11 September and the Vision... 1

How would you define "Woodstock Nation?"  I would call it a view of the United States where people genuinely look after one another; where people don't compare themselves to others and where they realize that when one suffers, we all suffer (as 10 years ago) and when one rejoices, we all rejoice.  So is it possible?  It has been 40+ years since the experiment was started;  we've come a long way and we've still a long way to go.  But let us not give up the vision...

Tanagers in Flight

I am a week past the beginning of my high school 40th Reunion.  (I know, I know... that dates me.)  It was a fabulous time.  I saw friends (and "rivals") and folks who really didn't have much to do with me in high school -- but it was really fun to get caught up on what everybody was doing.  and everybody talked to everybody.  (fun that old high school "cliques" have long since melted into the past like butter on a hot, humid Minnesota afternoon and flowed far downstream carried on the Missouri (or Souris, or Mississippi) River flood waters.  The Alma Mater written for Inver Hills Community College I rewrote for my high school and will donate that in the name of my class (Class of 1971) to the school Vermillion High School {South Dakota} 

[The words are below:

(1)V. H. S., V. H. S., How we love you V. H. S.;
from your wisdom we all grow strong!
Tanagers, Tanagers, all are loyal Tanagers;
we, your children, will for-ever sing your song!  

It's a song of standing tall, knowing one can conquer all;
so to you let us offer praise.
V. H. S., Tanagers, we'll be always Tanagers;
and remember you so fondly all our days.

(2)On the top of the hill gentle winds are never still,
And the whole world wants to know
what is right, what is true, that our lives are ever new;
like the sound of waters rushing far be-low.   

At the inver are the streams of the wisdom of our dreams
for the inver is where rivers join as one.
In the sky, day or night, Tanagers are taking flight;
and we share a common ground and distant sun. 

So, my advise is...  go to your high school reunions -- all of them -- and see how your classmates have become so -- "grown up."  :-)   [It truly was wonderful!]

...until next time... :-)

 

Forever with us

I hope to post the Alma Mater of Inver Hills Community College here soon;  I wrote it and am working on a band/orchestra arrangement.
My son is home from college now and busily applying for graduate schools in physics.  He tells me a little about what he's doing but I know the explanation is "dumbed-down" for his dear old dad. :-)
My daughter comes home for the holidays in about 10 days; 'Twill be nice to have her home too!

My great Aunt Violet passed away not too long ago; she was mother to my second cousin, Kim, who is now a principal at a school in Fargo.  He and I would play together as kids mostly on the farm near Fargo (though he did visit me in Vermillion SD as well).  This is in my aunt's honor:

Forever With Us
"Dark,
the days turn dark
when loss looms large.
"When?"
"Where? How?  ...Why?"
Children challenge the charge.

Life
with lots of laughs, well lived,
compassionate and caring.
Look,
that knowing smile...
The memories we'll be sharing.

Laugh
at times gone by --
what we remember well;
Loves,
all deep and strong;
Forever with us dwell."
                              ...Webb

Hello,  I know it has been a very l--o--n--g time since last post; but I'm back now.
This will be a short "housekeeping news" post and then more later. 
     I am looking for a book that my mother and dad used to read to me as a kid;  I don't know the name of the book or the author.  All I recall is a repeated phrase:  "Stuck, said little Bill?" The book had something to do with rowing a boat on a Louisiana bayou.  That's all I know.
     I won the "Alma Mater Song Contest" at Inver Hills Community College; They sang it at the 40th anniversary of the school!  :-)

OK, I promise a more regular blog...

April is National Poetry Month

There is a lot on which I must comment; but not a lot of time right now. So I'll just leave you with this:

The lawn is soft;
the grass is green
and playing children
can be seen;
...aah, Spring!

...Webb

Blogs and Passings

I promised my son's blog url; here it is:
http://bdcinberlin.blogspot.com
I hope you enjoy it. For those interested in the highlands of Scotland, my daughter's boyfriend is also blogging while at graduate school in Sterling, Scotland.
Here is the link to his blog: http://scotlandsirishguest.blogspot.com
Here is the url of my son's girlfriend's blog: http://cmbudapest.blogspot.com/ (She is studying in Budapest, Hungary for this term.)
I love the names of these blogs. Ben's link is "BDC in Berlin" and Kevin's is "Scotland's Irish Guest". The actual name of Kevin's blog is "Living in the land of haggis and Wallace" and Ben's is "Bier, Berlin, Begeisterung." Claire's blog is titled "More than Math." enjoy...

I just heard that Mary Travis (of Peter, Paul & Mary) passed away day before yesterday. I was really saddened by the news; I am an old "folky" who loves to sing and play all kinds of folk music. I am enheartened that she remained an activist right up until her death.

May we all sing our own songs with dignity, compassion and authenticity.

More Transitions... oofda!

Hey all: Nice to have you visit!
Here in St. Paul my wife and I are getting our son off to Berlin, Germany for his off-campus study abroad term. He's a junior in college this year and I can't really believe it! Why do kids have to grow up so fast? Anyway, I know things will go well for him and we are really excited for him. He will blog while he's there and I'll reference that as soon as I get it.
My wife starts back with students tomorrow (9/8); and after Ben flies out tomorrow afternoon it will be "life back to 'normal' here" I guess. Keep reading...