Give the Man a Cigar!

Andy pointed out something I thaught was the case at first also....

When I first saw the original of this photo I thought my Great Grand Father had a "Handlebar Moustache". I guess my unconscious mind said: "He has a "Bowler Hat" that must be a Handlebar Moustache too...

John Joseph Burns (circa 1908)

So here is a enhanced closeup that shows that not to be the case. It is in fact a Cigar.

obeedúid~
19/feb/09

"What was I thinking?!!"

Postcard of "John Joseph Burns" and "Casper Burns" in a Model T.

This is a picture of my Great Grand Father John Joseph Burns with my Grand Uncle Casper Burns seated in a Model T. (circa 1908?) It is perhaps the only known photo of my Great Grand Father and was printed as a Post Card, we think it was taken at Coney Island.

If you look closely you can see he has a Cigar in his mouth. It seems that he died mysteriously and we are not really sure what his cause of death was. Most of the stories elude to alcohol, nothing is definitive. All I know is this shows he was a smoker too.

~

On Wednesday it will be 6 weeks since I quit smoking. The plan is to be in shape to hike the "Patowmack" tow-path this summer so I have also been planning to walk my old route around the "Ville" to get in shape as soon as it gets consistently warm enough.

I've done this before so I really don't think of it as a big deal. When I reach the 6 month mark I may just celebrate in some way. The only thing I really miss is my friends at work on the Smoking Dock....

The "Freezing My **s Off" on a cold winter's day I do not miss!

~

Last night I had a row with Sarah that I realized was not going anywhere and since she wouldn't give up and walk away I did. I put my Hoodie on, my "Polamalu" Jersey on over that, and topped that with my Jacket. I stuffed a few Stop Smoking Nicotine Lozenges in my pocket and off I went into the night!

I walk somewhere between a fast walk and a brisk run so it wasn't until around Mile 4 that I realized I had left my Gloves at home.

...and so I said to the night sky: "What we-er-ere yoo-oou th-th-th-inking!"

When I got home I took a Shower and grabbed "1921" by Morgan Llywelyn and went to bed.

...after Sarah and I made-up of course...

~

It's the next day now. I'm in the nice warm house. I'm thinking I'm tired and the walking can wait a little.

The forecast for the next few days is for Snow, I know what I'm thinking now:

"I think I'll celebrate that with a shower and a good book before bed!!!"

obeedúid~

16/feb/09

Dad taught me how to be a Father and Mom showed me how to be a Woman!

Well, NO, not exactly....

(Left to Right) My Mom: Doris Burns O'Brien, My Uncle Bobby Burns,

Uncle Walter Burns and their Dog "Whatsizname"

What I mean is Mom taught me how to nurture. How to do the things most often attributed to a woman. It came in handy when I was a househusband in the 80s and later as a single parent in the 90s.

I don't give my Mom enough credit. I'm always going on about my Dad but really, Mom taught me things that I never could have done without. Who knew that I would have to be a Mother to my children as well as a Father. Not me.... No one in my family had ever been divorced before, let alone been male and a househusband, by choice... but her nurturing my innate ability to nurture was the most powerful gift she gave to me....

~

She also taught me how to cook, how to sew, how to clean... She gave me encouragement and lived vicariously through me in my Artistic endeavorers. Mom was the first person to put a brush in my hand and buy me paints when others my age were still playing with crayons. She gave me her pallet knife and she let me learn how to paint with that as well. Mom even introduced me to Gravestone-rubbing as an art form. She Instilled in me an appreciation of Nature (Dad used to say if you fell asleep in Moms house your mouth open you might wake up with a plant in it....) (She was planting things in old sneakers years before it was in B.H.&G.) Mom took me to museums during the summer and on school breaks to NY and Vermont.

Yeah, I supposed she gave me a few "paddlings" in my youth; but mostly I deserved them even though I didn't think so at the time... ;)

~

This past week we did the "Sibling-Get-Together" to plan for Moms future in light of her continuing Health Concerns. I think on the whole we did well in recognizing each others gifts and ways in which we could help her through this. Who knows what the future holds (although we have some idea) we know that by virtue of our upbringing, we are optimists by nature and we will all get her through this together.

~

Mom was my first Valentine. She always sent me a card and she sent them to my kids when they were young too! Chocolate Hearts, those little Sugar Hearts (with messages on them) they were always there every year, and the Cup-cakes as well! (...maybe thats where Sarah gets it from...)

~

Mom was the first Valentine everyone of us had and she'll always be our Valentine!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY MOM!

...and thanks for teaching Us to be a compassionate, nurturing, un-ordinary human beings.

Oh, I hope you don't mind, but We've passed it on....

:)

obeedúid~
14/feb/09

Sometimes I feel like I'm cheating....

I spent some time in the back yard last week taking pictures of the Full Moon. I've been playing with them in "programs". Its weird how easy I find it to do things I've spent years laboring to do with paint...

I almost feel like I have been cheating.... What follows are the results:

The resolution in Blogger doesn't do justice to the end result, but if you click on them they should enlarge in your browser. Then, if you wish to do as I have and make them a desktop pattern, feel free to do so by right clicking and selecting "Set as Desktop Background" (...in windows of course....)

obeedúid~
13/feb/08

You know you done right when your kids are proud to be Nerds... Right?

Sarah, Jimmy and Tommy went to the New York Comic Con 2009 this past week. What follows are some Virtual Posts sent to me over the past few days:

"Is the Pizza ready yet?"

"Can Wedgehead have autograph?"

"Wedgehead like Sarah! Sarah like Wedgehead?
Wedgehead be your Main Doorstop?"

"Comic Con Exclusive Ugly!"

"Big Damn Line for Joss Whedon!"
(Creator of Firefly)

"...guess we won't be buying that for Dad after all..."

"...Boyfriend tired, go sleeply now..."

Alright, I admit it: I have had LUST in my heart for the last year and a half....:

NO!!! Not that kind of lust! ...had you going for a minute there though didn't I!!!

Actually I have been drooling over a map on-line for a year and a half. YOU WHAT? You have been lusting over a Civil War Map? Maaannnn, you're sick. You've gone around the bend.

Well, yeah but...

~
O.K., O.K., I finally bought it and I am not ashamed! I am, a Civil War Addict. ahhhh, now that feels better. I can't tell you what a relief it is to get that out in the open. FEEEWWWW!

~

What I bought was a map of the Washington D.C. Defenses of U.S. Army circa 1861. Illustrating the locations of Civil War fortifications including forts, batteries and other strategic emplacements.

You see, now I can hold a letter from James Gilmour to his brother Robert in my hand and say: "On this day, at this location this letter was written and this is what was happening at the time."

Click on Image to Enlarge.

General Irwin Mc Dowell's 1st division, 2nd Brigade

consisted of the 2nd New York, 1st & 2nd Ohio and the 2nd Artillery.

They were lead by Brig.Gen. Schenk at the Battle of 1st Bull on July 21, 1861

Here is a transcript of a letter written while James Gilmour was stationed here 11 days before The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas:

Balls Crosroad

Virginia

July 10th

Dear Brother

I now write to

let you know that have been

waiting for your letter in

answer to my last but it has

not arived yet, it seemed that

your last letter was on the way

coming when mine was going

& as you stated in your last

that you were going to the

thought that you did not get

it as it was adressed to the store

instead of 4th* street but I will

a dress this one for the store

as I supose you to be back by

this time, this is a mistake as I see

yours was dated june 30th But I

will make it all right;

I was glad to hear that you

were in good health & also

that you were contracted on in the

~

store as work is hard to be got

in the city The prinsopal

reason for me writing now is that

we have recieved orders to

march to Richmond & as we

will have to fight our way

through I thought I would

let you know that how I was

getting along we now form part

Brigade Commanded By

Gen. Skank** it consists

of the first and second Ohio

Regts. 3 Conn. & our own

the 2nd of New York we wer[e] recieved

on munday & expects to march

to night or at day Break tomarrow

Morning. They next Brigade

after us consists of the 79th

Hilander the 13 of Rochester N.Y.

71 N.Y. & a Regt. from Wis.

I was delighted to see the

movement of the Brigade

& we got the Prais[e] of the

Bystanders for being the

cleanist Regt. of the 4

~

bu[t] it is a hard thing to Keep

clean clothes where we have 3

feet of Dust on one half of the

week & 4 feet of mud the other.

we have very hot weather

here at Presant, but what

goes worse with us is the gales

& Tempests that comes on all

at once we had a storm the other

night. it swept away our tent

wet our clothes & dunked ourselves prity

well but we are getting used to it

now. ***Frank is in good health

& wishes to be remembered to you

in the Kindest manner we are

all ready for fight. & the plan

we have adopted for getting dressed

quick in case of an alarm is

that we still sleep on with our

clothes & our cartridge Box under

our head & as a general thing

our Brave Partner in our Bosem

I mean our Muskets~

You may rest content about

me. I Trust God is with

~

us. & if he is with no who

can be aganst us

Please write as soon as

this comes to hand & let me

know how you are getting

along & how you spent the 4th

as for mine I spent it

at doing gard Duty as that is

the Run of duty we see most of

at Present

I must conclude hoping

that these few lines will find you

injoying good health

Do not think it strange if you

do not have an answer to your

letter as we do not know when

we may be located

but please write soon

I remain your

affectionate Brother to Death

James Gilmour

Please give my love to

all in the kindist manner

write soon.

*4th Street in Manhattan, New York City; was where they lived.

** This was really Gen. Schenk; but, this is James' actual spelling. Obviously, he was I am sure, unaware of the connotation that it holds today. I leave it as he wrote it for authenticity's sake, and also because it amuses me to think that from everything I have read of the enlisted men's opinion of him after Bull Run: I believe that if they had known what Skank connotes today, they may well have spelled it this way on purpose.

*** Frank Perry was James' tent mate and friend throughout the his war experience. Frank was the only soldier mentioned in James' letter's from his Original Company to have survived the War after being wounded at the Battle of Antietam.

~

Next summer Devin and I plan to hike the C&O "Patomack" Canal "Toe Path". We intend to take a Canal Boat from Georgetown west to about Great Falls, then hike along the Tow Path to Whites Ferry where we will cross to visit "Balls Bluff". Then we will take in Poolsville where James was Camped for some time. Next a Bus ride to Harpers Ferry to visit the Museum. (James was stationed here also. Truth is he was stationed all along the Potomac at various times.) Then I would like to travel south to find the location of the "Battle of Fair Oaks" where he was killed in Battle and later buried.

obeedúid~
05/feb/09

I CAN SMELL THE SCENT OF A WOMEN AGAIN!!!

...the only trouble is, my nose keeps going UP like an infield fly every time one walks by....!

(I quit smoking on 07/Jan because I expect to be doing some serious Hiking this summer.....)

Oh Man! DID I MISS THIS!

...What was I thinking....

:$)

obeedúid~
02/feb/09

I don't subscribe to "Tow Truck Theology"....

In other words: I don't believe that if I pray for a Tow truck one will miraculously appear and save me from dieing in a ditch during a blizzard just because I prayed.

~

So the obvious question, (in light of this weeks Bible Study theme at Church: Prayer: Intimacy with God.) is "Do I believe in Angels?" Well no actually, I don't. I do however believe in the presence of Good. Do I believe in Good vs Evil? Not really, not in the traditional Comic Book Variety anyway. I think that we are all a little of both and some of us are more one than the other. Hopefully we are all moving in the Good direction a higher percentage of the time. If you do Good you attract Good... if you go to the "Dark-Side" Well....

~

"It's a matter of seeing" ....[sic] you can change the exposure, you can change the filter, but you can't change the picture, only the interpretation..." (Living the questions.com LLC)

~

"If only I pray allot God will give me what I want...." NOOOOO! but I may be prepared for whatever happens and also have the means to avoid despair.

;)


obeedúid~
26/jan/09

Keeping the Army of Guardian Angels busy ...AGAIN!

So there I was sitting a pizza joint chowing down in downtown Schenectady, across the street from "Proctor's Theater". Sarah and Jimmy, and the "Basement Gang" were waiting on Devin before we went to the "One Man Star Wars" show. Every year around this time we go to a show and we bought our the tickets back in October.

I used to tell the kids in Youth Group stories that had to do with life experiences meant as cautionary tales... Of course Sarah is always telling me that its not a cautionary tale if it begins with "It was so Coool!"

...any way there I was telling one of Sarah's favorites about how me and my "Gang" bounced off of a tree that we (they actually) had missed a few days earlier and Bang! ...whata ya know guess what? ..we hit the very same tree!

...and the phone rings!

I was just getting to the part where I tend to say something about how I have survived repeated near death experiences for some reason that I equate to God's future plans for me in this world.


It was Devin of course, and he had taken out several hundred feet of guardrail on the way to the Theater along route 20 in Duanesburg, after the I-88 exit. It seems he went to Cobelskill to help a friend ....sound familiar? ...sound like something his Dad would do? "...ahhh, yeah, can you drive down here and give me a hand even though you just got off of a 36, haven't eaten, should get some rest and take care of yourself ..."

~

He had a week like I am prone too. His GPS fried, He lost his Cell Phone during the wreck, had some Bad Calls I can't talk about and ended up in a ditch on the way back from Coby.

~

So you can imagine what I said to him I'm sure. It went kinda like this: "I know you won't believe this, and I'm sure you think I'm whacked when I tell you, but You are a "Force for Good" In this world son, and you as I before you, will not be "taken out of here" until the Lord is convinced that your job is done. In a world full of darkness you have a reason for being. Call it destiny or whatever, but I am convinced that you walk through things with the Light of Being as your guide..."

~

Its scary how we become our parents. This is not the first time. As a mater of fact, his Boy Scout, Civic minded, "almost taken out while doing a Good Deed Experiences" are quickly mounting towards my total. I'm sure it won't be the last time either. When I finally go to the "Great Beyond" I'm pretty sure that the Angels who have followed me around all my life will simply be reassigned. To my Kids.


obeedúid~
25/Jan/09

What? Huh? Wait a minute here....

obeedúid~ gets "the Boot" from Finn Mac Cool....
Giants Causeway October 15th, 2008.

Yeah, I've decided to lay off the episodes of the movies and concentrate on it in its entirety as a finished DVD. Then I'll break it down for the internet later. This photo is a preview of sorts that relates somehow in my warped little leprechaun mind to todays rambling musings....

~

I'm thinkin' I might have a handle on just what has been putting me under the weather for the past few days other than let down from Ireland....

"And you may ask yourself

How do I work this?

And you may ask yourself

Where is that large automobile?

And you may tell yourself

This is not my beautiful house!

And you may tell yourself

This is not my beautiful wife!"

"Once in a Lifetime" by The Talking Heads

from "Remain In Light"

(written by David Byrne, Brian Eno)

How did I get here? I've always been all about family, fidelity, all that stuff... Somehow here I am "Happy," but sans spouse.

Its not like I haven't tried... but lets face it, it seems like all of the women who are somewhat stable, and not carrying baggage, are still in that stable relationship with spouse right? Maybe I'm wrong here but it sure seems like all the things I always thought I would have passed me bye, by venture of my age bracket and the fact that I spent too many years trying to fix dysfunctional family situations with women who were a product of that type of environment.

Well, thats good to know anyway. But still... WTF!

I AM HAPPY! ...I'm just missing that one thing, How do I work this...

Or in the words of another Talking Heads Song off the same album:

Im still waiting...Im still waiting...Im still waiting...
Im still waiting...Im still waiting...

Cross-eyed and Painless~

obeedúid~
23/jan/09

Perspective.

I was not at myself by, so I came home sick. I slept until Devo came home from a 36. Even though I was still peely-wally I got up to watch some of the parade.

Amidst the Hoopla and the Ta-ta-ta-ra, among the tears and the smiles, flags waved and bands played, while a small crawler moved from right to left at the bottom of my T.V. screen:

"President Bush has left Washington..."

Amen.

Dublin Advertisting Weirdness....

O.k., So this was just weird... thats all there is to it... Watch it. You'll see what I mean. ...Yep!

Obviously I am not the first Youtoober to find this sign odd... however, I do believe I may be the first to think it warranted the "Wilhelm" ...if it was good enough for Lucas and Spielberg its good enough for me...

obeedúid~
11/jan/09

Resolutions I can live with....

I have been in a funk. Call it after Christmas whatever. Maybe I was getting charged up from the DC energy I had wreathed around the Christmas Hats I was wearing from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and now that the forcefield has been removed I'm running out of energy. Who knows....

The past couple of weeks has been very busy as far as the Poetry Scene goes; ...with at least 3 more events up and coming. I may have to miss one on principle alone. Say... "Oh, I can't make it to this one because I have to clean my Bathroom this evening..." ...or something like that.

I don't really know what it is but I seem to need a break. That is partially why I have not blogged as I had intended. I know I said I would post a blog devoted to my "House-Husband- Christmas- "koekies". Sorry Ladies, maybe next year.

I have been reading a book that Jimmy gave me that he had to read for a History Course entitled " The Island at the Center of the World" by Russel Shorto. ("The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the forgotten Colony that shaped America.") (...Thats where the term "koekies" comes from...) ...Dr. Sullivan calls the book a populist diversion. It has been a diversion for me in that it is informative, light, ...and something I can do that takes my mind off of all the things I said I would do but haven't for lack of...well, "Cleaning My Bathroom".

"Cleaning My Bathroom" is something I do when a relationship is about to end, or I am about to start something BIG and NEW. You see, I clean Bathrooms (and other things) for a living at this point, and who wants to do that when you get home after a full day of doing it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Don't get me wrong, my Bathroom is not so bad that I am growing Black Mold, but it isn't as Spic&Span as you might expect from a professional at the moment either. What I'm talking about here is a Deep Down Clean with a Toothbrush kind of thing. PURGE is the word that often comes to mind.

So, I feel like I should resolve some thing or other. Its that time of the year after all. It might be time to leave "The Island at the Center of the World" so to speak. Here is my attempt. An attempt at a Populist Tradition:

New Years resolutions I can live with....

1. I am taking a week off in January to finish up my Videos. Life has just been to busy to complete this project in the timely fashion I had intended.
2. I will shave off my mustache in the spring and let it grow back again in the fall. O.K. so thats what I do every year but thats what makes it something I can live with! After all I always have....
3. I will not take in another stray this year... fortunately, I DON'T HAVE THE ROOM ANYMORE! This one is too true, hits close to the heart and needs to be dealt with seriously for once.
   
4. I will try not to define myself by the Women I am with. I hereby resolve to find someone with no more baggage than I have. HONEST! I promise Kids....
5. Perhaps come April Fools Day I will shave off Half of My Mustache that might be fun! I will certainly be an April Fool!
6. I will focus on turning the outlines for the next five chapters of "O' Wasterly Gale" into actual drafts as soon as the Videos are done. Even at the expense of my poetry if need be. (This one may be the first to be broken as poetry seems to work on its own timetable...)
7. I will only drink Black & Tans made with "Sierra Nevada Pale Ale". (I think I can live with this one... as long as I'm in a Pub where they actually serve "Sierra Nevada Pale Ale" in which case I may just have to settle for the next best thing... or the second best thing... or...)
8. I will set up my Bedroom into the "Sanctum Sanctimonious" I have always dreamed of... "No Kittens to knock things over and push things under the black whole neath the Bed allowed!"
   
9. I won't fall asleep on the couch watching PBS every night of the week. (...maybe only once or twice a week from now on...)
10. I'll Love everyone I can and tell them so. Even if I don't I'll try. Even if they are a Kitten named Guinness who knocks things over all day long... (O.K. Sarah?)
    

Yeah, maybe this isn't fair. After all I'm setting myself up for success and maybe thats not the point of "New Years Resolutions" is it? ...You do it your way, I'll do it mine, I can bet you that I will feel a lot better about myself in the morning when I wake up on the couch!!!

:)


(:Markle:)
"Smilin' on the inside
And on the outside!"

obeedúid~
01/Jan/09

Christmas Greetings 2008!

Me, Sarah /Jimmy and Devin.

Merry Christmas
from Our Clan to yours!

I received a Christmas gift today from the Reid Family: Proprietors of Greenmount Lodge!

A transcription of the Poem "Greenmount Smiling Annie" that hangs in their Common Room. The poem is as I understand it anonymously attributed. I share it with you here with all due respect. An authentic slice of life based (as I was told) on real events from the 18th Century in which the Squires son James fell hopelessly in love with a Servant Girl.

Greenmount Smiling Ann

On a summer day, when flowers were gay,

Beneath the sun’s bright beam,

Near to a grove, where lovers rove,

Beside yon silver stream;

There gently strayed a lovely maid,

Her beauty rich to scan:

A maiden fair beyond compare,

Sweet Greenmount Smiling Ann.

Her hair, so fine, waved in the wind

In ringlets bright as gold;

Her figure neat and smile so sweet,

Were charming to behold.

Her lovely eyes might well entice

The heart of any man,

Who gazed upon that matchless one

Called Greenmount Smiling Ann.

The wee birds sang, the woodlands rang,

As she strolled slowly on;

The trees o’erhead, their green leaves spread,

To shield her from the sun,

All nature there was rich and rare,

And beauty o’er it ran;

But the fairest in that lovely bower,

Was Greenmount Smiling Ann.

When the grove she neared a lad appeared:

The old squire’s son;

A charming lad, his smile so sad,

As he greets this lovely one.

For the squire had sworn he would disown

His son from wealth and lan,

If he would decide to make his bride

The Greenmount Smiling Ann.

“O Jamie dear! When you are near,

You’re all the world to me;

But your father’s vow will not allow

That I your bride may be.

Your birch is high, low rank have I,

Yet love e’ermore I can;

I’ll not consent to yur punishment”,

Signed Greenmount Smiling Ann.

“Ah dearest Ann! Look no so wan,

Consent to be my bride;

I love but you, and I’ll be true

Till death doth us divide.

Your love to me more sweet will be

Than rank, or wealth, or lan”.

He gently presses her to his breast –

His Greenmount Smiling Ann.

“I’ll toil for you, I’ll never rue,

For I my love adore;

The world is wide, and whate’er betide,

I’ll cling to you evermore.

We’ll sail away to Amerikay,

And scorn this cruel ban”.

She gave consent, and off he went,

With Greenmount Smiling Ann.

~Anon~

Merry! Merry! Merry!

obeedúid~

25/Dec/08