The Friday Night Dance

Earlier this year, a friend at the Portsmouth Public Library in Ohio, alerted me to a call for submissions of short stories about southern Ohio from the Shawnee State University English Department.  I submitted two manuscripts and was delighted when I was notified in late October that one would be used.  The committee at Shawnee State University selected "The Friday Night Dance," which was originally published in my memoir titled "On Harrisonville Avenue."

I re-purposed "Friday Night" for submission, taking out references to earlier parts of "Harrisonville" and clarifying other points to make the story stand alone and make sense.  I was also careful to retain the sketch of a naive and inexperienced 13 year old boy's first venture into being on his own at night, escorting a girl to her home, and receiving his first french kiss. When finished, the manuscript was 4500 words and twenty pages.

In revising "Friday Night," I was reminded of what a wonderful time it was to grow up in a town where there was Steel Mill full-employment, neighborhoods with alleys, kids your age, and shared parental standards where any adult who witnessed a kid doing something offensive could call that offender out on the spot (and then call the kid's parents to report what had happened).

Yes, there were more bars than churches, yes there was a den of iniquity that every boy was told "don't go in there" (the Tiger's Den Pool Hall), yes, you had to have your clothes taken off the line when the blast furnace was tapped at 4:00 p.m., and...yes, there was a town drunk who annoyed everyone with his too loud, off-key singing just as you were trying to go to sleep at night -- but there were more than a fair share of positives as well: Little League baseball fields, a lake, a football stadium, tennis courts, caring teachers and civic minded citizens who elected officials with clear principles.

It was a different time.

The Ryan Budget Plan

Below is the Ryan Budget Plan stated without any hyperbole, emotive adjectives or spin:

The latest (March, 2012) full-scale version of the plan, vows to cut spending by $5 trillion over the next decade.

Persons currently 55 or older would not be effected by the Ryan Plan. The plan would, a decade from now, give seniors the option of taking a government payment to purchase health insurance. That payment could be used to buy a private insurance plan, or go toward the traditional Medicare plan. The plan calls for extra assistance to help low-income beneficiaries and those with "greater health risks." 

The plan would overhaul Medicaid by turning it into a block grant system for states. 

The plan would cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. It would implement two individual income tax brackets -- 10 percent and 25 percent – and lock in the Bush tax cuts

The plan would head off the scheduled automatic defense cuts, first by diverting the planned $55 million defense cut in 2013 by implementing those cuts elsewhere. 

The plan would head off the scheduled automatic cuts to Social Security in 2013.

This post was developed by reading the ABC News version of the Ryan Plan, the Fox News version, the Wall Street Journal version and the Washington Post version.

Your New Driveway

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW ASPHALT DRIVEWAY

• We ask that you keep car traffic off your driveway for at least 3 days. If temperatures are real hot we ask that you try not to park on your drive for up to 5 days. You may walk on your drive right away.
• Your driveway will need 6-12 months to harden and cure. It will remain soft and pliable until then. Even after it has cured it will not be as hard as concrete. Your driveway will soften and harden as temperatures rise and fall. Please be aware of this in hot temperatures. If you wish, you may water down your drive with a hose on hot days to temporarily harden the drive.
• Spot damage may occur on your drive if cars start out or stop too fast. This also may happen if you turn your steering wheel when the car is not moving. To prevent pits, holes or gouges in your drive avoid using lawn chairs or kickstands on your drive. They exert weight on concentrated areas and will mar your drive. When using car jacks, ramps or storing boats or campers, place a piece of plywood under them to help distribute the weight.
• Large heavy trucks will depress your new blacktop. Keep concrete and other heavy trucks off your new driveway.
• Avoid driving off the edges of your driveway. They will crack and crumble due to lack of side support. You may support the sides by building up the edges with topsoil. But please do not do this until after the driveway has cured. (6-12 months)

• You must keep dirt off the asphalt surface at all times. The dirt pulls the oils out of the blacktop.
• It is natural for the texture of your driveway surface to be varied. It is caused by the various sizes of sand, stone and other ingredients that make up asphalt. Also, areas that are done by hand will appear different than those done by machine.
• Gasoline, Oil, Anti-freeze, transmission and power steering fluid will soften and break up your driveway. These should be professionally repaired.
• Cracks may develop over the winter due to the contraction and expansion of the ground. These should be filled with crack filler.
• If you wish you may seal your driveway with a Coal tar sealer, but we recommend that you wait at least 1 year. Sealer will protect your driveway if you have any gas or oil spills and will give your drive that new black look.

Locusts and Wild Honey, Part II

Yesterday, I posted a portion of my short story, "Locusts and Wild Honey," in which two of the storylines were revealed.  Below, are the opening paragraphs of the story in which another thread is established.  It is also the last one to be resolved.

Reverend Ted Talbot’s personal problems were nowhere to be seen on this Sunday morning; his demeanor and his words gave no indication of the roil that must have been under his surface. The seat where his wife sat on the aisle of the second row of pews was empty. The minister scanned the Sanctuary and without pausing passed over her vacancy, making eye contact with parishioners nearby.


Rachel Talbot was a force in the church of 1500 members. Effortlessly flamboyant in style, dress and demeanor, Rachael exerted influence in the cultural as well as the spiritual life of her community. Reverend and Mrs. Talbot were models of success and decorum in the large suburban town of Newman. She and her husband had raised two children—Dede and Darrel, fraternal twins—had gotten them through college two years ago and now the children were starting careers in Texas and California.


The empty nest and the separation from their children seemed to have been taken in stride by Rachel and Ted as they transitioned to a new phase of their lives. Privately, however, the undertow of the children’s absence, or their new married life together, or the simple tedium of their routine must have exacerbated a fissure in their relationship, unknown or suppressed until recently, when Rachael, unannounced, left Ted.

I have begun to write after a long interval of other activities. The current effort is a collection of short stories tentatively titled, "Locusts and Wild Honey."  In a section just completed yesterday, a middle-aged minister of a 1500 member church is delivering the fourth part of a sermon series called "The Wilderness."

In the King James Version of the Bible, the word “wilderness” is mentioned 304 times. In some cases, the word “wilderness” is biblically connected with the number 40, which is mentioned 157 times.

You may recall that Jesus wandered in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights without food and drink.  In that event, nothing happened for 39 days, but on the 40^th day of being in the wilderness, Jesus was hungry, thirsty and weak in body and spirit.  It was at this vulnerable time in our Savior’s life that Satan appears to Jesus, tempting him.”

The Sanctuary filled with 350 souls fell silent as each knew of times in their lives where they had been susceptible to temptation.  One man in the choir moved his eyes and head upward, staring vacantly at the patterned ceiling of the two hundred year old Sanctuary, as he recalled a recent incident.

“I’m going to say something now which some will find overly simplistic and others will find fundamental.  My friends, I believe there is a war going on between good and evil all around us, in ways visible and invisible. Further, I believe that every day, we are part of that struggle and subject to it.”

Reverend Talbot paused again as a period of silence uncomfortably permeated the space.

16th Century Illumination depicting Satan daring Christ to turn a stone into bread.                                           Simon Bening of Ghent 

Everything is a Rhythm -–Timepieces

In a scene from my third book, “Great Heats,” the ancient Mound Builders of Ohio erect a tall pole, simulating a large sundial, to give them a more accurate idea of the schedule seasons keep and to help the villagers better manage the planting and harvesting of crops while preparing for the harshness of the inevitable winter.

In researching ancient timekeeping – meaning shorter than a day – I found that the ancients of every civilization had attempted to get greater and greater accuracy, including when the sun wasn’t shining, by using clocks that burned incense, or water clocks, or hour glass designs using sand.

Improving on the search for accuracy, led to gearing and when tied to metals, in the 13th century allowed the idea of oscillation or the repetitive beat, like that of a pendulum in this astronomical clock from the Exeter Cathedral in England.

Wound metal, or springs, could also produce oscillation so by the 17th century, with many choices for automation, clocks were getting fairly common and more accurate, even on carriages.

And, with more and better techniques for manipulating metal, the size of clocks became smaller (made by watchmakers, derived from clocks in “watch towers”), so that one could carry a clock in one’s pocket  or wear it on your lapel or on your wrist -- a wrist watch.

Today, with the ever-increasing use of phones and tablet-sized computers as a timepiece, watches may disappear from usage, much as the pocket watch has today, but the need to know, with accuracy, what the time is at the moment, will assure the existence of clocks.

I once asked a psychic with whom I was working on a television production, what his thinking was about the universe.  “Everything is a rhythm,” he said. “From the beating of your heart to the movement of stars and the passage of time.  It is all a rhythm, which is why we respond to music or can become mesmerized by a ticking clock.”

___________________

The tick of the clock reminds me that today is fading away, while tomorrow is inexorably on its way.
~~ Ronald D. Giles

Hymns and Their Stories: Trinity Presbyterian Church, Berwyn, PA

  This Sunday evening, Joan and I have the privilege of presenting a Hymns program at a church celebrating their 150th Anniversary.

Trinity Presbyterian was organized in October 1861, during the dark, uncertain times of a War between the states.  Not a verbal war, like today, but a real one where citizens were dying.

Five states seceded from the Union in January of that year and by February, seven states had formed another country and had elected their own President.

Lincoln did not take office until April and five weeks afterwards the shooting and killing began as war broke out at Ft. Sumter. 

About that time, my Great Grandfather, James Wheatley Giles, enlisted in the Union Army at a small church near Stockdale, Ohio; he was 14.  When he returned home in 1865, he was still a teenager, but had experienced four years of carnage as member of an artillery unit.

At the end of that year, 1861, Trinity Church received a gift from the minister’s former congregation in Montreal Canada – a church bell, which still hangs in the belfry, having witnessed 150 years of history from its lofty position. 

Here is the format we will use for our 125th Hymns presentation, a journey Joan and I began together in 1997.

Come if you can; otherwise, hum along.

Hymns and Their Stories

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Berwyn, PA 150^th Anniversary Celebration – October 9, 2011 – 7:00pm                                     Ronald D. Giles, Baritone;                        Joan E. Giles, Piano

1. “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” – Text: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, ca 390    Music: 12th Century Plainsong               Hymn #309

Verses 1 & 3 -- Ron

2. “Be Thou My Vision" – 8^th Century Irish Text; Irish Folk Melody; Translated by Mary Byrne, 1905; Versified by Eleanor Hull   Music arranged by Craig Courtney

Verse 1 -- Ron; Verse 2 -- All in Unison;          Verse 3 -- Ron

3. “Comfort, Comfort You My People” – Text: Johannes Olearius, 1671;  Music: Attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Geneva 1551; Music arranged by John Ferguson                                                      Hymn # 3

Verse 1 – Ron; Verses 2 & 3 – All in Unison

4. “It is Well With My Soul” – Text: Horatio Spafford, 1874;  Music: Phillip Bliss, 1874, arranged by John Ness Beck

Ron and Joan

5. “How Great Thou Art” – Text: C. G. Boberg, 1885; English Version, S. K Hine, 1953; Music: Swedish Folk Tune.           Arranged by Craig Courtney                    Hymn #467

Verses 1 & 3 -- Ron; Verse 4 – All in Unison

6. “I Danced in the Morning” - Text: Sydney Carter, 1963; Music – American Shaker Tune Hymn #302

Verses 1-3 – All in Unison; Verse 4 – Ron; Refrain – All in Unison. Verse 5 – All in Unison

7. “Here I Am, Lord” – Text and Music: Dan Schutte, 1981 -- Hymn# 525

Verses – Ron; Refrain, All in Unison

8. “This Little Light/ This Joy” – Spirituals, arranged by Jeffrey Radford, 1993

Verse 1—This Little Light of Mine -- All in Unison . Verse 2 – Ron – This Joy of Mine     Verse 3 – This Hope of Mine – All in Unison Verse 4 – This Faith I Have – Parts – S.A.T.B. Verse 5 – This Peace I Have – All in Unison

President Ford’s Daily Dairy May 13, 1976

From 1974 - 1977, I was Executive Producer of the Scripps-Howard station in Cincinnati, Ohio, WCPO-TV.  Our anchorman, Al Schottlekotte was also Vice President of TV News for Scripps-Howard and UPI.  When Ron Nessen, the then White House Press Secretary, called to grant Al a 30 minute interview with President Ford in the Oval Office, Al divided the time equally between himself and two other Scripps anchors – one from Cleveland and the other from Tennessee.  Schottlekotte asked me to produce and direct the three anchor interview, to be taped in the Oval Office using our equipment.

In writing about this interview with President Ford in 1976 for my new book, “TV Stories,” I went to the Ford Presidential Library Website to see if I could view the presidential schedule for that day, May 13, 1976. Sure enough, it was there.  See page two below, 11:00am – 11:35.

Digitization of archival material has made it possible to look at Presidential Schedules and many other things and has revolutionized all kinds of research.  I thought you might be interested in the President’s exhausting schedule for that day.  It begins at 1:08 am and ends when the President retires after a 10:00pm swim.

 

 

“The Prey” included in Chester County Fiction

 On October 2, a new book will be launched – an anthology of short stories by Chester County Authors, setting their stories in Chester County.

Sixteen stories ranging from historic fiction to drama to terror will be included in this book by thirteen writers living in the same county; I am pleased to say my short story, titled “The Prey” is among the sixteen.
Here is an excerpt from my hunter’s tale:

Four dogs—three bluetick-hound hunting dogs and one larger black dog—stood on the road in front of me. Their master was not in sight. The hounds were big dogs—knee high at their shoulders, crotch-high heads, long tails held upright. Two started to bark at me; the third joined in, while the fourth, the black dog, smelled the ground. Without an owner, they were a pack, relying on ancient, wolf-like instincts; these dogs were a serious danger to me.

I slid the gun off my back and broke the double barrels open. My hand was trembling as I took two red shotshells from my pocket and dropped them into the chambers, closing the gun with a thump.

~~~~
The Book Launch will take place at Baldwin’s Book Barn in West Chester, PA Sunday October 2 at 2:00pm.  If you are in the area, please stop in (a free beer to attendees who desire, I’m told). And, Kudos to Jim Breslin for bringing the project together.
 
Otherwise visit Amazon.com.
Cheers !!!

Vengeance Is Not Mine

Listening to the minister Sunday morning, she read a passage from Romans:

^“9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹Do not be slothful in zeal,be fervent in spirit,^[a] serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.^[b] Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it^[c] to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."²⁰To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Over my career, I have had people who have done me harm – corporately, financially – in ways that I could not imagine doing myself, or could not bring myself to do.  I have always kept the list of three to myself, trying not to dwell on them, but sometimes in the dark of a sleepless night, I do utter their names, never with flattering words; it is my revenge.

Yesterday, I was reminded, once again, that vengeance is not mine, but is reserved for a higher power.  Instead of retribution, I should be kind and forgiving of them.

The passage of time and distance has separated me from my three adversaries; we all live in far-away places, hundreds of miles from each other and have not seen one another for years.  On the surface, it makes little sense to care any longer about the issues that divided us, yet…I still feel the tip of their daggers in my back.

Another memory came to me while sitting in the pew: my list had included four names, but the fourth one drowned 12 years ago in the Pacific off the California Coast.

TV Stories – Captain Kangaroo -- WBNS-TV, Columbus, Ohio

The following is an excerpt from a new book I am writing tentatively titled "TV Stories," recalling many amusing, heartwarming and confounding anecdotes collected from my 35 year career in commercial television.

~~~~

Among the celebrities that I worked with at WBNS-TV was Captain Kangaroo—Bob Keeshan. He was the host of the CBS morning children’s show, “Captain Kangaroo” that ran on CBS from 1955 till 1984.

For the TV History buffs among the Dear Readers of this, Bob Keeshan also played Clarabell the Clown on the “Howdy Doody” shows of black and white TV in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s.

Captain Kangaroo aired from 8:00 to 9:00 in the morning and was followed on our station by “Luci’s Toyshop,” from 9-10:00, forming a two hour block of live television for pre-school children.

In 1971, the Easter Seal Society of Ohio hosted a Fashion Show as a fund raiser at the Ohio Theatre in downtown Columbus. Captain Kangaroo was to be the host of the stage show, featuring children with disabilities.

Because he was coming to Columbus for the Sunday afternoon event, I called CBS, as Producer-Director of “Luci’s Toyshop,” and asked if the Captain would come over after his appearance for Easter Seals, and tape a couple of promos for our children’s show. “Yes,” was his publicist’s reply; he had an hour that he could devote to promotion by coming to our station before catching his plane back to New York; however, I would have to supply transportation to the station and then to the airport. My 1970 Toyota Station Wagon would serve as the taxi, with me as the driver for the Captain.

I showed up at the Ohio Theatre while the two hour Fashion Show was winding down. Waiting off stage in the wings as the Captain’s theme song played, I watched the conclusion as he waved goodbye to the audience and exited while the big, burgundy stage curtains closed.

Introducing myself to him, he was gracious and then said, “Ron, I know that you have a crew waiting for me at your station, but I need to take an extra twenty minutes here to do something.”

People were filing out the center aisles, slowly as children using wheelchairs and those walking with aids worked their way out the back doors of the large theatre. The Captain motioned for me to follow him as we crossed the stage to the wings on the other side.

In that area were about twenty children lying in beds, unable to sit or stand, waiting to use the big double doors to exit to the alley for transportation. Because of their conditions, these children had not been able to participate in the stage show, so to make their time special, Captain Kangaroo spent the next twenty minutes touching them, speaking with them and their parents, signing autographs for them, getting pictures taken with each of them.

Bob Keeshan understood the power of his character, Captain Kangaroo—and also understood the responsibility of it. The scene was joyous, moving and unforgettable.

Bob Keeshan, 1927-2004.

Link to: Captain Kangaroo Theme -- "Puffin' Billy"

"Hymns and Their Stories" -- Sunday, July 17, 2011

Some of you may know that Joan and I are involved in promoting the understanding of Hymns, the stories behind their writing, and encouraging congregational singing. We have been presenting musical programs of hymns at churches since 1997 and have appeared over 120 time at venues in Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

I am fortunate to be married to a fine pianist and accompanist who can cover and swing with my spur-of-the-moment inspirations. Below is the format that Joan and I will present this Sunday on Long Beach Island in New Jersey at the historic Spray Beach Chapel, built in 1893 and open during the tourist season there, May through September.

Drop by, if you can. Otherwise, hum along:

Worship Service

Spray Beach Chapel – Long Beach Island, NJ

Sunday July 17, 2011 – 9:30am – Hymnal for Worship & Celebration

Ronald D. Giles, Baritone -- Joan E. Giles, Accompanist

Welcome – Hymn 588 -- The Prayer of Convocation -- The Prayer of Confession --

1. “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” – Text: Henry Van Dyke, 1907;

Hymn #1 Music: Ludwig van Beethoven “Ninth Symphony,” 1824

Verses 1 & 2 – All in Unison

2. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” – Text: Robert Robinson, 1757;

Hymn #2 Music: Folk tune published by J. Wyeth, 1813; arr. by Mark Hayes

Ron and Joan

3. “Praise My Soul The King of Heaven” – Text: Henry Lyte, 1834;

Hymn #3 Music: Mark Andrews, 1934

Verse 1 – Ron; Verse 2 – All in Unison

4. “How Great Thou Art” – Text: Carl Boberg, 1885; English text, Stuart Hine;

Swedish Folk Tune, arranged by John Ness Beck

Hymn #4 Verse 1 -- Ron;

Verse 3 -- Ron;

Verse 4 -- All in Unison

~~ Morning Offering ~~

~ Prayer—Offertory—Doxology ~

5. " On Eagle’s Wings” Words and Music by Father Michael Joncas, 1988;

Arranged by Mark Hayes

Ron

6. “O God, Beyond All Praising” – Text: Michael Perry, 1982;

Music: Gustav Holst, 1918, arranged by Jane Holstein

Separate Sheet Verse 1 – Ron;

Verse 2 – All in Unison

7. “This Little Light/ This Joy” – Spirituals, arranged by Jeffrey Radford, 1993

Verse 1—This Little Light of Mine -- All in Unison

Separate Sheet Verse 2 – Ron – This Joy of Mine

Verse 3 – This Hope of Mine – All in Unison

Verse 4 – This Faith I Have – Parts – S.A.T.B.

Verse 5 – This Peace I Have – All in Unison

Musical Closing – “Benediction” (“May the Lord Bless You”) – Music: Joan Giles, 1999

"You know when you're young you think you will always be. As you become more fragile, you reflect, and you realize how much comfort can come from the past. Hymns can carry you into the future." ~~ Andy Griffith

Editors

I have enjoyed working with editors because in their picky, prickly way they make me a better writer. For example, I have almost stopped Emphasizing some words in the middle of a sentence by capitalizing them.

I now know the difference and the proper use of "stairs" vs "steps" and "until" vs. "til." I still have problems with consistency -- "Dad" in some paragraphs, but my "Father" in other places in the same chapter (or page).

Then there is the dash or more specifically, the em dash and the en dash, not to be confused with the hyphen. I'm playing it safe in my writing these days by always using the em dash after getting many laughs and smiley faces from an editor who took particular delight in pointing out the mistake I kept making over and over.

The hyphen -- or more correctly, the compound adjective hyphen linking two words -- recently reared its head in a short story I wrote where the main character was carrying a 10-gauge shotgun. In other paragraphs, the character was simply carrying the 10 gauge. The editor didn't like the inconsistency of hyphen or no hyphen and suggested that I pick one and stick with it.

Finally, there is the exclamation point! Personally, I think it looks better with a space between it and the word, otherwise, it looks like another letter in the word and loses some of its Emphasis.

(Don't get me started on... ellipses.)

"I try to limit my use of an exclamation point to one every 10,000 words!"

~~ William Faulkner

A New Way of Working

With the Industrial Revolution in progress, in order to find work, people moved from rural settings to close-by the factories in order to walk to work daily. As trollies and commuter rails began slicing through ever growing communities, workers could move away from the noisy factories to quiet tree-lined, sub-urban settings.

Then with the advent of the motor car, employees moved even further away from their work, out "the Main Line," to find bigger houses and bigger lawns and better schools. Roads and super roads were built to convey tens of thousands of cars daily into work. High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (defined curiously as two or more occupants in the car) were created for those who "car-pooled." Some would drive an hour or more, like I did in Boston on the Mass Pike, to get to WBZ-TV, and my job; other friends in the television business who used mass transit would take the train from Connecticut to New York City, traveling two hours each way to get to their offices in Manhattan.

Now we find ourselves arguing over the solution to the cost of commuting to work and ending our dependence on foreign oil while traveling daily in single cars to "work."

Here's an idea:

Have your employees work from home, rather than driving or taking mass transit to work. Many could -- customer service reps, CAD designers, graphics artists, Internet services -- create your own list. Fewer parking places to maintain, fewer cubicles to buy, less personnel issues, less office supplies, less coffee etc. And, less oil. Use the technology of today rather than a 20th century model.

Yes, there would be worker productivity issues, monitoring progress, employees who would work from 11:00pm to 6:00am, rather than 9-5pm -- simply issues to be solved in my mind, given the benefits.

What do you think?

(Funny what runs through your mind while driving on Interstate 70.)

Rekindling

Soon, I will be traveling back to Scioto County, Ohio, where I was born.  I will visit my Uncle as well as sing at my cousin’s Ball Park – The National Anthem, and “My Old Kentucky Home,” using politically correct words.

I will stand at my parents grave and thank them for the love and understanding they gave to me, a fun but precocious child – their only child.

We will visit my daughter and her three girls – each of them full of life and possibilities, yet tender and cautious.

Finally, we are planning to take the three girls to Niagara Falls, the place Joan and I spent our Honeymoon and where we took our children in the early 1980’s.  Now, it is their turn to feel and hear and see the power of that place.

I hope that when we return to Glenmoore, exhausted, that I will be re-invigorated and rekindled from touching base with my past, and through looking at the future in the bright eyes of my granddaughters.

RDG

In Honor of Father’s Day

In honor of Father's Day, some quotations on the matter:
Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! ~Lydia M. Child, Philothea: A Romance, 1836

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. ~Johann Schiller

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.  ~Author Unknown

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.  ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Mark Twain

Dad, you're someone to look up to no matter how tall I've grown.  ~Author Unknown

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.  ~Gloria Naylor

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.  ~John Gregory Brown, Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery, 1994

It kills you to see them grow up.  But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't. ~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

It would seem that something which means poverty, disorder and violence every single day should be avoided entirely, but the desire to beget children is a natural urge. ~Phyllis Diller

Are we not like two volumes of one book?  ~Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  ~Elizabeth Stone

Never raise your hand to your kids.  It leaves your groin unprotected.  ~Red Buttons

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich.  ~M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter

Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever.  ~Author Unknown

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away. ~Dinah Craik

Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life. ~Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities

Finally, for those of us who used cloth diapers and know that Jimmy Piersall was a baseball player from 1950-1967:
Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat.  Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound.  Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together.  Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.  ~Jimmy Piersall, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

Plato's Five Regimes

In my novel, "Cottonwood Pass," a rogue billionaire attempts to establish a new form of government in the United States by hastening its decline into disorder, social warfare, and financial chaos. The character, H. Greeley Essington III, uses Plato's Five Regimes, as one of his three operational blueprints to achieve his goal.

Plato's Five Regimes are as follows:

• Aristocracy -- a Republic that is governed by a wise Philosopher-King
• Timocracy -- The Republic devolves downward into a state where the military is in charge and power is the key to success.
• Oligarchy -- Timocracy descends to a lower form of government where wealth replaces power as the necessary element for success and in the two class system, the rich govern the poor.
• Democracy -- As the the poorer class grows and grows and the rich become smaller in numbers, the Oligarchy degenerates into a democracy where the freedom to do anything and everything is valued. Leaders are chosen by the everyday people to produce rules of behavior and to decide when someone is harmed.
• Tyranny -- Finally, Democracy disintegrates into chaos, as each person pursues their own freedom in conflict with others and social values and societal discipline is replaced by personal desire. In this atmosphere, a strong ruler emerges who, through force, imposes an order against the will of the people. The Tyrant governs on whim and favors and produces a lawless state where there is order, but no one is safe from the Tyrant's henchmen.

Frighteningly familiar?

Sarah Palin's Letter to her family about the upcoming birth of her son, Trig

While Sarah Palin was Governor of Alaska, she gave birth to a son, her fifth child. It was known ahead of time that he would be a Downs Syndrome child. Below is the email that Governor Palin sent to her family two weeks before Trig's birth. This is one of the 24,000 messages that the Legacy Media hoped would be a death knell to her political career. Instead, this and the other emails are having quite the opposite effect. The British paper, "The Daily Mail," published it yesterday. It was also published in the Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/06/sarah-palin-god-letter-trig-down-syndrome.html

PALIN'S COMPLETE LETTER TO HER FAMILY ABOUT TRIG -- written as if from God

To the Sisters, Brother, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends of Trig Paxson Van Palin (or whatever you end up naming him!):

I am blessing you with this surprise baby because I only want the best for you. I've heard your prayers that this baby will be happy and healthy, and I've answered them because Ionly want the best for you!

I heard your heart when you hinted that another boy would fit best in the Palin family, to round it out and complete that starting five line-up. Though another girl would be so nice, you didn't think you could ask for what you REALLY wanted, but I knew, so I gave you a boy because I only want the best for you!

Then, I put the idea in your hearts that his name should be "Trig", because it's so fitting, with two Norse meanings: "True" and "Brave Victory". You also have a Bristol Bay relative with that name, so I knew it would be best for you!

Then, I let Trig's mom have an exceptionally comfortable pregnancy so she could enjoy every minute of it, and I even seemed to rush it along so she could wait until near the end to surprise you with the news - that way Piper wouldn't have so long to wait and count down so many days - just like Christmastime when you have to wait, impatiently, for that special day to finally open your gift? (Or the way the Palins look forward to birthday celebrations that go on for three, four days... you all really like cake .) I know you, I knew you'd be better off with just a short time to wait!

Then, finally, I let Trig's mom and dad find out before he was born that this little boy will truly be a GIFT. They were told in early tests that Trig may provide more challenges, and more joy, than what they ever may have imagined or ever asked for. At first the news seemed unreal and sad and confusing . But I gave Trig' s mom and dad lots of time to think about it because they needed lots of time to understand that everything will be OK, in fact, everything will be great, because I only want the best for you!

I've given Trig's mom and dad peace and joy as they wait to meet their new son. I gave them a happy anticipation because they asked me for that. I'll give all of you the same happy anticipation and strength to deal with Trig's challenges, but I won't impose on you...
I just need to know you want to receive my offer to be with all of you and help you everyday to make Trig's life a great one.

This new person in your life can help everyone put things in perspective and bind us together and get everyone focused on what really matters . The baby will expand your world and let you see and feel things you haven't experienced yet. He'll show you what "true, brave victory" really means as those who love him will think less about self and focus less on what the world tells you is "normal" or "perfect". You will grow and be blessed with greater understanding that will be born along with Trig.

Trig will be his dad's little buddy and he'll wear Carhartts while he learns to tinker in the garage. He'll love to be read to, he'll want to play goalie, and he'll steal his mom's heart just like Track, Bristol, Willow and Piper did. And Trig will be the cuddly, innocent, mischievous, dependent little brother that his siblings have been waiting for in fact Trig will - in some diagnostic ways - always be a mischievous, dependent little brother, because I created him a bit different than a lot of babies born into this world today.

Every child is created special, with awesome purpose and amazing potential. Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed up world you live in down there on earth. Trig is no different, except he has one extra chromosome. Doctors call it "Down's Syndrome", and Downs kids have challenges, but can bring you much delight and more love than you can ever imagine! Just wait and see, let me prove this, because I only want the best for you!

Some of the rest of the world may not want him, but take comfort in that because the world will not compete for him. Take care of him and he will always be yours!

Trig's mom and dad don't want people to focus on the baby's extra chromosome. They're human, so they haven't known how to explain this to people who are so caring and are interested in this new little Alaskan. Sarah and Todd want people to share in the joy of this gift I'm giving to the Palin family, and the greater Alaska family. Many people won't understand... and I understand that.

Some will think Trig should not be allowed to be born because they fear a Downs child won't be considered "perfect" in your world. (But tell me, what do you earthlings consider "perfect" or even "normal" anyway? Have you peeked down any grocery store isle, or school hallway, or into your office lunchroom lately? Or considered the odd celebrities you celebrate as "perfect" on t.v.? Have you noticed I make `em all shapes and sizes? Believe me ,, there is no "perfect"!)

Many people will express sympathy, but you don't want or need that, because Trig will be a joy. You will have to trust me on this.

I know it will take time to grasp this and come to accept that I only want the best for you, and I only give my best. Remember though: "My ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts... for as the heavens are higher than the earth, my ways are higher than yours!"

I wrote that all down for you in the Good Book ! Look it up! You claim that you believe me - now it's time to live out that belief!

Please look to me as this new challenge and chapter of life unfolds in front of you. I promise to equip you. I won't give you anything you can't handle. I am answering your prayers. Trig can't wait to meet you. I'm giving you ONLY THE BEST!

Love,

Trig's Creator , Your Heavenly Father


Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002688/Sarah-Palin-plays-God-touching-email-unborn-son-Trigs-Downs-Syndrome.html#ixzz1PD1R7vaa

Allen Ginsberg

Today is American Poet, Allen Ginsberg's birthday. He was born in New Jersey in 1926 and lived mostly in San Francisco until 1997. He and several other poets of that age were referred to as "the Beat Generation."

Homework
by Allen Ginsberg

Homage to Kenneth Koch

If I were doing my Laundry I'd wash my dirty Iran
I'd throw in my United States, and pour on the Ivory Soap,
scrub up Africa, put all the birds and elephants

back in the jungle,
I'd wash the Amazon river and clean the oily Carib & Gulf of

Mexico,
Rub that smog off the North Pole, wipe up all the pipelines in
Alaska,
Rub a dub dub for Rocky Flats and Los Alamos, Flush that sparkly
Cesium out of Love Canal
Rinse down the Acid Rain over the Parthenon & Sphinx, Drain the Sludge
out of the Mediterranean basin & make it azure again,
Put some blueing back into the sky over the Rhine, bleach the little
Clouds so snow return white as snow,
Cleanse the Hudson Thames & Neckar, Drain the Suds out of Lake Erie
Then I'd throw big Asia in one giant Load & wash out the blood &
Agent Orange,
Dump the whole mess of Russia and China in the wringer, squeeze out
the tattletail Gray of U.S. Central American police state,
& put the planet in the drier & let it sit 20 minutes or an
Aeon till it came out clean

"Homework" by Allen Ginsberg, from Collected Poems: 1947-1997. © Harper and Row

You Can Plant More in a Crooked Row Than a Straight one

How many ways can you interpret this?
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At this time of the year when we are planting our gardens, planting them in straight lines seems the time-tested way to go. It is certainly visually appealing to people like me. Straight lines help you fertilize and weed in an efficient manner. But, if you bend the straight line, it is longer allowing more plants to be planted.
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My personal desires may have caused a more circuitous route to achieve the goal, since a straight-line, direct approach to my first love, Diane, and all thereafter, including Mrs. Giles, would have resulted in not just a rebuke, but a right hook as well.
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Is truth more curvy than it is straight? Perhaps, I could lead a reckless life, a life of "riotous living" and then at life's end bend it back to the straight line I started, finding redemption and acceptance in doing so.
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My father-in-law sold insurance, mostly life and auto, and often would get the put-off line from a prospective customer, "let me think about your proposal, Al, and I'll get back to you." With understated sincerity, Al would reply, "Yes, please do that, but... give me a day -- no, better make that two -- before you have that accident, so I can write the policy up for you."
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Would that we all knew about that "accident" about to happen. Or, when the customer sales rep asks, "on the credit card, Mr. Giles, when is your expiration date?" Hmmm. Let me check under my left arm pit for life's calendar. My expiration date, huh.
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I always sincerely wish people luck with their five year plans -- their straight line to something. Even when the die is cast and the future looks predictable, stuff happens. After all, Joan -- my wife of 45 years -- married a school teacher with the summers off who had curly hair!
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Sometimes, curves are more interesting than straight lines.