“Well, I’m a couple decades away from being 63, but I pray that I manage to avoid being as weak and foolish.

I think the foolish part I’ll probably avoid: my wife’s grandmother always said, wisely, that people that end up foolish are the ones that start out foolish. Even so, it’s not too late to start being informed: you could read a newspaper on a daily basis, for instance.

The weak part, that’s the shameful thing. You blame others for your confusion and frustration, when you should be looking at yourself. Your lack of information is something that could be remedied not with more brainpower, but more strength. Engage the world with curiosity and humility. LEARN. That’s where true strength comes from. Your tiredness is your own fault, not anyone else’s.”

My response: You urge me to read a newspaper. Interesting. You might review my (almost) daily political digest at http://www.tartanmarine.blogspot.com to see the wide variety of papers I draw from. I read the Chicago Tribune daily, the Week news magazine (because it is strictly non-partisan), the Washington Post and The Hill on line, and lots of other sources. Often watch a local news station in the morning when dressing, sometimes in the evening. Once in a while Fox or CNN, with a book in my hand, but turn it off when they start shouting. I do like Bill O’Reilly on Fox, but rarely watch. Here he’s on at seven when I often have a conference call or am still at work, and ten, past lights out.

As to learning, I hold an AA in liberal arts, a BA in government, a masters in history and continue to read widely. Just finished Applied Economics by Dr. Thomas Sowell, the brilliant black economist. I highly recommend it, and all of his books and columns. See http://www.tsowell.com. I read widely in history and politics as well.

When I was a senator, I read 5 daily papers and four weeklies, and didn’t own a TV. But that was before the Internet or personal computers.

I’ve published two books and hundreds of articles, short stories, columns and poems as well.

As the literate will understand, I was using “I’m tired” to indicate things I didn’t like, just as one says, “I’m sick of TV” without being physically ill. Though since I have IPF and thus am short of breath and cough daily, I am often tired as well. ~Bob Hall