Noteworthy

Personal insights and notes while I “Do the work.”

Shared Resolve

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IMG_1016Today I attended the monthly lunch meeting of the McLennan County Republican Women (MCRW).  Although a member my attendance has been sporadic at best.  I have reached a point in my life – a crisis of faith of sorts – that has given me pause.  Beginning in late fall events in both my professional and personal life (some under my control and some not) have caused me to take stock, re-access priorities, and what I call “get back to the basics.”  Part of this process has been to be more discerning with my free time, including limiting meetings, etc.  MCRW’s meeting today was an exception because of the special guest speaker, Representative Louie Gohmert from House District 1 of Texas, of whom I am a huge fan.  While I certainly share Mr. Gohmert’s political ideology, I also have a deep appreciation for his loyal service to his constituency; plainly stated, he votes his conscience and his constituency – a rarity among politicians today.  While speaking, he shared a story that steeled my resolve on my own personal journey.

Like most conservatives Mr. Gohmert is a fan of Abraham Lincoln, the original conservative and first Republican president.  In 1862, Willie, the president’s 3rd son, died of typhoid fever during his father’s first term in office.  Despite the attending physician’s belief he would recover, the 11 year old boy succumbed to his illness – a tragedy that left the family devastated and Mrs. Lincoln inconsolable.  A year later when President Lincoln was preparing to leave for Gettysburg his youngest son and “apple of his eye”, Tad fell ill.  Attended by the same family physician, the doctor made an eerily similar pronouncement that the boy should recover.  Against his wife’s desperate pleas and his own trepidation President Lincoln boarded the train that day and went on to deliver arguably the most noted and eloquent political speeches ever given – The Gettysburg Address.  “May we all share Lincoln’s resolve”, Mr. Gohmert concluded, ‘ . . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.'”  Amen.

 

#FastFame via the “Branded Vine” (with a little help from American capitalism)

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Screen Shot 2015-01-29 at 9.35.02 AMI caught a segment on the CBS Morning News that fascinated me.  A young French immigrant – Jerome Jarre – arrived in New York City just over a year ago with a mere $400 in his pocket.  In a quintessential American Dream story, Jerome has achieved literal overnight success with his 6 second viral videos on Vine.  His knack for capturing the notoriously short attention span of millennials – apparently the “holy grail” in the advertising world – has raised the eyebrows of corporate executives from Sony and General Electric, to name a few. He even reportedly refused a million dollar deal to create a “Vine-branded” video for a food manufacturer because he thought their product was unhealthy!  Wow, it DOES exist – a capitalist (albeit reluctant and French, to boot) with a conscience!!  By the way, a Vine-branded video is 4 times more successful than your standard, run-of-the-meal video.  The metric was not divulged in the news segment as it was likely deemed too much detail for the viewers.

There is only one thing that stuck in my craw about the story.  In closing, the anchors (King and Rose) attributed Jerome’s success to his good looks, French accent, and the randomness of the videos – the fact that they could happen to anyone.  A teachable moment squandered.  No mention was made of the fact that Jerome left socialist-leaning France for America, where capitalism is still alive – albeit on life support – to pursue his dream.  In fact, it is the free market – where the consumer drives demand – that in turn drives demand for his particular skill/talent/service, allowing Jerome to not only command a premium price for his labor but to reap its fruit (or at least half of it, after taxes).  But I guess that, too, was deemed too much detail for the viewers or at least does not fit the liberal media’s narrative.  The devil IS in details, right Ms. King?!

I beg to differ . . . with the Pope?

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I’m not believing what I just heard on the radio as I pulled in my driveway after driving carpool this morning. According to the report, while aboard his private plane on an Asian tour the Pope was interviewed about the recent Islamic terrorist attack on the French newspaper “Charlie” (can’t remember the second name and don’t want to spend the time to look up). He said something to the effect of criticism of faith being “off limits”. Further, that although freedom of expression – of which speech is one – is a fundamental human right, one could expect a reaction if you “go there” (my words, not his). Really?

What about encouraging love of virtue and hatred of vice? Furthermore, the classic definition of a virtuous person is reason over passion and as human beings and rational creatures – possessing the divine gift of reason – we should not react to our immediate impulses? Being God’s earthly spokesperson shouldn’t the Pope use the occasion to remind His flock (the human race) that we are to “walk in His ways” and that this is done when we choose restraint over reaction? Maybe I, too, am just reacting to some comments taken out of context for a catchy media soundbite? But I find it disheartening that at times such as these – when the flock is in desperate need of shepherding – that the Pope would choose political correctness over right reason.

Reflections on All Saints Day

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Feeling overly emotional today . . . on this November 1st. Perhaps because it’s All Saints Day. Or maybe because neither Roger nor I remembered he was on-call today (third weekend in a row – for the bonus round!) until well after last night’s football game. Imagine how HE felt at learning around midnight that he’d have to work today, starting at 6 a.m.! We’d planned a family work day at home today, beginning with outside winterizing like trimming trees and weeding flower beds, in preparation of “pansy/viola-planting” (my favorite flower b/c they are “happy”). Surely, it can’t be because the most important part of that darn announcement got edited out or that I couldn’t find the timely words (before the mid-term election) yet again for another article about the sad state of affairs in our country!

This is our second year to host the Williams family Thanksgiving gathering and a fair amount of preparation is required (I can’t even think about the inside of the house, yikes!). I agree with Southern Living magazine that Fall IS the South’s best season – I offer today in central Texas as evidence. It’s clear and the air is crisp, ripe with the sights and sounds of autumn. We awoke to temps in the 40s with the high expected near 70 degrees. I’ve always felt more “connected” to the world around me this time of year – likely why I chose to get married in October and honeymoon on the East Coast when fall foliage is in all its glory. My how twenty years flies!

Screen Shot 2014-11-01 at 1.17.07 PMRoger recently texted me this picture of a poster he spotted at work. It’s a quote from Mother Teresa, probably the most-noted of the modern day saints. I love what is says – words to live by – a sort of “how-to” for sainthood or “right-living”; the standard of right being the natural standard or what the Founding Fathers termed “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” in the Declaration of Independence. I love what the poster says but I love it more that Roger saw it, knew it would move me, and took the time to forward it.

It also reminds me of something I recently read in my favorite Lincoln book (so far). Lincoln was a “Clay man” – an admirer and follower of Henry Clay, author of the Missouri Comprise, which had as its purpose to phase out slavery by restricting its expansion into the new territories. Clay had known the Founding Fathers personally and he seemed to Lincoln the natural guardian of their great traditions. What Lincoln said of Clay applied also to himself: “He loved his country warmly, because it was his home; but he loved it even more because it was a free country.” Similar sentiments were echoed when Benjamin Franklin said: “Where liberty dwells, there is my country.” These early statesmen and model patriots sacrificed and served America because of the higher ideal she embodied and hopefully still does.

Down But Not Deterred

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Well I must confess, while I am disappointed that Washington’s words were edited out of my announcement on voting, I am not surprised.  However, the show must go on, so I am hanging signs and posting #Vote2014 information around town as promised. #DoTheWork.DSC_0095