Loyalty To Our Country

On Facebook, we have an opportunity to express feelings, ideas, jokes, information and videos.  Recently, I "shared" a post that offered an opportunity to express ones thankfulness to the men and women serving our country overseas and state-side.  A friend of mine, a retired Colonel and fellow sailor added an excerpt from an article he read and had saved.  It was so touching to me that I felt it should be added to this blog in the hopes that others will read and think about those men and women in our military and what they must feel upon return to civilian life.  We often (too often) don't give enough credit to our Veterans; I think that sometimes, once our loved one has returned to us, we're all too anxious to return to 'normal' civilian life; too often forgetting that what they've been through is life-changing and will affect them forever...   We should never forget what they've been through and give them the respect they've earned.  Thank you Colonel Pete for sharing this and for serving our Country!

His exact post is as follows:

I found this article and can relate to the author: Occasionally, I venture back out to the air base where I'm greeted by an imposing security guard who looks carefully at my identification card, hands it back and says, "Have a good day, tech sergeant."
Every time I go back onto Charleston Air Force Base it feels good to be called by my previous rank, but odd to be in civilian clothes, walking among the servicemen and servicewomen going about their duties as I once did, years ago.
The military, for all its flaws, is a comfort zone for anyone who has ever worn the uniform. It's a place where you know the rules and know they are enforced. A place where everybody is busy but not too busy to take care of business.
Because there exists behind the gates of every military facility an institutional understanding of respect, order, uniformity, accountability and dedication that becomes part of your marrow and never, ever leaves you.
Personally, I miss the fact that you always knew where you stood in the military, and who you were dealing with. That's because you could read somebody's uniform from 20 feet away and know the score.
Service personnel wear their careers on their sleeves, so to speak. When you approach each other, you can read their name tag, examine their rank and, if they are in dress uniform, read their ribbons and know where they've served.
I miss all those little things you take for granted when you're in the ranks, like breaking starch on a set of fatigues fresh from the laundry and standing in a perfectly straight line that looks like a mirror as it stretches to the endless horizon.
I miss the sight of troops marching in the early morning mist, the sound of boot heels thumping in unison on the sidewalks, the bark of sergeants and the sing-song answers from the squads as they pass by in review.
To romanticize military service is to be far removed from its reality, because it's very serious business, especially in times of war.
But I miss the salutes I'd throw at officers and the crisp returns as we crisscrossed on the flight line.
I miss the smell of jet fuel hanging heavily on the night air and the sound of engines roaring down runways and disappearing into the clouds.
I even miss the hurry-up-and-wait mentality that enlisted men gripe about constantly, a masterful invention that bonded people more than they'll ever know or admit.
I miss people taking off their hats when they enter a building, speaking directly and clearly to others and never showing disrespect for rank, race, religion or gender.
Mostly I miss being a small cog in a machine so complex it constantly circumnavigates the Earth and so simple it feeds everyone on time, three times a day, on the ground, in the air or at sea.
Mostly, I don't know anyone who has served who regrets it, and doesn't feel a sense of pride when they pass through those gates and re-enter the world they left behind with their youth.
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

Spring Naturals

Ah, Springtime.....  Signs of Spring are all around us.  Daffodils are blooming in my yard along with the crocus flowers.  Cherry trees line our streets in sharp, crisp pink blossoms.  Blue birds are checking out all of the available Blue Bird houses and singing sweet, light songs; tree frogs serenade the cove at night and the Blue Heron calls out with the hope it will find a mate.  All of these things are sure signs that Spring has arrived!  For me this year, the Spring Naturals photography program by LifeTouch Photography has been added to the mix.  Although it's a very physical and demanding program this year - tons of equipment to be set up and broken down each day, I have to tell you I've been absolutely delighted to see the children! The younger the child, the more dressed up they are!  I wish you could see what I see.  They're so excited on photography day!  I'm seeing little girls in some of the most BEAUTIFUL dresses you can imagine, complete with white patent leather shoes, or sometimes black patent leather - sometimes even sparkly little slippers.  Their hair is topped off with ribbons, bows, crowns, and fancy barrettes.  The little boys are equally as fanciful; they're wearing the most adorable, tiny, tiny suits - with ties, or they might be wearing the softest pastel argyle sweaters.  They have on their Sunday shoes and their chests are raised with pride.  They're all so sweet; it makes me want to eat them up!!!  I can only imagine what the parents of these adorable little princes and princesses are telling them that morning. "Don't spill your food on your nice new clothes." or "Better not come home with magicmarker on that shirt!" and, "Be sure to smile real big for the camera, okay?"
Older elementary school kids and the middle school age children dress up too....well, most of them do.  One thing I'm seeing is some of the kids use picture day as an opportunity to show off their ideals and identities.  It's amazing to me. Take for instance one of my assignments the other day, I saw one young lady who was dressed totally Goth, with black-purple lipstick, dark black hair with purple streaks through it, wrist-bands, black leather vest with white shirt; I could tell she was sort of that outsider, you know, but she obviously stuck to her guns and wanted her picture made that would show her individuality.  She was standing in line for the pose I was working with, not talking to the other kids,  just listening to them. She said nothing and looked down most of the time.   Of course, I noticed her right away and as she came to the front of the line for her turn,  I said hello to her with a smile and she sort of gave me that "Hey....." response.  I said "You know what?  What you have on today is so totally cool.  I like what you've done with your hair!  I wish I could wear my hair like that!"  You should have seen her light up and with one of the most beautiful smiles of the entire day.  When I finished taking her picture, I said to her "Honey, you have such a beautiful smile, you should smile every chance you get!"  She beamed a smile back at me and said "Thanks!"  and walked away with her shoulders erect, not slumped like when she walked in.  
Don't get me wrong, I see lots of children that perhaps forgot it was picture day, or that perhaps didn't have the finest clothes to wear, but I treat them as if they are wearing garments spun with pure gold and I still tell them how great they look.  You might be surprised to know that they know they're not dressed like the other children who have on beautifully pressed clothes, fancy dresses or suite and ties....  However, I think it's a good opportunity for me to make them feel good about the way they are, and I can only hope that I'm clear - as are all of the other photographers, about the fact that I'm not there to judge them; I'm there to make them smile for me in such a way that I can capture that wonderful expression that shows what a great little person they are.  I truly believe with all my heart that what we say to children makes a difference; and that we, in that moment, never know exactly how what we say to them, or how we treat them will, can, or does influence them for the rest of their lives.
I also want to write out my feelings about teachers.  I've observed some of the most loving, giving, compassionate, dedicated teachers I've ever met in my life.  I've been amazed watching them work with these kids!  I've seen teachers and assistants work with special needs children that have made me literally have to turn away from them to gain my composure back because I was about to let the tears roll down my cheeks as I watched the pure, unbiased, LOVE that they have for those children.  The difficulties they must face in immeasurable.  I've seen teachers working with all ages of children, from all types of backgrounds.....it just makes me respect them and their jobs so much and I'm so thankful the North Carolina School System has them (and I don't even have children!!!)
Being a school photographer is very hard work.  There's tons of heavy equipment to carry around - especially for the Spring Naturals program.  We get up early - sometimes around 3:00 a.m. and leave our homes and families around 4:00 a.m. to be on site. Get all of that gear out of our vehicles, into the schools, set up, running and waiting for the children; when the session begins, (I'll just speak for myself here) I'm sweating bullets all day long working as fast as I can.  We usually don't have time to sit down or take a break during the entire time we're on site. Then, when we're finished taking the pictures, we have to do our paperwork, break down all of our gear, load it up, and drive home.  It's not by any means a corporate CEO's pay, but I know in my heart that sometimes, greater rewards come to us by means other than monetary gain.

For the veteran photographers, when I've worked on a site with them, I've noticed that the kids remember the photographer(s)  from the year before!  One of my best days so far in this job has been when the kids came up to me after I was finished with their class... are you ready for this?  They gave me hugs!!!  Talk about fighting back the tears!!!  It made me feel like I had just been given a million bucks!  As I was loading my equipment at the end of that day, the children were outside playing in a fenced in playground.  They stopped what they were doing, and came to the fence to watch me.  Of course I noticed the line of children at the fence and I turned to them smiling, waving and saying "Thank you for letting me come today!"  They jumped up and down and were shouting "Bye Ms. Gigi!  See you next year!"  waving as fast and hard as they could.    I smiled and waved back at them and got into my car, but before I left the school grounds, I turned back and I looked at those kids...still standing at the fence with one little hand grasping the chain-link fence and with the other hand still waving.
"That's our future right there." I thought to myself.  It made me feel good - and humbled.   I was a part of their little lives today....during Spring Naturals.....I love spring time.

Sailing BVI 2010 with great friends....Couldn't have asked for better!

A Sailing Tradition

My husband and I are preparing for our sailing vacation to the British Virgin Islands.  As we prepare, one part of the long list of things to make sure we bring are my husband's long list of Sea Shanties.  Do you know about Sea Shanties?  I didn't until I met my husband; yet, as I discovered, I've known some Shanties all of my life!  Remember "Farewell Spanish Ladies"?  it was sung in the move "JAWS" - right before all hell broke loose! How about "Blow the Man Down"?  In this small post, I thought I'd share some interesting facts about Sea Shanties.
First, there are several types of shantys.  There are the Folksol, Capstan, Short Haul, Long Haul and Halyard.  They were rhythm songs used by sailors where work required not one bulked-up sailor turning a wench, but several men pulling lines to hoist the sails, bring in the anchor, or whatever was needed, to synchronize the movements of the shipworkers or to sooth long bouts at sea - when there was no satalite radio.  Also called the "call and response" songs.  Singing the Shanty was the "Shantyman". ** Interesting fact here is the last known true Shantyman died in 1992. His name was Stan Hugill 1906 - 1992.Stan Hugill 
The name Shanty derived from the French word "chanter", "to sing".  These songs were very popular from the fifteenth century through the days of steam ships in the first half of the 20th century.  When the Shantyman would sing a line of song, the sailors would bellow the response - sort of like a military march drill with the sargent calling out to keep the soldiers in rhythm.  The Short Haul Shanty was for quick pulls over a short period of time; when working in rough weather and seas, these songs kept the sailors in rhythm to get the job done quickly and safely. Long Haul or Halyard were for work that required more lapsed time between the next pull.  Used for heavy labor that went on for a while, like raising or lowering a heavy sail....which gave them time to take a breath and regrip for the next pull.  Capstan or 'windlass' shanties were used for long, repetitive tasks like raising or lowering anchor.The Capstan bars were like a giant wheel on its side and the sailors would walk around and around pushing the bars of the wheel to hoist up or lower the anchor.

When my husband is into anything, he learns all of the history, interesting quips of information and anything else he can possibly learn about an item, idea, part, etc. One thing I found interesting, is that in the song "Blow the Man Down", the lyrics talk about being on the Black Ball liner.  There's another song "The Black Ball Line"  and so we wondered what this was.  Was it a slave ship that carried slaves chained up with literally the ball and chain?  Was it a war ship with cannons?  Well - it was neither of those things. The Black Ball Liner was a fleet of ships that sailed beginning around 1817 out of New York piers with the packet ship James Monroe.  The Black Ball Line was initially known for textile importer Benjamin Marshall's revolutionary idea for prompt, reliable service that departed and arrived on a schedule.  From the 1820s to the 1840s, regular transatlantic passages were run year round from New York's South Street pier to Liverpool, England and back.  It took it's name from its flag - which was a black ball on a red background.  Thanks to this innovative idea and the Black Ball Line's innovation, New York became a top-notch port, outshining Boston and Philadelphia. !!  How about that?  Pretty cool.  A link here for those of you interested in reading more about the first ships to carry passengers and cargo and the Black Ball Line in general, click the link The Black Ball Line and The Pacific Northwest  

So would you like to hear some shanties?  The Smithsonian Institute has a rare collection of shanty recordings.  They offer them for purchase.  You can click this link to listen to some. Smithsonian Folkways - Reuben Ranzo - The X Seamen's Institute  
The Reuben Ranzo song is one song I like.  The traditional story is that Reuben Ranzo was a Boston tailor who was shanghaied aboard a whaling vessel.  Remember that whaling vessels often stayed out at sea for YEARS before coming back.  Anyway, he was subjected, as the song states, to the hardships and indignities of life at sea on a long voyage sustaining 20 and 30 lashes at a time for being dirty from the captain, when the daughter of the skipper intercedes for him, and gives him an education and taught him navigation - he becomes a good sailor, and marries her becoming the skipper of his own whaling vessel and becomes "the toughest bastard on the go."   
One great sad song is "No use for the Shanty Man" - reiterating the time when steam ships were putting so many sailing ships out of business because obviously, it could sail is half the time. 
My husband and I plan on sharing our treasure trove of shanties with the 2 other couples going with us on this trip.  We'll be sailing the oceans for 2 weeks.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Although we'll have all of the modern comforts, we'll still be working the sails ourselves and I can promise you I'll be thinking about those sailors so long ago, so far away from home on an endless sea; and listening for 'that ghostly sound on quiet night air' as was sung in the song "No Use for The Shanty Man"......I'm sure those sailors had no idea at the time just how valuable their work songs would be; and that some middle-aged woman would be sailing along in 2010 - humming their shanties as if singing to their ghostly echos - - still sailing the seas. 

By The Oceans Side

At night I like to sit by the oceans side
Thinking about life and watching the tide.
I relate the rhythm of its rolling waves
to the timing of troubles and how I behave
There is a lot to learn by watching the sea
Watch it enough and you'll find the key.
That life is a rhythm much like the ocean
That good times and bad must stay in motion
For if they were to ever become still
The foundation beneath, it would surely kill.
Reminders like this, God gave us to see
That the tides of life must ever be.
Sometimes it's rough and you think you'll drown
But wait it out 'cause it will calm down.
I'm thankful for the time I have by the sea
And reminders like these that are given to me
As I sit at night by the oceans side
Thinking about life and watching the tide.

Called By The Stars

That night in the midst of a new moon high,
My friend became a part of the sky.
Giving birth to life but herself to die,
Called by the stars of Gemini.

Now destroyed is he that loved her most
And falls his spirit, call'n her ghost.
But she'll tell him she loves him in times of despair,
By the eyes of the child she left in his care.

How sad this is - it's too great to say.
So lost was he by the dawn of day;
His anger is great and his heart is broken,
He thinks of things he should have spoken.

Before she became a part of the sky
That night in the midst of a new moon high.

Giving rise to life in the utmost way,
Giving up her life for her child that day.
Flying high above, now a part of the sky
She was called by the stars of Gemini

Why did it happen, please tell me why
Did she hold the baby, did she see her eyes?
I never saw my friend even once that day
I wish I could tell her everything is okay.

Now she's flying above, now a part of the sky
She was called by the stars of Gemini.
Giving rise to life in the utmost way.
Giving up her life for her child that day.

Flying high above now a part of the sky
She was called by the stars of Gemini.

This Is My Prayer

This Is My Prayer

Dear Lord,
For every step that this child takes
Please send your angel, for her sake.
To keep her safe and from all harm
To sure her feet and in your arms.
This is my prayer, dear Lord please hear
To keep an angel for her near.
And if you call me home tonight,
Please give me wings of grace and might.

So I may be the one you send
To guard this child until the end.

Amen

How Do I See 2010? Well - I'm Optimistic!....at the moment, anyway.

 Good Morning!
Here we are on New Year's Day 2010.  It's easy for me to be optimistic today, I mean, heck - it's the first morning of the new year!  Who wouldn't be optimistic and just down right giddy about the possibilities of what may come our way?

2009 was tough - and very tough for me, as I'm positive it's been for most Americans and the world.  Being unemployed has given me opportunities though, that I wouldn't normally have had, and its  taken them away too.  I've had an opportunity to become more involved in my community and my local library - that's right - VOLUNTEER work.  I've had a chance to do a little more sailing with my husband, to cut more gemstones (one of my hobbies) to TOTALLY organize every drawer, closet and box stored in our house and garage.  My house is SPOTLESS.  I've worked in the yard and had a great tan this summer - something I almost NEVER get to have because of work.  I've had a chance to help my parents more, spend time with them and help my dad around their house.  I've also had the opportunity to rekindle some long-lost friendships; something I didn't realize how much I missed, and even meet up with them for lunch, dinner or just over a few cocktails and finally, I've had the opportunity to start a study program and try for my Internal Auditors Certification.  What I'm the most proud of that happened in 2009, was that I found my dad's lost wedding band using a metal detector on every scoop of black-pudding compost in the compost bin where he lost it.  It hasn't been off of his finger in 47 years, but lost it in 2008 while adding leaves to the compost bin.   We both cried when we found it. That was one of my best days.

On the flip side, I've applied for job after job (hundreds) with no luck and only had about 3 interviews the whole year.  I've attended all of the workshops given by my local unemployment office, rewritten my resume about 5 times, cried when I received the "thanks but no thanks" emails or calls about jobs, I've worried about our mortgage payment, struggled to pay for getting our piece-of-crap cars fixed, stopped getting my hair colored at the salon and instead, opted for the $10 box of color at the drug store.  I don't get my nails done anymore and I've stopped using the most expensive makeup, buying what I can find at Walmart.  We started buying our groceries at discount grocery stores, like Aldi and Walmart. I'm conscious about the amount of time I'm on the phone and stopped shopping except for what we have to have. 

In the bigger picture, we all saw things that added to our sadness and upped the red mark on our 'worry meter'.  The death of Ted Kennedy, who was an icon whether or not you liked him or what he fought for - he changed history several times in our country; we watched helplessly as our economy went from bad to worse, which I believe, it will be years before we really see recovery.  We protested as a nation against reckless spending by Congress in the Tea Party Protests.  We watched in real time the unfolding of a global warming conspiracy that I think, will push us backwards in global "Save The Planet" efforts; speaking of which - no matter what the data is or was, shouldn't we still try to stop global warming and save our planet?  Or - will the world use this as an excuse to be lazy for a little while longer?  

We ALL worry about health care and frankly, I'm so confused right now about what to stand behind I want to craw in a hole!  I think it'd be great to have health care for everybody, but the price on our taxes may be too much - at least for us right now.  
What about the unrest in Iran?  Too much to discuss on that topic - but I'm VERY uneasy and worried.  The anti-government movement with the potential for a revolutionary revolt against harsh government forces and the Mullah oligarchy makes me hope for their democracy and pray for no more bloodshed.  Moreover - I pray for OUR troops and hope and pray for their safe return, for the end of the war, and pray for the families whose loved ones will not be returning.


AND - what about that dork with the bomb in his underwear?!  What that did for me was to RE-reinforce the thought that perphaps while we're all worried about our economic status, we need to pay attention and not forget, that there are those in this world who are trying to kill us and bring even more terror to our nation. 

Businesses that have been around for-ever went under this year.  S&K Men's Warehouse, Carolina Interiors, Ukrop's, Circuit City and many, many others.
We lost movie stars such as David Carradine, Patrick Swayze, Billy Mays, Farah Fawcett, Michael Jackson,  Josephine Cottle, Ed McMahon, Karl Malden, Al Matino, Vic Chesnutt, James Gurley, Arnold Stang, and of course, Brittany Murphy.  One of the saddest deaths in 2009 to me, is of Kim Peek.  If you don't remember him, he was the inspiration for "Rain Man".  He was what is known as a "Megasavant".  He had a photographic and/or eidetic memory.  He has always been an inspiration to me, and served as a humble reminder that one can accomplish many things in a lifetime, with or without disabilities.  I always admired his father, who has taken care of him for all of these years tirelessly and with the utmost dedication.  I have to admit, that for years, I've secretly worried about who would take care of Kim after the death of his father... For some reason, I believe that his father will follow his son shortly due to the grief of the loss of his beloved son.  I hope I'm wrong. Last but not least - Oral Roberts.


There are lots of bad things that happened in 2009, and there are lots of good things that happened too.  For me, my unemployment ran out just before Christmas.  I'm thankful that I had as much help as I did.  Say what you want to, but under the Obama Administration, I had more help than I ever would have had before and for that, I am thankful.  I interviewed for a small paying job just before Christmas.  I think I have a good chance at getting it - time will tell and I'll let you know!  It's not at all what I was making before I lost my job, but it's a J.O.B. and it'll be in a field that I really love - photography.  My husband and I will take a vacation with the money we saved in 2009 soon and we'll be joined by 2 other couples that are good friends of ours and I'm looking forward to that.  Money is tight, and getting tighter - but for right now, we're able to pay the bills and the mortgage.  My parents, although they're older and have their health problems, are alive and doing alright.  My mother-in-law, who is 84 years old is doing alright too. I have a great husband that I love very much and I know that despite all that's happened in this world last year, that 2010 offers HOPE.  Hope for new jobs, a better economy, and peace.


So...yeah...at the moment anyway, I'll keep an Optimistic Calendar, and who knows ! Maybe somebody will even read my blog. (smile)