Hello Everyone,
I know what you’re thinking. All that hoopla about my SHORT TAKES micro-blog…then nothing. Two lousy posts. In my defense I have been preparing for a big family trip to Normandy. Last year was the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and May 8th was the 80th Anniversary of V-E Day, the end of war in Europe. Of course, this August 15th marks the end of war with Japan even if the formal signing took place on September 2, 1945.
My father was part of 47th Armored Infantry Battalion with the 5th Armored Division that fought under Omar Bradley of the 1st Army and George Patton of the 3rd Army. His outfit was the first to cross the Sigfried Line and the closest to Berlin when it was decided to allow the Russians to take Berlin. We will be traversing much of his journey from Base camp through the end of World War ll. We will also be going to Paris and Berlin. I have been putting together a brochure of his involvement in the war and that is why I have not released and new blog post in a while. I am sorry about that.
Not that you’re holding your breath but here are a few you might enjoy, beginning with a picture of my father’s outfit taken in 1943. Note the nicknames. Take care. I will be back in early June.
ME= My father.
“KIELBASA” by the way is Polish sausage.
He got the name “Oz” from his filing cabinet. At first, he had trouble coming up with a name for the land Dorothy visits. Then one day he found himself looking at the filing cabinet in his study. There were three drawers marked “A to G,” “H to N,” and “O to Z.” And so Oz was born….Snopes verified.
Baum was a frequent guest at the hotel and had written several of the Oz books there. In a 1903 interview with The Publishers’ Weekly, Baum said that the name “Oz” came from his file cabinet labeled “O–Z”. Some critics have suggested that Baum’s Oz may have been inspired by Australia
I am not a fan of the term “Progressive”, when used to describe a person, their political affiliation or the wing of a party.
It’s okay to use when referring to gradual increases, the Insurance Company, or the soup. Wait, never mind, that’s Progresso. Otherwise, I find it pretentious, even arrogant, with a hint of condescension. It implies a moral superiority over those “less enlightened”. “Forward thinkers”, “ahead of the curve”, more advanced.
Who are the rest of us? Dolts? Knuckle draggers, with small ideas? Mere obstacles in the path of those in the know? The chosen ones that see the light. We on the other hand are content, living in the dark ages.
I’m just sayin. It bugs me.
Labeling individuals *Progressive creates an “us vs them” mentality. We as Progressive are virtuous. You are outdated or regressive.
To be clear, I am taking exception to the term “Progressive”, not the individuals, their ideas or political positions. I support many of the liberal ideals that have helped make us the greatest nation on Earth. But as with other popular phrases like G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all time), please, really? It’s boastful and alienating.
Thanks for listening,
Your Enlightened Visionary
Paul
JOKES
Here are a few jokes I saved over the years. I thought they were funny then and I believe they have stood the test of time, unless of course they haven’t.
I left my home in the small Western New York city of Batavia in March 1977 vowing never to shovel snow again. Never say never. Settling for 38 years in what was for me the "promised land" of Santa Barbara, California. I married, helped raise a family, started a business, traveled and live a wonderful life. We spent the last 10 years of our west coast journey in the small, quiet, picturesque town of Ojai. My oldest friends call me TJ.
My wife Deborah and I moved to Colorado in 2015 to be near our daughter, her husband and 2 growing grand-boys. Add 2 bulldogs (French & English) to the mix and our hands and hearts are full. We all reside in Niwot, a small quaint town 15 minutes north of Boulder. The mighty Rocky Mountains are at our doorstep.
I am a man, son, brother, cousin, friend, husband, father, uncle, grand father, in-law and mostly retired Coloradan. You can read more about me on the About Page. If you are curious about my professional life you can visit my Career at Venture Horizon.
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