Poking through 12+ years of posts I find information that’s as useful now as when it was written.

Golden Oldies is a collection of the most relevant and timeless posts during that time.

Are you ready for Memorial Day? For the year to be almost half over? I’m not. That said, I’m going to enjoy the day and hope that at least one of these links will add to yours.

Read other Golden Oldies here.

This Memorial Day I thought I’d share links to favorite past posts.

Memorial Day 2012 links you to a look at vets and entrepreneurship.

Memorial Day 2011 shares a poem on who provides the basis of your life, no matter your beliefs or ideology.

Heroes and Memorial Day 2010 looks at fools, with my father as the example.

Memorial Day: Now And Future 2009 takes a graphic look at a future I’m sure I won’t live to see.

And while you’re enjoying yourself today, take a moment and give thought to all those who made it possible to enjoy the sales, food, beer and whatever else you indulge in today.

As a sign near me says, “The home of the free because of the brave.”

Image credit: vladeb

Poking through 11+ years of posts I find information that’s as useful now as when it was written.

Golden Oldies is a collection of the most relevant and timeless posts during that time.

I really don’t have anything to add to this one.

Read other Golden Oldies here.

My father turned down a parental deferral and desk job during World War II, instead choosing to fight and served as an intelligence officer in the Pacific. He returned safely.

When he returned he clandestinely took up another cause, helping the Haganah in the fight to establish the State of Israel. He died in his sleep during a gun buying road trip along with two others when the driver also fell asleep.

Both were causes about which he felt strongly; both he was willing to fight for, but in one case he lived and the other he died.

To some he was a hero, to others a villain and to still others a fool, who risked his life when he didn’t have to.

We need more fools.

Heroes

Some Heroes obvious, some unsung,
their lives and health, tempting fate.
Vulnerable in tasks for our civilization,
few glories for their life’s profession.

The Service men in our Armed Forces,
the cause be sure for freedom’s sake.
For their family, strangers, citizens all,
few medals show their life’s duress.

The policeman whose life is in peril,
by high-speed chase, gunfight ensued.
The simple traffic stop may kill,
few medals show the dangers faced.

The man who is trained as a fireman,
to save our lives, our homes from fire.
The first on scene when aid in need,
few medals show each hazardous deed.

The utilities that keep our comfort whole,
power and phone, the men on poles.
Sewage, garbage disposed for health,
no recognition for the civilian fight.

The many others whose work obscure,
performing tasks with risks not yours.
Construction, or the viral flu to cure,
no medals glory for the civilian plight.

Image credit: Ewen Roberts

It’s amazing to me, but looking back over more than a decade of writing I find posts that still impress, with information that is as useful now as when it was written.

Even more amazing, the funny ones are still funny. I lived for 25 years in San Francisco and read the SF Chronicle and Jon Carroll regularly, which is where I learned about Mondegreens. My own personal Mondegreen is the “pickled bass” (i.e., fickele past) in the chorus of Cross Over The Bridge,

Golden Oldies is a collection of some of the best posts during that time.

Read other Golden Oldies here.

I thought I’d share some Memorial Day appropriate fun with you today and get serious tomorrow. I’ve written about palindromes (no relation to Sarah) and I’m sure I will again, but today I have three patriotic mondegreens courtesy of Jon Carroll.

In a nutshell, a mondegreen is a mishearing of song lyrics—as you might guess, kids are a great source of them.

The term was coined by Sylvia Wright in 1954 when she wrote about a song she heard as “Ye highlands and ye lowlands/Oh where hae you been/They hae slay the Earl of Murray/And Lady Mondegreen,” only to learn years later that it was actually, “They hae slay the Earl of Murray/And laid him on the green.”

So here are three to help launch your Memorial Day celebration.

I love this first one, it could be the start of a new oath for people who take jobs on Wall Street.“I led the pigeons to the flag” (for “I pledge allegiance…)

Next, is a possible opening line for a song about Congress, “Oh, beautiful, for spaceship guys,” only it might be more accurate if it was ‘oh, beautiul, for spacy guys…’

This final offering has to be the product of a hungry five-year-old, “America, America, God is Chef Boyardee.”

For more mondegreens be sure to use the link above.

Image credit: Visa Kopu

Please share your own Mondegreens below.

It’s amazing to me, but looking back over more than a decade of writing I find posts that still impress, with information that is as useful now as when it was written. Golden Oldies is a collection of what I consider some of the best posts during that time.

Years ago, when he was a new grad, Jim Gordon drew a cartoon called mY generation, full of Millennial humor and angst, for a leadership blog I wrote for b5Media. Sadly, the two he did for two different Memorial Days are even more applicable today than when he drew them. There are two others I’ll mention, since I’ve been asked why I don’t write more personal stuff. I did so about my father here, and my personal note about Memorial Day here.  Read other Golden Oldies here

2009

2011

Have a safe, fun-filled holiday and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Memorial Day is a time when people across the country remember those who have died, especially those who died in service to their country.

While remembering them is important, it’s just as, if not more so, to remember those who served and lived, since many came home wounded — whether physically or mentally.

So this Memorial Day take time to remember and honor the living with a donation to Wounded Warriors or another veterans program if you prefer.

And I hope you don’t limit your thanks, donations or volunteering to today.

All of us need to step up and care, since our government isn’t doing that great a job.

Image credit: Wounded Warrior Project

On Memorial Day we remember those who gave their lives in defense of their country.

This Memorial Day remember those who are living.

Remember them, honor them and do your company a favor by hiring them.

No question, it’s a slam dunk

Image credit: Unknown

This Memorial Day I thought I’d share links to favorite past posts.

Memorial Day 2012 links you to a look at vets and entrepreneurship.

Memorial Day 2011 shares a poem on who provides the basis of your life, no matter your beliefs or ideology.

Heroes and Memorial Day 2010 looks at fools, with my father as the example.

Memorial Day: Now And Future 2009 takes a graphic look at a future I’m sure I won’t live to see.

And while you’re enjoying yourself today, take a moment and give thought to all those who made it possible to enjoy the sales, food, beer and whatever else you indulge in today.

As a sign near me says, “The home of the free because of the brave.”

Flickr image credit: vladeb

I’m not much good at writing for emotionally charged events; it’s just not my thing, although I did write my personal Memorial Day story about my father a couple of years ago.

But I did find two things that seem like Memorial Day yin and yang to share with you.

The first was what the grandmother in Grand Avenue told the grandchildren she is raising, “A whole lot of tomorrows were sacrificed so we could enjoy today.” So true, and not just our military deaths, but also the sometimes living deaths of all those who come back sadly damaged to a country that seems to care more about politics, ideology and red tape than it does for them and the useless deaths of the innocent, like that of Justin Ferrari on Thursday, from our urban wars and arguments.

The second is the role entrepreneurship (that overused term that is supposed to denote some kind of economic silver bullet) that is playing positively for some of our returning military.

And on that upbeat note I wish you a wonderful day filled with whatever you consider important.

Flickr image credit: Tim

I’m not particularly sentimental and, by today’s standards, I’m a pretty private person, at least on-line. Last Memorial Day I wrote about my father and heroes, this year I have nothing personal to offer, but I did find a poem that sums up my attitude to who deserves the credit for the life I value.

It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given you freedom of religion.
It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given you freedom of the press.
It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given you freedom of speech.
It is the veteran, not the protester, who has given you freedom to assemble.
It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given you the right to a fair trial.
It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given you the right to vote.
It is the veteran, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, whose coffin is draped by the Flag.
–Father Denis Edward O’Brien, USMC

As to those who dishonor them by using their funerals as a staging ground to flaunt their ideology I have one simple comment, go to hell.

Because that is where you belong.

Flickr image credit: NCinDC

I had a thought this morning and asked Jim Gordon, who draws mY generation, the Sunday comic on my other blog, to draw my thoughts for today.

He did a great job; I only wish I believed that it would happen sooner.

Your comments—priceless

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