Studs

“…in earlier days, walk along the street in Chicago and be mobbed by people wanting to talk with him. He welcomed them all, and made slow if any progress to wherever he was going.”

He was working.  But, he didn’t see it as working.  He just loved talking to ordinary people, especially the working people — hearing their stories.

Friendly and Neighborly like

Listening, Remembering, Talking, Remembering, Listening, MemoryWorking…

******************************************************************************

Continue reading Studs

What a Wonderful World

His singing was gravelly and raspy.

He hadn’t been allowed in the front door of opportunity.

I see trees of green…….. red roses too 
I see em bloom….. for me and for you 
And I think to myself.… what a wonderful world.

He had worked hard all his life.

But he didn’t care

His work was fun, for he was the ultimate Entertainer.

He sang and played in a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue….. clouds of white 
Bright blessed days….dark sacred nights 
And I think to myself …..what a wonderful world.

For a man who knew the Blues…  The Blues of the Segregrated South.

And Boy, that man could blow that Gabriel horn.

Where in the world did all that Jass come from?

Continue reading What a Wonderful World

Super Brawl

A Justice League of America film will now officially compete directly with The Avenger’s  2 in the summer of 2015.  Warner Bros. green lit the project and will reportedly ramp up development on it following a decisive legal victory involving the rights to Superman.  Opening the door for competing super squads of epic proportion.  A CLASH OF TITANS if you will.  Okay.  Maybe I got a little excited there.  It is looking pretty legit though as DC/Warner Bros. has made it clear they want a high caliber director at the helm.  As for the cast, let’s hope they go for a little more depth than Megan Fox.  Why does WB want a super-squad of it’s own?  Perhaps a better question is: Why WOULDN’T they want a super-squad of their own.

Can Batman go toe-to-toe with The Hulk? Could Superman beat up Captain America?  I don’t know.  I’m not a rocket scientist.  The two superhero teams will indeed clash at the box office in the summer of 2015, as Warner Bros. looks to sign a director and all star cast within the near future.  Having had talks with The Wachowski Brothers and Ben Affleck about directing, it seems they are willing to spend a pretty penny on bringing a Hall of Justice to the big screen in top class fashion.  Why are all the cool kids making movies about superhero teams these days?  Because effective team synergy is a powerful thing.  Let’s take a look.

Continue reading Super Brawl

What a Pair

Charlie: I don’t blame you for being scared, Miss, not one little bit. Ain’t no person in their right mind ain’t scared of white water.
Rose: I never dreamed that any mere physical experience could be so stimulating!
Charlie: How’s that, Miss?
Rose: I’ve only known such excitement a few times before – a few times in my dear brother’s sermons when the spirit was really upon him…I must say I’m filled with admiration for your skill, Mr. Allnut. Do you suppose I’ll try practice steering a bit that someday I might try? I can hardly wait… Now that I’ve had a taste of it

************************************************************************************************************* Continue reading What a Pair

She’s been to the Summit

It took her a long time, but she had made it.

She had the patience and persistence to do it.

It was with the help of her students, for she couldn’t have done it without them.

It took TEAM WORK.

She had met a woman—hell, a human being—so intense, so authoritative, so certain and yet so caring. Pat walked into a room, and everything about her—her ramrod posture, her confident smile, her piercing blue eyes and her direct manner of speaking—said, “I love what I’m doing and this is what I’m here to talk about, and you’ll pay attention while I’m talking or you’ll leave the room.”

She has always been an intense, demanding, focused, bright-blue-steely-eyed competitor who is also a very caring, family-oriented person who enjoys a great walk on the beach with the family dogs, Sally Sue and Sadie, or assembling a good ole southern home-cooked meal for her team.

************************************************************************************************************* Continue reading She’s been to the Summit

A Gentle Lion

Once upon a time, in the land of Oz, four characters set out on a strange and difficult journey. Each was lacking something essential in life, and each wanted to find the mighty Wizard of Oz and ask him for his help.

• Dorothy had lost her way home, and she wanted the Wizard to return her safely back to her Aunt and Uncle’s farm. “There’s no place like home,” she said.

• The Tin Woodman was stiff with rust, and he wanted the Wizard to give him a warm, loving heart beating in his chest. “No one can love who has no heart,” he sighed.

• The Scarecrow’s head was stuffed with straw, and he wanted the Wizard to give him a brain. “Brains are the only things worth having in this world,” he said.

• The Lion had lost his nerve, and he wanted the Wizard to give him back his courage. “As long as I know myself to be a coward I shall be unhappy,” he said.

Home, Heart, Brain, and Courage.  The Four Temperaments: Home for Guardian, Heart for Idealist, Brain for Rational, and Courage for Artisan.

He was big man.

He was courageous.

He was fun loving.

He was an All-Pro Defensive Tackle.

He once was a Lion too. A Detroit Lion.

************************************************************************************************************* Continue reading A Gentle Lion

Amazing Grace

He was undecided.

He didn’t know what to do.

Politics or Religion?  Of course, it was a time when it really mattered and could have a huge future impact.  They both could be honorable occupations, for honorable and honest people.

With a little nudging from his friend, he didn’t have a chance.  For that friend knew him well.  The strategic friend knew which choice was to be made.  The friend knew what would make him chose — politics.  The friend knew he would be a Champion for the cause.

Amazing Grace…

***********************************************************************************************************

Continue reading Amazing Grace

It Stands to Reason

“It is my nature to be what I am.”

No, she didn’t say that, Emma Goldman did, but she could have said the same.

And, she knew much of what Goldman said was good, but not all.  You see, she could learn from Goldman  — and Rand, Milgram, Harman, …. and from Voltairine de Cleyre.

— NO, THAT AIN’T VOLTAIRE.

… she could decide what ideas were good, and bad, from each of those individuals who she read from, for herself. Yes, for …

Only the Self-Educated are Free…

Continue reading It Stands to Reason