Ellicia's Artwork #2

Ellicia's Artwork #1

I've been making remarkable progress going through boxes. Something I'd avoided for... well, a long, long time. Boxes had been piled high in rooms... and I've been terrifed to open any of them.

Now, I am doing just that.

And today, I was rewarded with an unexpected surprise.

I found Ellicia's water colors.

A Beautiful Star Spangled Rendition

I wish embedding hadn't been disabled (poor choice)... so, please click over to here to watch some very talented young girls.

'Nuff said.

Gray Eagles

I had the pleasure of seeing Mustangs at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends.

I'd encourage you to go to this site (I wish they let me embed the video here) and watch a very touching video about a Mustang pilot being reunited with his restored aircraft.

Gray Eagles

An Incredible THANK YOU

Thank you to Kevin, Gregg, and Bruce for doing this. Imagine my surprise when it popped into my email box...

Take a look: Pundit Review Radio

I've never heard my words read back to me... and to hear it like this... honestly, I just curled up into a ball for a bit. I am so honored to have been Ellicia's husband and partner, even for the short time we were together. She taught me so much - about what's important, how to live, and how to face the future even when it's a future that is very frightening.

Thank you, Pundit Review... thank you.

Talk About Being Enthusiastic!

This kid is VERY enthusiastic about his baptism... hehehe Wouldn't it be something to see this in person?

Not Waiting Until Veteran's Day

Sometimes, we just can't say "Thank You" enough. I urge you to click below and see those who've gone before.

And next time you see a vet, please... let them know you appreciate what they did... back then.

Please Click Here

Breast Cancer Walk Update

So far, we've raised $790 in Ellicia's name for the Avon Breast Cancer walk. That's 44% of my goal of $1800!

Thank you ALL so much for your generous support...

And now, An Amusing Interlude

One of my favorite songs... I've loved it's wit and cleverness for years....

And it gives such a wonderful example of Murphy's Law...

Enjoy:

Don't Tell My Cats

I hope no one lets my cats know I have this picture. They'd probably claw me to death in my sleep. I'm not sure they'd even wait for me to be asleep. They'd definitely protest...

A Special Treat

Sometimes, Life throws you a special treat. Today was one of those special moments. While waiting to start a mission, I caught a VC-25 taking off from KPHF on one of their many practice flights. Could clearly see the Seal of the President of the United States on her pretty belly.

Was a tail-wagging, toe-tapping moment. Wish the pics were better, but... alas.

"Khmcrzx"

Khmcrzx

Dark brown, or is it
Chestnut? Little matter. It sings,
It flows - as if woven with
Music.

The gentle strands seam together
In beauty pure, as if composed
By God. And certainly, it
Must be so.

For only God can create eyes
That twinkle, like the heavenly stars
Themselves.... and a smile with radiance
Like the sun.

As surely as if gazing into the
Sun, to gaze at her smile will
Blind. And it's a blindness
I'll welcome.

And if inside, in her
Heart, her Mind, her Soul,
She's as much as she is out,
Then all the world is blessed.

She is the essence of beauty
Beauty is the essence of her.
And somewhere, a heart is happy
This world's, this one, already is.

Reid Stanley
October, 1992

"Dad?"

Dad?

Hello lil' baby,
Welcome to this world!
Breathe in deeply, and
Fly your flags of dreams unfurled!

Who's your Daddy,
Lil' one?
Where is he Tonight?
He wishes he were here, with
All his soul and might.

You're growing up, my child.
And taking on the world. Your
Mommy loves you greatly and
Your Daddy even more.

Who's your Daddy,
Lil' one?
Where is he Tonight?
He wishes he were here, with
All his soul and might.

I know you feel alone,
Being only thirteen.
Your father's out there somewhere,
As someone you've never seen.

Who's your Daddy,
Lil' one?
Where is he Tonight?
He wishes he were here, with
All his soul and might.

Happy Wedding Day, oh child!
This is your day to shine.
So while you make your party most wild,
Remember you'll always be mine...

Who's your Daddy,
Lil' one?
Where is he Tonight?
He wishes he were here, with
All his soul and might.

And the cycle is complete,
I'm a Grandfather today.
I only wish I knew, so
You wouldn't have to say:

Who's your Daddy,
Lil' one?
Where is he Tonight?
He wishes he were here, with
All his soul and might.


Reid Stanley
April, 1992

"Haze"

Haze

I live in a world
Unique in its own way,
With its clear
Truths and beautiful
Clarity, life goes on.
But, there are times
When I must leave
This world; for
What I search, I
Cannot find here.

The world I live in
Is unique, but not
Alone. There is another,
Where there are no clear
Pictures, no black or
White; only the gray
Haze.

Ah, the haze. It's all
Encompassing, obscuring
Most things from view.
Yet, still I come, searching,
Hoping... hoping to see
Her.

It is here that she walks,
In this world of haze.
It is here, this world to
Which I must come, for
I cannot see her in
My world.

As I stand in my world,
The time comes, of its own
Accord. I relax, close my
Eyes, and slowly, so very slowly,
The haze comes. It washes over
Everything -- I can see it
Swirling at my feet, but I
Do not mind. I welcome the
Haze, for with it she comes.

Finally, after a time
I cannot define, I arrive
Completely and wholly into
This other world. I have no time
To waste, none to spare.
I open my eyes.

At first, I see nothing,
Not in this world of haze.
I move on, walking, running,
I know not which. Looking,
Searching, I know she's here;
But where?

There she is!
A figure,
Out there, gliding in the
Never-ending haze. She
Does not yet know I'm
Here. I must reach her, I
Must! I increase my
Speed, but I'm not
Tired. I never tire,
In the world of
Haze.

I catch up to her. With
But a glance, I soak
Up her beauty, and
Looking again, I drown in
It. Her sparkling, knowing
Eyes; her straightly, crooked
Back; the knowledge she holds,
and the knowledge she
Does not yet hold.

Slowly, she stops. Anxiously,
I wait as she slowly turns
Toward me. She smiles, oh
That smile of hers. I reach out,
And though my lips do not
Move, I urge her to return,
To return to my
World.

She steps forward, but
Hesitates. She smiles again,
And slowly shakes her
Head. I lose contact with
Her as she she starts to walk, again.
I blink, quite naturally of
Course, but I know it's a mistake.
When I look back, the haze
Is already clearing.

I scream out! But only
A whisper escapes. I
Know she's lost back to the
Haze.

I look about... the colors
Have returned. I know without
Checking that she is not here.
A tear trace its way down
My cheek, ever so slowly.

I know I will return
To my world of haze.
Yet, for now, I am stuck,
Here, without her, in my world:
Reality.

Reid Stanley
January, 1992

"The Bear"

The Bear

The room is
Dark
Save for soft glows
From my lamps.
Quiet pervades -
I can hear
Wind
Whisper by.
I lie there,
Eyes closed,
Wanting to make it
Real.
Lyrics flow,
Taking me away on
Clouds of dreams.
But she's not
Here
And I'm still
Alone
Tonight.
So I hold it
Close
Yet still
No substitute.

Reid Stanley
14 February 1994

Love Is

I still remember this one. It surprised me, as my writing sometimes does, when I finished. It wasn't by conscious design. See if you see why.

Love Is

It's a funny thing,
Love is,
Yet there's little
Humorous about it.

It's our most powerful
Emotion.
The way it can lift us up,
And can destroy us.

It drives us to do
Things
We'd rarely do. It
Consumes us, completely.

It leaves us in a state
Uncontrolled,
Yet we rarely mind
'Cause Love doesn't care.

With it comes complete
Peace --
And unbelieveable torment.
But it's all worth it...

For with Love, we get
Life's greatest rewards.

Reid Stanley
January 1992

"Together At Last?"

Together at Last?

Silence.
It's one of the most
Disquieting noise around.
No phone rings,
No mail to rip open.

You're so nice,
That's right, Nice.
Sweet, Caring, Gentle,
Handsome.

Alone. A great friend,
But alone. Why are you alone?
You're a Dream come true,
Or so they say.

Like art people admire,
But few desire.
Is something wrong?
With you?
With them?
Or, not at all?

Time will prove true,
They say.
How long can time
Tick on, alone?
We are social animals,
Not good alone.

People pass by, and that's
All -- pass by.
The silence is back.
You're alone,
Not again,
Just a mere continuation.

Do not fear, though, as you should not.
You are alone,
And not alone.
There is, they say,
Someone in the five
Billion for you.
Wait.

You are not alone;
You have patience to keep you
Company, for no one else
Will. Indeed, perhaps, you
Are...

Alone.


Reid Stanley
January, 1992

"Answers"

I recently unburied an unexpected treasure trove. Well, it's a treasure trove to me. Poetry I'd written, and which I suspected was long lost in the multitude of moves I've made.

It's fascinating (to me) and certainly a flashback to hold these original printouts (I type everything, always have, always will), complete with editing mark-ups.

And the subject matters which inspired the writing... brought back from the dusty archives of my mind (in some cases, where it should stay).

The first is "Answers". This was written after my first, and only, brief incarceration. It was a learning experience, and the point I define as "rock-bottom".

How long does it take
For a life to shatter?
Is it important how long?
Does it really matter?
Of course not.
Whether in two seconds
Or two days, the life
Is still shattered.

The more important questions
Are the How,
the Why...
It's in the answers,
Or at least, the attempts to
Answer, that a life can be
Rebuilt.
And rebuild one must,
For if a life stays shattered Long,
It dies,
Like a goldfish out of its bowl.

For me, one weekend
Cracked, and then shattered,
my life.
It's not hard to do;
All people have fragile lives --
All one must do is find the weak spot.
Mine was found.

For me, it wasn't being arrested,
Though it played a part.
It wasn't my car,
Though, it, too, played a part.
It was the one thing which brings all men,
Be they great or unknown,
To their knees.

Why did she not come?
Even a small friend would come.
Why not her?
For eighteen hours, I could think.
I'd lost my car,
My future.
But I thought of Those least.
How is she?
Is she alright?
Those are what took up my mind.

But even the question did not Hurt,
So much as the answer.
It was, of course,
An answer I did not want;
But the mind is its own worst enemy.
I could not deny the answer.
It permeated everywhere.
I could not escape,
Not even to my Hazeworld,
For it was there, too.

The answer must be true,
For only the truth has the Powers
Like the answer.
To stay,
To envelop,
To surround,
To Hurt.
And it did not stop
At eighteen hours, no
It continued,
And still does.

I have fixed all disasters
Of that weekend,
My Life is no longer
Shattered;
Yet, there is still a hole:
Why did she not come?

Reid Stanley
January 1992

Godspeed!

Forty-six years ago today...

The United States launched Lieutenant Colonel John Glenn into orbit. His mission decidedly charted America's future exploration into space. We had previously dipped our toes into the water through the missions of Alan Shepherd and Gus Grissom. But, these were suborbital "lobs", enabling us to get a feel for this new arena.

And we've been exploring (sometimes fitfully, yes) ever since.

I Know Diddly

I know diddly-squat about horsemanship and horses.

Ok, that was being generous. I know less than diddly.

However, this video, sent to me by a friend, is quite impressive. Please, take a look, and enjoy.

And to all the little girls who would like nothing more than to have a pony... enjoy even more, because when you follow your dreams, happiness follows.