As I know most of you have read this on FB...but we still have some people who don't "do" FB
And I might point out again..still no pictures of litle Elijah on the family webpage..just sayin'....
William has been in Colorado about 2 weeks now, and all involved are still living and I think he is helping. Blaize is enjoying the time immensely and it is really nice he is able to get to know his Uncle. Building memories...aside from helping...building memories is what it is all about.
Frankie is still undergoing 'pre' treatment in order to get ready for surgery which has not been scheduled yet. In the meantime he is teaching William some mechanical trade skills. Apparently William has a better knowledge of how to work on suspensions! YEA! (whatever suspensions are (NO Frankie, you don't need to tell me, I am not that curious..I know it has something to do with how a car rides..LOL!)
Dad and I are spending Thanksgiving holiday in hibernation. We just need the time to do absolutely nothing, no paints, no molds, no paperwork, no packing, nothing but whatever it is we want to play. Cross-stitch, puzzle, tv, sleep, eat (whatever!! no 1200 calorie days at that time), just enjoy and appreciate each others company and take the time to be truly thankful for all we have. We don't do this often, but this year it is so needed. Thank you all for understanding.
My Thanksgiving post from FB:
I am not sure why we only have one day to list what we are thankful for..we SHOULD be thankful for the blessed things in our lives everyday. I would bet most of us are, most of the time...
As we begin this season of Thanksgiving and celebrating the life of Christ (which appears to be a merged holiday season these days..and I guess that is almost appropriate), lets see some FB notes passing back and forth about what BLESSINGS we have had this year. I know for so many of us, the bad appears on the surface to have overwelmed the good, but for this week, put into little letters on a small screen, the GOOD things that happened.
There was a wise friend many years ago that has actually shaped my way of thinking over the years..she told me everytime I was confronted with a negative event, immediately, in my mind, list 11 things that were good in my life, no matter how tiny. It took several years (read years..those instant fix people, years, for that to become habit and to help overtake negative thinking, but bless her..it worked. And sadly, I don't even remember who she was. A kind, nameless soul who made a huge difference in my life (see? you never know how you will effect someone down the road..make sure it is a good!).
SOME of the things I am grateful for:
1. my faith..a very simple, uncomplicated, unquestioning, perhaps naive faith, that God is so much bigger than I and that He ALWAYS 'has my back"...He has proven that (though there was no need) over the years, sometimes multiple times in a day.
2. my husband. A man who loves me enough to live. A man who doesn't have the above to rely on. He believes, but it is such a complicated, questioning, WHY kind of belief, many times it does not bring the comfort the definition of 'faith" would lead you to believe it would. I know God loves him, he isn't so sure, but would like to think so. This weekend, as he takes life literally one hour, one task at a time, I will have faith FOR him that God is once again working in MY life to protect those that I love. My greatest wish for him, besides peace of soul, would be that everyone know what a precious human being he is. He has made "that" difference in many unknown people over the years...he just doesn't know it...
3. my children. I cannot begin to put into little letters on a little screen how thankful I am to my children. I have one who is struggling with his own set of demons and I pray for him, as one day, he is going to have to confront those. Again, I have faith that one day he will and he will "come home". My children have always been there for us..when the phone call was made, there was instant response. We are welcomed into their homes for a day, for a week,for ??, for fun, for healing. They live their lives that would make anyone proud. Even our youngest who has made some pretty poor life decisons in the past and has paid dearly, has a heart of gold and tries so hard to be the person God is trying to shape him into. It is a work in progress (but aren't we all) and once again, I have faith that one day, his contribution to the family and to community will come full circle and he will be complete.
4. my in-laws, ex-in laws, step-in-laws, married to ex-in-laws...wow..ALL incredible people. Loving, passionate, FUNNY (I LOVE funny!!), welcoming, and most important, they love my children (or did..but that was not all their doing..). They are great parents and are helping to raise their children to be responsible, loving adults. They too, welcome us into their home without hesitation, listen to our stories, put up with our irregular lifestyle, help out when needed and share their spouses in time of crisis. I consider all of these wonderful additions my children, without hesitation. I am so proud to know that we raised chlildren that had the good sense to fall in love with such good kind individuals. For those that are still looking, waiting..God will provide..all in HIS time.
5. my grandchildren. 9 of them!! Some very small, some older, ALL precious human beings, being shaped by loving parents. Their lives are just beginning. The lessons to be learned, the experiences (bad and good) are yet to be had, but I know they are in good hands and will be taught and loved by the best.
6. my siblings...3 of them, and their children and grandchildren..we all live in different parts of the country, separated by miles, but connected by technology. They have always been so supportive of our family, been there when needed and welcome us at anytime. One can not ask for anything more.
7. my work family, past and present. I am SO blessed to have a job...not just a job, but a job I love. And the people I have had the honor of working for and with is amazing. For those of you who are cynical about government workers (I know..there are many of you out there :) ), with few exceptions, the government workers who work here in Oklahoma City in OUR office...your get EVERY bit of your tax money out of and then some. They care, they have a work ethic that matches no other, they show up and take care of business every day. The represent the boss extremely well and I am proud to be part of the team today.
8. my parents. Both are deceased, but I miss them daily. They both taught me different things, in different ways. My mother, like my husband, struggled most of her life with debilitating depression, but yet managed to teach me the value of laughter! My earliest memory with her was the "can't catch your breath, tears down the cheek", laughter at about age 5...the greatest gift she could EVER give me. It has brought me through many a difficult moment. She was a very strong woman, born into the wrong decade, but who loved her husband and children with a fierceness like no other. My father..you have read about him here in previous notes, I don't need to expand here...suffice it to say, he gave me my quiet faith and the inner knowledge that I, as a woman, could do anything I wanted, IF I so choose to do so
9. A small business. It is not making us rich, not even sure it is making anything. But it is still bringing in business, we still get orders and they appear to be increasing. It makes more work, but that's ok...hard work is a good thing, something lost on many these days. And in small ways, we are enabled to make a difference in peoples lives with this business, in our relationships with our customers, other vendors, etc...I pray it is a good difference and we are following His path.
10. my health.No small issue to be thankful for, but yet, for today, the last on my list. Subject to small issues, I am perfectly healthy, have all my limbs, sight, hearing, and thankfully, can even taste now.
There are thousands of other things I could list here, but why..when all I have to do is list 11 at a time when that ONE negative thought comes into mind.....
Have a great weekend..start counting those blessings now...and let us know..
In 1960, give or take a year or two, I was having severe problems with my right foot. Significant pain. Difficulty walking. That sort of thing.
Back when I was an even younger kid, we had a shoe store just over a street, a couple of doors down. One of the "neat" things they had was a machine that permitted you to put your foot into and see how your shoes fit compared to the shoes you were trying on.
Me, I just went in there for fun far too many times. Of course, those things are not around anymore. It seems they were actually X-Ray machines and someone finally figured it out that too much radiation was not a good thing. Caused cancer and other neat little side effects.
That was a lot of years ago, and I am still not sure what it all meant, but the long story short is that all the bones in my right foot were fused together. I was living with my Aunt Nina and Uncle Al, Nina being my father's sister, at the time. We were told that I would always walk with a limp and have no movement to the right or left in that foot. Movement up and down was a toss-up, but probably not.
Nina was one of those "never say die" kind of people and as soon as I got out of my final cast (In various ones for 6 months.) she started an exercise regimen for me.
I would walk up on my toes, back and forth across the room for 30 minutes every day. She would sit on the couch and with a wooden spoon, bang out a rhythm for each move. The pain was excruciating, but there was no let up.
As time went on, the beat became faster and the rise in my foot higher. She was not my favorite person at the time. (Other reasons as well, but this one was enough for then.) It finally all stopped when I stopped living there.
But, give credit where credit is due. I don't walk with a limp unless I have walked a very long distant or am fatigued, and I do have upward and downward movement as well as limited right to left movement. Like I said in the beginning, Nina was a never say die kind of person, and at least in this area, I am all the better for it.
Let's start with the immediate side of the Paradise family, pre-me.
Father, John Joseph Paradise (His catholic name is much longer, more about that later.) DOB 7/2/1928. Died August 10, 1992 in Fremont, California. First generation American.
Grandfather, Frank Paul Paradise, born October 10, 1894, died August, 1982, Santa Clara, California.
Grandmother, Mary Josephene Cazzato Paradise, born June 15, 1903, died July, 1977.
All were cremated and are interred in a cemetary located in Santa Maria, California.
There is no doubt you are working hard to lose the weight you want. You are eating less and eating better. Perhaps we can increase the "better" part in October because I am eating less and William is contributing. But a week of good, low calorie food is not going to make a miraculous drop in weight.
One thing I do notice is the substantially different metabolisms we have. When I stress eat, I gain weight. When I travel and eat out a lot, I gain weight. But, when I get angry with myself over it, I take the chance to eat less and sometimes even change the part of the day I eat.
This month has been a typical roller coaster for me. I started the month at 236. That is 4 pounds above my "benchmark" weight of 232. (I don't want it to be that high, that just seems to be the place where my weight loss stops.) I have a single "droopy mouth" mark on that date, (I almost always weigh on the first day of the month. I also take vehicle mileage and post it into the checkbook part of Quicken. It becomes a permanent record of all that I want or need.)
On the seventh, I was back down to 232 and I have a slight smile on my calendar along with the weight. On the 14th I had climbed up to 234. I have a squiggly mark on my "calendar face" for that one. I had begun my stress eating and I knew what was coming.
On the 22nd I started getting angry with myself. I had ballooned up to 239, and I knew why. I was eating everything that was within my grasp, all of it stress eating. For this one I have a double frown. Time to quit messing around. If I am not careful, I will breach that 240 mark and it will be a point I may not try and come down from.
Today I weighed. 228. I know it won't stay that low. I have been there too many times only to return to 232 shortly. The biggest difference is that in the past this weight was water loss, or better said, dehydrogenation. (By the way, did you know Yahoo e-mail has a built-in spell checker that highlights your misspellings immediately so you (I) don't always have to remember to run the manual spell check.)
If I can end the month at this weight, perhaps I can make it my new benchmark. That would be nice. If the same number, or one very close to it, shows up on my November calendar, THEN I will be pleased with myself.
My "target" weight, at least my current one since if I get there I will set a new one, is 220. That was my weight at OCU and it never varied more than a pound or two. Then came the Marine Corps. I was 220 going in, on the verge of being sent to the "Pig Farm", a platoon where the "fats" go if they can't do a minimum part of the PT test. I made it with 2 points to spare. (You were either over or under 100 points.)
When I left boot camp I was 175, looked like a scarecrow, and yet, as I look back in my yearbook when I see it around from time to time, there is a photo I am in, almost at the very end of camp, my weight was down, but my belly was STILL hanging over my belt. And, no one can say I didn't exercise. I had more exercise in those 13 weeks than I had in the preceding 27 years. I could run 3 miles in just over 20 minutes, I had to be under 24, I was able to do 100 sit-ups in 2 minutes or less, I did, and you were supposed to do 20 pull-ups, underhand style, much more difficult, but I never hit that target. 16, but no closer, and that was with sheer determination not to be the person with the lowest score on that card in the platoon. (Lowest was 15 and had gone before me so I knew what I had to do.)
But once out of the daily regimen, I was right back up to 215-220, and never dropped below again. When I got my insurance policy, I had to weigh 224 or less. I was 222. (As I think back, it would have expired the end of November, good news, bad news. I am still alive, but I can't ever get life insurance again. So you will be on your own financially if something does happen. Actually, you are already on your own, I just do the books.)
How does all this track back to you and metabolism? My ability to jump up and down the scale on my weight is because when I eat semi-intelligently, my metabolism kicks in and pushes out the bad. Not sure it brings in the good. I think I am supposed to do that.
The same reason I have such a low "bad" cholesterol level and such a high "good" cholesterol level. The last time I was checked it sure wasn't because of diet. I was eating red meat like it was going to disappear in a day or two and I had to get as much as I could in as little time as I could. (Even today, red-meat is not a significant part of our diet. The cost being a significant contributing factor in why we seldom have it, or any meat for the most part, in the house at all.I usually eat it when we dine out, but I am just as likely to eat chicken or pork. On the other hand, seldom do I eat those last two unless there is a lot of bad news sauces, etc.)
But, let's also look at the down side off all of this, as it affects me. It take 4 times as much medicine to help me as it does most people. (I have tried to cut down on dosages of over-the-counter meds and am slowly getting results from lower doses.) That can't be good for my health. Today that is significant to me. Whether it will be tomorrow is a whole different story.
As an aside, I called Dr A and spoke with Debbie. Explained the prescription error in August, she remembered it, and asked to make certain she sent it in this time as 2 per day. Since it is technically a prescription change, it will be filled earlier than the old one would have been. She said she was just working on prescriptions just as I called her and said she would make certain that it got done. You will need to follow it as payment is going to be a problem again. The fact that they are still "billing" us for the $225 is a violation of the automatic stay that was imposed on July 31st, so if they don't get it off of there, or if they don't open a new account to use, I am going to have to talk to Kathy at Mr. Brown's office so they can send a letter directly to whomever it needs to go to in order to get something done about it.
Since I have not heard back from their office, and since the hearing by Wells Fargo was taken off the table by them, it is clear they are at least looking at the reasons we put such a low value on it. What happens from here is what happens. We just do "our thing" and let the rest of the chips fall where they may.
In order to get the three things we need, including the truck, there has to be $10,000.00 give or take available. We are probably 3/4 of the way there with what is in the bank, what credit card payments have not been deposited, what still has to be paid and what I will bill out today and tomorrow. We will still have to deal with our set, monthly expenses, both business and personal for October, but CP will take care of all of November and probably a part of December. By then we will have decided how we will approach 2010 and I will be putting into place far more of the benefits most of the computer programs we have and I am not using. Actually, I have an appointment at 5:00 tonight to talk to an accountant about that very thing. If I can make it. I still have a lot to do today.
The money we need, if Wells Fargo accepts it, is $3,200.00 for the truck, $3,000.00 plus shipping for the spray, and $3,245.00 plus shipping for brown pigment. (We have to send them a cashier's check before they will even purchase the materials they need to make it for us.) The first two are covered and we still have some extra time for the brown as I think, even with using up our next to the last pail of it today or tomorrow, the rest will last us until December as the buying season slows down. We do have to buy it in December or the price will go up.
With regard to product, I think we can add one pearl, one or two "L" series colors and not introduce any "S" series this year. At least not in January. When we start "pushing" ourselves to find more colors, that says we have enough for now. We can have Kathy work on the new flesh tone we want over the holidays and not release it until 2011, or perhaps mid-year if we decide to introduce the iridescent line. I think it would be a "fun" line, but I am not certain how popular it would be to shops and individuals. It sure would be fun at shows.
Back to weight, which is where all this started. You just need to keep on doing what you are doing. I know it can be disappointing when the pounds don't just "drop" off. But general consensus is that "safe" weight loss is 2 to 4 pounds a month. You didn't gain it in a week, and you won't lose it that fast either. I think the point now is to limit your diet, see what happens to your weight, and then the doctor can assess if there are other areas he should be looking at.
Again, and sort of off topic, each time I see Christie, she seems to have gained more weight. She has medical insurance, so medical reasons can be determined, although I thought those were looked into a couple of years ago. Her present situation is obviously not good for her health and I think, silently, it hurts her ego and self-consciousness as well. I don't know all the "girl" facts and that is certainly not something she is going to talk to me about. I am her father however, and I am concerned.
Once again, just a last point on weight. You don't have to have long-term numbers in your head right now, or worry about what weight you should be based on height, etc. You need to work on short-term goals, a pound every couple of weeks is manageable, and can be increased as you develop a new eating style. This is what you say to me about other areas of my life. Now it is my turn to tell you the same thing. According to "scientific" norms, I should weigh between 160# and 165#. NOT!!!!! I would blow away in a slight breeze. If I can drop to my ultimate target and stay there, then I am at the "right" weight and the scientists can go scare someone else.
It is all over the news, TV, radio, etc., this month is the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock gathering. Having been there with several of my friends, it was an experience never to be forgotten.
We got there late, (Good thing because they were still requiring tickets up until about 4 hours before we got there, that is when the fences started going down.) and left early, but have never seen anything like it before or since.
Crowd count varies between 350,000 and 500,000 totally whacked out people. The second day was really the most fun. Talk about rain, there wasn't a visible spot that didn't have an inch or two of mud to "walk" on, slide is more accurate after the rains came and went.
Jim, first best man, was smart enough to bring a cooler of water and some munchies, since there was an almost total absence of either there. Although there were food stands, well, sort of, they were out of food before the first day was over, everyone was pretty much on their own. (Well, that is not exactly true either. If you didn't know the people 20 deep around you before, within the first hour, you knew them all.)
There were so many NEW groups and individuals that played, most of which are now Hall of Famers, far too many gone, the replays have been Nirvana. (Not the group, the feeling!)
None of our group had even been involved in the "drug scene", but there was so much smoke in the air, I am not sure any of us could have followed former President's lead and say we didn't inhale. We would have died of suffocation. There was a cloud that just covered the entire area.
For those who had never heard of or seen, as in us, "streakers" (people running through crowds of unknown people totally naked) you couldn't leave without having shared the experience, again, and again, and, well, you get it.
But, in addition to making the obvious contributions to history, this event, whether 350 K or more, got together, enjoyed themselves, others and a non-stop barrage of musical productions, yet the event was completed without a single arrest. (The police just sort of forgot drug laws and although not partaking, certainly joined in the fun.)
Bad news part of it? We were SO covered in mud when we left that we all had to go over to Jim's to clean his car the following weekend. WHAT A MESS!
40 years? Can it really be that long? I met mom almost exactly one year later. The rest is history, our history. And what a glorious history our family has had and will continue to have forever more.
My first encounter with O.J. Simpson was during a football game at Michigan State. I had gotten acquainted with a couple of the players from MSU (I was just a "tag-along') through a friend so we got players tickets (each player had an allotted number of tickets to give away. They COULD NOT sell them.) Usually very near the 50 yard line and pretty much always in rows one or two.
This was at a time when both USC and MSU had extremely talented football teams, so to get such luxury seats was a great treat. Almost like sitting on their bench, although players seldom did. They stood on the sideline as close as they could get without getting a penalty, and yelled and jumped all over the place. You have to have been there to fully appreciate it.
O.J., of course, was from USC., a junior at the time At some point of the game, O.J. got about 1/3 of the way to the USC sideline and nonchalantly pulls off his jersey and dons a new one. My first reaction was, who does this guy think he is? To change jerseys in the middle of the field instead of behind the bench where everyone else does?
Well, as the game progressed, I soon found out, since virtually every play run was somehow involving him. (USC still lost. The Big Ten was a "snack 'em in the mouth" conference, something the PAC 8 was not used to.)
They were pretty much a "finesse" team, but it is pretty hard to run a finesse set of plays when the defensive front line is past the USC offensive line before the quarter-back has a chance to get a good grip on the ball, much less do something with it.
At that time, I think the rule remains, you could not continue to wear a torn jersey. Virtually all the fields were natural grass, so it was not unusual to have a player reach out and while attempting to tackle an opponent, grad onto the jersey, and while falling, tear it. Many players, primarily the ones who would likely carry the ball, all had 4 extra jerseys for each game. The remainder of the team had 2.;
One of the most fun things was for a player to run out of jerseys (or maybe not) and have to change numbers. For those who don't know, the first digit in a number, for the most part, identifies the general position played by that person. So, when jerseys ran out, especially of a given position, the player had to change, then notify the officials of this non-traditional number change.
Never say coaches don't use tricks.
One of the rules in football is that for some plays, where there are intentionally no receivers on the line, rather they were a step or two behind it, the referee had to be notified that the tackle playing on the end of that side was eligible to catch passes. (Anyone could run the ball.) For certain lineman, ball handling experience was not all that big a deal. (This was before 350 lb. linemen and 275 lb. linebackers.) They had probably played in a position where they were used to ball handling in high school and had simply grown out of the position as the "bulked up" once they got to college.
The coaches, from time to time, would have the player change his jersey, sometimes even having the original torn by other players or staff members, and approach the referee. Now, here comes the problem. Was the player telling the ref' that he had changed numbers??? Or was he telling the referee that it was a tackle eligible play? Now, those were fun games to watch. (Sorry for being condescending to those who know the game.)
Th Anniversary of the O.J. Simpson "slow speed chase"
I was on some highway, the 405 I think. I was on my way to get another Hard Rock Café shirt ( I was a MAJOR collector of the shirts from all over the world then. I didn't want a gift from anyone, I had to get it myself.) when police cars (mostly CHP) raced ahead of us and moved all the traffic to the inside lanes and slowed us down considerably.
A few moments later, here came the infamous white Bronco, O. J. Simpson, visible in the back seat, as they proceeded with their "slow speed chase" through most of Orange County. (California, not far from Uncle Jimmy.) He was headed to either his estate or to some police facility, I don't recall, but the overpasses were crowded with people, 3, 4 5 deep, home made banners moving in the wind, cheering on their "hero."
At that point I had no idea what was going on. I saw all the replays on the TV sets when I got to the Hardrock. Weird. I was part of history, one I could have done without.
I don't recall all of my California trips, and the excitement that went with them. Most have been strewn around in my mind for years, so I only get a glimpse now and then.but when I do, it brings back nostalgic memories.
William and I were there when the big earthquake hit parts of central and suburban LA, not the one in we had in El Centro, a story in and of itself, but I will have to check with mom, she recalls details better than I do before I post about that, but the one in suburban Orange County. (Northridge?)
The truck was literally jumping up and down on the road, but, without surprise, William was, and remained, sound asleep. A couple of days later, coming back from wherever I had gone or was going to, I slithered my way through blockades and utter chaos, as so many of the bridges had totally collapsed or were hanging on by a tread.
Jimmy used to say, every time I went out there, something weird happened, so stay away. I think he was kidding, at least I hope he was. . . .
I think it was about that time that we started going to his Labor Day gigs. (I think it was Labor Day)
With Jersey in her new home, and very happy there, I get a call every once in a while from the new mommy, Fix-it has decided it is okay to venture outside the bedroom. First to the living room, then to looking out the door, I guess to make certain we aren't messing with his head, and finally outdoors, which has always been his primary daytime activity.
Okay, now, too funny is just too funny!
I was coming into the house and he was sitting on something or on the porch, I am not certain where, but starting "yakking" at me to get into the house. That is no surprise.
HOWEVER, when was the last time you saw a cat come INSIDE to use the litter box?
LeRoy was married to my mother for many years before her passing. Below is a commentary written following the publishing of his obituary.
For those of you who don't know about the LeRoy story and the rabbit, or the thunder storm stories, ask those who do:
Former OSU track & field athlete and football player (1961-63) Leroy Whittle died earlier this month in the Bay Area. Here’s his obit, as it appeared in the Dec. 20 Oakland Tribune:
1941 - 2008 Resident of Berkeley Born on March 21, 1941 and passed away December 12th, 2008. Survived by wife Diane and also siblings Rodger, Edward, Delores, Dollie Fay, and Alfonzo.
Leroy began his football career at Berkeley H.S. earning All-League honors and was awarded top Berkeley H.S. Athlete in 1959. He continued on at Santa Ana Jr. College where he made Jr. College All-American in 1959.
Leroy attended Oregon State University on a football scholarship and also ran track. He is currently on the top ten track list at OSU for the 200 meter dash. He was a football starter, earning Rookie of the year Honors. He went on to play pro-football for the Edmonton Eskimos and the Oakland Raiders. Leroy earned a Masters of Arts and Education as well as a Doctoral Degree in Chiropractic.
He opened his own private practice while working as a California State Rehabilitation Counselor for 16 years. Leroy was the first chiropractor to participate in a two week training program in Mainland China to help train Chinese doctors in local hospitals. Leroy was proud to serve our country in the 82nd Army Airborne.
A service will be held at Mount Vernon Memorial Park 8201 Greenback Lane Fair Oaks, Ca on Monday December 22nd at 3p.m. Reception to follow.
I have been fuming all morning about the post I read, and the mere fact that it was being forwarded, concerning the loss of American life and why we should be arrogant. I have to question the age of the person that started this "blog."
I am far too busy to take this time, but, I will not be one of the "unspoken." Let there be no misunderstanding that this person, and any other, has, within certain necessary parameters, the right to speak his/her mind, and for that I applaud the writer.
But, let me ask the bigger question. But for American intervention, would, could, the Europeans have been able to defend themselves? I think history will say, without hesitation, NO!
This proud American nation lost far too many of its sons and daughters not to pay our respect to both them and others, close to each individual, who have also preceded us. But, can we please put this into perspective. Where would we be had the German war machine run its destruction throughout Europe, Russia (that might have been more difficult, made more clearly by their mother nation losing over 3,000,000,000 brave souls in one Winter), and the Japanese throughout the far East? Does one even begin to doubt that but for this brave nation, founded on the absolute right to life and freedom, sending her loved ones to fight the fight, away from home, rather than upon it.
But for the 2,400 honorable lives lost at Pearl Harbor, American soil remained untouched, while the cities of Great Britain, and later Germany itself, lay as nothing more than piles of brick and wood. To say that because our sacrifices, and to belittle the overwhelming role of freedom fighters all over Europe, notwithstanding the weaklings that headed their government, we are justified to exhibit some form of American arrogance.
Without challenging, in fact, in many ways joining them, would the "Green" movement even be permitted, much less allowed? Would we have the right to protect those among our society who need protection, but, having had the protection when needed and the promise of joining the masses with honor, be tolerated? I think not! But, I do believe Dr. Martin Luther Ling, Jr. knows his "I have a dream" teaching of tolerance and of working together, has reached a point where a man of his own heritage now leads that great nation he fought for, with words, calmly, not in anger, but with understanding.
Please put things in perspective. On a stifling hot morning, in a far away place, 2,800 Marines gave their lives in a battle that lasted 12 hours. To overtake Iwo Jima, an essential part of any plan to defeat the Japanese, 26,000 Marines lost their lives. It was the only stand where a proud contingent of American Marines sustained higher losses than it's enemy. That notwithstanding, we did take the island, it did give the U.S. time to re-group, and resulted in large part to the ending of war with the Japanese. And you hesitate when someone says to you, once a Marine, always a Marine, because "you don't get it"! What don't you get?
And before I leave this part of my dissertation to bring us into the how and now, I have to comment on the famous flag raising atop Iwo Jima. While the general concepts of the event did take place, the infamous photo, and so many monuments since, was a staged event. It brought together men of different color and race. It is a justified monument to a nation, and I think, even though taken in this manner, shows a country with little or no arrogance.
Today we face a new world. Before, an evil man of destruction, road to power on the assertions that German losses in World War II and its following destruction of a nation, we the fault of a relatively small part of its nation. He held out unsustainable hope. He held out promises of work for those without, food, for those without.
How is Osama Bin Laden any different? He does hide like the coward he is, but exactly like Hitler, takes the minds of young, impoverished youth, so desperate for hope that they will forfeit their lives on this Earth, for promises of a better one "on the other side". Hitler was more moderate, if that is possible. He only promised the promised land to those who would fight at his side, although his following was no different than those we see today.
I think Bob Lineback, who was one of those who forwarded the post, had it right in his observance. That is why I am so confused with his acceptance of that which followed.
I am sorry for running on, well, no I'm really not, but the last thing this country needs is to stand atop a pedestal of "Arrogance". We should be upon a pedestal of "Reverence."
From Mom's Mouth
and I are spending Thanksgiving holiday in hibernation. We just need the time to do absolutely nothing, no paints, no molds, no paperwork, no packing, nothing but whatever it is we want to play. Cross-stitch, puzzle, tv, sleep, eat (whatever!! no 1200 calorie days at that time), just enjoy and appreciate each others company and take the time to be truly thankful for all we have. We don't do this often, but this year it is so needed. Thank you all for understanding. 
