Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday – more than Christmas (I’d rather eat than have to shop); more than the 4^th 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?

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. 

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.

“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 1^st.  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”!!!

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!

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!

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

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