Forty Years and…

…counting since that first human footprint on the moon. It took brains and guts to sit atop a missile aimed at the moon, going where the odds of survival should anything go wrong were slim to none. And things had gone off plan several times before. Still, three men, climbed into the capsule to take those odds. They beat them by climbing back out alive several days later.

When you’re feeling weak or not up to any particular challenge, think of the Apollo 11 crew and all the support people who made it possible for this incredible human achievement to be logged in the history books. If they did it, you can do it, too.

Published in: on July 20, 2009 at 11:40 am  Leave a Comment  
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Authors and Blogging

Saw this cartoon in the Wall Street Journal. Very appropriate.

wsj_cartoon

Published in: on July 9, 2009 at 10:16 pm  Comments (1)  
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Help on the Way

Hopefully you’ll never need the services of a med-evac helicopter like the one pictured below.

helilifeaThis is one operated by PENNSTAR, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. I’ve seen these helicopters in action. It’s impressive. The pilot’s fly in all kinds of weather and have to land at the sites of car wrecks, train derailments, even other plane crashes. This is difficult duty to say the least. Then there is the pressure of flying with someone’s life in danger, which adds more pressure to an already stressful task.

So, my thanks go out to the pilots, nurses, and staff of this system. Hopefully, I’ll never see the inside of one of those helicopters. But you never know.

Proud Postage

Consistent with my use of fountain pens is my affection for written correspondence. Thus, there is the need for postage and lately I’ve found the stamps produced by the United States Postal Service to be less than inspired. They’re just in a rut; sooner or later they’ll deliver some good ones. In the mean time I have a source for great stamps. Here’s a shot of just a few of them:

stampsaOf course, my favorite is the Gadsden Flag in the upper left corner. (That’s the one that says, “Don’t Tread On Me.”) Don’t miss the George S. Patton one in the upper right, either. There are the ones with the American Revolution theme, space exploration, and nautical history. My supplier must have a deep well of these because I send approximately 50-60 pieces of mail to both US and international destinations each month. He’s never run out and I’m grateful.

These stamps are works of art and a sort of time capsule that capture history and the mood of the age. Compared to anemic email with it’s slang, shortcuts, silly animations, these stamps stand tall. And they should. The recipients of my letters and cards frequently comment on how they like the stamps. Drop someone a handwritten note once in a while to show your affection and appreciation. After all, that’s what friends are for.

Published in: on June 29, 2009 at 3:18 pm  Comments (1)  
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