Tag: life

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Pass the Black Flag Please

blackflagMy grandmother, my mother’s mother, was known and addressed by all as Mama Carr.  She had a hardscrabble life.  She was born in the Ozark Mountains in 1897.  She later moved with her family to Indian Territory around Tom Joad country near what is now Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Later she would share crop with my grandfather near Warner, Oklahoma in an area lovingly known as Ignorant Ridge.

Along the way she had 11 children, 9 of whom made it to adulthood.  Her only son died in WWII becoming a well publicized war hero with his final actions.  All her daughters went on to live respectable lives.  Mama Carr was charitable, almost to a fault, but she did not tolerate slackards or drunkards.  She was a Pentecostal who for some reason never went to church, but she was a very religious woman.  She was kind in any number of ways, but she also had a temper and a bit of a mean streak. Continue reading “Pass the Black Flag Please”

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My Father, Ted Weinhaus

ted(This is the remembrance speech that Robin gave at her Father’s funeral.  I thought it amazing and beautiful)

I begin by starting with the end.  Dad died at 8 pm Sunday night. He spent his last day allowing his body to do what it had always done, keep him alive the magical way it could. His breathing was such a struggle and yet breath after breath he persevered. For days, our breath labored along with him, ourselves struggling with each breath.  In the end, the pneumonia won and we gentled our breath in gratefulness and surrender.

Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s many years ago.  He lived in a world where he could not express himself with his words and thoughts. We will never know what he thought.  But we did know that he had joy in his heart. He showed this daily to his caretakers at the nursing home. He showed his joy to most anyone who he could have eye contact with. Just last Wednesday, less than one week ago, he looked into my eyes, opened his mouth and laughed and smiled. He was filled with joy to see me. You could not help but wonder why he laughed and smiled but we all came to the same understanding that there was a shining, golden appreciative man inside.

I am grateful. I am grateful to have been taught by my father to love life and appreciate each and every moment of it. Even when life is tough and it Is not the way you want it to be, there is a lesson and a blessing to be learned. My father has been a great teacher to me. Continue reading “My Father, Ted Weinhaus”

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Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore_Roosevelt_Autobiography_1201Teddy Roosevelt has always been one of my favorite presidents.  Reading this book has just reinforced and increased that feeling.  How wonderful it would be to have such a man minus his 19th century sensibilities in our politics today.  Of course, it was probably those 19th century sensibilities that made him the man he was.

This book is first and foremost a politic document, but that does not distract from its value.  Mr. Roosevelt spends much time touting his accomplishments.   When he praises someone it is with multiple superlatives.  When he criticizes an individual it is with faint praise or kid gloves.

Born of wealthy parents Roosevelt could afford to pursue his interests without worrying about providing for the basic needs for his family.  He was an avid outdoorsman, spent time as a rancher out west, led the famous group of volunteers, The Rough Riders, in the Spanish-American War, served in multiple capacities of public life ranging from Police Commissioner of New York to President of the United States.

He was first and foremost an advocate of the people, but did not believe in tolerating freeloaders.  Continue reading “Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt”

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My Path to Atheism by Annie Besant

A more descriptive title for this book for today might be My Path from Christianity to a New Age Religion.pathatheism_1311

Ms. Besant had a well documented intellectual journey from evangelical Christianity to Victorian Atheism to Theosophy.  Quoting from Wikipedia defining theosophy:

“Theosophy refers to systems of esoteric philosophy concerning, or investigation seeking direct knowledge of, presumed mysteries of being and nature, particularly concerning the nature of divinity.

Theosophy is considered a part of the broader field of esotericism, referring to hidden knowledge or wisdom that offers the individual enlightenment and salvation. The theosophist seeks to understand the mysteries of the universe and the bonds that unite the universe, humanity, and the divine. The goal of theosophy is to explore the origin of divinity and humanity, and the world. From investigation of those topics, theosophists try to discover a coherent description of the purpose and origin of the universe.”

Reading her book I was never convinced she was an atheist in the modern sense of the word, a rejection of belief in deities.  What she was rejecting was Christianity, Continue reading “My Path to Atheism by Annie Besant”

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Annie Besant (her autobiography)

Annie_Besant_1301I had not heard of this woman before I stumbled across her autobiography on LibriVox.org.   I suppose that is a reflection of a lack of knowledge of the historical roots of the Labor movement and modern Atheism. The blurb associated with the book convinced me to try it.  I am glad I did.

While the book details her life, it is more a record of her intellectual journey from Christianity to Atheism to Theosophy.  The book ends as she is embracing Theosophy so the later part of life in India is not included.

To call Annie Besant complex is to but scratch the depth and passions of her nature. From an early education strong on Evangelical Christian principles she became one of the best know atheist of her era.

She fought for the poor and working classes in the end embracing Socialism.

She and Charles Bradlaugh published a pamphlet on birth control.  This was a hugely controversial thing to do in Victorian England.  She knew before they did it that it could have all sorts of implications to her life.  Continue reading “Annie Besant (her autobiography)”

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A quote from Theodore Roosevelt for our times

Theodore_Roosevelt-PachWe of the great modern democracies must strive unceasingly to make our several countries lands in which a poor man who works hard can live comfortably and honestly, and in which a rich man cannot live dishonestly nor in slothful avoidance of duty; and yet we must judge rich man and poor man alike by a standard which rests on conduct and not on caste, and we must frown with the same stern severity on the mean and vicious envy which hates and would plunder a man because he is well off and on the brutal and selfish arrogance which looks down on and exploits the man with whom life has gone hard.

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Almost Inspiring

We spent two days canoeing the Buffalo National River last weekend.  We camped overnight in a semi-wilderness hemmed-in_hollow_tweaked_webbetween the two days.  This river is absolutely beautiful place, if you ever get a chance to float it, you should jump at the opportunity.

While we were canoeing the first day we were lapped by two men.  The fellow in the back of the canoe had a prosthetic left arm that went almost to his shoulder.  I said lapped, what I really meant was that they blew by us.

We stopped later in the day to visit Hemmed-in Hollow waterfall.  It is advertised as the highest waterfalls between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains.   It was not flowing dramatically the day we were there, but seasonally probably it is quite impressive.

As Robin and I were sitting there admiring the fall and watching folks, our gentleman with the prosthetic arm came up.  He was with 3 companions, all in their thirties.  Many folks float rivers as a beer drinking exercise.  Such was the case with these four.  It was the one-arm gentleman’s 40th birthday, and the float trip was in honor of that.

The fellow with the mechanical arm recognized us from the river and came up and introduced himself as Tim S.  One of his companions was standing there also.  Tim wanted to know what we thought about a one- armed man canoeing.  I mentioned how I use to know a fellow with two prosthetic legs who was a pretty decent golfer.  His friend mentioned that Tim golfed also.

At that point Tim launched into the story of how he had lost his arm.  His friend wandered off, probably having heard the story multiple times.  Most of the rest of our group came up at this point just in time to hear Tim’s story. Tim works for a pyrotechnic company that travels around the country putting on firework shows.   There was an accident Continue reading “Almost Inspiring”