My Life's Itinerary.....So Far - Part 3

  Summer vacations from school go by so fast!  In the Fall of 1967, I was a Freshman at Northeastern University in Boston.  Talk about a change of environment!  Here I am, a small town kid from a place with a population of 5000 (not counting tourists) going to a big city school where the enrollment is seven times the size of my hometown!

  At Northeastern, I was enrolled in a five-year Electrical Engineering Co-op program.  That meant no summers off because that is when the Co-op phase is done.  From my perspective as a new Freshman, that was a bit intimidating.  I was not really prepared.  I was kind of a smart kid which got me through high school, but I had poor study habits and just being smart wasn't going to get me through college.  So after my first semester, I knew I was doomed.  I thought it best that I would strategically withdraw from college and enlist quickly before I was drafted.  That didn't go exactly as planned and you will find the details in a previous blog entry called Good Morning Vietnam!

Fortunately, that isn't me..

  So I return home to Kennebunk, Maine, briefly, before heading off to basic training.  More to come.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill

Me, Myself, And I

  By my nature, I have a tendency to quantify everything.  That in and of itself can have its pros and cons.  Consequently, today's entry is all about being by one's self.  That is, being alone.  Getting back to my number crunching, I calculated that I am alone approximately 50% of my waking hours.  Think about all the time that you are awake and how much of that time you are by yourself.  It will be different for everyone and some of us may wish it was more, some less.  The concept makes me think of a previous entry I made called Your Closest And Longest Friend Is Yourself.

  When I think about my activities while I am by myself, I wonder how many of them are well chosen.  Most of the time, my job requires me to work by myself, so that time spent is necessary.  I am frequently busy running errands, or working around the house.  What about the time I spend watching television, or passing the time on the computer?  Of course, I like to think my blog entries are necessary, but what if I am wondering what the current temperature is in Sri Lanka?  Probably not necessary.  And there are many times when my blog does get neglected.  It even sends my nasty little emails telling me so (not really but maybe someday when it becomes sentient). There are a lot of things I could be doing that I keep putting off.  I have a kazillion photos to organise.  I have a bunch of old radios to restore but can't do that until I get the shop ship shape.  I can't finish the shop until I finish the exercise room.  And on it goes. 

  Then there is the philosophy that one should take time and 'smell the roses'.  That Life isn't just work, work, work.  I say do whatever you and your conscience are comfortable with.

To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. - Henry David Thoreau

My Life's Itinerary.....So Far - Part 2

  My last entry ended with my being in Kennebunk, Maine.  I would like to start this entry by elaborating on my stay in Kennebunk, since it takes place during my teen years, a very noteworthy part of growing up!   When I arrived at my grandparents home in Kennebunk during the summer of 1963, they were just moving in after leaving Saco, Maine.  At the time, I was under the impression that I was there for the summer, but it turned out to be my permanent residence.  It was a great place to be, nice neighbourhood, nice town, good school and wonderful grandparents, though I didn't fully appreciate them at the time, you know how teenagers can be!

  The little suburban neighbourhood had a dark cloud hanging over it when we arrived.  Recently there had been a gun accident and a teenager received a fatal shot from his friend while they were handling a weapon.  I didn't know the individual who caused the gun to go off, so I couldn't tell you how much his personality changed.  I could tell, however, that he seemed troubled each day that I saw him at the bus stop.  Shortly afterwards, he and his family moved.
  In the Fall, I started the 8th grade.  The junior high building was next to the high school on Fletcher Street.  The following year, I was in high school until I graduated in 1967.  Many life-learning events happened during those five years, as happens to teens while growing up.  Among those events were:

1963-Apr-The nuclear submarine USS Thresher sinks 220 miles east of Cape Cod; all 129 crewmen die.
1963-Oct-I Joined Radio Club
1963-Nov-John F. Kennedy assassinated.
1964-Jun-Summer job working for Hamlyn Brothers Construction.
1964-Oct-I Joined Cross Country
1964-Dec-My first date. (not counting the one mentioned in this blog entry: And They Call It Puppy Love...)
1965-Apr-I Joined Track 
1965-Jun-Summer job working for Hamlyn Brothers Construction.
1966-Jun-Summer job working for Towne & Clark Grocers.
1967-Jan-My grandfather, Frank, passed away, a really good man.
1967-Jan-Apollo 1 : U.S. astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward Higgins White, and Roger Chaffee are killed when fire breaks out in their Apollo spacecraft during a launch pad test.
1967-Jun-Summer job working for 2-Way Communications.
1967-Jul-My first car accident.
1967-Jul-Summer job working for Wells IGA.

  This time period was quite exhilarating as I was learning so many things and 'spreading my wings' and 'feeling my oats' and any other expressions that might apply.  So many friends and neighbours on the street, the Williams' (thanks for the jobs and the friendship of your son!), the York's (thanks for letting me use your car!), the Schneider's (thanks for the odd-jobs and baby sitting!), the Fisher's, the Wheeler's (great home made root beer!), the West's, the Berry's (thanks for the baby sitting jobs!), the Merrill's, and everyone on the street.
  The best part of living on Woodside Drive was waking up to my sister Marianne's trombone practicing in the mornings!  Not!
  I like to think of this time period as the "Happy Days" of my life (as in the TV show).  Although, at the time it seemed very traumatic to me worrying about getting homework done on time and learning about relationships with the opposite sex.

Musical Message

  I was listening to the radio, today, and heard a song for the first time that grabbed me.  Before I tell you about the song, I have to bend your ear a little bit.  No surprise there!  In the past I have spoken a couple times about balance.  Balance can apply to many things, but to put it simply, it applies to choices.  Among many of the choices we make, one of them is that we can choose to be cynical or we can choose to be gullible or we can choose to be somewhere in between.  In many choices, it is a fine line between one or the other.  BUT in many choices there is a lot of gray area.  That is the wonderful thing about the free agency that people have.  We can make our own choices, as long as it doesn't break any laws.  Usually when we make choices, it has our own interest at heart, what about choices that affect other people?  Okay, I have rambled on long enough.  Here is the song I spoke of, by Carrie Underwood.  The message is simple, enough said.

Click here:  Change

It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. - J. K. Rowling

My Life's Itinerary.....So Far - Part 1

  As you may have noted, my entries have been few and far between.  I tell myself that I will write by inspiration not desperation.  I am not sure when I cross that line, but I may be coming very close with this series that I am starting.  At least it may be of interest to family members, but I will try to interject it with something that all may find interesting.  In this series, I will try and outline my geographical whereabouts from beginning until now, along with any other pertinent (or not) information.

  My first stop after my departure from the pre-existence was my birth at Portsmouth, Virginia in 1949.  The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (now called the Norfolk Naval Shipyard) was where my dad was stationed at, outside of Norfolk.  Naturally, the early years are fuzzy or are non-existent memories so I rely on my older sister for that early information.  At the time of my birth, we were living in a trailer home nearby, then later lived in a house.  I am told that I had bouts with pneumonia ever since my birth until I was a toddler (that would explain the pulmonary problems that happened since).  One of my earliest memories was being in the hospital and in a crib.  I remember I was afraid to sleep on my stomach for fear that a nurse would give my an injection in my butt while I was asleep, so I tried to sleep on my back.

While Dad served in the Korean War as a Pharmacist's Mate (now referred to as Hospital Corpsman), we were in Waterville, Maine ( my paternal grandparents were nearby) and later in Albany, NY (and there my maternal grandparents were nearby).  When he returned from Korea, he was assigned to a Marine base called Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.  I believe he was a medic in the clinic there.  I remember living in the base housing there.

  Our next stop was Kittery, Maine, where my dad was assigned to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard nearby.  Everyone knew that the shipyard was really in Kittery, but for some political or tax reason, it was 'in' Portsmouth. We lived in base housing called the  'Admiralty Village', though it wasn't actually on base.
   We were in Kittery for quite some time.  Eventually, we were back in the Albany-Rensselaer, NY area again.  Didn't see Dad anymore, it was just us kids and Mom.  More time went by and the three of us kids got farmed out to various relatives at various times.  I think I was always 'assigned' to my dad's parents, except for maybe summers when I visited dad's younger brother, Frank and his family.  That was fun because there were five cousins there.  My older sister had stayed at both sets of grandparents and Dad's older brother, Joe and his wife.  My younger sister had stayed at Dad's parents, Mom's sister, Vivian and her husband, and Dad's older brother, Joe and his wife.  Whew!  You keeping up?  Needless to say, we got shuffled around quite a bit.  Eventually, both Mom and Dad remarried.  Mom settled down in Florida and Dad was in Kittery.

  We lived in a part of what use to be base housing that was previously mentioned. A section was sold off.

  By the time my older and younger sisters were in high school and graduated, they were in Harrison, Maine with an aunt and uncle.  I was in Kennebunk, Maine with Dad's parents and graduated from high school there.  So many family members made sacrifices for us.  I hope they know how much we appreciated it.
  Now that I have us to the point where I am eighteen years old, I shouldn't have too much trouble remembering the rest!

Rules & Regulations? Suggestions & Recommendations? 10+45?

    One trait that I believe most people have is wanting structure in their life.  I learned that as a parent when I noticed that kids develop better when they are given limits and parameters to help guide their decision making.  Leaders have better results with their followers when they provide guidelines.  I think humans, inherently, prosper better when given a framework of some kind to follow.  I think our Creator knew that when He gave us the Ten Commandments.  Needing to start somewhere, the Ten Commandments were a good starting point for basic and rudimentary behaviour.  You may be wondering, as you probably often do when I go off on these tangents, where I am going this time.  A friend of mine sent me an email that I had seen before.  I often am more teachable when one of the most basic teaching tools is utilised, repetition.  So reading the email, again, made me think about it more and I realised that it would make a great supplement to the Ten Commandments.  Let me tell you about it....

  Regina Brett is a newspaper columnist in Cleveland, Ohio.  One of her columns contained the following, I think it is worth sharing:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

  I hope you found this helpful without it being too 'preachy', believe me, that is not my style.  Sometimes simple words and concepts can be aptly poignant to everyday life.

The ideas I stand for are not mine. I borrowed them from Socrates. I swiped them from Chesterfield. I stole them from Jesus. And I put them in a book. If you don't like their rules, whose would you use? - Dale Carnegie

Doctor, Doctor....

  This week, my wife, Lesley, had to go into the hospital for surgery.  After four previous back surgeries and multitudes of testing and medication, it was finally determined that the only recourse was to control the pain since there was no fixing it.  There is a remarkable little device called a spinal cord stimulator.  It blocks or reduces the pain signals that the brain is getting from the affected area.  She had tried the trial version of the device and it seemed to do the job.

  So wifey went into the hospital, yesterday, for the procedure.  Whenever she is out of her element, or closer to the truth, out of my sphere, I find myself getting beside myself (is that redundant?).  I don't sleep well nor do I focus well.  Obviously that is because I have a strong attachment to her.  So I was very happy, today to get her back home again and tie her down to the recliner (figuratively speaking) because she is a very active person.  She has the ability to multi-process or parallel-process things in her mind very rapidly, whereas I can only serial-process process at a slower rate.  Getting Lesley to relax is a big task, indeed. 

  Thanks to all that have been supportive while we have been transitioning Lesley into a bionic format.  I am working on a USB interface in her naval for present and future modifications and upgrades!

A New Slant On Christmas

  I may be walking close to the edge with this entry.  If you have been a regular reader, you will probably think that is funny because this blog is about as tame as you can get!  Anyway, I had stated before that I would keep my comments apolitical, and I think I am still safe with that because this is more of a commentary on economics and fiscal stability.

  This was received just today, and I thought it gave fresh ideas when it came to gift giving:

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition


  As the holidays approach, the giant foreign factories are kicking into
high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods
merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.
  This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of
genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that,
at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American
hands. Yes there is!
  It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit
in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
  Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates
from your local American hair salon or barber?
  Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some
health improvement.
  Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American
owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift
certificate or a book of gift certificates.
  Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking
down the Benjamin’s on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful
gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the
summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.
  There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what
about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember,
folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting
your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep
their doors open.
  How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
  Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a
local cleaning lady for a day.
My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy
who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
  OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people
spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and
pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.
  Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet
at your hometown theatre.
  Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese
lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about
fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to
burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
  You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring
about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to
follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care

about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

  THIS should become the new American Christmas tradition! Consider forwarding this to everyone on your mailing list -- Introduce it in discussions with your friends. Mail it to the editor of your local paper, radio stations, and TV news departments.

  This is a revolution about caring about each other and our country... and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Question of the Day...

How do you store your glasses in your cupboard?  Up side down so dust won't go inside them?  But the lip of the glass is now resting on the shelf and won't it get dirty?  Or right side up and run the risk of something falling in.  Maybe either way, but put the glasses in sandwich bags.  I think that is something Adrian Monk would do.  Hmmmm, a dilemma....

One's Vocational 'Groove'

  Recently my service manager passed away.  When someone you work with and is close to your age dies, it reminds you of your own mortality.  But I spoke enough of death in my last entry.  Today I want to talk about the activity in our lives that consume a very large part of our time, our jobs.
  Bill had been my boss for seven years and was a great guy, firm and unwavering about how things should be done but a good friend, too.  We would often share 'war stories' about the POS/Cash register industry.  The marvelous thing about Bill, besides a stint in the Navy, this was the only job he ever had and it lasted 43 years!  Nowadays, that is very unusual where the average length of employment is a little over four years.  My longest employment was 13 years.  Of course, another factor besides changing employers, is changing industries.  I changed industries once for four years and tried the semiconductor industry, and then went back to cash registers.  I guess once the ink gets in your blood, you can't stay away.
  Of course there are many circumstances that would require changing jobs, but in Bill's case, everything stayed in harmony for 43 years, wow!  After all that time, you aren't with a company, it is more like an extended family.  Something to be said for that kind of stability.  We will miss you, Bill.

When Time Is Finite In The Most Uncomfortable Way...

  First off, I have to make a confession, I am a fan of Grey's Anatomy. When it first came on, I watched a couple episodes and couldn't get into it.  However, when my wife and I were visiting Germany for her son's wedding, it was the only thing to watch in English while we were in our flat.  Lesley would have been fine watching anything since she is fluent in German, but I was not.  Anyway, after a few episodes of GA, I became a regular viewer.  The only catch is, I am about five seasons behind and trying to catch up via Netflix.  But, as usual, I am getting sidetracked here.  On an episode I watched, Meredith (main character and intern) woke up one morning thinking she was going to die and wanted to stay in bed to avoid such an event.  It made me think (oh-oh), what would it be like if I knew I only had one day, or one week, or one year, or whatever, to live?  I have seen movies on the subject.  Many of us have even known people who are terminal.  But, ultimately, if such a fate should befall us, it is our own personal choice how we handle it.  In my case, my reaction would depend on how much time we are talking.  If I had only a day, I think I would go into a mental meltdown.  It would be too much for my little mind to process.  But if I had, say, a year, then I think I could come to some reckoning.  I say that, but in reality, who knows what I or anyone would do.

  In most cases, I think, our demise usually comes relatively unexpected.  Of course an accident is always unexpected, but not so much if it is a long term and fatal illness or simply the end of our longevity.  In that situation, we might have a rough idea that the end draws near, but not always for sure.  Often times we just go to sleep and not wake up.

Artist:  Hyatt Moore

  I know this hasn't been a particularly happy subject I chose today.  But I think my message is a familiar one,

we should live our lives to the fullest as if it was our last day or last week above the green grass.

Don't fear your mortality, because it is this very mortality that gives meaning and depth and poignancy to all the days that will be granted to you. - Paul Tsongas