a song for the men of the 151st division...and those who love them

Good Morning,

I've been sitting here this morning trying to best capture and express my deep appreciation for those who have fought in wars or died in the service to my country.

I'm a little too far away to put a flag on the grave of my Grandfather...(I know he worked on planes in Africa and was bitten by a monkey...).



I'm a little too apprehensive to call my other proud Grandfather in the assisted living center and yell into the phone THANK YOU GRANDPA I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!!



I don't think anyone would reeaally appreciate my singing You're a Grand Old Flag! (the only patriotic song I know all the words to...)

marching in a parade and playing "On Wisconsin!" on my trumpet is also out...

I'm aware that Memorial Day should really include everyone who's died in a war. You can't just celebrate the U.S. service men and women without thinking of the human cost on both sides...

when 70,000 people die instantaneously (Hiroshima) it feels wrong to me to chow down on a hot dogs and sizzle up the BBQ!

still...I want to remember and celebrate this day...

so...

My celebration today is to offer you this. A family favorite clip from the movie White Christmas both of my Grandfathers would enjoy. I say let's remember the General Waverly's we know and try to honor and respect the values they have taught us... duty, loyalty, personal courage, selfless sacrifice...



(now i'm gonna go see if i can mold and style my hair like Betty's!)


with thanks on a mindful memorial Monday,

Amanda

*1st chair trumpet emeritus Central Middle School Band

A Special Guest Post...

(...from my mom)

First of all, I have to say I feel honored to be a guest contributor for the Monday Morning News. I am very proud of Amanda's dedication and her ability to write weekly, often poignant and always entertaining pieces. She's my Baby Girl and I'm gonna keep her! Ya know what I mean?

NOW, about this trip. About six weeks ago, I received a FB message in which I was asked what I would like to do and see in KC and Lawrence, along with a thorough list of possible choices. The following is my Top Ten or However Many I End Up With List. We'll start with #10...

10. Raiding Amanda's pop stash and watching her grimace when I popped one open. One less for her...heh, heh...bad mommy...heh, heh...

9. The multitude of soft down pillows on the bed, not to mention the bed itself. It made for SUCH good sleeping, not that I need any help. I could win a gold medal for sleeping if it were an Olympic category.

8. Looking at hair magazines with A. and Shan, trying to find a new "do" for Sue with A. and Shan. Sue didn't like how her hair looked in pictures. Bunch of bad hair days. Hate that.

7. Watching my grandkitty Mitty do a military low-crawl wearing her "take a walk" harness. Not only have A. and Shan not been able to take her for a walk, I don't think they've even been able to get her out the door. Mitty does not like being harnessed.

6. Watching a machine make a gift wrap bow at the Hallmark Crown Point Center museum-type place. Actually, the WHOLE place was awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoBQHk2yF00 (click for demo!)

5. The fact that the founder of Hallmark's name (...HIS name) was Joyce C. Hall. The current CEO and two other top positions are held by other "Halls" all named John.

4.Shannon is an AWESOME cook. I say, whenever I get a chance, how much I hate vegetables. Man, if Shan cooked for me, I'd eat them every day! I ate ALL my vegetables.

3. Oh, and Shan bought some cotton candy at the Crown Point "Classy Expensive I Can't Afford Anything" Mall. I hadn't had cotton candy since A. and her brother were little things. Ahhhhh.

2. I had the BEST ever cinnamon roll when A. and I went to a restaurant for which I cannot remember the name. It was huge (I'd say 3 cubic inches?) and I ate the ENTIRE thing. Of course, I was with Amanda and we talked, shared and tried to get caught up on each other's insides, so maybe I didn't even realize I was eating the whole thing. Although I'm pretty sure my mouth knew it. In fact, it's reminding me. Salivating now.

1. My VERY favorite part of the trip was Thursday evening when A. and I were watching the Michael Jackson This Is It movie. Amanda put her head on a pillow on my lap and let me play with her hair. We used to do that a lot. That is definitely the #1 on my list. That is so It.

Amanda is asleep next to me as I write. I miss her already. I always miss her. but right now I miss her more than ever.

(Happy Monday)

Life Would Be Perfect If...

Good Morning, I recently participated in a Twitter uh Tweet thread to complete the phrase "Life Would Be Perfect If..." The original source was Meghan Daum. The prompt an open invitation to her followers to help promote her new book... whoa to the eager fan and novice Tweeter. In the "whoops!" of a keyboard click, I conveyed to an audience of one (Meghan Daum) or the tech savvy listening audience of NPR's Morning Edition that I have an upstairs neighbor who wears ski boots. (#Life Would be Perfect if...@Meghan_Daum...My upstairs neighbor went on a very long summer vacation! Right now i think she is doing aerobics in ski boots!) anyway I think the reason for my eager excitement was that in four weeks I will be attending a writers conference and taking a week long nonfiction writing course with Meghan Daum. I feel the need to prepare for such things so this morning, I thought I'd write a book review. Alo Book Review "Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House" I was very worried that this book would be hard to read. As a non-home owner, I grit my teeth at the very thought of watching HGTV or stopping by my apartment rental office to inquire about upgrading to the new "Serenity" model...a more spacious floor plan. Much to my surprise, within the first few pages of "Life Would be Perfect If..." I did not need my "zero-depth lagoon style pool" or "large garden tub" (perks of the luxury apartment community) to douse my disappointment. …in the first few pages instead of conversation as deep as a newly rolled wall paper I found MD's intelligent, incredibly honest self-exploration into her real-estate obsession. She takes her reader on the journey from her multiple moves through childhood, to her "I majored in moving" college years at Vassar, the rent challenged apartment years that come with an entry level writing job in NYC, and as an adult her ping pong moves across the country between farm houses in Nebraska and L.A. Life Would be Perfect If…I Lived in That House? MD's assertion becomes a question as she slips into the craziness of the real-estate game (in L.A. California in the early 00's). She finds that she no longer functions in her daily life. Her writing, reading, and social life have slowed to a trickle...she wants a house more than she wants a boyfriend. (While I believe even for the apartment renter..."crown molding" or a "spacious sunroom" could go a long way...) The cool factor of this book is in the deeper message. It can be found in MD's inner often witty musings. ...In a description she provides for a catalog clothing company called "Soft Surroundings..." pp. 197 There was one particular ballet top that I liked so much I purchased it in six different colors. I also ordered a long, embroidered jacket with a Japanese-style collar that was entirely too big for me even in extra small (one of the seductions of the catalog is self-delusion engendered by its enormous sizes) and, I later realized, made me look like the “artsy grandma” on a Lipotor commercial. The message seems clear. We are hardwired to search for authenticity in our inner and outer lives. anyway... In 2004, 36-year-old single woman with a dog MD purchases her first home. The remainder of the book is spent with MD against all prior wisdom meeting a man and answering the question...Life would be perfect if i lived in that house? No it wouldn’t MD concludes but it’s worth looking at what’s going on with ourselves in the process. In MD's case the perfect house and the perfect man provided overcrowding and a little space to think again. Her final lesson arrived at...It's not finding the home that makes us whole it's letting it be... Would I recommend this book? Yes, with a few simple reservations. At times it seemed MD is making the blanket assumption that everyone was crazy-eyed or talking home ownership in the early 00's (or at least held interest in rental properties). At a similar age, i have not experienced this yet. i hold in my hand seven brochures for luxury apartment communities and still have no memories that living in Runaway Bay or having a "Serenity" floor plan will bring me any...i can only recall memories that this (acquiring housing) is no fun. This one is minor. The next one is a biggie for me. The heart of this book, MD's first home purchase took place in 2004. This unfortunately was also the time of the Indian Ocean Tsunami where over 200,000 people died...many from inadequate shelter. I think this book is best for those whose dreams are still intact. This book is for someone who is a least able to think middle class. Happy Monday, (okay i might have to leave those last two points off if she asks at the conference) Amanda