Monday's Missives

One of my favorite historical characters- Geronimo, driving a car on a ranch in Oklahoma. He indicated to the man in the headress to his left he liked his vest, so it was given to him that day. Geronimo would later be buried in it. From his 1905 autobiography: "As to the future state, the teachings of our tribe were not specific, that is, we had no definite idea of our relations and surroundings in after life. We believed that there is a life after this one, but no one ever told me as to what part of man lived after death ... We held that the discharge of one's duty would make his future life more pleasant, but whether that future life was worse than this life or better, we did not know, and no one was able to tell us. We hoped that in the future life, family and tribal relations would be resumed. In a way we believed this, but we did not know it."


He was an intellectually curious, complex and maybe conflicted man who enjoyed a life of peace growing crops while raising his family about as much as he relished a life of violence against his enemies. He knew what he knew- and admitted where he wasn't sure of things.


I think we would have gotten along.

• I noticed a phenomenally ugly couple this morning at breakfast who had two very cute looking children.







• The mom gave the dad her pancakes- not by having him pick them up or transferring them to his plate with her knife and fork. She did so by picking them up with her hand and placing them on his plate. Then with a flourish, she patted them with her hand.







• Gross.







• People I interact with who are hard of hearing get excited when I show them my hearing aids.







• Another loosely associated thought: why does everyone assume elderly people are hard of hearing- especially when they're dying? I see even experienced nurses just scream at patients. It seems very odd.







• Another elder related thought: be gentle when shaking the hand of an older person- if they have arthritis (which most will to some degree) you can hurt them. Not only will it of course be good to just not hurt them, it sets a good tone for your relationship. They will associate you with gentleness and thoughtfulness, not pain.







• The cool weather is great, but we need rain- lots of it.







• He's with the band. They have a show in Dallas, will be out late. Will ask him in the morning.







• The last text I received which was in regard to my eldest son.







• I used to be able to play taps very well on a trumpet even though it wasn't my instrument. My lifelong friend who was probably the best trumpet player in our school band taught me.







• At a UIL competition we played the theme from Rocky- when it was very fresh in our pop. culture.







• My, how time flies.







• Tempest fugit.