May 2008
My sister called me the evening of April 30 to tell me that a very beloved member of the family had died.
He was my father's first cousin and the two of them were best friends growing up. In fact, HE introduced my parents to each other while they were all in high school.
My first cousin once removed (is THAT how it goes?) became a Catholic Priest.
But he was NEVER removed from our family. As I was growing up, Father Tom was always a part of my life. He and his parents, my great-aunt and great-uncle, as well as his brother and sisters were constant in my life.
When my parents celebrated their 25th Anniversary, he performed the ceremony renewing my parent's wedding vows; in the home of his deceased parents (my father's aunt and uncle, my great-aunt and great-uncle.) Afterward, we kids had planned a surprise party for our parents and Father Tom kept them after our dinner so we could escape to the surprise party.
THAT small indulgence to us pales in comparison to what he did in his own life.
After his brother-in-law died of cancer and five years afterward his sister died of cancer, Father Tom took in his four nephews. He was not only guardian of the four boys; he was a FATHER to them.
As well, after his parents died, he gladly and lovingly took into his care his "mentally-challenged" older brother.
Imagine that...a Catholic Priest with four young boys and his brother. As well, his parish as pastor and a Catholic priest.
He reared those young boys into fine men. His brother passed away May 1, 2007.
I find myself remembering this strong, robust, loving man who embraced everyone, especially family. I remember the holidays, and whenever he visited, and how much enjoyment I had seeing him. I remember my father and him laughing and joking and acting with each other like they were still 12-year-old boys. No matter the reason for the visit to our home, Father Tom ALWAYS had little gift for each one of us, my sisters and me.
Father Tom.... cousin Tom.... is as much a part of my life as anyone could be. More than that, HE was an inspiration and leader with love, kindness, sincerity, understanding and faith.
Remember to maintain your safest maximum speed!
Joey
Armed Forces Day is May 17, 2008.
May 14, 2008
On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department -- the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too. According to a New York Times article published on May 17, 1952: "This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces ... to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won't be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty … It is our most earnest hope that those who are in positions of peril, that those who have made exceptional sacrifices, yes, and those who are afflicted with plain drudgery and boredom, may somehow know that we hold them in exceptional esteem. Perhaps if we are a little more conscious of our debt of honored affection they may be a little more aware of how much we think of them."
During the fifty-eight years since the first Armed Forces Day on May 20, 1950, much has changed: the world, governments across the globe, and society as a whole. Not all changes have necessarily been "for the better," but that is a matter of personal belief and opinion.
What is not, or should not, be in question is the debt of gratitude which we American citizens owe to those in our Armed Forces. WE should honor and respect the men and women in our Armed Forces, not just on one day a year, but EVERYDAY. It is very easy for us to sit comfortably at home and disagree with "government" and the utilization or deployment of our Armed Forces. However, the honorable and brave women and men in our Armed Forces should NEVER suffer the fall-out in our "disagreements with government."
These dedicated Americans who have committed and devoted their lives to The United States, who have gone to places, seen things and experienced situations which most of us cannot even begin to imagine, deserve our respect, honor, praise and complete support … and our love and thanks.
On May 17, 2008 (if only on that ONE day), say a prayer for those in our Armed Forces for their safety; tell a Veteran how much we appreciate their devotion, service and sacrifice to US and our country; participate, either in presence or any way we can, in an Armed Forces Day event. Make it LOUD AND CLEAR that we support, honor, respect and thank those in our Armed Forces for everything they do, their dedication, their sacrifices and their patriotism.
After all WE owe THEM our loyalty, our support and our love for their contribution, dedication, service and sacrifice.
AFTER THE WV PRIMARY
May 28, 2008
My boss lost the Primary this week. There are a couple of people with whom I work who are worried, one told others, "We're all depressed."
Truth be told, I'm NOT depressed. My boss doesn’t seem depressed about losing. I was surprised, even a bit shocked at the outcome; after all, it isn’t easy to beat an incumbent.
I returned to work on Thursday. The "office manager" is quite frankly "shivering in his timbers." He is frightened.
He should be. For a long time now, he has come to me and depended on me, then took credit for my work. Suddenly, it doesn't matter so much if he takes credit for what I do or how I help him because our Boss is going to be replaced. Yet, he still relies on me if he wants to keep his position with the new administration.
He and I had words a month ago when he told me to do something that was the "new manager's" duty because he didn't trust her to do it. I told him, "I'm not paid to do her job." He was furious with me.
Get this, the other day he and I were talking about the new administration, and he feels very vulnerable, I said that he could go back to what he did before. He responded, "Are you gonna make up the difference in my pay? You understand how it is, take on more responsibility get more money."
NO, I don't. In THIS office, I understand the FIRST part, but I've not understood the second part. It took every ounce of my willpower to keep my mouth shut at his comment.
Then he told me that all of management would be out of town and he "needed me" to check the books after verifying them, order the books from the State. Not only that, there were some discrepancies in the books; he wanted ME to find the problem before he left next week and is on vacation the week after that.
Again, I hate to sound like a "money-hungry" person, but I'm NOT paid to do the work of management. A manager designating duties is one thing; but the manager who gives the responsibility to another then takes the credit, and the pay, is quite another.
Well, after the general election in November I will have a new boss in January. I cannot spend the next seven months worrying or stressing over it. I have a job to do and will continue doing it as best I can.
I have seen two "drag shows." The second one was when I attended the awards ceremony for the magazine; and believe it or not I was a judge at the request of the Editor. lol The performances were wonderful, entertaining.
Me? I am a gay man. I'm a MAN who is gay. I have no desire to be a woman or act like a woman or be perceived as a woman. It is obvious and true that I may not be the most masculine thing to ever walk the earth, but (at the risk of offending others) I'm NOT a "flaming queen."
My homosexuality does NOT mean that I want to be feminine or a woman. I know that many gay men consider themselves to be more "feminine" than "masculine"; to many, their homosexuality is presented as a man acting like a female. What is that about?
I am gay, a homosexual male, a faggot, a queer, but I don't want to BE or APPEAR to be a female. What is it about so many gay men that they define themselves or present themselves as males trying to be females?
I am gay, a homosexual, but I am still a man. Sure I can sing and dance to female artists, Judy Garland, etc., but I do not consider myself to be a female. My singing and dancing is for fun, just as it is when I do the same to Bon Jovi. I guess my fun and artistic performances (if you can call them that) is just who I am.
I don't want to be a girl. Even recently an old childhood friend said to me that she always considered me "one of her girlfriends." I finally told her, "STOP calling me a GIRL."
I'm a grown, adult man; yeah, I'm gay, homosexual, but I'm NOT less of a man because of my homosexuality.
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