One Year

It was a year ago... today... now.

So much has happened... and gone wrong. Some has gone right. But, none has gone the way I/we thought it would... after.

Today is a time to reflect... and maybe, restart.

Pain, No More.

Inspirational and Moving

I cannot listen to this without being moved. And it's one of my favorite oboe performances ever written (and those folks, like trombonists, just don't get nearly enough stand-out parts).

Please enjoy.

Some Musical Interludes

It's a sleepless night, so I thought I'd share some of my musical favorites.

Let's start with Billy Joel...















How about some Journey?











The Churchills




Some Marc Cohn




And one of my favorite composers, sadly passed...

Michael Kamen





(from one of the most beautiful movies, artistically, thematically, and more... "What Dreams May Come")


Toby Keith












Jewel



(With Indigo Girls and Sarah Maclaughlan)


Pink Floyd!

And this is a TRUE favorite, song and video...



Kermit




And some great TV Themes:
(how many do YOU know - without reading it on screen?)












And finally (for now):




Hope you've enjoyed.

Thank You, Billy Joel

He's only one of my favorite musicians (I still treasure the one time I've seen him live...).

And take a look at the new song he's written.

Which Military Aircraft Are You?

What military aircraft are you? EA-6B Prowler You are an EA-6B. You are sinister, preferring not to get into confrontations, but extract revenge through mind games and technological interference. You also love to make noise and couldn't care less about pollution.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Merry Christmas

Thirty-nine years ago...

Mankind ventured for the first time away from the safety of our home planet (not counting UFO abductions for lack of boarding passes).

For the first time, three men were alone in the Universe, as they circled the far side of the Moon - on one side of the Moon, billions of humanity and everything we knew in our day to day existence and on the other side of the Moon, the three Apollo 8 astronauts and eternity.

1968 had not been a pleasant year for the United States, nor for the planet in general.

USS Pueblo

The Tet Offensive

My Lai

Yuri Gagarin is killed

MLK, Jr. is killed

USS Scorpion sinks

RFK, Jr. is killed

The Prague Spring

The Democrat National Convention

It was against that backdrop, that NASA audaciously set out for the Moon. Having restarted the Apollo flights (after The Fire the previous year) in October, NASA found itself not ready to continue its planned schedule. Instead of waiting until the schedule was ready to be engaged, NASA went for a Hail Mary and went for the Moon.

Riding the massive Saturn V booster for the first time, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, did something no one else had done previously, leaving the Earth's orbit, its gravitational field, and traversing the deepness of the void of space between two worlds, the Earth and the Moon.

There they saw sights that no human eyes had previously seen - the far side of the Moon, the desolation of the Moon from only sixty-nine miles away, and also... the first view of Mother Earth, in her entirety, from so far away...




The crew of Apollo 8 spent just ten orbits around the Moon, before they returned home. As they were orbiting, it was Christmas Eve back on Earth. And as the world watched and listened, near the end of their lunar television broadcast, the following words were read by the crew. It captured the spirit of Christmas, of Peace, and of Hope... cast amongst the splendor, isolation, and wonder of that precious blue marble and the desolation of the first world visited by humans.

I am choked up when I hear and see this... what a Christmas present to the world.

Army Strong!

This was originally posted as a video response to the Blackfive thank you video.

However, I find that not only does it stand well on its own... it's an impressive collage of why we are Army Strong (yes, eagle-eyed viewer, one segment has Marines, but was impressive, still).

Enjoy, my friends.

Hooah!

And a Big Thank You...

A big thank you goes out to all those who lend support. Those who study military history will tell you that one of the keys to an operational success is the strength of the "support tail" (also known as logistics, and many other variants). Essentially, without the support, no matter how strong your force is, victory cannot be maintained.

Our armed forces are the best there are. But, without our support tail... the folks back home, we, too, are drastically weakened.

With that in mind, a big thank you to all who lend that support, in whatever form it takes, both outspoken, and quietly in their Hearts.

Dan Fogelberg, RIP

Today, Dan Fogelberg passed away. You may or may not know him by name, but you likely know his music.

I always enjoyed his music as it was very instrumental in its nature, instead of so much contemporary pop music that is relatively lacking in musical creativity and diversity.

His music flowed.

I, for one, will miss the creation of any more new music, and savor the delights he's left us to enjoy.

You can listen to some of my favorites, but by no means all, here below (courtesy of imeem.com):

Rest in peace, Dan, and thank you...

"We Can Be Bitter Or We Can Choose to Appreciate What We're Given"

An amazingly touching story over at Michelle Malkin.

The original, full story is over at KUSA.

From their reporting:

When Rob and Gina Harris found out they were expecting their first child they say were overwhelmed with gratitude and filled with thoughts and plans for their future family.

"We had all these visions and dreams for what our baby would grow up to be," said Gina.

Rob Harris said, "At our 20 week ultrasound we found out that he was a boy so I went out to the Nike store and had to buy a little sports outfit."

An ultrasound also revealed a problem about their unborn son, David.

As all of us parents recall, we always hope to have the "perfect" child, with everything in working order, and those tests at the doctor's are slightly dreaded, because there's always the fear of "What if something's wrong?"

And for this couple, the fear came true:

"I didn't have amniotic fluid because David most likely did not have kidneys," said Gina.

Doctors explained that amniotic fluid is critical for lungs to develop. The condition that the Harris' son had is called Potter's Syndrome. It is extremely rare and extremely serious.

"The doctor told us that the babies usually die of respiratory failure after they are born," said Gina.

The doctor explained that as long as the baby was inside Gina's womb he'd be able to grow and thrive. Gina could provide everything her son needed. The question was: Could their son live on his own?

What would you do?

Not surprisingly, the doctor offered to terminate the pregnancy.

They'd hear nothing of it.

"I decided to hold tightly to my faith and push through my fear," said Gina. "I decided to put myself aside and know that this baby has a life right now and I am meant to be his mother right now."

Her husband added, "We decided we were going to enjoy our time with our son even if he is in Gina's womb and we can't see him yet, he's still alive and he's still kicking."

The couple made the most of their pregnancy, enjoying their time with their son while he was in utero, knowing that his birth would likely cause his death.

Many couples hope the time during a pregnancy goes by quickly. The focus is on the birth. For the Harrises, the time went too quickly.

After 34 weeks together, David was coming.

And then, for so many couples a joyous time...

David Paul Harris was delivered at 3:25 in the morning, but passed away.

Their time together... six short hours... literally, a lifetime.

"We held him and like any mom and dad we examined his features," said Rob. "We were amazed to see how dark and thick his hair was."

"I remember how soft his skin felt," said Gina. "He was perfectly formed. I remember how soft his skin felt, those little things that even a picture cannot ever capture, so I made sure I remembered those things."

They had six hours with their son.

"I found some comfort in the fact that he went from safe in my womb to God's arms," said Gina.

And then, Gina says the quote that I latched onto. I so clearly remember that same crystalline moment for Ellicia and I. I remember when we received our horrible news, and how we decided to face it. Gina sums it up so well:

We have a choice. We can be bitter or we can choose to appreciate what were given," Gina said.

That's something that we often face at times in our lives... and I'm so touched by this story, especially this time of year, as 31 December is marching steadily towards me... I recall that decision, and what a tough, wonderful decision it is.

Not everyone, hopefully, will face this decision in such magnitude as the Davis', or E &I, or countless others every day. Maybe you'll face it in a situation that to the rest of the world as a minor pebble, but to you, is a massive stone rolling towards you. However this question manifests itself, please remember your choice.

And I pray... you'll choose not to waste your time with bitterness. Because then you'll have memories of bitterness, and not happiness and joy.

The Gratitude Campaign

One of my Angels passed this on to me...

She's featured it on her blog.


I've often been torn when people walk up to me and say, "Thank you". It took me quite awhile to learn how to respond. And the best I do these days, I've found, is to simply say, "Thank you," in return.

Apparently, there's an organization out there (actually, I believe there are likely to be several) that has dedicated itself to saying thanks.

I found this very moving, to see their efforts.

To them, and to all like them... Thank You.

Stuck In My Head

There's a set of commercials running these days which have gotten stuck in my head.

They're cute, and catchy.

Don't agree with the product, but... it's fun to listen to the commercial.

So, here to share...

A Few Precious Moments with Herr Kringle

Went to the local mall tonight. Don't often go, and no, I wasn't shopping. Thought I'd get a salad at the local Ruby T's.

And then I wen into the mall. And I didn't go to Ruby T's...

I found myself instead standing at Santa's workshop... Looking in from the outside. Watching the parade of youngsters being plopped onto his lap - some happy, some mortally terrified. The parents as often listening closely for that desperate hint of what their precious munchkin wants Santa to bring... As those parents who just want the "Perfect Picture".

I didn't recognize Santa; at least, not this Santa. I asked one of the indigenous elves if Santa worked in this workshop last year... They thought so, but weren't sure. I asked if I could speak to Santa. (Being in uniform probably didn't hurt my chances at jumping the long line, but being a Soldier had nothing to do with my request.)

The elf held up the line, and I approached Santa. I asked if he'd worked last year, and he had not. He look tired, the weight of many cranky cherubs possibly weighing upon him. I decided to tell him a story.

He held my hand tightly in his gloved one... And I looked right into his eyes, for otherwise I wasn't sure if I could do this.

I told him of a family of small children who'd spent a few Christmases overseas where you Santa doesn't host as many "Open Workshops". How the five of us and two of the grandparents had delighted in watching what was for two of them, a new experience with the great, mystical Mr. C, and for our older, a new memory.

And then, how when all of the children had taken their turn, tugged his beard, and enjoyed their moment of joy, I witnessed a Christmas miracle I'll never forget.

How, purely on a whim, I'd turned to E and asked her, playfully, "Would YOU like to talk to Santa?" and her face beamed as I wheeled her over to Santa. The two shared a conversation that brought PURE JOY AND PEACE to the face of the woman who was so often wracked with pain. No one knows what was said -- and we never will, nor is it important what the words are as the substance was clear.

It became (officially) the Last Picture as E was dead barely a week later.



But, as I told Herr Kringle tonight, for that moment, and ever on now, I have no doubt that Santa is real. He brought E Christmas... And to all of us, the spirit and joy of Christmas.

And so it was, that with tears streaming down my cheek, I THANKED Santa tonight... Something I've waited nearly a year to do. And Santa gave me a big, tight hug.

Merry Christmas.

(Blast from the past...)

Closing a Chapter of the Past

In the paper earlier this week, word of a job closing came out.

A call center in Goose Creek is closing on 31 May 2008. It hosts several telephone departments for National and Alamo car rentals. These companies were recently acquired by Enterprise Rent a Car.

I used to work there. I'm still friends with quite a few people who (for now) work there.

Lots of good memories. I met Ellicia there.

And now, it too, shall move into the past. Obsolete. Not worth the investment.

I'm so sorry for the friends who just received sad Christmas news.

Stand Up! Stand Up! Get Up Off of that Seat!

Scientists apparently are beginning to believe that sitting down turns off the body's fat-burning mechanism (it also causes global warming, but that can't be helped).

Take a look.

There's likely something to this... so, when you have the opportunity, stand up. Get out of that chair. Work standing up... Walk...

This time of year can be hard enough.

Here's the story.