At the age of nineteen, Jon Gillespie Magee, Jr. was killed in a training accident over Roxholme, England. He had joined the Canadian air force at eighteen years of age and had attained the rank of Pilot Officer. His sonnet “High Flight” was written only months before his death. The ability of this young man to have captured the essence of flight and then to have transposed it to the written word; all while training for war and going from “rookie” to fighter pilot in a year, is what makes this one of the most awe inspiring works I have ever read.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

The Common Kestrel is a falcon found in Europe. it is exceptional in its ability to remain stationary while in the air...those of us who are fortunate enough to have had some background in aviation know that the bird is able to find rising air currents and "fall" at the same rate that the air is rising. The bird appears to "Hover". it is a falcon and as such is a bird of prey. This is the description of a very interesting bird to watch. Why am I telling you all of this?...To demonstrate a connection between creative writing and fact.
Windhover is the common name in Europe used for the  common Kestrel. Gerard Manley Hopkins, who lived in the mid- 1800s wrote about the common Kestrel. Today, a casual observer of the common Kestrel, or Windhover would remark: "Cool, that bird seems to be standing still!"
In the mid 1800s, Gerald Manley Hopkins described it as this:

To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning morning's minion, king-

    dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding

    Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding

High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing

In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,

    As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding

    Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding

Stirred for a bird, – the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here

    Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion

Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

     

   No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion

Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,

    Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion.

What a wonderful observation of nature...
if you are unfamiliar with  John G. Magee, Jr.s  "High Flight" that will be coming to a blog near you very soon!
enjoy your weekend!

I have just finished the last paper due for the semester. As they say "That's a Wrap"! I should have done fairly well this semester, all things considered...This is my first semester in a post-graduate course, and this is my first full class load in twenty seven years! Depending on the outcome of the final submission to this class I will either have a 3.66 or a 4.0 for the semester...Not bad for an unemployed fossil!
My thesis for this particular post is that ....( oops! I used the word "Thesis"...my academia is showing through)
My thought for this particular post is that learning things technical strip one of much of one's creativity. I, for one can not delve deeply into computer networking, or even learning a computer language and write creatively. It is either one or the other for me. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that I can do both, maybe not as effectively as someone who is brighter and more creative than I, but I am glad that I can learn concrete things and be creative. It is just that I can not do both simultaneously. I believe that part of it is that I have never been able to study effectively with any distractions such as music, television, or even loud traffic in the background.
When I write for pleasure, however I need some background noise, some music or other distraction to get the creativity started.
Ain't that weird?
The conclusion statement is: I have not been paying as much attention to this blog as I could have because I was not in the slightest interested in creating anything for the past week... I was very much concerned that I was "starving" my readers for lack of posts, but could think of nothing interesting to write...
This is a transitional post...nothing exciting, but I will start increasing the frequency of my posts...I promise.
...footnotes included in the ....(there I go again!)...
"Till later

This Monday will begin the fourth week of being in the aforementioned fraternity of the non-employed.
I am beginning to feel like a Bruce Willis in "Sixth Sense" only instead of being dead, maybe I am retired and don't know it!
I don't want to be retired, I don't even relish the thought of being retired. I set no higher value on being retired than I do on being dead. Literally, I can do just fine without either one.
If some kid comes to me and says "I see retired people" I think I'll die! :)
I guess I am being a little pessimistic about this job thing, but Dick Magruder and "patience" are not terms used in the same paragraph without a negative modifier placed in front of the second of the two terms.
Now if I can just find my bottle of entrepreneurial pills, I think I will be off to start the hottest thing next to Facebook!
Take care, Thanks for dropping by, Have a great day...(that is not a mandate; you may have a crappy day, if you would like to !)

Dick

I believe it is much easier to stay focused on the job at hand; finding a job and completing my education, than it is to maintain a positive attitude. I also believe that without a positive attitude, there would be little hope of finding a job; after all, I must, at some point in my process, be interviewed, and will have to provide the positive attitude that all interviewers want to see. I would guess, then that I have to put on my happy face every morning right after my shower, and allow it to remain until "lights out every evening"...BAZINGA!

MOTORCYCLE DRIVE-BY

It was the first cold night of the year, after the summer. There was no moon, not one to be seen, anyway.
There were clouds, overcast, as those who know weather wish to call it.
We sat huddled in the backroom of the dank, abandoned warehouse, we were alone, together.
we were in love.
we were so young.
we had nothing.
Nothing but each other.
Our food was what could be begged, found, or stolen. Dine and dash was not something those "other
people did".
We hadn't bathed since we snuck into the "Y" a week ago.
I really don't know when we last brushed our hair or teeth.
But we loved, God we loved each other.
With total abandon, on the unfinished concrete of the warehouse floor, in the back alleys, in a real bed
when we could find it, we made our love real. We Loved.
We were going to be the next Sonny and Cher, The next Captain and Tenille, as soon as we could afford a
guitar.
We had love.
We would walk to The Kitchen for lunch, it was always good, we could talk to people who understood us.
Some had problems with alcohol, some with their mind, some just seemed to not have any luck. All of them,
with the exception of the man from Scotland, were nice and would talk to us.
Once, we went to The Kitchen and there was a man who actually had a motorcycle.
He actually had a possession, and a means of freedom.
He said he could not part with it, no matter how "destitute" (whatever that means) he became.
He said " I have finally gotten enough funding to fill the tank on this 'bike, would you like to come
along on a ride with me?"
She said: "of course!"
I slept alone in the warehouse that night.
I will never forget her.
I hope she was able to live what they call a normal life, raise a family, get a job, and love the man on the
motorcycle.
I still think about her, every day at the Soup Kitchen.

Week Three!

Here we go with the start of week three of being among the unemployed....and although I am among some good company, it is a fraternity that I would very much like to divest my membership in!
I have filled out at least two applications on line per day and  talked to countless people, but my ideas are not yet exhausted.
I will find a job. I will, somehow become a person whose talents and knowledge garner me a reasonable return on investment.
I have probably less than 4 ounces of entrepreneurial blood in my entire system, but maybe I can learn how to use that small amount to my benefit. I will prevail, I will not let this speed bump get me down. In the meantime, the lawn, the gardens, my shop, and the general look of the household have never fared better!
'Till next time; Enjoy life, and the ones around you, it's all you have.

Pops

He was born seventy three years ago and how he made it this far was a wonder to all who knew him. He squatted by the fire as would an Indian, smoking his home rolled cigarette, as he had done for Most of his life. The old man had lived in the woods all his life, never been out of them. He knew when the squirrels were the easiest to get. He knew where all the blackberry brambles were and he knew how to make sassafras tea. He also knew when the revenooers were in the area…he just knew.
His mama had named him Joshua, most of his life, he went by pops. Pops never had been married, never knew a woman who would put Up with what he liked to say was “his style”. Didn’t know about any kids he had, ‘course he might have had a few runnin around.
 Pops had a specialty… He produced what the hill folk called “pops’ home cookin’” Moonshine 100 proof , clear, kick-your-butt, make you kiss your ugly ole aunt, good ole corn whiskey. You see Pops was sitting around a fire, but it wasn’t any campfire. Oh, no. This fire had a still over it…it had to be tended closely, as only Pops knew how to do, to make that still Produce what he was famous for. That’s what he did That’s who he was Pops had done some jail time. He wasn’t bitter, he just figured the gub’ment was doin’ what they had To do. “Them revenooers is mad ‘cause I don’t pay no taxes to the gub’ment. Well, taxes is what pays them Revenooers salary. They’s pissed off ‘cause I ain’t payin’ their salary.” “ I’ve heard about them Type of things goin’ on in Chicago, with the Mob, I think it was called ‘protectionism”.
 He didn’t know it , but this was to be his last run of ‘shine. The very next day the Carrol County sheriff picked him up. Pops, sheriff Sutton said, I know you make some great ‘shine, Had a few pints myself. But the Feds said if I don’t put a stop to it, they will. We got to bust up your still…matter of fact , your whole operation. Them 120 gallon barrels gonna get the axe. Tomorrow, we’ll come by in the afternoon to pick you up. That should give you time to find some one to keep that flea-bag hound you call ol’ Jess, Your two mules and that damned ugly jass-honkey you call Frank.
 Now breakin up a man's still is one thing...but talkin bad about a person's critters, well... hat's just mean! The sheriff and his deputies did what they had to do. Pops too The two mules and Frank were down at the Jones place. Pops and ol’ Jess was found curled up in bed. Their race was run. They both gave up. As it should be.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS !

Within the week I must let my school know if I am to continue with my Masters' program in the fall.
The cost of the program to me is $2500 per semester. I am without a job, and have enough income otherwise to pay the bills and eat Ramen noodles! I have decided that I want to get the degree more that I want to eat steak. I will take out whatever loans are necessary to procure my spot in the class, and continue with my (nearly) 4.0 average. I am not a goal-setter by nature, but this is one mountain that I will climb not only for myself but for my family, and for one other person to whom I have to prove something. Is this all the wrong reasons to have a goal?...possibly. Am I dissuaded from trying to accomplish this goal by knowing that it may be for the wrong reasons?...not a bit!
I will talk later about my schooling.
For today: no feedback from the 37 pending job applications...not a "Howdy-doo, not a "Kiss my ass" not a word...sometimes no news is NOT good news...

Thursday, May 10, 2012
 An Interview! Yes, I got to actually talk to someone today. Granted, it is not within the field to which I would like to move, but it, indeed, is a job. It is a job I would feel comfortable (if not challenged) doing. I got the opportunity through my network of contacts.

I have applied for hundreds of jobs within the past year and a half; that effort yielded me three interviews with no follow up. So far, I am batting 1000 with the network/interview relationship.

No, I do not have a job yet, but things  are looking up!

I have some research to do for my class, a paper to write, and  then I will put some more of  my writing on this blog….

Thanks for reading

I promised to share some of what I write with you. Here is an example I call it " The Night Sky"

 

When I was younger, I lived on an isolated island in Alaska.I would walk to the top of
a very high hill on that lonely island. A thousand miles from nowhere,
no city lights, no noise, no people. I could let myself go. I could stare at the million stars
and wonder how many of those had planets, how many beings were laying on mountain
tops looking at their stars, wondering exactly the same thing. I did not doubt God. He
created the earth I live on.
I created the world I live in. I truly believe that.
I wish we could talk about that. I wish we could gaze, together, in silence, at the
million white-hot holes in the velvet black sky. Wondering all the while what is
to be done by us in the short time we have left here on earth. To realize our insignificance
is to realize our individual greatness.
We each have a purpose. We all have a destiny, obviously, we can change our
destination, we cannot change the final outcome.

Starting Week Two

I have filled out all the requisite paperwork in order to receive unemployment insurance payments; but I truly hope I'll not receive many weekly payments. I hope to rejoin the ranks of the employed soon. I am not without hope, but realistically and statistically speaking, a snowball has a better chance in....well you get the idea.
I went to one of those temp places, and had bad vibes from the beginning about it. After taking an "abilities" test which included such mind- wrenching mathematical problems as " you have 270 identical packages. Nine packages will fit in a box. How many boxes will it take.....etc." I kid you not!...Then they wanted me to take a clerical test...10 key, typing speed,spelling, dictation....I balked and talked to the receptionist; this was elevated to some second-level interviewer person who explained "All people applying for IT positions must take a clerical exam." Before I declared that I will not be applying there again, I asked " May I see a copy of your exclusivity agreement?" The interviewer looked shocked. "We won't have you sign that until after the interview"
he responded. I asked them to return all the paperwork I just filled out, as it contained some personal information that I did not wish them to have; and I left.
An exclusivity agreement says that if you get a job anywhere within the designated time period (usually three to six months after signing the agreement), any job you take, whether they found it or not, would indebit  you to them for a fair sum of money...usually 10% of your first six months earnings!....Never again will I go to one of those places.
I am going to look into every avenue I can think of...but in the mean time, I think I'll post a few of my writings here to see if more than 13 people per week will read this blog...if anybody would like to comment, feel free to post any (constructive) ideas....
Thanks,
Brokerichard

Ps...if any one wants me to continue the first article I posted, just let me know.