, why we are here.

You have no idea what I'm talking about do you? That's ok! You'll figure it out one of these days, or just go on believing Lost is going to be cancelled. Last time I checked though, you never had the kind of fanfare about a show ending the likes of which Lost has entailed when it's going off into oblivion. Typically, when a show gets cancelled, it just simply ends. As far as I can tell, the only show that has ever come back from the dead is Star Trek. Oh yeah, that one belongs to J.J. Abram's now too! And it's been resurrected twice now!

So here's to getting Lost, may we never completely understand it because it's always been better that way!

Friday, March 26, 2010


On March 23rd, 2010, the United States Congress blacked out for 1.1 seconds. All of those that survived saw their futures. Some, for lack of better judgment, couldn't see anything at all, leading them to assume the worst. But unlike the plot of a favorite TV show of mine called Flash Forward this revelation does not come months from now, but starts today!

President Obama was successful in his quest to push a Healthcare Reform Bill through the Senate and Congress on Tuesday, with only the reconciliation phase left to make it a full blown policy. This, of course, is met with much apprehension on the part of many right wingers nationwide. They believe that our nation's sovereignity is headed in the wrong direction with the passing of such a bill. That government run healthcare can only lead to great and terrible things like socialism, food shortages, economic collapse, and a Jar Jar Binks TV show! The last one alone could unravel the fabric of the universe all by itself.

But to equate how all of this banter about healthcare reform has been perceived by myself, and I'm sure others across the country, I offer these excerpts from the original Batman film of 1989:

Right Wingers: "Ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?"

Left Wingers: "What?"

Right Wingers: "I always ask that of all my prey. I guess I just like the sound of it."

(Right Winger shoots Left Winger in the chest with a pistol. Screaming ensues).


American Public: "This town needs an enema!"

(Public blows on their collective kazoos)

That's about the gist of it for most Americans, many of whom said, "Huh?" when all of this began and some still say, "Why should I care?"

For one, from what I've seen of the bill, what is it that so many right wingers are afraid of anyway? What's so wrong with trying to help everyone have health insurance? If you work for a company, nothing changes, so this act seems to only be helping those that can't buy affordable health insurance, like my small business owning parents for example. What's so wrong with allowing your child to be covered on your insurance until they are 26 years old? Are we afraid they won't ever move out? What's so wrong with providing the elderly a life preserver in medication funds, when they have been royally screwed by Medicare up until now when the funds run out? What's so wrong with no longer having a cap on how much medical coverage you get for the lifetime of your plan? What's so wrong with insurance companies no longer being able to deny people with prior medical conditions or pull an already insured American's policy out from under them if they do get sick?

Is it just me? These things don't sound so bad, I think. Until you read the fine print. Then you can see why right wingers HATE THIS CRAP. Here's the biggest reason why they hate it: this new coverage will be paid for by wealthy tax payers more so than middle class working tax payers! Ahhhh, so it's all about the money, once again.

Not so fast! Right wingers have some legitimate gripes. Number one, should abortion be covered? That's certainly an issue and one I would have to say is a bit tricky at the least. Should all immigrants have access to this healthcare insurance, particularly those that have come up out of the Southwestern United States in recent years? I mean they already take our jobs, why not take our healthcare too? However, the bill addresses these people as well and also seems to stipulate that if you're illegal, it's a no go for you on healthcare coverage. But the biggest issue with the right wingers is...the passing of this bill just makes Prez Obama and Nancy Pelosi look good! I mean in the grand scheme of things, we knew this was the most diabolical pair to come together since Hitler and Himmler, Saddam and Osama, Simon and Garfunkel, Lois and Clark, Ren and Stimpy, Pamela and Tommy Lee, Britney and K-Fed, Bush and Cheney. But you can hardly stamp on their backsides the Antichrist and False Prophet label just yet.

I'll admit this, I didn't vote for Obama. However, I wouldn't call myself a right winger either. I'm what you call a Republocrat! I ride the fence because, like all Americans, some days I'm conservative and others I'm liberal. Somedays I'm one side more than the other, but I never seem to waver from the fact that I can never completely agree with either side because I do this strange thing called...THINKING! And what I think about all of this is, you need to support the elected official that is in office short of starting World War III. Because contrary to popular belief (meaning FOX News), the Demoncrats, those left winger liberals that occupy homes within the confines of the United States the same as I do, DO have the best interests of the American people in mind, even if that isn't always translated onto paper for all to see. I mean come on, we SURVIVED eight freakin years of Bush and his shenanigans, we can certainly survive this! And a few times there I thought World War III might actually break out with Bush, so I'm VERY happy to be here.

Fact remains, the man needs to be given his do. President Obama got a bill through that is designed to help most Americans who just can't seem to find it anywhere else. That's enough reason for me to continue supporting my President. Because contrary to FOX News, Obama IS the President of the United States of America and will be for at least 3 more years. If this whole escapade was supposed to have been compared to the Battle of Waterloo, then either someone got the sides mixed up or Obama has just completely rewritten history. But the more obvious choice isn't even listed: Once again a few well-to-dos in Washington took themselves way too seriously and now they have egg on their collective faces. So get ready well-to-do right wingers, I want Lasik surgery and YOU'RE going to pay for it!!!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Abby meet world!

Good Evening my little girl!











Dear Jason,












Maw Maw






Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Where I've been before...

I thought it prudent to introduce you to some of my other blogs I have posted in separate locations. Some of them are long and frankly would make this new blog seem ENORMOUS! I'm sure it will grow by great leaps and bounds as it is, so for that reason I'm going to provide you some links to some of my favorites. Feel free to check them out below by clicking on the links:

November 4, 2008, a date which will live in history or infamy...what do you believe?

Remember when the NLCS was the Braves vs. Pirates?


"Merry Christmas" vs. "Happy Holidays", does it really matter?

The TRUE reason for the season...

Why worry about 2012?

J.J. Abrams! Just what Bones ordered! Star Trek would be LOST without him!


The next great adventure...

For the past nine months I've had two things, every near and dear to my heart, come to fruition. One is my lastest novel due for release on March 29, 2010. This book is entitled Beyond the Loop: The Journey of Willis October, The Man, The Myth, The Legend. This book is a prequel/parallel/sequel to my original published work The Civilization Loop. The story primarily deals with the antagonist of TCL, a man by the name of, well, Willis October. He was a spineless, heartless wraith hell bent on destroying all of God's creation. In this middle story you'll get to see how Willis October came to be. TCL was all about the time team and Dr. Robert Irwin Peterson, or Bobby, and how they hoped to avert disaster on May 5, 2012. Obviously disaster is averted (and sorry if I gave that away to the ones that haven't read it yet). But in the wake of solving some of histories greatest mysteries, a new myth was born. It became known as the myth of the rogue time traveler, Willis October. Now, in BTL you'll learn who he really was, what he thought about, how he came to acquire his time traveling device in the first place, and witness the journey he went on that ultimately lead to the fateful day of May 5, 2012. It's a unique story with an ending you won't want to miss.

The second of the two things near and dear revolves around my daughter-to-be, Abigail Kelly Thrift! She is due to be born sometime during the week of February 28-March 6, 2010. Honestly, she could come any time between right this second and sometime before the end of March. Unfortunately predicting when a baby will come it's kind of like forecasting the weather. You know it's there, it's coming, but it's best guess on exactly when it will come. For now Abby is as snug as a bug inside the womb, trying to create more room with every passing second. We can't wait to meet her!

So this March, more than any March ever before, is extra special for me. Not only is it my birth month, but it could be the month I become a father and have my third novel published. Very special indeed. Soon I'll post some images of both my next book and my daughter when she arrives. So stay in tune and thanks for visiting...