Day 173 - Dec. 10
Listening to: Christmas music
Thought for the day: I am here to take a stand against this bill. ~Bernie Sanders

I’m struggling with the 365 today. I really don’t have a picture to represent what consumed a large part of my thoughts and I’m stretching a little with my photo.

This photo is one of my favorites in my DuPont archives. It was taken in the 1940s. Though there is humor in the protest by these women, I’m sure they were serious. In a day and time 20+ years before women’s lib exploded, women had to fight hard for equality. We still fight today, but it’s a cake walk compared to the 40s. I wish I could tell these ladies having enough men at parties is still a problem today! For you married people………..and not that I’ve done this………..but the speed dating peeps are more likely to let a woman sign up if she brings a man!

I totally admire people who stand up and fight for what they believe. Today a senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, stood on his feet for 9 hours to filibuster President Obama’s attempt to renew tax cuts for the rich. Whether I agree with him or not is NOT the point I want to make here. Sanders showed a passion that I haven’t seen in awhile. It takes some kahunas to do what he did. Even if his efforts were in vein, I bet you there are thousands of people who had no clue who he was or what a filibuster is before today. If nothing else, the whole incident prompted me to learn more about the history of filibusters. http://ezinearticles.com/?Famous-Filibusters-in-Political-History&id=31091 Thanks Colonel Bernie, take the chicken out of Sanders, Sanders!

Day 174 - Dec. 9
Listening to: Alive & Kickin'
Thought for the day: Sometimes life's Hell. But hey! Whatever gets the marshmallows toasty. ~J. Andrew Helt

I am using a simple photo to illustrate a more complex thought I had today. The complex thought? Bad things often happen for a reason and the outcome can be a positive thing. I have watched this concept play out repeatedly in the past few weeks in my life and the lives of others.

So you ask, “Kris how does your MP3 player illustrate this concept?” I will tell you how. Back in the summer, while I was mowing my yard the back of the MP3 player became dislodged and fell into the path of the unforgiving blades of the mower. Days passed. Months passed. Yet, my backless MP3 player remained a committed companion.

I sometimes think that electronics have a life in years similar to that of a dog. For example, a one-year old MP3 player is actually 10 years old in human years. My MP3 player is six years old, or 60 years in human years. Despite the fact that it is backless and still works, it is acting its age. The buttons don’t work well, so it’s difficult to turn on and off (no I don’t feed it MP3 Viagra). I have started resorting to pulling the battery out to turn it off. Removing the battery would be difficult if the MP3 back had not been a victim of my lawn mower. The backless MP3 player has turned out to be a good thing.

Here’s the clincher. I’m typically not a glass half full person……….especially in December. Seeing this perspective says that I am thinking like a glass half full person. I AM SCARED!!!!!!!!!

Day 174 - Dec. 7
Listening to: Whatever is on TV before Glee
Thought for today: I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. ~General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Day 2 of being sick……..

Since it is the 69th anniversary of Pearl Harbor I thought I’d throw out some WWII nostalgia. This is the front and back cover of a monthly news magazine published where I work in December 1943. How bout ole’ Santa bustin’ one in Hitler’s butt? I Googled "Santa" and "Osama Bin Laden" and in a twinklin' of an eye a slew of images of Osama dressed as St. Nick did appear............but nothing like this. I imagine none of the Santa Osamas are associated with any corporation either. As corporations have became global they have backed away from political commentary about war and events threatening democracy. It makes me question how much patriotism has been drained from the United States because of global sprawl. My employer still supports the military and those who serve, but it’s done rather quietly and is politically correct.

I love patriotic nostalgia. There are tons of examples of it in my employer's public relation materials from both WWI and WWII.

Day 175 - Dec. 6
Listening to: The Gift
Thought for today: I'm grateful for my parents.

I am sick and haven’t been very mobile today, so I decided to pull a photo out of the archives that makes me smile.

It is parade season. Everyone loves a parade right? It’s not much fun participating in one when you’re in a marching band behind the horse brigade. When you’re on a float it is a lot of fun……………. even if your mom makes you wear an ugly brown coat under your beautiful white angel costume. I am the angel in the box in this picture. It appears that I am the “greatest gift of all.” Yeah, yeah, I know they really mean Jesus. The design of this float is pretty much a parade float FAIL in more ways than one. All I remember about this particular parade is throwing a bit of a tantrum about having to wear the coat. I should have just been grateful my mom didn’t make me wear a ski mask……………….though an angel in a ski mask might have been cool.

Btw…..
This is the Tullahoma Christmas parade back in the early 70s. Some of my Tullahoma peeps may know the other two boys in this picture.

Day 177 - Dec. 4
Listening to: In the Mood
Thought for today: It’s never too late for faith.

Slacktivism

As most of you know, everyone has been changing their profile photo on Facebook to a cartoon character to raise awareness for child abuse. One of my daughter's friends refused to change her photo and referred to the Facebook movement as “slacktivism.” I think she meant awareness does not beget action. Up until I saw her comments, I certainly had no plans to help. She challenged me.

Tonight, there was a big band benefit dance at my local community center to help raise money and take in toys for underprivileged children. I had not planned to go, but the thought of being a slacktivist bothered me. I saw an opportunity. Sure, this wasn’t exactly an abused children fundraiser, but it is a fact that poverty is the single best predictor of child abuse. Stress is another predictor. It doesn’t take an Einstein to know that parents are typically more stressed at Christmas than any other time. You get the picture. Yeah, my action to help tonight was teeny weeny, but I’m now challenged to do more. I will not be a slacktivist!

The funny part about tonight was that my intention was to go, pay my money, give my toy, say hi to a few friends, and leave! I meant to be out of there by 7:05 (it started at 7). I didn’t get home until 9:30. I had fun catching up with old friends. I even got to see Santa.

I have to give big props to Charles Hood for organizing this event, the Moonlighters for providing beautiful music, and Susan for her special treats. These people along with everyone who came out made a difference in the community tonight.

Day 178 - Dec. 3
Listening to: Grownup Christmas List
Thought for today: The scent of fireplaces spewing their smoke into the night air taunts me in a horrible way.

I know you can’t tell what this picture is. I was going to skeech a photo off of someone else, but then I reminded myself that I did not embark on the 365 project to improve my photography skills.

So what is this picture? THIS, my friends, is the crescent moon and Venus at exactly 5:30 a.m. this morning. It is a barfo-quality pic, but the fact that both the moon and Venus (top speck of light) are so bright should provide a hint to how beautiful this site was.

I love the fab lab, Pearl, but I HAAAAAAAATE that I have to walk her in the dark every morning. It is so depressing and when it is cold enough to freeze boogers………. it is really depressing. This morning I was rewarded. The moment I rounded the corner and saw the moon and its companion planet I was reminded that the Earth does not rotate around me. It is amazing to me how Earth’s rotation and movement is crucial to human sustainability, yet, I rarely give its contribution props. I wonder how many people forsake such a simple idea. I’m glad I was given the chance to throw out love and gratitude to the universe this morning.

http://nineplanets.org/venus.html

Day 179 - Dec. 2
Listening to: Karma Karma Chameleon
Thought for today: Age is of no importance unless you are a cheese.

I worked hard for this leftover pizza (leftovers seen in photo). I’m not proud of what it took to get it. Last night, my Wednesday night dinner group went to City House. The homemade mozzarella they put on their pizza is like crack to me. I spent the entire day yesterday fantasizing about my very own City House pizza. I thought Kris's very own City House pizza was a done deal. NOPE!

One of my Dad’s mantras has always been that things in life are better when shared. I subscribe to this belief and have been a disciple of the concept for years. You would think that when the City House waiter told us that the restaurant serves family-style to large groups (there were 10 of us) that I would be elated to share and use the opportunity to preach the sharing prophecy. I was not elated. I was distraught and my restaurant bitch meter rose exponentially in .3 seconds flat. In case you don’t know, family style is where the group orders a few dishes and everyone shares. Family style meant I would not get my very own City House pizza. Family style meant that my fantasy was squashed. I begged the waiter to let me opt out of the family-style rule. He said no. I pouted hard. After watching me turn down the appetizers and my bottom lip grow, one of my friends pulled the waiter to the side and quietly asked him one last time to bend the rules. My friend's attempt resembled a lawyer fighting for someone on death row. The waiter caved. I got my own pizza. OH JOYOUS PIZZA!!! I gobbled it up as if I had been living on a diet of Vienna sausages and crackers for the past week. Then……………………………..I got indigestion. I never get indigestion. Hello karma!

I don’t think my Wednesday night peeps will let me forget this incident. I am most grateful that they didn’t kick me to the curb last night.