Friday, December 28, 2012

There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the shades of gray get in…..


The presidential election, Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and finally Christmas – these are major stressors that lead up to the relief and the celebratory beginning of a new cycle – a new year! How does one cope with it all? How do you manage to survive and enjoy the promise that the future holds? 

This year we also have a political cliff to fall off thanks to the idiots we have elected to represent us in governing our country. Doesn’t it occur to anyone that our so-called “fiscal cliff” is the result of legislation dating back to the Reagan administration? In reality, there is a political “cliff” waiting to happen every day in government. We have a system of government that is designed to play on our emotions – politics is based on manipulation of the public will that allows for the empowerment of those who are willing to play the game. Most of us are not – that is why we elect others to do that dirty work. It is a ridiculous mistake to be then outraged by the folly that goes on. It seems much more logical to blame the media for following the drama rather than the facts behind the issues. Facts are really boring, while the drama sells advertising.

We all seem to love the high drama of the human condition. Isn’t that a huge part of what makes pop culture what it is? If it isn’t our political stage, it’s our reality entertainment shows. If it isn’t the spectacle of watching the fits and stops of our society, it’s the painful reality of our friends and families. If it isn’t the mistakes that we make every day in life, it’s the absurdity of what we do to others in order to make ourselves feel better. All the drama that plays upon life’s stage provides the fodder for so much of our social interaction – our common focus for the measure of comparison that gives us a sense of belonging to the great life that we share with others on this planet. This is pop culture!

So, getting back to the stress of the holiday season – the stress season, if you will – are we not all a bit stressed out by now? Can Black Friday be considered a “holiday”? I love this time of year – I loved it during all the years that I worked in retail, and I love it still. As a patriotic American, I celebrate the capitalist element to gift giving. I say let there be a chicken in every pot, and an electronic device in every hand. I hate going to malls, but could not resist making an appearance at the mall on Christmas Eve – just for the fun of it. For many, ignoring the stress of the season it a means of coping with someone else’s perception of reality, while dealing with their own – Christmas Eve shoppers are either in panic mode or simply just enjoy getting it done. There is both efficiency and beauty to behold. Black Friday shoppers, on the other hand, are the suckers who have put far too much importance on a part of life that is really of very minor significance. Black Friday certainly can be considered a holiday – the celebration of a very dark part of the human condition – it is one hell of an example of pop culture. 

My reason for dropping in on the last minute shoppers was to purchase a gift for my terrific spousal unit. We had agreed not to purchase each other gifts this year because we had made a purchase that suited us both – a common purchase that pleased us both equally. Ah, but the rub with this plan is the knowledge that one, or both of us, might ignore the agreement and purchase the token gift to share on Christmas Day. As the very imperfect example of humanity that I am, my strategy called for protecting myself from the possibility that a token gift might be given without reciprocation. There were three possible scenarios here – one that we would both have the small, token gift for each other; or she might have her offering while I did not; and finally that I would have one and she would not. Many years of marriage has taught be that it would be better to be the one with the gift in hand. The worse-case scenario is that she would feel that I had broken the agreement, but the counter to that would be my thoughtfulness. I will not bore you with the final outcome to this tale, but move on to tying these paragraphs together.

The final purchase, the token gift, can always be a book. After decades in the book business, after decades of marriage, after decades of appreciation for our pop culture, my selection was the new biography of Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen, by Sylvie Simmons. Cohen’s “Anthem” expresses my mood very nicely – “There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” It also describes our common human condition – we are not perfect, but our ability to step back and look at the drama, look at the humor, look at the hope of our lives is what allows us to enjoy life. Hallelujah!




"Anthem"

The birds they sang 
at the break of day 
Start again 
I heard them say 
Don't dwell on what 
has passed away 
or what is yet to be. 
Ah the wars they will 
be fought again 
The holy dove 
She will be caught again 
bought and sold 
and bought again 
the dove is never free. 

Ring the bells that still can ring 
Forget your perfect offering 
There is a crack in everything 
That's how the light gets in. 

We asked for signs 
the signs were sent: 
the birth betrayed 
the marriage spent 
Yeah the widowhood 
of every government -- 
signs for all to see. 

I can't run no more 
with that lawless crowd 
while the killers in high places 
say their prayers out loud. 
But they've summoned, they've summoned up 
a thundercloud 
and they're going to hear from me. 

Ring the bells that still can ring ... 

You can add up the parts 
but you won't have the sum 
You can strike up the march, 
there is no drum 
Every heart, every heart 
to love will come 
but like a refugee. 

Ring the bells that still can ring 
Forget your perfect offering 
There is a crack, a crack in everything 
That's how the light gets in. 

Ring the bells that still can ring 
Forget your perfect offering 
There is a crack, a crack in everything 
That's how the light gets in. 
That's how the light gets in. 
That's how the light gets in.


Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Bah humbug! Who killed the holiday spirit?

Bah humbug! Who killed the holiday spirit? We’re in the middle of the holiday season and there hasn’t been any snow, temperatures have been more spring-like than late autumn or winter. Complaints, or discussion, about what is the appropriate way to wish someone well this season have been very subdued. Is it really supposed to be “happy holidays” or merry christmas”? Duh? Children don’t even appear to be excited. Is Santa Claus actually dead? Finally?

The Christmas season really is the great American holiday. This is when we truly celebrate our culture. We are capitalists after all, and what says “capitalism” better than Christmas? The Fourth of July? Forget that!

This is our season to be jolly. Let the cash registers ring, hum, and ding! Alright, it’s true – malls are really disgusting, impersonal, torture. Hell, you can’t even find a table in the coffee shop in Barnes and Noble these days. Besides, as conscientious Americans, isn’t it our responsibility to the economy – to our fellow Americans – to buy stuff all year round? Stuff is proof that we are successful and happy. Stuff is our fulfillment. Stuff is really the trophy for our patriotism. Stuff is how we show that we are proud Americans. How else would we know that we are happy?

Much of my life has been spent working in, or with, retail. We have all heard about Black Friday, right? This is when our retail businesses are supposed to finally get “out of the red” and “into the black”, referring to the color of ink in our ledger books. Is this the capitalism that we are supposed to be celebrating though? No wonder that we are all scared to death of the looming “fiscal cliff”. What kind of business model would allow us to speculate on reaching the point where we might turn a profit after 11 months of debt? Has the capitalism of our great American culture come to such a level of stupidity that we are allowed to throw good money after bad for most of the year and hope that we will see a return on that “investment” in the final month? No wonder this holiday season seems to be lacking in excitement.

Business models are supposed to be based on sound logic with reasonable and logical projections for leveraging success toward growth and profit. Promises that investment will fall from the sky – if the gods in the heavens are happy with their own successes – seems a little too much like believing that there really is a Santa Claus. Successful business people need to be just a little more realistic in their approach to how they spend their money. Small profits must come before large profits. We need to be able to pay our bills all 12 months of the year. Hard work, honesty, and responsibility are the American ideals that most reflect our capitalist values. We don’t get something for nothing, and we don’t deserve to make money off the backs of our fellow citizens. We live in a land of opportunity where our values are rewarded, right?

My bookselling experiences during the holiday season have always been exceptional. If I didn’t pay my bills throughout the year, my suppliers would not have shipped the books that I need for the holidays in a timely manner and sales would have been dismal. Basically, that’s a sure path to failure. Black Friday is and idiotic idea that is more about tricking consumers into believing that it is time to get out and do their patriotic capitalistic duty. There is just so much time left to spend your money in order to save. Let’s create some pressure, some panic. Do it now! How awful! Ridiculous!

As a bookseller, the final run up to the holidays is always fun. Books are stuff, but not the dumb stuff that has become the plastic trophies of our cultural misconceptions. In fact, books, as stuff, fail miserably. They are invisible to our neighbors and fellow citizens. Yes, they do contribute to a lot of personal clutter, but they also enrich us. They stay on our shelves, in our houses, and in our minds for far longer than most of the other kinds of stuff. Best of all, we can share them and discuss them with our friends and fellow citizens. As gifts, books are fun because they contain the magic of ideas. Shared ideas are shared ideals – they are shared values. So, a bookseller, has a wonderful opportunity to witness the true joy of the season. When people shop for books, they browse a bookstore’s shelves quietly, contemplatively, using intelligence and empathy to choose what will be most appropriate for each on their shopping lists. This is a miracle to observe, and a privilege to be able to help with.

What has happened to the holiday spirit? What kind of Grinch is it that has tossed the garbage into our minds and gummed up our spirits? Have we been so distracted by the noise that surrounds us? The politics? The marketing? The small-minded, mean-spirited, selfishness of a what’s-in-it-for-me approach to defining our American culture? Let’s keep in mind what this holiday season is all about. Let’s celebrate the spirit of our American capitalist ideas and ideals. Let’s shop for gifts that are NOT just the stuff that our politicians and marketers keep sticking under our noses and look inside ourselves for the pathway to empathy with our family, friends, and fellow citizens. Let’s think about what it means to love and to give. Let’s lighten up the burden and enjoy the process of thinking about others. The holidays are not about stuff. They are not about the economics of stuff. They are not about the responsibility for stuff. They are not about the pride of stuff. They are not about the hunger for stuff. These holidays are for reminding ourselves that we care about people – the idea of people, the ideal of people, the value of people. These holidays are for reminding ourselves that we are of value – not because of our stuff, but because of our people – our families, our friends, and the society that we are a part of.


Alright, now let’s get out there and shop! The American economy needs all the help that it can get. Do it with a smile on your face – wish everyone a merry holiday and a happy christmas, be spiritual, be human, be generous. Don’t burden others with your personal baggage, this is the time to think and be positive. Don’t purchase what you can’t afford and pay your bills when they come due so that next year you will begin the holiday season in a better mood.

Friday, December 7, 2012

A Memory of Dave Brubeck

David Warren Brubeck passed away this week, just shy of his 92nd birthday. Ironically, he died while en route to a doctor appointment. This is sad news because, like many of my peers, Dave Brubeck had influenced our lives. There was just something about his music that gave a sense of meaning that was different.

A friend had invited me to drive to Detroit for a weekend at the University of Detroit. He had a girlfriend there and she had a friend – you get the idea. I was available. Today, there is just one part of that weekend that I remember. It was a beautiful spring weekend in 1965 and the highlight of the weekend was a Saturday evening concert with Dave Brubeck and his quartet opening for Duke Ellington and his orchestra. The drive was just over 250 miles and the accommodations were sparse – I remember sleeping on a bed in an unfinished basement, next to a large furnace. The bed was probably shared as well, but I really don’t remember that detail.

Music was not a big thing in my humble background. My roots were poor, working-class Irish immigrant laborers. There was an RCA Victor radio, record player, and speaker filled cabinet in our living room – but few recordings. Prior to adding a television to the room in the late, mid-50s, the radio was the focal point. We listened to radio shows like Gunsmoke, The Shadow, The Great Gildersleeve, and others. Records were not particularly valued – there simply wasn’t money to purchase this form of entertainment. However, a highlight was an old recording of “Get Along Little Doggies (Yippee Ti Yi Yippee Yippee Yay)” – I can still sing that refrain!

When the television found its way into our lives, one of the early shows that the family enjoyed was “Peter Gunn.” Henry Mancini’s music was my introduction to modern jazz (there was no way that Miles Davis could even be imagined in my life at the time). Mancini was within reach, or so I thought. The very first record album that I ever purchased was an  45 rpm LP album, “Theme to Peter Gunn.” My mother made me return it immediately.

So, in 1965, just prior to being called to the military, it was off to Detroit for a weekend with an unknown young lady from Saginaw. I had no idea what the schedule had in store. Who cared? I was a young man with all the red-blooded impulses that anyone would imagine.

All these years later, there is no way that I can describe the details of that weekend. They have long been lost in the deep recesses of my brain – blocked by the profound experiences of my future. What I do remember, and will never forget, was how impressed I was by that music. Yes, I already knew the music – Duke Ellington, of course. Brubeck too! Remember, I had been listening to the radio. Radio was big in those days – no longer the drama shows of the 40s and 50s, but popular music on the radio was the background accompaniment to my teenage hormonal existence. I was just like everyone else before and after. This was live music though, and I truly felt alive that spring weekend.

What I learned afterward was how influenced Brubeck had been by Ellington. Also, the relationship that the two had and their experiences performing with mixed racial ensembles. In those years, playing college campuses was a major performance outlet. But, there were colleges that would not allow musicians to perform with other musicians that were not of the same race. Brubeck’s quartet might arrive for a gig and find that they would not be allowed to play. Brubeck has told of one such experience when this happened and Ellington, who had been in the same place and available, was able to fill in because he was traveling with an all black band at the time.

Both Ellington and Brubeck were giants in American music and jazz in particular. They were innovative and classy individuals. They represented musicians and their profession from a platform that was elevated by their character and creativity. My accidental witnessing of both in this single concert illustrated to me that the experience of these superstars was accessible at just about any time, and around any corner. This knowledge has been reinforced with many additional experiences in my life. It has been a privilege to have met and witnessed some exceptional individuals – individuals with character, talent, and even some with fame. I never had the opportunity to see Ellington again, but Brubeck remained in his parallel life – until now. It was great to have had him in my world!




Thursday, November 22, 2012

I’m going to receive several piercing looks from my better half today as that moment in time when the guests begin to arrive grows near.


One of the finer things about Thanksgiving is the inevitable discussion on the “division of labor.” It is hard to imagine why this ever comes up. My spousal unit clearly fits the slot for “skilled” labor while the role of the “unskilled” is also necessary, it must be depreciated for its nature. It is a valid argument that someone must watch the pots simmer and make piercing glances at the lower tier of domestic society.

Last night we sought refuge from our kitchen at a local restaurant. After a day of standing over a cutting board, it seemed imperative that my spousal unit should be allowed some escape from the need to plan and prepare yet another meal – especially when the effort required for today loomed on the horizon.

 It was interesting to observe the large group of men that arrived to occupy a nearby table. No less than eight middle-aged men who were accompanied by one young girl (6-7 years old) and a teenaged boy. As two ice-filled buckets of beer bottles appeared, we wondered if these fellows had simply been kicked out of home, hearth, and kitchen while their 8 wives had pumped up the stove and oven. I don’t like to imagine what a kitchen of 8 women must be like. Who’s in charge? What is the division of labor?  How many of them are not in the kitchen or the restaurant the evening before Thanksgiving? Who cleans up? Yet, these fellows were not rookies or novices. They had a look of relaxed contentment. They were together, as were their wives. My suspicion is that those 8 women were the best of friends and loved having gotten those men out of the way. All of us are thankful for such scenarios.

I know that I’m going to receive several piercing looks from my better half today as that moment in time when the guests begin to arrive grows near. I will have done my best to have the table expanded and the chairs in place. There will be no dirty pots and pans piled up in the sink and the dishwasher will be emptied and ready to fill. The camera batteries will be charged, the bar set up, and kitchen garbage bags ready to fill with the remains to Tom Turkey and his uneaten vegetable sidekicks. Our guests and my talented spousal unit chef will be home and in bed long before the clean-up is complete.  Like any sport, this will be a team effort – a team that is made up of an all-star and a supporting player – neither of which could pull this off without the other.  We are thankful.

We have been at this sport for a long time. We have not been good at bringing our children along to their participatory roles. They arrive with families in tow and start pouring the wine. They drink and eat too much and when they leave we are happy to see them go. Alas, we are thankful!  On their behalf, they have become more helpful, although still not consistent. We have not trained them well – we have served them – they are our children after all. We are thankful.

Tonight at midnight, I suspect that there will be at least one guest that I will be boiling over about, but that is the nature of serving. People learn from what is done for them and what is done to them. At midnight, no doubt, the cleaning up will be nearly done. Chronic back pain will be killing me and exhaustion will dominate all thinking. There will not be a quiet moment to sit and reflect about what a wonderful day it has been – I wish that there could be – but, I’ll be damned if I will leave such a mess for tomorrow. In the morning, I will be thankful for that.

Next year we will be looking forward to doing this all over again. We will have missed that quiet moment after the guests have left and as the crumbs and dust settles. Our brains would not know what to do with that quiet moment – that is simply not who we are. But, little by little, we will have recovered and had the realization that we have brought value to our lives and the lives of our guests. We will have enjoyed the effort and so will our guests. We will have enjoyed our guests and felt their appreciation. We will all be thankful.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!


Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday – more than Christmas (I’d rather eat than have to shop); more than the 4th of July (sometimes hot and buggy); and even better than birthdays. Nobody is the center of attention, nobody is obligated to live up to expectations, and nobody has to prepare, shop for, or do anything creative. Like all holidays, Thanksgiving is only as good as we make it – it’s easy enough to rattle off a thank you or two; you can usually find someone that will invite you to dinner; and watching football is the über statement that you just don’t give a damn. Did I mention dessert? So, the baseline is pretty good – building from such a simple starting point can only make for the best of holidays.

I come from a good-sized Irish-American family, growing up with two terrific parents, five acceptable siblings, and somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty first cousins. So, clearly there is a strong family tradition being passed along here. Thanksgiving was always basic food, nothing fancy or gourmet – just voluminous amounts of mashed potatoes, squash, turnip, stuffing, cranberries, and turkey. Still, there would always be room for dessert – apple pie and pumpkin pie mostly, with the occasional minced meat or cherry pie. Now, I’m beginning to get hungry!

When my sisters, brothers, and I started our own families, Thanksgiving grew tremendously. It is the holiday that we liked to host. There were only good times, no fights or disagreements – well maybe we did have some conflict now and then when the football game was actually well contested and the call to dinner would come at the most crucial point in the game. But, for the most part, it is a laid back holiday and, therefore, a time that is enjoyable to share with families and friends.

The reason thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, however, is because with effort it can become truly special. We work hard to prepare the best food – nothing off-the-wall or out-of-the-ordinary, nothing over or under cooked, nothing over or under seasoned, no compromises on quality or quantity. We work hard for days getting it all ready, invite any family that we can, and invite whatever friends are orphaned or without a plan for whatever reason. Finally, we give thanks – we don’t just say “thank you” for this and that – but, we mention only what we are truly sincere about. Mostly, we give thanks that we are together in a comfortable home with each other on a day that is easy to enjoy. How can you beat that on any other holiday?

Sunday, November 11, 2012

We are mostly not "heroes", but we are "veterans"!

Did you enjoy all the noise spewing out of our politicians during the past few months? The freedom to do that, get elected, and send our young into battle regardless of "why" lies on the backs of veterans who have survived the folly of power. Veterans did the dirty work, got killed or messed up mentally and physically because of "duty". While serving our country, we helped to fix the errors of our political leaders. We are mostly not "heroes", and certainly not "victims", but we are "veterans"! 

You don't need to buy our meals or ask us about the "heroism" of just doing our duty on Veterans Day. But, please acknowledge the fact that we served. We did not serve for the idiots in politics, but for everyone. We served for the interests of the poor, as well as the rich. We served for the Democrats, as well as the Republicans. We served for the underprivileged; we served for the immigrants; we served for workers; we served for the arts; we served for the poorly educated; we served for the handicapped; we served for the obese; we served for the drug addicted; we served for our public servants; we served for the dreamers; we served for the hungry; we served for the homeless; we served for you!

So, how can you thank us? There certainly are those who will appreciate your "thank you", the nice "gestures", the "pat on the back". We often laughed about the official letters of recognition that were placed in our personnel files while we served in the military. We laughed because these "attaboys" did not change anything. All the faults of the military, all the imperfection, the career idiots all the way up the chain of command to our political leaders did not change because of some note that was lost in our personnel records. For the moment, these things are nice, but do you think that those actions actually change anything? Do you truly believe these to be the appropriate "thank you" and let's move on? 

You can, and should, thank a veteran on Veterans Day as well as everyday. The best way to thank a veteran, however, is to be a part of the same world that they are. Make your contribution to society without complaining about the downside. Volunteer your skill and energy towards the betterment of the society that you are a part of. Do something positive that doesn't involve just enriching yourself and telling everyone else that they should thank you because of the "trickle down" of some pittance that overflowed from your success. Society is not improved because of what any of us do for ourselves, it is improved by what we do for others. In the military, the individual is sacrificed for the benefit of team force. The key to that force is the term, "team." Individuals might become heroes, but not before sacrificing their personal interests for the good of others. In order to thank us, you need to understand us. In order to understand us, you need to let go of yourself and you personal interests. In order to thank a veteran, you need to recognize their sacrifice by making one of your own. In order to thank a veteran, you need to be selfless in your appreciation for their participation in the society that you benefit from. 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Glad it's over! Really?


Glad it’s over! Really? Is it over? I'm not too proud of American politics or those who support our the type of leadership that our society is currently following. We have sacrificed ideals for a "what's in it for me" sense of values. Fundamentally, egocentric ideas may be the root of all progress, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the society that we live in. Human beings are social animals. We function best with interdependence. We create markets, we produce for our markets, and we can have a pretty nice life.

Actually, distribution would more likely look like this, but we're still looking at  15.1% 
Statistically, if we examine the  Bell curve that maps our productivity, we see that there are 25 percent of any population that will be above the normal range. The downside is that there will also be 25 percent of the population that is dragging productivity down. So, what should the 75 percent of the population do about those who are not helping with overall productivity? If you remove them from the work force, the Bell curve changes and redefines the lower end of productivity. If you subsidize the  lower end to keep the population whole, what does that do to productivity in the long term? 

Is there a “correct” formula for defining productivity in a society? Are we productive in just one dimension? Are teachers, social workers, service sector employees, etc. as productive as workers in manufacturing? What about economists, media pundants, and politicians? Are they productive members of our society? If all the elements of a society are analyzed and included in a productivity curve, which among them produce the most useful product?

This is an old problem that economists and politicians have not been able to resolve. Our social philosophers, academics, and intellectuals have not been successful either. So, what is a society to do?

After listening to our social and political commentary during the past months, I wonder what contribution has been made to our American society. Has any of it been “productive”? Are these commentators in the lower portion of productivity? 

Today, we move on. Hopefully, with some understanding that this nonsense will give us some perspective on life. Our idiot neighbors, who see things differently, are looking at us with the same thought. Let’s call this a day of mourning. Our political alienation through this time has certainly not been productive. So, let’s say goodbye to it today, mourn it, and let it go. Tomorrow, let’s figure out how we can pull together and make use of all our strengths and weaknesses in a social whole. We are members of one society and political enemies are just those who, like us, haven’t got it all figured out yet.

Monday, November 5, 2012

“Sandy”, is really a whimpy name for such a storm!

Today my concern is about the aftermath of the storm called “Sandy”.

Flooded NYC Subway Station
Although this storm did not set a record for the lowest barometric pressure for a storm of this nature north of Cape Hatteras, there is no denying that this was one hell of a storm. Hurricane Gladys in 1975 is the record holder for that category (27.73 inches vs. 27.92 inches for Sandy). 

There was a wind gust of 140 mph on top of Mt Washington when the storm passed through that state (nowhere near a record for that area) and had sustained winds of about 110 mph just off the coast on Thursday, November 1st.  Sandy was nearly 1,000 miles wide at times and caused severe damage along a nearly 300 mile stretch of our Atlantic coast.
Atlantic City Boardwalk, Tuesday, Oct. 30
The devastating thing is that it hit our most densely populated urban corridor, knocking out power to about 8 million homes and businesses. That is a lot of downed power lines, flooded and damaged transformers, and catastrophic damage to the power grid. The downed power lines are the most superficial and easiest to repair. Testing, repairing, and replacing transformers to both high and low voltage circuits is more complicated and challenging.

Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Tuesday, Oct. 30
Five days after the storm hit, there are families with no heat and nighttime temperatures near freezing. People are helping each other out, giving shelter to strangers, and making all manner of sacrifice. But, as with Katrina in 2005, there are just so many people who have lost shelter and resources, and never enough kind strangers. Unlike Katrina, there is not the widespread flooding and heat, but freezing temperatures can pose a similar threat in the sense of a hostile environment. Unlike Katrina, there is functioning plumbing. Like Katrina, there have been challenges to the supporting infrastructure.

Ground Zero Construction Site, Monday, Oct. 29

Sandy was no Katrina and damages are far less costly. Physical damages are estimated to be about half what they were from Katrina, but the cost to business is estimated to reach nearly $30 billion. Metropolitan New York City produces about 10 percent of the U.S. economic output. Small businesses are the most vulnerable and the longer that power is out, the more they will be hurt. Sandy will most likely be in the top 10 most expensive hurricanes in U.S. history at $50-60 billion. The overall cost for Katrina is estimated to have been around $108 billion.
Taxi parking lot, Hoboken, NJ, Tuesday, Oct.30

Finally, I’d like to say that the name, “Sandy”, is really a whimpy name for such a storm. How does such a name even get into the mix? Sandy is a nickname – the kind of a name that you give to a friend or a family member. It is a name that indicates some affection. What the f#&% is that about? Who is responsible for such a whishy-washy storm name? I say that we reconsider the purpose that these names have. These storms may be looked at fondly by meteorologists, but they are real threats to real people in real life. This storm should have been called “Sandra,” “Sanford,” or “Thor”!!!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Those Magic "Moments"


Let’s stop right here and think about something. Do you remember any of those moments in life when you realized things that seemed profound to us at the time – for example, the realization that you might write a great work of literature? Alright, it didn’t have to be a great work, but you knew that you had something important to say – that your insight would be useful and should be shared with the world for the betterment of mankind. Maybe your “moment” had nothing to do with writing. Perhaps you would be a wiz in the lab and make some significant breakthrough in science or medicine. Maybe you would paint a great picture, or inspire the world with your music. There are so many things that we might have done in life. And I’m not talking about whether or not you ever did these things. For all I know, you have. No, what I’m referring to is that “moment of realization” – a point in life when we discovered within ourselves the promise of something. The new beginning!

These moments generally come to us earlier in our lives when our minds and bodies are fresh, our energy levels are high, and the future lies before us. Actually, I’ve had many of these revelations – so many that there is no way I could ever remember them all. They are like falling in love, having great sex, or maybe just eating chocolate. Well, maybe eating chocolate is just too mundane, but you get the idea. These are great experiences and the stimulation that we gain from them gives us the drive to follow through. Sure these “moments” do not all result with the realization of the dream, but the joy of the moment and the pursuit leads us to one of life’s most enriching experiences.

Now that you know what “moments” are under discussion, the question that I have is – are there just a finite number of these “moments” that can occur in our lifetime? Are these “moments” limited to our youth? Do such “moments” continue throughout our lives with just the sense of the profound being diminished? Will Godot ever get here?

 My feeling is that these “moments” do continue throughout our lives. However, it is possible that some of these “moments” are lost in the task of living. We lose our ability to recognize them as we are desensitized by exhaustion from responsibility. We lose the ability to see and feel some of life’s most beautiful moments. There are innumerable times that I have read about the most creative people and their imperfections. They are lousy at relationships. They cheat on their responsibilities. They ignore the burdens that most of us carry. The ability to create comes at a cost. I don’t really know if this is valid, but it sometimes feels that way.

It seems like this kind of feeling should be a total downer, but is it? To me it is hopeful.  I realize that, if I can just find a balance between the burdens and responsibilities of life and the freedom to be inspired and create new “moments”,  I will have happiness. This hope is what carries me forward and gives me a sense that there are contributions that still might be made.

Today, we have all these new communications tools that are the result of the explosion of ideas that are coming out of digital technology. These tools provide us with new efficient ways of expressing ourselves that are profound amplifications of earlier advances such as the typewriter, the printing press, or even the pencil. Think about the traditional music that comes out of the coves deep in the Appalachian Mountains. Music forms evolved using instruments that were easy to carry, easy and cheap to build, and accessible to all. Not everyone had a grand piano in their living room. Not everyone had a living room. But, people gathered on a front porch or in a barn after a hard day of work –  in the evening or on market day and created wonderful music.

Take a look at the evolution of literature – what came first the writing or the printing press? What came first the chicken or the egg? Folks have been transcribing ideas since the days of petroglyphs on cave walls. The printing press sure helped with the proliferation of literacy. A pencil and some paper is all that it took to begin to express ourselves in a way that saved those thoughts and provided a path towards their dissemination to others. It is hard to imagine that any of us doesn’t understand how difficult that it would be to go back to these origins. Yet, these simple concepts were once profound ideas and impossible for the world to get its collective mind around.

Modern technology now provides us with tools that take the creation of ideas and the ability to share them to a level that is profoundly easier and more effective than ever before. Of course, these tools will not make me a better writer, musician, visionary, thinker, or creator of ideas. But good tools give us a greater facility to learn, practice and develop crafts that we did not have before. Tools such as our modern technology offer to us today open new pathways for our “moments” to find us.

My argument is that genius comes from engagement. My ability to be a visionary is handicapped more by an inability, or unwillingness, to be engaged in the world of ideas than by a lack of intelligence. The development of our aptitudes, or life crafts if you will, plays a far greater role in our successes than just about anything. Thus, my conclusion is to do my best to learn as many of the tools that I can to facilitate the experience of arriving at new “moments” of discovery and meaning. Life can, and should, be defined by the great “moments” that arise in life. May they never stop!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Reconnecting thanks to internet technology – social networking at its finest!


It’s been a pretty good week. Thank goodness for some down time now. There were 27 guests in town for a reunion of old friends from more than forty years ago. I guess that I don’t have the energy that I had back then, but this is a welcome exhaustion. My fatigue will quickly pass, but the wonderful experience of revisiting one of the most productive learning periods of my life will remain with me.

Reunions are funny experiences that bring with them all sorts of odd reactions, unpredictable behavior, and unanticipated emotion. Over the years, I have listened to friends and acquaintances tell their stories. Most have fallen into the realm of what I would refer to as “classical” – folks trying to fool old classmates with tales of adventure, achievement, and association. 

My first experience was with some of the friends who were visiting during this past week. We are Vietnam Era veterans that, although none of us served there, played a significant role in the Cold War. We are veterans of the United States Naval Security Group. We were involved in intelligence missions. Many enlisted to avoid the draft and escape going to Vietnam. It was a bright, creative group of young men who were selected by the Navy for a purpose that most of us had never dreamed of. Our military mission was “operational”; had real meaning; was important; and helped to define us.

Twenty years ago, we were able to locate enough of these friends to gather in a Missouri state park not far from St. Louis. This was not easy to accomplish, however. Because of the nature of our work, when separated from the Navy, we were simply debriefed and sent home. We were not encouraged to remain in contact with our friends. It was the 60s and mostly we just wanted to go home, let our hair grow, go back to school, reconnect with the friends of our youth, and get on with our lives. Years later, if one were to feel nostalgia for the friends and experiences of our time in military service, there were no open doors to access our old duty rosters. We were “classified” still and simply not available to each other.

Fortunately, each of us had maintained a contact or two. Some of our group had been amateur radio operators. We had worked with technology and communications.  So, when the internet became a tool for the modern world, there were early users from our group of lost friends. With no organization, no alumni group, no school fundraisers, it was necessary for us to find ourselves. This has been a slow process, but every connection made has been a new promise of success at broadening our group.

Last year, a small group of us found a way to get together once again. Some are retired now, some have aged well – others have passed away or are experiencing debilitating signs of aging.  A combined sense of getting on in years, available time, and the urgency of having lost some of our friends paid us a visit at that meeting last year. But, mustering up the energy to continue to work finding and reconnecting is not easy. The length of time that has past and so many other distractions in people’s lives today are difficult obstacles. Even as we were working towards this year’s gathering, our effort has been shadowed by illness and death.

Still, we pulled it off! Our partial group of veterans, their wives or partners, some grandchildren even, were able to sit down together in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. We laughed, remembered, and shared openly.  Our efforts have been wonderfully rewarded, our exhaustion earned, and our memories have been enriched. I can’t wait until we meet again!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

“How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” ― Henry David Thoreau

also

“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.” ― George Orwell

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

RNC vs US Open

RNC vs US Open.... hmmmm! Somehow I don't feel guilty or unpatriotic having watched some really bad blowouts at the US Open. There used to be stuff that happened on the convention floor at both the RNC and the DNC -- not anymore. Everything is so orchestrated to be PR successes that the conventions are beyond boring -- they are sickening. There is no respect for variances of political philosophies and thinking even within the respective parties. Have we become such a nation of lemmings?

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Facebook Posts

I always wonder why people ask dumb questions on FB. At least a half dozen of my friends seem very confused about what they call their midday meal. Duh! Call it the "midday meal" if you want to. Who cares? Just don't call me late to eat it.

Also, people seem to have a hard time figuring out who their friends are. Duh! Who do you want to be friends with? Maybe what people really need to know is how to label their friends and then view FB post using their friend labels rather than trying to keep up with all the stuff that gets posted on their Walls.

Finally (my last rant for the day), why do people post so much political and religious nonsense? I have friends on both sides of our dysfunctional, bi-polar political thinking. Their postings, however, do nothing but annoy me. I'm not going to change my political thinking because of this stuff. I doubt that most people even follow the links, or read the crap that people post about politics. Mostly, I think, this stuff is just an ego trip for the person who posts it. They are insecure and looking for affirmation from people who are their friends and don't want to offend them by disagreeing. So what then is the purpose. Ditto for posts about religion...

End of rant!!!!!!