Bridges . . Scenic Wonder

HO scale model railroad. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like bridges. They show our creativity and skill in overcoming some of the most formidable and often beautiful natural landscapes. There are innumerable examples of this architecture around the world, from covered wooden bridges to large expansive highways over river and ocean waterways.

These obstacle crossing marvelous architectural structures are often inspiration for scale modelers as well. I include myself in that category because I collect model trains.

When I travel I find myself looking at and often taking pictures of bridges.

Mississippi bridge crossing from Missouri into Illinois – video

Crossing into Livingston county Kentucky.

Old wooden Tennessee Bridge

Vancouver – Columbia river bridge

Windsor – Eton bridge over Thames river

Lichfield Minster pool bridge

Chicago downtown river bridge

Rock City lovers leap foot bridge

We Do Not Sleep

Ella Wheeler Wilcox most enduring work was “Solitude”, which contains the lines: “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone”. Not this time. This time the world or at least most of those who have heard about the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut are weeping as well. This one hits home with a gut punch to everyone and most especially those who have children. It is unimaginable anyone could walk into a school and shoot small children as well as any faculty that got in the way. If this murderer wanted attention couldn’t there have been another way?

Despite all of the ongoing interviews, psychoanalysis and media pundits I don’t think any of us can understand how this could happen. Oh sure those so motivated to never let a serious crisis to go to waste are quick to advance the idea of additional gun control laws, as if by some series of well-intentioned law the bad people of the world will relinquish their desire and fulfillment of evil by the sudden further restriction of firearms. Advancing theories that the gun is the answer is about as workable as suggesting we only allow well-informed electorate the vote. I like the idea but it isn’t obtainable and my intentions to keep us from voting for incompetent people aren’t going to happen.

I’m reminded of my own children and grandchildren when I hear of these things. I can only begin to imagine the sorrow to those closest to these children, teachers and faculty. How unfathomable can it be to send or drop off your child in the morning only to find a few hours later your worst nightmare has become reality. I’m at a loss for words to express my heart-felt condolences to those tragically connected at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14th. I share this poem in my humble efforts.

Do not stand at my grave and weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there, I did not die.

– Mary Frye –

We Can Do Better!

In light of the recent events in the north and eastern portion of the US, I would like to make this simple supposition; we are all part of the human family. No one, absolutely no one, in spite of ethnicity, culture or history is excluded from this family. To be sure, we have some bad characters among us acting on impulse, emotion, anger, fear and depravity. They must be separated from those willing to abide by law for our protection and in some instances their rehabilitation.

Whether you believe in a religion, a cause or simply the product of successive evolution, we are all of the same unique family. If you prefer we can call it something as simple as the same species. Our unique life characteristics can only be found here on one planet as far as our telescopes and millions of miles of space probes can observe. Perhaps our motto or creed should address this one simple idea; save the human.

Look around you, do you see someone hurting, requires assistance, friendless, penniless, loveless? Well guess what? You can be that person of hope or blessing. To standby and wait around for an organization or government, military, elected official or for that matter, heavenly manifestation to help, is a lost opportunity. It’s an opportunity to forget your own pain and frustration, heal yourself and others you may come in contact. In many instances, you are the only one that can make a difference. Do what you can.

The core to any successful friendship, government, family or society is to be willing to compromise and understand their will be differences and examine the needs of the other group or individual. Failure to cooperate, understand and compromise where necessary demonstrates a lack of ideas. We may find ourselves at odds sometimes over philosophy, politics or personal possession. In the end, that should not matter.

If you are capable of friendship, love and concern and not a self gratifying, live as a self accumulating, egotistic individual, you are on the path to what it is to be human. Remember that next time when you see, talk or hear someone. They have needs, wisdom and worth as well.

Perhaps this comes across as altruistic hyperbole but I challenge you and I to think about these simple ideas and act as a responsible & committed member of the human family.

 

Con Ed power plant in NY – explosion during hurricane Sandy.

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Getting it Right

Recently I achieved another personal milestone when I became a Sexagenarian. This may be a lot simpler to some but for me the time it took was about the same as others. I didn’t have to study for it or pass any test other than not expiring.

During this period I learned to read and write only one language and perhaps that wasn’t to any great level. I attempted to learn another language foreign to my own but at the time, hardly no one was using it around me and now it’s the second language of the US. I did learn 6 different computer programming languages, 8 different operating systems and a whole lot of long forgotten applications tied to these operating systems.

I left home after volunteering for the Marine Corps and managed to convince a few people I was trainable and was allowed to mangle a stray computer bit or two while on 4 years of active duty. Each of those years resulted in a promotion which proves the axiom, you can fool some of the people some of the time. I did however rather unsuccessfully marry twice and father 4 children. Each of those wives were able to identify my severe character flaws and to a lesser extent, so have my children.

All of this leads me to summarizing a portion of what I’ve learned over these few decades; every person I’ve met or read about wants to be right. Some of these people assert with great conviction they are right to the exclusion of all others not in tacit agreement. No matter if their ideas are diametrically opposed to that of others, they are correct in their view of the world and how it should be managed.

Sometimes I’ve benefited by the years of wisdom some have accumulated where 3 people have 7 different opinions. I’ve found this strategy is very successful for a politician because they can be right among many.

Now after many years of learning strategies that don’t work and very few that do, I thought I should take a moment and share this wisdom of the ages with you.

Take this short quiz, then add up the number of times you have chosen answer A or B.

1 – Parents today know how to raise their kids better because:
A – You were wrong all those years in raising them & therefore your bad example has shown them the right way.
B – There are so many good books and courses available on the topic.

2 – You work out how to be married when:
A – Learn the woman is always right.
B – Can cook better than she can.

3 – You find satisfaction and meaning to life when:
A – Let things go and be flexible
B – Choose to follow a specific a theological theory or system

4 – When dealing with a bad manager or awful client you should:
A – flame them in every social media outlet you know.
B – take the high road and don’t retaliate, remove yourself when & where possible.

5 – When dealing with a difficult coworker you should:
A – confront them and insult them until they are a mass of quivering jelly.
B – take them out to lunch and kindly seek to resolve any conflict or difficulty.

6 – To understand how the federal government should handle the economy:
A – attend 6 or more years at a university and read & write papers on a variety of competing economic theories.
B – learn how to earn a living and balance your checkbook.

Here’s how to score your results from this brief test.

6 A’s – you are brilliant and need to start your own radio or TV talk show.

5 A’s – not bad there’s still a chance for you somewhere in the celebrity or entertainment field.

4 A’s – this is an awkward stage whereby you may require several hours of Oprah or Bill Maher remedial training.

3 A’s – at this point you need to at least earn a BA and attend several charity dinners to save an animal or plant of your choosing.

2 A’s – you need to go back to school and either become an actor or politician.

0 or 1 A – join millions of others who are fed up with current populist society and have decided to think for themselves.