Why does someone wait until an hour
before leaving on a nine hour drive to start wondering how to get there? Why do they
then assume that dad will be able to pull directions out of his memory like a rabbit
out of a hat? Why do they freak out in panic when dear old dad can't do that? Fortunately,
this dad knew all about Mapquest.
In fairness, I can recall when I was
about the same age as my stepson, heading off to Washington, D.C. for the bicentennial
celebration in 1976 without a map or a clue. I knew how to get to Washington from
Richmond, Va. from my days as a college student
there. I also knew how to get from my hometown of Charleston, WV to Richmond.
Probably not the most direct route, but that didn't matter. The journey was half the fun.
A friend from work had a very nice,
used black Mercedes sedan that made for excellent cruising from here to there. We spent
the first night sleeping on raggedy couches outside my old frat house at the U of R.
The next day we followed the front of the car, somehow ending up in Annapolis, Md. at
the townhouse of my friend's college buddy. Annapolis, home of the
Naval Academy, is a quaint and beautiful seaside
town. I've often wanted to go back.
On the 4th of July, now with a D.C.
area expert in tow, we amazingly found a place to park a mere ten blocks from the
National Mall, home to the huge
celebration. The news the next day said the crowd was half a million. It's hard to
judge from the center of a throng, but there were definitely a lot of people, all
having a fantastic time. We had a blanket on the grass, a cooler full of ice cold
beverage, and the carefree joy of youth in our hearts.
The concerts had something for
everyone from rock to country, arias to popular patriotic marches. Even a few of the
politician's speeches were interesting. The bright and sunny day was capped after
dark by a super cool laser light show from the top of the Washington Monument, a
novelty in 1976, and the largest fireworks spectacular I'd ever seen, probably ever
will. Our nation turned 200 and I was there. I suspect my stepson will get to his
destination tonight just fine.
Haven't blogged the blogs for awhile.
Let us see what develops.
At Bulltown, I can't decide what to
make of Joe's redesign of webstream. The
floating window is a nice example of what is possible these days. Joe's latest
collaborative effort Intersection is
way cool. Many of the best known graphic artists and designers are contributing, even
some of the less than known, like yours truly.
A slap on the back
and toussle of the hair for Suzn.
Selected among the winners in the
Blogger Template
Contest, Suzn picked up some fabulous parting gifts. We'll have to see if this goes
to her head. Suzn? Will we still be able to talk to you without an appointment?
Big doin's up in Oregon last weekend.
Whooey. I'm so confused I think I need a guide book. If anyone figures it all out, give
me a clue, will ya?
Faith
has some prospects, Kitty is hilarious (as
usual), Six
is on a roll, Mel keeps finding great stuff, and
Jann is Jann. It's nice to
make the rounds once again. My head has been elsewhere. Now, can someone point me to
my bed please?
Think of the people you've admired
throughout your lifetime. Chances are they exhibited strength and perseverance during
tough times, grace when things are going good. I strive for these attributes but don't
always achieve them, usually when I forget to be grateful. A simple turnaround in
thinking, from woe to gratitude, can oft times deliver a whole new attitude.
The Nigerian singer Sade Adu once wrote
of a woman in Somalia collecting pebbles on the roadside, pearls for her little girl.
The stone in her heart hurt like brand new shoes, ironic because new shoes is a hurt that
woman would never know. Yet, she struggled against all odds to provide for her daughter.
I think of that song, titled Pearls, when I'm feeling as
if life is handing me a raw deal.
In recent weeks, people in my life
that I care very much about have demonstrated determination in the face of personal
loss and tremendous courage in the face of personal pain. Their ability to focus
attention away from themselves has been inspiring and has given me a new sense of
clarity.
Speaking of inspiring, how about an
Aortal link that should put a smile
on your face like hitting a homerun. The Miracle
League is a special baseball complex designed exclusively for children with
disabilities. The Miracle League gives these
special children the opportunity to suit up in a uniform, step up to the plate, and enjoy
playing the game of baseball in its purest form. Through endowments, the
Rotary Miracle League Fund "can help sponsor
other fields and provide construction and fundraising support to touch other children's
lives."
