A Standard

There was a time in this country when were we Americans. we were not african-americans,italian-americans, hispanic americans or any other Americanizations. We were Americans. Yes we fought with one another, we disagreed with one another, and some were treated better than others. There were the favorites and the scapegoats but we were all Americans. And now all I see is division. Each group identifying with their heritage. Almost as though it were a competition. There was a time when the immigrants dream was to be included, to become an American. That was because to be an American was an honor and a privilege. To be an American was to enjoy freedom unlike any other in the world. And now I see that being displaced. Displaced, pushed aside by politics and the hunger for power.
In this hunger for power division is essential. Divide and conquer. It is an age old tactic and effective. The breaking down of discipline is the first step in this process. Create a sense of division among the troops and soon they are fighting each other. Convince certain groups they are being oppressed or mistreated, that they are somehow being unjustly singled out, and this creates division. The removal of certain restrictions or requirements will also deteriorate discipline. When discipline is gone, so is moral. And in the end there is no unity, no singleness of purpose, only confusion. And into this confusion steps those that will grasp the power. And then hold that power by any means necessary.
Consider something as simple as saying the Pledge of Allegiance each morning in school. Some schools still do that but it is not a requirement. In some places they do not do that at all. It is a form of discipline. To recite that pledge each morning. It does instill a sense of belonging. I pledge my Allegiance, I am an American. What message is sent when we now teach that is optional ? Are we saying you can enjoy the benefits of America without having to commit to it ? Sounds that way to me. Consider saying a prayer before  a sporting event or other public assembely. I would have to say there are far more people who are comfortable with that, than those that are not. And does not promote a sense of unity, a togetherness ? Those that do not wish to pray to my God, my pray to their own. Those that feel the whole thing unnecessary may stand or sit quietly. Consider the Flag. Our flag, the national standard. A symbol of freedom throughout the world. What message are we sending when we condone burning,tearing,walking upon or generally disrespecting it. Those that seek power like this and rightly so. A standard, a rallying point for identification of allegiance, is not good for creating division. Better to have many little standards. Each group and unit separate
It is an unfortunate thing. It is a terrible thing. But, the one thing that does unite, is strife. The periods in our history when we were Americans have always been highest during those times. When we had a common cause. We, as Americans , need to find that common cause once again. We need become American. We need to foster that sense of unity. We need to restore our faith in the ideals that created this nation. The disregard for tradition and standards of conduct should be our top priority at this time. Let's start teaching our child about duty,honor and respect once again. Let's renew that spirit that formed us. That spirit of, freedom. Freedom to pursue our dreams. And dreams are realized through discipline. With discipline comes respect. Respect that is earned.

One Nation, Under God

I have been paying attention. Over the years I have observed the deterioration of our nation. The more "enlightened " we become, the deeper into despair we fall. Look back upon our history and you can see it plain as day. A look at the big picture is what is necessary. We have become myopic. We have become so concentrated on the needs of today, that we are forgetting about yesterday. Looking to the future is not a reality. Looking to the future is hope. Yes, we may plan for that future, but that future is not guaranteed. The past however, our past, cannot be denied. It has been well recorded. It has been analyzed , scrutinized and even in some cases, rejected. Still, the past cannot be denied. This nation, this REPUBLIC, was formed by those seeking freedom.
It is true the word God and any reference to a God was not included in the constitution . This was a deliberate thing. The founding fathers were wise men indeed. Their concern was for freedom and justice. In their time and world both had been infringed upon. Their desire was to create a republic where these freedoms were guaranteed. That these same men were Christians is without doubt. Even a cursory reading of their personal writings will reveal that. I am sure they felt no need to express their belief in a God or creator, if you will, that was a given, an expectation. In their time to be other than a Christian was a foreign concept. While they were acutely aware other religions existed , they did not so exist in European society. I am convinced any of these gentlemen would be amazed that the conversation has even taken place as to whether this nation was formed under Christian principles. A nation under God.
Having said that, it begs the question, if not a nation under God, then a nation under what ? Under the President, the Supreme court, the Congress, The Senate or under taxes. What are the guiding principles under which we will live ? The principle of, whatever feels good,whatever works, whatever ? Hardly a sound philosophy.
 John Adams said it this way, “We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus! [April 18, 1775] and he later explained, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." --October 11, 1798.

John Adams you will recall was the second president of the United States and certainly spoke from experience. He was there after all, and knew the minds of his fellows. I believe he was saying that men and nations need a moral compass. I believe he is saying that without this moral compass, or set of guiding principles, government cannot long exist. Men seek power, this is a universal truth. The quest for power often includes the abandonment of morality and virtuous behavior. The separation of God from State was a deliberate act. We are a republic after all. A republic is a government of the people. John Adams and the founding fathers recognized this and wrote the constitution for a moral and religious people. The religion was Christianity. One nation,under God. If we are not a nation under God, then we are only one thing, a nation under the influence of those that seek power. And that is not freedom. A review of history will bear this out. When a lack of morality and moral behavior becomes the logic of the state, the state dies. Often it is a violent end ! If not a Nation under God, then a nation under fools, fools that would rob us of our freedoms in the acquisition of power.
You need not be a Christian to recognize the truth in this. Any Government that has ruled outside of these principles has failed. When avarice,greed,and corruption are allowed to foster, the result is always the same. When man separates himself from God, failure ensues. Government cannot be aligned with religion, but government cannot survive without it. The founding fathers knew this. The founding fathers also recognized the necessity for a God. For it is our God that provides the guidance to govern. To presume man can do so on his own is folly. Man left to his own devices will invariably seek power, and power corrupts. With no guidance, no standard against which to judge his behavior man will fail. How could it be otherwise. We must follow the precepts of the Christian religion to be successful. It is these very precepts that founded our nation and have sustained it, it is time to reaffirm and acknowledge that truth. One Nation ,Under God. 

Thoughts on August

Yesterdays posting may have been misleading or not entirely clear. I wrote about having nothing more to say. I didn't mean to imply I had nothing more to say. What I was trying to express were those times when there is nothing more to say. Perhaps the end of a relationship or a misunderstanding of some type. Those circumstances are what I meant. Me, be quiet ? Are you kidding me ? I just wrote a blog about having nothing more to say ! And today I'm writing about  my writing about nothing more to say. LOL

July is nearly over. Sounds a little funny, seems like summer just began. August. August is a funny month. It's summer, but most of us don't think of it like that. I think most of us think, fall. Or least the introduction to the fall. No big holidays in August. It is a kind of in between month. A lot of things happened to me in the month of August over my life so far. Many events and happenings. I was born in July but August has seemed to be my action month. No big series of events jumps to the forefront, just an awareness. Do you have an action month ?
The kids go back to school here the end of August. As a kid we didn't go back until after labor day. I think that is what adds to this feeling I'm having about August. If the kids have to go back to school, summer is over. That's the way I felt when I was there age. No songs or events come to mind for August. The harvest moon occurs in September, at least in the northern hemisphere it does. July has the birth of the nation to celebrate and September has labor day. What does August have ? Not even pumpkins ! There are a couple of things fascinating about August. First, in common years no other month starts on the same day of the week as August. During leap years February does. Secondly, August ends on the same day of the week as November every year. Pretty cool.
I guess if I had to pick a month to describe where I am in life, it would be August. I've still got life in me, still hot, but cooling down. I haven't lost all my leaves, but they are beginning to thin out. Harvest time is getting closer. Almost rime to reap the fruits of my labors. I can't see myself planting any new crops, if you know what I mean. I'm not much fond of August. August is an end and a beginning. I just would rather something that can make up its' mind. I hate indecision. As dear old Dad was fond of saying, " either *hit or get off the pot."

Nothing more

There comes a time when all the words have been spoken. The time for quiet reflection and introspection is all that remains. A wise man knows when that time has arrived. This time comes not as a result of anger or malice, but as a matter of course. When you have expressed all your belief and sentiment, begged, pleaded ranted and raved and the other party is unmoved, it is time.
Now this realization is sometimes difficult to comprehend. Sometimes it is impossible.Sometimes it arrives as a sudden realization, like a flash of light. In that instant you can see. Other times it may take years. It is a comfort when that realization does arrive. An ending. Endings are not always sad, there are happy endings.
I think it is something that we all have to learn. We need to learn that there are those times and circumstances when that is the case. The end, the words all spoken and nothing more to say.

Legacy

What will you leave behind ? All of us must go one day and we can't take it with us, isn't that what everyone says ? It is a stark fact of life but one that cannot be denied. So, the question remains, what will you leave behind ? Will it be money,property or fame. What is the legacy of your life. How long will that legacy last ? All these questions are difficult to answer. Wealth is transient, it comes and goes. Today's fortune may not mean much in tomorrows market. Property is a great legacy to have. Property only increases in value ( normally) there are no constants in life. And as we all know fame is a fleeting thing.
In the general overview of things it seems to me the last few generations ( mine included) have been selling off our legacies at an alarming rate. Case in point, the family farms. Sold. Sold for profits. Yes, in some cases economic necessity forced these sales. Not all sales have been so however. Many have sold their legacy without regard to future generations. The consideration being for their own immediate need or desires.
It is the progression of man I suppose. Were I a sociologist I could write a book about this subject. An attempted explanation. Here in America the immigrants arrived with a dream. A dream to own property and succeed in their lives unencumbered. And the dream was realized by many. Farmers, ranchers,tradesmen and shop owners. These people struggled and fought to achieve their dreams. They acquired their properties and built their reputations. Families working and living together, forming communities. And they prospered. Eventually the children felt the need to move out and on. No longer working within the structure of the past. Their support systems gone. Their freedom coming at a price. Over time, the legacy that was built by that family, was sold. Sold for profit or convenience. Nothing remains. And so we arrive at today.
How many people live in the homes of their parents ? Of their Grandparents ? There was a time when this was a common practice. Those days are long gone. Only the very wealthy and the fortunate few can claim that legacy. Now if we live in the same town for a number of years we think of that as special. In some ways we have all reverted back to being nomadic. It is only that the modern nomads roam in great comfort.
I would have to include myself in this nomadic situation. I didn't sell my legacy, as I never acquired one. I have just gone with the tide. I moved out and on. I was lead to believe that was the American dream. To have a place of your own, your own piece of the pie so to speak. That is an illusion however. It is hype. The real dream is to share in a legacy. A legacy cannot survive by being shattered. A legacy cannot be maintained by being sold. Nor can one, no matter how wealthy, buy a legacy.
This is what I have been considering lately. Is it because of the advance of years ? Possibly, and it is best to plan ahead. So just what is the legacy I will leave ? It is certainly not money ( unless a lottery win is in the future) and property isn't likely either. As for fame, I have none. Well I have had my fifteen minutes I believe, it is only that I took them a few minutes at a time ! So I would have to say the legacy I will leave behind is one of thoughts. Thoughts and observations on life. I'm writing this legacy every day. A legacy is a gift. A gift from an ancestor. These things that I write are that gift. I hope future generations enjoy them. It may not be a grand estate but it is what I have to offer. I feel neither sorrow or shame. Each of us walk this path and we are defined by what we leave behind. Don't litter the trail up with a bunch of junk. 

This and That

I thought I would share a few random thoughts with you today.
The Pope is in Brazil and took an unscheduled trip into the ghetto. His security detail were having a fit but the Pope was unfazed. He kissed the babies, shook hands and met the people. My thought on this was, Here is a man that talks the talk and walks the walk ! I admire that. You go Pope.
A series of accidents on the Chesapeake bay bridge has the NTSB sending investigators to determine if the bridge is safe. They are not engineers to determine structural integrity, that has been determined to be fine, but whether the bridge is safe to drive on with it's current design. I wonder if they ever considered lowering the speed limit, only allowing tractor trailers in the right hand lane, and actually enforcing the existing traffic laws. I'm no expert but perhaps,just perhaps, it is the drivers that have some culpability in these accidents.
There is a shortage of animal control officers in Baltimore city. Far too many calls  for them to handle. Now the Mayor has directed the Police K-9 officers receive training and help with this problem. If I am the cop I'm a little upset to be demoted to dog catcher, just sayin'. Priorities, Mrs Mayor. Priorities.
Anthony Weiner admits to additional sexting after his resignation from congress. And this is surprising and news because ? Oh, that's right he wants to be Mayor of New York City. Isn't America wonderful. He can run because we no longer consider morality necessary or politically correct. This man is obliviously a liar and a cheat. Apparently unable to control his base desires. Yeah, that's the man for the job alright.
I see that some new automobiles are being equipped with an automatic breaking system. A radar based device to apply the brakes if you come to close to another object. I have serious misgivings about this. I see any number of issues with a malfunction. Do we really want a computer controlling the vehicle ? Sounds a little too Jetson to me. We ain't that smart.
I have done no research into this at all but I see something about passing a Respect the Marriage act. Just how do you legislate respect ? I was told you had to earn that. The times they are a'changin'. What we need are fewer laws,more common sense and respect for each other. Common courtesy is fast becoming a thing of the past. We need to start teaching those lesson to our children. Blessed are the meek, isn't that in the instruction manual ?

Celebration

On my sixtieth birthday I decided to go out for a beer. It has been a number of years since I have done so. A new little pub opened across the street from my place and I thought I would just go there. I need only walk across the street, perfect. It was early in the afternoon ,about three I would say, when I entered. It was quiet in there. Two gentleman sat at one end of the bar having a conversation. The television was on a sporting event of some kind, but the sound was off. I sat down and waited. The bar tender was nowhere to be seen. After a while one of the gentleman at the bar remarked he thought the bar tender went to take a nap. I continued to wait. Eventually she appeared. I placed my order. Three dollars for a bottle of beer. Geez, guess it has been a while since I was out. Oh well, it is my birthday after all. Live it up.
Shortly after getting my beer three ladies enter the place. They sit next to the guys already there. They are obviously acquainted with one another. One of the ladies starts ordering beers and shooters for everyone. She is intoxicated. And she is very loud. And then she begins to say inappropriate remarks and laughing hysterically. Ah yes, I remember that from years ago. The drunken fool. Now this lady is no spring chicken and should know better. I hadn't heard language like that since my navy days. A steady spewing forth of filth. I found it a bit unsettling. Her companions didn't seem to mind though, I assume they are used to it. This lady was giving rather large tips so the bar tender wasn't complaining either. She did seem to be confused in her language. She kept using a verb as an adjective. This particular verb involves a rather intimate act. The beer was $*&^ing cold and on and on. Everything was &*&^ing. My thought was to point this out but then I figured she wouldn't understand. Once she started to talk about certain parts of the anatomy and threatening to show them, I left. My birthday celebration was over.
I must say I did enjoy it in an odd sort of way. It served as a reminder of the days when I too would over indulge. I remembered why I quit that particular form of nonsense. It is most unbecoming. The gentlemen that were there when I first arrived seem unmoved. They graciously accepted the offered drinks and continued their conversation. As I walked home, I smiled. Guess I'm growing up after all. The past was lived for comparison to the present. I'm getting there. Some growth has been achieved after all.

Same Thing

It is something we hear about in the news all the time. An insidious scourge upon the earth. The government needs to do something about it. Laws need to written and rigorously enforced. It is this thing called, " profiling. " Gasp, that's right profiling. I looked it up and found the definition for this disease. Profiling is the extrapolation of information about something based on known qualities. It uses the personal characteristics or behavioral patterns to make generalizations about a person or groups of people. This must be stopped. This profiling of people or groups  Law enforcement does it ! The TSA does it ! What an outrage.
Guess what, Walmart does it too, along with just about every business you can think of. The only difference being it is not called profiling. It is demographics ! Demographics are fine. In fact there are entire corporations dedicated to demographics. They earn there living providing a demographic PROFILE  to their clients.
I looked up the definition of demographics. Demographics are the quantifiable statistics of a given population. Five areas are used to create the demographic profile. Your age, gender, income level, race and ethnicity. It goes on to say Demographic profiling is essentially an exercise in making "generalizations" about the group. Wait a minute, isn't that profiling ? To the uneducated and uninformed it would certainly seem so. Even just having read the respective definitions, they sound basically the same. How can this be ? You can not use profiles as a tool in crime prevention, such as terrorist activities, but you can use them to sell your products to the unsuspecting public. Using these " profiles " to target a specific group !
Why is it okay to use demographics, but profiling is so bad ? I'll tell you why. Demographics are used to make money. Demographics are information and information is power. Power is money, a vicious circle. Profiling aims to break that cycle. That's not good for business. Profiling is bad. The news and the liberals would have us believe that profiling is a racist thing. Profiling is putting a name to a dirty little secret. The government, business, and, gasp, even individuals use demographic profiling to their advantage. We are human. We make judgments  based on known qualities and make generalizations. There it is out. Now, is profiling so bad ? Semantics  my friends. We are living in a world of semantics.
Each one of us are being profiled every day. From the songs on the radio station to the type of toilet tissue we use. Demographic Profiling has been used. There are entire corporations that do nothing but create these profiles. Ever hear of the Neilsen ratings ? Profiled. Go to the Walmart in a predominantly black lower income neighborhood and look around, then go to one in a predominantly white middle class neighborhood., any difference ? You bet there is, they have been modeled after a demographic profile. The consumers have been profiled ! But that is just business. Isn't preventing crime a business ? A very important business ? Then why are we shackling our law enforcement people with the inability to profile ? If you use current logic I should be able to sue the Walmart for me buying the products I do. They profiled me and I wouldn't have done it otherwise. Isn't that what the criminals are saying ? You wouldn't have stopped me if you hadn't profiled me. The fact that I have illegal drugs and guns in my possession is irrelevant, I was profiled !
The truth is you happen to fit a demographic profile. Science has singled you out, not me. I'm just using the science in the performance of my job. 

Not so smart

I read a posting by a fellow blogger regarding milk consumption. While reading this article I began to think about all the other foods and drinks that were considered healthy and even essential. Milk was at the top of the list. Mothers milk was best, but barring that option, good old plain milk. We were instructed to drink a minimum of 24 ounces a day. To not drink it was to invite rotten teeth and broken bones. Wonder bread promised to help build strong bodies 12 ways, said so right on the wrapper. Bacon and eggs for breakfast was a staple. We ate red meat and potatoes. In my area of the country fresh fish and all manner of seafood was ever present. If we were outside and needed a drink, the hose was handy. You knew to let it run a minute, otherwise the water was hot. In the summer months we ate the wild berries and fruit. Blueberries,blackberries,raspberries,beach plums,apples and strawberries were plentiful. I knew where there was a pear tree and a peach tree. I would snitch them when the owner wasn't looking. Or maybe she knew and just let us kids think otherwise, adults were like that when I was a kid. It was a form of husbandry. Kept us from picking all the fruit and wasting it.
Today however I listen as the doctors and nutritional experts say we shouldn't drink whole milk anymore. The milk fat, the part that has all the flavor, is bad for us. I do wonder why an item created by nature for the sustaining of life is suddenly unhealthy. The removal of the good stuff renders the milk tasteless, in my opinion. I have heard the survivalist experts say the consumption of fat is essential. They recommend eating a certain amount of fat, or drinking it, to sustain the body in extreme stress situations. Fat, a staple to survival. Eggs have see-sawed back and forth on the grid. One week they are alright and the next not. Eat the yolk,don't eat the yolk. Eggs are another of those item provided by nature. It is my feeling they are alright as long as man hasn't manipulated the food the chickens are eating. Our fresh fruits the same way. Good for us until we spray insecticides and chemicals all over them. We add junk to the ground to make the trees grow. We spray stuff all over the fruit. And then we preserve it ! Maybe,just maybe it is this manipulation by man that is causing some of the problem. What ? We aren't as smart as we think we are ? Could be.
Man survived on this planet for many thousands of years eating just what was provided by nature. Must not have been so unhealthy,we are here. Perhaps it is only a matter of mans' interference in nature that causes the problems. I'm not advocating for any certain lifestyle. I'm not a Vegan,Vegetarian or any other group like that. I say eat what you like. I do believe in one rule though, all things in moderation. The Bible says so and so does Horace in his Satires. Horace said, " There is a mean in all things, certain limits on either side of which right cannot be found. " If we observe those limits we will be fine. That advice applies to all things, not just food. Work,exercise and relaxation are not exempt.
Man has manipulated nature for far too long. Nature is getting back at us. An old television commercial stated it perfectly, It is not nice to fool mother nature ! Embracing nature is like loving your mother. You just take her the way she is. It is fruitless to try and change her and can be uncomfortable as well. Just as your own mother nurtured you in your infancy ,so will nature. In the big picture we are all just infants. Mommy, help us. LOL

Changes

In 1953, when I was born ,white cloth diapers were the order of the day. It would be another ten years before pampers and the like became available. It was wear,wash and repeat. Mom used those large safety pins and the blue plastic covers. As I progressed I switched to briefs. Fruit of the Loom or Hanes, white. Except for a few months in basic training when the Navy forced me to wear standard issue boxer shorts, I have worn briefs ever since. So for the better part of sixty years my choice in underwear has remained unchanged. Not anymore ! Yesterday I went to the Walmart and purchased some new underwear. They are not briefs, they are not boxers, they are boxer-briefs ! I bought a five pack and each pair is a different color and not one of them is white ! I feel like some sort of radical. But, I wouldn't want it said that I'm not progressive. No sir, I'm not stuck in the past. Somehow I feel strangely liberated. Well, not too liberated,hence the brief part. There are limits to rebellious behavior. The straight boxer shorts always seem to be the ones migrating north, while the waistline of the pants head south. I definitely don't want that.
It was sometime in the fifties when wearing a white tee shirt,as a shirt, became a sign of rebellion. I think it may have been that Rebel, James Dean. I was never much on tee shirts. Didn't wear them as a kid. The Navy requires you to wear one with your uniform. Following my retirement, I have pretty much abandoned them, at least the white ones. I have tee shirts in many colors and sporting all kinds of sayings and advertising. When I start to feel a little rambunctious I just might wear a white one,as a shirt ! If I still smoked I would roll that pack of cigarettes in the sleeve,too !
Okay, so maybe I am not as adventurous as I used to be. It could be I have calmed down and slowed down just a bit over the years. But I'll tell you this. I've still got some fire in me. I can change, and as Rocky Balboa said, If I can change, and you can change, we can all change. Right now I'm going to change my underwear.

An Incoming Tide

Only a few miles from where I live, Maryland Route 404 passes by. This road is a major thoroughfare for people traveling to the beaches in Delaware. The traffic on weekends and holidays is tremendous. There is not much of interest in Greensboro or Denton to attract these travelers. There is , of course, a gas station, a McDonald's, a Burger King and in process, a Seven Eleven store at the base of an exit ramp. It is into this McDonald's that what I call, The Beach People, stop to refresh themselves.  I had occasion to be at the McDonald's yesterday and the beach people where there in full force. A large crowd of loud and pushy people dressed in beach attire. The beach people have that sense of urgency about them. We are stopping to refresh and refuel, but it must be done quickly ! We are the Beach People and we will reach the beach at all costs. Locals had best get out of the way ! We are the Beach People and we have money to spend. Everyone step aside. We are the Beach People.
Now, you will encounter the Beach People in  other places as well, but not as much as the McDonald's. I guess the allure of those golden arches attracts them, sorta like insects to a light-bulb. They swarm around ,annoying everybody for a while, and then move on. They usually leave a mess behind them as well. Beach People seem to suffer from tunnel vision. Looking straight ahead and totally unaware of their surroundings. A singleness of purpose to their actions, to reach the beach.
I do wonder how many of these people have stopped at this McDonald's as a regular thing, year after year. This stop, a permanent part of the voyage. How many have ventured  into the town or surrounding area. I expect very few, there are no beaches close by,only the river. There is no boardwalk or concession stands. Nothing to attract them. The town of Denton is nothing more than an exit on the road. A place to stop and use the restroom.
The beach people are a minor inconvenience. They stop for a brief period of time and then move on. I try to avoid Route 404 on the weekends. This works for now but I am beginning to see a slight change. Some of these beach people are starting to use their GPS systems to navigate through the back roads. Some beach people have started to buy property here.They may start living here but will keep their beach people attitudes. They are a different breed. Like an incoming tide they will eventually cover things up and when the tide goes out the landscape has been changed. A little erosion has occurred. The tide stays in a little longer every year. Soon I'll have to head for higher ground. The beach people are only surpassed in their annoying ways by tourists ! Happily, we don't have any of those.

Since 53

I was born on this day in 1953. I don't remember the day or what was happening much. Fact is I don't remember a whole lot much before 58. Now living in this modern world of wonders that I do I just went on the net to find out. Some interesting facts were revealed to me. The average cost of a new car was 1650 dollars. Gas was an astounding 20 cents a gallon. The average wage earner made 4000 dollars a year. That's just about one dollar eighty one cents an hour.
Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to climb Mount Everest. Dwight Eisenhower was elected president and the FBI was rounding up suspected Commies in the country. Peter Pan the movie was released. Playboy sold their first issue.The Polio vaccine was first announced. The government also first reported that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer.
New York state adopts the use of the three color traffic light. The corvette was first produced. Finally I see the first color television went on sale in the united states for an amazing price of 1175 dollars ! We didn't get one until about 1968. I don't know what Dad paid for it but it wasn't over a thousand dollars I can tell you that.
All that was sixty years ago and some of it we still talk about. Cigarette smoking tops the list. I am amazed that people are still able to sue the tobacco companies for damages. Isn't a sixty year warning enough ? I remember getting the polio vaccine. We went to the school and was given it on a sugar cube. That was about 1963 or so. Must have worked, I didn't get Polio. People are still climbing that mountain and I wonder why ? I suppose because it is there. I was surprised that the average wage earner made 1.81 an hour. I would have thought it less. That is an average though and a lot more people were working, proportionately, than there are today I suspect. I didn't verify that so don't quote me. I also think the government was taking a lot less from us.
We have come a long way in the last sixty years, or have we ? Looking back over the years I see a lot of the same issues being repeated, rehashed and reanalyzed. We have become more tolerant that is for sure. Perhaps too tolerant. Just as you can spoil a child, a nation can be similarly be spoiled. Sixty years ago we had real life heroes and now we manufacture them. Progress has been made but I find myself wanting the old ways back. Isn't that what most of us really want for our birthday ? A do over ? Or maybe not so much a do over, as an enjoy over. To go back in time armed with the knowledge of today, and just enjoy. After sixty years that is one thing I have learned. Enjoy each day as it comes along. Every day is a gift. Sure sometimes you don't get what you want but that's life. Don't let that ruin your day. 

It's Coming

Well tomorrow is my birthday. Sixty has been trying to sneak up on me, but it ain't happening. No sir, I've seen this one comin'. Fact is I've been paying attention all this last year. Fifty nine doesn't sound too bad, but sixty does have a different ring to it. In some ways I'm thinking it sounds a little better. I think of it this way, a two digit number with a nine at the end is almost something else. Tomorrow I will be that something. In this case, sixty, A lot better than fifty nine. I like to keep things even. Also in the next few years that second digit stays low, I won't get nervous until it reached seven or eight.
My wife tells me sixty is the new forty. Oh lord, I hope not. I remember turning forty and it didn't sit well with me. I had a bit of a minor crisis. I didn't go over the edge, but I was looking down. I don't want that experience again. I think I'll be fine with sixty. I'm thinking I'm just starting to hit my stride. Yeah, that's it, I've been saving myself for the golden years. This is the time when I can bring all my experience and knowledge to bear. I only need to figure out what it is I want to bear against ! Well, one thing I have learned is patience. I'll just wait and see.
Sixty isn't senior. I refuse to accept that hype. AARP has been after me since I was fifty. I'm not retired, just tired. Occasionally I do receive a senior discount. I will accept that only to avoid confrontation. I wouldn't want to offend anyone generously offering a discount. If it makes them feel better about themselves, it is alright with me. I'm not a proud or vain man, no sir, I'll just smile and take it. Sixty is a new beginning. The first year of the decade. I have a lot to look forward to. Social Security for instance. Will it still exist when I'm old enough for that ? Anticipation is fun, like waiting for your birthday gift. Plus, I still have to say, when I'm old enough. If the television ads are to be believed this is the year I start living. All the worries of the work a day world melt away at about age sixty five or so. Soon I'll be riding a cruiser bicycle with the grandchildren on an old country lane. Picnics in the park and wearing a cardigan sweater every day. Now that's living.
Sixty is definitely not sneaking up on me. I thought about that when I looked at my feet. I'm wearing sneakers. I know the kids nowadays call them athletic shoes or some such thing but they will always be sneakers to me. Sneakers have been around a lot longer than me too. In fact since 1917. When I was a kid not many people sixty years old wore sneakers. Mr. Rogers did, but only indoors. I always wondered about that. Of course he really wasn't sixty then and was a bit of an odd duck,as the saying goes. Today people of all ages wear sneakers. Another lesson learned. Wear comfortable shoes. I still have laces in mine and wonder when I will have to make the switch. Yes, one day I'll have to go with the velcro closures ! But not yet, I'm only sixty you know.

Strangers in the tree

My Mom came from a family of ten children. She had six sisters and three brothers. The majority of them lived in the same town as we did. I went to school with a lot of my cousins. I'm talking first cousins. I knew few of them. I never gave it much thought until I started doing the family tree. Now I look and am amazed to see, strangers in my tree. They are strangers to me, yet their place in the tree is undeniable. I can't help but wonder how this could be. Why did we not at least talk with one another ? The how and why of our parents relationships with their siblings is a foreign subject. Mom hung out with some sisters, and some she did not. The two she spent the most time with had no children. Was that a conscience decision on her part ? I don't know, but I doubt it. I think they just lived the closest to us. Neither of them babysat for us, so it wasn't that. The only babysitter I recall was Great Grandfather, once. To say Mom and Dad didn't go out much is an understatement. But, back to these strangers. Growing up I heard their names, sometimes. Usually I heard about them when they did something wrong. Then they would be held up as an example. Do you want to wind up like your cousin ? You see what trouble he is in ? You're headed down the same road ! Funny I never heard about the good things they did. I'm sure they did positive things as well.
And so here it is, all these years later and I still don't know them. I wonder about them and their lives. Where are they and how many children do they have. Would they like to meet me. And if we did meet what would we talk about ? I think the conversation wouldn't last too long. A few stories about our parents perhaps. A few stories our parents may have told us. Eventually the stories we were told about each other. Beyond that it wouldn't be much different than talking to anyone else that grew up in my town and went to my school. Strangers to each other. Yes, a stranger with a blood connection.
Back in the 1960's we were all a bit more isolated. Even in a small town like mine, that was true. Phone calls were not as readily placed as they are today. There were no answering machines or texting. As a result we were a bit disconnected. Contact with each other was either accidental, I run into you on the street, or an effort was made to contact you. Now we run into each other on Facebook or maybe catch a tweet of yours. I'm thinking had these avenues been open back then I would have been more connected with my cousins. I do think we are a bit more social today. This social environment does come with problems of its' own. That is a discussion for another time. I can say this for sure. I have spoken to more of my cousins online than I ever did in person. Surprising when you think I grew up and went to school with a majority of them. I'm grateful for that because now those I have contacted are less of a stranger to me. It's a beginning. I believe it is a good thing. Family is family. An old concept ? Maybe, but a valid one. I would like to know my family. The core value of family is what you can contribute to it, not what family can give to you. I would share my collective experiences and memories. Things are not always as they seem or as presented to us. It can be a little scary at first. I welcome the discussion. After all, we are family.

I'm Covered

I don't shop a lot and when I do it is usually in and out. I know what I want or need, and get it and gone. The other day I had occasion to be at the local Walmart. I was with my Granddaughter and she needed some lip gloss. These young girls are always wanting some sort of maintenance product, even at age ten. In my quest to find that I stumbled upon something amazing. Right there in a little alcove was a medical center ! It was a booth like affair. You sit in there and put your arm in a cuff and it measures your blood pressure. It will weigh you and give you your body mass index. It will even test your vision ! And it is all free ! Well, I just stopped right there and got my free check up. Who needs Obamacare, I've got Walmart. All I had to do was enter some pertinent information about myself. Height and age and that was about all it needed. I liked that it didn't ask a bunch of embarrassing questions about the past or anything. No sir, it was just in and out.
I got out of that checkup feeling pretty good. My blood pressure was fine and I'm not fat. My vision isn't too great but I already knew that, been wearing glasses since the third grade. Good thing was though, if I needed new glasses they had a whole rack of them right there. And they were only ten bucks a pair. There is a sticker on the lens telling you the strength. No problem. No waiting for a fitting or waiting to be made,just grab and go. Man this is great.
After getting done with that I was feeling a little tired but they had that covered too. I see this big display of five hour energy. Apparently all I have to do is drink one ounce of this energy stuff and I will be good for another five hours ! Modern science at work. Ok, so now I'm awake but my feet hurt. Not a problem, Walmart has got me covered. Right there is another medical device, this one will fit me for custom fit orthopedic insoles  ! Just stand right here and the machine does the calculations. Bam, just like that. The proper ones are right there conveniently located. Slip them babies into your shoes and you are good to go !
Down another aisle and more miracles await. Teeth whitening, hair growing and age spot removal. It is a one stop medical facility, who knew ?
Having discovered this I now don't understand the fuss about health care in America. It was all free, right there at the Walmart. Got a checkup and all the medical devices I needed, plus a lot more energy. They sell that five hour stuff in six packs too !
When I got home I just cancelled that appointment at the doctors office. It obviously isn't necessary. My feet don't hurt, I'm full of energy and can see just fine. Now for a little teeth whitening and I got some rub on Tan. As soon as the hair on my head grows back, lush and full as promised on the box, I'll be going back to Walmart. I'm going to need a new wardrobe to go with my new image. And I know that Walmart has got me covered. 

Just Wondering

I was halfheartedly listening to the evening news when the story of JK Rowling cane on. All I heard was that she had written a new book and it was published under a different name. I heard the reporter say sales of this book where slow until it was leaked that she was the real author. Now, the stores are sold out.
That was all I heard and began immediately to speculate. I wondered how it felt to be the best selling author of the Harry Potter series, publish another book and meet with not so great sales. I was thinking how this would affect my own ego. I decided it wouldn't be a good thing. I began to wonder if she did this as a test of sorts. Did she want to see the acceptance of this book on it's own merits ? Seemed like a good possibility. Or maybe this was some marketing trick. Nothing more was said on the news about it, so off to Google to find out more.
Having not read any of the Harry Potter series I am only vaguely aware of who JK Rowling is. I was surprised to learn she has written a book previous to this one, in the adult category. Not, adult in that sense, only written for adults and it met with success. This book that she has written under the pseudonym, Robert Galbraith, is a crime novel. It was met with critical acclaim. The reviews were positive So that answered that question. No damage to the ego I guess. Reading that information led me to thinking about another question. How did it feel to know sales really didn't take off until everyone knew the true author ? I think that would have to be a good thing. The knowledge that people will buy your work based upon your name. If JK Rowling wrote it, I want to read it. Yes, it has to feel good.
I'm sure it has to be a great thing for her. To have your work recognized on it's own merit. To know you are not a one hit wonder. I'm not much for crime novels so I doubt that I'll be reading it. JK Rowling holds no allure for me. Now if she writes a historical novel I may be interested.
I did she her in an interview later on. She was saying how she enjoyed the feedback she was receiving before her identity was leaked. She seemed to be saying it was a test of sorts. A reaffirmation of sorts. Of course this leak did increase sales substantially. I like to think she really didn't care about that. She certainly has enough money. But then again, often times with the artist it is not about the money. Either way, I wish her continued success.

Hope

We all occasionally go on flights of fancy and there is nothing wrong with that. I have several trips I like to take. Sometimes I sail the seven seas as a whaler, my Great Great Grandfather did that and I feel a kinship with him. It has been proudly recorded that he made seven trips around the horn. A feat worth remembering. In my own Naval career I never had that chance, but sailed the seas. I crossed the equator and sailed to the arctic circle. I made a transit of the Suez canal. Aye, I've looked the beast in the eye me hearties, and lived to tell the tale. The sea can be a haunting mistress. The blood of my ancestors had a little salt, as does mine.
Another little fantasy of mine is to be a homesteader. I have yet to discover any in my family tree, but surely they are there. I have ancestors from Sweden and Germany. Their own desires brought them to this land. Well, at least the Germans did. Grandmother was sent here from Sweden to care for a sick Aunt. I'm not convinced she really wanted to. My vision involves covered wagons and settling in the west. Staking my claim to the land and proving it up. Chopping down the primeval forest to build my home. Living off the land. I can see myself as a sodbuster, don't care for horses much so cowboy is out of the question. Maybe a rancher, but only after I can afford to hire cowhands to do the work. No, I can see myself having a nice little farm and having a trade. Maybe wheelwright or cordwainer.  Wheelwrights make wheels, like wagon wheels and a cordwainer makes shoes and other leather goods. My Great Grandfather was a cordwainer.
As I take these little trips I can sometimes feel the presence of my ancestors. Parts of them have surely passed through the ages. I feel we are all a sum of the past, mixed with the hope of the future. A part of our parents are within us and theirs within them, so would that not be so generation after generation ? Going back in time, as well as moving it forward ? Seems logical to me.
At other times I can feel the wanderlust in me. That desire to see what is over the hill or beyond the open sea. I can find and appreciate the beauty of nature everywhere but yet am always looking. Where does this desire stem from ? Was there a great explorer in my past ? The possibility exists. Or does it come as a result of my being uprooted , having left my ancestral home and living with the knowledge I shall never return. And so I look elsewhere ? Looking for a place to rest ? But we can not know our final destination, if ever there is one. Pieces of me must travel forward. Is it so important where the body lies ? It only lies for the comfort of others.
I do takes little trips into the future as well. Fantasy is not limited to the past. To see oneself in certain circumstance in years to come. Believing in the future is half the battle to making it a reality. Isn't that what they say ? You must see the dream in order to make it materialize. I will not share those voyages with you. You will have to wait and see, just like me. I believe exposing the dream to daylight will make it disappear. And so, I keep my dreams close to me. Reality is ephemeral, dreams are forever.

Stay Calm

I've always known it, but have become increasingly aware since the advent of social media, that some people just have so much more drama in their lives. I can't imagine for the life of me how they manage, without becoming alcoholics,drug addicts or going just plain crazy. I read about the desire for prayers, and appeals to various deities. Neither of those are bad things, but to feel compelled to do that on a daily basis must be,to say the least,trying. Perhaps their faith is stronger than mine but I would certainly become somewhat jaded given the extent of their issues.
Shakespeare said all the worlds a stage and each of us must play our part. I'm so thankful I don't have the dramatic role to play. I can say my life is no comedy, that much is sure, but compared to others, a walk in the park. Those souls that are stuck with this role seem to be drawn to it as a moth to the flame. I hear, and in some cases even see, their efforts to distance themselves from the drama. Yet the drama follows them. With others I see the drama feeds their needs. It is all very tiring to me. I feel exhausted just talking about it.
From my perspective it is just a matter of acceptance. Bad things do happen to good people. It is also true that the rest of the world does not always agree with you. Other people do have independent thoughts ! And finally, there are things that are just not that important. If the dramatists could only understand these few simple truths there lives would be so much simpler.
I have to guard against being drawn into the drama. I do enjoy my social media but it can be a slippery slope. Drama is the quickest and easiest way to draw attention to ourselves. I do think we all want some attention. That is a basic human need. It is easy to get attention by making a lot of noise, babies do it all the time, but much harder to get noticed with quiet statements of fact. I would much rather be remembered for saying one intelligent thought than a book full of nonsense. I enjoy the simple things in life and that includes thoughts. A simple thought is the best. Truth is simple. The introduction of excessive drama does little to help anyone. It can be entertaining, in small doses.
It would seem drama follows the crowd. Also it seems the crowd follows drama. We would all be better served if that were not so. Look for the simple truths and joys in your life. Disregard all the other stuff. Do not be concerned with what others think you should like, they are not you. Be aware of others and be careful not to infringe upon there happiness. In the end we all must live with ourselves and the decisions we make. Living and dying doesn't have to be that dramatic ! I advocate for calm. Everyone just stay calm , it'll be alright.

It could be low T

I keep seeing and hearing about what is apparently a growing problem, no pun intended, low T ! I hear advertising for investigational studies offering up to three thousand dollars for your participation. The symptoms of this low T can include a feeling of being tired, lack of energy and a reduced sex drive for those of us over the age of fifty. Sounds suspiciously like getting old, but I'm no doctor.
As a matter of curiosity I took the online quiz to see if I may be suffering from Hypoandrogenism ! That's doctor talk for low T. It can be determined with a simple blood test too. The questions included, are you grumpy ? Yeah I've been accused of being a grumpy old man. Are you sad ?  Yes, sometimes I am sad. Do I take a nap after dinner ? Yes, whenever possible. I do enjoy a nap.There were several questions that were just none of their business ! The only thing I have to say about that is I'm not twenty one ! Another question was my ability to play sports. Well, I never was much of an athlete but again I must say, I am not twenty one.
Now the therapy provided to correct this deficiency is a drug. Hormone therapy they call it. I'll be in trouble for saying this but aren't hormones a female thing ? Guess things change over time, just sayin'. The promise is that you will lose weight and gain muscle. And that is not to mention the other benefits ! If your significant other is over fifty she made need to seek a certified sex therapist, as no drug treatments have been approved by the FDA for this problem in women. Go figure.
Taking this hormone may lead to liver damage and prostrate cancer. A small price to pay I suppose for turning back the hands of time. I wonder if it has occurred to anyone else that this low T may be a sign of aging. Is it possible that it is really a good thing. Prevents stroke and heart attack. May also help prevent becoming a victim of a homicide ! Old women can be grumpy,sad and angry ! Again, just sayin'.
It all comes down to man wanting to stay young. We would like to live forever and do the things we used to do. I say grow up and accept what fate awaits you. There was an advertisements years ago that summed it up nicely, It is not nice to fool Mother Nature ! That is a simple truth and a price has to be paid for attempting to do so. Accept the years with grace and dignity. You can take all the drugs and therapy you want but you will never be twenty again. Deal with it. 

Listen Closely

I keep hearing about Immigration reform. The law is broken and we need to fix it. Seems to me about eleven million people have broken this law, but now we have decided it is he law that is broken. Leaves me a little confused. If a vast amount of people choose to disregard a law, does that then mean the law is broken ? I was always under the impression that breaking the law meant you were wrong, not that the law was broken.   What if we all decide to just not pay taxes, would that mean the tax code is broken ? I think so,so we ought to fix it. I haven't heard any real answer as to exactly what is broken in the law. I hear about granting amnesty from prosecution because you broke the law, which is broken, and securing the borders by building a bigger fence, but what in the law is broken ? Is it the part about entering my country illegally ? Is that what is broke ? What are the other flaws ?
I have no problem with immigration. My own ancestors immigrated to this country. The system seemed to work just fine for them. They went through a screening process too. A screening process that by today's' standards would seem totally unfair and unjust. They survived and became prosperous citizens on this nation. No handouts or special favors. They did it through hard work and dedication. They did it to improve themselves and the generations to come. It is an injustice to them,and to us, to allow it to be any other way. The only reform required is the enforcement of the existing law. That's not going to happen though. If you listen to what the politicians are saying you will know why. The answer is a simple one and stated frequently. To enforce the law,as it now exists,is political suicide. The politicians say this all the time, in public and on the record. Amazing when you think about it. It implies that they would rather do what is wrong, rather then risk their political careers ! Seems pretty plain and straightforward to me. That is the argument I hear some using.
I am not so naive as to believe all politicians act in the best interest of their constituents. Ultimately it is every man or woman for themselves. They will choose the path that is best for their careers. That is human nature and to be expected. What isn't expected,at least on my part, is them admitting that ! I would expect them to at least give the impression of ethical behavior. Tell me ,as my representative, that you hear my concerns and will do what is necessary for the good of the country, not what is best for your career.
An honest politician ? I don't know about that.

Vegan Animals

There was an advertisement on the television for a give away. I believe it was Ivanka Trump giving away some items to a Superstorm Sandy survivor. At least it was some charitable gesture on her part. At any rate she was giving away some  " vegan handbags " valued at five hundred dollars apiece. This was the first time I had heard about a vegan handbag. They looked like leather handbags so I figured that meant the animals used to get the leather didn't eat meat or dairy. Isn't that what Vegan is ? Scratching my head I wondered what difference that made. Off to Google. Turns out Vegan Leather is just fake leather. Synthetic materials. Faux. I got a chuckle out of that. Why didn't they just say so ? I know the answer to that and that is why I laugh. I recall the big fur wars of a few years ago. No animals were harmed in the making of these handbags ! According to one site the manufacturing process to produce these synthetics  aren't such an environmentally friendly thing. Well, you can't please everybody.
It seems to be a growing trend. We want the best materials but use another product. We then come up with a name that sounds like the product we really want, but in a fashionable way. Turkey bacon jumps to mind. We want bacon but turkey is healthy, so we make turkey bacon. The chemicals used to give it that bacon taste may not be so good for us, but that is not the point,we got bacon. Saw a package of Turkey sausage too. It is a subtle thing but if you look closely and pay attention you will see it too. Advertisers have been doing this forever. Phrases and slogans like, tastes like, or feels like, implying the product is something other than what it is. Frozen orange juice, taste like fresh squeezed ! Air fresheners, like a mountain breeze.
Vegan leather is just the latest I have heard and thought was funny. Do they really believe it fools anyone  ? I suspect at five hundred a piece it does. At the very least that person spending the money. News flash, Walmart has Vegan Leather purses too. Shoot you can buy Vegan Leather by the yard in the fabric department. In fact I had a pair of pants when I was in high school that were made from Vegan Leather ! I wasn't aware of it then, the salesman just told me they weren't real leather. I knew that already but it was nice of him to point it out. I'm glad he didn't know they were Vegan leather. I can't imagine what they would have cost me.

                                                                                 

The Original Vegan Animal, do you remember him ?

Faces in Time

Every now and again I reflect upon the people from my past. Those I went to school with, those I served in the Navy with and others I just met along the way. Some were close friends,some were acquaintances, and some others arch enemies. Well, maybe not enemies, but I didn't like them much and I'm sure the feeling was mutual. I do wonder about them and what happened to them. In this digital age the general feeling is you can find anyone. That is true but is not as easy a task as it appears. A lack of detailed information makes it a tedious thing. One friend of mine comes to mind, Russell Smith from Maine. That is about all I know of him. There are a lot of Russell Smiths in Maine ! With my service buddies often all I know is the last name or a nick name. A string of names come to mind. These people were important to me at the time. You think you will stay in touch, but you don't. You just move on. That is the nature of man I suppose. Just move on, taking your memories with you.

I have a few snapshots from those days. Some of the faces staring back at me I know immediately. There are others that require thought and a few unknowns. After me those pictures will become relics. The grandchildren may look at them and wonder. Who are those people ? I have ones from my Dad and I wonder about them. Groups of men, fellow soldiers, but no names. Only faces in time. I have them and am torn as what to do with them. They hold no meaning for me beyond the fact these men served with my father. Don't seem like they should just be trashed.

It is quite a remarkable thing if you give it some thought. How many have you met over the years ? How many have gone into the past and been lost ? We tend to think we will never forget. We do. I am grateful for having known them. If I had gathered more facts about these people and recorded them it would be different. Then perhaps I could locate them. The question is would we reconnect ? We were friends then due to chance and circumstance. Would we be friends today ? An interesting thought. Another interesting project would be to compile a book. A book of the people in your life. Not just family, but friends,all your friends over the years. A brief biography of each person included. It is a project that would require a lifetime to complete. It would provide a resting place for those old photographs. A place for those faces to live, to have a name and not be lost.

Uniforms

When I was young a lot of people wore a uniform. The milk man had one, the man at the gas station had one, and of course the Police wore one. These people wore their uniforms with pride. It was what was expected of them and they wore them without complaint. That has apparently changed over the years. Now the ones I see wearing uniforms, normally just a shirt, are just as likely to disdain them, as take pride in their appearance.
There are a few Uniforms that concern me. As a retired service member the wearing of the service dress uniform is important to me. I now see our service members in combat fatigues and what we classified as "working clothes " being worn out in public. Seldom do I see the dress uniform. It is a foreign concept to me. Combat gear was only worn for combat and training. I guess it is a popular image now, combat boots and fatigues, looking like G.I. Joe. Well, I don't like it. I think a serviceman in his dress uniform presents a much better public image. An image of pride and discipline. A professional man. Isn't that the purpose of the uniform ? To present that image.
I see a lot of the Policeman today wearing swat gear. Same problem for me. Do these officers look approachable ? I don't think so. Walking around like some kind of covert action team, ready for attack. Again, the wrong image I believe. Is the purpose to try to show the thugs that we are better equipped thugs ?There is a time and place for such things, foot patrol around town isn't it. An officer wearing his uniform, properly and with pride, is far more approachable. What message do we wish to convey ?
I think all of this stems from a new relaxed attitude in America. Everything is alright and let's not inconvenience anyone. Just wear what is comfortable and don't worry about it. Yeah, there are rules and regulations but they don't apply to me.
There is at least one holdout though. The State police. I still see them in their proper uniforms,neatly pressed and wearing their hats. They present an official appearance of no nonsense. The uniform commands respect. Their shoes are polished ( patent leather ) and they are clean shaven. Immediately identifiable. Is it convenient for them ? No, takes time and effort. Is it a source of pride ? You bethcha.
UPS guys wear a uniform, but they wear shorts,doesn't count in my book. The bread delivery people wear uniforms but same deal. I liked it better when we all dressed our parts. Sure made identifying the characters easier. 

Northwest

I was raised on the edge of a deserted village. I wasn't aware of it at the time and now I wonder why. Northwest. That is the name of an area of woods that borders Gardiner's bay off the eastern end of Long Island. Northwest was also a bustling metropolis at one time. This was during the time of the whale ships. Northwest harbor was a fine port, complete with wharf's and deep anchorage. They had a school there as well. It was a center for commerce but just faded into the woods. The reason for this is well documented. Across the bay from Northwest another long wharf was built. This wharf became the center for the whaling industry. The harbor was deeper and the pier was longer. Navigation in and out of there was a bit easier. The Port,as it came to be known dominated the trade and so Northwest slowly declined. At the time of my youth the only remains of the village were a few lonely graves and a few stone foundations. Evidence of this village existed, but only to the trained eye. I wandered through these woods unaware of the history I walked upon. I knew of a few old buildings and barns but they weren't that old or were they ? I stumbled upon many a curious thing in the thickets and saw evidence of trails and footpaths. I never gave them much thought.

Looking back I wonder how much was lost because of this ignorance. How many artifacts lost. I now know my own ancestors lived in that place and a few are buried there. How could I not have known. Why didn't my parents or other elders make me aware ? I can only speculate about that. Complacency would seem to be the cause. To them it was just ho hum, a thing of the past that everyone was aware of. Everyone of there age anyway ! I think we all tend to think that way. After all, we don't normally think of our past as having any historic significance ! Our youth is not the past. History happened many years ago. 

Certain cultures live with an awareness of the past. I think that is a good thing. It can sound a little mystic and even a bit strange. I think that awareness should be cultivated. Especially in today's world were everything has to be fast,fast. Our cars are fast,our computers are fast, and we live our lives in the fast lane. Time needs to  be set aside for reflection. We also need to share the remembrances of our past with our children. Even when they complain and moan about those tired old stories, we should keep on telling. It takes surprisingly little time to forget, but can take years to remember, if you remember at all. 

Northwest. A romantic name for a village. A village with whale ships and perhaps a few pirates as well. There was high hopes for this place. Investments were made and lost. All that remains are the dead. In a weird sort of way I envy them. They are home and will remain there. Their village survives in their memories. I just wish I had known about it.

It's no secret

I became a bit curious about the secret place I wrote about yesterday. Through the miracle of satellite imagery I was able to visit that location. From my living room in Maryland I was able to look down upon that ground on the eastern end of Long Island. The image is good enough to see the dirt road and there is a boat on the property. I didn't see any home there. It was a rather comforting image actually, knowing that piece of ground was undisturbed. Looking much the same as it did forty years ago when I still lived there.
It is an amazing thing really. I saw a view of that ground and all the surrounding area like I had never seen before. When I lived there I never saw it like that. I would have had to be in an airplane. Seeing it on a map is one thing, but seeing it like that is quite another. I was born and raised there and figured I knew the area well. Not so fast there, I saw things I didn't know. Apparently I wasn't as familiar with the topography as I thought. I wonder what the old timers would think ?
I did shift the view somewhat and began looking around town. Amazing how many new homes I see and new roads. Overall I would recognize the place even if it wasn't identified. I even shifted to a street view of Newtown lane. Amazing, and then I chuckle when people complain about privacy issues on Facebook. Shoot, it is not private on a street in New York when I can sit in Maryland and watch ! There really aren't too many secret places after all. I'm quite sure the resolution on those satellites could be cranked up some more in the right hands. I expect a whole lot more is visible ! Having nothing to hide, I really don't care.
My great grandmother was bedridden the last years of her life. She had a collection of those Viewmaster slides. The vast majority of those slides were pictures of places throughout the world. Views of Paris and Rome, the Grand Canyon and all natter of places. I was told she enjoyed those slides very much and traveled often. I can only imagine her interest had satellite views been available to her.We have made quite a bit of progress since her time. The world is indeed a smaller place than it was one hundred years ago. Maybe I'll spend a little time and have a look around.

                                                                       

And it was 3-D

Secret Places

When the other beaches were full, might be as many as twenty other people there, the parking lot overflowing, Dad would take us to a secret spot. We drove down a long dirt lane through the woods, I think it was private property. Dad seemed to know if the owners were about. The owners were mysterious to us kids. Who they may have been, I have no idea. I never saw a car or truck go down that lane. In the winter there were never any tracks. Perhaps they were summer people and only there certain weekends. Being kids we attached more to that than was necessary developing several scenarios for this place. No one seemed to go there and there had to be a reason. And the reason couldn't be good. Nevertheless, Dad would take us, he was fearless. We went clamming off that shoreline and all we caught there were chowder clams. Chowders are the biggest and oldest. I figured they were there because no one clammed here. I never give any thought as to why there were not baby clams there. Need baby clams to grow into big clams but as a kid you don't think of that.
Having not gone there often I don't remember a whole lot about it. I don't recall a home being there. I never walked down that road as it was off limits without Dad along. Thinking back I don't think he ever said that,but it was just taken for granted. We were told not to trespass. The name of the place was Dominys' point. I've looked at quite a few maps but have never seen it identified. Dominy is a famous name in my hometown. I assumed it was from that, that the name was taken. The Dominys were an affluent family and maybe they owned the property at one time.
It was a nice place to go when everything else was crowded. The shore was a little rocky. It was secluded that much is sure. It was like a secret spot that only us insiders would know. It was an adventure to go there. Very clandestine in nature. We snuck in and out and left no trace of our passing. Dad was always careful about that. Looking back I think it had more to do with Dad having fun with us kids, than worry about trespassing. He had a way of making dull things seem exciting.
I expect Dominys point is all built up now and no longer a mystery. Another secret exposed. I do wonder how many others knew of this place and went there. Had to be more than us. We thought it a secret anyway and that is all that matters. I bet you had secret places too.

as a footnote : I have seen in one letter dated 1796 where Jeremiah Dominy says he came from Three Mile Harbor, know as Dominy's Point. That could solve the whole mystery but I think I'll just leave it alone. Sometimes speculation is more fun than knowledge.

Holiday

The fourth of July. Happy Birthday America. One of the few holidays that didn't get realigned back in 68. That was when congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday act. It didn't take effect until 1971 however. So the fourth of July is celebrated on the fourth of July,sorta.
I was remembering the time when holidays were,well,holidays. The day of the week had nothing to do with it. Holidays were celebrated for the purpose they were originally intended to commemorate. Holidays didn't immediately imply a three day weekend. Look up the definition of holiday and it will say, a day set aside by custom or law where normal activities like business or work is suspended. Notice it says business or work. Yes, I remember when a holiday meant most stores and places of business were closed. There may be a Mom and Pop corner deli open, but little else. People, all the people, were celebrating a holiday. What a concept. Holidays had a special feel to them. Even as a child I knew this and felt the difference. Most people were friendlier and generally happier than other days. It was almost as though the whole town was partying. And in a way, they were.
As I was thinking about all of that it occurred to me my grandchildren will never know that feeling. They are fortunate enough to be raised in the small town environment, much as I was, but that holiday feel is missing.  Even here in Greensboro, almost every holiday it is, business as usual. The grocery store will be open and a few others. The laundromat is open. There won't be a parade, we already had that. That is always in conjunction with the fireman's carnival. The " Patrotic " parade, as it is called, has little to do with the actual holiday. Our fireworks display follows that. Today I may hear a Happy Fourth of July or two but that is about the extent of it. Barbecues will be lit in a few backyards, and maybe some potato salad consumed. And then the fourth of July is over.
Holidays used to be special events. That is a thing of the past. Holidays are now more about going somewhere than celebrating the occasion. Holidays are now more like mini vacations than anything else. They are fast loosing their meaning. Rather than a commemorative occasion, they are an excuse. It is a sad thing. The excitement, the emotion, is gone, replaced by hurry up and get to the beach ! Hurry up and go do something ! Shopping and sales ! If you work in retail, you're working. Yes there was a time in America when communities celebrated holidays together. The butcher,the baker and the candlestick maker. Everyone celebrating together. A day of rest and relaxation. Now sadly holidays have gone pro, rush,spend and pack as much into the day or most often three day weekend as possible. Never mind the occasion, just do it !
Happy Birthday America ! I celebrate your birth and thank God for you everyday.

Waiting on Dreams

The popular story is that  a pious people, seeking religious freedom, ventured to this land we call America. Their biggest desire was to live free from Government intervention into their religious and moral values. No one was to be persecuted for the practice of their faith. Well, it didn't start out that way in actual practice, if you weren't Christian you were definitely suspect. Nonetheless this desire endured and was written into the Constitution. The separation of Church and State. Religion was to be kept separated from Government but not separate from the people. We were founded as a moral nation and that was by design. Those morals were based upon the Bible, both the old and new testament. At least it has been for most of the 237 years of our existence as a nation. Sadly, I see that going away. And in it's absence all that is left is Government. No longer In God we trust, now we must trust, in government. Government making decisions based on law without regard to moral virtues or lack thereof. A government without conscience.
The removal of moral or virtuous reasoning in the application of law can only lead to destruction. It has been shown to be so throughout the history of man. Some may blame Kings or tyrants, and that may be so, but was not their actions immoral and lacking in virtue ?
America became America through the application of justice and sound moral principal. Justice has become perverted and moral principal abandoned. The original dream of living a pious life and prospering now discarded. Now the dream is the attainment of wealth and benefits. Now the dream is not for what is just and right, but what is just right for me.
I have watched this progression with a heavy heart. The legalization of gambling. Lotteries abound and Casino gambling flourishing. A portion of the nations economy now based on that revenue and other vices of men. Tobacco and Alcohol taxes. Abortion legalized. The very fabric that formed the union now rewoven and the threads of morality left out. References to God being deleted from the National vocabulary. The American dream forgotten.
History does have a way of repeating itself. I'm waiting for the revival. A revival of the spirit that founded this nation. A return to the values our forefathers loved and understood to be essential. That is why the reference to God and the divine plays such an integral part in our nation. God was not to interfere in Government, but conversely, Government was not to interfere with God ! We the People control the government. We the People need to return to those values. Time moves forward but the desires of man remain the same. To live free.
                                            Happy Birthday America  

A Birthday

Tomorrow is a birthday. Yes, it is the birthday of the nation. It is also an important birthday in my family. My Great Grandfather was born on the fourth of July in 1870. He was the first Reichart of my line born on American soil. How fitting it should have occurred on that day. Serendipity. That is the word to describe it. Serendipity is defined as a happy accident. I'm sure it was a happy time for my family. As for Great Grandfather his life turned out not to be so.
He was named Christian, after his father. Born in Greenport on eastern long island. Greenport is a small fishing village and that was his life in the beginning. The water and boats were an integral part of his existence. Great Grandfather had nine brothers and sisters in total. A large family but not unusual for the times. He married at the age of 26. Katherine was her name and the year was 1896. Great Grandmother Kate came from a prosperous family. Shipbuilders and engineers. They had two children together. A boy and a girl. My grandfather Elwood Christian and his sister Mildred.
After eighteen years of marriage Great Grandmother Kate passed away. She was thirty nine years old. Great Grandfather spent the rest of his life as a widower. He worked the water and lived in boarding houses. The how or why of this lost to time. Why his connection with the rest of the family was lost I will probably never know. Growing up, I was never aware of any of his siblings or their siblings. That was due, as least in part, to my grandfather passing at a young age. He passed away at the age of 32. His sister,my Great Aunt Mildred, never spoke of him. I'm not sure she had any connection with Great Grandmothers family.
As for Great Grandfather Christian he spent his last years in the Alms house at Brookhaven on Long Island. This was in the days before medicare and social security. The Alms house, also known as the poor house, was a place for those without any means of support to go and be cared for. They would receive medical treatment, food and lodging. They had to work, if they were able, and abide by a host of rules and regulations. It was not a nice place to be. He passed away there on Aug 29, 1940 of stomach cancer. A slow and painful death from all accounts in the medical journals. Whether he had visitors I do not know. Why his sister, a woman of some means, allowed this I can not say. He was laid to rest alongside his beloved Katherine.
None of this was known to me until recently. How much of this other family members knew I can not say. Where are the descendants of his brothers and sisters ? Surely they are out there somewhere. One day I hope to connect with some and maybe fill in the blanks. It would be interesting to hear the story. 

Keep the memories Alive

In doing my family tree I have made many " discoveries. " I say discoveries but they were right there all the time. My parents and other relatives just never explained them to me. In all fairness I must add that I didn't have such a keen interest in such things back then either. Old people and there doings weren't of much interest. My parents relationships with their siblings played a major role in that as well. Some were close and some ,not so much. I went to school with cousins that I didn't even know ! My Mom was the youngest of her family and so the older folks didn't bother with that kid much. The same rule applied then as now, you really don't start wanting your family around until you get older, before that you kinda get busy living your life.
I was only aware of one person from my Fathers side of the family. His Grandfather. His Dad had passed as well as his Mom. Now his Mom's sister lived right down the road from me. I even went to her house on more than one occasion. I was never aware of exactly who she was. Jesse her name was. Aunt Jesse Mom called her but we called any adult that was a friend of our parents Aunt or Uncle as a show of respect. Like saying Miss or Mr. Dad had a brother but he lived in Chicago. Met him a time or two.
Other discoveries I have made include the relationships between the families in my hometown. Being a small, close knit community, in what was once an isolated area those relationships are numerous. In some cases a little too close. Those are the ones I understand no one talking about. Understanding some of those relationships can explain a few things.
I make it a point to explain all this to my grandchildren. I want them to know and understand who all the players are. I think it is important. Family is so much more than brothers and sisters. They roll their eyes at some of the old folks I show them pictures of. Morgan, my grand daughter finds some of them scary looking ! I don't blame her for that. I want the kids to understand that there Mom wasn't born there Mom and Grandpa wasn't born a Grandpa either. I want them to know that their ancestors were and are living breathing people . They had lives of their own. They were children and grew up. I sure wish someone had taken the time to explain all that to me as a child.
It is not such an easy thing to resuscitate a memory. A lot of the people I have uncovered in the family tree have become just that, little more than a name. I'll try to find out what I can and record that. My parents and Grandparents will be fully documented. There accomplishments, as well as disappointments preserved. My story will be known. If we all explain this stuff to our children we can keep the memories alive. Isn't that what we all would like ? To be remembered ? I do and I'll remind you of it often. Fact is I'm writing it down. I hope the grandkids enjoy it and continue to do the same.

the lunch counter

When I was growing up we had a lunch counter in a part of town known as the hook. It wasn't a Woolworth's lunch counter, we didn't have a Woolworths, just the five and dime. The five and dime was upstreet, above the bridge, where the richer folks went. The malt shops and restaurants were up there too. They had lunch counters but I never thought of them in that way. No sir, Greens was the place to go. Mr. George Green owned and operated that place. Opened early in the morning for the fishermen and other tradesmen. They all gathered there for coffee and a hard roll. Some had toast or an English muffin but I think the hard roll was favored. I miss those hard rolls to this day. Lightly toasted on the grill with just a bit of butter, nothing like it. The newspapers would be stacked in the front window. Newsday and the New York times. Those papers came by train early,early in the morning back then. The ink was barely dry.
I remember sitting on those stools that lined the counter like a Norman Rockwell painting. The near end of the counter had the soda fountain stuff and the far end the grill. You usually positioned yourself accordingly. There were booths along the wall and a few tables scattered in the center of the room. It was a warm and friendly place.
For a time I worked at the IGA store on the other end of the block. I would occasionally go there for lunch. That was a treat as I didn't eat out often, but when you are young you are sometimes irresponsible that way. A grilled cheese sandwich and a coke was near two dollars I think. I did enjoy the experience though, felt real grown up doing that.
I'm not sure what time Greens closed in the evening. I do remember the lights being on about five at night but I'm thinking he didn't stay open much past that. Where I grew up most folks were home by about five or six. Why, who would be out past that ? Only city folks and upstreeters that's who.
There was a time when George Green sold his business. I don't know if he just retired or what the story was. A new family bought the place and they were from out of town. Had a funny last name, Pluchino (sp). At least it was funny in our part of town, never heard of that one before. Despite that, it remained the same. I went to school with their children. I got to be friends with Frank and knew his sister and little brother too. Frank went on to become a music teacher. I joined the Navy and don't know what happened to the lunch counter after that.
That lunch counter is one place I'll always have fond memories of. A regular slice of Americana, served with a slice of apple pie. Closing my eyes I can smell the cooking and hear the conversation of the men. It was at this counter that an old farmer told me, " the more you know,the less you think you know. " I had to give that some thought. I have reached the conclusion,  he was right.