"December thirty-first is the very worst time of the year"
--Phoebe Snow, "It Must Be Sunday"
Numbers, are by nature, arbitrary, things we invented to mark things without emotion.
So today is December 31, 2017 and the last day. But it does not feel any different than yesterday and tomorrow is not likely going to be any warmer.
It is 10 degrees F on my front porch.
It is 22 degrees in Reykjavik, Iceland. Thank you, Gulf Stream.
December 31 was my mother's birthday. She said, "Everyone celebrates my birthday. The biggest party of the year. They blow up balloons and party all night. They just don't know what the are celebrating."
If we were going to celebrate a New Year in some rational way, it would be winter (or summer) solstice. Now that is something to celebrate: We have made it, one more time, completely around the sun. Three hundred sixty five day journey, done.
Now start again.
I'm watching "Band of Brothers" again and have got to the Bastogne episode. Now those guys were cold. They did not have gas fire places. Not even roofs over their heads. They dug into the frozen ground and they could not light fires for fear of giving away their positions.
Those were some tough guys.
Americans.
I'm 200 odd pages into "Grant."
I've read Bruce Catton and others about Grant, but there's always new stuff.
Whenever things look bad, it's good to read history. Gives you perspective. Oh, you think the Dotard is bad, well...
History is marked by numbers.
1862 was a fearsome year.
2017 was pretty tame, by comparison.
Another thing about marking years: Your gravestone will have dates, if you have a gravestone. If you make it until midnight tonight, you know one thing you could not have known before that point: Your gravestone will not have 2017 on it.
So there's that.
--Phoebe Snow, "It Must Be Sunday"
Numbers, are by nature, arbitrary, things we invented to mark things without emotion.
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| Obadiah Youngblood, Cump, 1865 |
So today is December 31, 2017 and the last day. But it does not feel any different than yesterday and tomorrow is not likely going to be any warmer.
It is 10 degrees F on my front porch.
It is 22 degrees in Reykjavik, Iceland. Thank you, Gulf Stream.
December 31 was my mother's birthday. She said, "Everyone celebrates my birthday. The biggest party of the year. They blow up balloons and party all night. They just don't know what the are celebrating."
If we were going to celebrate a New Year in some rational way, it would be winter (or summer) solstice. Now that is something to celebrate: We have made it, one more time, completely around the sun. Three hundred sixty five day journey, done.
Now start again.
 |
| Obama in Washington |
I'm watching "Band of Brothers" again and have got to the Bastogne episode. Now those guys were cold. They did not have gas fire places. Not even roofs over their heads. They dug into the frozen ground and they could not light fires for fear of giving away their positions.
Those were some tough guys.
Americans.
I'm 200 odd pages into "Grant."
I've read Bruce Catton and others about Grant, but there's always new stuff.
Whenever things look bad, it's good to read history. Gives you perspective. Oh, you think the Dotard is bad, well...
History is marked by numbers.
1862 was a fearsome year.
2017 was pretty tame, by comparison.
Another thing about marking years: Your gravestone will have dates, if you have a gravestone. If you make it until midnight tonight, you know one thing you could not have known before that point: Your gravestone will not have 2017 on it.
So there's that.
Well there's a cheery thought Phantom and not one I've ever considered as previous New Year's Eves have merged into New Year's Day. "Now I know my what my gravestone won't have on it"-nope never entered my head...It's an insightful and unusual thought and one of the reasons I'm such an avid reader of your blog- one never knows what gem might appear.
ReplyDeleteWhich speaking of gems-that is an excellent rendition of Sherman..In this painting one can vividly see the face of a man who'd faced more than his share of battles..Happy New Year Phantom and best wishes for a wonderful 2018-and a toast to it not appearing on your tombstone my friend...
Maud
Ms. Maud,
ReplyDeleteYou have to celebrate the small things in life.
Or, as Churchill once said, "There is nothing so exhilarating in life as to be shot at with no effect."
For some people, it's getting down the black diamond ski trail in one piece.
For you and me, it might be knowing 2017 is safely removed from the tombstone list.
Obadiah will be pleased to learn you liked Sherman's portrait, and most of all you knew it was William Tecumseh Sherman. Few will know that. I like Sherman's story because he struggled, overcame and then brought the fruits of his struggles to his work.
Did you know when Grant issued his no surrender but unconditional surrender ultimatum to the Confederate of the fort, the Rebel actually described that as "unchivalorous." Sherman and Grant saw war for what it is: "All hell." And they rammed that reality down the throats of those deplorables who fought them.
A lesson for Democrats of today.
Phantom