Followers

Lead, follow or get out of the way. Good advice.

Unless there are too many of one and not enough of the other.

Then again, Americans are self starters. And we can be, under the right circumstances, an army of one. Small cells come to mind too.

I'm proud that we've given a 'get it done' attitude in our kids. and that means they are frequently leaders.

But, it isn't a bad thing to be a follower.

I taught the kids that in order to give orders, you have to learn to take them.

Following orders is something my son will learn firsthand in the Marine Corps.

We have the capacity in America to be followers, but also to assume command of a situation when called upon.

One of the keys to victory in the War for Independence was the fact that the Brits military setup didn't allow for followers to take over. If officers and non coms went, there tended to be a state of flux.

That doesn't mean there aren't people who cannot assume command in other armed groups. But Americans make it their business to be ready when the situation warrants it.

You have to start somewhere.

No one starts at the top. Or else, where would the experience come from?

Even in Medieval times, young nobles would have knights train them in combat and leadership roles.

It is so much more true now since in our Republic we are all sovereigns, thus our individual responsibility we can assume command of a situation whatever it may be in time of necessity.

be a follower. Be a leader. Get in the way of tyranny.

Galactica

Just finished watching the 'reimagining' of Battlestar Galactica.

Better than I thought and the acting is great.

Rather than go into a review per se, I'd like to offer a thought about where the show went.

I always find scifi shows dealing with time travel/dimensions etc fun and fascinating.

What has been and what can be are constants in man's thought. Such scifi can stir thought about where we are now and where we can go.

First, as for the message given is a mixed one.

I like the idea that we are not alone in the universe. There must be others out there somewhere.

And, throw in that some are fighting for survival against inhuman (literally-or is it?) tyranny, that there is a remnant that seeks others with whom to bond ie humanity seeking humanity.

In this rendition, hard choices are made when the Colonies (12 that came from a planet called Kobol) are mostly annihilated by a race of cybernetic beings called Cylons, who btw, were originally invented by humans.

A group of survivors led by a battlestar/carrier called Galactica form a convoy insearch of a place to resettle. In particular, they seek a seemingly mythic planet, a 13th colony called 'Earth'.

Along the way they battle pursuing Cylons and each other.

Many are shown to be less than saints and quite a few are sinners. But most do their parts to find a new home.

The predominant theme is that humans have a destiny, in spite or because of Cylon infusion. No matter how many times we fall, we rise again. If I recall the latest Robin Hood has something to say about that. I'll have to check it out.

That theme is one of the reasons I like Babylon 5. Now Battlestar Galactica joins it.

And the soundtrack by Bear McCreary is as outstanding as Christopher Franke's.

Balanced action and suspense with questions about behavior and fate, it has a little bit of everything it seems.

My particular beef is the 'oh technology is evil' crappola at the end. 38,000 people all decide to ditch everything into the Sun and go back to nature. That is bs. For me, I'd have said no thnaks and used said tech teaching the kids what to do in terms of self sufficiency and republican ways.

Human nature is what gets us into trouble. Will we ever learn?

Our roles in what could be ensuing, come to mind. Saints and sinners coming together to reestablish Liberty.

That will be quite a show.

Dark Stage Memory

I stood in the dark auditorium.

For all intents and purposes, it's where my acting work began. Work without pay and long hours training.

I could feel the accumulated energy the place held, as though waiting for me to release it. It was the loud quiet save for my footsteps.

I saw a table and two chairs onstage, as though frozen in time from scenes we'd do in acting class and drama club. The stage was backlit, allowing me to just see down the aisle to the apron.

I put my arms on it and put my head down shortly, simply thinking back.

Stepping onto that stage, the class/club watching, the teacher watching critically but helpfully. Rehearsed scenes with girls I liked (should have dated), with other classmates who have mostly gone onto other things and with a couple who got into the biz. Improv and staged readings and solo scenes, one of which left the class speechless in its intensity.

Nerves turning to energy, creating thrills like no others.

Living in the moment, giving all I had. Suffering, pain, crashing. Then rising bruised and dirty to finally fly

I have done many other things. I have attempted to apply what I learned about life to all my life and have done so with varying results.

Study of self of others of peeling back the layers of experience to reveal a moment, a feeling, thought, deed.

There is nothing like it.

And the lights come on, the murmurs die down and it's showtime. I will appear onstage til my stage goes dark again.

Yet, I hope to leave a spark for others on the way.

Asking

At the 30 year reunion for North Central, a girl, well woman was talking to me. I remembered her from a couple of classes we took together.

In the course of the conversation, she revealed that she had liked me and would have gone out with me if I had asked her.

OMG! At the time, true I was helping take care of my Dad, who was dying. He always asked me, though, if I was going out and having fun, dates friends etc.

I told him sure.

This got me to thinking about the girls I asked out and did not. And a friend's mention of not being asked to dance.

There were a couple who shall remain nameless. They were in my acting class. Sweet pretty and unassuming despite that said attractiveness.

I even worked on a scene with them at one of their houses! Yipes!

Yet I never asked them out. Dad would have only been an excuse and a rightful one maybe. Nonetheless I SHOULD have.

Instead one time I hemmed and hawed about a girl for a date who was a self centered biotch.

I paced and twitched, finally calling. She said she was busy that night.

After that I ignored her.

That was a pattern that repeated itself several times.

Regrets I have a few......

Not anymore. I will live and not ever pass up people to care about.

Quality

I like to buy clothes and shoes that last. I'm not rich, but when (!) I am, I will be as practical (a good word here a bad word for pragmatics), as I am now.

It's simple. Good things last longer than bad things or at least poor quality things.

So much has changed. So much is poorer quality now. things wear out faster and need to be replaced.

I remember the days when tvs were repaired right in the home. I got to keep the old bulbs and I'd make imaginary machines for 'laboratories'. It was the same for almost anything in a home back when. there is some home repair now, but it's just not the same.

If anything we are a throwaway society. If it goes on the frizz, toss it and get another.

I was astonished when a cassette player I had was wearing out. A clerk at the store simply said to get another.

Many are learning to salvage, even if they have the funds to replace. Self repair is becoming more popular. That is wise in light of tough economical times.

Obviously the long term ploy is to get people dependent on replacement and to make folks unskilled.

So frugal is as frugal does.

Developing a good eye as to quality is essential. As I said, good stuff lasts longer.

Common sense, though there has been an attempt to breed it out of us, is still alive and well.

Baldness

Baldness is a curious thing.

I shave my head. It's my solution for a receding hairline. I like to think Bruce Willis copied me lol.

Some guys grow pony tails instead. Some leave it alone, like my Grandpa Nolan who had a 'horseshoe'. Of course there are the combovers, like our intrepid Indiana Governor who arguably has the most successful combover in politics. Interestingly, Dan Costs, neocon lackey who stole the fall Senate position from John Hostettler, got rid of his crappy combover and has gone natural. Honesty in hair does not compute into honesty in politics, or better, real life.

It's all a matter of perception. A woman I know told me this obsession about hair is greatly Hollywood selling women or men a bill of goods that having hair is more viral. Notice the lack of bald leading men, save for Willis.

John Wayne and Charlton Heston became bald but decided to wear hairpieces. Maybe there is something to the Hollywood connection. After all, they can sell a lot of crap as well as do decent work too. It's a battle of attitudes.

I of course prefer to do my own thinking. If I see something from a studio, I decide if it's worth my time.

And I could care less if some guy has hair or not.

Bald of course, also means without guile. No secrets. Plain in the face.

My suggestion is to be yourself.

Getting E Into HS

Our adventure so far getting Erica our daughter, into my alma mater, North Central in Indy.

It boils down to homeschooling her for the time being.

Not living in the district, we applied for nonresident tuition status. In spite of her 4.0, superior test scores and popularity, Erica was rejected. It was explained there were many applicants. That's to be expected. Even when I was there, quite a few wanted to attend North Central.

I resolved to move into the district. The wheels have been turning slowly on that. It's merely a matter of timing and money.

In the meantime, we will homeschool her til we move her into the district or we pay tuition.

BTW I asked our Governor if he would send a note to the principal, asking him to consider our daughter for tuition. A small favor, I think.

I did not ask him to coerce the principal. Just wanted him, a prominant alumnist to do me this courtesy. His assistant was the usual obtuse tool. Her attitude changed from cordiality to vociferousness at the suggestion the Governor dare do this. One can certainly refuse a request, but someone should teach Mitch's people manners. Then again this is the bunch that let a fiat rule be enacted for no guns in the Statehouse.

She kept reiterating that it was the principal's decision. Duh.

I told her that in my line of business, phone calls and notes are frequently sent to up the odds of having a favorable decision come one's way. This did not impress her.

Hey Mitch, old classmate, send your lackeys to charm school. Bluntness has its place, but tact might help. I have been and am again in business, albeit a very different kind from the past.

Surely he isn't remembering his youthful mistakes? Hmmm. Then, shall we say, I had the upper hand when his indiscretion was adversely affecting me. Oh well.

So, to make a short story long, we visited the principal, Mr. Quandt. Seemed nice enough. After explaining that I as an alumnist, would appreciate his attention to the matter at hand. Self promotion never hurts. He met Erica, Will and the kids' Mom. We are very convincing.

So, as a hedge against possibly not getting moved to the district soon enough, we are reapplying with the kind personal attention of the principal.

I realize there are limits. But, limits can be extended. There are rules. They can be bent. Flexibility keeps the tree from snapping in two. It indeed merely bends then snaps back.

No compromise when it comes to liberty. But we are talking school rules. Then again it is the liberal system that has replaced true education in this country. The bureaucracy is tremendous. Look at how hard they work on it.

I will get Erica into my alma mater. I've checked the school out and of course it's infected with liberalism. But, Erica has learned to be true to her principles and to see clearly how 'things' are constructed.

The fact is my ex and I are willing to home school her, at least a while again. We did so til 6th grade and Will through his freshman year.

Plus, she wants to get into show biz. I intend to see to that too. There the challenge will be living and schooling in Southern California.

I will do whatever I can that's decent and moral and of the Light for my kids. I hope that's the lesson that remains at the end of the day.