Memorial Day 2010 - Let's Not Forget or We Will Regret...

The Old Veteran

  

The old veteran listened, not saying a word,

You could tell he did not like a thing he had heard.

He had just asked some children what grades they were in,

And, upon learning, asked, “How does each day begin?”

He was stunned by their answers, their innocent tone,

But he furrowed his brow, and let out a small groan.

If the Pledge of Allegiance is not said at all,

Can the next generation hear Liberty’s call?

If saluting the flag is not being allowed,

How can they be expected to grow and be proud?

If our children are not shown a patriot’s guide,

How can they be a party to American pride?

The old veteran stood, and his eyes were ablaze;

For this wasn’t about him, or he seeking praise.

We have let our political guidelines destroy

These American tenets we used to enjoy.

We’re America! Founded in Freedom’s broad reach.

That is value unmeasured, a mandate to teach.

There are three generations from my time to now,

That will know what I’m saying, and echo my vow.

Let our pride in American values run deep;

We have Freedoms to safeguard, and Honor to keep!

© Richard Williams 2010

A Chicago Summer Ritual

I have started forcing myself to get off of the 43rd floor and out of the chrome and glass box that I now call home for 8 hours a day and do some things that make me smile.

Walking around beautiful Chicago and taking pictures with my Snippets' camera are two of them.

My timing was perfect today...

sailboats on the Chicago River, some tied up to the Civic Opera House, waiting for the drawbridge in the background to be raised as they slowly make their way out to Lake Michigan for the start of the boating season.

lake pirates could cause high treason

"I know exactly how you feel!"

Heather of Hedyblog responded when I told her that I am so overwhelmed in my new position at the big, corporate law firm, that my creative mind has left for places unknown.

That was good to hear from the friend that encouraged me to start blogging several years ago.

Heck, if Heather, who usually writes like nobody's business, is having a creative brain freeze, then Susan Snippets should certainly cut herself some slack.

but do not worry i will be back

rat a tat tat

"So is Matt looking at apartments?"

I asked Phillip, who was helping me make Chocolate Polk-A-Dots for a client one night last week.

He stopped mid-rolling of a cookie and looked at me with THAT look on his face, not uttering a word.

"What did I say now?" I inquired of my only son, who at 22 years-old, will be leaving NONE TOO SOON for a prestigious art school in Milwaukee,Wisconsin and has his friend and soon-to-be roommate, looking at apartments for them to rent.

He finally said...

"His name is MatH...not MatT!"

Well then...

You and MatH obviously need to get your apartment in Milwaukee sooner than later!

at this point he is a mom hater

"Did it have a tomato in it?"

Lauren, one of the two "hostesses" in our office, asked.

"Yes." I worriedly replied.

"I am SO SORRY!" Lauren distraughtly said "But the tomato had gotten squished and it was leaking, so I thought the whole thing was old and I threw it away."

She went on to apologize again for throwing out my just-brought-in-that-morning bag of food and offered to buy me lunch.

I let her know that paying for my lunch was not necessary and to have no worries.

I then walked over to the kitchen's garbage can and glanced in...

it was already three-quarter's full...

and the contents that I could see were not pretty...

some dead flowers,

a couple of coffee pots worth of grounds,

empty drinking cups, and

soiled paper towels.

But wait...way at the bottom, could it be?

Yes it could!

I spotted part of my fancy-schmancy Wal-Mart "lunch" bag.

I looked around to see if the coast was clear...

and then with my right hand wrapped in a wad of paper towels, I reached way down into the garbage can, past all of the nasty stuff and retrieved MY lunch!

There was NO WAY I was going to allow my-got-up-early-to-grill chicken breast, my last-night-took-the-time-to-boil eggs and the fresh-from-the-store's-produce-dept. strawberries, all of which were separately wrapped, go to waste.

As soon as I got out what I needed...

I threw the bag, along with the squished tomato and its juice, back into the garbage can and happily went to my new corporate desk and ate my lunch.

munch munch munch

My Mother's Day Six.....

At first it was subtle and I was unsure, but in these past few years, it has been glaring and undeniable...


 it is her image looking at me whenever I look in the mirror. 


When I was a child she was soooo incredibly old. 


I think back and recognize that when I married – she was a whopping 40.


When I became a mother for the first time, she was 49 and in my mind she still seemed old. 


But now that I am 49, my mom is suddenly looking pretty good for her age and I am not just talking about that image in my mirror. 


I love you my young, attractive Mother and I hope you enjoy today!


let’s play

"So have we been asked to resign yet?"

I sent to Bruce via text message while taking the late train home tonight.

After the once a month gathering to have a beer or a glass of wine at the new corporate law firm.

It is so unlike the firm we have been with for the past 20 years...

it has been exhausting and exciting all wrapped up together.

I have to "dress up" and I am finding that refreshing.

It makes me feel all "growned up" and fancy.

There are many rules and forms to fill out.

And corporate fun things...

like "Club 43" once a month that we had today...

where I might have vocalized a couple of things that weren't "corporately appropriate"...

hence the text to Bruce.

His response...

"I have not been asked to resign!"

To which I texted back...."Whatever!"

They will learn that you cannot let Susan drink on an empty tummy!

next time more food yummy yummy

"What are you WEARING?"

Bruce asked as I walked into his 43rd floor office this morning.

Worried that I had put on too much perfume before leaving the house hours earlier, I said...

 "What?

 My perfume?"

"No. You are wearing a BLOUSE!  You NEVER wear a blouse!" he stated.

And he is correct.

I think in the 20 years that we have worked together I might have, maybe once worn a blouse.

Some women are blouse people, some are not.

Me, I fell into the latter group...

that was until today.

A beautiful Banana Republic no-iron blouse felt good on.

And I was told by quite a few people that it looked good too.

i might even get another blouse or two

Yes, I am still here!

Although a little ragged, sore and mentally drained.

I miss writing.

I miss being creative.

I miss all of you.

I recognize that for right now, I must concentrate on learning the ropes at my new job, thus using up my daily allotment of brain cells between 8 and 4:30.

Leaving me at the end of the day able to drive home and complete only menial tasks around the house.

I just successfully ironed a blouse...

Yahoo!

love to you