The Greatest Generation

Tony Perkins' Tribute to a Nation:

In the last few weeks the National Mall in Washington has been a bee hive of activity as preparations were being made for a "Tribute to a Generation: the National World War II Reunion," which began yesterday and will end on Sunday. An estimated 200,000 veterans of WWII are expected in Washington this weekend for the reunion which will coincide with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial that has been years in the making. As I regularly run on the Mall, I've watched the preparations being made for this event and I've thought of the many WWII veterans that I know, and have known, as many of them have now passed away. It was a great generation, a generation of people who made tremendous sacrifices for our country and others. It was not only those veterans who fought in Europe, the Pacific, North Africa and the Mediterranean that made great and noble sacrifices; it was those here at home, the average American, who made sacrifices as well. It was the women who worked in the factories, the families that shared in the rationing of food, gasoline and other critical supplies. Certainly there were detractors, but as a generation they are remembered, and rightfully so, for their sacrifice and unified focus on winning a war against tyranny that threatened the entire world. As a nation that lives in a world that is even more dangerous, we would do well to not only pay tribute to that great generation of Americans, but to learn from them as well.

Top 10 Words You Simply Must Know: #7

Cullet - glass to be recycled: broken or waste glass returned for recycling

Don't forget to take the cullet out to the curbside, and be sure to put it next to the trash, not in it.

And remember, if you live in Linn County, you must separate your cullet from other recyclables. Bluestem Solid Waste Agency has posted the following guidelines in reference to cullet:

Glass we DO accept:
-Glass food and juice jars
-Non-returnable beer, wine, wine cooler, and liquor bottles

Preparation Instructions:
-Glass containers must be rinsed very clean, placed into a separate rigid plastic container like a small plastic wastebasket or 2 1/2 - 5 gallon bucket, and set out beside the blue box.
-Remove lids from bottles and jars and place in the blue box.
-If you have clear and colored glass, please use one container for clear and one container for colored glass.

Click here for more information on curbside recycling in Linn County.

Top 10 Words You Simply Must Know: #8

Pellucid -
1. clear in meaning: easy to understand or clear in meaning (formal)
2. transparent: allowing all or most light to pass through (literary)

The police officer's warning was pellucid: drivers must go the speed limit in the school zone.

This would be a spectacular show of one's vocabulary if used in a board room: "The CEO's expectations are pellucid and propitious. Adhering to his plan will ensure fiscal success!"

Top 10 Words You Simply Must Know: #9

Borborygmus - stomach rumble: the rumbling sounds made by the movement of gases in the stomach and intestine (technical).

If you lay your head on someone's stomach, you are likely to hear borborygmus.

Why this word made the list... I don't know. But it sure is nice to be able to remove "tummy rumble" from my vocab closet.

Sticks and stones...

If you think words won't hurt, wait 'til I get to the #1 word listed in: "Top Ten Words You Simply Must Know"
British novelist Evelyn Waugh once said, "One forgets words as one forgets names. One's vocabulary needs constant fertilisation or it will die."

#10: Embrangle - Perplex somebody: to confuse, perplex, or entangle somebody or something (archaic)

"As Lord Needlebottom attempted to explain the rules of cricket, his American friends became more and more embrangled."

Unrest

Ryan Long - a friend of mine since we were wee - came home from Baghdad a week ago, but his mind is still on active duty.

As many of us Iowan's know, we've been pelted with an onslaught of severe weather lately. It's not a big deal for most Midwesterners, we're used to it. I'd even go so far to say that some of us live for a good life-threatening attack by Mother Nature (e.g. Denny Frary). However, Ryan has faced these storms with a changed attitude. He used to be the bad boy who would drive into the heart of a storm for a thrill, then harness the repercussions as fodder for good story-telling. War changed him. Ryan can no longer sleep through a thunderstorm without grabbing for his gun at every clap of thunder. Regardless of his wife's assurance that it's only a storm, he can't erase the memories of impending death.

Having heard several similar stories, I believe it is our duty - as civilians of the country these men serve - to hold them up in prayer regardless of our political views, or our thoughts on the war in general.

The Big Red 'A'

Hy-Vee has stepped it up a notch to cater to its public. In an attempt to make it easier for Atkins dieters to recognize which products are on their diet, "Low Carb" signs have been placed on shelves throughout the supermarket... they even boast "Low Carb" toilet paper. Good thing, too - my ass is fat!

Turkey and Consequences

This morning I asked Maddie if she wanted a slice of pit-smoked turkey in addition to her bowl of Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch. She said no, so I put the last slice of turkey on my sandwich for lunch. About five minutes later, she told me she changed her mind and wanted the turkey. I told her it was too late - I explained that she can't just change her mind expecting the offer to still be good (life lesson). She started crying and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her.

She doesn't act that way often, so I decided I should have a chat with her rather than discipline in this case. I asked why she was so sad and she said, "I really wanted the turkey. Actually, I really want my daddy."

Erik and I split just after we had Madeleine. He asked me to marry him and for a variety of reasons I'm hard-pressed to name, I said no. Now, five years after calling it off with Erik, the offer has expired. However, I often find myself thinking, "I changed my mind."

I gave Maddie the turkey after all - I doubt I'll get my turkey.

Mother's Day

Before I leave for the weekend...
In celebration of a holiday dedicated to me...
Here's some news:

Late last night, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution in honor of America's mothers. FRC's Pia de Solenni assisted Sen. Sam Brownback's (R-KS) staff in crafting the resolution and we are grateful to the Senator and his colleagues for honoring motherhood in such a public way. Senate Resolution 348 reads as follows:

To protect, promote, and celebrate motherhood. Whereas the second Sunday of May is observed as Mother's Day; Whereas motherhood and childhood are entitled to special assistance; Whereas mothers have a unique bond with their children; Whereas the work of mothers is of paramount importance, but often undervalued and demeaned; Whereas mothers' concerns about their children and their education should be supported by the national agenda; Whereas a child's healthy relationship with the mother predicts higher self-esteem and resiliency in dealing with life events; Whereas the complementary roles and contributions of fathers and mothers should be recognized and encouraged; Whereas mothers have an indispensable role in building and transforming society to build a culture of life; and Whereas mothers along with their husbands, form an emotional template for a child's future relationships: Now therefore, be it Resolved, that the Senate, (1) recognizes the importance of mothers to a healthy society; and (2) calls on the people of the United States to observe Mother's Day by considering how society can better respect and support motherhood.

Finales

In the spirit of "Friends'" end, I thought I'd take a moment to remember one of my favorite finale memories... that of "the Wonder Years." Maybe I related to the show because I was roughly the same age as the characters, or maybe it's because I was looking for answers and the narrator seemed to sum up what it was I needed to hear:

"Winnie left the next summer to study art history in Paris. Still we never forgot our promise. We wrote to each other once a week for the next eight years. I was there to meet her, when she came home, with my wife and my first son, eight months old.

"Like I said, things never turn out exactly the way you planned.

"Growing up happens in a hartbeat. One day you're in diapers; next day you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.

"I remember a place...a town...
a house like a lot of other houses...
A yard like a lot of other yards...
On a street like a lot of other streets.
And the thing is...
After all these years,
I still look back...with WONDER."

Off Belay: A Tale of Shattered Dreams

Once upon a time, a beautiful princess named LeAnn worked in a stunning crystal tower along the gentle cascading waves of the Cedar River. Every now and then, mystical people called window washers would ascend the tower to make it sparkle and shine more than any other tower in the land. The window washers were quiet and quick in their work, but LeAnn saw more to these suspended people than their magical squeegee wands. Mesmerized, LeAnn would watch the graceful dance of the washers - descend and swoosh... descend and swoosh. This dance made LeAnn smile, which displeased her evil stepmother, Karen. After Karen could take no more of LeAnn's joy, she sentenced the beautiful princess to work in the crappiest (literally) tower in the land - the Hogly.

As LeAnn diligently toiled in her new tower, she was delighted to see that the mystical window washers had followed her to the dung heaps of the Hogly. In a strange twist, an albino window washer entered the confines of the Hogly to make it sparkle inside as well as out. Overwhelmed at his presence, the ever humble princess LeAnn hesitatingly approached the mysterious albino to commend his efforts and ask how she, too, could participate in the suspended dance of the squeegee. With a chortle, the albino dove through the open window and ignored the fair princess. In a fit of rage, the princess proclaimed, "I will not be ignored!" and pushed the albino to his death.

OK, so this story isn't all true... but I want to be a window washer and the guy who came into my office totally ignored me when I asked how one becomes a window washer. Perhaps he thinks I'm belittling his job, but I'm not. I really, really, REALLY want to dangle from the roofs of tall buildings and wash windows. It is honestly a fantasy of mine.

Just a thought

I try to tell people when they’ve positively affected my life. I think our society spends too much time with the negative stuff, and nobody ever tells us when we’ve made a positive difference... which, to me, seems so ridiculous because it is quite easy to tell someone they’ve made your day.

At the same time, it feels good to be on the receiving end. It makes you want to be a better person!

'Nuff said.