Loss

 The price for love is loss. This year I’ve lost four important people in my life.

My aunt Janet, my mother’s older sister, who was always beautiful, always kind.

My aunt Marie, my father’s older sister, who also was very kind to me, the last person on that side of my family who could explain why things are, or were.

Roy, a coworker, fellow engineer, man of great intellect, insight and humor. The man who garnered the level of respect that I’ve sought.

Gordia, a work acquaintance for nearly 40 years, who without effort, always made me smile. 

Loved you all.

Be Kind

 This letter was forwarded to me by someone special....

My Torah portion is Re’eh, the Hebrew word for “see.” In this Torah reading Moses gathers the Israelites and declares: “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse.”

 Moshe then goes on to instruct the Children of Israel in the plains of Moab, for this is where they waited before entering the Promised Land. As you know from today’s reading there are specific commandments to obey. The Children of Israel were told to destroy all idols of the land they would inhabit, they were told the laws of Kashrut to follow in their new land, and they were given specific guidelines for other commandments as well.

If the Children of Israel followed the laws, it would be a blessing; likewise, if they did not follow the laws, it would be a curse.

How can something be a blessing and a curse?

This phrase confused me for a while until I realized its significance to my own life. I was just three years old when I lost my dad. I was too young at the time to grasp the intensity of what happened, but the more I grew and matured, I internalized more and more the devastation of the loss of my father. This was a curse. I lived each day in sadness, wishing he could come back.

The essence of the phrase; “It is a blessing and a curse” suggests that man has free will; he has the ability to choose his path through life. I can relate to that because I had to make a choice; Should I stay angry for the rest of my life and take what happened as a curse? Would it be possible for me to accept that he is not here anymore and try to see a blessing from the curse?

Here is where you all come in. I am sure most of you read that story that went around the internet about a young autistic boy named Jack who would watch some of his schoolmates playing baseball every week. One day one of the teams was short a player. Desperate to finish the game, the captain looked up, saw Jack, and asked him to play. Jack hurried in and played in the outfield until the 9th inning. When his side was up, the teams were tied with two outs. It was Jack’s turn to bat.

The rules of the game suddenly and magically changed. The pitcher, previously intent on winning this game, purposely threw a slow, underhanded pitch right down the middle. Jack swung and hit the ball to third base.

As Jack ran to first base, the third basemen overthrew the ball past the first baseman’s head.

“Run to second!” cheered his team.

Jack ran, and as he was coming home, the first baseman threw the ball to the pitcher…who intentionally missed the ball. Jack won the game for the team and both sides went wild.

Jack had a special community around him, all intent on performing mitzvot for him. Their eyes were open, " Re’eh… they could see.

I, too, have a special community all around me.  I have all of my friends and family and people who I don’t even know who, like Jack’s teammates, are intent on keeping me in the game. And so, I do understand how something can be a blessing and a curse.

I know my dad can see me today and every day, "Re’eh", and I know how touched he would be by the mitzvot you have unselfishly done for me. Thank you.

Everyone gets the opportunity every day to make something a blessing or a curse. If you ate one or two of the Sunkist jellies, that was likely a blessing. But if you ate more than you can count, it’ll definitely be a curse.

I leave you with this challenge: When life presents you with something that could be a blessing or a curse, try your hardest to make it a blessing. Keep your eyes open…."Re’eh"! 

I try to do this, my shortcoming in the ability to recognize persons in need of a mitzvot. 

God and the Doctor

My grandfather was a doctor who spent his career as a psychiatrist working in state hospitals all over the south. He started in the late 20's and retired middle 60's. As a little boy I remember him having a framed picture which included the poem that follows......

God and the Doctor we alike adore

But only when in danger, not before;  

The danger o'er, both are alike requited,  

God is forgotten, and the Doctor slighted.

This poem was penned by an interesting man named Robert Owen,  a social activist to whom many quotations are attributed.
Interestingly enough, the framed picture, now at my parent house, the poem is incorrectly attributed to another poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Wilcox's best known quote is…….

Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone.

Maudlin

Merriam-Webster defines the word as: weakly and overly sentimental

At the moment, I would use that word to describe myself. The woman who gave birth to me died yesterday evening. For only one weekend in the last 56 years was she in the same room as I. Undoubtedly her absence explains my persistent need for security.
There was no void though, my father remarried, to a wonderful woman who treated me so well that I did not learn was not my birth mother until I was a teenager.
Knowing what I do, having learned from my new brothers and sisters, this was a bargain that fell in my favor.
It feels wrong, to loose a person I should love, but don't.
My maudlin mood is more about what what we both missed.
Good bye MaryAnn, I wish I knew you.

Dough Boy Does Well

He keeps getting new promotions.

Proud of my friend.



Defense.gov News Release: General Officer Assignments

Before Zinc Sense

As copied fro the Jewish World Review, 55 years ago today, February 12, 1959 the Treasury Department unveiled the new penny.

1959, the redesigned Lincoln penny, with an image of the Lincoln Memorial replacing two ears of wheat on the reverse side, went into circulation.

As a boy and teenager, I saved thousands of cents, easily more than a thousand wheat leaf pennies.  The collection that included every year of the wheat leaves, including the steel issues of 1943. After I left for college in 1978, one of my little brothers cashed cashed all of that in.  36 years later it still sticks in my craw.

Service Dogs

The bride and I have been hanging out in New Hampshire. As part of being a good uncle I've spent some time with one of the nieces at a kennel that breeds and trains Great Danes as service dogs for injured veterans and the aged. It has been impressive to watch the empathy children can express.

Vacation

The bride and I have spent the last week in the Florida Keys.
Enjoyed watching the manatees from the upper deck of our rental house boat.
Key West was interesting but having the dog with us kind of limited our ability to move.

More

Georgia Tech Safety Initiatives

It is awful that students have to deal with this crap.  Normally you send your child off to school, you think you have taught him to be self reliant and careful in strange places.  The problem is that these young adults are more friendly and less careful with strangers than fearful folks like me.  This gets them in to places they wish they had never gone. 

When I was in school, two young men, friends from another fraternity, were walking home, down Techwood from the Omni (it used to be a straight shot).  They were stopped by a robber, made to strip, one ordered to sodomize the other.  I do not know to what extent that went, but when one was behind the other, the robber put the gun to the backmost anus an pulled the trigger.  Killing one, severely injuring the other.

There is no arguing with a devastating weapon.

Here we have the school that has an ever increasing student population and facility footprint adjacent to at least one impoverished neighborhood, arguable two.

These problems are not hard to believe.

Dear Georgia Tech Parent:

As the semester draws to an end, I wanted to take the opportunity to remind our parents of all that we are doing to ensure a safe campus for your sons and daughters. As a parent, I can assure you that your student’s safety and security is our top priority and we are taking great measures to keep our community as safe as possible.

Due to recent incidents on and around campus, the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) initiated enhanced joint patrols with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) around our campus. In addition, the APD has tripled the number of officers in the surrounding area during the late and early morning hours. Each of these patrols includes both uniformed and plain clothes officers.

The Institute also launched a series of safety initiatives including an extensive education and communications campaign “See Something? Say Something!” intended to keep students both aware and vigilant. In addition, there has been hands-on involvement by executive leadership including police ride-a-longs by President Peterson and other administrators, as well as participation in the annual student-led safety walk which helped identify safety concerns and issues.

In response to safety concerns for our transient student population, the Institute has invested in state-of the-art technology known as Guardian, a safety feature provided free-of-charge to the campus community that transforms mobile phones into personal safety devices upon activation by the student. Participants can voluntarily opt-in and share information to expedite police response. Please visit the Guardian website for more information. The system is expected to launch in early 2012. Additional details will be forthcoming.    

To address transportation concerns, the Institute implemented a new automated Stingerette (nighttime transportation van) system that enables students to make pick-up requests from their laptops or smartphones. The Institute also added a new Tech Trolley route to provide transportation from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. If a student is not able to utilize Georgia Tech transportation, he/she may call the Georgia Tech Police Dispatch for an evening police escort at 404-894-2501. 

While we have seen positive results from our aggressive initiatives, we realize that any crime is one crime too many.

Ultimately, crime prevention is about people, not statistics, and we will continue to take the steps necessary to improve safety for your student. We ask parents to help us reinforce these safety precautions with their student and to remind him/her to travel with others when on campus late at night. Students are encouraged to use the Stingerette (stingerette.com or 404-385-7433) or contact GTPD (404-894-2501) to get a safe ride home. For a complete listing of campus safety initiatives, visit the Parents Program Campus Safety webpage.

GTPD depends on the entire campus community to be an active participant in maintaining a safe campus environment. The ongoing campaign, "See Something, Say Something," reminds the campus community to report any concerns to the GTPD at 404-894-2500 as quickly as possible. Together, we can create and maintain a safe campus community for everyone.

I wish you and your family a very safe and happy holiday season,

William D. Schafer, Ph.D.

Vice President for Student Affairs

Welcome to the Dark Side

My brother, who last I remember based his political decisions on what Howard Stern had to say, sent me a link to this nine minute Newt clip. It sees that my brother is now beginning tot see the light. As always Newt speaks on government with confidence of a historian, which he is. As he was my representative to Congress I was sorry to see him retire, but now am glad to see him re-engaged. As for my brother, let us hope he does not revert to following the advice of a man whose main media skill is to titilate.

More

Bracelet

Even before Bruce left us almost four years ago, I was wearing one of these to support his fight with ALS.
Well, yesterday at work I found this on the floor next where I was standing.
The last of my plastic bracelets.

I really miss you brother.

More

Most Americans Go for Girl Scout Cookies

Every year when a niece and nice neighbor comes round, I am a sucker for buying these cookies.
Every year the packages get small and the price goes up.
Will not stop though, can't disappoint our little loved ones.

Most Americans Go for Girl Scout Cookies

More

Bride Looks Happy

A picture taken about a month ago sent from a friend.

More

Vacation

My niece and nephew just spent a week with the bride and I.
Annie is a good big sister, who won the easy approval of my dog.

Thomas is smart boy who wants a dog.

More

Not Far From Home

This is a place where as a child, I played baseball, hockey, fished, water skied, picniced and parked.
Good memories along the river and in the swamps.
Happy New Year.

Thank you pjms.

More

Things I Am Thankful For This Year

In 2009 these things made me happy....

• Marie just keeps chugging along, celebrating her 93rd birthday this past August.
• Mom helped select a new preacher for her church.
• My wife has arranged and assisted for the care of her mother in a way that less stressful.
• The bride and thoroughly enjoyed Katie's wedding in New Orleans LA.
• I enjoyed another Katie's wedding in Madison WI.
• My father has successfully emerged from his bout with collapsed lungs, has stopped smoking and is as vital as ever.
• My son remains a student in good standing at Georgia Tech.
• My mother enjoyed an extensive safari trip to Africa, with dad.
• Tyrus has managed to loose 85 pounds and now has the same pants size as me.
• My father built 20 folding Adirondack chairs for his church fundraiser.
• Scott had his daughter move in within him in Tampa.
• Samantha graduated high school and started college at Ohio State.
• My other brother and family has made the home in New Hampshire their own
• I bought my own present for my upcoming 50th birthday, a 1953 Chevrolet pickup truck
• Connie has won the battle with ATT, patiently waiting through lousy non-service.
• Hollis has beaten breast cancer.
• My son worked in my plant this past summer, hard physical labor, earning respect from a group that doesn't do so easily.
• Amy is beating breast cancer.
• Thomas grows every day to be more and more like his father.
• Connie and I enjoyed two trips to visit Jane at Nags Head and Virginia Beach.
• CB enjoyed her birthday present, a weekend trip to Elizabeth Pointe in Amelia Island.
• Connie enjoyed her weekend trip to NYC with Pat, Annie and Callie.
• Ted gave Connie the best Christmas gift possible.
• Annie has moved up to middle school, and is still manages to be patient with her brother.

This is longer than I thought it would be.

 

More

 

Greenville Coach with ALS Leads His Team to an Undefeated Season

This is another man who refuses to let the ravages of ALS change his goals.
I have no doubt that this man cames from a strong family.
I have no doubt that this man is used to fighting until things are complete.

Greenville rallies around Jeremy Williams - News - Ledger-Enquirer.com

Miss you brother.

More

Remember that Sucking Noise

In a true pet love moment Bobby Jenkins of Hawk Springs, Wyoming saved his lab, "Tank" by sucking rattlesnake venom out of the dog's bitten nose.
Bobby told Examiner.com reporter Larry Berreth...

"It was 20 minutes to town and I knew he would not make it. So I grabbed his nose and started sucking the rattlesnake poison out of the top of his nose and spit it on the ground."

Parts my childhood are memories if my little brothers having runny noses and making that sucking noise rather than wipe their their nose. The parents were always trying to correct this disgusting habit, but how do you stop a boy from being a boy. Scott and Bruce were the worst, Douglas not so much.

Bass

This fish is still alive, shortly before it was set free in the lake.

Five plus pounds.

Found out afterwards when I suggested that this would have been good to eat, my son has never cleaned a fish, he has always practiced "catch and release". Altruistic, no, he just does not want to clean the fish.

In my experience, filleting fish is easier than scaling fish and both are easier than clean duck.

A Tree Grows in Georgia

This tree was a gift from the Lewis family.

Offered as a tribute to my brother Bruce.

More than a year old now, it is healthy and growing.