jovanone's Blog

Wow!!! I just found my high school year book, and boy, oh boy how times and styles have changed.  LOL  I had to sit down and go through every page reminiscing about all the wonderful times I had in HS during that era. 

 

My head swelling with emotion and memories of a time gone by, with old songs dancing in my head bringing me back to a time and places with people that will never ever be duplicated.  I remember going to driving school, getting my license and begging my father to please let me drive the car to school, this way everyone knew I had my license, because once people knew you had your license, you were considered COOL.  I was COOL MAN, COOL, DIG IT???

 

With the cars radio on or 8 track tape blasting songs we would drive over to Riley’s Roast Beef in Revere to sit on the wall watching girls walk by flashing the peace sign at them hoping they’ll talk to us.   Without much luck at Riley’s we would all pile back into the car blast the radio and head to Rollins ice cream in Nahant, hoping our luck would change at Rollins, It didn’t, and Rollins is long gone.

 

Aaaaah those were the days!!!  I have a reunion coming up this April that I’m really looking forward to and seeing some of my old HS friends.  The first and only reunion I went to was quite some time ago, and I was absolutely shocked when I saw some of my friends and classmates.  I truly thought, or was expecting to see everyone as they were oh so many years before.  What was I thinking!!!!  I was not only WRONG but SHOCKED at how much everyone had changed over the years.  The athletic looking guys weren’t so athletic looking any more with their bald heads and beer bellies hanging out, the gorgeous girls that I had so fantasized about for so long, weren’t so glamorous any more, I guess gravity has a way of getting even with you, and then all of a sudden, as if my whole life had flashed in front of my face, a freighting thought crept into my head, OMG, could I have changed as well.  Nah!!!!  LOL

 

Who would ever think, this small simple little book, can hold so many precious, wonderful memories of a time gone by, and suddenly become so important?

 

How about you, do have any good or bad memories of your HS days, do you go to reunions?  Do you keep in touch with anyone from school, or did you marry your HS sweetheart?

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That’s right folks the Traditional Thanksgiving costumes were banned from a California school. The Condit Elementary School in Claremont California banned the longstanding Thanksgiving tradition of are you ready for this, KINDERGARTNERS dressing up in HANDMADE no less Pilgrim and Native American costumes. The reason why, because a FEW, yes that’s right a FEW parents complained that the Native American headdresses and vests were offensive. Are you freakin kidding me!!!! OFFENSIVE!!! A FEW parents thought it was OFFENSIVE and the Claremont School Superintendent David Cash went along with it and banned the costumes. I mean we’re talking about KINDERGARTNERS here; we’re talking about kids who can’t even tie their shoes and really know anything about THANKSGIVING DAY traditions, never mind about being offensive. I am sick of the MINORITIES in this Country who are trying to, excuse me, never mind trying, they are changing our customary TRADITIONS, and as long as we keep allowing the MINORITIES and the David Cashes of the world to continuously take away our long standing TRADITIONS, there won’t be any traditions left for us as Americans to celebrate. I think the town’s people should have taken the superintendent out and celebrated an old time done away with tradition by TAR AND FEATHERING the SOB to see if he likes that tradition better.



I am sick and tired of kowtowing to a FEW people who find our traditions offensive. If you don’t like them don’t come here, if you don’t like them, don’t participate, but don’t stop me from celebrating our TRADITIONS and FREEDOMS we have here in AMERICA.



The Christmas season is upon us and the PC police will be out in force to tell us all about how we shouldn’t be saying MERRY CHRISTMAS and we shouldn’t be displaying the Nativity scene in certain places. Why, you ask, because GOD FORBID a FEW minorities might be offended by it that’s why. Give me a break and give me back my Country and all its glorious TRADITIONS and the HELL with a FEW minorities. They should all be thanking God they’re in this GREAT Country instead of where they came from and stop all the BS complaining.

With the Holidays quickly coming upon us we all know only to well that we're going to be wishing each other a Merry Christmas, and oh how the PC police will be telling us we shouldn't be saying that, we should be saying have a nice Holiday instead, and forget about displaying the Nativity Scene in some public places. So, before all that caca starts let me share with you what someone sent me.

  I Am the Liberal-Progressives Worst Nightmare.
I am an American.
 I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some Liberal governmental functionary be it Democratic or Republican!
 I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!
 I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer; it makes you a smart American.
 I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.
 I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, do it in English.
 I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.
My heroes are
John Wayne, Babe Ruth,
Roy Rogers,
and whoever canceled Jerry Springer.
 I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor.
 I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.
 I've never owned a slave, nor was a slave,
I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you!
 So, shut up already.
I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your OWN Country!
This is AMERICA
  If you were born here and don't like it you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you.
I want to know which church it is exactly where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution.
 Can I get an AMEN on that one?
 I also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are.
 And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my driver’s license. I think it's good..... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money.
I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.
 
I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause.
 I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.
 I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think.
 I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA!
 If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.
 I think it's time to take our country back!
 WE NEED GOD BACK IN OUR COUNTRY!
 WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE,
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!!!

 

The reason I say this is because, first of all it’s too early for Christmas music, at least for me anyways.  They’ve already started playing it on the radio and we haven’t even gotten through two important holidays like Veterans Day and Thanks Giving.  The department stores are already complaining about how their not going to make any money this year.  Boohoo, Boohoo!!!!  Get out your crying towel.

 

God forbid they should be concerned about people losing their jobs and can’t pay their oil bills, can’t fill their gas tanks, can’t afford school lunches for their kids or how some people are in a credit card crisis and have fallen behind in their payments.  Oh no!!!!  Why should they!!!  All they keep doing is extending your credit line and raising your interest rate up to 21% all in the name of the Christmas Spirit. 

 

I don’t know about you, or maybe it’s just me and I’m getting old and crotchety, but I’m sick and tired of listening too the same old song and dance every year at this time by these department stores about how they’re not going to make any money, and after the holidays are over they come out making millions of dollars in profit at the expense of so many who can’t afford it, all in the name of Christmas.    Bah, Humbug!!!!

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which Taps was played;
this brings out a new meaning to it.
 
Here is something Every American should know...but,
most don't, until they read this:
 
We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, 'Taps'. 
It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.
 
But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about it s humble beginnings.
 
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil  War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia.

The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.
 
During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field.  Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention.
 
Crawling on his stomach through the gun fire, the  Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.
 
When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.
 
The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock.  In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier.  It was his own son.

The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out.  Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.
 
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status.  His request was only partially granted.
 
The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.  The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.  But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.
 
The Captain chose a bugler.  He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.  This wish was granted.
 
The haunting melody, we now know as 'Taps' used at military funerals was born.

The words are:
 
Day is done .. Gone the sun 
From the lakes ... From the hills ...
From the sky.   All is well.
 
Safely rest . God is night.
Fading light .. Dims the sight ..
And a star .. Gems the sky
 
Gleaming bright from afar ..
Drawing night . Falls the night.
Thanks and praise ... For our days. 
 
Neath the sun ... Neath the stars...
Neath the sky. As we go
This we know .. God is night
 
I too have felt chills while listening to 'Taps' but I have never seen all the words to the song until now. 
I didn't even know there was more than one verse. 
I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either, so I thought I'd pass it along.

I hope knowing this you all have an even deeper respect for the song than you did before now that you know the story behind it.

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which Taps was played;  this brings out a new meaning to it.

 

Here is something Every American should know...but,  most don't, until they read this:

 

We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, 'Taps'.  It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.

 

But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about it s humble beginnings. 

 

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil  War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia.

 

The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field.  Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention.

Crawling on his stomach through the gun fire, the  Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.  When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock.  In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier.  It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out.  Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.

 

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status.  His request was only partially granted. The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.  The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.  But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician. The Captain chose a bugler.  He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.  This wish was granted.

 

The haunting melody, we now know as 'Taps' used at military funerals was born. The words are:

Day is done .. Gone the sun 

From the lakes ... From the hills ...

From the sky.   All is well.

Safely rest . God is night.

Fading light .. Dims the sight ..

And a star .. Gems the sky

Gleaming bright from afar ..

Drawing night . Falls the night.

Thanks and praise ... For our days. 

Neath the sun ... Neath the stars...

Neath the sky. As we go

This we know .. God is night

 

I too have felt chills while listening to 'Taps' but I have never seen all the words to the song until now.  I didn't even know there was more than one verse. 

I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either, so I thought I'd pass it along. 

 

 I hope knowing this you all have an even deeper respect for the song than you did before now that you know the story behind it.