I remember.

Two years ago today, 1LT Kile Grant West was killed in the line of duty in Abu Sayda, Iraq. I was privileged to be able to attend his funeral on June 9, 2007. I have come to be acquainted with Kile's mother. She shared with me photos of the new field house named in his honor at his high school alma mater. She has also shared about the memorial portrait painted for her by Texas artist Phil Taylor. I do my best to stop by to see Kile any time I find myself up around Fort Hood. The last time, I was able to introduce him to a friend, so maybe one more person might be stopping by from time to time.

I remember.

The Night Crossing

I subbed again on Monday, in a fourth grade class for a language arts teacher. I took the opportunity to look over the books on the shelf and found The Night Crossing by Karen Ackerman, illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles. On the back cover of this short (56 page) book, which is recommended for ages 7 to 9, are two endorsements:

This is an excellent fictional introduction to the Holocaust....Ackerman's writing is clear and direct.
~School Library Journal

and

Realistically child-centered.
~The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

It is a simple enough story. It is 1938. Clara is a little Jewish girl living in Innsbruck, Austria. The Nazis have taken control and things are getting bad: they must wear yellow stars on their clothes; they are forbidden "from celebrating the Sabbath or going to the synagogue"; some people have been dragged away, never to be heard from again.

Clara's father, Albert, tells his wife, Helen, they must leave while they still can. Clara and her older sister, Marta, help their father find things around their home that can be sold to get the money they will need to escape. They can only bring with them what they can carry.

The family will make a night crossing, just like Clara's grandmother did when she was a little girl, when the Jews in Russia were being persecuted. And, the dolls Grandma carried with her, Gittel and Lotte, will make another night crossing, this time with Clara.

The journey is a dangerous one. They must travel by night, by foot. They must hide during the day. They must avoid being seen by patrols of Nazi soldiers. They must pretend to be Swiss citizens who have just been visiting family in Austria.

For children unfamiliar with this period in history, this book, as the School Library Journal says, is a good introduction. It is a quick read and touches on the dangers Jews faces during the Holocaust. The epilogue isn't graphic about it, but does mention "horrors of the Nazi concentration camps" being reported in the papers, sometimes accompanied by pictures from English, American and Soviet photographers; also "Clara and Marta began to understand what had truly happened to the people like Mr. Duessel, the kosher baker who'd disappeared." They girls also come to understand their father made the right decision. They had family who chose to stay behind that were never seen again.

Resolution Update: 19 Weeks

It has been 19 weeks now since I first weighed in to see where I was starting in my quest to reach my ideal weight. I stepped on the scale this morning, and I have passed a significant milestone. I now weigh 199 pounds, even. It's the first time in years that I have weighed less than 200 pounds! I have lost a total of 31.4 pounds since I started this journey.

Another big deal for me is being able to shop for clothes in "regular" stores. I have bought a summer dress and a couple of skirts and tops at Old Navy (something I couldn't have done when I started all this), and I've bought some tanks tops for the warmer weather in the regular department in JC Penney. Thursday morning, I went through a couple of boxes of old clothes that I had recently taken out of storage, and I am able to fit back into most of it - cute skirts, a few pairs of jeans, and a variety of tops. And, I've also been able to put lots of stuff into a big, black trash bag to be taken to Goodwill - I think I'm working on bag number 4. It was nice, a few weeks ago, to put on a pair of shorts from last summer and have the waistband fall down to my hips.

Also, I went to David's Bridal Wednesday evening on my way home from work. I needed to get some information about how far in advance I'm going to need to order my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding. I've decided to go with a short dress, and with the color my sister chose, that only gives me four dresses to pick from. I was able to try on a smaller size than the first time we all went to the dress shop with my sister, when she bought her dress. I've narrowed it down to two dresses - my first choice, which is the same dress my other sister chose, and a "runner-up" dress, but it was also good to be able to say "I don't like either of those". Both the dresses I'm considering will take 12 weeks to come in, and then I need to allow 4-6 weeks for them to do any needed alterations. I did explain that I am in the process of losing weight, and that I had lost about 30 pounds since the beginning of the year. They said that - if I will be continuing to lose weight - when I order my dress, I should order one size smaller than what fits at that point, and then they can take it in up to two dress sizes from there. Eighteen weeks from the wedding is July 4th, but I don't want to cut it that close, so I have decided I'll order my dress on/around June 20. That gives me five weeks more...

I will admit, I don't always get the exercise in, but when that happens, I also make adjustments to what it is I consume. I still eat fast food, but I try to be smart about my choices. I love Sonic, but that's about one of the worse choices I could make, so I don't go there. And, I'll often order the kid's meal or order items a la carte to keep portion size under control. I've been able to keep my sweet tooth from getting out of hand. I bought a box of Twinkies several weeks ago because I had a craving for a real one, and I'm happy to say I still have several of them left. I also still have some of my Easter candy left, too. I will have the occasional soda (I pick up some of those 8-ounce cans), if I can spare the calories. Since I've been seeing steady progress (there has still only been that one week when I didn't lose weight), it's been a lot easier to think "do you want that *soda, candy, fast food*, or do you want to keep losing weight?" to keep myself from making poor choices. So far, so good.

Help a Wounded Marine get a new home

In my inbox Wednesday afternoon:

Hello everyone!

I hope that you are all doing well. I know it’s been a while since we’ve asked for help or support for our hero, but there has been a new flurry of activity in the Emery camp recently!

An incredible organization, “Homes for our Troops” is building an ADAPTIVE home for DJ! This is a wonderful organization and an incredible opportunity for DJ and Carlee! Since 2004 this nonprofit organization has built 40 specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans who have returned from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. These homes, and DJ’s home, will be built at NO COST to the veteran, but only with our help!!!! Homes for our Troops is looking for foundation grants, corporate sponsors and volunteers to make this project possible! Fundraisers are also needed! DJ’s dream has been to build a home for himself and Carlee that includes a therapy room and is fully accessible to him, I am so excited that this dream of his is coming true! Below is the link to DJ’s page on the Homes for our Troops website where you can donate or sign up to volunteer. There will also be a registration day for interested trades-people and volunteers to sign up to help build the home for DJ from 1-8 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday 5/7/09) at the Ramada Conference Center at 1450 S. Atherton St. in State College. There will also be a presentation given at 6:30 by project manager Rick Goyette. DJ will be participating in the presentation!

Please, please, PLEASE pass this email along to anyone and EVERYONE you know. It is going to take A LOT of wonderful people stepping forward to make this the success that DJ deserves!!!!

Here’s the link:

http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer?pagename=DavidEmery

As always, thank you all so much for all of your help and support!!!!

Thunder Rose

When I was working on my Masters, I had to design several "units". One of them was part of the requirements for student teaching, and had to relate directly to the grade level I was teaching. So, I settled on a unit centered around Tall Tales. There are the various traditional tall tales: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Pecos Bill. But, I also went looking to see if I could find something new. I found that something new in Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The book is recommended for children 5 to 8 years old.

Thunder Rose takes elements from many of those traditional tall tales, but has other elements all its own. Rose sits up and talks immediately after her birth to freed slaves in the post-Civil War American West. Born the night of a storm, she grabs hold of a bolt of lightening, placing upon her shoulder after she "rolled it into a ball." The next morning, her mother's milk isn't enough, so she takes to drinking directly from the family's cow...

As a two-year-old, she takes some scrap iron and fashioned into a big thunderbolt and named it Cole. "Wherever she went, Cole was always by her side." Of course, she performs a myriad of amazing feats growing up, to include wrestling a big Longhorn bull to stop the stampeding herd before it overran the family farm when she was twelve, after which she tamed him by humming her song to him. She decided to name him "Tater" on account of potatoes being his favorite vegetable. She also invented "Barbara's Wire" while building a pen for all those stampeded Longhorns: she found that "little twisty pattern seemed to make the baby laugh"... She captures a gang of cattle rustlers... She lassos a cloud to make it rain... She calms a pair of tornadoes with her song... All this and still a girl!

Thunder Rose is a cute story, and I really like the illustrations. The author's note at the front of the book gives a little explanation on what was behind the writing of this tall tale: an old desire to add to American folklore and wanting to share "a little-known part of American history" of how many freed slaves went West, how "these bold, brave and adventurous spirits heroically took the opportunity to set themselves down in those wide-open spaces to live free."

Thunder Rose is also a 2004 Coretta Scott King Honor Book for illustrator Kadir Nelson. "The Coretta Scott King Awards are presented annually by the American Library Association to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create outstanding books for children and young adults."

Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto

I had to order Mark Levin's new book, Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, from online. When I stopped by the local Barnes & Noble the day after it was released, it was already sold out, which was a little surprising, given Austin's liberal reputation. I started reading it shortly after it arrived in the mail. However, I've had a bit of a crazy schedule, so I didn't get to finish it until the trip back from the 2009 Milblog Conference this past Sunday.

I cannot more highly recommend this book. What Levin has to say is too important for me to try to paraphrase here. All I will do is say that he gives a history of Conservatism, and also of what is more correctly labeled Statism, and the threat that the growing trend toward Statism poses to the freedoms and liberties the Founding Fathers set forth at this nation's beginning. He does this through what really is a series of essays:

On Liberty and Tyranny
On Prudence and Progress
On Faith and the Founding
On the Constitution
On Federalism
On the Free Market
On the Welfare State
On Enviro-Statism
On Immigration
On Self-Preservation

He closes with a guideline for what Conservatives need to do to stop the slide towards Statism, to preserve the free country we have always believed the United States of America to be: A Conservative Manifesto.

So, if you are worried about the path the government is on, and want to know what we - what I believe has been The Silent Majority - can do to prevent further erosion of the Rights of the Individual in favor of the Power of the State, you need to read this book, and get as many others as you can to read this book. Conservatives, who have until now mostly been content to mind our own business and take care of ourselves and our families, need to break that mold and become more engaged with how our governments - federal, state and local - are being run.

The Princess and the Castle

The Princess and the Castle, written and illustrated by Caroline Binch, is a little different than the other children's books I've picked up. The first thing you'll notice in reading it is that it doesn't sound "American". It was originally published in Great Britain. As such, in addition to the "sound" of the book, you'll also see the English spellings of some words. If you're sharing this book with a child old enough to notice the differences, it will be a "teachable moment" about how, although we share a common language with Great Britain, there are some differences, as well.

Genevieve lives with her mum and baby brother in a seaside town, but she "hated the sea." Her father was lost at sea while he was out on his fishing boat. Her mother used to cry a lot, along with the baby.

She likes to pretend that she is a princess and that her father is a king and he lived in the castle on an island out in the bay, "waiting for her to come home." She doesn't go with her friends when they go to the beach to play in the sand. She prefers to stay home and play at being a princess, riding her horse, or being kissed by a prince.

One sunny morning Genevieve watched a small boat enter the harbour. A tall dark man lowered the red sails.

"Ah, here comes the Red Knight," she told her court.

Some days later Mum introduced Jack and Genevieve to her new friend, Cedric.

"Hello, you must be Genevieve," said a deep voice. It was the giant, the Red Knight from the boat. Genevieve gasped in fright and fled to her room.

Mum talked a lot about Cedric after that, but Genevieve refused to meet him again, even though Mum got upset.

Genevieve thought Cedric was a "scary giant" who would catch her, or maybe Mum. However, Genevieve began to notice a change in her: she was happier "and hardly ever got cross. Genevieve knew that after she went to bed, Cedric came to visit Mum. She became familiar with the gentle music from Cedric's guitar flowing up the stairs."

Eventually, Genevieve warmed up to Cedric. He would go places with Mum, Jack and Genevieve. Genevieve was even coaxed into going down near with water while sitting up on Cedric's shoulders. They played on the beach, but she got scared when the tide came up to their sandcastle. But, she eventually found the courage to get in the water and play.

Genevieve didn't want Cedric to go out in his boat. She was very afraid something would happen to him. Mum tried to reassure her that he would be okay.

So when Cedric said one day, "How would you like to visit the castle, little princess? We could sail across the bay," Genevieve was struck dumb. It was a terrifying idea. Yet she hated the thought of being left behind. All her stories were set in the castle.

She had to go.

They all went on Cedric's boat, sailed across the bay and went all over the castle, and they also had their own feast while looking back across the bay, seeing their house instead of the usual view she had of the castle.

"I'm a really happy princess now," smiled Genevieve. "We are in the castle with our own king," and she gave Cedric a great big hug.

I could see this story being helpful in helping a small child (this book is recommended for ages 4 to 8), who has lost a parent - for whatever reason - in learning to deal with the changes that come with that unfortunate fact of life. Also, it is an example of facing fears and overcoming them.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

Sadly, too many sports stars today are not proper role models for young people. Fortunately, there are still some that can be held up as good examples. One of those sports stars is Michael Jordan.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, written by Deloris Jordan (Michael's mother) with Roslyn M. Jordan (Michael's sister) and illustrated by Kadir Nelson tells the story of a young Michael. It is recommended for children age 4 to 8.

"Michael loved to play basketball." He likes to go with his older brothers in hopes of getting to play on their team if one of the regular guys wasn't able to play. But, Michael had a hard time against the bigger boys on the other team, especially Mark, who would taunt Michael about not being tall enough. Mark blocked the ball when Michael attempted to pass it to one of his brothers.

Michael blames himself for losing the game and apologizes to his brothers: "If I were taller that wouldn't have happened." His brothers tell him he played well, and to not worry about it. However, Michael is still bother by it. His mother talks to him, and he asks how he can become taller:

Now, Mama knew the answer to a lot of questions, but this was a tough one. She thought for a moment as she sprinkled salt and pepper on the chicken she was making for dinner. Then she smiled, looked at Michael, and said, "Salt."

"Salt?" Michael looked at his mama.

"Salt in your shoes. We'll put salt in your shoes and say a prayer every night. Before you know it, you'll be taller!" she replied.

"Salt in my shoes?" Michael said quietly to himself. Surely Mama was teasing. He sat staring out of the window trying to figure out how salt was going to help him grow.

He noticed the rose bushes outside in Mama's garden. They had grown high along the fence, and roses of all colors were blooming on the vines. He thought to himself, I remember when Mama first planted those bushes. Michael's face lit up. If Mama knows how to make those rose bushes grow taller, then maybe she's right. Maybe salt in my shoes really will help me grow.

He wanted to know how long it would take. Mama tells him to be patient and to say his prayers every night. He asks what his prayers have to do with it. "Everything."

Michael wanted to be taller before going to play basketball again, but he took that time to practice. But, after 2 months, he discovered he wasn't any taller. Mama asks Daddy to go talk to him:

"Michael, why do you want to be taller?" Daddy asked.

"If I were taller I'd be a great player, and I could help our team win," Michael answered.

"But you are a great player, son. And you already have everything it takes to be a winner, right in here." Daddy tapped Michael on his chest. "Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are things that make you a real winner."

Michael decides to go to the park to play. The game had already started, but he got his chance when one of the players on his team got hurt. Michael volunteers to score the one point they'll need to win the game.

Mark was there, and he was again giving Michael a hard time, but Michael didn't let it bother him this time. The game continues, and Michael gets past Mark and makes the winning basket!

After that day, Mama stopped putting salt in Michael's shoes, but Michael didn't stop being patient and working hard and praying.

I just think this is a wonderful story. It is a portrait of a real American family who has a deep faith in God, and it teaches a good lesson: be patient, but also work hard and practice!

Don't Mess with Texas Tea Party - Austin

I made myself unavailable to substitute teach today because I wanted to attend the Tea Party at Austin City Hall. I've never done anything like this before - attending a protest of any kind - and I wasn't sure what kind of gathering it might be, given the liberal tendencies of the city in which I live. Let's just say, it turned out very well. I'll only be posting a few pictures for now, but when I have time, I'll write more, off the notes I took. I got there early (parking garage ticket said 10:17am, and the event was scheduled to begin at 11:30). They announced that the police department estimated attendance was 1500, and when that announcement was made it was said to be a "conservative" estimate!



Uncle Sam was passing out these:



Mine now hangs from my rearview mirror...

Some kids were there, too:





Some people displayed flags with historic significance:

From the Texas Revolution:
"Come and Take It"



The 1824 flag



From the American Revolution:
The Gadsden flag: "Don't Tread on Me"



The Betsy Ross flag



The MC today was a bricklayer from Odessa, "Jason the Mason":



There were all kinds of signs, as well:













There was lots of Red, White & Blue being worn. I even wore the t-shirt I got last summer that I couldn't wear until recently, and someone was passing out buttons:



Everyone was very well behaved, I didn't see anything that could be considered "trouble". The crowd got a little loud and raucous at times, but that is only to be expected. More later when I have the time...

They did say there would be another event later today, at 4:30, at the State Capitol Building, but I've got someplace else I have to be: work...

Help a Soldiers' Angel give the gift of time to her returning soldier

Forwarded to me via email:

A Soldiers Angel has planned a special gift for her Soldiers homecoming. She needs help in voting for him. See below:

My name is Roselle Portin and I am a friend of Lorraine Blacklock.

I have a favor to ask of you. Your consideration of this would be greatly appreciated.

I am a member of Soldiers Angels. My family and I have been blessed to receive Kxxxx Xxxxxxxxx as our adopted soldier. Through the program we write to him, send care packages and keep him in our thoughts and prayers every day. He has a family in NY that he will be returning home to soon.

I wanted to do something very special for Xxxxx upon his return. In order to do this I entered a contest to win a family dude ranch vacation in Idaho. The kids went door to door, we asked our church family for help, we asked everyone at school, everyone we came into contact with throughout the day and all our friends and family for help. We were winning.

Now we are not. My family will cover air fare for the Family but we cannot afford the ranch if we don't win it.

I was wondering if you had a network of people that would be willing to help me out in this. It is VERY easy to vote. No personal info is required and it only takes a minute.

Here's how it works.
1. go to www.redhorsemountainranch.com
2. click on 'win a family dude ranch vacation' under Guest Story Contest
3. click on Roselle Portin and VOTE.
The contest ends April 15th.

I know it's a big favor. I just wanted a really special way to send a very big 'thank you' to Xxxx and his family (he is not aware of this). If you could help I would be so thankful.

Please let me know what you decide.

Thanks for your time and all you do,
Roselle Portin

I've voted. Currently, Roselle is 313 votes behind the story with the most votes (currently in the lead with 827 votes). Please help. It will, indeed, only take a minute...

Updated:

The code was supposed to embed the poll, but it's doing the results, instead: Looks like they fixed it...



Results:

Website Polls Powered By MicroPoll

Road 2 Recovery Texas Challenge

I wanted to posted this the week it happened, but I've been a little busy: working for a paycheck and working on job hunt stuff (it is the season where schools start the search for any new staff they'll need for next school year...). I'm forcing myself to get it done before another day goes by!

Monday, March 30th, began the Road 2 Recovery Don't Mess With Texas Challenge, starting at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, and ending at The Ballpark in Arlington. Unlike the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride that took place about two-and-a-half weeks earlier, the cyclists ride the entire route, instead of riding a course one place, then traveling to a new city for the next route.

The Don't Mess With Texas Challenge was nearly 350 miles, and was chronicled over at Big Hollywood:
Day 1: BAMC to San Marcos
Day 2: San Marcos to Austin
Day 3: Austin to Fort Hood
Day 4: Fort Hood to Waco
Day 5: Waco to Cleburne
Day 6: Cleburne to Arlington

My part of the story starts with my acquaintance with Jason Denny. I came to "know" Jason via email after I posted about attending the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour event here in Austin in March 2008, but I did not meet him until he invited me to attend last month's dinner held at American Legion Post 76, where he currently serves as Historian. Jason also invited me to come to the dinner the post was hosting for the R2R riders on March 31st. I was very glad I was able to take him up on the invitation.

I got there a little early, both to miss rush hour traffic, and to help out with anything that still needed doing. A lot of the setup had already been done, so there wasn't too much they needed me to do at that point. I did meet some of the ladies from the American Legion Auxiliary, and also Jason's aunt, who I learned is a Gold Star Mother. In talking to the ladies from the Auxiliary, I learned that one of the riders was an actor with the last name Baldwin: Adam Baldwin. I didn't recognize the name, and I never saw a face I "recognized" with all the people who showed up with the riders. I saw Nathan Hunt, who I had chatted with briefly after the Soldier Ride event earlier that month.

Nathan was one of several riders in wheelchairs. While the Post building itself can't completely accommodate wheelchairs (the building dates to 1858 and is a state historic landmark), the event, thanks to the lovely weather, was taking place on the front lawn. Tables and chairs had been set up in front of a stage area, and there was also a buffet table set up with all the food that had been provided by several of the local American Legion posts. I'm pretty comfortable around people in wheelchairs: I grew up with a grandmother who has been in a wheelchair since long before I was born as the result of contracting polio in the 1950s. But, I also know that, depending on where you are, getting around in a wheelchair isn't always easy, and trying to carry things (such as plates of food or open cups full of a drink) and also propel a non-motorized chair around can be kinda difficult. So, I directed the guys in the wheelchairs down to a spot where they could more easily transition from the walkway in front of the Post building onto the lawn, moved some of the folding chairs out of the way at the table they selected, and then I offered to do a beverage run.

A cover band, APD Under Cover, entertained everyone. I thought they were pretty good! There was also some "ceremony": local dignitaries, and the fire department presenting one of the riders with the flag they had flown over the ride route earlier in the day. All the American Legion posts put on a pretty good spread. There was barbecue sausage and brisket, burgers, plenty of sides, water, soft drinks, tea, and even some beer, and a cake. General Cheek, the commander over all the Army's Warrior Transition Units, was in attendance, and he would be joining them for the ride to Fort Hood the next morning.

I also meet the family of LCPL Nicholas S. Perez. His mother arrived first. When I learned who she was, I informed her that I had substituted at the school named in honor of her son. LCPL Perez's father and sister (who had also served in the Marine Corps) also attended the dinner, as well as his nephew, who is named after his uncle. I told Nicholas' mother I really liked the display case with the uniform and photos. LCPL Perez's parents seem to be active at the school, but I'm not quite sure in what capacity. Part of the time I was speaking with LCPL Perez's mother, Jason's aunt was there. Listening to how they have a school named for their son, and also how another Gold Star family in the area has a post office named for their Fallen Warrior, and how 1LT Kile West now has the field house at his high school alma mater named for him, Jason's aunt would like to see about having something named in honor of her son.

I did chat a little bit with some of the riders. One of the guys at the table I'd served earlier was wearing a Red Sox ballcap. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask if he was looking forward to opening day. We talked about baseball a little bit, me sharing about going to the minor league games up in Round Rock. I met the president of Save A Vet, an organization whose goal is to help vets who are dealing with PTSD, but with an alternative approach from what is typical of current treatments that rely heavily on medication. I also met a woman who is also a veteran, but is now with the VA Vet Center here in Austin. As the event was winding down, I was chatting with her on the front porch of the post , and a man in a t-shirt and ballcap walked up, thanked us, and gave us both a big hug before departing. Only later, after I saw one of Jason's photo's on facebook, did I realize that man was Adam Baldwin. I got a big hug from a celebrity! I was watching Independence Day last night after getting home from the Express game, and I recognized Adam as Major Mitchell ;-)

Overall, it was a lovely evening. Everyone involved in organizing the event can be proud of themselves, and it was an honor to be able to be there and help out, even just a little.

My Kingdom for a Horse: An Anthology of Poems about Horses

Back when I was in summer school, working on my M.Ed., I would find myself up in Round Rock with some time to kill before the gates opened at the Diamond, so I would sometimes stop in at the Hastings up there. They happened to have a shelf in the children's book department full of used books. One of the ones I picked up that summer was My Kingdom for a Horse: An Anthology of Poems about Horses (recommended for ages 8 to 12 years old), edited by Betty Ann Schwartz and illustrated by Alix Berenzy.

I've had a love of horses since I was a little girl. Always wanted to go on the pony rides whenever we went to a fair or fest or some such. Got to get on one of the Army's horses from the equestrian unit out of Fort Hood when they came to Fort Bliss for some sort of exhibition when I was in junior high. Went on a couple of trail rides in my 20s, and I was finally able to really learn how to ride when I lived in Austin in the early 90s, taking adult beginner hunter/jumper lessons at Switch Willow Stables in Northwest Austin. I still like horsey books and art (yes, I read The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Sparks, and saw the movie, which was a decent adaptation, but not for kiddos...). So, it was only natural that I would be drawn to a book of poems about horse that were accompanied by lovely illustrations in charcoal and pastels...

Poems included range from those by famous poets - Robert Frost and William Shakespeare - to those adapted from Native American songs, to those composed by names otherwise unknown to me. As with any poetry, not all of the pieces struck my fancy, but I liked the majority of them, with a few really striking a cord:

Early One Morning on Featherbed Lane
by Jack Prelutsky

Early one morning on Featherbed Lane,
I saw a white horse with a strawberry mane,
I jumped on his back just as fast as I could,
and we galloped away to the green willow wood.

We galloped all morning with never a stop,
where mockingbirds whistle and ladybugs hop,
we drank from a stream where the water runs free,
and we slept in the shade of a green willow tree.

In the Beauty Parlor
by April Halprin Wayland
(accompanied by a charcoal drawing of a little girl with her toy horse, seen peeking out from behind her mother's skirt, which is draped down from the beautician's chair...)

I am sitting under the chair
the haircutting lady is trimming Mom's hair.
My horse is asking, "Is there any more?"
grazing in the curls upon the floor.

The Policeman's Horse
by Betty Ann Schwartz

Standing tall
Gentle and brave
A marvel of poise
Despite the city's incessant noise

Do I dare approach
And touch his nose?

Any Soldier Raffle

I was just checking up on Any Soldier's website, and I see they have a raffle on that ends on Memorial Day, May 25th. There are some very nice items up for raffle, and not many raffle tickets have been sold to date (anywhere from 3 to 95 tickets, as of this writing, depending on the item). Any Soldier does excellent work and is a worthy cause, so please go check out the raffle items and see if there is something you like. All items are $5 per chance to win.

From the Dayton Daily News: Local couple helps back Iraq war film

After actually seeing Brothers At War on Friday, I signed up as a fan on my facebook account.  This morning, I received notification of a story about an average couple in Ohio who helped bring this movie into being when "big money" backers weren't forthcoming:

"We thought it was important to tell a soldier's story in an apolitical way," said Glen Shilland, an Air Force major stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The family now lives in Beavercreek, but Shilland was a bombardier in Afghanistan when Yiotula heard about the movie while visiting Decatur.

"I thought this would be a good use of my combat pay," said Glen Shilland, 37. "This was a way to get our story out."

I would like to offer a word of thanks to the Shillands and all the other small donors who helped Jake Rademacher tell this story.

The project has raised more than $50,000 for veterans' groups and has been seen, free of charge, by thousands of service members and their families.

"They say 'it's not just a film about you and your family, it's a film about me and my family,'" Rademacher said.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

I didn't actually read From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler myself when I was a kid. The book, by E. L. Konigsburg, was read by my sixth grade teacher (one of my favorite teachers, who I am glad to say I still keep in touch with, more that a quarter of a century later) to the class (it is recommended for 8 to 12 year olds). I rediscovered this classic Newbery Award winner from 1968 while working on my M.Ed. The copy I purchased is a 35th anniversary edition with an afterword from the author.

For those of you unfamiliar with this book, it tells the story of Claudia Kincaid. She is nearly twelve, "the oldest child and the only girl and was subject to a lot of injustice". So, she decides to run away. However, in order to be successful, she has chosen her younger brother, Jamie, to go along with her. They live in Greenwich. They will go to New York City; the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be their hideout.

While in the Museum, they come across a beautiful marble statue of an angel. There is a mystery surrounding it: was it really carved by Michelangelo? The Museum acquired it at auction, and it had previously belong to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler... Claudia and Jamie set out to solve the mystery...

Do Claudia & Jamie get found out? Claudia didn't plan on being gone forever; she just wanted to send a message to her parents. Can they discover the true origins of the Angel on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? If you share this book with today's children, you could also have an interesting discussion about how things have changed since 1968. Claudia and Jamie don't have video games, cell phone or cable TV. Also, could a Claudia and Jamie do something like this today?

Brothers At War

Last night, I had the opportunity to drive down to San Antonio for a screening of the new documentary Brothers At War. I thank Soldiers' Angels for the treat. I had to decide whether to see the movie in Killeen or San Antonio. The theater in San Antonio was about 10 miles closer, plus I didn't have to drive across Austin during rush hour traffic, and I got to see Jim & Gerry Riley from Soldiers' Angels again. I had meet them three or four years ago when I volunteered to help out at a golf tournament benefiting wounded warriors that was held at a country club out in Boerne.

There were 4 screenings yesterday. I chose the one at 7:30. I was substitute teaching, so I couldn't go to either of the afternoon screenings, and since I had to drive back to Austin after the movie, the 10:15 screening was out of the question. I called Jim when I got to the theater about 7 o'clock, and he met me at the box office. Entering the auditorium in which Brothers At War was showing, there were already a lot of people there. The Santikos is one of the theaters where you can order a meal to eat while you watch your movie. Jim had already laid claim to the seats in the last row at the back, so I sat in the next row up. Since I'd grabbed something to eat after school, all I ordered was some popcorn and a bottle of water. Jim, being the outgoing person that he is, spoke up and asked who in the audience was Active Duty. After a number of people raised their hands, Jim told the waitstaff to get them all popcorn and soda. Jim also informed me that, although the link from the Brothers At War website indicated the movie was only showing on the 27th, it is actually showing at the Santikos Bijou at Crossroads (in the Crossroads Mall inside Loop 410 and I-10) through Thursday, April 2nd. So, just because the showtimes only list one date, check to see how many days it is actually showing, if it is coming to your area (it's in Killeen through Thursday, as well).

The auditorium was nicely filled. I was glad to see that. I'm really bad at guessing numbers, but I'd say it was at least75% full - a respectable showing, I thought, for a movie that hasn't been highly publicized outside certain circles. I went into this movie not knowing anyone who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan outside of the friends I've made on the internet, the vast majority of whom I have never meet in person. I don't know what it's like to have someone close to me in a combat zone. And, I certainly can't say I know what it's like to actually be in a combat zone.

In this movie, we meet the Rademacher family. Jake, the oldest son, is a filmmaker. Two of his brothers, Isaac and Joe, are in the Army. Isaac is a West Point grad and a Captain with the 82nd Airborne. Joe, a sniper, is a sergeant, and is also assigned to the 82nd Airborne. Isaac and Joe had both served in Iraq. Growing up, Jake had wanted to go to West Point and be a soldier, but couldn't get accepted. Now, he wanted to understand what it was his brothers did and why. Since he'd become a filmmaker, he arranged to embed with combat units, embedding with Isaac's unit for a time, and also with a sniper team, in addition to spending some time with Marines mentoring an Iraqi Army unit. He documented that experience in Iraq, as well as what it is like for those left behind: their parents, the other siblings, and the wife and girlfriend.

I was able to watch this movie with a bit of detachment, since I wasn't watching something I've had to personally confront: having a family member go off to war. What Jake documents while with the Iraqi Army unit - coming under ambush - demonstrates some of what our troops experience and see - to include a brief glimpse at the damage modern weapons can do to the human body.

In addition to talking to his family, Jake also speaks with the soldiers and Marines he comes into contact with. A soldier who lost a friend, but wasn't ready to talk about it. Soldiers talking about the mail they get from people back home. He talks with the soldiers during their down-time on a surveillance mission near the Syrian border. There is no politics to this movie. Just those who serve, in their own words, expressing why they do what they do, and what they think about when they are deployed; just the thoughts of the Rademacher family back on the home front, explaining what it is like for them to have a son, husband/fiance or brother in a combat zones.

All in all, I highly recommend this film. If it is coming to your area, please make the effort to go see it. If you are in the San Antonio area, and would like to see it this week, email me (address on the sidebar), and I can put you in touch with someone who might be able to help out with getting you in to see the movie. This movie needs to be seen at those theaters in which is it already scheduled to screen. It needs to do well now in order to have a chance of being shown more widely around the country. This is a film more Americans need to be given the opportunity to see.

Update 3/30/09:

I received a notice on facebook today that the movie will be opening in additional cities this weekend:

Osio Cinema in Monterey, CA
Cinemark Carefree Circle in Colorado Springs, CO
Regal Augusta Exchange in Augusta, GA
Cinemark Tinseltown 17 in Shreveport, LA
Carmike 16 in El Paso, TX

Patrick the Somnambulist

One of my classmates, from when I was working on my M.Ed., published a children's picture book last year. Sarah Ackerley wrote and illustrated Patrick the Somnambulist, which is recommended for children 4 to 8 years old. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend any of her book signings, but I did find an autographed copy in-store.

Patrick is a penguin, "a pretty normal penguin. He ate normal food. He played normal games, and had plenty of normal friends. But sometimes, just sometimes, Patrick would wake up, in the middle of the night... and find himself in a not-so-normal situation."

Patrick's parents thought his behavior strange, and they eventually decided to take him to see a doctor. After lots of questions, the doctor announced that Patrick was a somnambulist...

Now, this is just a fancy work for sleepwalker, but Patrick thought it was pretty cool all the same. "I'm Patrick the Somnambulist!" he declared.

After this, Patrick's parents were more understanding of his unusual behavior.

And, amazingly, with his newfound confidence in being...
"Patrick the Somnambulist,"
Patrick began to do some very remarkable things in his sleep.

He became rich and famous, and when asked about what made him successful, he would say "It's all in a good night's sleep."

Patrick's is a bit of a silly story: it is common for him to wear a plunger on his head when he sleepwalks, and his sleepwalking accomplishments are wildly unrealistic, but that's what makes it entertaining. And, for any child who might also be or know a somnambulist (it's an issue I've never had to deal with), it can let them know that it's nothing to be ashamed of...

Don't Eat The Bluebonnets

I saw my first bluebonnets of the season on Sunday on my way out to the mall. This year is unlikely to be a bumper cropped, since we have been experiencing drought conditions (recent rains notwithstanding...).

Anyhow, I thought it was time to share a book I found last year called Don't Eat The Bluebonnets by Ellen Leventhan and Ellen Rothberg, and illustrated by Bill Megenhardt.

Sue Ellen isn't like the rest of the cows. She doesn't like to follow orders, especially when they come from Max, the Longhorn:

Every spring Max puts up a sign in Sue Ellen and Lisa Jean's favorite pasture.

The sign said: DON'T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS

"Humph," Sue Ellen said. "Max is not the boss of me. He can't tell me what to do." With that she hooked tails with Lisa Jean and they sashayed across the field.
"I can eat the bluebonnets if I want to," she snorted.
"The bluebonnets won't come back next spring if you eat them," Lisa Jean warned.
"But we eat the grass, and it comes back," Sue Ellen argued.
"That's true," replied Lisa Jean, "but bluebonnets are different. They won't come back."
Having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen wasn't totally convinced. The next day when Sue Ellen and Lisa Jean arrived at the south pasture, the bluebonnets were just starting to pop up. Sue Ellen's mouth watered.

Lisa Jean reminds Sue Ellen about not eating the bluebonnets. She's just looking at them. Don't eat the bluebonnets. She's just smelling them. Don't eat the bluebonnets. She's just licking them.

She tells Lisa Jean that the water in the pond comes back each year, and so do the leaves on the trees. And, the birds come back, too.

By the end of the week the bluebonnets covered the pasture and Sue Ellen couldn't stop thinking about them.
...
...she charged into the south pasture and ate every single bluebonnet.

Max comes to Sue Ellen with a bag of bluebonnet seeds, saying someone ate all the bluebonnets. Sue Ellen isn't concerned. She's convinced they'll come back next year on their own. She doesn't believe Max when he tells her that sometimes, nature needs a little help.

Spring passes, then summer, fall and winter. Finally, it is springtime again. But, when they get to the south pasture, there are no bluebonnets. Max tells Sue Ellen that he doesn't need to put his sign up this year. All the other cows are unhappy with Sue Ellen.

She thinks she can fix it herself. She moves some bluebonnets from another pasture, but they wilt. She tried painting bluebonnets onto the bales of hay, but the other cows eat the hay. She tries making individual bluebonnets with her paints, and construction paper and scissors, but they washed away in a rain storm.

So, having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen decided to take charge. That night she went to the south pasture and planted a packet of Max's seeds she had found in the barn.

The next spring, she fixed up Max's sign and asked him to put it out in the south pasture, but he didn't because he didn't think the bluebonnets would be back. So, Sue Ellen took the sign herself.

It wasn't long before their favorite pasture was beautiful again. Having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen decided she could
...look at the bluebonnets
...smell the bluebonnets
...lick the bluebonnets...
but she could not eat the bluebonnets.

This picture book is great for using with any elementary school aged child. The little ones will like the story, and it can also be used as a teaching tool for the older ones. At the back of the book, there is information about those who helped bring us this book. In addition, there are "Authors' Notes" which includes:

Although there is no specific law protecting bluebonnets, everyone from schoolchildren to groundskeepers know the importance of preserving nature, so although you make look at the bluebonnets, sit among the bluebonnets, and even photograph the bluebonnets, please don't ever pick the bluebonnets.
While cows can eat bluebonnets without harm, they can sometimes be toxic to other animals including humans.

There is a lesson about being environmentally responsible: just a simple lesson about caring for a natural resource, without getting into issues such as global warming or, as is more commonly heard these days, "climate change". It can be used in a lesson about the life cycle of plants: why didn't the bluebonnets grow back after Sue Ellen ate them all? It can also be used in illustrating cause and effect. What happens after Sue Ellen eats all the bluebonnets? What happens are Sue Ellen plants the bluebonnet seeds?

Although this book might be hard to find (Barnes & Noble seems to carry it as a new item online, but Amazon.com appears to only have used copies available), I recommend this book. I love the illustrations, and it's just a cute story ;-)

"The Way We Get By"

About three and a half weeks ago, I learned of The Way We Get By while listening to the weekly YouServed BlogTalkRadio show. It was mentioned that the film would be making its World Premier at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin.

I checked the screening schedule and found out when and where it would screen. There would be a screening on March 15, March 16 and March 19. I preference was to attend the Monday screening at noon. Then, I emailed an old friend of mine that I was aware had some knowledge of how the film fest worked.

With my changing work schedule, I was able to have today off, and I called the theater last night to see when I might be able to purchase a ticket. Tickets go on sale 15 minutes before the screenings, but people who have purchased a badge for SXSW have first priority. My pockets aren't that deep, so I was going to have to take my chances.

I got to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar about 11:40am. I had a good feeling when I didn't see a big line waiting to get in. I parked my car and walked up to the front doors. I approached a couple of people who were holding the door open, asking if I could purchase a ticket for The Way We Get By. She pointed me inside to a lady behind the counter. I paid my $10 and was directed where to go.

Alamo Drafthouse is one of those rare movie theaters where they serve food and drinks to the patrons. Since I hadn't had any breakfast and neglected to grab one of my protein bars before heading out the door, I perused the menu for something to tide me over until the end of the movie, wrote down my order, and a waitress came to pick it up.

Then, the movie started. The Way We Get By is a documentary. It follows three retired persons who also happen to act as Troop Greeters at the airport in Bangor, Maine. Bangor is the main pass-through point for troops headed to and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. No matter what time of day or night, no matter the weather, there is a group of people out there to greet the deplaning troops, offering handshakes, hugs, free cellphone usage and snacks.

Bill Knight is a widower World War II veteran. Joan Gaudet is a widowed mother of eight grown children (one of her sons, Aron, is the director of this film), grandmother of many, and even great-grandmother to a few. Jerry Mundy, "not as lean, not as mean, but still a Marine", is also dealing with what aging brings. He is alone now, having lost his son many years ago, quite unexpectedly, at the age of 10. These three people find purpose in greeting our troops.

This film is very powerful. It will make you laugh out loud. It will make you cry. It will make you think: if given the opportunity, would I make myself available, on short notice, at any time of night or day, to drop everything to go do what they do? It will make you think: what kind of legacy will I leave behind? have I made a difference in anyone's life?


The Way We Get By - Trailer from The Way We Get By on Vimeo.

The Way We Get By is entered in the Documentary Feature Competition at SXSW. The award ceremony is to take place Tuesday, March 17 at 8pm. Good luck to Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly, Dan Ferrigan and the rest of the crew in this competition.

Aron, Gita and Dan participated in a Q&A after the screening today. Since much of what they shared was follow-up on what has happened since the filming ended, and even after the project was completed, I won't spoil the film by sharing. They did say, however, that they were focusing on screenings at film festivals, and were looking to have screenings at US military bases, and to have it broadcast on PBS in November, along with releasing a DVD, around Veterans Day. I did approach them at the end of the Q&A to let them know I'd heard about the movie through YouServed. Gita said she loves the t-shirt she got from CJ ;-)

If you have an opportunity to see this film, I would highly recommend it.

Update:

The Way We Get By did win an award. If I am deciphering the announcement page correctly, for Feature Film Jury Awards, in the Documentary Feature category, it was recognized with a Special Jury Award. I can't find anything that explains exactly what that means, but not all of the documentaries were recognized (it appears there were two other awards for documentaries). Very cool, and congratulations to Aron, Gita and crew!

Soldier Ride 2009 - Texas

I had recently been "introduced" to Toby Nunn by CJ, since Toby calls the Austin area his home-base. Earlier this week, I found out Toby was actually back in town, and that he would be participating in the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride here in Texas. The first leg of that was to be here in Austin Thursday morning. As it turned out, I was able to take the time to go downtown to Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop, a local sponsor of the ride, and finally meet Toby in person, chat with him, and witness the "opening ceremony" and start of the ride.

Unfortunately for Toby and the rest of the riders, the weather turned cold and wet on Wednesday. I had to be up and out of the house early on Wednesday, and we had reached our high of 72 before 8am, and the temperatures were on the way down. I was up late Wednesday night and heard a particularly heavy line of rain storms come through, sounding as if someone was pouring buckets of water from the rooftop. All I could think of was the weather the riders would have to deal with in the morning, with secondary thought going to how I would attire myself to keep warm, and if necessary, dry.

Thursday morning, on my way to Mellow Johnny's, the local radio weather report said it was about 42 degrees, which was about 20 degrees cooler than normal for us for this time of year. Traffic was slow-moving on the wet city streets.

I found Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop easy enough, but it took a few trips around the block before I was able to locate a spot to park. There's a reason I dislike having to go anywhere in downtown Austin - most parking is pay parking. However, after my decision to turn into an alley, I spotted a back entrance to parking exclusively for Mellow Johnny's, and, low and behold, there was one empty space, so I took it.

I got there a little after 9am, which was the time indicated for the ride preparations to begin. I went inside Mellow Johnny's, found someone that looked like they were in some position of authority with Soldier Ride and asked if he knew where I might find Toby. The gentleman asked what he looked like, but not having seen him except for pictures on the internet, I wasn't really able to describe him, and he said he'd met about 100 people the night before. He asked someone who was decked out in cycling gear if he knew where Toby Nunn was, that I was looking for him. He asked around and found out that he was changing into his cold weather gear for the ride.

I wasn't leaving, so I waited around until I saw a guy in a Voodoo 7 sweatshirt, so I made the guess that was who I wanted to meet, so when he came up the stairs outside the bike shop, I decided to approach him: Toby? Yup. We chatted, and he also introduced me to one of the riders, Anthony Mulheron, a Wounded Warrior Marine veteran and the assistant ride coordinator the assistant ride coordinator in Corpus Christi. We were sort of at the back of the pack of the riders that would be heading out. I snapped a picture of Toby and told him I'd email it to him. Since I took it with my digital camera, I was able to let him see it (and decide it was acceptable). I was still standing back with Toby and Anthony when it was time for the National Anthem:


Standing in the back, the riders on the recumbant cycles weren't really visible, so I wished Toby & Anthony luck on their ride and excused myself to get around to the front side of the group.


From my new location, I heard some of the dignitaries speak: someone from the Travis County Sheriff's Department, a Colonel (but I didn't catch which unit he's with, and he was wearing his winter parka, so no unit insignia was visible), and Mrs. Dallas, Courtney Bobb-Meilinger, whose cousin was killed in Iraq.

While it was still cold (I was very glad I had my gloves), it was not raining when the ride got underway:









I had planned on sticking around while the ride was going on. I grabbed my book and my purse out of the car and went inside the bike shop to get something hot to drink at the little coffee bar inside and sat down at one of the table. I noticed that Mrs. Dallas was also in the coffee bar, at a table by the outside window. When the table next to mine cleared out, she changed tables. We eventually started up a conversation. Courtney regretted that she had decided not to participate in the ride itself, and said she would like to do it next year. Also, she is very much interested in using her position as Mrs. Dallas to try to bring more attention to troop support organizations. She was, of course, aware of The Wounded Warrior Project, but I also shared with her about Soldiers' Angels. When the riders returned, I introduced her to Toby, Anthony and some of the other riders. I shared with them her interest in trying to bring troop support projects to the Dallas area, and one of the gentleman (not sure if he was a vet) was from that area, and gave her his card.

I stepped inside for a bit, and when I came back outside, Courtney was chatting with one of the Wounded Warriors, Nathan Hunt. I joined in on the conversation. Small talk about his kids going to school, the kinds of things people would send in care packages, just normal kind of stuff. Nathan may have lost both legs in service to his country, but he's still just a guy with a wife and kids. From the little bit I listened to what he had to say, I don't think he is letting his injuries define who he is. The rest of us could learn so much from men like him, who are overcoming tremendous challenges to live fulfilling lives. He, and the rest of the riders with physical challenges did something this past weekend that I, as an ablebodied person, is currently unable to do.

The Soldier Ride continued in San Antonio Friday morning, starting at the Center for the Intrepid, right next door to Brooke Army Medical Center, and concluded on Saturday in Corpus Christi, starting out at Whatburger Field (home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, and owned by Ryan-Sanders Baseball, who has always been good about recognizing those who server our nation). From what Toby has told me, the weather just got worse each day. Looking at the picture from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, that ride took place in a cold rain... Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate any coverage from the San Antonio ride.

Local Austin coverage:

News 8 Austin interview with Major Dave Underwood
Transcript of News 8 Austin interview with Major Dave Underwood
Austin360.com Fit City coverage by Pamela LeBlanc (who participated in the ride)

Local Corpus Christi coverage:

Corpus Christi Caller-Times: Bike ride benefits injured troops (3/11/09)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times: Riders do bike tour of duty for wounded vets (3/14/09)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times: Soldier Ride photo gallery (3/14/09)