Very good article about what happened after Kennedy was shot.
The Flight From Dallas from Esquire Magazine
I was nine years old and remember vividly the announcement our principal Mr. Will gave over the PA system. "Boys and girls, the President, President Kennedy has been shot." Some girl in my class burst into tears, sobbing loudly. I think her name was Melody. I remember wondering why she was so emotional about the whole thing. I guess my mind couldn't fathom it and I recall thinking, "Well, they didn't say 'dead' did they?" I remember looking out the window of our eerily silent, second floor schoolroom (at Lincoln Elementary) and seeing just a few leaves stuck on tree branches waving in the wind and the sky was gray. A few minutes, or so it seemed, Mr. Will came back on the PA and said that President Kennedy had died.
In retrospect, they didn't shield us kids from this hard, brutal fact. And it was just the facts. There was no school counselor waiting outside the room to talk to you about your feelings. Maybe it's because even the youngest teacher was probably born in the beginning of World War Two. We were sent home and I'm sure the school (rightly) felt that our parents would talk to us about this event.
I remember we were sent home from school And there was a bit of giddy joy that we got out for the rest of the day. Little did we know or thing about it; every channel on TV (we only had 3) had around the clock coverage. So, in a kid's way, I remember feeling sorry for the kids of the president but I was bored beyond belief that there was nothing to watch on TV, stores were closed, etc. If you ask anyone my age, that is something we all vividly recollect. There was basically nothing to do. You couldn't go play with your friends; that would have been disrespectful. Joy wasn't an option. A President had been killed. Lakewood, Ohio, where I lived at the time, had pretty much shut down.
I remember watching the funeral on TV and seeing John-John saluting the coffin. I remember the riderless horse, Black Jack, with the boots turn backwards in the stirrups and thinking that was pretty cool. I remember Walter Cronkite's voice.
I knew the whole thing was very big. Days later I figured out that this was an earmark for my generation: where were you when Kennedy was assassinated?
It was our generation's Pearl Harbor.
Now we have: where were you when 9/11 happened?
So think about this: if you or your living relatives are in their 80s, they've witnessed Pearl Harbor, a Word War, the assassination of a President, the moon landings, Challenger blowing up and 9/11. Not to mention the technological advances, the good things and the bad things.
Those are some pretty intense memories and they should be recorded in some way for posterity. Interview your older relatives, from the 100 year old ones on down to us Baby Boomers. We have some stories to tell.
We are living history.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Pit Bulls Messengers Need Make-Overs
I'm very proud of my friend and her love-a-bull lug-nut, Noel.... I can call her that because I know Noel and I love her dearly.
So do read her status update below.
I feel VERY strongly about this and I know I'm going to get a bunch of backlash. And probably a few un-friendings as well.
While I can admire the "saving dogs" message that the TV show Pit Bulls And Parolees, I still think they're giving a wrong message about Bully type dogs. Pit Boss is a bit better because Shorty is trying to rescue dogs AND run a successful business in a tough town.
What do you see on those shows? Former criminals "re-formed" which is absolutely wonderful. I admire Shorty in particular because he had many odds stacked against him. But we are seeing a lot of folks that are still giving the "tough dog" message. Lots of tats and piercings and slovenly clothes. We see a lot of (understandably) tough people. I like them but you just can't picture them with a poodle, for instance.
I for one, think folks like my girlfriend who looks well-groomed, professional, un-tattooed, only one ear piercing, employed, employable, a woman (or man) "over a certain age", someone who just looks "next-door," who looks like a business wo/man, a mom, a dad, a wife, a teacher etc. are what Bully types desperately NEED in a public messenger!!
I think we need a NEW show: Pit Bulls And Pearls!
My friend's posting, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 By Laurie F.
I shall start my Friday morning FB educational series, on the heels of what I hear is terrible comments by Nancy Grace -
Like everything else, if you judge a book by its cover...you will miss all that a good dog is and can be.
Yes, I have turned my FB page into a "Bully Pulpit". (hey when's the last time I sent a request for Candy Crush or FarmVille to you ?). A few weeks back, in spite of a very difficult week of work - I got up Saturday, groomed the lovely Noel and hauled her little wiggle butt downtown to the Cleveland Pet Expo.
With most people, who have obviously been watching GOOD reality TV ;-)), I couldn't walk even a few feet without being mobbed with oohs and aahs for our girl. It was so funny every child that saw her plopped down on the concrete and she slid into their arms to be cuddled.
But then there was the other contingents - first those who saw her tail wagging antics and said awe...bite wouldn't come near, and the third group that would ask me "but aren't they just all unpredictable?" to which I wanted to reply "are you talking about humans?" I responded by saying judge for yourself "would you like to pet her?". I went with this singular agenda...to change as many hearts as possible. A mere year before, this sweet dog lives in god knows what kind of conditions. She was the victim
Of at least two glaringly obvious signs of trauma: a ) her tail was broken in two places (a common thing in thug society is to swing pibble puppies by their tails to make them strong) b) her ears were all but sheared off - most probably with no analgesics, and most probably with kitchen scissors. And yet, this is a solid, loving dog - she wants only to eat, play and be loved. I think people were shaken out of their typical stereotypes reaction, because I was middle aged woman, well dressed with a strand of pearls and a pitbull accessory LOL
Call me, come to my house and meet her...I will make you tea...and you will walk away with all limbs attached...but maybe a warm heart, slobber on your sleeve and a few dog hairs
~ Namaste
So do read her status update below.
I feel VERY strongly about this and I know I'm going to get a bunch of backlash. And probably a few un-friendings as well.
While I can admire the "saving dogs" message that the TV show Pit Bulls And Parolees, I still think they're giving a wrong message about Bully type dogs. Pit Boss is a bit better because Shorty is trying to rescue dogs AND run a successful business in a tough town.
What do you see on those shows? Former criminals "re-formed" which is absolutely wonderful. I admire Shorty in particular because he had many odds stacked against him. But we are seeing a lot of folks that are still giving the "tough dog" message. Lots of tats and piercings and slovenly clothes. We see a lot of (understandably) tough people. I like them but you just can't picture them with a poodle, for instance.
I for one, think folks like my girlfriend who looks well-groomed, professional, un-tattooed, only one ear piercing, employed, employable, a woman (or man) "over a certain age", someone who just looks "next-door," who looks like a business wo/man, a mom, a dad, a wife, a teacher etc. are what Bully types desperately NEED in a public messenger!!
I think we need a NEW show: Pit Bulls And Pearls!
My friend's posting, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 By Laurie F.
I shall start my Friday morning FB educational series, on the heels of what I hear is terrible comments by Nancy Grace -
Like everything else, if you judge a book by its cover...you will miss all that a good dog is and can be.
Yes, I have turned my FB page into a "Bully Pulpit". (hey when's the last time I sent a request for Candy Crush or FarmVille to you ?). A few weeks back, in spite of a very difficult week of work - I got up Saturday, groomed the lovely Noel and hauled her little wiggle butt downtown to the Cleveland Pet Expo.
With most people, who have obviously been watching GOOD reality TV ;-)), I couldn't walk even a few feet without being mobbed with oohs and aahs for our girl. It was so funny every child that saw her plopped down on the concrete and she slid into their arms to be cuddled.
But then there was the other contingents - first those who saw her tail wagging antics and said awe...bite wouldn't come near, and the third group that would ask me "but aren't they just all unpredictable?" to which I wanted to reply "are you talking about humans?" I responded by saying judge for yourself "would you like to pet her?". I went with this singular agenda...to change as many hearts as possible. A mere year before, this sweet dog lives in god knows what kind of conditions. She was the victim
Of at least two glaringly obvious signs of trauma: a ) her tail was broken in two places (a common thing in thug society is to swing pibble puppies by their tails to make them strong) b) her ears were all but sheared off - most probably with no analgesics, and most probably with kitchen scissors. And yet, this is a solid, loving dog - she wants only to eat, play and be loved. I think people were shaken out of their typical stereotypes reaction, because I was middle aged woman, well dressed with a strand of pearls and a pitbull accessory LOL
Call me, come to my house and meet her...I will make you tea...and you will walk away with all limbs attached...but maybe a warm heart, slobber on your sleeve and a few dog hairs
~ Namaste
The foster kitty, Ellie today.
Her foster mom, Jen, also fostered Artie. Here is her back story as close I can remember.
Jen saw her posted on FB in late spring in a S. Kentucky shelter (about 6-7 hours away from here.) She was in pretty bad shape, missing hair along her spine, open sores on her back and pretty shut down.
People were commenting: "Oh, shucks, I'm 2 hours away or I'd get her...." Now 2 hours for us is not that big of a drive but obviously for some folks it was too far.
(And to think I went to Florida to get my German Pinscher. Interesting.)
Her face haunted Jen and she decided to help. With the help of some local folks who do transport, Butterscotch (Or Butterball or Butter-something), as she was known, was transported from KY to Akron, Ohio. Jen renamed her Eliana which is Hebrew for "God called me."
Jen got her back in shape but her Resident Bengal female was not willing to share Mom. There were some duke-it-ups. Jen posted on FB and asked around if someone could foster or adopt her as she loves attention and truly is a very sweet cat.
I decided, ah, what the heck, we can close off our basement which is also Marty's hang-out. We'll take her. If it really sucks, we can always give her back to Jen. She'll do right by her of course.
She sounds sweet and since Rufus, our black kitty, whom the Spousal Unit picked out, by the way, is a total Momma's boy maybe this cat can be the SU's buddy.
Jen brought her over Tuesday (Nov. 12th). She settled in immediately, ate right away, used her box etc. That evening, she schmoozed up to the SU.
Here's where it gets kind of weird for those who know all about our years of Step-Cat Drama.
Ellie isn't in my basement for two hours when I get a phone call from the step-kid with a true cat disaster. It almost always IS a disaster for a wide variety of reasons. Not the least of which is "Waiting until things have gotten so crappy..."
For those of you new-to-the-drama folks, we harbored her 2 cats for FIVE years, they left with her, came back, left, came back plus one and finally left. The coming-back times were NOT good: expensive, stressful, etc. I spent much of that time angry, resentful and bitter because I was the care-giver and I didn't want to do that, quite frankly. We are not a boarding kennel.
Long, long story.
The spousal unit and I decided earlier this year: "If they ever come back, that's it. They are ours and they won't be leaving." But we really felt that their parent needed to pony up and take care of her critters. Cigarettes vs. Cat Food? Really? It's fascinating what people's priorities are.
When Ellie arrived for fostering, she created the perfect excuse for us NOT taking back the step-cats. "Oh, we can't take in your extremely sick cats with fleas because we have an older foster and she comes first."
Now I know that sounds incredibly selfish, cynical and sad. I feel bad, I really do. I feel terrible that one of the Step-Cat's, little Dink, went to the Rainbow Bridge early Wednesday morning. I vacillated about whether or not we could put the other two cats in the attic. How much of this is pity for the cats or enabling?
No matter how this shakes down with Ellie; whether she's a foster or a family member, I think she might have been a most timely gift. Her presence helped me to say, "No."
October 2017. Alas, we had to put our darling girl down and send her to the Rainbow Bridge. Her body just gave out. Broke our hearts.
Her foster mom, Jen, also fostered Artie. Here is her back story as close I can remember.
Jen saw her posted on FB in late spring in a S. Kentucky shelter (about 6-7 hours away from here.) She was in pretty bad shape, missing hair along her spine, open sores on her back and pretty shut down.
People were commenting: "Oh, shucks, I'm 2 hours away or I'd get her...." Now 2 hours for us is not that big of a drive but obviously for some folks it was too far.
(And to think I went to Florida to get my German Pinscher. Interesting.)
Her face haunted Jen and she decided to help. With the help of some local folks who do transport, Butterscotch (Or Butterball or Butter-something), as she was known, was transported from KY to Akron, Ohio. Jen renamed her Eliana which is Hebrew for "God called me."
Jen got her back in shape but her Resident Bengal female was not willing to share Mom. There were some duke-it-ups. Jen posted on FB and asked around if someone could foster or adopt her as she loves attention and truly is a very sweet cat.
I decided, ah, what the heck, we can close off our basement which is also Marty's hang-out. We'll take her. If it really sucks, we can always give her back to Jen. She'll do right by her of course.
She sounds sweet and since Rufus, our black kitty, whom the Spousal Unit picked out, by the way, is a total Momma's boy maybe this cat can be the SU's buddy.
Jen brought her over Tuesday (Nov. 12th). She settled in immediately, ate right away, used her box etc. That evening, she schmoozed up to the SU.
Here's where it gets kind of weird for those who know all about our years of Step-Cat Drama.
Ellie isn't in my basement for two hours when I get a phone call from the step-kid with a true cat disaster. It almost always IS a disaster for a wide variety of reasons. Not the least of which is "Waiting until things have gotten so crappy..."
For those of you new-to-the-drama folks, we harbored her 2 cats for FIVE years, they left with her, came back, left, came back plus one and finally left. The coming-back times were NOT good: expensive, stressful, etc. I spent much of that time angry, resentful and bitter because I was the care-giver and I didn't want to do that, quite frankly. We are not a boarding kennel.
Long, long story.
The spousal unit and I decided earlier this year: "If they ever come back, that's it. They are ours and they won't be leaving." But we really felt that their parent needed to pony up and take care of her critters. Cigarettes vs. Cat Food? Really? It's fascinating what people's priorities are.
When Ellie arrived for fostering, she created the perfect excuse for us NOT taking back the step-cats. "Oh, we can't take in your extremely sick cats with fleas because we have an older foster and she comes first."
Now I know that sounds incredibly selfish, cynical and sad. I feel bad, I really do. I feel terrible that one of the Step-Cat's, little Dink, went to the Rainbow Bridge early Wednesday morning. I vacillated about whether or not we could put the other two cats in the attic. How much of this is pity for the cats or enabling?
No matter how this shakes down with Ellie; whether she's a foster or a family member, I think she might have been a most timely gift. Her presence helped me to say, "No."
October 2017. Alas, we had to put our darling girl down and send her to the Rainbow Bridge. Her body just gave out. Broke our hearts.
Friday, August 25, 2017
The Politics of Boorishness
I don't care if you voted for Trump or not. I frankly don't care if you're a loyal Trumpette or not. I don't care if you voted for Spider Man or the Man In the Moon. But let's call a spade a spade. Calling anyone "fine" (as Trump did in a recent speech or ramble) who spews hate as those white supremacists did recently, who barfs racial slurs, promotes religious, racial, sexual bigotry, who can barely string together rational, kind, coherent thoughts (more or less a sentence), is an insult to TRULY fine people everywhere.
Those sadists in Virginia are the ones who are making America UN-great. If I were a native of that lovely state I'd be saddened and sickened.
"Make America Great!" he cries. America never "lost" its greatness. Ever. That is pap that some folks have been fed and are eagerly lapping it up. People with two brain cells to rub together are letting the inmates run the asylum. Its greatness has been dimmed by rhetoric and fear-mongering.
People who have a knowledge of history know this for what it is. It's not the Liberals, It's not the Democrats. It's not any political party. It's so close to Nazism that it's frightening. First step: silence or suppress the media, the scientists, the intellectuals, the artists. Next: blame your troubles on Somebody Else. The African-Americans, The Jews, the LGBT community, the opposite sex.. Then make people afraid. Afraid of each other. Afraid to make an educated choice. Afraid of themselves.
There has been such an unleashing of idiocy, crassness, bad manners along with dangerous, subversive cruelty and frankly, kids, it's coming from the top. If you think it isn't, you need to really look very carefully at what's happening and understand that Trump's illogical, irrational invective has suddenly opened the floodgates of unacceptable behavior. Just look at how social media is blowing up and how this diarrhea of misbehavior and lunacy is creating horrible things. Horrible things being said and done. I, for one, am tired of being the world's punch-line.
Where is class? Where is graciousness? Where is courage?
Where is kindness? Where is helping your neighbor? Where is pride in your country, community, home? Where is reaching out your hand to comfort or help another, be it adult, child or animal? Where is the sense of feeling the breath of freedom; that one can worship, marry, love as long as it does not harm another?
Where is kindness? Where is helping your neighbor? Where is pride in your country, community, home? Where is reaching out your hand to comfort or help another, be it adult, child or animal? Where is the sense of feeling the breath of freedom; that one can worship, marry, love as long as it does not harm another?
It's time for Trump and his supporters to own up and pony up. This has not been an improvement. This is intellectual bedlam, boorishness, cowardice and bullying on an almost unprecedented level of Low.
You can have a fifth grade education and live in a run-down shack and have more class, intelligence and kindness that what is being witnessed today.
Get a grip.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
The Cut-And-Paste Rant
I don't have to prove that I care about people who are dealing with cancer. If I don't C&P something, especially about cancer, it doesn't mean that I don't care deeply about people who have died, who are going through treatment, who just got that first diagnosis,or who are on the other side of it. Far from it. I just means that I think C&Ping the same old-same old is boring, quite frankly.
And I don't like the verbiage a lot of those C&P posts have either. Read those posts seriously....it's actually kind of nasty and threatening "If you don't show support by C&Ping, you're a bad person and only 5% of my friends will. And I'll find out who my true friends are." Seriously? Horse-shit. If that's how you find out who your "true" friends are, that's pretty lazy and lame, IMO.
That cancer thing has been going around FB for YEARS.
Write something original.
I deeply support people who have cancer or who have lost a loved one by sending them my personal concerns, offers of help, prayers and support. Trust me, if you've had cancer (and I have), that means a whole hell of a lot more than cutting and pasting some old "been around the block" post.. . Better to write: "If you know someone who is going through treatment, has cancer etc. please send them loving, healing energies, prayers, positive vibes, etc." And you don't have to C&P that one either. Just holding someone in love, even for a nano-second, can change their life and can change the world.
Love, the Auntie Anti-Cut-And-Paster.
BTW, I do enjoy, if I have the time, the C&P and fill in the blanks ones. Some of my friends having posted some really funny stuff.
And I don't like the verbiage a lot of those C&P posts have either. Read those posts seriously....it's actually kind of nasty and threatening "If you don't show support by C&Ping, you're a bad person and only 5% of my friends will. And I'll find out who my true friends are." Seriously? Horse-shit. If that's how you find out who your "true" friends are, that's pretty lazy and lame, IMO.
That cancer thing has been going around FB for YEARS.
Write something original.
I deeply support people who have cancer or who have lost a loved one by sending them my personal concerns, offers of help, prayers and support. Trust me, if you've had cancer (and I have), that means a whole hell of a lot more than cutting and pasting some old "been around the block" post.. . Better to write: "If you know someone who is going through treatment, has cancer etc. please send them loving, healing energies, prayers, positive vibes, etc." And you don't have to C&P that one either. Just holding someone in love, even for a nano-second, can change their life and can change the world.
Love, the Auntie Anti-Cut-And-Paster.
BTW, I do enjoy, if I have the time, the C&P and fill in the blanks ones. Some of my friends having posted some really funny stuff.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
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