In Memorium

Another Memorial Day has come and many things should be remembered by all of us. The fact that many people think of all holidays as just another excuse to have a party is the sad part of the holiday. We should remember those who made this holiday a fact. It started as a way to celebrate a great victory and has evolved into a reason to think about all of our ancestors who gave the supreme sacrifice so that we could have a better life today.
Have that barbecue and think about those who cannot join us at the table. In fact leave blank a place, if only in our minds, for all of them. I find that I think of some, more than others and that it is not just on this one day. We have certain memories that are associated with those we have lost and it might be a sound or a smell or a location that will trigger these memories.
I was reminded of many of these events when I attended the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington D.C. The script carried many messages of hope and of remembrance. By using actors to help with the words of survivors and families it was a combination of professional reading and more importantly controlled motion that did make it feel right. Yes the people were present, but I know that they would have had more of a problem getting out the message that was delivered. I do appreciate that they are not public speakers and that they would have been pressured by the large audience in attendance, yet alone the knowledge of a much larger television audience.
I do have one question about the production. We did hear a sound check with one performer and he did an excellent production, but during the actual live show he was not coherent and rambled. You know that this is part of live productions and that those in “the truck” were having a fit because they knew that it could have gone so well and that it made the timing of the live TV show all but impossible. In fact one of the better musical numbers that must have been set as the close and to go under the credits was lost to the TV audience but that was one reason it was great to be at the location.
The location in front of the US Capitol made it just that much more of a special event and I know that the fourth of July show with the addition of fireworks must be even more of a spectacular event. Some other year I will make it to that show. Maybe I can also find an excuse to get to Boston for the fireworks on the “Chuck”.
You need to start a dream someplace and this one starts with memories of those in our past.

DC Another View

Our recent sleep deprived trip to the other coast gave me the opportunity to visit many locations. Some places I had seen previously and some that I had not been to before. I really think that it is a conspiracy that forces us to either pay an exorbitant amount to travel or to travel at some strange hour of the day. On this trip it seemed that the only time we could depart a city was earlier then 6 am. It seemed that this trip was well planned, but it did ignore the fact that sleep may be needed by the body to keep it working.

One of the most interesting aspects of the trip was actually a return visit, if only briefly, to the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum that is located on the mall of the nation’s Capitol. We were looking for a short cut to get to the National Memorial Day Concert and planned on just going through the museum on our way to the Capitol building, for the concert. You cannot do that; you must look at the exhibits even if you do not leave the lobby. No place else will let you see so much history in such a small location. This picture tells it all. You have the Wright Flyer (1903), the Spirit of St. Louis (1927), Goddard rocket (1941), the North American X-15(1959), and Pioneer 10(1972). As soon as I saw this tabloid I had to take the picture when the reality of the situation became apparent to me. Yes, I know that this is not an original thought and that they have purposely set this up for the purpose of giving us this view, but it is so clear and so important in showing us this part of our history.
I like to think that, over our history, we have had many great people doing those things that we know are impossible and will never work. Yet this group of people have proven that all that we see is not only possible, but it can make our world a better place.
This little short cut reminded me of many things, especially that just because you have visited a place does not mean that you cannot make a return trip and see, not just new things, but see some things in a new light.