Snapshots of Saturday: January 21, 2007

on my way to my haircut yesterday morning, saw this shot & was kind of fascinated by it, so i had to stop & capture it. then i got all freaked out by the fact that there might be alligators in there & got back in my car. =P


after my haircut, it was off to Magic Kingdom to enjoy the perfect January day...




decided to go over to Epcot for a while...


i had a really long wait until my Soarin' Fast Pass would be good, so i took the Living With the Land ride. realized that what i thought were some kind of berries were actually coffee beans, saw a baby pineapple, a huge tree full of tomatoes (mmmm...), and, my favorite, the Cinderella Pumpkins.

i also rode the new Nemo ride in the Living With the Seas Pavilion. i can't believe how different the inside of that pavilion is!! then it was off to wander the countries in the World Showcase. where i ran into some people i didn't really expect to see... and then got called "sir"... so i decided i had had enough Epcot and headed back over to Magic Kingdom.

i got there just in time to catch the flag retreat ceremony. i *love* this ceremony. it makes me feel so patriotic. they usually have someone who has served (or is serving) in military assist in the ceremony. (i think my father would love to do this... if i could ever get him down here... but that is neither here nor there.) the Main Street Philharmonic played patriotic music & it was really moving to see all these people standing there, with their hands over their hearts or saluting the stars & stripes as it was taken down & folded for the evening, while the National Anthem was played.


then i wandered around again for a while, just playing with my camera.


then i grabbed myself a yummy raspberry white chocolate chip cookie & a hot dog with sauerkraut for dinner, headed over to the seating area at The Noodle Station, snagged myself a good viewing spot & ate dinner while i waited. when i was done, i snapped some shots of Cinderella Castle until...

...it was time for fireworks!

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lest we forget why most of us are not working today...

wishing you all a happy & safe Independence Day...

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deployed

'For those of us that fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know'
been saving this quote for this day since i saw it on to make a short story long

Godspeed Saber Three & be safe.

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deep gratitude

We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. (George Orwell)

in October of 1954, President Eisenhower called on all citizens to observe the day originally named Armistice Day by remembering the sacrifices of all those who have fought so courageously for our country. The President also changed the day's name to Veterans' Day in honor of the servicemen of all America's wars, not just those who fought in World War I.



To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation. (President Woodrow Wilson, November 1919, Armistice Day proclamation)

my Dad is a Vietnam Veteran. my brother & i were raised to recognize the service of those who have served our country, who have protected our lives & freedoms, who have put themselves on the line. we were raised with patriotism & pride for our country. and we were raised to give honor where honor is due.



today i remember my Dad & what he did long before i was ever born. i remember my Great Uncles William & Fred who served in WWII. and i think of a soldier i know now who will soon be back in Iraq. and i am grateful for all those who are brave & courageous in the face of evil so that i can be safe & enjoy the freedoms that are often taken for granted.



For those of us who fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know. (Robert Reamy)




with words too inadequate to do justice for the sacrifices & heroism our soldiers have shown. i simply say thank you.

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i would also like to thank Karyn who so graciously allowed me to use her beautiful Vietnam Memorial photos that i saw on her blog in a Washington DC entry back in June--they captured such a strong sense of reverance & solemn gratitude that i knew they would express the feelings in my heart that my words can not accurately capture.

the second to last photo was sent to me by the person in it & i do not know the photographer or the details of the photo itself.

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something to say

you don't see me getting political or controversial here very often. stands to reason since i don't do that "in real life" much either. but i heard something that i feel the need to speak out on.

i think we (as a generalization) have forgotten why we have our men & women over in the Middle East. we talk about how we should or shouldn't be "over there". c'mon. do you really think these men & women WANT to be there, in the armpit of the world, where they have been fighting amongst themselves since the beginning of time?? whether we agree with the way things are handled over there or the duration of time we have been there is not the topic here--and really until we are world leaders & military decision-makers ourselves, i don't know that the general public ever comprehends how & why these decisions are reached. and no matter what they decide to do over there, someone is going to have a problem with it. not my point. my point is WHY we are there in the first place which has apparently gotten lost over passing time.

we aren't there because we feel like imposing democracy & freedom upon unwilling peoples. we are there defending our own rights & freedoms. whether they want to or not, our military personnel receive orders & they go. they go put their lives on the line so that you, at your computer or at your job or on your vacation at Disney World, can lead a life that isn't haunted by the shadow of impending terrorism day after day. they are there not to wield power over the Middle East but because a group of religious extremists came HERE, to OUR COUNTRY, and flew OUR JETS, filled with OUR INNOCENT PEOPLE, into OUR BUILDINGS, filled with MORE OF OUR INNOCENT PEOPLE. here. in this great country. where we have had "outside invaders"...what...4 times over the course of our history? the Revolutionary War? the Alamo? Pearl Harbor? 9/11? how many more can you think of?

seriously. when i hear people saying our armed forces have no business over there it makes me seething angry. we should be thanking these men & women for selflessly putting themselves in harm's way trying to reassure that we won't have to worry about terrorist acts every day of our lives. how would you feel if it was your son or daughter, husband or wife,father or mother, brother or sister, lover or friend? you would be proud that they have so much pride & honor that they are willing to DIE to keep their country safe...and every night you would pray that they wouldn't have to make that ultimate sacrifice...

the unofficial motto of the Marine Corps is: "We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm." but it applies to all our armed forces. we sleep soundly...and we judge...we judge the very people who risk their lives to protect your "right to judge". and we conveniently forget in light of our own inexperienced opinions of how the War on Terror whould be handled, instead of just saying thank you to the men & women who protect everything you have as an American. and yep that pisses me off. (edit to add: i expect people to have varying opinions. i just don't get how we condemn our troops for serving their country--volunteer or draft. disagree with the government. disagree with what we're doing. but support your troops & be proud of the fact that they would give their life to defend this country because they're asked to.)

i leave you with some words from Darryl Worley's song "Have Your Forgotten?" & "American Soldier" by Toby Keith:

I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they're fighting for
(Have You Forgotten)

I'm just trying to be a father
Raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother
Everything to everyone
Up and at 'em bright and early
I'm all business in my suit
Yeah, I'm dressed up for success from my head down to my boots
I don't do it for money, there's bills that I can't pay
I don't do it for the glory
I just do it anyway
Providing for our future's my responsibility
Yeah I'm real good under pressure, being all that I can be
And I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekends been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays
And sometimes all night long
You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey I'm true down to the core
And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price
I've counted up the cost
I know the sacrafice
Oh, and I don't want to die for you
But if dyin's asked of me
I'll bear that cross with an honor
'Cause freedom don't come free
I'm an American soldier, an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand
When Liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonight
I'm an American, an American Soldier
(American Soldier)

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in honor of Independence Day

10 Surprising Facts About the Fourth of July
(courtesy of MSN Encarta)

1. Independence Day commemorates the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. However, it was not declared a legal holiday until 1941.

2. Fireworks were made in China as early as the 11th century. The Chinese used their pyrotechnic mixtures for war rockets and explosives.

3. Uncle Sam was first popularized during the War of 1812, when the term appeared on supply containers. Believe it or not, the U. S. Congress didn't adopt him as a national symbol until 1961.

4. There are many precise rules for taking care of the American flag (see my entry from yesterday for just a few!). And speaking of flag traditions, we're sorry to report that contrary to legend, historical research has failed to confirm that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag.

5. Not all members of the Continental Congress supported a formal Declaration of Independence, but those who did were passionate about it. One representative rode 80 miles by horseback to reach Philadelphia and break a tie in support of independence.

6. The first two versions of the Liberty Bell were defective and had to be melted down and recast. The third version rang every Fourth of July from 1778 to 1835, when, according to tradition, it cracked as it was being tolled for the death of Chief Justice John Marshall.

7. The American national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner," is set to the tune of an English drinking song ("To Anacreon in Heaven").

8. The iron framework of the Statue of Liberty was devised by French engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

9. The patriotic poem "America the Beautiful" was published on July 4, 1895 by Wellesley College professor Katharine Lee Bates.

10. Father of the country and architect of independence George Washington held his first public office at the tender age of 17. He continued in public service until his death in 1799.

Have a safe & happy Independence Day! =)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness....these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States...
John Hancock, The Declaration of Independence

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where the stars & stripes & eagle fly

just a few words that i particularly love from one of the songs in my video player right now:

Well if you ask me where I come from
Here’s what I tell everyone
I was born by God’s dear grace
In an extraordinary place
Where the stars and stripes and the eagle fly

There’s a lady that stands in a harbor
For what we believe
And there’s a bell that still echoes
The price that it cost to be free

I pledge allegiance to this flag
And if that bothers you, well that’s too bad
But if you got pride and you’re proud you do
Hey, we could use some more like me and you
Where the stars and stripes and the eagle fly
(from "Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly" by Aaron Tippin)

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Let Freedom Ring

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers...but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."
(Erma Bombeck)

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honor your Stars & Stripes

so many people proudly display the American Flag, especially on important national holidays. just a few rules to keep in mind for the proper care, display & retiring of Old Glory:

How to Fold an American Flag
Folding the American flag properly exhibits decorum and respect.

Steps:
1. Have two people stand on either end of the flag, holding a corner in each hand.
2. Fold the flag in half twice, width-wise.
3. Beginning at the striped end, fold one corner into the opposite side of the flag, forming a triangle.
4. Repeat this triangular folding until only a small strip of the star field shows.
5. Tuck this strip into the triangle.
Remember: Keep the flag from touching the ground while folding.

How to Properly Display an American Flag
The U.S. flag should occupy a place of prominence when being displayed. No other flags displayed with it should be larger or hung higher than the U.S. flag. In addition, the U.S. flag should not be allowed to touch the ground, nor should it be dipped to any other flag, person or object.

Steps:
1. Make sure the flag is in respectable condition before you display it. A torn or tattered flag should not be displayed.
2. Make sure the union (blue field with white stars) is at the top of the staff when the flag is displayed on a flagpole.
3. Keep the U.S. flag at the top when more than one flag is flown from the same halyard.
4. When hanging the flag at half-staff, first hoist it to the peak of the pole, then lower it to half-staff. When lowering the flag, hoist it to the peak of the pole again, then lower it. Any other flags flying alongside the U.S. flag should also be lowered to half-staff.
Note: The flag should never be flown during inclement weather which could damage it. A flag flown at night should be properly illuminated.

How to Properly Retire an American Flag
When the flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way. You can locate your local VFW Chapter who can assist you with respectfully retiring your American Flag.

Did you know that you are able to purchase a U.S. Flag that has been flown over the Capitol building?

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in memory & gratitude

we, as Americans, all know that the last Monday of May is Memorial Day. a day for remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, whether in times of peace or war. i think we forget sometimes though what this day really means in the middle of enjoying our long weekend & bbq food. as the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, i was taught the respect that this special day deserves & i try my best to recall, even if just to myself, why exactly it is we have this day of memorial: that some of our brave boys & men & women--sons, fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters, boyfriends, fiances, friends--are no longer with us because they lived & died defending this great country that we live in. it's not about the paid holiday time or the burgers & hotdogs & potato salad or the "unofficial" beginning of summer. it's about the precious lives lost & the honor they are due.

some little bits of Memorial Day trivia:

**In 1868, General John A. Logan, first commander of the Grand Army of the Republic issued a General Order establishing May 30 as an official memorial day--known at this time as Decoration Day--to pay respect to all those who had died during the Civil War.
**In 1882, the name of the holiday was changed to Memorial Day, and soldiers who had died in other wars were also honored.
**In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
**In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.)
**Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

i wish you all a safe, happy, enjoyable bay of remembrance this Memorial Day.

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