Bullies have been around a long time...

There seem to be a lot of campaigns against bullying lately, and that's a good thing. A couple years ago, I bought about fifty of those rubber bracelets for Callie and Joe to give out to friends at school. The bracelets I ordered were black with bright blue Batman font that said "I am not a bully." I thought it would serve a dual purpose at the school. It would give the kids a peaceful way to take a stand against bullying, and it would identify the kids who weren't bullies to the kids who were being bullied, thereby providing a potential ally and friend so they might not have to stand alone.

But, the design on the webpage I bought the bracelets from depicted the bracelets differently than they actually were. The blue was not nearly bright enough to be easily read, but Callie and Joe still passed them out. Some of the teachers still wear them, I heard. I wanted to buy more bracelets, making the font bigger and brighter, but they were sort of expensive and I couldn't afford it at the time. I was going to sell them for $1.00 apiece, but when I saw the poor quality, I couldn't in good conscience charge for them, and the kids gave them away.

Look hard, and you might see the words.

So my venture to create something good that had a possibility of catching on, fizzled out. But was it a failure? I don't know. What if just ONE scared kid found a friend and supporter from that bracelet? What if ONE bully, after hearing his teacher talk about why he wore the bracelet, changed his mind about bullying and started leaving kids alone?

Then it would all be worth it. The domino effect, you know.

But, in my research last night, I was distracted by stories about the wars with the Indians in the 1800's. And I noticed that some were called "battles" and some, "massacres." But, after looking into it a little, a lot of those battles were also pretty much massacres.

A battle is where opponents fight each other. A massacre is where one side slaughters the other with no mercy.

I believe a bully ochestrated the massacre of Sand Creek. I wish I had time to go into what led up to the massacre, and I will probably do so later, but for now, I'll just focus on the biggest bully I've read about it a while--Colonel John Milton Chivington.

I hate to even write that man's name, so I'll just refer to him as Stupid. Okay, so Stupid hates the Indians. Hates them so much he says, " Damn any man who sympathizes with Indians!...I have come to kill Indians, and believe it's right and honorable to use any means under God's heaven to kill Indians...Kill and scalp all, big and little, nits make lice." (Emphasis added to show stupidity)

To make a long, bitter story short, a chief named Black Kettle rides to Fort Lyon to negotiate peace, leaving behind a camp mostly empty but for women and children. The American flag flies over the camp, to show that Black Kettle wants peace.

But Stupid shows even more stupidity and cowardice than I could even imagine, and takes 700 soldiers and rides to the camp while Black Kettle and his warriors are trying to make peace. Stupid orders his men to attack the mostly women and children, and two heroes stand up against the bully. I will proudly say their names were Captain Silas Soule and Lieutenant Joseph Cramer. They ignored Stupid's order and ordered their companies, D and K, to hold their fire.

 But their were plenty of men left to get Stupid's job done. The soldiers attacked, and massacred everyone in the camp, even after a white flag was raised next to the American flag. The quotes from the men who witnessed this, and a quote from Kit Carson sum up the horror a bully with power can inflict.

"I saw the bodies of those lying there all cut to pieces, worse mutilated than any I ever saw before, the women cut all to pieces... With knives, scalped; their brains knocked out; children two or three months old; all ages lying there, from suckling infants up to warriors... By whom were they mutilated? By the United States troops..."  --John S. Smith

"Fingers and ears were cut off the bodies for the jewelry they carried..." --Stan Hoig

"Jis to think of that dog Chivington and his dirty hounds, up thar at Sand Creek. His men shot down squaws, and blew the brains out of little innocent children. You call sich soldiers Christians, do ye? And Indians savages? What do you 'spose our Heavenly Father, who made both of them and us, thinks of these things?" --Kit Carson

Steely eyed, and not very good at grammar, but seems to know what he's talking about.

The point is, Stupids have always been around, and will probably always be around. But, if one or two stand up to them in order to do what's right over what's commanded, maybe it'll make a difference somewhere, sometime.

I think this history should be taught in schools. I think if kids were exposed to this knowledge, where right and wrong are clearly cut, maybe there wouldn't be so many bullies. If our kids were taught the other side of the story, the story where this land is NOT your land, but MY land (from the government's point of view), then maybe kids would grow up with a different perspective of what our country should be. I remember singing the first two verses of that song (propaganda) in elementary school, oblivious to the truth. I think kids should know the truth. They need both sides of the story. And not just the truth about our relations with Indians, but our relations with all peoples. The line in the sand that divides US and THEM should be wiped out with Kit Carson's boot.

Why did we only sing the first two verses? What would happen if kids refused to sing just those verses, but would only sing the whole song, or nothing?

Or with the shoes of a billion schoolchildren.

Pieces of Me

I had several ideas for the name of this post. Like "Nerds are the Best," or "When Old and New Meet." But I decided on the title you see because the couple videos I'm going to show you are things that really, really move me. (You can click the full screen option on each video by clicking the broken square on the bottom right.)

I love music. My taste in music is varied, and I can find a song or few I love in almost every genre, except rap. I guess I'm old fashioned that way. I love when music combines old and new ideas, like taking some very awesome violin and a capella sounds to make an extraordinary visual and auditory experience.

When I'm feeling motivated, or a little down, music is sure to get me moving or put a smile on my face, and just plain make me feel better. A couple years ago, I found a few EXTREMELY talented musicians...on YouTube.

The first is Lindsey Sterling. She plays violin, and I don't think anyone plays it better. In this video, she combines three things I very much enjoy...violin, dragons and Dragon Age. She's a nerd like me, and her imagination and artistry outdo my own. To me, the subtlest nuances in these videos convey a deep meaning to me. Like in this one, where the warrior gives Lindsey a sideways glance of acknowledgment, and she returns it with a slight nod...so much meaning in such a small act. And most people don't even notice...

This is another of Lindsey's videos. If it doesn't lift your heart, you are an alien. Another reason I like Lindsey is because she's also a great person in real life, with a genuine caring heart.

Then there's Peter Hollens. This guy is just an all around great guy. I was drawn to his videos when I discovered that he and Lindsey Sterling did a cover of the Skyrim theme, Peter uses just his voice, over multiple tracks to create some very awesome music. I also like his usually upbeat songs. He's done covers of lots of songs, from times past and present. In all these videos, you can tell these guys are doing what they LOVE, and doing it well...

But then I found this one last night, and I realized that each of these songs represent a little of me, and maybe that's why I'm so touched by them. Listening to them reminds me about something about myself and life I've experienced. The lyrics and sounds combine to make something meaningful to me. Each of these tell a story about a piece of my life that bring back both painful and joyful memories. This one tells the story of a piece of my childhood, although it doesn't define my childhood. But I'd be lying if I said there weren't times during my awkward youth that I wasn't singing this song in my head. 

Here's another by Lindsey Sterling I like. I know it's a little corny, but the violin is fantastic, and you have to admire her for her imagination. And I can imagine how fun this video must have been to make. Lindsey's a great storyteller, both in dance and music... If only our wars were fought with violins and guitars...

And this next one is one of my all time favorites. It's Lindsey with an a capella group, Pentatonix. I love when an a capella can do this with no other instruments than a violin and cello. At the 1 minute mark is my favorite--that super slight pause and the flip of the violin bow to go into the chorus. The imagination and quality of these videos astound me. They're better than what the "super famous" musicians do, by far.

I do dabble with guitar, can play a little piano, and I can even play a very little violin. But I wish I had even a minuscule amount of Lindsey's talent. I realize my talents lie elsewhere, but for me, there's nothing more moving than the violin...

We are all important and unique. Each one of us is a multi-faceted gem, and I hope you enjoyed a peek into a few facets of me. You might find a piece of yourself in these videos, too, or your facets may be different colors, but they're ALL beautiful. Art and inspiration is where YOU find it.

Here's a bonus track from Pentatonix, for the older folks who read my blog...

Mother Nature's Sense of Humor

This weekend, it pretty much stormed constantly, so outdoor activities were ruled out. The kids are in California with grandparents and cousins, so what did I do? I put a lot of my ideas on Dal's blog in an attempt to put some new thoughts out there.

If you want to see what I wrote, it was mostly on Seeker's story about abstract thinking. And some on The Nine Clues.

Diggin Gypsy and her sister, Sweet Tea, also posted their story.  During their search they found an urn in what was basically a snake pit. The urn was a simple white container with the word "Doc" on it. Was it someone's beloved dog? Or as someone pointed out, could it have been a DOCument? As Forrest said, "Sometimes it's wise for the fox to dress as the hound." And he did say that whoever found it had to EARN it. The urn they found looks sorta like this:

The real pic is on Dal's blog. It's a fun story...you should check it out!

Diggin and ST didn't open it, but they shook it before they were attacked by snakes. Personally, I don't think they were being attacked. Maybe the snakes were just answering the door. Maybe they would have invited them inside for cookies. Or maybe they were wanting to kill them. Who knows with snakes?

Anyway, they shook it, and said it sounded like ashes, so they didn't peek inside. I think they need to go back and peek. I don't think Doc would mind. You can find the story on Dal's blog under the title "Snakes Galore."

But the ashes got me to thinking...and the more I thought, the more it became clear that the poem might be about life. Why does Forrest refer to and hint at ashes so much? Because of the phrase, "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust?" We came from dust and return to dust. When we are just ashes, we are "leftovers of time," right? "To the dirt we are Caliph, and to the Caliph we are dirt." Just another instance of the idea that what is one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Not to be insensitive, but Olga and her father and Skippy, when they died, became ashes. Ashes aren't worth anything to most people, but to their loved ones, ashes are treasure. It's all that remains, something tangible, of someone who impacted their life in a big way.

And I really am starting to think that you do have to start the blaze to find the chest. A definition of found is start, and if you've brought the suggested flashlight (a lighter or match or even a literal flashlight--there's a handy Boy Scout trick where you can use a flashlight to start a fire), you have what you need. After the blaze has kooled quickly down, what remains are ashes. Forrest said that a part of him is inside the chest. So, when you lift the chest, Forrest, like the Phoenix, will also rise from the ashes.

I'd be surprised if I looked down and saw a chest that wasn't there a couple minutes ago. I would definitely have a marvel gaze.

The thing is, the place to start the fire would have to be safe. You can't just go lighting fires everywhere. Smokey is a bear, and he would not be happy, and you are not supposed to poke bears. So, where could you safely start a fire? A fireplace. A well. A cistern. A smelter. A kiln. Maybe those are the kinds of places we need to look. There are lots of abandoned free standing fireplaces and kilns all over the Rockies, and fireplaces are often the only leftovers of a home that once sheltered a family.

And didn't Forrest say in TFTW that his home on Main Street burned down? And I might be wrong on this, but didn't he say it burned down twice?

Maybe to find the chest, we have to first reduce the poem to ashes, then go to the spot, and again reduce what we find to ashes.

Maybe I'm right. Maybe I'm not. But I think I'm going to use my red letter theory to see what I can pull from the ashes. I already have a good idea of where it is, but I need positive proof. Somehow, the poem reduces to a location. Not coordinates or numbers, but a name. And I think I know it.

We will see!

Trumped

I was going to write a post about some literary term, but I woke up to some morning news so scarily laughable I have to post about it again.

Donald Trump is planning to announce his bid for the Presidency today....again.

Now, I don't know Mr. Trump, so I can't make any claims against him as a person, because as we all know, the media isn't exactly known for accuracy.

We can, however, use some facts to paint a fairly reliable picture of his qualifications to be the leader of our country.

Let's take Leslie Knope's (from Parks and Recreation) favorite way of making a decision--the pros and cons list.

Okay, so let's talk about Mr. Trump.

PRO: His mother is Scottish. I am of Scottish descent.

CON: He has Scottish blood, and we all know what that means. (forgive my stereotyping, but remember, I'm Scottish, so I'm making fun of myself. However, let it be known that if you stole my bike, I would NOT kill you.)

Donald Trump may have traveled to Scotland just to put up this sign.

PRO: Donald Trump knows how to make money. He's a shrewd business man. He's worth about 9 billion dollars.

CON: Donald Trump knows how to lose money, declaring business bankruptcy at least four times and coming close to personal bankruptcy several times as well.

PRO: Donald Trump is not a politician.

CON: Donald Trump is not anything but a business man, one who would rather kill a country and "take their oil" rather than live in peace. Becoming rich at the expense of lives and without regard for humanity is one of the most awful things ever.

PRO: Donald Trump is diverse. He's everywhere. We have Trump Towers, Trump Model Management, Trump Shuttle, Trump International Golf, Trump Pro Wrestling, Trump Books, Trump Ice, Trump Mortgage, Trump This, Trump That, etc...

CON: Donald Trump is a narcissist.

Ambiguity in politics. I have to love this. Bragging about beating a girl is not nice. And I don't know, maybe it would be fun to watch them duke it out (that was NOT a political endorsement for Hillary Clinton).

PRO: Donald Trump is an open book. What you see is what you get. Although opinionated, probably racist, and a womanizer, at least he doesn't hide it.

CON: Donald Trump is an opinionated, racist, womanizer.

Donald Trump OWNS The Miss Universe Pageant.

PRO: Donald Trump fires people. A lot of people in government desperately need to be fired.
CON: Donald Trump would probably fire the wrong people.

PRO: Donald Trump supported Ronald Reagan early on.
CON: Donald Trump supported Mitt Romney.

CON: Donald Trump knows nothing about public service. Money is not the measure of a man's character. Money and fame and a big mouth don't equate to intelligence (as Forrest might say).

PRO: We don't have to worry about Donald Trump running for President. He's a broken record, beginning in 1988 and following his theme of attempting to grab the spotlight in 2000, 2004, and 2012.

So, I guess this was a pointless political post. GO, JEB!

Irony is the Key to Ambiguity

I'm reading The Thrill of the Chase very slowly, and I notice a lot of irony mixed in with all the ambiguity.

What is irony? Henry Watson Fowler, in The King's English, said that among many definitions, the one that is most important is "that the surface meaning and the underlying meaning of what is said is not the same."

Irony is a literary device that sometimes requires what is known as a double audience. Some people will read and not understand. Others will read and discern the meaning as an "insider" would.

Another way to look at literary irony is sarcasm. For an example, a character is in a circumstance or doing something or saying something contrary to what one would normally expect.

And that is where TTOTC comes in. Right away, we're hit with literary devices, especially ambiguity and irony. Read the first paragraph. I believe that hints at the interpretation of the whole book. The first sentence says, "Well, I'm almost eighty, and I think that's so funny. Oh, I don't mean it's funny because I'm almost eighty, but it's funny because I said it that way." (emphasis added)

Forrest says things a certain way, and it's up to us to discern what he means. And I admit, I often interpret what he's saying wrong, wrong, wrong.

But, I think at least the following few paragraphs are at least partly spot on.

Remember the bookstore girl? She works at Borders making about $6.50 an hour (assuming she makes as much as the register guy), yet it was obvious "she had graduated from a good school somewhere." As a side note, notice the wordplay in "borderline biddies?" They were ladies in line at Borders. Like Eric who always married housekeepers because they kept the house. We have to be aware of these things when we read.

Forrest uses irony when telling of the time his father asks him about mechanics who had gone to college and mechanics who had learned by doing.

Some read those opening pages and smile and think, "Ha ha, what a cute story about the bookstore and the outlaw and his dad doing something important." But an insider might see the deeper implications--Forrest doesn't think college is worth as much as it's touted. The unfortunate reality is that today, more than ever, college graduates aren't able to find jobs in their fields and end up taking menial jobs to survive. Sometimes that piece of paper that cost thousands of dollars to obtain just ends up "in the trash."

The whole chapter about important literature seems to revolve around that theme. Forrest went to the bookstore to buy the books that were taught in college--Hemingway and Fitzgerald. I took one literature class in college, then CLEPed the rest. The CLEP exams were an option (I think they still are, but am not sure), that allows you to "test out" of a college class if you already had the knowledge it took to pass. I loved the CLEP exams, and I CLEPed out of about $6000 (early 1990's) worth of college. Maybe more. Honestly, I don't remember much of college, except for a few of the professors who really stood out. Not like Indiana Jones would stand out, but because they were interesting and actually taught me something I didn't already know.

I also remember the class where I received the lowest grade I ever got in college. I barely passed chemistry at the University of Maryland with an extremely low "C." The professor didn't think I would pass, because honestly, I'm terrible at math. He offered to tutor me, but I declined (too shy), and said I would study really hard. He gave me a look that seemed like he was sorry that he would have to flush me down the toilet like a dead goldfish.

In other words, you're going to fail.

There was no Kahn online at the time, and no Internet, so I was forced to REALLY study. It was hard, and I didn't understand it, but I got it enough to pass. I still have my final exam with the C on it, and the professor wrote "Congratulations!" in big red letters. I should frame it to remind myself that I once knew what triangle over f multiplied by AY divided by pi equaled.

If you were to ask me today what the formula was to determine the viscosity of anything, I would probably answer something like, "Star Wars?" Ohhh, I am so much of a Penny and so much of a Sheldon. I'm like a Penny and Sheldon vanilla shake.

Anyway, Forrest bought the books and tried to read them, but ended up throwing them in the trash, because to him, they were worthless. So, if he bought the books to see what the big deal was about those authors the professors were teaching in college, what do you think he thought of college as he tossed those "beauties" in the trash?

That "college isn't for everybody" theory is further confirmed when you see the results of Forrest's lack of college education. He's a smart, successful guy who is good at a lot of things.

Forrest with the "Fenn Cache."

Which leads a deep thinker to wonder about the validity of requiring a college education for just about every career. Where does dedication and hard work and experience come into play? What part does passion play in choosing a person for a job? Why are face to face interviews being replaced by online resumes? Is that a smart way to choose an employee? By the way they fill in a template?

I think Forrest has a dual purpose to his memoir. Yes, he wants to entertain us with memories of his youth, but don't you think he also uses those stories to convey a deeper purpose? One that provokes serious thought?

I do.

Pick a Number

Let's pick a number off the top of our heads (ambiguity!) and talk about it, okay?

I'm reaching into Lincoln's top hat and drawing out a number...well, what do ya know? It's the number THREE!

Three is a very special number, and what a coincidence that out of about 4,000 numbers in the hat, I drew that very number!

Did you know:

1. That it takes 3 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? Don't take it from me, though. It's true because Mr. Owl says so.  Even though when I was about 14, I was riding home from somewhere in some parent's back seat, and I counted 579. Still, owls can't be wrong.

Don't do it, kid!

2. That when Forrest says he was shot down twice and got cancer once, and survived all THREE, he could either be talking about bad luck OR good luck coming in threes? Bad luck = shot down and cancer. Good luck = survived.

3. That a hat trick in hockey is succeeding  at something in three consecutive attempts? Sound familiar?

Another hat trick. How'd he do that?

4. Dorothy clicked her heels 3 times and said "There's no place like home."

There's no way I would've walked a mile in those shoes. I bet the first thing she did when she got back to Kansas was have Toto fetch her some Epsom Salts.

5. In Ovid's Fasti, there was a lot of things done 3 times. It's a great book. You should read it.

However, you can say "I believe in unicorns" 3 times or a million times, but it doesn't make it so. 

6. In the Chinese language, "three" sounds like "alive."

It's obvious that this character sounds like "alive," isn't it?

7.  My ancestor, Odin, suffered three hardships upon the World Tree as he searched for runes. One hardship was hanging himself.

8. In philosophy, it is said that three-ness can come from two-ness, and that in everything, there is an internal contradiction. Georg Hegel, Kant, and Foucoult all spoke of this triad of logic: thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

9. Apparently, you have to knock three times on the ceiling if you want someone. I'v e never tried that, because I'm scared of who might show up.

I would actually be THRILLED. 

10. AND, according to Pythagoras, 3 is the perfect number. It's the beginning, middle and end. Three gods ruled the Earth--Jupiter ruled Heaven, Neptune ruled the sea, and Pluto ruled the underworld. Jove (aka Jupiter, aka Zeus) was represented by three forked lightning. Neptune (aka Poseidon) had a trident. And Pluto (aka Hades) had a 3 headed dog that probably loved bacon. Kevin Bacon. 

There were 3 Fates, 3 Graces, 3 Furies, 3 Nymphs, 3 Harpies, 3 Billy Goats Gruff (lol), 3 x 3 Muses.

Watch out, Kevin Bacon.

The body was divided into 3 parts (mind, body, spirit). And the list goes on and on and on and on and on. Three times three times three times a million more.

And I won't even go into pi.

Movies Lie to You

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen Avengers: Age of Ultron yet, you might not want to read any further than the first paragraph.

This weekend was special in a couple ways. The first is that Joe made a huge breakthrough. He invited his friends over for a sleepover, and not just one friend, but 3. The second is that I got to take them to the Avengers movie, which I hadn't seen yet. And the theater we went to has been newly renovated, and the seats were huge leather recliners. Ohhh, it was awesome.

Yes, the movie was full of explosions, destruction and implausible mayhem. But it stayed true to usual Avengers theme of teamwork. This villain, Ultron isn't even human, but AI (artificial intelligence). He comes into his "awareness" when Tony Stark says "peace in our lifetime" or something like that. This AI, made from the Mind Stone (one of 6 Infinity Stones) in Loki's Scepter (named Chitauri, for you Greek myth enthusiasts), is exceptionally sentient, and he/it makes the decision that for there to be peace, mankind has to be eradicated, starting with the Avengers.

The plan is basically the same simple plan Loki used in the first film: tear the Avengers apart from within. Make them beat the crap out of each other and they'll lose the cohesion that makes them effective.

So Captain America and Iron man go at it, Hulk and Iron Man go at it, Natasha and Hulk go at it in a different way but don't go at it after all, and basically Ultron's plan seems to work. Hawkeye is the one in this movie that seems the most grounded, revealing he has a pregnant wife and kids, hidden pretty anonymously in a country house in the middle of nowhere, which shows another aspect of teamwork: family.

This movie also introduces two new characters, Pietro and Wanda, two freak teenagers who may be X-men. Pietro has high metabolism and is blindingly fast, and Wanda can manipulate minds and matter, and it is through her meddling in the minds of the Avengers that first starts to rip them apart.

Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America and Thor are the ones affected by the mind play. Thor sees a glimpse of something, and decides he has to go somewhere else with that cool flingy hammer trick to figure it out, which he does.

So the team is splitting apart at the seams. More destruction, more mayhem, more implied but not directly seen death, and probably a stock market crash after Hulk goes berserk and destroys a whole city while Iron Man tries to stop him.

Yeah, I drooled a little over Thor and Cap'n, but you men can't blame me. You know you drool over Black Widow and Jane.

Anyway, teamwork is definitely more effective than flying solo in the Avenger films. I think it's the same way in real life. A baseball team needs players with unique talents to win. Your own body is a team, too. Your heart can't be a toe, and your brain can't be an eye or an ear. If a line of offense twiddled their thumbs after hiking the ball, the quarterback would be toast. Each part works together to make a whole.

To me (and Marvel), a team is a group of people who have each other's backs. They are a group of people working together toward a common goal. Ultron saw that the Avengers were a formidable team when they worked together, but if they worked against each other, they were vulnerable and easier to defeat.

Some might say all of mankind is one team. I don't know. I think that's an idealistic thought, a good thought, but I'm not sure it's true or even possible. Wars begin when teams split apart and try to assimilate or destroy the other. When a war starts, some people are not simply bad team players, they are 100% not on your team anymore.

I want people on my team that are not bent on destroying me. I want people on my team to have my back, not claw it apart. I want people on my team to work toward a common goal we all share whether it be making a good dinner, saving a life, or world peace.

Forrest wrote that movies lie to us. I agree, but they also sometimes hint toward a form of higher truth. The Avengers is no exception. Each Avenger has a valuable ability to contribute. When they form a circle and face an enemy, they can't be beat. If one link in their chain breaks, they all go down in flames. No one part is greater than the whole. We may not have super powers, but we're all super. We're all important. We're all somebody.

Ultron was right--peace in our lifetime is probably impossible. But Vision (who is the new Jarvis, I think? that part sort of lost me), lifted Mjolnir, Thor's hammer. He was worthy, which was a metaphor for hope. I think. That's what I got out of it, anyway.

Thor's adorably amused when no one else can lift Mjolnir.

And, my mind is beginning to whir with a seed of thought about how I can contribute to something whose back desperately needs to be watched...Earth's. The thing is, I can't do it alone...