Sunday, September 11, 2005
Song of the day:
There's beauty in release
There's no one left to please
But you and me o I don't blame you for quitting
I know you really try
If only you could hang on through the night
I don't want to be lonely
I don't want to be scared
All our friends are waiting there
Until you're safe and sound
Until you're safe and sound
Feel like I could've held on
Feel like I could've let go
Feel like I could've helped you
Feel like I could've changed you
Feel like I could've held you
Feel like I could've hurt you
Feel like I was a stranger
Feel like I was an angel
Feel like I was a hero
Feel like I was a zero
Feel like I could have changed you
Feel like I could have healed you
Feel like I could have saved you
Feel like I should've heard you
Feel like I could have moved you
Feel like I could have changed you
Feel like I could have healed you
Feel like I should've told you
Feel like I could have loved you
Feel like I could have loved you
Feel like I could have loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I could've saved you
Feel like I could've saved you
Feel like I could've saved you.
Sheryl Crow-Safe and Sound
This day in history:
In 1789, Alexander Hamilton was appointed the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
In 1814, an American fleet scored a decisive victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812.
In 1936, President Roosevelt dedicated Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam) by pressing a key in Washington to signal the startup of the dam's first hydroelectric generator in Nevada.
In 1944, President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met in Canada at the second Quebec Conference.
In 1971, former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev died at age 77.
In 1972, the troubled Munich Summer Olympics ended.
In 1973, Chilean President Salvador Allende (ah-YEN'-day) died in a violent military coup.
In 1974, an Eastern Airlines DC9 crashed during a landing attempt in Charlotte, N.C., killing 71 of the people on board.
In 1985, Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds cracked career hit number 4,192 off Eric Show of the San Diego Padres, eclipsing the record held by Ty Cobb.
In 1985, a U.S. satellite glided through the tail of the Giacobini-Zinner comet in the first-ever on-the-spot sampling of a comet.
A 4 year old girl climbs onto an airplane for what may very well be her very first plane ride. More than likely, its the first one she can remember with any clarity. Everything is new and exciting and terrifying all at the same time. She helped to pack her own suitcase, and insisted on carrying it herself once at the airport. Not more than 20 steps from the car, she turns to look at her mother to ask her to carry the bag for her. Her mother chuckles and picks up the bag, even though she is already weighed down with her own purse, carry-on bag, and a trailing rolling suitcase. Having disposed of her burden, the little girl skips along ahead,a nd mom struggles to keep up. It's a big airport, after all, and she dare not lose sight of her. The life of a parent is constantly filled with worry about what unseen dangers might lurk around the next corner. She doesn't want to yell at her daughter for simply being a child, and she certainly doesn't want her little girl to know WHY she needs to stay close...how do you tell a 4 year old of dangers that MIGHT be? So she calls out to her, carefully mixing stern overtones with a playfully sweet undertone to her voice for her daughter to stay close. She's a parent of 4 years. I guarantee you that she knows how to do this.
Once they are standing in line, our little traveler once again claims responsibility for her own luggage, wanting to check it in herself. She talks about looking forward to having a snack on the plane as she had been told about, and looking out the window, and "Mommy I'm hungry now". A bag of fruit snacks later, she is back to playing with the imaginary characters in her mind, or dancing with her bag that has wheels on it, keeping herself busy while waiting her turn. More than once she bangs the bag into the back of the ankles in front of her.
The businessman chooses to ignore it, for he could never get mad at such a cute little kid that reminds him of his own daughter, now starting up her sophomore year at NYU. Each time, mom has her apologize, but he never takes offense. Gods, was his daughter ever so young? Of course she was. Because she is still that young in his heart, no matter what his other senses may tell him.
Finally it is her turn. She isn't shy as some children might be. NO, she walks up matter of factly, and struggles to lift her bag onto the weighing station. The ticket manager at the counter says Hello, but our little traveler is much to engrossed in accomplishing her task to register that someone is talking to her. So mom starts checking in. Once all of the bags are checked in, the little girl tells the ticket manager all about her trip, and how there will be fruit and breakfast on the plane, and how she gets to look out the window. The ticket manager shows just the right amount of entusiasm at each proclomation, having been through it with many other kids before. Not that she minds, of course. It's her favorite part of her job really. It certainly beats the kids who are dreading the moment, terrified and clutching tightly to mom or dad's neck or waist, or throwing a fit on the cold marble floor, their screams reverberating through the airport commons. Or worse, the upset and sometimes drunk older versions who REALLY know how to throw a fit.
ONce fully checked in, she gives a quick wave to the entire ticket counter, takes her mother's hand, and proceeds to through the security checkpoint. Arriving at the gate, they sit down. Mom produces a coloring book and a brand new box of crayons for our little princess to pass the time. In what seems like ages for Mom, but no time at all for the diminutive world traveler, itis time for them to board. (Parents with choldren can board first to get settled more quickly, you know. )
They head down the walkway to the plane. Mom feels her child's grip grow tighter...real trepidation has set in. She isn't so sure of herself, and she slows more than once upon seeing the plane. But bless her soul, she doesn't actually stop. Real bravery is found within the hearts of scared children. And she won't let hers get in the way of her long-anticipated trip on a real airplane! And besides, her mommy is right there with her.
They settle into their seats, and put on their seatbelts. the stewardses quickly bring a cup of orange juice pre-flight, a bag of peanuts, and her own set of wings to pin on her shirt. The flight attendants have been through this once or twice before as well, apparently. She has mommy pin it right in the middle of her chest, so there isn't any doubt about her importance on the plane. Why, without her and her new pin, just how did anyone ever expect to get ANYWHERE on a plane? Mom again breaks out the coloring book, and they talk about what is going to happen. "The plane is going to make some funny noises, but it's all normal,and it's going to be ok", mommy says. Sure enough, the pilots try out the flaps and hse hears the engines roar and fade. Soon the entire plane is filled with people, but nobody she knows. NObody matters but Mommy anyway, but still, it wouldn't hurt to have at least 1 other person there she knew. It'd be nice to have Teddy with, but he was back home guarding the house, and making sure the cats didn't climb on her bed.
Then they started moving. Mommy talked to her, and was really excited. Maybe mommy was a little scared too. She wasn't normally this excited. Mommy told her that it would move slow at first, but then go faster and faster, and then they would lean back, and be gently pushed in their seats, and then they would be up in the air. Sure enough, that's what happened. And why shouldn't it? Mommy had said it would happen.
ONce they were in the air, our little travelling mascot calmed down quite a bit. She could happily color, or drink orange juice, or watch the neat tv that they had on the plane.
They had been in the air for sometime when for some reason there was alot of commotion. A bunch of men went rushing by towards the front of the airplane. there was alot of yelling and screaming. Mommy looked worried, and noone knew what was going on. Her little heart started beating fater, and grew insize until it threatened to climb into her throat. Men were yelling, and she didn't undertand. Alot of people were afraid. Mommy was holding her close now, and she had a hard time breathing.Between her own screams, mommy tried to tell her things were going to be ok. Our little girl didn't realize until then that she had been screaming too. And crying. And now mommy was crying. The men said it was going to be ok, but she didn't believe them. Mommy held her hand. Shoot, mommy held every part of her, trying to protect her from...something. NOthing. Mommy looked out hte window, and saw so many buildings...so very close. Mommy wouldn't stop saying "I love you." Our little girl just knew she didn't want to fly anymore.
Juliana Valentine McCourt was 4 years old 4 years ago. She and her mother died on flight 175 when it crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. The story above is one from my own nightmares. I don't know this girl, and yet I do. Because it could easily have been my own Anna. Or my own Restory. Or Bailey. The scene unfolded above is purely one of fiction, and is utterly incompetant to capture the horror for a parent faced with not only their own mortality, but with that of their child. And absolutely powerless to do anything about it. Did they try to explain it? Did they know what was about to happen? As they sat in the chairs next to each other... the mind races with questions that have no answers. The frustration and anguish at the void of where those answers should be only lead to more questions. And why? WHY? For god's sake, why bring your religious war to the children?
I picture my own children in that role. I picture myself there too. I'm no Todd Beamer. I'm not a Jeremy Glick, or Tom Burnett. Put in that situation, would I rise up to fight back to try to save my children? Or would I let others do so, so that I could be there in those last moments with my children? Either it is selfish to save that for them and for myself, or it is protecting them until the very last moment. What do you tell your children who are about to die, and whom you cannot protect?
And then I think about those who would do this. And all of that pain and anguish stokes the fires within, and that within me rises an anger and hate that would cause darkness itself to quiver, and the Devil's lips to tremble in fright. My spirit would celebrate at everynick or cut or bruise you would recieve. At any point that you suffered, my sould would dance. The more pain and torment you would feel, my own feelings of joy would increase ten-thousand fold. I would curse and spit upon any turn of good luck you were able to achieve, and hope that it was only to set you up for an even greater fall, to which depths noone could suspect. I would wish upon you the death of all those you cared for, so that your heart never again feels happiness, or joy. Only the pain that you brought upon my children and myself.
You are my sunshine.
My only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
Today's Birthdays:
Actress Kristy McNichol is 43.
Actress Virginia Madsen is 42.
Singer Harry Connick Jr. is 38.
Rock musician Jon Buckland (Coldplay) is 28.
Shakespeare quote of the day:
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
NFL picks coming.
I don't have the break downs yet, so in case I can't get to a computer in time tomorrow, here's the winners that I pick:
Houston over Buffalo
Cincinnati over Cleveland
Kansas City over the Jets
Miami Dolphins over Denver
Minnesota over Tampa Bay
Titans over Pittsburgh
Seahawks over Jacksonville
Green Bay over Detroit
Giants over the Arizona Cardinals
San Diego over Dallas
St Louis over San Fransisco
Indianapolis over Baltimore
Washington over Chicago
Philadelpphia over Atlanta on Monday night.
There's beauty in release
There's no one left to please
But you and me o I don't blame you for quitting
I know you really try
If only you could hang on through the night
I don't want to be lonely
I don't want to be scared
All our friends are waiting there
Until you're safe and sound
Until you're safe and sound
Feel like I could've held on
Feel like I could've let go
Feel like I could've helped you
Feel like I could've changed you
Feel like I could've held you
Feel like I could've hurt you
Feel like I was a stranger
Feel like I was an angel
Feel like I was a hero
Feel like I was a zero
Feel like I could have changed you
Feel like I could have healed you
Feel like I could have saved you
Feel like I should've heard you
Feel like I could have moved you
Feel like I could have changed you
Feel like I could have healed you
Feel like I should've told you
Feel like I could have loved you
Feel like I could have loved you
Feel like I could have loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I really loved you
Feel like I could've saved you
Feel like I could've saved you
Feel like I could've saved you.
Sheryl Crow-Safe and Sound
This day in history:
In 1789, Alexander Hamilton was appointed the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
In 1814, an American fleet scored a decisive victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812.
In 1936, President Roosevelt dedicated Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam) by pressing a key in Washington to signal the startup of the dam's first hydroelectric generator in Nevada.
In 1944, President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met in Canada at the second Quebec Conference.
In 1971, former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev died at age 77.
In 1972, the troubled Munich Summer Olympics ended.
In 1973, Chilean President Salvador Allende (ah-YEN'-day) died in a violent military coup.
In 1974, an Eastern Airlines DC9 crashed during a landing attempt in Charlotte, N.C., killing 71 of the people on board.
In 1985, Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds cracked career hit number 4,192 off Eric Show of the San Diego Padres, eclipsing the record held by Ty Cobb.
In 1985, a U.S. satellite glided through the tail of the Giacobini-Zinner comet in the first-ever on-the-spot sampling of a comet.
A 4 year old girl climbs onto an airplane for what may very well be her very first plane ride. More than likely, its the first one she can remember with any clarity. Everything is new and exciting and terrifying all at the same time. She helped to pack her own suitcase, and insisted on carrying it herself once at the airport. Not more than 20 steps from the car, she turns to look at her mother to ask her to carry the bag for her. Her mother chuckles and picks up the bag, even though she is already weighed down with her own purse, carry-on bag, and a trailing rolling suitcase. Having disposed of her burden, the little girl skips along ahead,a nd mom struggles to keep up. It's a big airport, after all, and she dare not lose sight of her. The life of a parent is constantly filled with worry about what unseen dangers might lurk around the next corner. She doesn't want to yell at her daughter for simply being a child, and she certainly doesn't want her little girl to know WHY she needs to stay close...how do you tell a 4 year old of dangers that MIGHT be? So she calls out to her, carefully mixing stern overtones with a playfully sweet undertone to her voice for her daughter to stay close. She's a parent of 4 years. I guarantee you that she knows how to do this.
Once they are standing in line, our little traveler once again claims responsibility for her own luggage, wanting to check it in herself. She talks about looking forward to having a snack on the plane as she had been told about, and looking out the window, and "Mommy I'm hungry now". A bag of fruit snacks later, she is back to playing with the imaginary characters in her mind, or dancing with her bag that has wheels on it, keeping herself busy while waiting her turn. More than once she bangs the bag into the back of the ankles in front of her.
The businessman chooses to ignore it, for he could never get mad at such a cute little kid that reminds him of his own daughter, now starting up her sophomore year at NYU. Each time, mom has her apologize, but he never takes offense. Gods, was his daughter ever so young? Of course she was. Because she is still that young in his heart, no matter what his other senses may tell him.
Finally it is her turn. She isn't shy as some children might be. NO, she walks up matter of factly, and struggles to lift her bag onto the weighing station. The ticket manager at the counter says Hello, but our little traveler is much to engrossed in accomplishing her task to register that someone is talking to her. So mom starts checking in. Once all of the bags are checked in, the little girl tells the ticket manager all about her trip, and how there will be fruit and breakfast on the plane, and how she gets to look out the window. The ticket manager shows just the right amount of entusiasm at each proclomation, having been through it with many other kids before. Not that she minds, of course. It's her favorite part of her job really. It certainly beats the kids who are dreading the moment, terrified and clutching tightly to mom or dad's neck or waist, or throwing a fit on the cold marble floor, their screams reverberating through the airport commons. Or worse, the upset and sometimes drunk older versions who REALLY know how to throw a fit.
ONce fully checked in, she gives a quick wave to the entire ticket counter, takes her mother's hand, and proceeds to through the security checkpoint. Arriving at the gate, they sit down. Mom produces a coloring book and a brand new box of crayons for our little princess to pass the time. In what seems like ages for Mom, but no time at all for the diminutive world traveler, itis time for them to board. (Parents with choldren can board first to get settled more quickly, you know. )
They head down the walkway to the plane. Mom feels her child's grip grow tighter...real trepidation has set in. She isn't so sure of herself, and she slows more than once upon seeing the plane. But bless her soul, she doesn't actually stop. Real bravery is found within the hearts of scared children. And she won't let hers get in the way of her long-anticipated trip on a real airplane! And besides, her mommy is right there with her.
They settle into their seats, and put on their seatbelts. the stewardses quickly bring a cup of orange juice pre-flight, a bag of peanuts, and her own set of wings to pin on her shirt. The flight attendants have been through this once or twice before as well, apparently. She has mommy pin it right in the middle of her chest, so there isn't any doubt about her importance on the plane. Why, without her and her new pin, just how did anyone ever expect to get ANYWHERE on a plane? Mom again breaks out the coloring book, and they talk about what is going to happen. "The plane is going to make some funny noises, but it's all normal,and it's going to be ok", mommy says. Sure enough, the pilots try out the flaps and hse hears the engines roar and fade. Soon the entire plane is filled with people, but nobody she knows. NObody matters but Mommy anyway, but still, it wouldn't hurt to have at least 1 other person there she knew. It'd be nice to have Teddy with, but he was back home guarding the house, and making sure the cats didn't climb on her bed.
Then they started moving. Mommy talked to her, and was really excited. Maybe mommy was a little scared too. She wasn't normally this excited. Mommy told her that it would move slow at first, but then go faster and faster, and then they would lean back, and be gently pushed in their seats, and then they would be up in the air. Sure enough, that's what happened. And why shouldn't it? Mommy had said it would happen.
ONce they were in the air, our little travelling mascot calmed down quite a bit. She could happily color, or drink orange juice, or watch the neat tv that they had on the plane.
They had been in the air for sometime when for some reason there was alot of commotion. A bunch of men went rushing by towards the front of the airplane. there was alot of yelling and screaming. Mommy looked worried, and noone knew what was going on. Her little heart started beating fater, and grew insize until it threatened to climb into her throat. Men were yelling, and she didn't undertand. Alot of people were afraid. Mommy was holding her close now, and she had a hard time breathing.Between her own screams, mommy tried to tell her things were going to be ok. Our little girl didn't realize until then that she had been screaming too. And crying. And now mommy was crying. The men said it was going to be ok, but she didn't believe them. Mommy held her hand. Shoot, mommy held every part of her, trying to protect her from...something. NOthing. Mommy looked out hte window, and saw so many buildings...so very close. Mommy wouldn't stop saying "I love you." Our little girl just knew she didn't want to fly anymore.
Juliana Valentine McCourt was 4 years old 4 years ago. She and her mother died on flight 175 when it crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. The story above is one from my own nightmares. I don't know this girl, and yet I do. Because it could easily have been my own Anna. Or my own Restory. Or Bailey. The scene unfolded above is purely one of fiction, and is utterly incompetant to capture the horror for a parent faced with not only their own mortality, but with that of their child. And absolutely powerless to do anything about it. Did they try to explain it? Did they know what was about to happen? As they sat in the chairs next to each other... the mind races with questions that have no answers. The frustration and anguish at the void of where those answers should be only lead to more questions. And why? WHY? For god's sake, why bring your religious war to the children?
I picture my own children in that role. I picture myself there too. I'm no Todd Beamer. I'm not a Jeremy Glick, or Tom Burnett. Put in that situation, would I rise up to fight back to try to save my children? Or would I let others do so, so that I could be there in those last moments with my children? Either it is selfish to save that for them and for myself, or it is protecting them until the very last moment. What do you tell your children who are about to die, and whom you cannot protect?
And then I think about those who would do this. And all of that pain and anguish stokes the fires within, and that within me rises an anger and hate that would cause darkness itself to quiver, and the Devil's lips to tremble in fright. My spirit would celebrate at everynick or cut or bruise you would recieve. At any point that you suffered, my sould would dance. The more pain and torment you would feel, my own feelings of joy would increase ten-thousand fold. I would curse and spit upon any turn of good luck you were able to achieve, and hope that it was only to set you up for an even greater fall, to which depths noone could suspect. I would wish upon you the death of all those you cared for, so that your heart never again feels happiness, or joy. Only the pain that you brought upon my children and myself.
You are my sunshine.
My only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
Today's Birthdays:
Actress Kristy McNichol is 43.
Actress Virginia Madsen is 42.
Singer Harry Connick Jr. is 38.
Rock musician Jon Buckland (Coldplay) is 28.
Shakespeare quote of the day:
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
NFL picks coming.
I don't have the break downs yet, so in case I can't get to a computer in time tomorrow, here's the winners that I pick:
Houston over Buffalo
Cincinnati over Cleveland
Kansas City over the Jets
Miami Dolphins over Denver
Minnesota over Tampa Bay
Titans over Pittsburgh
Seahawks over Jacksonville
Green Bay over Detroit
Giants over the Arizona Cardinals
San Diego over Dallas
St Louis over San Fransisco
Indianapolis over Baltimore
Washington over Chicago
Philadelpphia over Atlanta on Monday night.
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