Axes To Grind - "I Remember When . . ."

I Remember When . . .

. . . there were no fences much less walls and dogs ran free, got to know each other, built up immunities, and didn’t require huge vet bills.

. . . cats were kept indoors and didn’t crap in my back yard.

. . . not only dogs knew their neighbors but so did people.

I Remember When . . .

. . . a man was as good as his word.

. . . a handshake was a contract.  (We did not renegotiate handshakes.)

. . . loyalty in the workplace went both directions.

. . . how you behaved was as important as who you were.

I Remember When . . .

. . . work was a virtue to be desired, not something to be done between text messages, Utube videos and personal phone calls.

. . . a thank you was personal, not a generic email to “all employees.”

. . . when an employee was hired he was hired by a person, and when he was fired he was fired by a person, not by a text message, an email or by an organization that “decided to go another direction.”

I Remember When . . .

. . . kids met at the sandlot and played pick up games and did not need a “league” to provide an activity.

. . . Halloween was for kids and it was safe.

. . . we were raised by a community of parents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, church members, teachers, shopkeepers, and townspeople, who all cared about us and how we acted.

. . . we carried gym bags not back packs ... we “dressed out” for gym and took showers afterward.  (You all should experience a middle school classroom after P.E. on an August afternoon.)

I Remember When . . .

. . . newspapers and radio and TV news programs had news not upcoming news. (I deleted my harangue.) 

. . . movies cost 12¢ and 25¢ on Saturdays that had double features plus a cartoon and Movietone News. (It was “olds” by the time we got it but news to us.)

. . . we could hear the lyrics in a song.

I Remember When . . .

. . . cashiers could make change.

. . . people were concerned as much with service as price.

. . . service stations actually provided service.

I Remember . . .

. . . days that were not necessarily the “good old days,” but they were kinder, gentler and simpler.  (I would like to remember days like that 30 years from now.  Actually, I would like to be able to remember anything 30 years from now.)

I Would Like to Remember When . . .

. . . I lived in a community in which people loved their neighbors as themselves.

. . . people did unto others as they would have others do unto them.

. . . God was part of all our lives not just part of an expletive.

That would be something to remember!

“Axes to Grind – I Remember When…”

© 2010 Michael J. McCabe

All rights reserved.

Don't You Just Wish? ... Axes to Grind

Don’t you just wish . . .

. . . “new and improved” laundry soap was really new or improved?  (It can’t be both.  If it is new, it isn’t improved over the old; it is different.  Maybe, they should advertise new and different “Dubbly Bubbly.”)

. . . cars smelled new after you buy them?  (Of course what we smell is the petro-chemical emissions from the plastics in the car.  We may not want to do that.)

. . . the new car fragrance in car washes actually smelled like new cars?  (If it were so, it would be such a great improvement over the actual chemical vapors of a new car.)

Don’t you just wish . . .

. . . all those dogs that people tell you don’t bite really don’t?  (Those of us who have been bitten know all dogs bite; they are dogs, genetically descended from wolves – nocturnal hunters – carnivores.)

. . . schools allowed kids to be kids instead of pressuring them to succeed on arbitrary tests so the school can hang a “Performing Plus” sign on its wall? (Enough said.)

. . . we new why “Able’s Knot Abel Two Reed”? (Ore nose how too spell. A response is in the offing.)

Don’t you just wish . . .

. . . game announcers announced games instead of opining and pontificating,

or even better yet . . .

. . . game announcers would be quiet and allow us to watch the game, and . . .

. . . the sports pages in newspapers looked less like the crime report and more like a game report?  (I never need an announcer to describe what I am seeing when I attend a game; and I don’t think the outcome of the game is decided by what bimbo the tight end is assaulting or what punning the pundits pun.)

Don’t you just wish . . .

. . . politicians and special interest groups ran TV ads extolling accomplishments,  or more realistically the activities, of their own candidates instead of ads attacking their opponents? (The only people benefitting are the writers and media producers; well at least someone is getting paid to write.)

. . . when a candidate says, “... and I endorse this message,” that s/he endorsed the idea as well as the ad and his/her word was good? (The obvious thought here is that this is just too much to ask for, much less expect.  Yes, I am jaded on this.)

. . . people were more concerned with their elected officials than rock stars’ dates, athletes’ errors, and the Hollywood crowd? (However, if/when a politician does commit a crime, has an affair, or says something non-p.c., s/he attains immediate celebrity status. Sadly, “when” seems to be the operant word.)

Don’t you just wish . . .

What do you wish were just so?

I Have No Shoes

                Us?

 

The man on the radio complained,

"I lost money in the latest investment strategy."

Them!             

 

I have never had money to invest.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Oh, if only I had money for food.

The girl at school complained,

"My books are too heavy to carry to school."

I have never had a book.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Oh, if there were books,

Or a school, or a teacher,

 or if I could read.

The professional ballplayer complained,

"The millions they pay me don’t show me no respect."

I’ve never had millions,

Or thousands, or even tens.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Oh, if I had money to help others.

The farmer complained,

"The price supports are too low."

I have never had help from the government.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Oh, if I had land, or water,

Or seed to plant.

The woman on television complained,

"They made me take my shoes off at the airport."

I’ve never been on a plane.

Wouldn’t that be something?

Oh, if I had shoes to take off.

The old codger in the coffee shop complained,

“Our problem is the government; we vote

for a scoundrel among scoundrels.”

I have never gotten to vote for anyone.
Wouldn't that be something?
Oh, that I could choose.

We live in the most prosperous land in the world.  We are blessed with bounty beyond the imagination of most people.  It is the most open country in the world.  We get to choose our leaders.  Who do you choose?

As for me, I choose those who are ready, have the will and desire to take care of the “least of these” in our midst, those who will provide schools, water, food, money, even shoes to any who need them whether they are among us or on the other side of the world.

Sometimes it does seem as though we are choosing but the best among the worst.  Still, unlike so many in the world, we do get to exercise that choice. 

Choose well.

Vote on November 2^nd.

 

“I Have No Shoes"

© 2010 Michael J. McCabe

All rights reserved

                                                                                                                                                       

Friday Lite - "October Fives"

Emulating Our Newscasters

     My friend Bill just sent me “news.”  Now mind you, I put news in parentheses, which means it may not be news at all.  Don’t you think someone has known the headline below for a long time?   It isn’t news, just newer reporting of old information? That’s a matter to be taken up on another page.  My reserved nature directed me to not put the word in a parenthicon (example enclosed:) as my other friend Bill would encourage me to do.  I know your anticipation or impatience is mounting so I will get on with the news:

This October has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays, all in one month.  It happens once in 823 years. 

     I included it just as it was sent to me, but notice I struck through “, all in one month”.  If this occurrence was in October, it was all in one month.  We writer types frown on redundancy (no emoticon or wordamicon).  Wordamicon is Bill’s friend Cathy’s word.  I have no idea what it means, but I used it because it has a nice lilt.  My friend Schmidt has only one eye.  Would .) be a Schmidticon?

     Had the same data been written by a “pro” it would read, “October, 2010, has five Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, which happens once in only 823 years.”  Wow, that’s a lot of commas.  Writers don’t like commas a whole bunch either; they help create the rhythm of sentence, but they can interrupt it also.  I’ll remove some.  If the computer doesn’t red-squiggly me, I will accept it.  The headline now reads:

“October 2010 has five Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which happens once in only 823 years.” 

     Now isn’t that succinct.  Do you care?  No!  Would you rather have me present it as edited in the first place?  Yes, but then you wouldn’t have this valuable insider’s look at the persnickety world of the wordsmith.  I didn’t burden you with all the copy fitting deletions I made. You probably think that I just merrily type these postable thoughts rendered for your reading pleasure?  Fat chance!    

     I am running out of space so comment on this October Five thing will have to wait until the next post.  I may actually include ideas and information in that one, but then it wouldn’t sound like a newscast, would it?  That October 2010 has five Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which happens once in only 823 year may only be marginally interesting in the first place. Trust me, it might not be news, but it will be infotainment.  Now that sounds more like a newscast item.

     Yawl come back now; hear? (I thought I’d end with quaintness  ala Tom Bodette.  You likely sense that I am searching for my “voice”.)

Live With Abandon

“… if you let life go, reckless in love,

you will have it forever.”  John 12:25

     Be reckless in your love and you will have it forever, real and eternal.  When a group with whom I worked discussed the concept of abandon, all but one of us interpreted it as loss.  Someone or something had been abandoned. The one exception among us saw it as gain.  She sought to live with abandon; for her it was a life goal. 

    

     I think this is what “be reckless in your love” means.  Do not withhold love for fear of loss.  Bask in the glory of love; give God his glory.  Risk loving; love the lovable and the unlovable equally.  Reach out with love for in doing so is to sow the seeds of joy in others.   Loss is only a temporary condition; risk losing.  The loss of people in life will be regained, and the joy of their presence outgains any loss.  Take a risk and be reckless in love.  Live with abandon.

“Live With Abandon”

© 2010 Michael J. McCabe

All rights reserved.

Reflections Rain

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

Gilbert, AZ, October 2010

     It rained yesterday, and I hope it continues.  In some places April showers may bring May flowers, but here it replaces brown skies with blue.  What a joy to journey into the valley’s past.  I found some old journal entries so intermittently entered by a desert dweller.  A sampling:

Gilbert, AZ, September 2010

     I awakened this morning to the harmony of rain ricocheting from the roof and slipping over the edge to dive to the patio below.      

* * * * * * *

Gilbert, AZ, 2008

     Rain, even a shower, alters our days as snow does in the northern reaches.  Children wade in the gutters like their counterparts go sledding.  Students are sequestered inside as schools go on “rainy day schedules.”  The hunt for umbrellas rivals a search for the rainbow’s pot of gold.  Wrinkled rain coats emerge from closets to be ironed by the elements.  Blinds open and bleary windows are aided by daytime lights in our homes. 

     Commuters discover that their windshield wipers squeak from dryness and disuse.  Flooded roads akin to mid-western snow drifts strand motorists.  Insurance agents go on alert; and auto body shops prepare for the bonanza of repairs resulting from fender-bending on oil-slicked roads. 

* * * * * * *

Puyallup, WA, 2006

Gentle Rain

Bedded down from yesterday afternoon

Mist loiters yet another day.

Returning to earth,

Softness muffles even the passing cars.

Escorted by somber clouds it releases

Beauty inured to the added color from sunshine.

Teardrops on bare branches,

Rivulets at the edges of the street,

And lawns with a glistening mantle

Echo the rain’s elegance.

Fallen leaves sparkle against rooftops,

Moss gains notice, and everything seems cleaner.

     Coming from the desert, I enjoy the welcome change of rain.  Like sunshine to me, rain is commonplace in the Northwest, but not to be taken for granted.  We hole up indoors with the kids and enjoy a respite from the previous day’s activity.  The rain gives us an excuse to slow our pace and provides a seasonal reminder that there is a time for everything, even to relax.

* * * * * * *

East Stroudsburg, PA, 2006

     Months later I am on the other side of the country.  Yesterday’s gathering of the clan withered from heat imprisoned in the humidity and still air.  Then the rain came, softly at first, later accompanied by its cousins, thunder and lightning; it arrived on winds of cool relief.  We were all refreshed.  

* * * * * * *

I am reminded of how much I miss the rain. 

“Reflections on Rain”

Copyright © 2010 Michael J. McCabe

All Rights Reserved

Friday-Lite "Motorvation to Trimmage"

After reading the list of new words added to the dictionary, I thought there might be room for some more. Below are some suggestions. I encourage you to add your suggestions or note your favorites in the comment window following the list.

Motorvation n. A sudden urge to take a road trip

Motorcation n. Taking a vacation by just driving aimlessly (American corollary to the
Australian "walk-about" – it just doesn’t take so much energy)

Screamager n. 1) A child in his twos or fours and often between eleven and nineteen 2) one who writes in all caps in email

Reprepensive adj. Just thinking about bad behavior (Blend of reprehensive and pensive)

Repre-expensive adj. Guilty feelings for what you would have done

Hedgeucating v. Student condition of only cramming for a test

Self-hedgeucated adj. Outcome of one who only crammed for the test

Hedgend n. The worst student in the history of the school who still graduated

Fondage n. The condition of liking long hours of underemployment to gain entry in the "overworking class" (Blend of fond and bondage)

Lapsetop n. A computer on which you can’t remember where the file you just saved is (This may be only a generational condition.)

Peemail n. Those irritating forwarded emails that someone thinks you should send on to bother your friends (Blend of peevish and email)

Feemail n. Email that informs you that "You Are a Winner!" . . . RIGHT!

Hemail n. Mail for his eyes only (Corollary to Shemail)

D’mail n. Email in Chicago

Froogle n. A search engine launched in Scotland

Gracebook n. St. Peter’s "Friends list"

Whoogle v. To search for friends on "Gracebook"

Woogle v. To search for yourself on "Gracebook"

Droogling v. Drooling over how many hits your web site got the first day

Twechery n. Over-indulgence in Twitter (Blend of Tweet and lechery) (This may be exclusively an Elmer Fuddism.)

Twreachery n. The attempt to get friends involved in Twechery (Blend of Tweet and treachery – another total Fuddism)

Espeam n. The condition of feeling good about yourself after going to the spa and steam room instead of the gym (Blend of spa, steam and esteem)

Trimmage n. The attempt to lose weight by engaging in tussles (Blend of trim and scrimmage)

“Friday-Lite – Motorvation to Trimmage”

Copyright © 2010 Michael J. McCabe

All Rights Reserved.