27 Years Ago I Married My Best Friend . . .

He is not only my husband and lover, he is my rock, my confidant, my partner in crime, my biggest fan, and I can't imagine my life without him.

President Obama on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington. As Our First African-American President, He is the Living Embodiment of that Dream, and Hope for Our Future.

Today is the Fourth Anniversary of My First Blog Post.

As I've mentioned before, this Blog began as a class project, with a poem by Langston Hughes and a quote from Erasmus, and has never looked back - figuratively speaking, that is. The quote has hung in my office for ever, (alright, almost forever) and is closer to the truth than my husband would like.

When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.

                                                                                                                        - Erasmus
 

Through this blog I have gained so much. I learned more than I ever expected to about computers. I discovered a world of writing - many worlds, actually. I found that information on any subject was literally at my fingertips. All the information from every side, so that I could make up my own mind. And once I lost my timidity, I discovered the most important thing - the many wonderful people I've gotten to know through this blog.

Writers, readers, critics, fans, people who ended up here accidentally while looking for something else: all have enriched my life, and I want to take a moment before I start my day to thank you and say that I hope you have gotten something in return. I hope the weeks and months ahead are filled with happiness and security. That second thing is in short supply these days.

I'll close with something that my Gran used to say:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Some Thoughts on an Approaching Anniversary

Bin Laden and his henchmen failed ... But our own fear won. Fear stopped us, overwhelmed us, as our ra-tion-al-ity deserted us. Yes, it was understandable, given what we endured that September morning. But we need to admit that our response was close to fatal. A bankrupted America that tortured innocents and disregarded its own Constitution is barely recognizable as America.

- Andrew Sullivan.

A Generation Ago, Nearly An Entire Generation Was Lost.

So very much has changed since then.

So much, and yet today I mark the first anniversary of my son's death. 

Twenty eight year-olds don't die of aids.

No matter how many times I repeat those words . . .

We all miss you B.
And Dax & the fairies send their regards.

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Elton John AIDS Foundation

 AIDS Research Alliance

It Gets Better Project

 

THERE IS MUCH MORE TO ITS HISTORY THAN JUST ONE DAY

IT IS RICH AND INTERESTING:

A memorable event in the life of the World Trade Center came in the summer of 1974, while the still-unfinished (and largely unrented) towers were courting financial disaster and facing a barrage of architectural and social criticism. In the course of a single morning, the unexpected -- and illegal -- actions of a daring young Frenchman (Philippe Petit) and a few of his confederates would do more to change public opinion about the troubled billion-dollar project than anything else in its first years of existence. - pbs.org.

Events of FEBRUARY 26, 1993.
WTC Facts.
Mega WTC picture thread @ Skyscraper City.
WTC Dossier.

(pic from The McNewspaper)

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1.03.01

HAPPY 21ST

I WISH I COULD SAY IT EVEN HALF AS WELL

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right,
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith;
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, – I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Sonnets from the Portuguese, 43