Amazing Things

Life never becomes a habit to me. It's always a marvel.

Katherine Mansfield
***********************
Hello Val
***********************
"Watchman, tell us of the night."
Last night they took away the fair.
**********************************
I think it was Yogi Berra who said "You can see a lot of things by looking." I have seen many amazing things by being alert and watching. I am particularly fascinated to see people do things I don't know how to do or wouldn't do. I watched a crew of fire fighters in New York City jump blindly down into a blazing fire because it was the only access to it.

I watched a Hudson River tug boat captain tuck nine barges in three rows of three neatly in between two piers at the first try against the currents.

One winter morning in New Hampshire I discovered a flat tire on my car, which was a big Ford Station Wagon. I called my friends at Bob and Bill's Chevron station. Bob came over with his jack. Bob was a big, silent bear of a man. There was snow all over and underneath the car, so much snow that he couldn't fit the jack under it. So he reached down with one hand to the side of the car and lifted it up to put the jack under it.

For the past week the Saint Ann's annual carnival has been going on just outside my apartment. The largest attraction was a giant slide 2 stories high and a city block long. It was very popular and the kids were sliding down it all evening.

It was a dark night last night. The carnival closed and all the rides and games were taken down, packed up and moved away. It took four men to dismantle that slide, put all the parts where they were stored and get it ready to move. A specially designed truck came up and attached itself to the end of the slide. The driver then pulled forward about 50 feet. Then he backed up, slowly, with the four men as guides, and maneuvered it between a fence and a fire hydrant, on to a street where cars were parked on both sides. He took it out backwards and then drove off. The whole thing, from beginning the dismantling to the driving away, took 3 hours. It was amazing. I was so impressed I was speechless. I was in awe of that truck driver.

I hope I never stop seeing marvels happen..

DB - Vagabond Journeys
Never give up.

What's in a name?

One must keep ever present a sense of humor.

Katherine Mansfield
**********************
Hello Ernie
**********************
I am amused to find that most of the Republicans who are running for their party's nomination have one syllable names: Mitt, Newt, Rick, Ron. I'm sure it makes good political sense these days to try to present yourself as a real person, a regular guy, an All American Boy or Girl. So why not have a regular guy nick name?

Except for Ben Franklin and Abe Lincoln it seems to be a modern day phenomenon. But think about it. Would our sense of history be different if our Founding Fathers had regular guy names. After George we had Jack Adams. Tom Jefferson, Jimmy Madison, Andy Jackson, Marty Van Buren ("Van").

Later we had Frank Pierce, Zack Taylor, Milli Filmore (does that work for you?), Ulie Grant and the Harrison boys, Bill and Ben, Billie Taft and Woody Wilson. All regular guys.

I don't know what to do with Rutherford, Chester and Grover, but moving toward and into the last century we got to enjoy the Roosevelts, Teddy and Frankie, Cal ("Cool") Coolidge and Herb Hoover. All American Boys everyone.

With the 20th Century things loosened up quite a bit with Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter. But why not Ronnie Reagan and Georgie Bush?

Now we hear Barry Obama, but not very often. And it seems clear that if you want to run for President in the Republican party you have to have a one syllable name. Well that counts me out. Anyone out there named Rip, Rock, Rap or Rump interested in the job?

Dana - The Vagabond
Never give up.
*************************
Look here. I have 10 Guest Author entries since I started offering this invitation. If I don't get some more Guest Authors by January 1st, I'm going to close down this invitation. If you haven't posted one here yet, please do so.

This is an invitation for anyone and everyone to post an entry of their own on my journal, Vagabond Journeys http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/.

The end of the year holidays are upon us and since it is a time for celebrations, remembrances, resolutions and plans for the future I know that people have things to say.

Not to take away from the postings on your own journals, but to add to the joy of my own celebrations is why I invite you to write for mine.

I want to read what your thoughts are about this magical time of the year. This invitation is open to everyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists and the Uncertain.

Tell me your thoughts on Chanukah, Christmas, Ashura, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, New Years Eve. or any subject you wish or associate with this holiday season.

There are no limits in regard to length. The only limitation is that, for reasons so far unexplained to me, my blog does not take photographs, animations, videos or pictures of any kind. I deal in words.

Please accept my invitation. Send your entry to my email address dbdacoba@aol.com I will copy and paste it into my journal and it will be displayed promptly. You may sign your name or not as you wish, and you may leave a link to your blog or your email or not, as you wish. I will do NO editing or censoring. Eloquence is not necessary, mind or heart or both is all.

I have 10 Guest Authors so far. Check them out. Can I hear from you? All are welcome. Admission is free.

DB
***************************