tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29533181079123604872024-03-05T08:14:47.247-08:00MoreWritersThanReadersI have been writing all my life. I love to write about writing and constantly am discovering stuff on which I want to comment. After I began the blog, I decided that I wanted to use it to edit my next book, a family memoir. Originally, I was going to revise a previously written book, The Personality Factor, based on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator which could be incredibly helpful to writers. I am going to get back to it.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-28845008390810852012-11-15T17:21:00.000-08:002012-11-15T17:21:02.307-08:00Getting Straight<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;"><span>"Getting Straight" is a classic movie. And, one that is incredibly relevent for today, especially in this election. Set in 1970, at the height of the Vietnam War protests, Elliot Gould is fabulous in what I think was his best role ever. He is a Vietnam vet: a Navy Corpman, having served with the Marines. He plays the part of an idealistic, very verbal, slightly older graduate student. I first saw this movie years and years ago. And, one of the unintended consequences for today is that it reinforced my belief in what has happened to us as a culture. We have become a less involved people, willing to accept events like Iraq and Afghanistan without blinking an eye. We no longer have a draft and the country is not invested in our military. Our culture has basically shifted from one of interest in "land of the free and home of the brave" to one of making money and creating wealth. In "Getting Straight", an idealistic student body railed against the war and protested for what they perceived was a lack of basic equality. On every hand, Harry, played by Elliot Gould, presented a practical approach, even contrary to what he believed. His goal was to become a teacher and he kept trying to sacrifice the real person of who he was to reach that goal. Realizing it was not going to happen, in a "what the hell" moment, he threw in the towel, with some dramatics of course. </span><br /><span></span><br /><span>The last scene is one of the best I've ever seen. The stereotypes, a dozen or so, are sitting around a table as he takes his "orals" for his masters. He finally explodes with what he truly thinks. So relevant. Today, there is no approach like "Getting Straight," no real idealism rather how to become a 1%er. </span><br /><span></span><br /><span>There are many reasons why "Getting Straight" won't happen today. It isn't only a loss of idealism but the country has become too big, too unwieldy, too partisan, meaning selfish. It is why a "Getting Straight" concept would be important in this election. But, it won't happen. No politician will say what they truly mean (it is why Governor Christie of New Jersey was so refreshing as relating to the awful devastation of Sandy. He said, "f..k politics, my people are in need.")</span><br /><span></span><br /><span>The Presidency and the Democrats are the best chance of capturing some of the magic of the "Getting Straight" time, I believe. But, even if they wanted too, the political courage is simply not there. We are f..ked. </span><br /><span></span><br /><span></span></span>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-31975290725708140782012-11-15T17:04:00.001-08:002012-11-15T17:04:06.668-08:00Personality Factor<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;"><div class="s5" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">I have always liked the President. Here's a guy who can be making a speech, somebody hollers, "I love you" without dropping a word, he calls, "I love you back." He moves easily toward people. Sometimes criticized for aloofness? It is a management style, give somebody a job? Let them do it. Good father. Tackles crisis. This doesn't mean to say that he's not a politician but overall it is his personality, ENTJ. He has learned how to be a good president and deserves another term. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">But, my point is that he is what he is because of personality. How do we know what he is? We can only guess because of our understanding of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, the most popular personality instrument in the U.S. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">My first exposure to the </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="bumpedFont15">Myers Briggs Type Indicator </span></span><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">was in 1977, way back in the dark ages when I was in the military. Otto Kroeger, who is probably the foremost </span></span><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">present day guru</span></span><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15"> of the theory came to do a workshop at Fort McPherson, Georgia. I was a young Major and truly didn't know my posterior from anything. And, reluctantly showed up at the seminar. As happened, it was a turning point in my life's outlook to say the least. In the military, I was always on the outside of the mainstream. I (ENTP) would be in a meeting and it was constantly "group think" but I was not there--never seemed to see it like everybody else. The military is</span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="bumpedFont15">cooperate and graduate personified</span></span><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">. I was a good combat soldier but get me in the confines of peacetime and it was a struggle. By this time in my career, I had already been fired twice and miraculously escaped being pitched out of the military. So, here was a theory that was mostly built around the idea that all of us are born with different personalities, plain and simple, not much we can do about it. This was revolutionary. Simplistically, it seemed that to get to know our personality and others and to be able to make it useful in an organization like the military would be perfect.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">According to the </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="bumpedFont15">Myers Briggs</span></span><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">, you actually can be one of sixteen personalities and all of them have various characteristics and attributes. Here is MBTI, 101. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">Extroverts/Introverts. Extrovert move toward people easily and find a certain amount of energy being around people. Introverts usually have lots of conversations but many of the conversations are usually with themselves. One attribute is not good or bad, they just are. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Sensing/INtuitives: Sensing types are "hands on" types. They love to reach out and touch. They can do things, fix things. INtuitives are creative and innovative. They always have time for one more thing. Thinking/Feeling. Thinkers are in their heads, they reason, try to figure things out. Feeling Types are in their guts, can be emotional. Finally on the Myers Briggs, we can be a Judging (all these terms are mostly Jungian ones. I would have chosen different ones) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">type or a Perceptive Type. These two, J and P really means how we live out our lives. Our live styles. This is all a capsule, out of my head. I am an ENTP. </span></div>
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<span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">Once we take a stab at our figuring out our personalities, we are better at knowing ourselves, and most important, making good decisions. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">The Myers Briggs is based on the creditable theory of Carl Jung, the Swiss born Psychiatrist and somewhat rival of Freud. It was designed after years of research by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers. The Myers Briggs could measure the conscious (as opposed to the unconscious)aspect of the personality. I actually</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15"> wrote a book, </span></span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="bumpedFont15">The Personality Factor</span></span><span class="s3"><span class="bumpedFont15">, read </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">by only two others beside myself. Below are the 16 different types. The President: </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">E-extrovert, moves toward people easily. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">N-iNtuitive-Innovative, creative; lots of legislation, creative appointments. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">T-Thinking. He is very much on his head. Figuring things out, practical. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">J-judging. Not judgmental. This is a lifestyle issue. It is how we love out our lives. The J/P is very importent as it conveys the idea of being organized as to being "open" about things. The President, ENTJ. </span></span></div>
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</span>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-42633856641721037092012-11-15T16:31:00.002-08:002012-11-15T16:31:14.352-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;"><span>We would expect a good Irishman like Mark O'Brien to be creative enough to tell such a story, which was an essay, "How to find a sex surrogate?" "Sessions" is really a good and warm movie. Who does not love Helen Hunt anyway? When she was on the long running TV sitcom, "Mad About You," she made it sparkle. And, an Oscar winner as Jack's Nicolnson's love interest in "As Good As It Gets." In both of these movies, she takes dysfunctional types and molds them into their best selves. She gets most of the billing in this movie but John Hawkes is fabulous, along with William Macy. Both of these guys are amazingly understated. And, Macy does with his role what you would expect but Hawkes reverts back to the great part he had in the HBO show, Deadwood, where he was so good. </span><br /><span></span><br /><span>For those of us who wanted to see HH's breasts, to be generic, this movie gave us the chance. Germaine Greer infamously said, "Men are interested in two things: tits and ass and ass and tits." Close but I beg to differ, give us a little more credit. The movie had a lot of tentacles. Why more of the complexities weren't explored is hard to know. Pretty short movie. I would like to have known about Helen Hunt's son and the live in poet. And, O'Brian's first love and his Asian caretaker. I thought she was Hispanic well into the movie. All the women were pretty remarkable, even the first one who needed her pay advance. </span><br /><span></span><br /><span>A fascinating and very interesting scene is where they just lay there, breasts bared. It was time enough to study them. They were not remarkable or they were. Really good movie, the best I've seen in a while. I hope it did well at the box office. </span><br /><span></span><br /><span></span></span>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-80504655379222616262012-02-25T14:30:00.000-08:002012-02-25T14:31:49.095-08:00LIFE'S LITTLE HAPPENSTANCES<div>"Oscar, this is going to be easy pickins." </div><div>"I don't know, man, I ain't been into no robbin people nor stores." </div><div>"OK, listen, Oscar, you stupid mother fucker, you ain't got nothng to jangle in your pocket, no coins to rub together and no pot to piss in. So, what chance you got. You ain't, mother fucker." Oscar shook his head. </div><div>Bong was just getting warmed up. Bong got his name from carting water pipes and other dope smoking apparatus around. Want a pipe, Bong is your man. </div><div>"You got an old lady who will be on your ass and a little one and teenager and no work. This is bout ten minutes. Nobody gets hurt and we can get some change. I'm telling you, mother fucker." </div><div>It did look simple. Service station, one attendant. </div><div>"I don't know." Oscar watched this BMW pull into the station. "What the fuck," he smiles. "Look like those crackers got them a rider." Underneath the car something was dragging. Looked like two long steel pipes. This white guy gets out, on his knees struggling. "Hey," Oscar calls out, "just back over it." </div><div>"Leave them be," Bong said. "Let their asses get gone." </div><div>Oscar walked over to the car. "Let me see here." He knelt down. "Damn, this is a low slung car." </div><div>"Yeah, I know. The only thing I don't like about it. A little struggle and Oscar stood with the object. "Well, I'll be, an old folks walker." I've seen it all now." He smiled. "A fine 'Beemer' overcome by an old folks walker. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am at the airport to retrieve my girlfriend. She has been to Omaha to visit her family. I know traffic is going to be a bitch: Friday night, I'm scared of the dark. It goes back to Vietnam. Everything happened at night. You sat around all day waiting and knowing that "Charles" as we called the Vietcong, was going to get your ass in the middle of the night. But, it is worth it all to see my girlfriend. I am like a teenager around her. I can't wait, my blood pressure is sky hight. I get lost going to the airport, a place I've been a thousand times. I see her. It is like she has come back from Vietnam. We hug, kiss, crazy like. Finally make it to car, kiss, hug, touch. Finally get on the road. Run over something in the road. It hangs up under the car. Damn, what a time to have this happen! Can't get it out from under the car. Risk my life almost in traffic. Finally make it to a service station. Black guy yells over telling me to back over the two long aluminum pipes stuck under the car. He walks over, kneels down and wrestles the two pipes out from where they are lodged under the car, takes five minutes. "Thanks."</div><div>"No problem," he says as he walks away. On the spot I decide something,</div><div>I pull out my money clip. I only have hundreds. What the hell, I give him one. His eyes are big as saucers. He is so happy. "Bong I'm going home." </div><div>"Oscar, you stupid fucker, you'll be sorry". </div><div><br /></div><div>Oscar makes his way toward home. The $100 is going to buy some groceries and give his teenager her lunch money. He stops at the bar. When he pays for his beer with the hundred, the bar keep puts his marker over the hundred twice to see if it is real. "you are a lucky mother fucker."</div><div>"yeah, I am." </div><div>Oscar yells as he comes in the door. His little one runs to him. Where is your Mom? He heard the TV. His wife is white as a sheet. "What'e Up?"</div><div>"Your friend Bong robbed a store and was killed by the police. " </div><div style="font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; line-height: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br /></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-26110998165587651482012-02-07T10:25:00.000-08:002012-02-07T10:27:51.185-08:00Ray's Book-FireHousesMaking good progressLet's get together just us and talk books. Hank doesn't know shit. You have to admire a guy like Hank, he's out there trying stuff but let us not forget the story Andy told us: the Adm got thrown out of ukelele class because he tried to take over the class as he thought he knew more than the teacher. To me, there are mainly two things that have to be considered: what do you want to do with the book and what are you willing to do. Something like LuLu is OK if you want one copy amd mostly do the work yourself. If you want a really good looking book that you are proud of, you have to go another route and set it up. Let's think toward next week for a sit down. on the rewrite/reprint of the Firehouse Almanac. More consultations in the near term for technical details. Hank has offered to help with the upload to the Web printer. Would you be interested in putting the Airborne Press cachet on this edition? No big deal, I think it would be a good fit.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-75831604472507793792011-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:002011-07-07T10:20:31.852-07:00I WILL MISS YOU<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Sometimes I find that one of the best ways to deal with grief is by writing, not so much about the grief itself as something related to it or a story. Take a look at this. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I’LL MISS YOU<br />By<br />GusDavis Aughtry<br /><br />At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. Albert Schweitzer<br />Standing outside the door, I thought to myself, I'm not cut out for this. And, I wasn't. I'd run across many in the ministry who as clergy had some passion to be a hospital chaplain. Not me. The only reason I was in it today was through internal politics and a fluke. I'd just come back from Korea and was trying to get retired. Thus far, I wasn't having any luck. I was a Southern Baptist and there weren't all that many churches anyway. Plus, I was about as far removed from emotionally being a Southern Baptist as being on another planet. And, hell, they were political themselves and what Church wanted an Army chaplain anyway.<br />Ms. Byerly, (not her real name), looked at me but didn't really see me. One of the things I hated about hospital work was that I never felt I could do anything. A doc could give a shot or sound like they knew something and talk about treatment. I could say, I'd pray or some other innocuous bullshit, not that prayer was not important but nobody saw the results of it. Well hold it, I didn’t want to go overboard here. But, regardless, it always seemed to me to have a hollow ring like you didn't have anything else to say, so you said, "God bless you or I'll pray." Plus, it brought up all these questions in me. I could process the "mothers" in milliseconds. What about suffering, why did some suffer, others didn't. Why did the assholes of the world benefit and the good people suffer. F..k, during a hurricane or tornado, everybody in trailers or if you prefer mobil homes, got the shit kicked out of them immediately. See what I mean, I processed all of this in five seconds or less.<br />I said something like , Hi." And, then she threw up. All over my shoes. I got the nurse, the orderly came traipsing in: a big black guy who was imcredibly empathetic. "Don't worry bout it, this is my job and the chapain looks kind of scruffy anyway. This is good." He laughed. I laughed. But, I was ready to get the hell out of there but for some inextricable reason, I didn't but sat down in the chair beside her bed and watched her sleep. A couple of times, she opened her eyes and looked at me. So, very unlike my ADD self, I just sat. Finally, without opening her eyes she said, "Chaplain, there are three things I want to do before I die.” Without waiting for me to asked what, she moved on: “I want to go to Yosemite. I want to make peace with my mother and I want to have sex one last time. No, I'm not going to seduce you." She faintly smiled and then I could tell she dropped into a deep sleep.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Olivia and I became good friends. Once she was diagnosed with cancer, her husband had not touched her. We men are such f..king assholes. Then her Mom, from what she told me, was this narcissistic mother where everything revolved around her. We could be a TV movie she told me. My two brothers haven't spoken to Mom in years. She is on man three for marriage and several between. I suggested she call her. It was a disaster. It only works out in the movies or TV.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I didn't know the husband. He was a Sergeant Major stationed in Korea. I knew Korea. It is a culture that is inexplicably unknown unless one is immersed in it. I had believed for some time that we should get out of Korea. We had saved the country. The South Koreans had the best "ground" Army in the world. Meaning, of course, if they were attacked by the North, they could handle it and were prepared. I loved Korea but always stayed a little ticked off that they don't show more appreciation that we'd saved their ass. A GI, serving in Korea could get caught up in the milieu of life there: mainly involving a "business/working girl. Some might call them prostitutes. I never did as somehow I always thought they were doing what they had to do. Korea is a caste society. Plain and simple. It is governed by a strict Confucian code. If you were born the son or daughter of a taxi driver, you died the son or daughter of a taxi driver. Many of those on the lower rung of the cultural ladder, especially females moved to the little towns surrounding the military camps. It became a subculture that, for lack of a better term, trapped many a GI. He became ensnared, fell in love and the next thing you know, he's wanting to get married. At one count, there were 5000 American/Korean marriages a year. And, they did not all meet at the University.<br />When one of my young chaplains came with the request that we maybe could help in contacting Mrs. Byerly's husband, her pictured surfaced immediately on my radar screen. "Why couldn't she contact him?<br />"I don't know but one of the "Interns" thought would be good if her husband came home as she was terminally ill.<br />“Why wasn't he already home?” I suspected I knew.<br />"I don't know."<br />“I’ll check it out. “<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Here is the basic difference in military chaplains and civilian clergy. Civilians will say God bless you and I'll pray for you. Military chaplains will say, "tell me what I need to do." <br /><br />I wandered into Mrs. Byer's room on a Monday morning. She turned her head toward me and smiled weakly. We chatted for a moment. No, I take that back. We didn't chat. She looked like chatting was the last thing she wanted but she did do something very uncharacteristic. Reached out and took my hand. It was weak but touched me and said, "where have you been? I told you I was not going to seduce you." I smiled. She smiled and closed her eyes.<br />What the f..k, where is that sorry ass husband and then I ventured forth with a comment on him. "No, I'm fine without him."<br />" Why?"<br />" Well, he could have come if he wanted too."<br />"Sure but still..." My voice kind of trailed off and I thought to myself as she drifted into that drug induced slumber that took her away from my presence. I thought to myself,"looks like he's not coming and we can't make him". This was one of those times when I wish that I didn’t know about Korea. Are you sure now as I continued the conversation with myself. "I am sure."<br /><br />I sighed as I left the room, still doing that 5 second think. This was one of those thousands of dilemmas that I often found myself in. A personality thing I guess. Nothing was required of me. But, I knew I wouldn't let it alone. Hell, I'd been fired four times in my not so illustrious career.<br /><br />I had my suspicions about the good Sergeant Major Brown. The MFer was probably shacked up in Korea with some Korean business/working girl. I didn't blame him. Whoa! You don't know that. Reserve judgment until you really know what is going on. Give the man the benefit of the doubt. I'd learned a long time ago, none of us know what goes on inside families. This has probably been hard all the way around. Wife getting this insidious disease. A husband who couldn't step up to the plate. I don't believe my bullshit for a minute. The Sergeant Major, leader of men, this guy is suppose to be able to handle it. I was a little biased. I never could figure out what any Sergeant Major was suppose to do. In Vietnam, I remember thinking that all I saw them do was follow the commander around. Major Sansom, the Ops officer, probably prejudiced me as he kept saying, "if the Colonel stopped abruptly, the Sergeant Major would break his nose."<br />Anyway, this was all rolling around my head as I kept trying to find the Sergeant Major. Finally I chased him down at one of the support commands at Camp Humphrey. I knew it well. "Sergeant Major, this is the chaplain at Letterman." Long pause.<br />"Yes."<br />"I'm calling about your wife." Long pause.<br />"Yes." What is it with this fucker.<br />"Well, Sergeant Major, she's pretty sick."<br />"I know that. What do you want me to do about it?"<br />"Sergeant Major, I sure don't want to intrude but it might encourage your wife if you came home.”<br />"Chaplain, my wife and I have talked about it and frankly, it is none of your business." He hung up. Well, damn, that went well.<br />He would have been better off had he hit me in the face. One sorry son of a bitch. I walked around for awhile, went outside, sat down, stood up. I was seething. What the hell to do?<br />“Well Chaplain, if the Command Sergeant Major doesn't want to come home, I can't make him." Long pause.<br />“Colonel, you are his boss and this looks like one of the times for him to do the right thing. " Long pause<br />“Sorry Chaplain, not my call.” Long Pause.<br />Sir, I tell you and I understand but I can't let this go. My next call will be to the General or some general.” Long pause.<br />“Chaplain, are you threatening me?"<br />“I am” and this time I hung up.<br /><br />The young chaplain spotted in the doorway. “Sir, the Sergeant Major is here.”<br />“Good.” I went to Olivia's room. The Sergeant Major and I were civil. Olivia seemed to be a little more alert. As far as she knew, the Sergeant Major came on his own. Maybe he did.<br />There's some postscript to this tale. I was in the hospital early one morning and Olivia was in the little snack bar. I was so happy to see her and she me. We chatted and suddenly she said, "Chaplain, I have some great news.” Without answering she said, “God has healed me. I just know it.” For a moment I was at a loss for words. OK, where are my five seconds?<br />“Oh, that is wonderful., how did it come about.”<br />“I just felt it and can’t wait to see my doctor. I seem to feel so much better.” Maybe having the Sergeant Major home has made her feel better. I saw it in men all the time who had been to Korea, once they were home, they took another look at that life in the “land of the almost just right” as we often called Korea.<br />Olivia died two weeks later. I was sad beyond belief. Her services were a few days later. As I sat toward the back in a full Church, the Priest did his thing and I momentarily thought, how in the hell can people get into this stuff. The priest in all his garb, waving something that was water I guess and then a pot with smoke. What the hell was that. I immediately slapped myself. My five seconds. What the f..k is wrong with me. I am an asshole. I’m going to miss my friend, wish I could tell these folks how wonderful I thought she was. I guess this was the Sergeant Major’s last “got you”, not including me in her services. MFer, asshole. I am so awful.<br />The Priest stood. “It is always my custom to asked anyone who is here if they would like to say a word. If so, just please come up and comment.” I was on my feet and moving toward the front. I stopped momentarily and put my hand on the casket. Thanks Olivia, <em><strong>I’ll miss you.</strong></em> </span>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-69865539321106987242011-04-06T07:48:00.000-07:002011-04-07T08:33:16.613-07:00Encouragement<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Reverend Denise Autry and her husband Wally, have a wonderful ministry in North Carolina with prison inmates. Below is one among many with an interesting story. </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><em>Hello. Thank you for visiting TYL CHRISTIAN CROSSES.I think you will find this site is a little different from what you usually see. If I may, let me tell you the reason and the meaning for our crosses.Seven years ago, after over 30 years in sales, I found myselfstanding in a courtroom in front of a judge. No, no drugs, noviolent crime, just,(as they call it), white collar/paper/moneycrimes. I had tried to do the right things, but ended up doingit in the wrong ways.If anyone had ever told me I would go to prison I would have told them they had lost their mind. You see, I had always tried to be a good person, to help people, and had gone to churchall my life. I took my children to church and, yes, had beenbaptized. But, as we sometimes learn, the Lord can bringyou to His purposes in some strange ways.As I lay on a plastic mattress, on the floor of the jail that firstnight, I closed my eyes and said, "Lord, I don't know what youdid today, but I know I trust you and that you will take care of meand my family." Thus, the journey began.I decided that instead of looking at it as being in prison I would look at it as going to college. I would read, learn, assess, research,and plan for the future. What happened was, I thought about the pastand what had brought me to where I was, and I studied, researched, andplanned new ideas for when I returned home. But most importantly,where I used to go to church once a week I now went 3 to 4 timesa week. I had read through the Bible years earlier, but I now took ayear and ahalf and studied through it, and then read it 2 more times.And, this is what I realized. I had had religion all my life, but there isa difference between having religion and having a relationship.I realized that it's not about me/us, it's about Him. We are here for Him.Of course, my entire outlook on life and way of living changed. I'm sureyou know and understand.Okay, where did the crosses come from you're asking? One of the jobs Ihad while there was in an engineering department. I had always worna cross, but had been without one for 3 years. I missed my cross. So,one day I hand made a stainless steel cross. I cut it out with a hacksaw,hand filed and shaped it, and polished it. Then came the idea to stampsomething across the front. I was so used to saying" Thank You Lord"all day, every day, whenever something good happened, or when I asked the Lord for guidence, that the perfect letters to me were, TYL, Thank You Lord.Wearing the cross, and touching it through my shirt each time I said this,gave me such a feeling of peace and comfort, but even more so it kept mein constant, all day, praise to Him. And, you know how when God gives yousomething you want to share it. I begin to think that maybe this was a wayHe gave me to share with you and maybe the cross would bring you somepeace and comfort and help you remember to give thanks each day to Him.The crosses are individually hand made from stainless steel, (chains are stainless also), so they will always stay clean and shiny. And last, in keeping with the teachings of the Bible, 10% of the price of each crosswill be given to -------------------. Shipping is free and each cross has a 100% guarantee.Thank you again for visiting TYL CHRISTAIN CROSSES. Have a blessed day.</em></span> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><em></em></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><em>Jerry, for Bob it was considered a white collar crime. Basically he sold property that was not his to sell. He paid the money back to the individual but the judge still ruled prison time. Bob says he could have used the money for a "good" lawyer. He knows now there was a purpose for his time. He lived in Raleigh for a number of years but decided to move back to Lillington after getting out of prison a year ago. He stays with his 84 year old mother who has some bouts with dementia. He says sometimes he runs into old high school friends and they ask where he has been the last few years...then he has the opportunity to tell his story. Bob is 62 years old. He is involved in a local church in Lillington. He saved all his money that he made while on weekly work release in prison, he gets social security now. He also buys cars, makes upgrades and resells them. He also collects wood pallets that companies do not want and he resells them. He also sells scrap metal. He is not lazy for sure and has an entrepreneural spirit. He now documents all sales, saves all receipts for tax purposes for his own protection. You can tell he is thankful for his freedom. He does admit that $5000 was not a lot of money to do 7 years in prison but amazingly he has no regrets. Unfortunately most ex inmates do not have that attitude. </em></span></span>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-58161337302664462422011-02-07T07:41:00.000-08:002011-02-07T07:46:21.026-08:00WRITING SUGGESTIONSI need some help with getting into the publishing world. Any ideas.<br /><br />Cass, it almost seems criminal not to record these experiences you've had. I enjoy reading them. Publishing is so crazy and always has been. I've been working/messing with it seemingly forever, with limited or no success. I started Airborne Press to publish a children's book that my brother had written. And, it kind of evolved from there. I have had enough experiences about writing that I could write ten books. I go in these book stores and am blown away. Who is writing these books and who is reading them. Well mostly, nobody is reading the majority of them. And, for those who have a need to write, we have such a celebrity driven culture, it is super discouraging. Madonna writes a book on parenting, people are lined up for ten blocks to get a copy. You and I, even if we have it published, couldn't give it away.<br /><br />The above is my realistic and discouraging view from experience. What somebody has to do is write out of their own need and decide what they want to do. For instance, for me, I mostly give away my stuff. Since I have a few resources, once it is ready, which I hire somebody to set up, I print just enough to give away and for Amazon. I tried publishing for Vietnam vets. It was a disaster as all Vietnam vets have things to say but with two that I worked with closely, attempting to edit their stuff was disastrous. What I do now is always buy lots of copies once they have published and give away.<br /><br />It is mostly about marketing anyway. I've had an agent. We got to be great friends but she really didn't do much for me. I got a nice bite from UNC press on a memoir that my brother and I did but they wanted to take out mostly the very stuff that was important to me in particular and so said no. When I was at Leavenworth, I actually wrote, as I told you I think, this fictionalized account of my time in Vietnam. Of course, it was based on real guys. I sold it to a paperback publisher, Manor Books. Actually went to NY and met the editor. He said, "we'll publish as much of this sort of stuff as you can write." I thought I was off and running. Never heard from them again. They got sold, went out of business or something. And, they were a pretty big publisher, 200 titles a year. I still remember how impressed I was because they had dome a biography of Anwar Sadat, much in the news now of course.<br /><br />Because I am a self diagnosed ADD and based on my own personality, once I have written anything, I do something with it and then forget it. I keep up about 8 blogs. In fact I have one called, <em>More Writers Than Readers</em>. Also, I put a lot of stuff on a site called, <em>smashwords.com</em>. It helps me with my needs. The last thing I put on there were three short stories which was a small book. I made them free but could have charged. You might want to check it out.<br /><br />Cass, I've written a book here. I guess what I saying is that you have to decide what you want to do with your writing/experiences and charge. You have had, in a sense, more experience than me in terms of marketing your cartoons and it is all pretty similar really. I would like to use enough of your story to explain the cartoon on the AP website. My niece is the webmaster. I pay her to keep it up. We get about five thousand hits a week which isn't much but for a noncommercial site, pretty good I think, especially as the hits are so consistent.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-51865782010405884032010-11-14T07:50:00.000-08:002010-11-14T07:55:47.989-08:00THE HEARAFTER<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfTLY0NA_SBXxpJCzlWWk4Pu3yGW5P1mbFE15wi8a92_cXr8_AyLyU0gBBbY9u4J72_40wo5uUEuRXasTTZzZB9GKBHIjwObmkSytWrGfBRJcWiP3JXjdLNgxuxGVcUC4jSUXv9yWoQqK/s1600/Bank+pin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539434618878513586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 232px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfTLY0NA_SBXxpJCzlWWk4Pu3yGW5P1mbFE15wi8a92_cXr8_AyLyU0gBBbY9u4J72_40wo5uUEuRXasTTZzZB9GKBHIjwObmkSytWrGfBRJcWiP3JXjdLNgxuxGVcUC4jSUXv9yWoQqK/s320/Bank+pin.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My granddaughter and I saw "Hereafter", the Clint Eastwood directed "cogitate your navel" story. I really liked it. My granddaughter gave it a six. I gave it a nine on a 10 point scale. I thought the story narrative moved pretty well, not slow and just enough reflectiveness by shuffling between the stories to make it interesting. Three stories from very appealing characters could hardly miss in my view. One having had a near death experience trying very hard to put it in context of her life. A youngster with tragic loss in his life and desperately wanted to settle unfinished business. And, of course Matt Damon as the catalyst. Some of the things are so enigmatic to the story that only someone of Eastwood's statue, not to mention clout, could have gotten this movie made. And, one does wonder if his 80 plus years didn't have something to do with the question: "Where do people go when they die?" </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In some ways it is the "near death" stories of a few years ago: the white glowing light, people pulled from the brink of the abyss wherever it might be. Good movie and I will use it for discussion with my buddies for a long time. (I hang out with a bunch of old guys like myself two or three times a week. Several have seen the movie) As a Christian, I accept the mysteries of heaven. Streets paved with gold. I doubt it and accept the Biblical views as metaphors but doesn't make any difference. I believe in the very existence of heaven. I don't have any doubt where people go when they die. It is the mystery. It is even the "faith" of it. And, the idea of heaven is tremendously comforting that this life is not the end. That in some great mysterious expectations, we'll see our loved ones again. See what I mean? <em>The "Hereafter" evoked these comments from me and maybe Clint had this in mind. Probably searching himself</em>. </div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-29116996342420241102010-10-21T12:03:00.000-07:002010-10-21T12:17:31.374-07:00Writing the Rose BookRecently, I"ve been discussing the process of writing the <em>Rose</em> book. The blog is <a href="http://www.tuesdayswithrose.com/">www.Tuesdayswithrose.com</a> and I'm been working close to two years to turn the blog into a book. It is very hard.<br /><br />Just a little background. I became Rose's transportation for treatment mainly because she was having to expend this enormous amount of effort arranging transportion. <em>My thinking was that when you are as sick as Rose, you don't have the energy to do all of this</em>. What the hell: I'll become her transportaion and every week, she'll know that I am going to be there for her. It worked and in that process of every <em>Tuesday with Rose</em>, I watched her die slowly. And, it took a much greater toll on me than I could possibly have known. During the process, I kept a blog and after Rose died, I thought, "someway I've got to honor Rose's bravery of fighting breast cancer.<br /><br />Rose's doctor and I have been discussing where I am in the process and I emailed her the following comments. <em>The second thing I wanted to comment on was the idea of writing about Rose, maybe what I hope to accomplish--</em>might be better or do a greater good or see a wider audience--surely in a broader sense, more than one woman's struggle<em>. I don't think so. Not for me. When you write, especially someone like myself, you never know how it's going to end up. I don't have a clue but I know it will and I'll use it to do what I promised Rose I would do, </em>a fund raiser<em>.</em> I do wish you would help me though. You could write emails whenever it strikes you, when you have something you want to say about how you are doing your job, thoughts, etc, anything.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-81514792725246027942010-07-04T09:34:00.000-07:002010-07-04T09:39:49.880-07:00BREAST CANCER<em>THE MIDDLE PLACE</em>. This is a book kind of coincidently about breast cancer with all it comes to mean, i. e., cancer taking over your life-- a big meaning is that you can fight and beat it. The author did. No small thing. It is also about what makes up a family.<br /><br />The author is a good writer and lots of talk about the Irish. She has a couple of hilarious stories about her Dad in particular and hence the title of the book--"middle place," idenity with parents and idenity with her own husband/children.<br /><br />Good story teller: One has to do with a time when she was trying to break in on the dotcom craze. Her description of that time has to be read, can't be told second hand.<br /><br />The diagnosis with cancer sounds very much like always: the shock. The anxiety. Cancer taking over her life. Her trips to the <em>Infusion Center</em> for treatment. And for me, a kind of Gestalt, an "ah hah" moment. There's a vast difference sitting in the <em>Infusion Center</em> as a patient getting treatment, a family, in support; and even more of a difference when you are a supportive friend. Hard to explain. I use to sit by my friend Rose's bed and almost always experience every single emotion possible.<br /><br />A question I always ask about books: is this a book I want to give to someone battling this horrible disease? Yes! Most cancer patients already understand the risks, will laugh with the book and more than anything appreciate the hope.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-33082956487065676322010-04-08T08:05:00.000-07:002010-04-08T08:21:43.731-07:00A Book By Email<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihG-BvN93R8PB4qYiajImMMDIYfnD0wt-T0Njr8ph6nFjPBa-YVrwr98qT5MWY6HdJIxCTTh9xoEkR-ZMiZIyiAm6VR0CawWgidwJl3uskzrXs6CnQyop23u77JkobjZaKTSl9NrE7ycL4/s1600/mapC_prov.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457786675423750706" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 294px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihG-BvN93R8PB4qYiajImMMDIYfnD0wt-T0Njr8ph6nFjPBa-YVrwr98qT5MWY6HdJIxCTTh9xoEkR-ZMiZIyiAm6VR0CawWgidwJl3uskzrXs6CnQyop23u77JkobjZaKTSl9NrE7ycL4/s400/mapC_prov.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Often, people say they want to write a book, their memoirs, the great American novel. However, they just can't seem to get with it. Email is a great way and one of the best ways I've found to encourage those who want to write. Simply sit down and write someone you know an email with your story and keep it up, daily or whatever or however you can. Below is a war story of Vietnam. I have two guys I'm encouraging to write their experiences. I am having trouble with them but if they get off their asses and start out, the first thing you know, we'll have a book. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><em>I remerber the day like it was yesterday. B Company had just had this gosh awful firefight. It went on for what seemed like forever. In actuality, it only lasted a day. We had sustained about a dozen KIAs (kiiled in action) with about twice that many badly wounded. </em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em>I had just left the company when it started. Probably a company sized unit of NVA (North Vietnam Army). They were regulars, not guys in black pajamas.I took off to Phu Bai to the hospital to see my troops. They were really banged up. I was always pretty crushed after I saw them and knew that the grim reaper would probably claim a few more and if not, some would lose arms and legs and sight. War was a sorry business.And for me, by this time in my tour, I knew the war was bullshit. I had been reading stuff and simply had to do everything in my power to suppress my feelings to the Higher Ups. They were still doing what they do, bullshit to me but to the ones I was exposed to, I could deal with it. They were mostly just doing their jobs I guess. I was down to a double digit midget and figured I coud do this standing on my head.I was the chaplain, the poor man's psychiatrist and needed to focus on my own misssion of being the chaplain. I did the religious stuff. For men at war, ritual is important. And, I could accept the "Foxhole Religion" idea. They could sort it all out after the war.</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em>I was bone tired and walked outside, not really outside but these mobile hospitals were set up in such a way, they snaked in all kinds of directions with kind of hubs which were like a bunch of intersecting hallways. Most of the rime, I got lost but this time for some reason, I found myself at the right spot. Across from the hospital was the Chaplain's office and my absolute best friend, Father Vince. I had first met him in Basic at the Chaplain's school in Brooklyn: good old Fort Hamilton. It was the Army's best kept secret. Right at the foot of the Verazano's Narrows Bridge, fabulous is all I know to describe it. To think that we were getting paid when I often felt like we should be paying someone to be in such a glorious spot.The chaplain's school's basic was suppose to teach us how to be soldiers. For most, they failed miserably. It was two or three months of a combination hell, play, study. We learned to wear the uniform, salute. I stood in front of the mirrow for hours practicing my salute. We went to the field and played war. It was at a camp in Virginia called Camp Picket. We made a joke: Camp Pickett, way down in the thicket. When we finished Basic, we were suppose to be ready to go to war.Father Vince was this "Eyetalian" and proud of it, Giamono, he would say and elongated it, Giamonooooo. We would laugh. He took me under his wing and vowed to show me anything and everything in New York. He would introduce me as a guy who hated yankees but was OK. I learned that in a big Italian family, to have a priest was a big honor. In Vince's family, besides him, a sister was a nun.</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em>Standing in the little outside waiting room till Vince finished talking to some young troop, I made up my mind. I was quitting the war. How do you quit a war. Damn if I know. Maybe Vince had an idea. Regardless, I QUIT.</em></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-5410161510185562952010-03-28T11:53:00.000-07:002010-03-28T18:18:55.310-07:00GOOD STORIES BUT BAD THEOLOGY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Qa-BHCI3kkoUV2fUjPbgMMgyKr3xPVjQH8eFPRj7yR5gIaZzOQcRSSKwIpuRBFGP5S9OXYl_M7iEZpWBtTIneAQi6wLeRYKoD_0_hSw-pBTnd8P6_Esr0hqoZoat2M5N4hnaGL8o8DUR/s1600/FaithPotatoes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453859084033612674" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 98px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Qa-BHCI3kkoUV2fUjPbgMMgyKr3xPVjQH8eFPRj7yR5gIaZzOQcRSSKwIpuRBFGP5S9OXYl_M7iEZpWBtTIneAQi6wLeRYKoD_0_hSw-pBTnd8P6_Esr0hqoZoat2M5N4hnaGL8o8DUR/s200/FaithPotatoes.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I am often encouraging my friends or most anybody I meet to write their memoirs, start a blog, anything if they think they might want to write. And, I am amazed constantly at the fact that everybody has a story. Really and for us older than dirt types, when we "hit the road," our story is gone if we don't write it. So...The below are some comments to a couple of my Vietnam buddies that I am trying to get to write their stories. What they can do is send to me on emails or write it as though they were telling me the story. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;">As an example of what I want you and Larry to do for our book, here's an example: My wife and I have watched two movies of late. Both very religious. It happened by accident as I am in charge of selecting our Netflix movies. The first one was called <em>Faith and Potatoes</em>. It was very evangelical, not subtle at all. Good story, farmer in South Africa, well done but bad theology. Meaning, of course, that life does not work where God rewards the good and righteous and zaps the others, just makes God too arbitrary. "OK, I'm zapping this one, giving this one cancer." See what I mean. Please! The second one was done by the Catholic Church, very subtle. Also, a good movie but bad theology. A handsome young guy comes into town and transforms it: rebuilds the Baptist Church which are mostly AA. Encourages Priest who wants his own parish but has another senior priest looking over his shoulder and not liking his approach, etc. Then he restores sight to blind girl to show that some faith healer who has a tent revival is scamming the people. And, he takes a black man, stuttering who wants to be preacher and raises him from the dead and he no longer stutters. (Are you still with me. This is why I love to write, could you imagine telling this story to the GFs)) And, finally he is summoned to Rome where he tells the Pope that the Church needs more love and less judgement. In the little town back home, they are all a bunch of Republicans loving each other and saying "yes." Just kidding. But, amazing to contrast the two movies. Jackie and I had long discussion as we were both raised in the environment of the first movie; much of it is still with me but more healthier I hope. Amen. God bless. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Therein is the lesson for you and Larry to write your stories and I'll collect them. Why not start with your joining the merchant marines. People would love it. God bless. I am going to attempt to be more on top of my responsibilities. Let's plan a trip but GFs to Tahoe. I'm ready for one night</span>. </div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-85231211275818853762010-03-27T12:38:00.000-07:002010-03-27T13:02:14.665-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitICsixjAJPt4n5kCmhurLVYM554im3UbtLjnhlTZ0NOFxbg_v_hkM5AMH3KqvzzNGcGuPOJRezLvwq31Jip4SjpbB7Z6vC213ePXxsC3rL2wmjp3_Zwb5fZgTfLBybBGoUs-VavZodys5/s1600/brothers2c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453406399831021506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitICsixjAJPt4n5kCmhurLVYM554im3UbtLjnhlTZ0NOFxbg_v_hkM5AMH3KqvzzNGcGuPOJRezLvwq31Jip4SjpbB7Z6vC213ePXxsC3rL2wmjp3_Zwb5fZgTfLBybBGoUs-VavZodys5/s200/brothers2c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This is a great comment and one to keep in mind as you look for help in your writing. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><em>And I do want to say something here and hope you understand my intent. You have asked me, previously, to work on two projects for you (marketing Brothers...and now you see you really did NOT need me at all...and then trying to get your writing published in magazines and newspapers), and I declined both. I want to make sure you understand that I declined both of those kind invitations based solely on the fact that I felt strongly that I would not be able to help you (at least not enough to justify you paying me) with either. Just so you know, I always love working for and with you, but have to assess each project with an eye to whether or not I could do you any good at all. Since you are now working on another book - and I'm about to sound VERY bold here - I would love to be considered when you look for an editor for that book, if you decide you need an editor. But I won't be at all distressed if you decide on someone else....I just wanted you to know I really love working for you when I think I might actually be of some use. ES</em></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-27713687657701599032010-01-08T07:47:00.000-08:002010-01-08T17:04:16.909-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aN09J2lRyPRU9p9uAVgJ3GgM3uqS5nwRn71g3WJ4iBCzyR9yCRbKayRoiDF7R__a23VLLy71XghuVRdXTzzuzqFaXS0eai29nyN6fevwPOXiPpvwqFVD0me0E_DaSkaEebGoMiwh-NLt/s1600-h/brothers2c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424471158427199378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aN09J2lRyPRU9p9uAVgJ3GgM3uqS5nwRn71g3WJ4iBCzyR9yCRbKayRoiDF7R__a23VLLy71XghuVRdXTzzuzqFaXS0eai29nyN6fevwPOXiPpvwqFVD0me0E_DaSkaEebGoMiwh-NLt/s200/brothers2c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:courier new;">An email group that I'm involved with, called the 10 chaps have decided to do a collective book, mostly of their calling into the ministry. We think, not sure so stay tuned.</span> </div><div> </div><div><em>I would encourage all of you to write your memoir. Everyone of you have one in you and when you've hit the trail, your experiences, etc. are gone forever. "Brothers" is the hardest thing I've done, primarily because it was so difficult getting our stories straight as much of our extended family had died. </em></div><em><div><br />I think the best comment was somebody said it was the best example of how to do a memoir they had seen, i.e., tell a story as opposed to geneology stuff. I think that's what they meant. The struggled was worth it I think, even if I would not do it again. I thought I offered to send you guys a book. I will, have a few left and have gone for a reprint. All the proceeds go to four charities. I don't have the figures yet but so far, looks like we've raised about $5000 for them and that is very rewarding. </div><div><br />One thing that might interest you guys as the skim is coming over your eyes, Plus, as I am thinking, I was planning to do one more book, this blog I've kept while I drove Rosey, a breast cancer victim, to her treatments each week. I want to honor her ten year bravery in fighting the insideous disease. But, now that I think about it, I am going to retire with the chaplains book. So, file that away and keep writing. Where are we with that? I have some of mine written and some from Dave. When I get time, I'll get us all an email of what we said we'd do. I think we are all ADD anyway. God bless.</em></div> jda<br /><div></div><br /><div><em>I am beginning to put my input together, but it will be at least February, maybe later. Thank you for taking on this project</em>. LH</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><em>No sweat. We are talking probably two years down the road. So, the goal is that none of us can "depart the area" until we get this book done. I will have to say that the one thing that happened to my brothers in the seven years that it took to write Brothers is how their health had changed. When I do a book, both as author but mainly publisher, I carry the rough draft around with me constantly, look at it, read it, go to bookstores, look at books, maybe finding one I liked. With my next book about the bravery of Rose, this gal I took to her chemo treatments and watched her die slowly. I have something in mind but I don't have something in mind. I'm hoping to see a book like I want hers to be. It is for me, an enormous process. All this to say, stay working and let's keep it on at least the back burner. JDA</em></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-21857015475286849592009-12-04T07:43:00.000-08:002009-12-04T08:11:50.262-08:00BROTHERS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sx7nho6u6EjAOCJUw1dGU7l4jJtRPKHP-BsTFC3EIDjdE_eHxppYDZT9rQVOhAJr7dYoKXzJMzdyCvkzdLzbwadRnodY9AIzX1I2V4gb32eBtl55QAnzw0SYnBti6gikGML3DPsS02n4/s1600-h/Brothers.jpgmovie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411409477553033298" style="WIDTH: 71px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 107px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sx7nho6u6EjAOCJUw1dGU7l4jJtRPKHP-BsTFC3EIDjdE_eHxppYDZT9rQVOhAJr7dYoKXzJMzdyCvkzdLzbwadRnodY9AIzX1I2V4gb32eBtl55QAnzw0SYnBti6gikGML3DPsS02n4/s400/Brothers.jpgmovie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Last night I saw a pre-release screening of "Brothers," a film directed by Jim Sheridan ("My Left Foot," "In America," "In the Name of the Father") and featuring Toby McGuire, Jake Gyllenhall, Natalie Portman, Sam Shepard, and others. It'll be widely released very soon. DO NOT MISS THIS FILM. It is the most powerful film about war, the military, and the people affected that I have ever seen. Fine films like "The Deer Hunter" and "Coming Home" pale in comparison, and it is vastly different from the usual action films like "Full Metal Jacket," Apocalypse Now," and those of the Rambo genre. "Brothers" is very tough to watch, and it never, ever lets up. Sheridan never goes Hollywood, so in the end, he does not take the cheap way out. Don't miss it, but be ready for a very rough ride. A truly remarkable film. <em>kk</em></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sx7nho6u6EjAOCJUw1dGU7l4jJtRPKHP-BsTFC3EIDjdE_eHxppYDZT9rQVOhAJr7dYoKXzJMzdyCvkzdLzbwadRnodY9AIzX1I2V4gb32eBtl55QAnzw0SYnBti6gikGML3DPsS02n4/s1600-h/Brothers.jpgmovie.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sx7nho6u6EjAOCJUw1dGU7l4jJtRPKHP-BsTFC3EIDjdE_eHxppYDZT9rQVOhAJr7dYoKXzJMzdyCvkzdLzbwadRnodY9AIzX1I2V4gb32eBtl55QAnzw0SYnBti6gikGML3DPsS02n4/s1600-h/Brothers.jpgmovie.jpg"></a><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><em>I'll definitely see it. Great review.</em> </div><br /><div>I've had a little of a hard time seeing the war movies. There's something about watching a war movie while the war is still going on that is almost sacriligious for lack of a better term. I personally think it has to do with the detachment of most of our society from the military. As a society we have bought into the concept of somebody else's children fighting our wars. I keep waiting for the voluntary army to fail--it has other than in numbers as it is a far cry from bring representative of who we are. However, kids keep joining and the powers that be keep proclaiming how successful we are.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>I saw <em>In the Valley of Elah</em> which is the best I've seen. For years I could not watch war movies. I went with a friend to see Platoon and almost broke out in hives. To me, Hamburger Hill, is the most authenic Vietnam one to my experience. <em>jda</em></div><div><em></em></div><div><br />You make an interesting point. A war film will affect us in the context in which the conflict it portrays rages, certainly when that conflict is being burned contemporaneously into our individual and common experiences. So, "Sands of Iwo Jima" (WWII) will necessarily affect us differently from "Hamburger Hill" (Viet Nam) which will affect us differently from "Brothers" (Afghanistan). But while comparisons may be awkward and difficult, even specious, if I use my emotional response as my guide, I found "Brothers" to be the most affecting for me. Ripped me apart. I'll be very interested to hear your comments after you've seen it. Don't go alone. <em>KJH</em></div><div></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-89610107372448615642009-11-27T15:15:00.000-08:002009-11-28T07:35:03.132-08:00Feedback on Brothers:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpRyOCo11uc0QrClLavgCaRd-B8nLk8bnb6xz5vgOWul63NLMtSB2IiYT9xb8f8iqDYTuAWnhfSnQ1ZtGAlaXNKPBEmrxHq9tL0YIMfpPIcE5jDFBaQFhrbxrmRTHg5ZMqrU_WCJyCDkk/s1600/ap18%5E016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409177395928188530" style="WIDTH: 189px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 252px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpRyOCo11uc0QrClLavgCaRd-B8nLk8bnb6xz5vgOWul63NLMtSB2IiYT9xb8f8iqDYTuAWnhfSnQ1ZtGAlaXNKPBEmrxHq9tL0YIMfpPIcE5jDFBaQFhrbxrmRTHg5ZMqrU_WCJyCDkk/s400/ap18%5E016.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em>Michael ordered 5 books from Amazon as soon as he heard it was out. They delayed his delivery until 1st week in December.<br /><br />I would love to see my Dad honored. He is very humble about things like that so we might have to talk him into it. I agree and think there is so much more to his war times. He has talked about it very little over the years. He is a little better about it now, but only talks about some of the better times if there were any.<br /><br />I just want you to know that I think the book was awesome. As many stories we have heard over the years, there were plenty in this book that we had not heard. As our family is constantly discussing this book, we all agree that it gives us some great insite to our Dad's upbringing and his family.<br /><br />I was crying as I read different parts of the book and within minutes laughing so hard I was crying.</em><br /><em><br />I am letting one of my friends read it. I want to see if an outsider of the family will get the meaning as much as we did.</em> daf<br /><br /><br />Donna, I doubt that most will get it in quite the same way as family but hope they do. I think the remarkable thing about your Dad and at least, Raz and Corb, somewhat Wallace but mainly your Aunt Margaret is <em>being poor and not really knowing it</em>. And, knowing how they were all surrounded by Uncles in particular who were huge bootleggers and drank and ran around and yet your Grandpa never got caught up in it. And, as you, better than most know, your grandma had a subtle strength about her that was often underestimated.<br /><br />Thanks for the comments. We want to put together a book party for your Dad. He is a central part of the book and a pretty remarkable brother. In doing research, in what little we could find out, I think he was probably much more than we really know: I've always thought that maybe he was nominated for the Medal of Honor because it was incredibly rare for a lower ranking enlisted man to be given the Silver Star unless it was an interim award. And, of course, paper work is lost, disappears, etc. But, a book party would be a good way to honor him and your Mom too, of course. </div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-26545445943142618842009-11-26T15:19:00.000-08:002009-11-26T15:34:40.767-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpCqxCQc18YzNvA3ZT1Ao-aWt6OYEiBVTj_hfAXKUd4XdR0nBHD33Fao426YsOKh9FXNl6cnew6McuXlKoXpt7NMjrcLoDqiNBESNvNErkxx7Qxz6WIgGCUemtrb2Owdbhao4ZgwPdbHg/s1600/brothers2cc.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408559827025709570" style="WIDTH: 155px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 248px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpCqxCQc18YzNvA3ZT1Ao-aWt6OYEiBVTj_hfAXKUd4XdR0nBHD33Fao426YsOKh9FXNl6cnew6McuXlKoXpt7NMjrcLoDqiNBESNvNErkxx7Qxz6WIgGCUemtrb2Owdbhao4ZgwPdbHg/s320/brothers2cc.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />Just read the book last night as a matter of fact and LOVED it. I don’t have the time to read like I did once (wonder why! Ha!) but I stayed up last night after <em>Sanibel </em>went to bed and read it….all of it.<br /><br />I just loved reading about your Dad. I feel like I know him now. Had to laugh over Aunt Gertie’s biscuits (we called them cat head biscuits, because of their size), because I, too, ate many many many of those. Did I ever tell you that Aunt Gertie made a SPECIAL Sunday dinner every Sunday just for me? I didn’t care for the fried chicken as much as I liked HER baked BBQ chicken and once she knew that she began making THAT for me. I loved those meals – good times. And, of course, I’ve told people over the years when they don’t know a thing about lard that I saw it in action. And, I can still to this day picture Granny making those biscuits. I was probably eagerly awaiting them to be baked and I would stand next to her in the kitchen and watch her hands form those biscuits and pop them onto the baking sheet. She would just fly through the process like she’d done it a million times and no doubt she HAD. Those were the tastiest biscuits.<br /><br /><em>It is what it is</em>. I couldn’t believe it when I read that, because that’s a staple phrase at the bank. We all use it. Can’t change the situation and IT IS WHAT IT IS. Maybe Granddaddy coined it!<br /><br />All of the stories were enjoyed immensely. I’ve already told 2 friends about it and they’ll be reading the book next. I cried over Margaret. (Feel like I know her now, too.) I cried over Rob. I didn’t know about Corbett’s love story – and how sad. (What happened to Bella? Does anyone know??) And, honestly, it made me cry over what I lost – the family I had, yet didn’t have. I’ve missed out and would have really loved being a full part of the Autry family.<br /><br /><em>White Line sounds like another sad place</em>. I’d never heard of that. And, poor Betsy. What a life. Sounds like she overcame it. Zack must’ve been a character!!<br /><br />I think I’ve heard Daddy talk about Royston and the food he’d eat. And, I got a big laugh over your Mom saving the “scraps”. LOVE THAT.<br /><br />Thank you for writing this book. I’m so appreciative. It makes me want to hightail it out of FL and head ‘home’ to NC! I’ll be sending a note of thanks to Raz (R-A-I-S-E, ha ha), too! <em>la</em></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><em>So happy that you read the book, identified with all these people in our family's lives. And, I must say, as I said in the front material, really the story is about four brothers and a sister. By the time I arrived, most were out of there to live their lives. And, so many of the things you've recounted are the things I also remember. I can still see that lard stand and Mom dipping into it. They were somewhat tired by the time I got up some size and so the hustle and bustle of life was not the same.<br /><br />And, I must say, that I've enjoyed getting to know some of the details too. Over time you finish a book or at least I do, I always want to say, "the writing of the book is almost better than the book." For instance, I kept pretty good notes. Things that Corb., who was a great source and seemed to have a better memory than any of us--He told me things that way down the road, he doesn't remember telling me. Corb's life is the greatest mystery of all: he was so incredibly secretive and what we know now is that at one time, he was very wealthy, making so much money selling sugar to bootleggers that he literally did not know what to do with it all. The IRS moved in and instead of hiring a lawyer, etc., he just wrote a fat check and all this did was give them a license to come investigate. Eventually, they broke him down to nothing. Now, this is a story we didn't include. Well, we wouldn't have as the book was just growing up years.<br /></em></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-32517308517023358792009-11-26T11:30:00.000-08:002009-11-26T11:35:00.112-08:00The Memoir<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzmJ_DOeZUmXskIpxWsokhTH_Nx1_l4I5ZXypWc0myFMlv5GFR0Prsl2E-HxiNh66ai3a71j3GOWpXMKPmPc5qoflH8BRoV1eNpoiMySUAMF0K1TlTNx7muq-99-KqpAGpbx6_l4VcVaP/s1600/brothers2cc.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408498068419369618" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzmJ_DOeZUmXskIpxWsokhTH_Nx1_l4I5ZXypWc0myFMlv5GFR0Prsl2E-HxiNh66ai3a71j3GOWpXMKPmPc5qoflH8BRoV1eNpoiMySUAMF0K1TlTNx7muq-99-KqpAGpbx6_l4VcVaP/s200/brothers2cc.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>i told her how much i was enjoying your book. i told her to tell you that in your next book you needed to include names with the pictures ! how about a picture book with all the autry siblings and their children and grands, and great-grands.......and pictures of your parents and siblings and cousins, etc.....!!!! your next project </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Thanks for the suggestion but a youngster needs to tackle that project. Laura is a super writer, I nominate her.</div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-52868348142482326782009-10-21T07:08:00.000-07:002009-10-27T10:00:00.800-07:00A MemoirHOW HARD CAN THIS BE? This was the feeling of the authors when they first thought of doing a family memoir. Seven years down the road and finally, <em>Brothers</em>. So, what has been the difficulty? To the authors, coordinating the stories. Although they are involved with each other, almost daily through phone calls, emails, text messaging, you would think this should be a cinch. What they learned quickly was that often they had to deal with the same story but various interpretations. Talking about real places and events, yet under the best of intentions, sometimes they are not so sure they got it right. After struggling for awhile, they finally decided on the subtitle, "a somewhat true memoir." You only know what someone else told you or how they think it was. All the brothers thought this was pretty hit and miss. One said, we are describing a past event that we hope brings us to at least a semblance of the way it was.<br /><br />When the brothers started out, by their own admission, they didn't have a clue what would evolve. One brother set about to state the facts. This is the way it was as he remembered it. And, it was impossible not to tag on some opinion. And, where was that in our story? Our idea was that we wanted this for our children and grandchildren. The reality is that we wanted it for ourselves. It would be fun remembering and what we knew is that we had lots of stories to tell.<br /><br />When asked what would be the advice to someone who wanted to write a memoir, the brothers feel that the best thing is to "just start." The story will take over says Raz, who is 13 years older than his youngest brother. Naturally our perspective may be somewhat different but our love of family and our surroundings growing up became very real as we wrote about it. As we wrote the book, manuscripts were flying back and forth between California and North Carolina.<br /><br />The authors laugh that their childhood traumas were really few if any. Jerry says, "I can’t begin to tell you how often we wrestled with the idea that we can hardly believe our lives were so good growing up. The "proud poor" is a term we've coined and surely not original with us. Poor but not knowing it. In order to make the best story, we needed some trauma and dramatic events."<br /><br />What is readily apparent listening to the authors is a feeling that this has been hard but good. A kind of tribute to their parents, their upbringing, and to their community. And, such a great love of country and recognizing that their service in the military forever changed them and in a sense made Brothers possible.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-63390072348273436872009-09-01T08:40:00.000-07:002009-09-01T08:53:04.165-07:00<em>How about telling me, I’ll keep it confidential if you like, what you think should be done about providing health care in our nation. If you were King, what would you do? You have both hospital experience and family member input. One of my brother’s daughters is married to a physician. I have talked with him and he wants things left alone, to go on as we are. If I could decide, I don’t know what I would do. I want some kind of universal health care, but I can see no practical way to provide it. I am not resourceful enough in my brain to devise a workable solution. </em>CN<br /><br />Very hard to make comments about health care without sounding political. I am a <em>Democrat</em> and so support health care reform, mainly because to say that I am a Democrat is the easiest thing to do.<br /><br />The arguments are all over the map. My real believe which nobody will deal with is the selfishness of who we are. To have real health care reform, those of us who are in good shape with good plans literally might have to give up something and we don't want to do that. And, for you and me, we have been in a super public option for a long time: the VA.<br /><br />And, the cost of <em>health care reform</em> is a bogus issue I think, as the cost over time of most anything that involves us is enormous. I, at one time, thought health care was a shoo in but am beginning to be doubtful. The private interests and out and out spin looks like it has such a hold that I just don't know. For every argument I give, there are dozens of counter arguments; some truth and many half truths. For me personally, <em>the status quo is simply no option</em>.<br /><br />The saddest spin to me has been about the "death panels" which is an out and out lie. Here's an example why we need some counseling at some level. I had a wedding over the weekend, my last one I'm ever going to do. I've said it before but in this case, true. This was a former parishioner who has breast cancer and needed to do this for insurance although they would have done it anyway. Wonderful couple, really stand up guy. Anyway, at the reception, even amidst my shingles (hope you have had the shot--you do not want shingles), talked to lots of my former church members. Many old, some very old and was amazed at how few have made <em>end of life decisions</em>. For instance, one 87 year old with an invalid wife who is maybe 85, when asked by me if he had any plans in case he were to go before her. He said, "I'm hoping I outlive her." I was kind and merely nodded but wanted to tell him that "hope" was not a strategy.<em> jda</em>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-66449405642889791802009-08-26T15:41:00.000-07:002009-08-27T10:56:13.714-07:00Adam<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxAvyXOMSgzaaJHa68GW0YHwFLmmH4aHIzA70n8GV3kYhmggYRpOe02L9PsM4gBNeaZZc_Sh4wjg47rWtXfTzn_fGTzm3HyC58IVnSL5LKVYE8pteVMow_Gktc-xRyfDac3IowPTC1JWX/s1600-h/Grandma.jpg"></a><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_UGMBNSccYWprOxGRuu37gsenKrofJyAVP_0sB1un7QRSNFToj6hqin4ELWIgbH0-wg3IcaEqf4KLf76LTWM9wLmBR0frc2S4Yx0GJ0Y4YWElg37_-n55NJUOhP6vWx7IPQQ-lHEbDCO/s1600-h/Lupe2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374699420224622882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_UGMBNSccYWprOxGRuu37gsenKrofJyAVP_0sB1un7QRSNFToj6hqin4ELWIgbH0-wg3IcaEqf4KLf76LTWM9wLmBR0frc2S4Yx0GJ0Y4YWElg37_-n55NJUOhP6vWx7IPQQ-lHEbDCO/s400/Lupe2.jpg" border="0" /></a>***Adam is an autistic adult, normally called, <a class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','1','')" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome">Asperger syndrome </a>, who can't find a place in the world. Space and the stars seem to be his only escape from reality. He's lost his job at an engineering company and needs some way to pay the rent. When a girl moves into an apartment in his building, he opens up his alternate universe to her; but it turns out she has troubles of her own, and needs a man who can help her through this tough times in her life--a man who can take control and knows the right thing to do.<br /><br />Adam is not this man. In fact, he is the one who needs help. Beth, Adam's new neighbor, helps Adam find a job and helps him get his life together, all the while wondering if this is what she wanted.<br /><br />This movie made me laugh and cry all at the same time. It made me think what would I do if I fell in love with someone who wasn't right for me? Do you think it would be hurting yourself, always having to take care of someone else even when you're the one who needs caring for? Or, does it matter at all, as long as you know you will always be with them? This movie makes you think and it touches you whereas most movies fail to. This movie makes you think about possibilities and most of all what love means to you. Amazing only begins to describe this movie, seeing it will warm your heart and make you feel good.<br /><br /><br /><div>***The above and the review below are written by guest reviewer, <em>Lupe Jaccobson</em>, age 13, and author of <em>My Grandma Has A BlackBerry</em>. </div><br /><div></div></div></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-37874612267469591642009-08-26T15:16:00.000-07:002009-08-27T10:54:21.019-07:00The Time Travelers Wife<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipn_pKEuQ90OiltJsJkFVjxuRVsq6jaQ8g7VyaWrRSo8EM05ErAW7nX7f3xWM5szCu2ZGsZ7FO1zRAgmvQfaMlZcMkTWJ0Y6aYhZFAea4X5Y5Lv_1mAZbTpljKmwDxqtHUhqwQpRyXmFlP/s1600-h/Grandma.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374702872748724898" style="WIDTH: 138px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipn_pKEuQ90OiltJsJkFVjxuRVsq6jaQ8g7VyaWrRSo8EM05ErAW7nX7f3xWM5szCu2ZGsZ7FO1zRAgmvQfaMlZcMkTWJ0Y6aYhZFAea4X5Y5Lv_1mAZbTpljKmwDxqtHUhqwQpRyXmFlP/s200/Grandma.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div></div><div></div><div>This movie is many different genres packed together. Not only is it about <em>time traveling</em> but its also a love story, and somewhat of an action packed movie. The main character of this movie was a <em>time traveler</em>, he could narrowly escape death by traveling to a different time and place before even being touched. He could also go back in time and visit people.<br /><br />Time traveling as we found out comes with many set backs, such as he can't control when he goes on thes<img class="gl_spell" alt="Check Spelling" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" border="0" />e trips, and he can't control where to. Though this movie is a creation from a book, (that I didn't read) I thought it was well done. The settings, and the scenery were fantastic. Although the movie didn't come out with a good ending, it was well thought out and produced, so I urge you to go see it. Not very realistic, but if you need a break from reality, or something to think about, <em>The Time Travelers Wife</em> is a movie you should definitely consider.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div>Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-26442958061688032312009-06-11T18:30:00.000-07:002009-06-11T18:43:25.573-07:00The Personality Factor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpwSyLFQvrpArVDXvjkp9Sy1Wv2dWkdAReTRmQqLen4g3XS1Hqr9Er_PPcRzxXm_bana2aKkUMmrVYTRLZXtdnoiZPrbieVXEbRC-KCoiWyyh2VwSNY_rmtmj2Tr76wkwjcWF22oNrZL0/s1600-h/MyersBriggs.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpwSyLFQvrpArVDXvjkp9Sy1Wv2dWkdAReTRmQqLen4g3XS1Hqr9Er_PPcRzxXm_bana2aKkUMmrVYTRLZXtdnoiZPrbieVXEbRC-KCoiWyyh2VwSNY_rmtmj2Tr76wkwjcWF22oNrZL0/s400/MyersBriggs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346249389345256690" /></a><br /><br />Somebody sent me this and I don't know who to credit. Sorry. I will surely credit the author if I find out. This is just too good. <br /><br />JL<br />ENTPJeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953318107912360487.post-76739507981513246602009-05-26T07:44:00.000-07:002009-05-26T07:54:50.483-07:00THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO86g9IBfNBWNW4Nw5tyjNHMbr4cAameHKlGcbDfRsVar1mXHPWwgkcQQTiLdLnk05UPEv8IBgse44vxVzyvNxLD0tmuFoMATm8TBE8lSm5njTlggnUK6N-TeG3Au_LvzkUoGSYnfiDXrd/s1600-h/bEST+YEARS.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO86g9IBfNBWNW4Nw5tyjNHMbr4cAameHKlGcbDfRsVar1mXHPWwgkcQQTiLdLnk05UPEv8IBgse44vxVzyvNxLD0tmuFoMATm8TBE8lSm5njTlggnUK6N-TeG3Au_LvzkUoGSYnfiDXrd/s200/bEST+YEARS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340146211411298274" /></a><br />"You are just another unemployed war hero." This might have been a line out of a modern day movie but it wasn't: it came from the classic 1950s, <em>The Best Years of Our Lives</em>, when America, fresh from the "big war" was trying to figure it out. A really great movie with all the issues of what it means to start over. <br /><br />The same issues that soldiers face today are the same ones they faced then--the struggles of Reentry, getting back the check book, and fitting in. And then there were the hastily conceived marriages born of desperation, soldiers going off to war and not knowing what tomorrow brings. <br /><br />The story is built around three reentering servicemen who meet on their way home. Unlike present day soldiering, these men have not been gone for months, rather years <br /><br />The three bond and although not as likely as the movie presents then, they still hang together in the context of the story. Dana Andrews as the bombardier with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) called "shell shocked" back then. A sailor, having lost both hands, is the second emotionally scarred serviceman with the third of the trilogy being a banker who was a top sergeant in the war but now confronts the cruel banking system where promises to vets is more likely scrapped than made. One issue then is tight credit for veterans. Sound familiar. <br /><br />In the end, it all gets resolved. Dana Andrews calms down and finally gets the right girl. There's some questions, never answered on how he became an Air Force Captain. But, it's the movies. Our sailor finally accepts who he is and the people who love him. And, our banker, although maybe drinking too much, does the right thing. <br /><br />A wonderful movie that is as relevant today as it was then. Let's hope that the modern American society has learned the lessons of living up to the promises made to vets but I doubt it.Jeremiah Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04991785724213751733noreply@blogger.com0