IPOD
RADIO
I don't know why its on my mind today. Maybe its too many TV episodes where they make a big deal of who a child's "real father" is. Maybe its the billboards I pass that say "Who's The Father" and list the number of a DNA clinic.
They are all simply talking about a sperm-donor. There is so much more to being a father than that. Who provides the sperm, while important, has nothing to do with actually being a father to a child.
A father is the one that picks you up when you scrape your knee. Teaches you how to throw a ball. Reads treasure island with you, and lets you start reading to him halfway through. A father beams with pride at your simplest accomplishments. A good father can be a boys greatest role model. Personally, if I end up 1/10th as good a man as my father I'll consider my life a success.
The simple truth is this -- My mother and father are not my biological parents. I was adopted as an infant. My biological mother was a 16-yr old girl who knew she wasn't ready to be a mother yet. My mother and father are just that -- my mother and father.
I'm neither shy nor embarassed about being adopted. My sister is 4 years younger than me. When we adopted her I went to every meeting with the social worker, every court appointment, and when we took her home I got to be the first one to hold her and bring her back to my parents. Adopting a child isn't like a quick trip to the baby store. I know my parents had to prove to the satisfaction of multiple agencies that they could be good parents. They had to work damn hard to adopt both my sister and I.
About a year ago a friend of mine committed suicide. He'd been with a woman who had problems. He was also raising their son with her. When she told him he wasn't the child's "real father" he hung himself. I never knew about this until after he did it. He was in a different city and we hand't spoken in a few months. I would have told him that every time that boy hugged him he knew in his heart that he was his father. Look in child's eyes and you'll know who his father is.
As for me, if I ever meet my biological mother (which I very much want to do) the only things important for me to say are
1 - I love you
2 - Thank you
3 - You made the right choice.
Thats probably enough emotion for one night... Shhhhhh! don't tell anyone. I have a rep as the strong, logical, calculating type to maintain.
They are all simply talking about a sperm-donor. There is so much more to being a father than that. Who provides the sperm, while important, has nothing to do with actually being a father to a child.
A father is the one that picks you up when you scrape your knee. Teaches you how to throw a ball. Reads treasure island with you, and lets you start reading to him halfway through. A father beams with pride at your simplest accomplishments. A good father can be a boys greatest role model. Personally, if I end up 1/10th as good a man as my father I'll consider my life a success.
The simple truth is this -- My mother and father are not my biological parents. I was adopted as an infant. My biological mother was a 16-yr old girl who knew she wasn't ready to be a mother yet. My mother and father are just that -- my mother and father.
I'm neither shy nor embarassed about being adopted. My sister is 4 years younger than me. When we adopted her I went to every meeting with the social worker, every court appointment, and when we took her home I got to be the first one to hold her and bring her back to my parents. Adopting a child isn't like a quick trip to the baby store. I know my parents had to prove to the satisfaction of multiple agencies that they could be good parents. They had to work damn hard to adopt both my sister and I.
About a year ago a friend of mine committed suicide. He'd been with a woman who had problems. He was also raising their son with her. When she told him he wasn't the child's "real father" he hung himself. I never knew about this until after he did it. He was in a different city and we hand't spoken in a few months. I would have told him that every time that boy hugged him he knew in his heart that he was his father. Look in child's eyes and you'll know who his father is.
As for me, if I ever meet my biological mother (which I very much want to do) the only things important for me to say are
1 - I love you
2 - Thank you
3 - You made the right choice.
Thats probably enough emotion for one night... Shhhhhh! don't tell anyone. I have a rep as the strong, logical, calculating type to maintain.
Added 2 more days to the trip. I spent today trying to beat a bunch of servers, routers, and switches into submission. Nothing unmanageable, but my brain is tired, strained, and I'm not sure I'd remember how to speak to a human right now. Do different conventions apply than for a piece of commo hardware?
Question of the day: When did you first access the internet and via what type of computer setup?
(Yes, I'll post my answer tomorrow evening)
Question of the day: When did you first access the internet and via what type of computer setup?
(Yes, I'll post my answer tomorrow evening)
Day 7 of the marathon... We now have 1 weekend to do what took the last crew 1.5 months. This should be fun! 
Now if I can just remember where I left my brain. It deserted me today and I really need it back.
Now if I can just remember where I left my brain. It deserted me today and I really need it back.
It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.
By Charles M. Province
Most of my family has worn the uniform during our lives. Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force are all represented at the table. To those who have served, thank you. To those who breathe free, you're welcome.
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.
By Charles M. Province
Most of my family has worn the uniform during our lives. Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force are all represented at the table. To those who have served, thank you. To those who breathe free, you're welcome.
So, what's your theme song?
You say you don't have a theme song? Tsk, tsk.. Its not good to lie to Dr. ZPO like that. You know what I'm talking about. The one that plays unbidden in your head from time to time and has for the last few years. So climb up on the Dr's comfy couch and tell me all about it.
Mine? I'll tell you this evening.
You say you don't have a theme song? Tsk, tsk.. Its not good to lie to Dr. ZPO like that. You know what I'm talking about. The one that plays unbidden in your head from time to time and has for the last few years. So climb up on the Dr's comfy couch and tell me all about it.
Mine? I'll tell you this evening.
Long slow day at work... I unwound this evening watching "We Were Soldiers", which is the film adaptation of the book "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young".
Yes, I shed a tear. I always do. Its not during the vicious combat scenes. Its when LTC Moore's wife starts delivering the death notices that were being delivered by taxicab. Yes, that really happened. The raw courage and her doing it alone.
There's a piece of the story that isn't in the movie or the book. CPT Rick Rescorla, who fought at the battle of the Ia Drang valley with the 7th Cav was killed on 9/11. He was the chief of security for Morgan Stanley's operations in 1 WTC (south tower). After the first plane struck the north tower, against orders of the port authority, he started evacuating Morgan Stanley's employees. Because of his efforts all but 6 of Morgan Stanley's 2700 employees got out of the south tower. He perished when he went back up the tower one last time to make sure everyone he was responsible for was out.
http://www.awesomestories.com/movies/we_were_soldiers/wewere_soldiers_ch17.htm
Yes, I shed a tear. I always do. Its not during the vicious combat scenes. Its when LTC Moore's wife starts delivering the death notices that were being delivered by taxicab. Yes, that really happened. The raw courage and her doing it alone.
There's a piece of the story that isn't in the movie or the book. CPT Rick Rescorla, who fought at the battle of the Ia Drang valley with the 7th Cav was killed on 9/11. He was the chief of security for Morgan Stanley's operations in 1 WTC (south tower). After the first plane struck the north tower, against orders of the port authority, he started evacuating Morgan Stanley's employees. Because of his efforts all but 6 of Morgan Stanley's 2700 employees got out of the south tower. He perished when he went back up the tower one last time to make sure everyone he was responsible for was out.
http://www.awesomestories.com/movies/we_were_soldiers/wewere_soldiers_ch17.htm
Back to the boonies this afternoon. Tomorrow I start 9 straight days of 12-hour shifts.
A little admin training, some major equipment upgrades, new systems to debug, and more time burning in new troops. Yep, its geek-time paradise.
There are three questions you can apply to most situations, especially relationships. If you've already thought them through things can go much smoother. They also work pretty well for jobs and life in general.
1 - What do you want?
2 - What do you need?
3 - What are you willing to give?
A little admin training, some major equipment upgrades, new systems to debug, and more time burning in new troops. Yep, its geek-time paradise.
There are three questions you can apply to most situations, especially relationships. If you've already thought them through things can go much smoother. They also work pretty well for jobs and life in general.
1 - What do you want?
2 - What do you need?
3 - What are you willing to give?
Since there seems to be so much poetry getting posted today I've decided to be a lemming and join the fray with one of mine. Its from an old love letter I unearthed a few days ago while cleaning out some old papers....
-----------------------------------
Forever I have searched
stumbling about as a blind child
unkowning for what I yearned
thirsting without knowledge of water.
We found each other
on that day my wandering ceased
knowing purpose to love you
In holding you, long dead fires rekindled
Burning brightly of strong healthy fuel.
As no fire starts with the trunk of an oak
so did your love start as kindling
building as the knowing woodsman builds his fire
the great open blaze is for others to see, a signal
life giving substance is cooked on coals
fuel above for heat, light, and comfort.
As the fire is nothing without its fuel
we are little without our great love
secured with no bindings, yet bound
Bound of caring and gentle hearts
Come, know my full embrace
feel the warmth of each and union
May our love be eternal
-----------------------------------
Forever I have searched
stumbling about as a blind child
unkowning for what I yearned
thirsting without knowledge of water.
We found each other
on that day my wandering ceased
knowing purpose to love you
In holding you, long dead fires rekindled
Burning brightly of strong healthy fuel.
As no fire starts with the trunk of an oak
so did your love start as kindling
building as the knowing woodsman builds his fire
the great open blaze is for others to see, a signal
life giving substance is cooked on coals
fuel above for heat, light, and comfort.
As the fire is nothing without its fuel
we are little without our great love
secured with no bindings, yet bound
Bound of caring and gentle hearts
Come, know my full embrace
feel the warmth of each and union
May our love be eternal
OK, now more politics for the moment in my journal. The election will take a couple weeks to be fully locked down. Somebody won, somebody lost. Somebody is happy, somebody isn't.
In Other News: My root-canal went great this morning. about 3 seconds of mild discomfort and then perfect for the whole thing. Now I've just got a last dental visit and some shots left to do.
Question of the day: If you could take a Mulligan on one decision in your life, what would it be, why, and how would you change it.
In Other News: My root-canal went great this morning. about 3 seconds of mild discomfort and then perfect for the whole thing. Now I've just got a last dental visit and some shots left to do.
Question of the day: If you could take a Mulligan on one decision in your life, what would it be, why, and how would you change it.
