Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Expectations

It is amazing how quickly and without warning how other's expectations can change. You can cruise along, thinking you are doing well, getting seemingly positive reinforcement from those in charge, when all of a sudden things are completely different and your life is in turmoil. You go from "great job" to "not good enough" in the space of just one day. Then you have to spend even more time at work, missing all the reasons you go to work in the first place.

I want to go home...

Friday, April 14, 2006

TR and the 21st century

Sometimes it is best to look to the past for insight into current events. President Teddy Roosevelt had this to say about immigration in 1907:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the! American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Who lives in a pineapple...

Miri has been babbling for quite some time, as well as being able to
say short words, but the other day, she said her first multi-syllable
word: "Spongebob." I'm so proud!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Cheer up!


Feeling down? Stressed? Unhappy? World got you down? Well, be like Miriam and take a trip down the slide! Just look at that face! That's happy!

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Before I die...

Someone just asked me if there was anyplace I wanted to go before I expire (whenever that might be). I came up with only four:

1. England. Not Ireland, not Wales, not Scotland, ENGLAND! See Windsor castle, St. Paul's, York cathedral, eat fish and chips and visit the Tower of London.
2. Rome. I got a master's in Roman history, so I really should see the Forum and the Coliseum.
3. Hawai'i. Tiki paradise!
4. Graceland. Check out my profile for the explanation for that one.

Will I make it to any of these? Probably not till retirement, though I may be able to hit Graceland on a trip to Florida ("Daddy! I wanna go to Disney World!")

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Once a knight...


My interest in knighthood and chivalry gets deeper with each passing year, especially now that I am a member of an existing order plus the fact that I have a re-enacting persona that is a Knight of the Garter. Don't get me wrong: I realize that the real knights of Europe were not much like the ideal we have come to see in legend. It is those legendary knights, however, that we should be looking towards as our world gets less and less cordial.

I have become involved with a program called Chivalry for Children, a free class for kids that teach seven paramount virtues of knighthood: loyalty, charity, humility, perserverance, honesty, courage and courtesy. We tell stories, get the kids involved, show off knightly symbols and swords, then knight anyone (kid or adult) who wishes it. The whole thing is amazing: I have been involved for over a year now and I am always impressed with how the kids sit enthralled for an entire 45-minute presentation, then with their seriousness as they take their knightly vows.

This program is one of many things that has happened in my life recently that is helping me make peace with myself and my past. Striving to be a better person can be a struggle, but I can give this advice: share what you love with others. They may just love it, too.