3rd Blog Anniversary

It has been three years since I made the decision to start blogging again. At the time it was a means to keep my mind busy while working the night shift and, honestly, I didn’t expect it to last too long especially after I started working during the day again. Over the years there have been many moments when I have fallen behind, when I have questioned whether or not I wanted to keep posting, and if this was all worth the time and effort. Those doubts have surfaced more times than anyone realizes.

However, what was once a means to keep my mind active and prevent creative constipation is now much more than those basic founding reasons for keeping this blog going day after day. I have spoken on the importance of keeping a daily record of my life, no matter how mundane it may be, but there is also the simple fact that this has given me, for the most part, a routine amidst the sporadic chaos, a means to think through certain topics and situations, and, occasionally, a venue where I can vent both and share the good and the bad. While there have been moments that I have bit my tongue before writing (despite one of the main ‘rules’ that I set for myself in the beginning), this has been largely a free flow of topics and ideas.

Over the life of this blog, things have also evolved. What was once a free form venue with few rules, has morphed into a loose structure where there are certain topic for different days. This schedule has reinforced the original purpose of the blog in that not only am I forcing myself to write every day but I am pushing myself to consider specific topics every week. As has been evident, some weeks there is more fodder for a certain topic than others but, in general, it has pushed me to learn different things about topics which I am already interested in as well as give more thought to some of the routine events in my life. As a bonus, it has also given readers more guidance as there are some people who avoid certain days while other that only read about a topic or two that I cover.

At this point, I don’t see much changing in the coming year on this blog. While I am not in a position to guarantee anything, I plan on maintaining the daily pace, sticking to the 400 word minimum per post, and continuing to write about the weekly topics that many of you have come to expect. Beyond that everything is still up in the air. So, at this point I will finish this post with a simple thank you to all that have stopped by, those who read regularly, the people who leave comments (here, on social media, through email, and in person), and the people in my life who both inspire me to keep writing and tolerate the commitment that I continue to make to my writing.

Did You Remember That Today Is Armed Forces Day?

Too often, Armed Forces Day is one that is overlooked on the calendar. For whatever reason, that is what happens just about every year. This, in part, is why I try to pay particular attention to these words and why I wanted to share my thoughts on this day. First, let us take a look at how Armed Forces Day came to be established as recorded on the Department of Defense website:

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days.

The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense. 

The only thing that I would add to this is that while we cannot express our thanks to them personally, this should also be a day when we reflect upon the service and sacrifice of all those in our family tree. Their service has, in many ways, allowed us to reach this day and made it possible for such a recognition to come to fruition. When looking back in my own family, there are specific generational touch points in every US conflict from the foundation of this country to the present day and touching upon all branches of service.

While anyone familiar with the military knows that there is a certain banter between branches, this is one of the days that unifies all who have served or are serving. While Veteran’s Day primarily focuses on those who have served or are serving at this moment and Memorial Day honors those lost in service to their country, this is a day that tends to give an overarching recognition by honoring the service of all. It is also a day that transcends time not ascribing respect to one generation or another.

This is the primary reason why this day is one that gives me pause as I reflect both on the decision that I have made in my own past as well as those on the decision made by my family members past and present. And while I commonly write in a similar way on Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day, one can never think about the service of others enough. Collectively, those men and women served our country and for that I will forever be grateful.

Fun (And Food) For The Whole Family

There was a little bit of chaos for me leading up to the stated meeting as there usually is before an official district visitation. The usual list of items that need to be prepared before any meeting pretty much doubles in size and given that our lodge is on display to a lot of visitors I make sure to double check that everything is in place hoping that the one thing that I do forget can be overcome with relative ease. And this is something important for every officer to remember… you are going to forget things. The trick is to make sure that it is as insignificant as possible as to not disrupt the meeting itself.

The visitation this year was a little different than in previous years. For one, I was able to enjoy some time in the hall dining with the brethren and, in some instances, with their wives. That was a pretty significant change and one that I hope to see continued in the months and years to come. Not only were wives and families welcomed to join us, we were also treated to a delectable Brazilian dinner prepared by one of the wives (with a little assistance from her husband and Junior Warden). For me, on the top of that to do list was to make sure I thanked her for all of her hard work… something that I am glad that I remembered to do.

The meeting itself went very smoothly with only a minor mistake on my part that was easily rectified. It was also a very productive meeting as there were a number of projects that needed to be addressed and motions that needed to be made. Overall, especially given the last couple of months, it was a welcome respite from the week and a reinvigorating one at that. There is great progress that has been made, positive changes that are in the works, and important motions that have been passed.

When the meeting was over and all the bills were paid, I finally sat back to collect my thoughts for a few seconds before starting another conversation. In many ways, I can’t believe that this is already my third year as Secretary and the beginning of my forth year as a mason. It seems as though I was raised yesterday while, at the same time, I have been coming to lodge my whole life. It is really hard to put into words but something that motivates me to see the lodge succeed and to see new masons to succeed as well. And now, with the changes in process, it is something that I will be able to happily share with my family on a more regular basis… especially my son who I hope will join me at a meeting someday.  

Achieving The Improbable!

When I first started this daily blog I had what I thought was a rather far fetched goal. I had never kept a daily blog before (heck, even my old journals have days missing here and there) and I knew that it was going to be a challenge but I still wanted to set a milestone that was possible even if it wasn’t probable. We all have these kinds of goals stored in the recesses of our minds many of which are forgotten regardless of whether they are actually achieved. Well, I clearly haven’t forgotten and now the improbable has happened as I find myself writing my 1000^th post.

Obviously, things have changed quite a bit since those first words were made public and the title of the blog has gone from descriptive to ironic but, overall, the basic purpose of the blog remains the same… honest reflections and reports about my life including my thoughts on topics and current events that piqued my interest. With that said, I have held myself to the basic guidelines of 400+ words per post which will be posted every day (although there are a few times I have had to play catch up). It has certainly been trying at times but, looking back, I am happy with the overall content that I have been able to produce and the ability that this blog affords me to look back at the details of certain moments in my wife especially those surrounding the birth of my son.

Not only has this blog served its basic purpose of pushing me to write but it has also forced me to pay closer attention to the world around me, the experiences that I have had, rework some of my long forgotten creative projects, keep in touch with people (family, friends, and followers), and simply appreciate all that has happened in my life. This is a record of my life which I can now pass on and while I started this for more selfish reasons I am now motivated to keep writing so that my son has something to look back on. This is now his life too.

One of the other ideas that developed in my mind as this milestone inched closer over the years is what I was going to do to celebrate this achievement. Well, sometimes the best way to celebrate the present is to revisit the past. Prior to this month, the last time that I published a book was in the summer of 2005 and now I have two additional books that have been resurrected from my hard drive, Paintings In Under A Thousand Words: Nature Poems and What Was Not Said: Echoes from the Holocaust. Both of these collections where compiled years ago and relegated to the confines of a small USB sitting in my desk. Now, having found the motivation in keeping this daily blog, they are finally in print.

However, that is just the beginning of the celebration as I am also turning many of the posts found on this blog into collections. They will, of course, be compiled based on topic and should be published throughout the year. The first two of these books are currently in the editorial process (I had forgotten how much “fun” there was in reviewing a galley proof), Out On The Limbs: Searching For Answers In the Family Tree and The Good, The Bad, and The Adorable: My First Year as a Father. These should be available within the next month. Again, those are just the first two with other collections from the blog to follow soon after as well as a few other creative projects unrelated to the blog that I have been working on.

So, I will end this post in much the same manner that I have concluded other milestone entries by offering my thanks to all of you who continue to read these simple words, those who continue to support this endeavor, and the family, friends, brothers, and colleagues that make these posts possible. Here’s to you. Here’s to the first thousand. And, here’s to the thousands that are to follow! It is only going to get better from here!

TMI Tuesday: Thank You Daddy!

A few months back while spending the day with our friends for their son’s birthday party, our son found one the toys in their house to be greatly entertaining. It was a stationary car that allowed him to sit on the floor and play with all the buttons, steering wheel, and the other odds and ends that are included on it. He must have spent close to an hour that afternoon entertaining himself while the rest of us ate lunch and caught up in our conversations. It didn’t take long before my wife and I realized that was going to be one of his Hanukkah gifts this year.

A couple of weeks ago, before we moved, I got really lucky and found the same car, the only difference was that it was in blue not red, on sale on Amazon. I think it only took me about 10 or 15 seconds from the time I saw it until I had the order placed. A few days later it arrived in an abnormally large box at my office. There it stayed until we got settled in to our new home which, at that point, I moved it into the office closet one night while our son was asleep.

Yesterday, having taken the day off from work, the box finally emerged and while our son was excited enough about the big box he was going to be able to play with, once we were able to put the car together his face lit up as he seemingly recognized the toy that he had enjoyed previously. Just like the first time he saw it, once my wife and I put him in the car he spend at least an hour playing with all the buttons and features occasionally glancing up at the two of us and smiling.

After a while he decided he was done and wanted to squirm around on the floor and play with mommy and daddy. This is not a surprise as any parent will tell you that it doesn’t matter how much they like a toy they are going to get bored with it after a while. What we didn’t expect was for our son to come after me kissing me, smiling, laughing, and seemingly thanking me for a toy that he really wanted. It was one of the most adorable 10 minutes that I have ever spent with our son and something that I was both not expecting and will never forget. I just feel bad that he didn’t do the same for his mommy.

Veterans Night And Day

I had been looking forward to the last stated meeting for months. Actually, ever since last November when we first had this particular program. This past Thursday we once again opened our doors to friends and family as we honored those who have served our country in the Armed Forces. Thankfully, despite some ups and downs over the past year, we were able to once again have nearly 20 veterans, brothers and non-masons, representing over two centuries of service honor us with their presence.

While I was unable to arrange for my family to be present, they were at the forefront of my mind throughout the entire evening. Not just immediate family but also those whom I had the pleasure of connecting with over the summer at the reunion. Obviously, this is also a night when I think back on the generations of family members who fought for us and also a time when I recall my own failed attempt to follow in their footsteps.

For those of us who are familiar with the sacrifices that many of these men have made, it is a night to celebrate those standing before us and also remember those who are unable to do so. Whether having passed long after donning a uniform or paying the ultimate price in the midst of war and conflict, all those who served to protect us, our way of life, and our country were recognized. It is a night that I recommend everyone attend regardless of whether or not they are a mason, veteran, man or woman. Everyone should take the time to show these veterans not only our respect but our heartfelt gratitude.  

However, these simple gestures of thanks should not be limited to ceremonies and celebrations. There are men and women we meet every day that should be thanked for what they have done for us. This is especially true today, Veterans Day, when we should keep our eyes open a little wide so that we might spot a veteran and go out of our way to thank them. And, along these lines, given the connectivity of the world in which we live, take this message onto Facebook or whatever your preferred social network might be (if you have not done so already). When you are there scroll through your list of friends and family. Those who are veterans, thank them, one by one. Don’t just post a blanket statement of appreciation.  

And, lastly, don’t let this be the only day that you offer your gratitude for the service of others. When given the opportunity, no matter what time of year or where you might be at the time, thank a veteran if you happen to meet one. After all, they have already paid the price so it doesn’t cost you a thing!

Some Letters

Today was one of those days, like too many others, when I wish I had a transporter like the one in Star Trek (or an improved version of the one in Spaceballs). While I was able to get out of the office a little earlier than my usual departure time, I was still rushing to get through the evening. After all, I had to take a detour to the lodge to make sure the mail was up to date for our stated meeting later in the week.

As we have so much going on and so many different things that are in the works for the remaining months this year, I have had to pay particular attention to the communications situation. Not only are we in the midst of the annual dues influx but there are also the usual monthly invoices, charity requests, and notes of thanks. Adding to all of this are the letters from brethren stating that they would like to hold an elected office next year. Needless to say, the post office box was quite full and required some effort to remove the mail jammed into the confined space.

When I got home, and after my wife and son went to bed, I finally sat down and sorted through the pile of paper that I had retrieved earlier in the evening. There were a couple of checks, a couple of bills, and a nice group of letters mixed in with the junk. I enjoyed reading the letters as a couple of them were thanking the lodge for some generous gifts and support and the others were those from the brethren asking to have their name on the ballot. It is indeed a pleasure reading the kind words of others and it is reassuring to see so many brothers wanting to hold a leadership position in the coming year.

These letters are really what give me hope about the future of the lodge and reassure me that, while we may have had a few issues here and there over the past year, we have the masons and motivation to really make our lodge the best in the district if not the entire commonwealth. And these letters are not just from ambitious young members but also from those who have held elected offices for years as well as those wanting to do so for the first time. It has been a great mix and I am excited to see what comes about in December. Next year should be a great!

Has It Really Been That Long?

 

It is that time again. Today marks the 800^th post for the blog and I am a little dumbfounded as to how I have been able to keep the blog going for that long. This is especially true when you consider the fact that the average length of each entry has been about 500 words. That is a total of 400,000 words... and that is being pretty conservative with the estimate. Is there really that much that can be said?

While I continue to look for guest bloggers and other interesting items to include in the various posts, there haven’t been many contributions up to this point. That might be the hardest part of this whole thing. I would like some more interesting and different perspectives included in these pages. I am happy to continue sharing my thoughts on various subjects but there is only so much that I can say without becoming repetitive (this is already evident in a number of posts).

However, I continue to enjoy the process and the simple fact that I am able to record my daily life, discoveries, and events that are of particular interest to me. As I have said before, this is my way of leaving a legacy. It isn’t anything special but the words here on this blog give a much fuller picture of who I am rather than just a few documents. This is part of the reason why the more I look into the family history the more motivated I am to continue writing.

With that said, time has become more precious over the past year in particular and there are changes on the horizon that will definitely put additional strain on my schedule. These are all good things but they take time and energy. Don’t get me wrong, the blog will continue but, with these additional commitments, the long periods of silence may become more prevalent. Of course, this may be a moot point if some of you out there would like to contribute to the blog (hint, hint, nudge, nudge).

Right now it is just a matter of pushing through the slow days when writing seems more like a chore and taking advantage of the easy days when I can quickly write three or four posts. There are certainly a number of topics that I will continue to cover (i.e. genealogy, freemasonry, firearms, travel, parenthood, etc.) but I am looking for other subjects and also want to know what subject you want me to write more about. So what would you like to read? Also, I am well aware that this blog is by no means perfect. What would you change? Let me know your thoughts.

I end this post very simply. Thank you for your continued support and sharing with me your thoughts, stories, and opinions. It has been an interesting experience thus far.

50K And 67

There have been many milestones since I started this blog. Many of them I had preconceived notions from the very beginning as to when they would occur. I was completely wrong regarding this latest one as I originally thought that it would happen sometime during the fourth year of writing. This was later revised to a timeline slightly more optimistic than reality but it really was slight. Basically it breaks down to the originally projection of about one thousand views per month later revised to over two thousand.

Well, just over two years since the first words were posted, I hit the 50,000 views mark. While a big number (at least for me) when you first look at it, it is even bigger when you think about it. This blog has been viewed 50,000 times which breaks down to roughly 67 views per day. Obviously some posts have been more popular than others and some days have been more active than the rest. That is the ebb and flow of writing in general and blogging in particular.

Think about that for a second. On average, there were 67 clicks specifically with the intention of reading the content that I have posted. Given the lack of interesting content that has been produced overall, this just goes to show that really anyone can do this. With that said, I appreciate each person and each click that has been made since this blog was launched. It was never my intent to gain a large readership but it is certainly nice to see people enjoying what I am writing (or getting pissed off by it).

The sheer volume is still completely foreign to me. I have written for a variety of companies and executives over the years where these numbers are pretty insignificant but having something with my name on it being read to such an extent is kind of astounding. Of course, this is coming from someone who started off in the poetry market where exposure and popularity are tremendously small in comparison to other genres. Having this many people read my work now would have been unthinkable in those days a decade ago.

The trick now is trying to find the balance between past and present, quality and quantity, honest and opinion, originality and reporting. It is a completely different way of writing these days and something that I am still getting used to. I treat this as a journal but have to maintain some kind of coherence in the posts. It is a balance of writing and of time. It is work and play.

So, thank you again for all your support but don’t just sit back and read. I encourage you to do the same, write about what you want to record about your life. Put yourself out there. Enjoy the process and the sharing of ideas. And, of course, let me know if there is anything that you would like me to write about and I will do my best to accommodate.

Things Have Changed In Two Years

It is that time again. It has now been two years since I began this blog. While the daily routine has basically remained intact, there have been a few small and big changes that have occurred over the last 24 months. I honestly don’t know where to begin so I am just going to ramble a bit (nothing new).

When I originally launched this blog it was simply a means to keep myself writing, record the events in my life, and give me something to do while sitting at the front desk of the apartment building all night. It was a time when there were a lot of questions swirling around and we really didn’t know what direction life was going to take us. This is why I originally stated that there were “No guidelines or promises. No list of topics I plan to cover.”

Times change and so has this blog. Actually, I have pretty much gone against that entire statement. I have my own goals and guidelines for this blog (400+ words every day despite my idea to cut that back at this point last year) and there are a variety of topics that I cover on a regular basis. Many of those topics are assigned to particular days of the week (i.e. TMI Tuesday, Lodge (mostly) on Wednesday, Firearms Friday, and Sunday Search). While I have skipped a few of these days (today is Tuesday), they have become a pretty regular part of the blogging schedule.

However, given the steady growth over the past year (19,000 views during the first year and 29,000 views during the second year), many of you seem to enjoy knowing what topics are expected to be covered. Of course, I still have to keep things interesting (well, as interesting as I can) so the rest of the days are pretty much a crap shoot regarding topics. It has been interesting watching the blog grow and hopefully I am keeping up my end of the deal (for the most part) and providing many of you with some entertainment.

So, since I have already put a stop to the no planning thing, what is on the horizon for the coming year? Well, there are always countless plans in the works but little time to see them come to fruition. I will continue to write on the various topics that have become a part of this blog and there are a few trips planned for this summer (to places not yet covered). I have reached out to syndicate the posts and that is always a possibility (even though it might be an improbability) and I am looking for additional ways to raise funds so that I can bring you some more interesting content (products, more travel, books, genealogy research, etc.).

I am always looking for new ways to incorporate the writing into my routine (which has been a little off lately) and sometimes I get behind on the posts. So far I have been able to get things back up to speed but, moving forward, I am going to look at easing this work load a bit by inviting more guest contributors as well as writing recap post which will serve as occasional reference points for some of the common topics covered in this blog. As always, time seem to be governing my activity and this is, so far, the best solution I have for keeping things going.

So, I will end this post by first asking you if there are any topics that you would like me to write about or anything that you wish to contribute as a guest blogger. Secondly, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has read, commented, and shared these posts. While this blog has served a more selfish purpose allowing me to keeping writing, researching, and recording there is great satisfaction knowing that others are interested in the topics that I have written about and some even share my views on certain topics. Here is to another year!

When The Mayor Takes Action

Now this is definitely something that I couldn’t see Mayor Nutter doing in the streets of Philadelphia. In fact, I don’t know if I could see any mayor in a major city in the United States doing this in their respective streets. I guess this is one of those situations that demonstrates the clear difference between Israel and the United States and Israelis and Americans in particular.

Last month I was skimming through my news feed and came across an article in Haaretz that immediately got my attention. As it turns out, the Mayor of Jerusalem (a city and a place close to my heart), Nir Barkat, was driving down the road when he suddenly asked his bodyguard to stop the car. He had seen a Palestinian terrorist (and that is what he is) stabbing a Jewish man at Tzahal Square. In the end, the bodyguard pulled his gun causing the teenager to drop the knife and the Mayor wrestled the madman to the ground, subdued him, and offered aid to the victim until police arrived on the scene.

As I stated above, the thing that struck me the most when I came across this article is just how different this kind of story is to someone reading it in the United States. I couldn’t see a mayor from a major city in the states taking action in the same way. Additionally, even if they would simply make a call having seen a similar attack, the need to promote their actions would be quite evident. There would be a much more grandiose gesture following the incident not a simple reflection such as the one Barkat gave in the Haaretz article:

"My bodyguard and I jumped straight out of the car, he drew his weapon and together we caught the terrorist until police arrived, and we took care of the wounded, who, happily, was only lightly wounded."  

Barkat said that when he and his bodyguards faced the assailant, he threw down his knife.

"This too is part of our life in Jerusalem. It's clear that if he would have looked to continue stabbing he wouldn't have been alive now. But he threw the knife away," Barkat said. 

The second half of that quote is particularly striking… “This too is part of life in Jerusalem.” Unfortunately, that is a reality in the holy city and one that continues to be a pervasive certainty in the streets throughout Israel. Terrorism is still a reality and the cause of such incidents continues to be muddled in the pages and reports that are disseminated around the world. It is a crisis that needs to be addressed with more than just talks and 10 year plans.

The means by which the State of Israel is portrayed continues to be inaccurate which has perpetuated protests and attacks throughout the world. Israel as a whole and Jerusalem in particular are a place of peace in a region obsessed with war and Jihad. Until the world accepts the reality that Israel is a peaceful state, terrorism will continue to taint that reality in the streets of Jerusalem.

Thankfully, the Israeli people are some of the most resilient that the world has ever known. They are the reason that Israel remains strong in the face of international accusations and terrorism in the streets. To those leaders, IDF soldiers, and all those who live in the holy land I end this post with two simple words… Thank you!

It’s Not Really Free

Every year I see the countless signs and receive numerous emails about all the discounts and “free” things for veterans. Unfortunately, I have seen the inevitable complaints of entitlement from people across numerous social media streams making delusional statements that they should be getting the “handouts”. What these people fail to realize, year after year, is that despite what the ads might say veterans are not getting anything for free. These people served and sacrificed for us and, if anything, they are still not getting enough from us.

Over the years I have gotten to know veterans of all ages, branches, and length of service. I come from a long line of men who have served in the armed forces and made an attempt to do so myself (no, I am not a veteran). In fact, many of those men whom I consider friends and family were part of the recognition ceremony at my lodge last week… there was a total of over 160 years of service that stood before us that night. All of these men, and all veterans that I have had the privilege to meet during my lifetime, have never asked for any recognition.

In recent years, there seems to be a “veterans day is good enough” mentality with regard to the recognition that is bestowed upon these men and women. Every year, I see fewer and fewer instances of people walking up to a veteran and thanking them for their service. This downward trend is particularly noticeable on this day although it is pervasive throughout the year. People seem to think that they have played the same role in keeping this country safe when that is far from the reality.

Yes, there are discounts today for veterans but one day is never going to be enough. These men and women deserve much more than a coupon on this day, they deserve our gratitude and our respect for doing what we were unwilling and/or unable to do. They are the ones who have ensured that this country continues to exist, they are the ones that have made it possible for us to live our lives without fear. No discount our coupon will ever make up for the sacrifices that they have made ad while our feeble words will not accomplish much more, it at least shows that we have not forgotten what they have done for us.

Thank you for your service!

“Happy” Birthday!?!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

This year is proving to be a little different than previous ones when it comes to my birthday. There have been some great things that have happened over the past year and some pretty crappy ones as well (especially lately). But, overall, it has been a great year and one that has offered tremendous clarity in my life.

What started off as a year still full with uncertainty and questions is coming to an end with some security and very specific goals. I don’t know what the future may hold but I have a core of beliefs, priorities, objectives, family, and friends that have proven, beyond any doubt, to be the foundation on which I can continue to build my life. Thankfully, there have been a few rough situations and conversations that have occurred over the past year and they have allowed for the culling of the less desirable portions of life that have at times prevented me from fully appreciating all the gifts that I have been given. By doing this most the toxicity has been remediated and the uncertainty has subsided. There are still questions that remain but, for the most part, it will simply take time before the answers are available. To many of those people I say “Thank you and goodbye!”

My birthday this year is one that is filled with love for both the people in my life and my son who will be able to celebrate with me next year. It is this shift that has allowed me to embrace those around me, which at times has bit me in the bum, and know who I can trust, who I can believe, and who I want as not just a part of my life but my wife and my son’s life as well. To those people that have embraced me, in spite of my numerous faults, I just want to say “Thank you!”

This is the first year that I can celebrate my birthday as a father and for those that are unfamiliar with that feeling it is pretty much impossible to describe. I know now that my priorities have to be as a father, husband, son, sibling, nephew/cousin, and friend/brother in that order or else my life will become unfulfilling. There are certainly many changes, most of which I will be unable to control, that are going to happen and now I can say with confidence that I am happy to show my son the kind of man that I am during this next year, this next stage, of my life. So, for those reasons, this is certainly turning into a very happy birthday!

Not Earned Or Expected

 

Since the crux of this post revolved around a single word, let’s first take a look at the definition (as it is used in the post below) of the word compliment:

a :  an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration; especially :  an admiring remark

b :  formal and respectful recognition :  honor

While a wonderful word, I don’t feel I have ever earned a compliment as it is defined. Best case scenario, it is questionable as to whether I should have gotten any. I know many people who have but, in my view, I don’t believe the definition applies to me.

Lately, there have been a number of people saying similarly kind comments to me and each time I kept asking myself why it was said. After all, I was going my job the way I think it needs to be done… the way it needs to be done in order to be impactful. In other instances, I was just doing what should be done when a friend or family member is in need. I have no problem giving compliments but when it comes to receiving them I am really not a fan. This is particularly true when I feel that I am being praised for what I see as doing my job. With that said, I know it is the right thing to do and I appreciate it when people take the time to said such flattering things or thank me but I don’t expect it.

Unfortunately, I have seen too many times over the last few years of people expecting this type of praise as if they are entitled to it. Mostly this has been found in the young newly graduated just entering the work force thinking that they are right and that their company and colleagues are wrong. These are the kinds of people that expect to be applauded for farting in a tuba and staying on key.

Thankfully, I take pride in the fact that I have been able to surround myself at work, at lodge, and in my family with countless people who feel the same way that I do about compliments. After all, when we help someone it is more gratifying for us to see that person succeed. We know the small role that we have played in their life and that is more than enough for us. Of course, with all of that said, a simple thank you (privately, not publically) goes a long way. This is also something that seems to be lost on many young people (whether it is actual age or just mentally) as they expect to be thanked for introducing us to the world of tuba tooting.

Taking A Few Minutes Before Preparing For The Next Meeting

Today I am taking some time to relax and only making a couple of calls and sending a few emails. It is a day when I am able to enjoy what my lodge was able to accomplish last night by reading the overly gracious notes from the district deputy and my fellow brothers from the lodge. All the work came to fruition and the results were far beyond any expectations I ever thought of placing on the meeting. It truly was a great night.  

The night that we had been preparing and scrambling for over the past couple of months finally came and went without a hiccup during the evening. While we had a few setbacks during the weeks leading up to the district visitation and I had to take on a few more duties than I had planned on doing, the brethren came together and made last night a success. Being the first such meeting since becoming Secretary (the last visitation was my first meeting as a mason) I was incredibly nervous but over the past year I have come to find that even when things don’t go to plan we all come together as a lodge to make things happen. There has been no clearer example than that of last night’s meeting.

I spent the morning finishing up and revising the minutes and the rest of the day getting some projects done for the office (nice relaxing day off) before getting on a conference call in the early afternoon. After a quick shower and trips to Staples and the post office, I got to the lodge just before 4:00pm with a number of things that I had to do to prepare. While I knew exactly what I had to do, time seemed to be spinning around the clock faster than any other day that I could remember.

While I was able to greet a few brothers as they walked through the door and spoke to a few brothers as I helped to carry in the meal for the night, I didn’t really have much time to converse. Throughout the day, with brethren scattering about the building, I climbed and descended more stairs than I had in the past few weeks combined. Before the meeting ever started I was already beginning to tire. Of course, not having time to eat dinner didn’t help the situation either. After a few last minute scrambles, the meeting was set to begin.

Much like the earlier passing of the day, the meeting was a blur but thankfully I was prepared for every moment with copies of every piece of paper, document, and record needed. Additionally, the shirt that my cousin took care of for me was received with both great surprise and appreciation (mainly because it was something that would be used and not another mug or keychain). There were many moments to remember and ones that I will forever be proud to have been a part of.

However, the moments that will stand out for me or the rest of my life are the moments during the meeting when my fellow brothers took the floor and made speeches during which they thanked me for what I had done for them. While those moments were greatly appreciated and I am glad I could help in some small way the credit should really go to the lodge for what we have accomplished and to those individual brothers for putting forth the effort to ensure their recent success and recognition. It was certainly a night to remember and a night they we can all take pride in being members of this fraternity and of our lodge.

Early Morning Phone Calls

 

Still groggy from my unfulfilling sleep last night, I woke up this morning moving a little slower than usual and not completely processing everything efficiently. By eight o’clock I was getting ready to get out the door when the phone rang. I noticed that it was maintenance and, knowing exactly what it was about, I let it go to voicemail. I will pick up my apartment key when I get home after work.

Five minutes later my phone rang again (I really have to remember to turn the volume off at night). My initial thought was that maintenance was calling again so I slowly made my way to the annoying noise and looked at the screen. Well, it wasn’t maintenance and it wasn’t a number I recognized. I figured it was probably a really ballsy solicitor so I let it ring through, put my phone in my pocket, and walked out the door. Thirty seconds later my phone vibrated again. I guess they weren’t selling something. Whoever it was left a message so I pulled my phone out and hit play.

I was originally skeptical when I heard the recorded message and even more so when I was asked to call back the number. It just seems like a scam when you get an automated call telling you that there might be a fraudulent purchase on your credit card. So, I quickly looked up the number on the internet and it seemed like it was a legitimate call. Still wary of the number in the message, I pulled out my credit card and called the number on the back.

Well, turns out that someone decided to put an $85 purchase on my Cabela’s credit card on the Sports Authority website at around midnight last night. I know that it wasn’t me because I don’t shop at that store and my Cabela’s credit card has been paid off for months now. Needless to say, I immediately denied the charge and had the number deactivated. Thankfully, the transfer to a different account (closing of the old one and opening a new one) is taken care of in house and is not reported to the credit bureau keeping my credit score intact.

So, that was not a fun start to my day but at least Cabela’s gave me a call and let me know of the suspicious charge. While it is not a lot of money to some people it is still $85 out of my pocket and it was also only the very beginning. So, thank you Cabela’s for making sure that this is taken care of properly. While your prices may be high, your customer service/support is pretty darn good.

Great Conversations And Unwanted “Advice”

Ever since we announced that we were having a baby there have been dozens and dozens of family and friends offering us advice based on their experience. I am a firm proponent of gathering as much information as possible from as many people as possible especially from those who are parents. We have already had a variety of great conversations and have received a tremendous amount of excellent advice since the announcement and we are constantly receiving little bits of wisdom every now and again. It is amazing how much love and support that we have received and we are grateful for those people in our life. Yesterday was one of those days when we felt that warmth as family continuously approached us, offered their congratulations, and chatted briefly about how my wife is holding up. But it was not our day and we all wanted to enjoy the party, the real reason why we were all together.

Of course, over the past couple of weeks, there have also been a few people that keep popping up and offering lectures of what we should be doing and what we are currently doing wrong. They have also offered their pessimistic views on what they “hope doesn’t happen” while mixing in monologues about how we can avoid unrelated problems that they know absolutely nothing about. This is usually followed by “offers” to gain some additional practice in the coming months because we have obviously never been around infants and know nothing about some of the unpleasant aspects which they proceed to outline in great detail.

These people have a commonality, they are the center of the world. It is not a dialogue, it is a matter of they know what is best and we need to do it that way or we are wrong. This characteristic also encompasses a few people that are not excited about the good news because that means that we are not able to give them as much of our attention anymore. Did I mention that these people are over five years old? Keep in mind that we prefer to have the quick conversations and move on to another topic. There are too many great things happening to many fantastic people in our life to focus on ourselves or any other single person.

This is a very special time in our life and we want to embrace all the positive energy, unique experiences, and great people in our life. While, for various reasons, we can’t get rid of all the negative people and energy, we will do our best to minimize them and focus on the love and support. At the same time, we are going to continue living life and celebrating the amazing events and milestones of our friends and family. Of course, we won’t turn down great advice now and again!

Reaching Our Goals One Shoe At A Time

As some of you may recall, last year I attending a visitation at Fritz Lodge in Conshohocken when the “Traveling Shoe” was awarded to the lodge with the most brothers visiting that particular night. Well, last night I attended the same visitation and, just like that evening early in my Masonic adolescence, there was a huge turnout. This time around, however, the visitation didn’t simply involve showing up, there was a lot of preparation done beforehand to make things a bit more competitive. 

Less than two months after becoming a mason, I was one of four or five brothers from my lodge who attended the meeting, all of us new masons. It was a litmus test for me as I was, due to no officers being present, the one who spoke for my lodge. It was an interesting night and a lot to take in… I was not going to have our lodge represented in such a way for a second year in a row. With that goal in mind, I worked closely with the Worshipful Master (who had the same thought) to ensure that we had a chance this year especially with the next visitation being at our lodge in the fall.

Of course we put the visitation in the notice and highlighted the importance of the night at our stated meetings. However, that is the usual means of communicating an event. This time we took it a step further. Over the past week there have been a series of emails, texts, phone calls, and speaking with brothers at other Masonic events simply to bring us all together to work toward one goal.

Who goes to Conshy for a shoe? We do.

That’s right. Thanks to a combined effort by all the officers, long standing brothers, and new Masons we were able to secure the old shoe. While we were fairly certain of this outcome as we saw one another arrive before the meeting, having the final tally and the presentation made is what made all the preparation worth it. While a minor achievement in the larger view, it was an exemplification of what we can do when we come together not as individual brothers but as a lodge.

I am proud of what we all accomplished together as a lodge and the diverse group of brothers, ranging from a few months to 65 years, who took the time to ensure that we achieved this goal. As the lodge goes dark for the summer, it is something that we can all enjoy and use as motivation for when we enter the final months of the Masonic year upon our return. I am looking forward to all that we can accomplish together as a lodge.

Another Milestone

Last month I wrote about reaching a major milestone with this blog in that I finally accomplished the main goal that I set at the beginning of this experiment by posting a blog every day for an entire year. Well, as you have been reading, I have not stopped writing and posting. In fact, I have yet to dip under 400 words per post which, at times, is painfully obvious. I know that many of you are aware to these moments because over the weekend this blog surpassed 20,000 views.

Certainly, a lot of you read multiple blogs so I am uncertain as to how many actual readers are out there but it is a nice little milestone nevertheless. And it is one of those things that I really have no control over as all I can do it write, post, and do a little bit of dissemination through my social media accounts. The rest is up to all of you. So, really, this is your accomplishment.

It also got me thinking about how many times this blog is read and all of the views that I have gotten that are not tracked by the aforementioned stat. I know that I have a few people who receive my posts via email which doesn’t register in the total above. I am curious to know what the total really is but also what posts people enjoy reading versus those that they either delete or don’t bother finishing.

While this blog really is serving more as a journal or public diary if you will, I am not going to ignore those that read the contents on a regular basis. Obviously there is something that is interesting of else I wouldn’t have had so many views to date but what is it that you want to read about? You have taken the time to read about my views, time and again, but what are some of your opinions?

While I am happy with the progress that has been made on this blog, there is still something that is lacking… your voice. There are opinions on a variety of topics in the pages of this blog, some popular while others not so much but it should not be solely my opinion that is expressed. While I am sure that what I say represents some people it, by no means, represents everyone. So I open up the discussion to you. You can comment, email me, or write up a guest blog (even if it is of a completely opposite viewpoint). I want to make sure that there are more voices heard rather than just the sounds coming from my mind and mouth.

Reflections On Father’s Day

My dad with my grandfather (my mom's dad) from before I was born.

Today I was once again out of the apartment. Usually I don’t like to be out and about two days in a row but there was a darn good reason to get back on the road. This time it was a short trip to my parent’s house about 15 minutes down the road so that I could spend time with the best man I have ever known, my father.  

Father’s Day is commonly seen as a compliment to Mother’s Day and the history of the day expounds upon that progression. A good summary, as is commonly the case, can befound on Wikipedia which outlines the history of Father’s Day in the following way:

Father's Day was inaugurated in the United States in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting.

After the success obtained by Anna Jarvis with the promotion of Mother's Day in the US, some individuals, such as Sonora Dodd, wanted to create similar holidays for other family members, and Father's Day was the choice most likely to succeed. There were other persons in the US who independently thought of "Father's Day", but the credit for the modern holiday is often given to Sonora Dodd of Central Methodist Episcopal Church, who was the driving force behind its establishment.

Father's Day was founded in Spokane, Washington at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was born in Arkansas. Its first celebration was in the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909 at Central Methodist Episcopal Church, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. Several local clergymen accepted the idea, and on 19 June 1910, the first Father's Day, "sermons honoring fathers were presented throughout the city."

However, in the 1920s, Dodd stopped promoting the celebration because she was studying in the Art Institute of Chicago, and it faded into relative obscurity, even in Spokane. In the 1930s Dodd returned to Spokane and started promoting the celebration again, raising awareness at a national level. She had the help of those trade groups that would benefit most from the holiday, for example the manufacturers of ties, tobacco pipes, and any traditional present to fathers. Since 1938 she had the help of the Father's Day Council, founded by the New York Associated Men's Wear Retailers to consolidate and systematize the commercial promotion. Americans resisted the holiday during a few decades, perceiving it as just an attempt by merchants to replicate the commercial success of Mother's Day, and newspapers frequently featured cynical and sarcastic attacks and jokes. But the trade groups did not give up: they kept promoting it and even incorporated the jokes into their adverts, and they eventually succeeded. By the mid-1980s the Father's Council wrote that "(...) [Father's Day] has become a Second Christmas for all the men's gift-oriented industries."

A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father's Day celebration and wanted to make it official, but Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized. US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the day be observed by the nation, but stopped short of issuing a national proclamation. Two earlier attempts to formally recognize the holiday had been defeated by Congress. In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus "[singling] out just one of our two parents". In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.

More and more there are moment in my life when I notice that I am beginning to sound or act like my dad (not in the Harry Chapin sort of way) and I couldn’t be happier about that fact. It throws my wife off every once in a while when she notices these things but whenever she points them out I just smile, nod, and think to myself how appreciative I am of that fact. Even the times when my dad and I discuss things we seem to think along the same lines and the discussion progresses quickly… we can summarize the problems of the world rather quickly when we get on a roll.

I wouldn’t trade any of the moments that I have had with my father for anything and I am grateful for all that he has taught me both when instructing me in how to do something, supporting me when things aren’t going well, and the lectures he gave me when I screwed up (I know, your shocked that I’m not a perfect angel). While it may not have been obvious at the time, each of those kinds of moments shaped me into who I am today. Not perfect but much better off for having such a mentor in my life.

While I don’t expect to ever accomplish all that my father has in his life I am trying every day to at least come close. Of course, I doubt that this will ever happen as he still works hard every day and, for the most part, refuses to retire. I just wish that he would stop working one of these days and enjoy all that he has worked so hard for in his life. With that said, I don’t plan to ever stop working either. So, I will end this simply by saying Happy Father’s Day Dad. Thank you for all the help and support that you have given to me over the years without ever asking for anything in return.