Thanks, or not!

Happy Thanksgiving All,

Guess it is a day for reflection on what we are thankful for . . . maybe not for those original Native Americans who helped out the Pilgrims after some hard times. Don't think they knew what was in store for them for the next two centuries. Then there is the turkey itself. Except for that one that gets pardoned by the President, I don't think they are very thankful for this day. By the way, what did that turkey do wrong to get a pardon along with all the others Bush will let off the hook before he goes out of office. I hope he, at the very least, pardons those two border patrolman who were "railroaded" to prision.

Oh yeah, what I am thankful for is the topic isn't it? Lets see . . . my two daughters, their husbands, my grandsons, my sisters and brothers, their families, and all my friends are probably at the top of my list. Outside of that I am thankful for good health and a new President, particularly that it is a democrat who might do something to improve the country and our relationship to the rest of the world. There may be some cause for HOPE.

The first snow fell on Flagstaff a couple of weeks ago, not much, but over this holiday more is suppose to be on the way. I am in Prescott with my friends the Hammonds for the Thanksgiving repast, but will head down to Estrella (Goodyear, AZ) tomorrow to spend the rest of the weekend with Bob and Mooselee (Cindy) Henry. I would be very thankful if we got enough snow in Flag while I was gone so that I could go xc skiing. The old adage (or was it a bumbersticker?) applies, "Pray for Snow." Of course if you are the praying type put in a word for peace as well.

At any rate Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Meandering through my thoughts

Mornin' All!

You'd think a semi-retired person could get back to this blog a little more often. This entry is liable to be a bit random as I have all these stray thoughts going through my head.

As for the the election, I am as happy as are a majority of folks (except the right wing of course; they have already been carping). The problem now, as the economy keeps spiraling down, is that Obama is expected to be the saviour. With the mess that "W" has left it, it will take years for things to turn around. I have every confidence that the new President will surround himself with the "best and the brightest," but we all have a long haul to get to the other side. It may be, that at my age, I will not see it. Hopefully, my daughters and grandsons will!

Saturday I took my first stroll up in the Kachina Peaks (San Francisco Mts.) since returning to Flagstaff. Figured I'd better get up there before the snows began to fly in earnest. Even though working out in the gym 5 days a week, the 9000 feet elevation up there had me out breath after about a mile. It had snowed a bit about a week before but there were only a few traces left in the shade. I cannot wait for it and hope we have as good a winter as the last.

The Aspens were very stark with their leaves now gone. I missed their colors this year with all the activity and travels in my life after my return from the Tetons. Their beauty is still evident in preparation for winter. They are my favorite tree. As I walked the trail through these trees my thoughts were freed of other concerns. They always have a calming effect on me.

Movies: Tasha and I went to see the new James Bond film. Both of us enjoyed it more than most critics. It may be that Daniel Craig seems to be the best Bond since Connery. Yes, there is much more in the way of cinematic mayhem than in the last but I find the relationships of the characters a bit more developed than the caricature Bonds of the past. The best film that I have seen in the last few weeks is Changeling with Angelina Jolie. The story is well presented by director Eastwood and she does a marvelous job in her portrayal.

RockunRolla, Guy Ritchie's new film is entertaining in a comic book (graphic novel these days) way but not all that memorable. I went to Zack and Miri Make a Porno for something to do, but found it to be another waste of time and money. Kevin Smith, the director seems to be stuck in a groove of sophomorphic sex humor. I liked his Clerks and Dogma, but this one misses the boat unless his audience is underdelveloped males in their late teens through early 30s. Of course that seems to be the audience for most Will Ferrell movies as well.

That's about it from the cluttered and random mind of evan.

Election Day

Mornin' All,

This morning is very important, in fact the whole day is, election day. I have been alive for many presidential elections now, going back to very bare memories of the end President Truman's time. However, my first real recognition of the presidency is of "Ike," who seemed in my childhood innocence, a nice, and grandfatherly man. I was old enough to adore the image and promise of Kennedy during his short tenure. Even LBJ, in retrospect, seems a much better president than I thought at the time. His "war" stinks, but he did not start it. Those roots go back to Ike and Kennedy. Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan, and Bush#1 are forgetable to me, even though some were nice men. In my opinion, Nixon and Regan did the most damage with the roots of today's problems squarely in their court.

Then, there is Clinton and "W." The former a personally flawed man but bright and a good president from the point of view of the economy and social programs. "W" has been disaster. Not since possibly U.S. Grant have we had so much corruption and downright "selling" of our country down the river to the rich and influencial. Grant a good soldier let profiteering carpetbaggers run his government, while Bush in his "bullheaded" effort to show his father his worthiness led us into an unecessary war followed by the economic collapse of the country. His henchman and VP, Cheney was by far the worst of the lot, engineering the taking away of our personal freedoms in the guise of the "Patriot Act." The best I can say about "W" is that he probably meant well.

This election we cannot elect another "goof" on the assumption that "he is just like us." I don't want a President who is "just like me." I want a bright and intelligent person, someone above the "Average Joe." I think Obama is that person and I voted for him a few weeks ago before heading to California. Although he was not my first choice when this process began, he is now.

I have voted for McCain as a senator in one election (even though a democrat). There is no way I would now. He has shown that he will change his stripes too quickly to be president. And his choice for VP illustrates his lack of judgement. I could not ever support him again, even though he was a "Maverick" amongst repubicans for awhile. He is not now. Besides, it is time for a new generation to take charge.

I will not say, as many ads have, that you should get out and vote no matter for whom. That is a mistake. Get out and vote for Obama! Those are my last words on the subject!