As we venture into a new year, I thought it only apt to begin it with some wishes for our lives.
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. - Benjamin Franklin
May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself. - Neil Gaiman
I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, thatyou'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindess and wisdom in the world right now) that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind. - Neil Gaiman
Happy 2011 everybody. May it be beautiful and worthwhile.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
An Historic Irony
Yes, I am one of the people who say "an historic".
So I'm reading for my law history class and I came across this ironic case in US History. Not a legal case, just a case of fact.
The 13th amendment to our constitution ratified in 1865 reads:
1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation
In 1860 then senator Jefferson Davis (later head of the Confederate States of America) proposed the following 13th amendment which was NARROWLY kept from passing due to Lincoln's election and the secession of the southern states:
Neither Congress nor a territorial legislature...possess the power to annul or impair the constitutional right of any citizen of the United States to take his slave property into the common territories..."
...Funny how one election and 5 years made such a difference.
So I'm reading for my law history class and I came across this ironic case in US History. Not a legal case, just a case of fact.
The 13th amendment to our constitution ratified in 1865 reads:
1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation
In 1860 then senator Jefferson Davis (later head of the Confederate States of America) proposed the following 13th amendment which was NARROWLY kept from passing due to Lincoln's election and the secession of the southern states:
Neither Congress nor a territorial legislature...possess the power to annul or impair the constitutional right of any citizen of the United States to take his slave property into the common territories..."
...Funny how one election and 5 years made such a difference.
Monday, July 26, 2010
I hate to be a quitter but...
For now this blog is officially on hiatus. Really, the hiatus began a few weeks ago when I just completely stopped posting, but I thought I'd make it official.
My plan was a post a day for a year. I spent a lot of time doing catchup for one reason or another which kinda defeated the purpose... but kinda didn't. But now I'm not even playing catchup, I've just more or less given up.
[For quick reference if you want to go back to old entries here are the topics by month: Feb- Black History Month, Mar- Women's History Month, Apr- Poetry Month, May- Mothers, June- Fathers]
I spend all kinds of time on the computer every day and still haven't made a legitimate post in weeks. So, as I said, I'm putting this blog on a hiatus. It might last a couple weeks or, I might just leave off where I started this year next year. So my next themed post might not occur until July 8th? 2011. Or I might just start from scratch at the new year. Or I may never make another post again, who knows.
I may or may not just post randomness throughout the year that doesn't go with the blog's theme, or maybe I'll start a new blog for that. Only time will tell.
Thanks to any of you who read this message who followed me in my short 5 months of blogdom, hope you enjoyed it and don't feel your time was wasted.
My plan was a post a day for a year. I spent a lot of time doing catchup for one reason or another which kinda defeated the purpose... but kinda didn't. But now I'm not even playing catchup, I've just more or less given up.
[For quick reference if you want to go back to old entries here are the topics by month: Feb- Black History Month, Mar- Women's History Month, Apr- Poetry Month, May- Mothers, June- Fathers]
I spend all kinds of time on the computer every day and still haven't made a legitimate post in weeks. So, as I said, I'm putting this blog on a hiatus. It might last a couple weeks or, I might just leave off where I started this year next year. So my next themed post might not occur until July 8th? 2011. Or I might just start from scratch at the new year. Or I may never make another post again, who knows.
I may or may not just post randomness throughout the year that doesn't go with the blog's theme, or maybe I'll start a new blog for that. Only time will tell.
Thanks to any of you who read this message who followed me in my short 5 months of blogdom, hope you enjoyed it and don't feel your time was wasted.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
A post of acknowledgement
So I've completely failed in my posting this month. This is just a post acknowledging my failure and the fact that I haven't made a post since the 7th. It's funny b/c this should be the month I have the most to say about. But I'm kind of loving my summer break and haven't bothered. I'll update legitimately soon enough, I may or may not make up posts for all the days I've missed because that's seriously getting to be a big number. Either way, yeah, thought I should post a litle thing here.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
More about the history of the US flag(s) than you probably ever wanted to know...
I was just looking for a picture of the first US flag, but i found this timeline which I found at least intriguing. The link with the timeline follows. Link
(For 7/6) Predating the president, we think our government gets nothing done...
The President of the US seems to be synonymous with government here -- funny since it's really supposed to be a balance between three powers. However under the initial governing document of the US, the Articles of Confederation, allowed for no executive branch of government and the US lacked one until the creation of the Consititution.
Referring to the country as the US at this time is a misnomer honestly because at the time they were a confederation of states. Each state held equal sway and veto power -- thus, very little got done in the nation's first six years. Maybe our government doesn't work today, but at least it's not at a perpetual standstill as it was prior to the US Constitution.
Something to think about...
Referring to the country as the US at this time is a misnomer honestly because at the time they were a confederation of states. Each state held equal sway and veto power -- thus, very little got done in the nation's first six years. Maybe our government doesn't work today, but at least it's not at a perpetual standstill as it was prior to the US Constitution.
Something to think about...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Patriotism...
Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it.
- George Bernard Shaw
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Independence Day...
July 4th woohooooo. I worked today, how about you? Anyhoo.
July 4th is commonly known as Independence Day for the USA because it is more or less the date when the majority of the members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence that called for an official break with the motherland of England . I wanted to make this about black independence because that's an interesting story, but as I'm writing this I can't resist throwing in a few lines from the Declaration instead.
Please note that while the wording of the declaration is beautiful, the account was really quite an exaggeration in most counts. People on the American continent basically wanted the protection of the mother country without having to pay the taxes. They were the least taxed of all British subjects and had cost the empire millions but were indignant enough to think they didn't owe any return. Whatever...
That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
Happy Independence Day.
July 4th is commonly known as Independence Day for the USA because it is more or less the date when the majority of the members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence that called for an official break with the motherland of England . I wanted to make this about black independence because that's an interesting story, but as I'm writing this I can't resist throwing in a few lines from the Declaration instead.
Please note that while the wording of the declaration is beautiful, the account was really quite an exaggeration in most counts. People on the American continent basically wanted the protection of the mother country without having to pay the taxes. They were the least taxed of all British subjects and had cost the empire millions but were indignant enough to think they didn't owe any return. Whatever...
That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
Happy Independence Day.
(For 7/3) America's National Pastime...
First of all, "pastime" is a ridiculous word. Second of all, I went to watch Baseball yesterday which is established as the USA's national pastime/sport. The Padres won.
According to wikipedia baseball was beginning to become known as being the national pastimes by 1856, a title it was given in various newspaper articles in the New York area.
According to wikipedia baseball was beginning to become known as being the national pastimes by 1856, a title it was given in various newspaper articles in the New York area.
Lord I am lazy... (For 7/2)
I'm going to be straight up about this. If you follow this, or happen across it and look at it you'll see I've been slacking off A LOT lately and just doing a mass of posts all in one day. I'm getting kind of tired of this blog. My attachment to it has been somewhat fleeting and I'm exhausted and not on my computer as much lately since I'm staying with my sister. I wanna keep up with it because I feel like I should, I think I should complete it. So please forgive my mass posts...
In the 1800s French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States to observe the workings of democracy and the country itself. He wrote his observations in a book titled Democracy In America. The following quote is an excerpt from the text.
In the 1800s French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States to observe the workings of democracy and the country itself. He wrote his observations in a book titled Democracy In America. The following quote is an excerpt from the text.
As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question:
how much money will it bring in?
- Alexis de Tocqueville
Thursday, July 1, 2010
I'm a US History Major what can I say...
So Independence Day is July 4th, so this month gets to be all patriotic and America. But I'm a US history major so I'll also have some not-so-nice juicy secrets to share as well. This is probably going to be my nerdiest month, just warning.
(For 6/30) Walk with kings nor lose the common touch
Rudyard Kipling was a bigot, a racist, and an imperialist...but I can't help loving this poem...
If
Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”;
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
If
Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”;
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
(For 6/29)...it almost seems insincere since I'm catching up so late...
There must always be a struggle between a father and son, while one aims at power
and the other at independence.
-Samuel Johnson
(For 6/28) "I'm gonna be like you, Dad"
Cats in the Cradle - Cat Stevens
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking before I knew it and as he grew
He said, "I’m gonna be like you, Dad,
You know I’m gonna be like you"
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin home, dad, I don’t know when,
But we'll get together then, Son,
You know we'll have a good time then.
My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on lets play
can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do" He said "Thats okay"
And then he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said "I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m going to be like him"
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, dad, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Son,
You know we'll have a good time then.
Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Son, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad,
You know we'll have a good time then.
I’ve long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day........
I said "I'd like to see you if you don’t mind"
He said "I'd love to Dad, if I could find the time.
You see my new jobs a hassle, and the kids have the flu.
But It's sure nice talking to you, Dad,
It's been sure nice talking to you........"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me,
My boy was just like me..............
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Son, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad
We're gonna have a good time then.
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking before I knew it and as he grew
He said, "I’m gonna be like you, Dad,
You know I’m gonna be like you"
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you comin home, dad, I don’t know when,
But we'll get together then, Son,
You know we'll have a good time then.
My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on lets play
can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do" He said "Thats okay"
And then he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said "I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m going to be like him"
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, dad, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Son,
You know we'll have a good time then.
Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Son, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad,
You know we'll have a good time then.
I’ve long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day........
I said "I'd like to see you if you don’t mind"
He said "I'd love to Dad, if I could find the time.
You see my new jobs a hassle, and the kids have the flu.
But It's sure nice talking to you, Dad,
It's been sure nice talking to you........"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me,
My boy was just like me..............
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Son, I dont know when,
But we'll get together then, Dad
We're gonna have a good time then.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Anything Like Me
I got Brad Paisley's American Saturday Night album a couple months back and fell in love. Particularly with this song... (I know, this is my second Brad Paisley song this month but oh welll)
Anything Like Me
by Brad Paisley
I remember sayin I dont care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy Im ok
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said Ya see that thing right there well ya know what that means
And I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if hes anything like me
Hell probably climb a tree to tall and ride hes bike to fast
End up every summer wearin something in a cast
Hes gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street
Hes gonna get in trouble oh hes gonna get in fights
Im gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It safe to say that im gonna get my pay back if hes anything like me
I can see him right now knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass tryin to melt the Tonka truck
Wont he be a sight with his football helmet on
Thatll be his first love til his first love comes along
Hell get his heart broke by the time hes in his teens
And heaven help him if hes anything like me
Hell probably stay out to late and drive his car to fast
Get a speeding ticket hell pay for mowing grass
Hes gonna get caught skippin class and be ground for a week
Hes gonna get in trouble were gonna get in fights
Im gonna lose my temper and some sleep
Its safe to say that im gonna get my pay back if hes anything like me
Hes gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
Hes gonna hug hes momma hes gonna shake my hand
Hes gonna act like he cant wait to leave
But as he drives out hell cry hes eyes out
If he's anything like me there's worse folks to be like
Aw he'll be alright if hes anything like me
Anything Like Me
by Brad Paisley
I remember sayin I dont care either way
Just as long as he or she is healthy Im ok
Then the doctor pointed to the corner of the screen
And said Ya see that thing right there well ya know what that means
And I started wondering who he was going to be
And I thought heaven help us if hes anything like me
Hell probably climb a tree to tall and ride hes bike to fast
End up every summer wearin something in a cast
Hes gonna throw a ball and break some glass in a window down the street
Hes gonna get in trouble oh hes gonna get in fights
Im gonna lose my temper and some sleep
It safe to say that im gonna get my pay back if hes anything like me
I can see him right now knees all skinned up
With a magnifying glass tryin to melt the Tonka truck
Wont he be a sight with his football helmet on
Thatll be his first love til his first love comes along
Hell get his heart broke by the time hes in his teens
And heaven help him if hes anything like me
Hell probably stay out to late and drive his car to fast
Get a speeding ticket hell pay for mowing grass
Hes gonna get caught skippin class and be ground for a week
Hes gonna get in trouble were gonna get in fights
Im gonna lose my temper and some sleep
Its safe to say that im gonna get my pay back if hes anything like me
Hes gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
Hes gonna hug hes momma hes gonna shake my hand
Hes gonna act like he cant wait to leave
But as he drives out hell cry hes eyes out
If he's anything like me there's worse folks to be like
Aw he'll be alright if hes anything like me
(Photo credits are not mine)
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Like Father, Like Son
Like Father, Like Son from the Broadway rock opera Aida.
ZOSER
Don't come on so cocksure boy, you can't escape your genes
No point in feeling pure boy, your background intervenes
Listen good and listen straight, you're not the master of your fate
To this you must be reconciled; you'll always be your father's child
At times acclaimed, at times reviled
You'll wind up doing just what I've done
Like father, like son
RADAMES
Don't assume your vices get handed down the line
That a parent's blood suffices to condemn the child's design
I've done wrong, I can't deny, but at least I know that I
Shouldn't blame that on my stock, this may come as quite a shock
I'm no chip off any block, I wouldn't wish those words on anyone
Like father, like son
ZOSER
Don't come on so cocksure boy, you can't escape your genes
No point in feeling pure boy, your background intervenes
Listen good and listen straight, you're not the master of your fate
To this you must be reconciled; you'll always be your father's child
At times acclaimed, at times reviled
You'll wind up doing just what I've done
Like father, like son
RADAMES
Don't assume your vices get handed down the line
That a parent's blood suffices to condemn the child's design
I've done wrong, I can't deny, but at least I know that I
Shouldn't blame that on my stock, this may come as quite a shock
I'm no chip off any block, I wouldn't wish those words on anyone
Like father, like son
Friday, June 25, 2010
The death of the future
To a father, when a child dies, the future dies; to a child when a parent dies, the past dies.
- Red Auerbach
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Shocking father moments in movie history
Darth Vader: Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
Luke Skywalker: He told me enough! He told me you killed him!
Vader Skywalker: No. I am your father.
Luke Skywalker: He told me enough! He told me you killed him!
Vader Skywalker: No. I am your father.
(6/23) My father's hats
My father had a million hats. A ton of baseball hats, and a bunch of other random ones as well.
My Father's Hats
by Mark Irwin
Sunday mornings I would reach
high into his dark closet while standing
on a chair and tiptoeing reach
higher, touching, sometimes fumbling
the soft crowns and imagine
I was in a forest, wind hymning
through pines, where the musky scent
of rain clinging to damp earth was
his scent I loved, lingering on
bands, leather, and on the inner silk
crowns where I would smell his
hair and almost think I was being
held, or climbing a tree, touching
the yellow fruit, leaves whose scent
was that of clove in the godsome
air, as now, thinking of his fabulous
sleep, I stand on this canyon floor
and watch light slowly close
on water I can't be sure is there.
(6/22) Everything he knew
Dad taught me everything I know. Unfortunately, he didn't teach me everything he knows.
~Al Unser, Jr.
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