I once worked with a woman who was excited at the thought of waking early on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving and going to Wal-Mart. I told her she needed psychiatric help and lit a candle for her salvation when I got home that evening.
Category Archives: News
When Thanksgiving Really Matters
Please keep all our military troops around the world in mind.
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In Remembrance – Officer J.D. Tippit, September 18, 1924 – November 22, 1963
While many dispute whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald shot President John F. Kennedy, there’s no doubt he shot and killed Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit on that same day near a movie theatre in the city’s Oak Cliff section. A Texas native, Tippit served in the U.S. Army’s Seventeenth Airborne Division during World War II. Tippit joined the Dallas police department in 1952 and had already been cited once for bravery for disarming a criminal.
A nation already traumatized by the assassination of its president donated money to Tippit’s widow, Marie, and their 3 children. Now, the city of Dallas has finally done the right thing for Tippit and his family by honoring the officer with a historical marker. During an official ceremony November 20, current Dallas Police Chief David Brown told those gathered that “there is no greater love than this – that a man would lay down his life for his fellow man.”
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In Remembrance – President John F. Kennedy, May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963
As a Dallas native, I have somewhat of a personal connection to the assassination of President Kennedy. I was 17 days old on November 22, 1963, when my mother prepared to watch her favorite soap opera, As the World Turns. She’d become addicted to the show, while on maternity leave that long hot summer. She cradled me in her arms, nursing me, and had just turned on the TV, when she heard a loud cacophony of sirens in the distance. We lived in a 2-bedroom apartment above a garage behind the house belonging to my father’s oldest sister and her husband. If you look out the bathroom window and turn to your right, you can see Harry Hines Boulevard. My mother rushed to that window and caught the tail end of the presidential motorcade. She didn’t know what had happened, but she had a bad feeling. She returned to the TV and watched closely as actress Helen Wagner, in the character of Nancy, spoke to a fellow performer. The show was live back then, broadcast directly from New York. Then, Walter Cronkite broke in to announce that Kennedy had been shot. It’s something my mother will never forget. No one who was old enough back then could possibly forget something like that. Kennedy remains one of my favorite presidents; a true American World War II hero who left a legacy of national service.
Portrait by Aaron Shikler, 1970.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope everyone here in the States has a wonderful and safe holiday weekend. And remember, Thanksgiving is all about family and friends – not about this:
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Beautiful Blogger Award Nomination
Fellow blogger Le Artiste Boots has nominated me for Beautiful Blogger Award. How rude of me to forget until now! I’m somewhat embarrassed, since I don’t think I’m worth it. But, thanks Bettye, for this honorable nomination. Now, if you want to see a beautiful blog, please take a look at Bettye’s! Also check out her companion site: Bettye Harwell Fine Art. Both are truly inspirational.
The rules require me to list 7 random things about myself. Hm…where shall I start? I’ve been in a random state of mind since November 6, 1963, the day after I was born. But, here we go:
- I’m an avid dog lover. My followers should have figured that out by now. I have a wolf’s head tattoo on my upper right shoulder; it was a 45th birthday present to myself.
- I’m allergic to cats. I don’t hate cats. In fact, I helped out a friend with some yard work last week, and he and his family have 2 cats, both females. One, in particular, took a liking to me. I couldn’t pat her for too long, though, otherwise my skin would start itching. It was already dry from raking leaves. My dog, Wolfgang, didn’t take kindly to the thought I was with another animal all day long – a cat, no less! If it was another dog, I’m sure he’d understand. He growled at my knuckles.
- I love older model cars. I’m an avid model car collector. Most anything pre-1980 is worth examining. I have three huge Rubbermaid containers full of Hot Wheels and Match Box vehicles my parents bought for me when I was a kid. Among them is the original Batmobile model car! A friend of mine told me I probably could sell it on Ebay and get a few hundred dollars for it. I told him to shut up and blocked him from my email for a month.
- I’m actually a truck guy now. I drive a Dodge Ram 1500, V6. I wanted a V8, but at one point many moons ago, I also wanted a Jaguar coupe which has a V12. So, I buy what I can afford. I like the Dodge better. If you drive a Jaguar, people think you have money and try to cut in front of you and slam on their brakes. If you drive a Dodge truck, they think it’s insured by Smith and Wesson, so they leave you the hell alone.
- Black is my favorite color. Yea, yea, supposedly black is not a true color, but those rules don’t apply to me.
- I wish I’d gotten married and had kids years ago. But, I was too shy, short and ugly in my youth. Now, I’m mean, short and ugly. Hey, no one can say I haven’t improved my life in some ways!
- I hate math. Always have and always will. Algebra, calculus and trigonometry don’t serve any meaningful purpose. Instead of teaching those courses, schools should teach kids basics like checkbook balancing, budgeting and how to tip wait staff and bartenders.
Here are my nominations for the Beautiful Blogger Award.
Beyond the Mesas – Matthew’s points about life for the Hopi people of Arizona may be political at times, but they’re equally inspirational.
Bucket List Publications Lesley has the right idea: make a list of things to do because you want to live, not before you die! Why didn’t I figure that out before now?!
Catnip of Life for sharing beautiful photographs and illustrations.
Doubleyoo Tee Eff – you have to read it to understand why I love this blog.
Essa on Everything – her humor and opinions are raw, controversial, but always unrelentingly hysterical. I still want to spend a weekend with her and be her bitch. I’ll make nachos!
Fabulous 50’s (a.k.a. “Travel Spirit”) who takes some great travel pictures and – for a 50-something broad – ain’t half bad.
Guitar Monk for the beautiful music he shares.
Laith’s Ramblings because he gives fresh meaning to the word “random” – in a good way.
Le Artiste Boots – please see above.
QGB Tilted Tiara – a true Southern belle, Val proves nonetheless that not every tiara fits perfectly; her reflections on life are honest, thoughtful, humorous and sometimes painful, but always real.
Rumpydog – why would I not like a dog who can write?!
Simply Creating – Sharon’s insights on writing and publishing make me realize how much I love to create stories.
Spencer Angel whose love for animals equals my own.
Subtle Kate – her quaint reflections on the daily aspects of her world make me realize what’s really important in my own life – from thousands of miles away.
Templar Knight who provides riveting and meticulously detailed research on medieval Europe and the Middle East. It just puts the world into perspective.
The Write Transition for her frequent and humorous play on words and bits of literary inspiration.
Thank you, everyone! Average people like us keep the world going!
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In Memoriam: Hostess Snack Foods, 1930 – 2012
Who would’ve thought Twinkies would go extinct before polar bears?! And, what a shame, too! Just when Maryland and Washington pass marijuana laws! Now, I read that Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican food company, may try to buy out Hostess. Oh dear God! The Chinese own our banks, and now Mexicans are trying to buy our snack foods! I don’t recognize my country anymore!
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It Gets Worse
Here’s the photo of the shirtless FBI agent, Frederick Humphries, that’s mixed up in this horrifying sex scandal involving two top military officials. Ooo – how obscene! I wish Congress would get this upset over the photos of our young military personnel returning home in body bags. If you notice, Humphries kind of looks like those two test shot dummies, which I think was the point in him sending it out. In other words, it was all a joke. For the record, Humphries had emailed this photo to several people, not just to that one woman, so hopefully she doesn’t feel too special.
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Counterstrike
“To batter this woman because they don’t feel they have the ability to batter President Obama is something we the women are not going to stand by and watch. Their feckless and reckless speculation is unworthy of their offices as senators.”
– Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), defending Susan Rice after McCain’s comments.
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Chief Writing Wolf 
Bad Irony
“She’s not qualified. Anyone who goes on national television in defiance of the facts five days later…we’re all responsible for what we say and what we do.”
– Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), criticizing United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice over her response to the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Rice has been named as a possible replacement for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. McCain and other Republicans have vowed to block Rice’s confirmation for that position. McCain later dubbed Rice “not very bright.”
Poor John McCain! Years of wandering in the Arizona desert while doped up on Viagra have really done a number on his brain. McCain thinks Rice isn’t “very bright?” Well, you know the old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words!
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Tagged as John McCain, stupid comments, Susan Rice