-Timothy Egan, The Worst Hard Time
Thursday, June 30, 2011
In My Heart On Thursday
"The problem with history was that it was written by the survivors, and they usually wrote it in sunshine, or harvest day, from victory stands."
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
American and Free
I cry when the flag goes by. I try to stop, to hold it in, but the tears escape every time. I still love parades like a little kid, and that is the reason why; a community joined together in reverence to salute the essence of what it is to live in our country.
Sunday I attended the Freedom Festival Patriotic Service in Provo, UT. My family and 15,000 of our closest friends gathered together for 90-minutes of independence-focused singing and dancing. One of my favorite songs is the Armed Forces Medley. I only have one relative that ever served in the military and he never speaks about it. It is touching beyond description to watch as members of each branch of the service stand proudly to receive the recognition they deserve. I love to watch the eldest veterans and their wives and their generations of family. And I especially love to see our current or recently discharged soldiers standing at full salute with all the seriousness upon their faces that that office holds. If I managed to hold in the waterworks during the presenting of the colors, I guarantee you my mascara is running by the time this song ends.
The entertainment on Sunday was enjoyable, but I will forever remember the more serious event of the evening. An audience of grateful Americans watched as the flag of the fallen soldier was ceremonially folded and presented to the mother of fallen Army Chief Warrant Office 3 Matthew G. Wagstaff. She has been dealing with the grief that comes with losing a son for 10 months now, but not a person experiencing that moment with her would have denied the opportunity to take that burden away from her.
I cannot put into words the degree of gratitude and sadness I felt as I watched her stand with composure while tears streamed down her face. Every American who has not experienced the sacrifice of military life personally owes it to themselves to be in a place where they can witness an event similar to this. I will never have another day when I get out of bed and take for granted the acts of courageous selflessness enacted on my behalf each day.
And, so, we move closer and closer to the 2011 celebration of the United States' Independence Day. If you have a soldier in your midst, please reach out in any way you can to give them a hug and thank them for me, and for my children, and my neighbors, and every person walking free around me. If you do not have that special privilege, try this week-try hard-to make put yourself in a place that will make the cost of freedom real to you and your family. You'll never regret that you did!
Sunday I attended the Freedom Festival Patriotic Service in Provo, UT. My family and 15,000 of our closest friends gathered together for 90-minutes of independence-focused singing and dancing. One of my favorite songs is the Armed Forces Medley. I only have one relative that ever served in the military and he never speaks about it. It is touching beyond description to watch as members of each branch of the service stand proudly to receive the recognition they deserve. I love to watch the eldest veterans and their wives and their generations of family. And I especially love to see our current or recently discharged soldiers standing at full salute with all the seriousness upon their faces that that office holds. If I managed to hold in the waterworks during the presenting of the colors, I guarantee you my mascara is running by the time this song ends.
The entertainment on Sunday was enjoyable, but I will forever remember the more serious event of the evening. An audience of grateful Americans watched as the flag of the fallen soldier was ceremonially folded and presented to the mother of fallen Army Chief Warrant Office 3 Matthew G. Wagstaff. She has been dealing with the grief that comes with losing a son for 10 months now, but not a person experiencing that moment with her would have denied the opportunity to take that burden away from her.
I cannot put into words the degree of gratitude and sadness I felt as I watched her stand with composure while tears streamed down her face. Every American who has not experienced the sacrifice of military life personally owes it to themselves to be in a place where they can witness an event similar to this. I will never have another day when I get out of bed and take for granted the acts of courageous selflessness enacted on my behalf each day.
And, so, we move closer and closer to the 2011 celebration of the United States' Independence Day. If you have a soldier in your midst, please reach out in any way you can to give them a hug and thank them for me, and for my children, and my neighbors, and every person walking free around me. If you do not have that special privilege, try this week-try hard-to make put yourself in a place that will make the cost of freedom real to you and your family. You'll never regret that you did!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Campout and a Giveaway!
Great American Backyard Campout Giveaway
I've been writing and mentioning about this great event meant to inspire you and your family to get into the great outdoors. For more details about the campout, check out this post.
And now, as promised, a fun summer giveaway to inspire your outdoor adventure:
The Prize:
1-Nightize Innovation L.E.D Light-Up Ultimate Frisbee Disc
1-Deluxe Camper's Compact Hammock
2-Extension Forks (i.e. extendable weinie/marshmallow roasters)
All the makin's for great S'mores
Details and How To Enter:
This giveaway is being hosted both here at Wandering Still and on the blog A Local Wander. That's great for you-extra entries! There will be one winner from all the entries between both blogs.
Giveaway begins 12:01 AM on 6/24/11 and ends 12:01 PM on 7/1/11.
Mandatory Entry:
(for all entries be sure to leave best email address to contact if you are the winner)
Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite camping spot.
Oodles of Bonus Entries:
~Follow Wandering Still on Google Friend Connect
and leave comment here that you did.
~Follow A Local Wander on Google Friend Connect
and leave comment there that you did.
~Like Wandering Still on Facebook,
come back here and leave comment that you did.
~Like A Local Wander on Facebook,
come back here and leave comment that you did.
~Upload a photo of your favorite camping spot to Wandering Still on Facebook
(No need to comment, I will add 2 entries for each photo added)
Winner will be chosen by random selection process after entries are combined from both blogs and Facebook pages. Notification will occur within 48 hours of giveaway ending and winner will have 48 hours to respond with mailing information or another winner will be assigned.this post
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Reminder: Come Camping With Me!
Camping has always been a fun activity for me, my friends,and my family. Growing up I was a proud member of Campfire Boys and Girls and have innumerable memories of the camping trips that made it possible for me to participate in (most of the trips involved being soaked in the rain and eating food we thought was disgusting, but they still make me laugh and smile).
In high school my parents rented a group campsite at our local lake and allowed each of my sisters and I to invite friends for a weekend of outdoor adventure. It was a first camping experience for several of the kids who came along and we felt like the luckiest family on the planet!
And now that I'm grown? I still love camping! In my early (and poor) married days my husband and I made it a priority to buy quality camping equipment. It served us well while we working and playing in Alaska and has lasted long enough to introduce our two little boys to the joys of sleeping outside. Living in Utah we have the ability to camp in the most amazing places and try to take the opportunity as often as possible.
That brings me to the invitation I teased you with at the beginning...
The National Wildlife Federation, REI, and KOA are hosting the 2011 Great American Backyard Campout on Saturday, June 25th. The Great American Backyard Campout provides an opportunity to support NWF’s work to return nature to childhood for the health benefits and for the fun of it! My personal memories of camping, as well as the joy of watching my little boys outside, inspired me to join the fun and I want you to share it with me.
So what do you do? Join the team at http://online.nwf.org/goto/campwithme. Then start planning your adventure and share the excitement with your friends and family. How fun to have a team spanning the entire country! Participate on the team website or leave a comment here to let me know what you are planning.
Then, the week following the campout, share your experiences on the Wandering Still Facebook page for a chance to win a gift to inspire you to spend more time this summer in the great outdoors (more information on the giveaway posted on FB June 24th).
I look forward to seeing you out there!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Doing Something That Makes You Happy
I went to a free concert last Friday with my family to see a band called Moosebutter. Self-billed as a comedy acapella group, I had never seen them in person, but was promised a night of hilarity. Not necessarily because the band is good or funny, but because my in-laws are notorious for making fun of something until you're laughing so hard they start laughing at you.
Moosebutter on Friday night consisted of four middle-aged guys (I say middle-aged hesitantly because one of them went to school with my husband and that would mean I've now labelled myself with that heavy moniker) jumping around and shouting out melodic song parodies. I think sometimes they have only two guys and maybe sometimes they have five or six. This night there was a beat-boxer, a phenomenal falsetto, and two other guys. About every 10 minutes I found them genuinely entertaining, and then I morphed back into complete boredom and confusion. The show went on for nearly two hours and while my very first impression was that this was 4 winded guys who needed to sit down after the first stanza, by the end I was at least impressed that they were all still standing.
As the show ended, the park lights came up, and we were forced to rationalize the two hours of life we'd just lost, my thoughts went this way:
~That was really bad...I think I stared straight without blinking for at least half an hour
~Alright, they obviously have an audience. The stage was three-deep with pre-tweens that couldn't contain their enthusiasm. And, oddly (or sadly), there was an occasional uproar of attention from the larger audience which would indicate that at least the parent's of those pre-tweens were paying attention.
~Good for them for knowing their audience and not pretending they're trying to do anything more...well, surely they hope to be something more, but for now it's a great idea to work with what you've got.
Then I got a tad bit melancholy. As I listened to the last of the jokes putter out around me, it hit me: These are four guys who have found something they love to do and are making a living doing it. As I've done more research (on their humble website) I've come to the conclusion that this definitely is not a day job for any of them. Maybe that makes it acceptably better-a hobby that people are in some degree willing to indulge occasionally. Sounds pretty amazing!
On our way out of the venue, my husband made an effort to talk to the Moosebutter member he'd once palled around with. That is when the oddity and reality finally hit me. "Mr. Tim" is definitely my husband's age (just to clarify that's only around 35, we're not ancient yet). He shared great insight on the pitfalls of performing in that particular type of venue with parent-less children storming the stage. He looked tired, but was so obviously still the center of attention amongst all the Moosebutter groupies. Then, as we were talking a boy looking at least 10-years-old came up and called Mr. Tim "dad." Everyone in our party did a double-take. Turns out Mr. Tim has SIX kids and still finds time to dress up in a red monkey suit and babble nonsensically onstage every now and then.
Moosebutter in concert ended up being a shot in the arm for me. Big deal that I didn't find myself entertained beyond my wildest belief, and how impressive is it that we made ourselves feel better by mocking people more willing to share their talents than we ever will be. I have great ideas about living the life I want rather than the life society has pigeon-holed for me. People are doing it! Moosebutter is doing it! I want to being it, too!
Moosebutter on Friday night consisted of four middle-aged guys (I say middle-aged hesitantly because one of them went to school with my husband and that would mean I've now labelled myself with that heavy moniker) jumping around and shouting out melodic song parodies. I think sometimes they have only two guys and maybe sometimes they have five or six. This night there was a beat-boxer, a phenomenal falsetto, and two other guys. About every 10 minutes I found them genuinely entertaining, and then I morphed back into complete boredom and confusion. The show went on for nearly two hours and while my very first impression was that this was 4 winded guys who needed to sit down after the first stanza, by the end I was at least impressed that they were all still standing.
As the show ended, the park lights came up, and we were forced to rationalize the two hours of life we'd just lost, my thoughts went this way:
~That was really bad...I think I stared straight without blinking for at least half an hour
~Alright, they obviously have an audience. The stage was three-deep with pre-tweens that couldn't contain their enthusiasm. And, oddly (or sadly), there was an occasional uproar of attention from the larger audience which would indicate that at least the parent's of those pre-tweens were paying attention.
~Good for them for knowing their audience and not pretending they're trying to do anything more...well, surely they hope to be something more, but for now it's a great idea to work with what you've got.
Then I got a tad bit melancholy. As I listened to the last of the jokes putter out around me, it hit me: These are four guys who have found something they love to do and are making a living doing it. As I've done more research (on their humble website) I've come to the conclusion that this definitely is not a day job for any of them. Maybe that makes it acceptably better-a hobby that people are in some degree willing to indulge occasionally. Sounds pretty amazing!
On our way out of the venue, my husband made an effort to talk to the Moosebutter member he'd once palled around with. That is when the oddity and reality finally hit me. "Mr. Tim" is definitely my husband's age (just to clarify that's only around 35, we're not ancient yet). He shared great insight on the pitfalls of performing in that particular type of venue with parent-less children storming the stage. He looked tired, but was so obviously still the center of attention amongst all the Moosebutter groupies. Then, as we were talking a boy looking at least 10-years-old came up and called Mr. Tim "dad." Everyone in our party did a double-take. Turns out Mr. Tim has SIX kids and still finds time to dress up in a red monkey suit and babble nonsensically onstage every now and then.
Moosebutter in concert ended up being a shot in the arm for me. Big deal that I didn't find myself entertained beyond my wildest belief, and how impressive is it that we made ourselves feel better by mocking people more willing to share their talents than we ever will be. I have great ideas about living the life I want rather than the life society has pigeon-holed for me. People are doing it! Moosebutter is doing it! I want to being it, too!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
In My Heart On Thursday
"Isn't it sad that we have a job where we spend two weeks avoiding the stuff we have to do fifty weeks a year?...Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you ought to set up a life you don't need to escape from."
- Seth Godin, Tribes
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Reality
My husband is in California today. He had to get up at 4AM, wait at work for his unreliable boss to show up and take him to the airport, and get on a plane to fly to Sacramento. He's doing 2 hours worth of work there and then driving a box truck (think Uhaul) across Nevada and arriving back home sometime tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention that he just sent me photos of himself sitting in the co-pilot's chair in the cockpit of the jet he flew on? I have no idea what that was all about but the grin on his face tells me that something extraordinary happened to him this morning.
What was I doing when the photo arrived? Reprimanding my toddler for wiping his bum without toilet paper. Losing the argument that he needed to use HOT water to wash his hands. Insisting that he go get clean underwear instead of running around the house naked. And hearing him tell me after he's run on the carpet that he's found poo on his feet, too.
So, what was my initial reaction to my husband's moment of joy digitally captured and sent to me over the airwaves? Hatred and disgust, honestly. Completely gone was the sympathy I'd felt when he'd exhaustedly crawled out of bed in the dark. The gentle prayer I'd offered up that he would be safe and alert on his drive back our way completely buried. Also forgotten were the laughs I'd had with my two boys just hours earlier as they piled on top of me in bed, and any thought of encouraging words or shared enthusiasm.
That's how my days tend to be. I know my husband words hard at a job he doesn't always like. But because he gets to leave the house, and the kids, I tell myself his life is easy. When he gets home at night I continue on with cooking dinner or finishing the laundry, but check out from anymore taking care of the kids. Dad's home, Dad's turn. It seems like it's working because he loves playing with his boys more than anything on the planet, but it's probably only working because I give him no other choice.
Do you find yourself having the same thoughts or reactions with people and events in your life? What helps you throughout the day to focus on the beautiful and fun things that are happening instead of getting buried in individual nasty moments?
How do you show your spouse/family/friends that you appreciate the sacrifices they've made for you? And what gives you balance throughout your day?
What was I doing when the photo arrived? Reprimanding my toddler for wiping his bum without toilet paper. Losing the argument that he needed to use HOT water to wash his hands. Insisting that he go get clean underwear instead of running around the house naked. And hearing him tell me after he's run on the carpet that he's found poo on his feet, too.
So, what was my initial reaction to my husband's moment of joy digitally captured and sent to me over the airwaves? Hatred and disgust, honestly. Completely gone was the sympathy I'd felt when he'd exhaustedly crawled out of bed in the dark. The gentle prayer I'd offered up that he would be safe and alert on his drive back our way completely buried. Also forgotten were the laughs I'd had with my two boys just hours earlier as they piled on top of me in bed, and any thought of encouraging words or shared enthusiasm.
That's how my days tend to be. I know my husband words hard at a job he doesn't always like. But because he gets to leave the house, and the kids, I tell myself his life is easy. When he gets home at night I continue on with cooking dinner or finishing the laundry, but check out from anymore taking care of the kids. Dad's home, Dad's turn. It seems like it's working because he loves playing with his boys more than anything on the planet, but it's probably only working because I give him no other choice.
Do you find yourself having the same thoughts or reactions with people and events in your life? What helps you throughout the day to focus on the beautiful and fun things that are happening instead of getting buried in individual nasty moments?
How do you show your spouse/family/friends that you appreciate the sacrifices they've made for you? And what gives you balance throughout your day?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
In My Heart On Thursday
"And the truth is, we are not better than the people who are on the show...some of us just dress better. Some of us have more money. Or some of us had better luck in the pool of parents. And sometimes we went to better schools and learned to speak better. But the behavior -- all you have to do is look at any newspaper on any day, of all the famous people involved in all kinds of things. How can we say for a second, you know. If you just look at the hearings we've had in Congress lately. Are those people morally superior to the people on my show? I would hardly think so."
-Jerry Springer
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