Sunday, May 29, 2005

Away Game

I'll be out of town until the 12th of June. Business Trip. I realize that new people visit this site every day. I don't want you to Never come back again. When I am in town I post every day. Sometimes several times per day. So, please take a look at some of my favorite submissions and after you have taken a look at them come back after the 12th. And look at some suggestions for other worthy blogs.
Am I going to HELL?..
Hitler Loved Darwin
You Retire You Die
Should I Run For Office?
Are You Ignorant?
The Carved wooden Turtle
Attention Deficit
A Test for "Persons of Faith"
True Security is Jail
A Nation of Laws, That's Good NO??
Girls and Boys
My 8 Cow Wife
Why I do what I do
Wouldn't this be better??
Quit Going to Church or Start Your Own
On Friendship
Holy Cow or maybe YOU
TSA and Patriot Act YECCH
Praying and Lying
AGES of MAN
Turning 60
DAKOTA
Professional harassment
Smokeout
Death by a Thousand Pokes
North Dakota, You're Not Welcome Here!
My Predictions Written end of 2004 for 2005
Tsunami Perspective

And, I have other Blogs that are of a like mind and worthwhile reading every day. So, take a look at these bright people:

Julie Neidlinger of Hampden ND. She is an up and coming bright young lady with so many facets it's scary. Her blog is the first one I read every single day. I recommend it highly.

Trevor Romain is one of the most moving artists and writers I have ever read. If you love to reach deep within for who you really are read his blog.

John Armstrong writes for Pastor's mostly but writes on topics of interest to many. Pretty religious for you unchurched folk.

Eric Sigmund is a software writer from Austin Texas who is prolific and entertaining. He makes me laugh.

Four guys from the Dakotas have a well put together news and comment blog I read

For the pinko liberal long haired hippy types try Adrianna Huffington. Sometimes I even agree with her contributors. So much for being ultra right wing.

Mark Steyn is a columnist for newspapers on both sides of the pond. I like what he says and think it would be well to read his materials.

And if you have nothing else to read, try navigating my E-Book posted at Dakota Revision,
Or the start of 1000 creative ideas for the Dakotas (I'm only up to 25 so far, I'm ambitious)

Please check back after the 12th and I promise I will store up 20 interesting posts at least..
In the hopper right now that I am working on are:
Why WalMart is the Antichrist
Things I don't believe anymore

Abu Graiab Redux

North Dakota is a Terrible Place to live (or not)
Grateful Dead and Blogging parallels

Spending per Student and Other Stupid Statistics

Common Sense Educational Curricula You'll Never See Again

SEE YOU SOON!

Your're the Greatest

Memorial Day will not pass without comment about the passing of the soldiers of World War II. Brokow called them properly the greatest generation. They were great. They did amazing things.

But, every generation is great in it’s own way. We all have a purpose. We all have things we are on this earth to accomplish. Some generation’s contributions are less spectacular. Some are hard to understand. I’m not particularly interested in arguing about it.

Generations that see themselves as beyond usefulness are not. They have a reason to be here. Not to entertain us, but to reach the potential fullness of the generation that they are part of.

I recall Gen X a few years ago. They were discounted. Look around. They are changing the world as certainly as did the WWII generation.

I have great expectation of this current generation (those 15-25). They are about to change things again. For GOOD I believe.

Oh, you can point to losers in every generation. No counts who will be a net negative on society. If my liberal friends had their way we’d just put a bullet in their head and end it all. We had them in my generation. We’ll have them in every. But I am optimistic.

So whoever you are, whatever you are generationally, Be THAT.

Every Generation makes a difference for Good and for some BAD. Even the greatest generation. They weren’t all saints walking regularly on water. Ask your parents or grandparents. There were plenty of scoundrels and there was McCarthy or Roosevelt. Pick your choice. And today we have Iraq for good and bad. And those men and women who joined up and serve there, are worthy of honor as much as those who served in the last 230 years.

So as we memorialize the generations fallen, let’s remember to be proud of who you are, what you have done, and stand next to every generation before and those who follow and hold your head high. Real High!

Every Generations Counts – BE PROUD.

Memorializing and building relationships

When Abraham Lincoln instituted Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) on the 30th of every May he did so not because the date meant anything in particular, but because the flowers would be in full bloom, available and plentiful along every road. Anyone with ingenuity could make a bouquet and honor their fallen. I don’t know if that’s the whole story but as a horticultural geek I want to believe it.

Growing up in ND I associate Lilac fragrances with Memorial Day. Living in Illinois our lilacs are long since past bloom (except for dwarf Korean which is not what I remember lilacs as). Right now the Weigela, Peonies, shrub roses, and other plants are in full regale. The iris’ are just passed. Native Flag iris’ are doing their thing. It’s green and beautiful.

A roadside plant I love is Queen Anne’s Lace. I just made a pretty bouquet of Peony with accents of lace. Nice.

So decorate away. The roadsides are alive with color and beauty if you can just see it.

Reflecting on this Memorial Day I think about those we have buried in the last few years. My human landscape of friends and relatives is changing. I guess that’s why I value those I have now.

I’m not trying to hold on to or recapture relationships of the past. I am trying to make sure that the ones I have now are real and worthwhile. There are people I communicate with emailing I wish I knew better. Intelligent thinking people whose center is well established. They won’t be pushed around. I like people like that. Not ashamed to be who they are, not trying to meet others expectations. Synthesizing their own opinions not from popular dogma but from deeply held convictions mixed with creative discontent toward the status quo. Those are relationships I look for, desire, and seek out.

And, I love it when people make me laugh not at others expense.