Susan Boyle is my hero.
I am sure we have all heard the recent Cinderella story of Susan Boyle. I understand her story. So many people spend their anonymous lives toiling away at jobs or responsibilities simply because of those responsibilities. It takes a character trait that I call "responsifortitude" - doing the tasks expected because no one else is available or willing to do it. It is no surprise then, that these people are my heroes.
Susan Boyle is my hero. She is a lady who is trying to make something of her drab life. That is what I started to do when I started this blog. I wanted to reach my true destiny. I wanted to achieve my life's goal. Somehow I got sidetracked and distracted by life and responsibilities and I forgot to focus on my own dream.
Susan has started on her journey. I wish her well. Even though she didn't win, she is still a winner in my book and I am sure that she will succeed. I look forward to hearing more from her in the future.
D.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
The Day I Fixed Lunch for Jay Leno
I have been a fan of Jay Leno's for a very long time. I followed him when he was a young comic in the 70's doing various clubs and an occasional appearance on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson". I always enjoyed his humor. I wish him well in his new endeavor. I can't say that I will miss him on the tonight show because I haven't been a faithful viewer. Sorry Jay, nothing personal but the show was just on too late for me.
But I just wanted to say something about his upcoming "retirement". Retirement is where your friends get together and reminisce about your career. Well, the only memory I have of Jay Leno (we are not friends or acquaintances) is the closest I have to come to meeting him.
In 1979, I was a 21 year old cook and aspiring chef in Lake Tahoe. I was working at a nightclub/hotel on the Nevada side. One of my first assignments was as a cook in the New York Deli at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe. The deli was an open kitchen and we could see our customer's enjoying their lunch.
I remember Jay Leno coming to town to do his bit. I believe he was the opening act for someone else. I think this was prior to him being a "headliner". But I remembered the name and the face because of his appearances on "The Tonight Show". And I still remember him coming to "my place" for lunch. I don't remember what he ate for lunch but I do remember him coming to the restaurant. This was the day I fixed lunch for Jay Leno.
Jay, thanks for the memories. Here's to many more.
D.
But I just wanted to say something about his upcoming "retirement". Retirement is where your friends get together and reminisce about your career. Well, the only memory I have of Jay Leno (we are not friends or acquaintances) is the closest I have to come to meeting him.
In 1979, I was a 21 year old cook and aspiring chef in Lake Tahoe. I was working at a nightclub/hotel on the Nevada side. One of my first assignments was as a cook in the New York Deli at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe. The deli was an open kitchen and we could see our customer's enjoying their lunch.
I remember Jay Leno coming to town to do his bit. I believe he was the opening act for someone else. I think this was prior to him being a "headliner". But I remembered the name and the face because of his appearances on "The Tonight Show". And I still remember him coming to "my place" for lunch. I don't remember what he ate for lunch but I do remember him coming to the restaurant. This was the day I fixed lunch for Jay Leno.
Jay, thanks for the memories. Here's to many more.
D.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Songs About September
My new music CD came in the mail yesterday. I was listening to it last night. Pondering the beauty of the music and lyrics the thought occurred to me that we write different songs about September these days. Coming off of my previous post about "worry lines", I guess I was still in a pensive mood about how people feel about things.
My new CD is a 2004/2005 release from David Francey (The Waking Hour). On that CD is a September 11 related song called "Fourth of July". Beautiful song about the sentiment ("the sabers were rattling for all they were worth") in the USA a year after September 11, 2001. We write different songs about September these days.
I remember when I was in high school, a girl friend quoted a song to me, "I'll see you in September", an old Shelley Fabares song. I don't remember. More recently, I recall a song about growing old ("75 Septembers" by Cheryl Wheeler and performed by Peter, Paul and Mary on their "Lifelines" album.) These were both excellent songs. But they were written in a pre-9/11 mentality. Although "75 Septembers" certainly does deal with how things have changed in 75 years, I do believe we have a different reasons for writing songs with the emotions surrounding September.
That new view of September, post 2001, is what I find in David Francey's "Fourth of July". He captures the emotions describing the feeling in this country in 2002. I think we write different songs about September these days. How can we help it? Things have changed.
My new CD is a 2004/2005 release from David Francey (The Waking Hour). On that CD is a September 11 related song called "Fourth of July". Beautiful song about the sentiment ("the sabers were rattling for all they were worth") in the USA a year after September 11, 2001. We write different songs about September these days.
I remember when I was in high school, a girl friend quoted a song to me, "I'll see you in September", an old Shelley Fabares song. I don't remember. More recently, I recall a song about growing old ("75 Septembers" by Cheryl Wheeler and performed by Peter, Paul and Mary on their "Lifelines" album.) These were both excellent songs. But they were written in a pre-9/11 mentality. Although "75 Septembers" certainly does deal with how things have changed in 75 years, I do believe we have a different reasons for writing songs with the emotions surrounding September.
That new view of September, post 2001, is what I find in David Francey's "Fourth of July". He captures the emotions describing the feeling in this country in 2002. I think we write different songs about September these days. How can we help it? Things have changed.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Lines
The other day at work I put my iPOD on to help me to concentrate better. I drowned out all of the outside noise and finally made some headway on my projects. But Brandi Carlile came on and I had to break concentration and just listen for a minute.
For those of you who don't know Brandi, I will just say "why not?" She has a beautiful, strong voice and the twins who accompany and write some of her music are just extraordinary. This afternoon I was listening to Brandi's song, "the story". The song starts with a reference to the lines on her face. The lines tell the story of her life.
This song reminded me of my mom. I remembered when I was a kid, probably about 10, I over heard my mother confide in an older lady friend of hers. My mom was worried about her newly developing crows feet and other assorted wrinkles that come along with growth. My mom was wondering what there was to be done. This older woman announced to my mother that those were nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Those wrinkles, or laugh lines, were a tribute to how much she enjoyed life. A tribute to how often she smiled and how popular she was.
Some people call them "worry lines", some call them "laugh lines", whatever you want to call them, they make up who we are. We are what life makes us. We are what we become.Our experiences, our fears, our laughter, our smiles and our problems, they all take their toll on us. They all help to sculpt the lines of our face.
D.
For those of you who don't know Brandi, I will just say "why not?" She has a beautiful, strong voice and the twins who accompany and write some of her music are just extraordinary. This afternoon I was listening to Brandi's song, "the story". The song starts with a reference to the lines on her face. The lines tell the story of her life.
This song reminded me of my mom. I remembered when I was a kid, probably about 10, I over heard my mother confide in an older lady friend of hers. My mom was worried about her newly developing crows feet and other assorted wrinkles that come along with growth. My mom was wondering what there was to be done. This older woman announced to my mother that those were nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Those wrinkles, or laugh lines, were a tribute to how much she enjoyed life. A tribute to how often she smiled and how popular she was.
Some people call them "worry lines", some call them "laugh lines", whatever you want to call them, they make up who we are. We are what life makes us. We are what we become.Our experiences, our fears, our laughter, our smiles and our problems, they all take their toll on us. They all help to sculpt the lines of our face.
D.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Life, again
Tonight I had some time to sit and think. My wife had gone gambling with her sister and I had just finished working in the yard. I was tired and just sat in my chair and listened to the water shower the front yard with refreshment.
Regular readers and followers of this blog know that I believe we are all searching for a direction. And for the past two years I have been writing this blog for a variety of reasons. But tonight I started thinking about life and plans.
Life has a way of riding along with you as a co-conspirator. Your plans may be different, your dreams may be different than God's plan, but together you ride on the same bus.
I remember a line from a novel that Denis Johnson wrote in the 1980's**. Well, I remember the essence of it. There was a character who was thinking about her life. She was riding on a train or a bus. She thought her life was like the bus and she got on in her twenties and the bus spit her out in her forties with a handful of kids and a headful of grey hair.
Somedays I feel like that. Where did the time go? Why did it go by so fast?
Update, May 17, 2009:
**She was riding on a bus. "Angels" by Denis Johnson, (1983)
"Jamie pushed the child's words away, afraid of the dark the bus was rushing into, confused at being swallowed up so quickly by her new life, fearful she'd be digested in a flash and spit out the other end in the form of an old lady too dizzy to wonder where her youth had gone."
And thus the power of Denis Johnson's poetry, that after 25 years I still remember the greatness of his images. I read his first three books. I miss having that time. Thanks Mr. Johnson.
D.
Regular readers and followers of this blog know that I believe we are all searching for a direction. And for the past two years I have been writing this blog for a variety of reasons. But tonight I started thinking about life and plans.
Life has a way of riding along with you as a co-conspirator. Your plans may be different, your dreams may be different than God's plan, but together you ride on the same bus.
I remember a line from a novel that Denis Johnson wrote in the 1980's**. Well, I remember the essence of it. There was a character who was thinking about her life. She was riding on a train or a bus. She thought her life was like the bus and she got on in her twenties and the bus spit her out in her forties with a handful of kids and a headful of grey hair.
Somedays I feel like that. Where did the time go? Why did it go by so fast?
Update, May 17, 2009:
**She was riding on a bus. "Angels" by Denis Johnson, (1983)
"Jamie pushed the child's words away, afraid of the dark the bus was rushing into, confused at being swallowed up so quickly by her new life, fearful she'd be digested in a flash and spit out the other end in the form of an old lady too dizzy to wonder where her youth had gone."
And thus the power of Denis Johnson's poetry, that after 25 years I still remember the greatness of his images. I read his first three books. I miss having that time. Thanks Mr. Johnson.
D.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
I Told Her...
She says she stays awake at night
Just to hear me breathe.
She says she needs to assure herself
That I would never leave.
I'm not sure what I can say,
I said I would never go.
I told her that when we wed,
Twenty glad years ago.
C. 2006, David Normand
Just to hear me breathe.
She says she needs to assure herself
That I would never leave.
I'm not sure what I can say,
I said I would never go.
I told her that when we wed,
Twenty glad years ago.
C. 2006, David Normand
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Medicare and Social Security
News from Washington today is that the medicare system and the social security system are in trouble. News? Ever since I was a teenager I have heard talk about reforming the social security system. Indeed it has been the accident of my birth (and hundreds of thousands of others) that have precipated this crisis. But I have been hearing about this for the last almost 40 years. It is interesting that once republicans had proposed investing in the private companies and the dems were really upset about that.
Now fast forward to today, medicare and Social security are hurting and the dems want to take it over. Only because it serves their power grabbing, freedom depriving needs.
We need to preserve freedom at all costs. We need to make our representatives work for our needs. And not their partys or their own needs for power.
What happened to serving the interest of the American people. Do they even wonder why their approval ratings are so low? Only 39% of the American people believe that congress is doing a good job. I just have no faith in congress at all. All they want to do is take more of our money and give it to their special interests. What ever happened to a level playing field? What ever happened to doing what is right?
We ought to elect a whole new bunch of representatives and senators. Every last one of them. The reason the founding fathers had terms was to avoid this career politician corruption. Throw them all out.
D.
Now fast forward to today, medicare and Social security are hurting and the dems want to take it over. Only because it serves their power grabbing, freedom depriving needs.
We need to preserve freedom at all costs. We need to make our representatives work for our needs. And not their partys or their own needs for power.
What happened to serving the interest of the American people. Do they even wonder why their approval ratings are so low? Only 39% of the American people believe that congress is doing a good job. I just have no faith in congress at all. All they want to do is take more of our money and give it to their special interests. What ever happened to a level playing field? What ever happened to doing what is right?
We ought to elect a whole new bunch of representatives and senators. Every last one of them. The reason the founding fathers had terms was to avoid this career politician corruption. Throw them all out.
D.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Food For Thought
"We must strive for tolerance. Tolerance of others beliefs and cultures."
I have been hearing that a lot. But tolerance may prove to be somewhat elusive. We must be able to accept other peoples' beliefs. That is the very nature of a people, of a society. A belief system is by its definition a very powerful force in a person's life. In some ways it is what makes them who they are. We must acknowledge that belief, that characteristic. We must allow it to flourish and coexist with our own belief system. This is important. This creates an important dilemma.
I will leave you with that thought and this….Does tolerance of other people's faiths or beliefs trivialize our own? If we acknowledge others as having a right to believe or worship as they do does that diminish our own? It is a narrow and difficult path to walk.
Some quotes on tolerance:
"No man has a right in America to treat any other man "tolerantly" for tolerance is the assumption of superiority. Our liberties are equal rights of every citizen." --Wendell L. Willkie
"Tolerance. I have seen gross intolerance shown in support of tolerance." --Samuel Taylor Coleridge
"The responsibility of tolerance lies in those who have the wider vision." --George Eliot
"Tolerance comes with age. I see no fault committed that I myself could not have committed at some time or other. "--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"People are very open-minded about new things--as long as they're exactly like the old ones. "--Charles F. Kettering
"Tolerance is another word for indifference." --W. Somerset Maugham
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow's too lazy to form an opinion." --Will Rogers
"It is easy to be tolerant of the principles of other people if you have none of your own. "--Herbert Samuel
"Tolerance is the oil which takes the friction out of life." --Wilbert E. Scheer
Update: This was actually a small part, notes really, of a larger essay that I started writing in 2001. It is still in work. I am such a lazy writer. Someday maybe.
D.
I have been hearing that a lot. But tolerance may prove to be somewhat elusive. We must be able to accept other peoples' beliefs. That is the very nature of a people, of a society. A belief system is by its definition a very powerful force in a person's life. In some ways it is what makes them who they are. We must acknowledge that belief, that characteristic. We must allow it to flourish and coexist with our own belief system. This is important. This creates an important dilemma.
I will leave you with that thought and this….Does tolerance of other people's faiths or beliefs trivialize our own? If we acknowledge others as having a right to believe or worship as they do does that diminish our own? It is a narrow and difficult path to walk.
Some quotes on tolerance:
"No man has a right in America to treat any other man "tolerantly" for tolerance is the assumption of superiority. Our liberties are equal rights of every citizen." --Wendell L. Willkie
"Tolerance. I have seen gross intolerance shown in support of tolerance." --Samuel Taylor Coleridge
"The responsibility of tolerance lies in those who have the wider vision." --George Eliot
"Tolerance comes with age. I see no fault committed that I myself could not have committed at some time or other. "--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"People are very open-minded about new things--as long as they're exactly like the old ones. "--Charles F. Kettering
"Tolerance is another word for indifference." --W. Somerset Maugham
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow's too lazy to form an opinion." --Will Rogers
"It is easy to be tolerant of the principles of other people if you have none of your own. "--Herbert Samuel
"Tolerance is the oil which takes the friction out of life." --Wilbert E. Scheer
Update: This was actually a small part, notes really, of a larger essay that I started writing in 2001. It is still in work. I am such a lazy writer. Someday maybe.
D.
Monday, May 4, 2009
2009
On our current state - this observation from Roger Hedgecock, a local talk show host who just recently went into national syndication:
Greed leads to investment,
Envy leads to jealousy.
An interesting thought to ponder, thought I. Those with money want more and so they invest it in ways to make more. Some of those with out see those with and want more. Government steps in to make those jealous ones feel better.
Just a few thoughts from this afternoon.
Greed leads to investment,
Envy leads to jealousy.
An interesting thought to ponder, thought I. Those with money want more and so they invest it in ways to make more. Some of those with out see those with and want more. Government steps in to make those jealous ones feel better.
Just a few thoughts from this afternoon.
Friday, May 1, 2009
mistake
A few days ago I was doing some outdoor cleanup in the back yard. I noticed on the eaves that there was a wasp nest, made of mud and twigs. I got stung by a wasp about two years ago. OUCH. So each spring I go around the house and check for the little mud nests under the eaves. I noticed some sort of bee hanging onto the mud. My children are grown up now and they can protect themselves but my nieces and nephew come over so I want the yard to be safe for them.
So tonight, I thought I have the time so I went out there and knocked down the mud hive. This was just before dusk. I knocked the hive out of the eave - it was on top of the floodlights. The bottom was mud so I just hit it with a long stick. As soon as I hit it and knocked it out from the eave, three birds flew out. It broke my heart. I thought it was a wasp nest. I didn't see any eggs fall out. I think two of the birds were the babies. They were hatched a few months ago.
I just started yelling "sorry, sorry, sorry." I know the birds can't understand that but I hope they could understand my tone. I went inside and told my wife. She said I could try and put the nest back. I used some tongs from the bbq to keep my human scent off of the nest. But the nest disintegrated as I tried to put it back. I felt so bad. I finally went inside and found a small box. I put the nest in the box and put the box in a nearby tree. It has lots of leaves on it. The box is hidden.
I went out later and checked on the box. It was empty. But I could not see any sign of the birds. I feel real bad about that. I was just trying to make things safe. I hope the birds are ok. We have lots of trees in our yard. I hope they had a back up house. Maybe they went to stay with friends. Or checked into a hotel. Like I said, I feel bad.
So tonight, I thought I have the time so I went out there and knocked down the mud hive. This was just before dusk. I knocked the hive out of the eave - it was on top of the floodlights. The bottom was mud so I just hit it with a long stick. As soon as I hit it and knocked it out from the eave, three birds flew out. It broke my heart. I thought it was a wasp nest. I didn't see any eggs fall out. I think two of the birds were the babies. They were hatched a few months ago.
I just started yelling "sorry, sorry, sorry." I know the birds can't understand that but I hope they could understand my tone. I went inside and told my wife. She said I could try and put the nest back. I used some tongs from the bbq to keep my human scent off of the nest. But the nest disintegrated as I tried to put it back. I felt so bad. I finally went inside and found a small box. I put the nest in the box and put the box in a nearby tree. It has lots of leaves on it. The box is hidden.
I went out later and checked on the box. It was empty. But I could not see any sign of the birds. I feel real bad about that. I was just trying to make things safe. I hope the birds are ok. We have lots of trees in our yard. I hope they had a back up house. Maybe they went to stay with friends. Or checked into a hotel. Like I said, I feel bad.
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