Flag Day June 14th, 2011

Happy Flag Day

Memorial Day May 30th, 2011

As we draw near to Memorial Day, it should be safe to say that no political leaning should claim to own this day by showing their patriotism more over another. Instead, let's concentrate on the lives that had been given for this country during war time regardless of their political leanings and thank them for giving the ultimate sacrifice to this country.

Memorial Day
May 30, 2011

Watch for Those Wonderful Road Signs to Keep You Amused.

This may be one of those signs one comes across in the United States where it pays to have English as your first language and that it can be taken many ways if one is in a creative state of mind. In my case, I envision a bunch of "no shouldered, mentally challenged" children running around in wild abandonment where we should be aware of running over them, playing on a dead end street. That was one of my scenarios. I fight the urge to hunt down that sign and magic marker it with the appropriate punctuation if it can be salvaged, forgetting syntax, etc. ( not saying I'm any scholar when it comes to grammar or syntax. Though, even it was hurting my eyes and brain. )

I suppose those entrusted in the art of sign making do not have to use punctuation to aid the reader in determining at a glance what the meaning of the sign is. Remember, we are supposed to be driving at the posted speed limit and reading this sign at the same time. As you can see, this sign has too many words on it and too many meanings can be drawn from it. ;-) One is supposed to be able to look at a sign in a second or so and understand what the sign means more than what it reads. This one takes time to read it requiring one to waste time with our eyes off the road and on the sign trying to figure out what in the world this person is trying to say.

How about this:

Dead End
No Shoulders

Caution
Slow Down
Kids at Play

If the two thoughts were separated on the sign it would make sense whilst traveling at what ever speed and the person would probably start slowing down on their own, in my opinion.


Some day I would love to meet the people would think up the wording for the signs and see if they also employ an editor to check their work as well. It must be a fun job with an huge responsibility to determine which way the arrow goes on a sign and the appropriate words that go underneath, such as, " turn right," or "left," which ever the case may be. One must make sure the arrow matches the words. ;-) I would imagine one must have to work in the sign department for at least five or more before advancing to the position where you are allowed to handle painting the commands on signs such as, " Do Not Enter." That commands a lot of power and is not for the weak to handle, I would imagine. I just cannot fathom how many years in the company a person must gain seniority to have painted the one above. ;-)

Enjoy your Spring where ever you live.

Butch

A Flash Back To The Past.

Revisiting my senior year in high school, I saw this picture of a select few of us band members playing music at a pre-game pep rally. All of these "kids" will be, either 63 or 64 years old this year. I am the fellow playing the Sousaphone. This was the year 1965. Forty-six years later, my nephew is marching for the second year in the University of Michigan marching band playing the Sousaphone. I'm not sure if he is carrying on a tradition or if it is just a coincidence but, I would like to think that I had something to do with it. ;-)

Happy Yuletide and Winter Solstice

This is the front entrance of New Grange in Ireland which was built over 5,000 years ago. It predates the Pyramids and Stone Henge in the British Isles. It is in line with the Winter Solstice where the light from the rising sun will shine through the port hole above the entrance all the way to the back of the chamber on the Solstice. This marked the shortest day of the year and gave comfort to the people knowing that the days would become longer from this point on and into the Spring.

Happy Solstice!

This is a Yule log fire which is kept burning through Yuletide.

Happy Yuletide to us all and may our Yule log burn brightly.

New CD "Full Moon Rising" is ready.

Our second CD has finally been duplicated and ready for market. It have been a project that has taken much longer than our previous CD. We did a lot of layering of instruments and on two of the tracks vocal harmonies. Our second CD is called: Full Moon Rising.

The first CD is : Mooney, Woods and Nogle
The second one is: Full Moon Rising.

If you are interested in purchasing either of them, check our website: www.mooneywoodsandnogle.com and check out the P.O. box information. I will also, be sending out an email to all who have previously purchased them and those first timer's who would like to buy them as well.

I hope you are enjoying the season as it leads to the Yuletide celebrations.

Butch

Happy Veteran's Day

Being a veteran and before I retired, I used to annually take this day off to reflect upon the great and ultimate sacrifices we all made for this country. I'm not much of a person who marches in parades to receive accolades, or standing out among people with my Army cap on my head with medals pinned to my shirt or other ways to draw attention or even to point out I was a veteran at all from a past war long ago. I like to take the day to just reflect upon who I am, where I've been, where I'm to go but, mostly just to be thankful I lived through some very horrible times where some did not. I like to think about them and where they would be today, with families that were never meant to be and children who never had the chance to be born. I remember them and I will never forget them or their ultimate sacrifice for this country.

In my reflections I try and come to place where these soldiers, seamen, and marines lost in battle are alive, laughing and happy again. Each year becomes harder but, one thing I have learned from being one of the many who made it back alive is that these precious souls should never, ever be forgotten regardless what a person's opinion is about war and peace. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for this nation, something we should always hold dear to our hearts.

Happy Veteran's Day

Butch