Category Archives: Historical

Monday Gets Patriotic

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Today is the observance of Veterans Day.  A day to show honor and respect and appreciation for those who have served in the armed forces protecting our good ole     US of A!!!  Veterans Day also marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)

We are lucky to live in a country with so many freedoms and so many choices.  On the heels of the presidential election, it seems even more pronounced in its symbolism of freedom.  Some may not be happy with the current presidential candidate…but you did have the freedom to vote and make your own personal choice.

 Monday Gets Patriotic

Happy Veterans Day, Dear Neighbors

There are ways to remind others to be proud of their American homeland.  My little walkway of flags was a small showing of that.  I just wanted to give a subtle reminder for us to stop to think how lucky we are to have a flag that represents such amazing possibilities of what we are able to aspire to be.  Each and every one of us can decide what goals we want to meet and then have a plethora of opportunities to make all those dreams come true.

Sometimes we might feel we have not been given a fair deal (particularly, any Romney voters right now); but also with freedom we must learn compromise and understanding.  We can’t all have our own way at every possible moment.  What doesn’t seem fair to some becomes huge victories and opportunities to do good things for others.  The key is to stay united and find ways to work together for the good of all.  “Division of troops” is not good in the military forces and it’s not good in government….Period!!

I would like to also take a moment to honor the men and women who have given their lives in battle for this country.  I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose a family member while they are fighting on other lands to protect our freedom here.

God Bless America!

The United States seems to make great effort to build tributes to those that have lost their lives in combat; but it is such a small token for the huge price that is paid.

Vietnam Memorial Wall–Washington, D.C.

So today, take the time to thank those that you know that are serving our country now or have served in previous times.

Shake their hand, salute them or maybe just give them a big hug.

 Let them know that you are proud of them and appreciate their dedication and hard work.

Maybe knock on the door of a wife or mother that is struggling to fill the void of the loss of the head of their household while they are in some other country and who has been gone for months now.  Give them a little boost in their day…..they are also “serving” our country by their unselfish support of our troops.

Stand tall…Stand proud.

We are Americans and we are very lucky to live in this country.

Don’t take your freedoms lightly AND don’t abuse them either…..many Americans have

given their lives to keep us safe and free!  Show your honor and respect for them.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America!

You Matter America!

Smiles, Nancy….born in the USA

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Monday Gets Political—or Not

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There are so many things happening in our country that seem to tax one’s political side to the max.  The Presidential Election!  Wow!  There’s a lot to take into consideration.  It would be great if we had two really outstanding candidates; but unfortunately, it just seems we are voting for the lesser of two evils.  I know that just “raised the hair on the back of your neck” for some; but I just think everyone is trying to rationalize and stretch the positive points.

What happened to the truth in politics….or was that ever a possibility?   Why does everyone have to skirt the issues?  Why can’t they just ‘say it like it is’?!!

MONDAY GETS POLITICAL….or NOT

Don’t you think it would be wonderful to have someone stand up in front of the nation and say….”Hey, I’m not perfect and I don’t have all the answers, but I am going to try my very best to get the job done.  I’ve got a great team behind me and if I don’t know something, you can be assured my staff is going to work to find all the details to inform me about the issue so I can make the very best decision.”  And…then actually do that!!  Instead…they skirt the issues, lie when they feel it might slip by and rarely just say “I don’t know!”

There’s so much diversity in all areas in our country right now.  There are people who will fight to the end to honor and protect our country….and there are those who find it appropriate to picket a funeral of a family who have just lost a son or husband fighting for our nation.  There is complete destruction on the East Coast from Hurricane Sandy and then there are areas that seem almost immune to anything except blue skies and balmy breezes today.  Gas prices dropping by at least a dollar a gallon in California….and little gas available in New York/New Jersey.  But, everyone, no matter what their circumstances, is looking for some balance, some certainty, some kept promises…..some hope.  Wouldn’t it be great if tomorrow’s election provided that?!!

Some people that read this Blog aren’t from the United States.  I wonder what they think about all the debates that have gone on between the candidates.  I wonder if it seems very appropriate and common or rather sounds like a bunch of whining kids who are trying to get their way!!

I guess it could always be worse.  We could have no freedom, no choices, no right to vote.  We could be living in war zones and fearing for our lives every moment of the day.  I just think we sometimes take what we have for granted and some take advantage of the freedoms we are given.

So for this new reign of the elected officials of our country….whomever it might be….

I wish for some forward movement of resolving some of the issues of healthcare and national debt and unemployment and an overall struggling nation.

I wish for the citizens of this country to be able to feel they are being represented and supported by candidates who are sincere in their efforts and follow through on all their promises.

I wish the candidates that are elected are true to their word and can see the struggles of many and fight to make changes, so some of the suffering can end.

And….I wish for this Monday to indeed be the start of something new and exciting.  Wouldn’t it be nice to get back that American spirit and everyone be able to feel proud to be an American.  I think we have lost a little of that.

So remember to vote tomorrow

and choose your candidates wisely.

Let’s hope brighter days and good times are just around the corner.

Onward and Forward!

Smiles,  Nancy

Monday Gets Put on Trial

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The news has been exploding with some monumental legal cases ending with the verdicts of “Guilty”.  The victims in some of these cases are such innocent human beings and are subjected to such abuse by not only the crime itself, but by the media that drags every little detail into a sometimes very skewed exposure of what they believe to be the facts.

Sometimes innocent people are blamed and even punished for a crime that they didn’t even commit. They are “punished” over and over and made to feel they are the guilty ones.  I wish we could exercise our freedom of speech in a much more respectful and protective way.

I wonder how many people have been blamed for a wrong doing when they were, in fact, the victim?!!  We are sometimes quick to judge a situation without knowing all the facts or truly seeing the whole picture.  We create the “story” and fill in the details with hearsay evidence that makes perfect sense at the time.  What happened to our democratic rights that say we are innocent until proven guilty?

In fact, speaking of “Guilty”, how the heck did poor “Monday” get such a bad rep?!!  Years of persecution just because it is the first day of the week.   And is it really the guilty one or actually the victim?  I’d like to present its case to you today…..

Monday Gets Put on Trial.

Fact #1:  Monday’s story began around the 12th century and means Moon Day.  Greeks and Romans considered the Moon a God to worship.  So, nothing wrong with its beginnings….in fact, a sacred beginning that should deserve some respect on those grounds alone.

Fact #2:  Monday has become known as the first day of the week.  However, most calendars show the beginning of the week on either Saturday or Sunday.  So, in fact, Monday is actually the second or third day of the week.  Did someone forget how to count?  Monday is NOT number one.

Fact #3:  Monday is the first day of the work week.  That is a fact….but only for some people.  I know there are many businesses that are closed on Monday (probably out of respect for Monday), some work weekends and have Monday and Tuesday off and some people work seven days a week and it would be difficult to determine what is their “first” day of work.  So, true that it is the first day for some, it doesn’t apply to everyone; so think Monday shouldn’t bear the whole burden of being the ONLY first day of the work week.  Tuesday and Wednesday are witnesses that should accept some of the responsibility for their contribution and stop remaining silent.

Fact #4:  Blue Monday title comes from the 3rd Monday in January being known as the most depressing day of the year.  It is a time that we have those post-partum realization pains of Christmas excitement being over, the credit card bills start arriving with testaments to our holiday overspending and often the weather is pretty crummy in most parts of the country.  But even the mathematical formula that was created to prove this pseudoscience by Cliff Arnall falls short of proven this theory.  One of those crimes that made poor Monday suffer yet again as an innocent victim.

Fact #5:  Diet or exercise programs are often started on Monday.  We eat like a bunch of piglets and laz around on the weekend prior to our goal setting day and choose Monday to start our new plan…..probably because we are so sick from over-indulging that we have no other choice.  Someone, in this case Monday, has to step in and put the brakes on our out of control behavior.  Hero in my book.

So there you have it.  For centuries, Poor Monday has been an innocent victim of abuse.  Over and over, taking the punishment from many without ever getting some kind of break from its persecution.  Well, I’m here to protect the poor sweet thing.  I am a witness in its behalf who is standing up proud to align myself with what I think we should hail as a hero.

Headline reads:  Monday Gets Put on Trial….but found innocent of all charges!!

Here’s to you, Monday!!

You’re a brave individual and a good friend to me.

I will make you proud by trying to do my best to make Monday known as the best day of the week!  I will make a difference.

Do I have any followers out there?  Anyone want to join my crusade to “free” Monday from years of neglect and wrongdoing?

Let’s make a difference and turn a victim into a hero.

You Matter, Monday!

Smiles,

Nancy

Monday Gets Historical

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Have you realized that as you are cruising around during each day that you are passing buildings or trees or houses or structures that are filled with history…some are 50+ years old, some 100+ years old….some even more advanced in age.  Don’t you wish they could talk?  I decided to share with a few that I came across today.  They are all part of history and should be given the respect they deserve to have survived so long.

This sign indicates this road area was part of the Route 66 trail (now known as Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles).  Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway.  Next to the sign is an old neon sign that has its own history for the early 60s, a well-known donut stop in L.A.

Here’s the gates of the studio area that is today known as The Lot.  The studios were built in 1920 and in 1928 they were known as the Pickford-Fairbanks Studios where classics like The Thief of Bagdad and Robin Hood were filmed.  In 1933, Lucille Ball played a slave girl in her first movie, Roman Scandals.  Since that time it has had actors like Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier, Eddie Murphy, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and many others stroll thru these gates to create the Hollywood magic of movies, TV and sound recordings.  Sadly, a big section of this amazing walk in history is now just a pile of dirt as it makes room for space to build more technologically-updated space and creates a venue for the next generation of talent of Hollywood.

Can’t come to Hollywood without visiting the infamous Pink’s Hot Dogs.  A landmark on LaBrea since 1939 when it was just a large wheeled push cart and hot dogs sold for 10 cents.  It has changed a bit since the beginning days—hot dogs are now $3.45; but still in the same place and still draws crowds every day.  You can go by here at 10 in the morning or 10 at night and there is ALWAYS a line waiting to partake of their scrumptious hot dogs!

A favorite of mine is the old Charlie Chaplin Studios built around 1917 when the area was nothing but acres and acres of orange groves.  “The Little Tramp” kept his movie crew busy over the next two decades creating classics like Modern Times, City Lights and The Great Dictator.  Now, the lot is the home of another mark in history—Jim Henson Productions, which gave us the beloved Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the other Muppets.

What an amazing conglomerate of many interesting and groundbreaking moments in history.  As we look back, we wonder what life must have been like in this area in the early 1900s.  Hundreds of orange trees growing everywhere.  Some of the eucalyptus trees in this area look like they are even hundreds of years old.  Amazing times for sure!  Difficult times too! There are a lot of bungalows around these historical landmarks that were built by the studios to house the actors.  Some of the places have nice patios in the back that were once areas where they kept a few horses for the actors to ride to the studios.  How different in a town that now boasts it has more cars registered in the county than people.

It’s important to stop and appreciate these relics that are around us.  I’m sure you have your own historical places in the town where you live. We need to take care of these special places and show them the respect they deserve for withstanding many “battles” in their lifetime.

 So Monday Gets Historical.

Take time to appreciate the old structures and their beauty.

Many amazing craftsman’s art is being preserved for future generations to appreciate and experience.

Look at nature’s creations too that continue to reach to the sky.

Within walking distance, I am sure you can find many treasures.

So take a walk.  See the beauty.   Experience days gone by.  And along the way take time to remember your own history and the “good ole days”

Hope it’s a history-appreciation Monday for you.

Smiles,

Nancy