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Thank You, John Krasinski
Music
Building All is Love: “Where the Wild Things Are” (soundtrack)
Not to diminish what I said in my last blog when I was venting (never mind the Prozac, I’m OK now), this post is in a much lighter vein and hopefully will be uplifting for you.
Yes, obviously I’m a John Krasinski fan – I recently finished Season 2, Episode 8 of JackRyan, which I thought was nicely done. Other notable projects for him were The Office, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and a new one, The Quiet Place, Part II, which I haven’t seen.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
What a World We Are In!
Basically, John’s work inspired me to do this blog about trying to stay sane in a crazy world. His show, which unfortunately is ending after eight episodes, is amazing, uplifting, endearing, enlightening, and many other superlatives. I’ll provide the link at the end of this post, so you can check it out.
News bulletin: Just heard that SGN will be continuing on a different network.
Pandemic Basics
Actually, I hate the “p” word and prefer “situation”. You already know the basics, one of which is to wash your hands – remember, at least 20 seconds. The 20-second “song” that I prefer is the ABC song. If you were ever a kid, you know how it goes. I say that as a segue into my next segment, which kept me awake early this morning, trying to match the alphabet letters to a good “prompt” that might help you or help someone else deal with the situation. Trust me, I have my down days and need encouragement. Hang on, here we go:
A – Ask a friend or relative if they need something.
B – Be available, if only to listen.
C – Check on your neighbor to see how they’re doing (don’t forget the mask).
D – Don’t crush your cans before putting them in the recycle bag. :}
E – Exercise
F – Find someone to talk to when you’re down, or if they’re down, talk to them.
G – Go on a walk, and take the dog if you have one or your cat.
H – Say “hello” every chance you get, even to strangers.
I – Inspire someone with a compliment about their talents.
J – Say a prayer to Jesus (often).
K – Kindness always works (“. . . random acts of kindness”).
L – Love more, hate less.
M – Make an effort to smile often.
N – If you’re wearing your mask, just nod as you pass someone.
O – Only faith and determination work best.
P – Pay it forward when you hear good news.
Q – Quit frowning.
R – Run
S – Say a prayer every day.
T – Try on a new pair of socks.
U – Use your generosity to help others.
V – Voice your opinions, but allow feedback.
W – Work as much as you can, but take breaks too.
X – Marks the spot.
Y – You can rely on your faith to get you through this. Check out Hebrews, Chapter 11.
Z – Zippidy do dah zippidy eh, my oh my what a wonderful day!
I think it’s time to wrap up this installment, with some pictures, and the link to the SGN Episode 8. Sorry about any ads that may pop up, not mine.
Thank you again, John Krasinski and your production team for SGN!
The Who: Tommy’s Holiday Camp (from Tommy, the rock opera)
If you follow my blog and have been patiently waiting for “Part IV – Spiritual”, here it is. I should know better than to attempt multi-part blogs, which seem to take forever to finish. The one I did on Crystal City, inspired by a gym friend who grew up there, took four months to complete. I hope you read Crystal City, it’s an interesting example of humanity gone amuck.
Be sure to read to the end of this post.
The Creative Process Can Be Painful
Starting with a blank page, it’s a challenging process – normally, I have my draft notes (in my green notebook), other sources of information at my fingertips, including blog notes in my daily journal. Sometimes I imagine myself as Michael Keaton in “The Paper” typing away on his keyboard or in a much older classic film about writing a novel or a news story using a manual typewriter, and the writer is frustrated because he’s been sitting for an hour and has only a part of a sentence on the page and a wastebasket full of crumpled paper. Anyway, let’s get back on track.
“Spiritual” Means What?
Looking at its history and literal meaning, according to Merriam-Webster, as an adjective “spiritual” means:
Of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit
Of or relating to sacred matters
Ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal
Concerned with religious values
Related or joined in spirit
Historically, first used in the 14th century – source Middle English, from Anglo-French and Late Latin; Anglo-French espirital, spiritual, from Late Latin spiritue alis, from Latin, of breathing, of wind, from spiritus
I like the “breathing” connotation, as in “inspiration” or “respiration”, i.e. spiritual as in an active state.
As befits this series, how does spiritual fit into the scheme of things? I ask myself, “Am I spiritual”? I think we all are spiritual to some degree, but not necessarily in a religious sense.
OK, I’ve decided this piece won’t progress beyond the “draft” stage, something I realized many weeks ago, that “Spiritual” was going to be a real challenge. I’m going to conclude with a story or two, pictures of course and probably some music.
Inspiration
One of the stories I really liked is about a woman who overcame a serious physical ailment and moved on with her life in a very positive way. The article was in the March-April 2020 Daily Word, a Unity publication.
Odds & Ends: about Relaxing
I wanted to include a link to another article with some ideas about relaxing, especially important during the Covid-19 situation. This article was also in the March-April 2020 Daily Word, a Unity publication.
OK, this segment is a bit divergent from the main topic, but in my opinion it speaks of our need for spirituality in our lives, whether it be religious or another form.
“Great spirit, grant that I might not criticize my neighbor until I’ve walked a mile in his moccasins.” (traditional American Indian prayer)
The quote reminds me of my time in scouting when I was growing up (in my first childhood) in Texas. I belonged to a boy scout troop in my hometown. One part of our regular troop meeting, for some of us, was the Caddo Lodge. We had our own special meeting room, members of the lodge had to go through a rigorous all-night initiation, and on special occasions we would perform traditional Indian dance ceremonies. The quote above was similar to the ending prayer for our meetings. Kind of makes you think doesn’t it, at least it reminds me of my New Year’s resolution to “not be so judgemental”.
The Caddo Lodge was not a unique organization, given the existence of well-established groups like the Order of the Arrow, which is still in existence. I belonged to the OA too when I was in scouting. If you’re interested, check out the link for more background.
Canned Heat: Let’s Work Together (Let’s Sick Together)
Coldplay: God Put a Smile on Your Face (Album: A Rush of Blood to the Head)
Crosby, Still, Nash & Young: Helplessly Hoping
Eagles: Love Will Keep Us Alive (Album: Hell Freezes Over)
Chicago: Wake Up Sunshine (Album: Chicago II)
Bottom Line
For me, as a Bible-reading believer and as a person who finds his own inspiration and guidance in the word of God, I wanted to end with these verses and underscore what I’ve been saying in this blog.
Galatians 5:22-24 (NIV Bible): But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
In the pool area of my gym, the quote below is in huge letters superimposed over the picture of a swimmer looking directly at you with a knowing look in her eyes and saying:
“Before you can accomplish something, you must expect it of yourself.”
Maybe that’s the ticket for making New Year’s resolutions and actually keeping them. As I noticed a couple of days ago, the gym where I work out was very busy. As they say, the traffic will subside when people lose the motivation that prompted their “resolution list” and they stop coming to the gym on a regular basis.
If you read this blog, you know that I’m a big believer in fitness – all kinds, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It’s challenging, but really worth it in the long run. My goal this time is to throw some ideas your way, just to plant some good thoughts about what to expect of yourself this year.
After you see Woody’s list, you might want to check out the Open Culture web site offerings.
A Humorous Sidebar: Humorous Words
Not to distract you from our main goal, pondering our 2020 resolutions, this humorous Reader’s Digest item was too good not to share. Ignore the ads and enjoy!
A More Serious Item
I watched a program on public TV about N. Scott Momaday, the other night and found his ideas very thought-provoking. Here’s a quote from the program “The Man Made of Words”:
“Most of us have developed an attitude of indifference towards the land. We Americans must come to the moral comprehension of the earth and air. We must live according to the principle of a land ethic. The alternative is that we shall not live at all.”
By the way, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his book, House Made of Dawn. I haven’t read it, but I plan to.
I can’t say that I’m an environmentalist, but I try to be aware of the small role I can play. The part of the country where I live just outlawed the use of plastic grocery bags. If you forget to bring your tote bags, you can buy paper bags for a nickel when you check out. At my house we recycle. Maybe it’s too little too late to undo the damage and save the earth, but you have to try. OK, so you can add that resolution to your list, “don’t forget your tote bag”.
One More “Preachy” Item
A parting shot before I wrap this up. I was watching a program about Tuscany the other night – why is it that public TV seems to be the only thing worth my time these days? Anyway, it was interesting, partly because it looks so beautiful, and I would like to go there.
By the way, the TV program is “Rick Steves Europe”, really well-produced show that provides travel information and history. In this segment they talked about the local history and culture and how it affects the citizens (or vice versa). They were in Siena, Italy, where they practice something called “passiegata”. This is a daily evening ritual where the locals walk around in the streets, visiting with friends, eating, and just relaxing. Notice I said walking, that’s right, no cars. One more comment in the Tuscany piece:
“A community ruled by a just government enjoys peace, prosperity, and is great place to raise your kids.”
FYI: Imprimis
I haven’t read all of these Imprimis publications, but I’ve read enough of them to raise my awareness level of important issues in our society and to make me want to learn more. This is the main link to the web site, you can pick and choose the specific publications of interest to you.
More Music and Pictures
The bridge pictures are NOT metaphorical, nah, of course not, too obvious. The clouds, well, you can draw your own conclusions. Bottom line is, I just like taking pictures, and sometimes they are symbolic. The music, yeah, kind of obvious, but I really like the movie.
I recently ran a relay in Oregon, the Hood to Coast Relay. For runners and walkers it’s a big deal – in the words of the race organizers, “the mother of all relays”. Feel free to Google it to get the full spiel, or check out Wikipedia’s narrative, especially if you run, but here’s my 25-words or less description.
1200 teams
12 runners, each running 3 legs
2 vans (6 runners in each van)
Total distance 199 miles
Very little sleep
Little real food
The first van with six runners starts at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, the first leg of the 36 legs in the relay. Already it’s a party atmosphere with vans looking for parking places, van captains checking in at the registration tent, loud music, long lines at the porta-cans, friends greeting friends on other teams, and pictures being taken. The announcer up on his perch above the crowds, calls out the team names when it’s their turn to start. Some of my favorite team names are:
Blood Sweat and Beers
Minnesota Sole Sisters
Scrambled Legs and Hamstrings
It’s Five O’clock Somewhere
Crazy Lactic Acid Rich Asians
Coast Encounters of the Hood Kind
Off and Running
Donna, our leg 1 runner takes off at 9:00 a.m. sharp, running her heart out, down that big hill leading to the next exchange.
The average team takes about 30 hours to finish the relay, traversing a wide variety of roads and terrain to reach Seaside, Oregon. Many of the legs provide breathtaking views of mountains and valleys, other legs meander through the suburbs around Portland and through Portland, into the Coast Range where rivers streams course along the roads, providing a distraction from the physical effort needed to run or walk. As a 20-plus year veteran of the relay, I take the scenic sights for granted while still appreciating the physical beauty of where I live.
What’s with the main heading, Bingle, Bangle, Bongle? As it happens, teams sometimes have to replace runners who are injured or have other situations preventing them from being on the team. In our case, one of the women on our team pulled a hamstring muscle. I recruited a new runner and Don, who had been in our van 1, was moved to van 2. Later for various reasons he was moved back to van 1, but before the dust settled and we figured it all out he was back in van 2. Good naturedly, he took it all in stride (so to speak).
Party at the Beach
At the beach, we ran across the finish line as a team, and wandered around with the multitudes celebrating the end of one of the most amazing athletic events imaginable. Later at our hotel, we made s’mores over an open fire, had some drinks, and collapsed from a very full two days.
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” Marcus Aurelius
Books: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks (not an easy read but a good “self-improvement” book if you’re willing to make the effort, link to audible.com).
I really like Marcus Aurelius quotes, so here’s another one that Hendricks includes in his book toward the end of it. Keep in mind that Marcus Aurelius was a soldier who lived in first century Rome.
“I am part of the whole, all of which is governed by nature. I am intimately related to all of the parts which are of the same kind as myself. If I remember these two things, I cannot be discontented with anything that arises out of the whole because I am connected to the whole.” Marcus Aurelius
“There are times in our lives when we realize that our past is precisely what it is, we cannot change it, but we can change the story we tell ourselves about it, and by doing that we can change the future.” Eleanor Brown (from a Criminal Minds episode)
With the Eleanor Brown quote in mind, let’s dive in to the rest of this November blog.
Other Thoughts – Boomer or Not, Imprimis
It’s fun to reflect to get a different perspective. Obviously, since I’m older, I suppose I’m a “baby boomer”, but I’m right on the cusp. Tom Brokaw called another pre-WWII group “the greatest generation” (he wrote a book by that title). For “millennials”, it would be a shorter time period to reflect on their lives. They also would not be able to remember a time when you didn’t have to lock things – house, car, bike, etc. I was talking to someone at the gym about that, growing up in a time when that was true, at least in a small town like the one where I grew up. You walk out the front door leaving it unlocked and spend the whole day out, no worries. Not drawing conclusions on society in general, but obviously things are different in the 21st century.
As you already know if you read my blog, I’m an Imprimis fan. You might want to check out their publications online or better yet, get on their mailing list for a free printed copy of each publication. For example, here’s a different take on how things used to be, the piece that Amy Wax did for the Imprimis January 2018 publication, “Are We Free to Discuss America’s Real of Problems”. Pay special attention to the first 10 or 12 paragraphs, where she contrasts contemporary American society with our society between the end of World War II and the mid-1960s. You can draw your own conclusions, but I strongly recommend reading the last three paragraphs, especially the one that starts with “Disliking, avoiding, and shunning people who don’t share our politics is not good for our country.”
Back to November 2018 – A Few Snippets
You’ll notice the details that I’m able to remember from the entire month of November – admittedly, I do a daily journal, so it’s not all from memory.
On November 1, I tested some Nike shoes (testing gives me Nike Employee Store privileges, which saves me money on running shoes). November 1 is also my beautiful daughter’s birthday. In my family it’s a tradition to take the birthday honoree out to eat at a restaurant of their choosing. We celebrated her birthday on November 3 at the Old Spaghetti Factory, a great place for adults and kids, with good food and reasonable prices.
The rest of that first week of November, was our normal routine – for my wife, volunteer work at a local senior center, Bible study, pitching in with the grandkids, and cooking for our Monday night family dinner at our house. For me, it was gym workouts, running, and my running club had a banquet to reward volunteers who participated in 2018 events. Actually, on November 6 we went to SoCal to visit relatives. You may have seen my “On the Road, SoCal, November 2018” entry. Just a brief diversion from my November snippets to share my reactions to the SoCal trip.
What Did I Learn in SoCal?
Did I learn anything, or was it just another vacation trip, five days in the sun (no complaints), hanging out with friends and relatives, and total relaxation in a very nice setting. About learning, the question is rhetorical, we always learn things. On this trip I learned on a higher level:
People are tough and resilient. While we were there, the mass shooting at Thousand Oaks happened, and the Woolsey fire in SoCal and the fire in northern California, all happened in that week.
Most people (not all) are friendly and approachable, willing to share things about themselves. There were many people in the hotel who had evacuated their homes.
Most people will help others who are in a bind, sometimes going out of their way to help. There were hundreds of fire-fighting professionals from Oregon and Washington who volunteered two weeks of their time to help fight the fires and to help people in need. Another example, an Oregon man loaded up his business truck with food and supplies and drove to California.
More examples of people helping people, check out these Readers Digest stories – I was especially impressed with “Life Moves Yoga in Killeen, Texas”.
Relationships with people close to you are worth preserving but may require extra effort.
Back to November 2018 – A Few Snippets (continued)
On November 10, we returned to Portland, unpacked and did our laundry. It was good to be back.
On November 11, Veterans Day, I went to a local event honoring Vietnam veterans. It was a large turnout with people from other wars too. There were speeches and socializing, vets meeting other vets, and we received pins honoring our service. Just remember, not everyone who served had a choice, but that doesn’t matter, they served.
Interesting side-note – my Daily Word affirmation for that Sunday was “I am free through the freedom of Spirit.” The Bible verse, 2 Corinthians 3:17, for that day was: “. . . where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
On November 15, one of our grandsons did a sleepover. We walked the dogs and hung out.
On November 17, I continued my annual battle of the leaves (we have lots of trees) for disposal. My daughter hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner at her house, which gave us all a chance to overeat. The food was delicious.
On November 20, we made a decision on which Medicare supplement insurance to go with, after weeks of researching and thinking about. More leaf accumulation, up to about 50 bags now. Met with my running club in the evening to run on the track at a local school, windy and cold but dry.
Thanksgiving Day, November 22, I ran a 5K race and won my age group, which felt really good. I ran my fastest 5K time of the year. We had already celebrated our Thanksgiving dinner.
On November 24, we got invited over to my brother-in-law’s house for another Thanksgiving dinner, very well prepared and delicious. I overate again.
On November 25, I hauled 54 bags of leaves over to a disposal site, multiple trips in my truck. Done for this year thank goodness.
The rest of the month, we played Top Golf a few times, and did the rest of our normal routine.
“Oscar Wilde: ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’ Sarah Bernhardt: ‘I don’t care if you burn.'” Sarah Bernhardt
It’s been a while since we traveled south to SoCal to visit our relatives and friends. We drove this time instead of flying, lots of miles, lots of things to see.
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The drive down was fine, lots of gas stops because we decided to drive the Tacoma instead of the Prius, but we just wanted to take the truck on a long trip to check it out. My wife did the night driving (I hate driving at night), so we were in Red Bluff before it was my turn to drive. Most of the really scenic parts of the drive (southern Oregon, Shasta Lake, etc.) were done, so it was time to set the cruise control and enjoy the ride. We like audio books and were listening to a Harlen Coben novel, No Second Chance. The miles rolled on, and before we knew it we were driving up the Grapevine in southern California. A sky full of dark clouds and some brief rain were a surprise coming in, but the following days were very nice, sunny, and not too warm.
We Arrived OK
We arrived too early to check in so we had lunch with our sister-in-law, Mex food of course, at a placed where we had eaten before called Cocina in Santa Clarita. One of our brother-in-laws joined us and our nephew and his friend. I got to try a new local craft beer that was good, which was a bonus.
Off to the hotel, we got our stuff unloaded and up to our suite. We upgraded to a bigger two-room suite this trip, very nice, on an outside corner of the hotel. We highly recommend Embassy Suites, nice amenities, including a full breakfast every morning. We’ve stayed there so many times, kind of feels like a second home. Later that first day we went over to JJ’s in Santa Clarita, one of our favorite spots, for dinner and drinks and to say hi to some folks we hadn’t seen in over a year.
The Rest of the Story
I’ll give you a quick recap of the rest of our time in SoCal and let the pictures tell you more.
Enjoying the sunny weather, relaxing at the hotel, some time in the pool and the hot tub. Bernie did some gym time, nothing major mainly just stretching and some PT for my knee. Bernie also got in two very nice runs (and didn’t get lost) on the streets around the hotel and on the trails. They have a great trail system for getting out and enjoying the outdoors. Some of the other places (besides JJ’s) where we ate were Chi Chis (Italian), Chilis, and Mimis, a great soup and sandwich restaurant. The beach pictures were taken in Santa Monica, where we had a mother’s day breakfast for our sister-in-law at Shutters, another very cool place to eat in SoCal. It was great fun to get together with our relatives and friends that we hadn’t seen in over a year.
We’re back on the road tomorrow to go home. More pictures to come.
Regarding this particular literary exercise . . . you’re reading a rehash of my week, hopefully interesting in that you may able to relate. We live lives of “quiet desperation” someone once said. Did I learn anything last week and am I now wiser for having learned new things, always a good question. I do a daily journal, bits and pieces of which may appear in this series of blogs – I’ll leave out the really mundane stuff, grocery lists, etc. Of course, sometimes the mundane stuff provides its own drama in our daily lives such as signing up for medical insurance after going through the myriad of available options and trying to make the right decision. Thank heavens for my own stress relief in the form of gym workouts and running, which for me is meditation. For example, in my Daily Word booklet that I read, last Monday’s word was “Meditation: I experience oneness through the art of meditation.” The accompanying Bible verse was from Psalm 49:3, “My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance of my heart will give understanding.” Tuesday’s reading was about “world peace”, Wednesday was about “letting go – to open the way to new and bountiful good.” Not easy for some of us to accomplish. Thursday was “Pray for Others” in a vision of wholeness for people you may not know. Friday was “Forgive: I appreciate my innate capacity to forgive.” Obviously, another challenge for many of us. Saturday was “Prosperity: My life is filled with an overflowing measure of God’s goodness.” For me, starting the day with a positive affirmation is a real boost.
Saturday’s Run
What a nice run, it was chilly and hilly, but dry. The Portland area has been enjoying a dry spell. I bundled up and took off on one of my familiar routes, a paved trail near where I live. I wanted to run about seven miles. I didn’t run fast, party because of the hills, but the run felt good, no major aches or pains. I had a few “dog encounters.” There were many people out with their animals. I always try to stop and pet the friendly ones. Two big German Shepherds were out enjoying the sun. The owner told me their names were Nola and Harley. Toward the end of the run, the sun was going down, the wind was kicking up, and the temperature was dropping. I was at the top of a big hill looking down at the valley. I noticed a little kid in a green jacket. As I ran down the hill I rounded a turn and he and his mom, pushing a stroller, and their dog were coming up the hill. I said hi and headed for home.
I can’t say there was a specific reason why I chose Hillsboro, Oregon as a site for a photo essay, but I was there, and I did have my camera. Also, I was feeling great after a 60-minute deep tissue massage, which I got in Hillsboro. I just felt like taking pictures.
Rather than give you a lot of history in this blog, I’m including this Wikipedia link. Just a side-note, according to Wikipedia, Hillsboro pre-dates Portland. Anyway, check out the Wikipedia info, pretty interesting history. Now for some pictures and more music.
Huey Lewis and the News: Back in Time (from Back to the Future soundtrack)
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A Few Quotes to Get You Going
Carli Lloyd (American athlete), for anyone who has been through injuries:
“It’s always hard to deal with injuries mentally, but I like to think about it as a new beginning. I can’t change what happened, so the focus needs to go toward healing and coming back stronger than before.” Read more at BrainyQuotes.
Anonymous quote (on a mural in the swimming area at my gym, short, to the point, love this quote):
“Before you can accomplish something, you must expect it of yourself.”
Rachelle Mandik (Reader’s Digest, July/August 2017), puns are very cool:
“Sometimes I just want to go live in the woods and meditate, but other times I think that’d be Thoreauing my life away.”
Jonathan Winters, comedian (Reader’s Digest, July/August 2017):
Update: I forgot to add quotes yesterday, which I’m doing now including the Christmas quotes link at the bottom.
I like this next quote because it reminded me of an incident in my life at my home in Texas. I got a chemistry set as a Christmas present and immediately set about using it in my bedroom. While experimenting with mixing various chemicals, I decided to heat a test tube and forgot to take the stopper out. I wasn’t hurt, but I had a nice painting project repairing the ceiling and walls in the corner of my bedroom.
John Vane
At the age of 12, my parents gave me a chemistry set for Christmas, and experimentation soon became a consuming passion in my life.
Back to the Future (main them from Back to the Future soundtrack)
I watched Back to the Future again (for the umpteenth time) the other day. It’s definitely in my top 10 list of favorite movies, heck maybe even top 3, along with Raising Arizona and Predator. Further back in the list of favorites would be James Bond movies, especially the ones with Sean Connery (You Only Live Twice, Goldfinger, etc.). I noticed how young Michael J. Fox looked in Back to the Future. Of course the movie was made in 1985. I suppose it’s that aging thing, something about being relative to your own age makes a person react in a certain way. The music too is a big part of my favorite movies, Huey Lewis and the News in Back to the Future and John Barry in the Bond movies.
Coldplay: You Only Live Twice
What’s Your Point?
Someone close to me reminds me when I get off track or “excessively verbalize” – yikes, that’s not common wording, but I suppose it’s appropriate.
I was kinda getting off track, my main purpose, as I recall, was to say Merry Christmas, but I always like to throw in some pictures and music. Another thing on my mind was to mention that I’m running again (the slide show follows). For those who missed the late 2016 summer of my not running, I’m finally back. Adios to “the boot”, sayonara chump, good riddance, etc., etc.
Willie Nelson: On the Road Again
Pictures from My Recent Run
This area below isn’t terribly far from where I live in Oregon. By the way, the brown and white animals are alpacas, not horses. I also saw plenty of raptors and one dog, an untethered German Shepherd in someone’s yard, but he wasn’t interested in me.
I’m not running very fast these days, but it’s great to be out on the roads again.
Joe Cocker: Feelin’ Alright
Canned Heat: On the Road Again
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More Music and More Pictures and More Quotes
Just a few more pictures, selected at random, I do like taking pictures. and some music, then I’m done for this go-round, except for a whole bunch of Christmas quotes that I added.
It’s good to step back from all the things going on in our lives and remember the important events, like Thanksgiving Day. Just some brief thoughts before I jump into a few pictures, some quotes, and maybe some music.
Huey Lewis and the News: The Power of Love
Giving Thanks
I am thankful for my family, because they have enriched my life beyond measure. Families should never be taken for granted.
Henry David Thoreau
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”
Read more Thanksgiving quotes.
I am thankful for my country and feel very fortunate to live in the United States of America. I was reading in the American Legion magazine about the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. A man who had survived the attack, a sailor on the USS Tennessee, described what it was like to be there when it happened. We should all thank the many men and women who have made sacrifices to protect our way of life.
Coldplay: God Put a Smile on Your Face
Ronald Reagan
“If we love our country, we should also love our countrymen.” Read more Reagan quotes.
John F. Kennedy
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” Read more Kennedy quotes.
I am thankful that I have the freedom to worship my God freely and express my beliefs freely.
Take a minute and express your own thanks, not just on Thanksgiving Day but every day.
Just Some Pictures
I like taking pictures. More of my pictures are here.
blazinbernie
Looking for a Rufous 