1: Cockalorum
Definition: a boastful and self-important person; a strutting little fellow
About the word: If cockalorum suggests a crowing cock, that's because cockalorum probably comes from kockeloeren – an obsolete Dutch dialect verb meaning "to crow."
2: Lickspittle
Definition: a fawning subordinate; a suck-up
About the word: Lick plus spittle says it all: someone who licks another person's spit is pretty low indeed. Incidentally, lickspittle keeps company with bootlicker ("someone who acts obsequiously").
3: Smellfungus
Definition: an excessively faultfinding person
About the word: The original Smelfungus was a character in an 18th century novel. Smelfungus, a traveler, satirized the author of Travels through France and Italy, a hypercritical guidebook of that time.
4: Snollygoster
Definition: an unprincipled but shrewd person
About the word: The story of its origin remains unknown, but snollygoster was first used in the nasty politics of 19th century America. One definition of the word dates to 1895, when a newspaper editor explained "a snollygoster is a fellow who wants office, regardless of party, platform or principles...."
5: Ninnyhammer
Definition: ninny; simpleton, fool
About the word: The word ninny is probably a shortening and alteration of "an innocent" (with the "n" from "an" getting transferred to the noun) and "hammer" adds punch. Writers who have used the word include J.R.R. Tolkien in the Lord of the Rings trilogy: "You're nowt but a ninnyhammer, Sam Gamgee."
6: Mumpsimus
Definition: a stubborn person who insists on making an error in spite of being shown that it is wrong
About the word: Supposedly, this insult originated with an illiterate priest who said mumpsimus rather than sumpsimus ("we have taken" in Latin) during mass. When he was corrected, the priest replied that he would not change his old mumpsimus for his critic's new sumpsimus.
7: Milksop
Definition: an unmanly man; a mollycoddle (a pampered or effeminate boy or man)
About the word: Milksop literally means "bread soaked in milk." Chaucer was among the earliest to use milksop to describe an unmanly man (presumably one whose fiber had softened). By the way, the modern cousin of milksop, milquetoast, comes from Caspar Milquetoast, a timid cartoon character from the 1920s.
8: Hobbledehoy
Definition: an awkward, gawky young man
About the word: Hobbledehoy rhymes with boy: that's an easy way to remember whom this 16th century term insults. Its origin is unknown, although theories about its ancestry include hobble and hob (a term for "a clownish lout").
9: Pettifogger
Definition: shyster; a lawyer whose methods are underhanded or disreputable
About the word: The petti part of this word comes from petty, meaning "insignificant" (from the French petit, "small"). As for fogger, it once meant "lawyer" in English. According to one theory, it may come from "Fugger," the name of a successful family of 15th- and 16th-century German merchants and financiers. Germanic variations of "fugger" were used for the wealthy and avaricious, as well as for hucksters.
10: Mooncalf
Definition: a foolish or absentminded person
About the word: The original mooncalf was a false pregnancy, a growth in the womb supposedly influenced by a bad moon. Mooncalf then grew a sense outside the womb: simpleton. It also morphed into a literary word for a deformed monster. For instance, in Shakespeare's The Tempest, Stephano entreats Caliban, "Mooncalf, speak once in your life, if thou beest a good mooncalf."
Showing posts with label Good Advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Advice. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Learning for Adults is Their Own Responsibility
In my current career as a trainer for people in the insurance industry we often discuss methods for engaging the Learner, so that they are motivated to actively engage in class. I often feel we miss the reality of the situation. The people in our classes are compensated for being there, therefore during training, their job is to learn. This is a basic fact that is over looked. This is work, not school. Lastly, if a learner chooses not to learn, they are eventually choosing to leave.
Learn it; or Leave.
That's the way I C it.
LastManOut
Learn it; or Leave.
That's the way I C it.
LastManOut
Thursday, January 21, 2010
2010 Banished Words
Every year Lake Superior State University puts out a list of banished words. These are words that are worthy of being retired from the Queen's English due to their overuse or misuse, as the case may be.
Here are the highlights:
SHOVEL-READY
TRANSPARENT/TRANSPARENCY
CZAR
TWEET
APP
SEXTING
The use of "FRIEND" as a verb
TEACHABLE MOMENT
IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES...
STIMULUS
TOXIC ASSETS
TOO BIG TO FAIL
BROMANCE
CHILLAXIN'
Any word derived from using OBAMA as a prefix or root
More information is available at: http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php
LastManOut
Here are the highlights:
SHOVEL-READY
TRANSPARENT/TRANSPARENCY
CZAR
TWEET
APP
SEXTING
The use of "FRIEND" as a verb
TEACHABLE MOMENT
IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES...
STIMULUS
TOXIC ASSETS
TOO BIG TO FAIL
BROMANCE
CHILLAXIN'
Any word derived from using OBAMA as a prefix or root
More information is available at: http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php
LastManOut
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Still Applies
I just want to say one thing.
"Behind every good man, there is a good woman."
I have to confess, even as a gay man, this is still true.
LastManOut
"Behind every good man, there is a good woman."
I have to confess, even as a gay man, this is still true.
LastManOut
Thursday, December 18, 2008
They Don't Make 'em Like They Used To
As a staunch modernist, I am nearly always in favor of new things over old things. However, in these uncertain economic times, I am yearning for basic things that just work well. There is within our economy widespread intentional public deception with regard to the quality of a product that is produced. We will likely never reach a point in our civilization that the sage advice "Buyer Be Ware" is outdated. The problem is that consumers themselves facilitate products that are of low quality because demand truly comes down on the side of inexpensive. In a majority of the cases, Inexpensive = Low Quality.
Here are some not so obvious modern day caveats:
My number one irritation when I am shopping is seeing a product that doesn't explicitly state what it is for. Not only is this bad marketing to not list the benefits of a product to the consumer, it is deceptive in that you may buy it thinking it does one thing, when it's really designed to accomplish something else. Quality products clearly state what they can do.
Beware of products that come with instructions that are difficult to understand. Products lacking clear instructions for use often lacked good planning in their conception. To review thus far, Quality products clearly state what their purpose is and also how to use them.
The real test of a product is the extent to which is can be reused. Recyclibility is not as important. Most things can be recycled, but very few can be reused. Let's start with the consideration that more or less we live in a throw away society. Which raises an important question. Why do we throw things away? Simply put, stuff breaks. However, just because something is broken, meaning it cannot be used for its original purpose, is not enough to explain why so many things are thrown away. A product must also be reasonably replaceable for most people to throw it away. This illustrates why we fill landfills with tons of plastic packaging because no one has a reasonable expectation that we will stop producing inexpensive plastic bottles, containers, and plastic wrap. Out of these three things, not one of them is truly a reusable product. Plastic wrap is often too thin and breaks before it can recover a container. Plastic bottles and containers eventually begin to leak toxins when reused and are prone to adapting odors, cracking, and misshaping. What is unseen by the consumer is that there is a significant cost added to the product because of the container the product is packaged in. Case in point, the bottle in bottled water probably costs more than the water in the bottle.
Reusable is not exactly the same as durability. A wool coat may or may not be durable, meaning it will wear well for a long period of time, depending on the quality of the construction of the garment and the fibre content. However, a wool coat regardless of durability as a coat, could be dismantled, cut up, and braided into a throw rug. This may sound ridiculous today, however, before shelves were flooded with inexpensive throw rugs, people made their own. To take this example a little further, when the wool coat became throw rug and was no longer suitable for inside the home, it probably still had life in the back hallway, and then later outdoors. When it finally outlives its usefulness, the wool rug could be used to keep weeds down in the garden where it will naturally biodegrade. You cannot make the same claims about man made materials and fibers that you can about natural ones with respect to reusability.
To work the green angle, products made from renewable materials present a minimal risk to the natural environment, assuming their manufacturing process is "green." If a product is made all from renewable materials, but in the process we expended a greater amount of energy and subsequently greater carbon emissions, then we've only displaced the harm to the environment in another area. It pays to familiarize yourself with the type of company you purchase products from. Is the product made locally or do you have no idea where it came from?
In Summary, Look for products that indicate what their purpose is, how to use the product, what is it made out of, where the product came from, and who made it. It is also useful to examine what other uses a product has beyond its original purpose and what other uses you may have for a product. And as a matter of common sense, "If it tastes like a lemon, it probably is one."
Here are some not so obvious modern day caveats:
My number one irritation when I am shopping is seeing a product that doesn't explicitly state what it is for. Not only is this bad marketing to not list the benefits of a product to the consumer, it is deceptive in that you may buy it thinking it does one thing, when it's really designed to accomplish something else. Quality products clearly state what they can do.
Beware of products that come with instructions that are difficult to understand. Products lacking clear instructions for use often lacked good planning in their conception. To review thus far, Quality products clearly state what their purpose is and also how to use them.
The real test of a product is the extent to which is can be reused. Recyclibility is not as important. Most things can be recycled, but very few can be reused. Let's start with the consideration that more or less we live in a throw away society. Which raises an important question. Why do we throw things away? Simply put, stuff breaks. However, just because something is broken, meaning it cannot be used for its original purpose, is not enough to explain why so many things are thrown away. A product must also be reasonably replaceable for most people to throw it away. This illustrates why we fill landfills with tons of plastic packaging because no one has a reasonable expectation that we will stop producing inexpensive plastic bottles, containers, and plastic wrap. Out of these three things, not one of them is truly a reusable product. Plastic wrap is often too thin and breaks before it can recover a container. Plastic bottles and containers eventually begin to leak toxins when reused and are prone to adapting odors, cracking, and misshaping. What is unseen by the consumer is that there is a significant cost added to the product because of the container the product is packaged in. Case in point, the bottle in bottled water probably costs more than the water in the bottle.
Reusable is not exactly the same as durability. A wool coat may or may not be durable, meaning it will wear well for a long period of time, depending on the quality of the construction of the garment and the fibre content. However, a wool coat regardless of durability as a coat, could be dismantled, cut up, and braided into a throw rug. This may sound ridiculous today, however, before shelves were flooded with inexpensive throw rugs, people made their own. To take this example a little further, when the wool coat became throw rug and was no longer suitable for inside the home, it probably still had life in the back hallway, and then later outdoors. When it finally outlives its usefulness, the wool rug could be used to keep weeds down in the garden where it will naturally biodegrade. You cannot make the same claims about man made materials and fibers that you can about natural ones with respect to reusability.
To work the green angle, products made from renewable materials present a minimal risk to the natural environment, assuming their manufacturing process is "green." If a product is made all from renewable materials, but in the process we expended a greater amount of energy and subsequently greater carbon emissions, then we've only displaced the harm to the environment in another area. It pays to familiarize yourself with the type of company you purchase products from. Is the product made locally or do you have no idea where it came from?
In Summary, Look for products that indicate what their purpose is, how to use the product, what is it made out of, where the product came from, and who made it. It is also useful to examine what other uses a product has beyond its original purpose and what other uses you may have for a product. And as a matter of common sense, "If it tastes like a lemon, it probably is one."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Worst Idea We've Had Yet
Let's look at the Bush Administration's legacy:
- Ran on a platform of reform
- Didn't reform anything - Just spent more money than ever and then "cut taxes."
- Ignored information that could have prevented 9/11
- Refused to accept information from the UN that there was no Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Attacked a country that had nothing to do with 9/11
- Underfunded the war in Afghanistan, where the terrorists from 9/11 actually came from.
- Still to date hasn't found ... YouKnowWho .... Osama Bin Laden
- Sent our troops in to war in Iraq without all the protection they really needed.
- There are thousands of dead troops.
- There is the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina
- There is the slow and steady decline of the economy
- Now we're spending $700 billion to bail out his friends.
Great times ain't it.
Go back to Texas you dumb mother f*cker.
That's what I think.
LastManOut
- Ran on a platform of reform
- Didn't reform anything - Just spent more money than ever and then "cut taxes."
- Ignored information that could have prevented 9/11
- Refused to accept information from the UN that there was no Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Attacked a country that had nothing to do with 9/11
- Underfunded the war in Afghanistan, where the terrorists from 9/11 actually came from.
- Still to date hasn't found ... YouKnowWho .... Osama Bin Laden
- Sent our troops in to war in Iraq without all the protection they really needed.
- There are thousands of dead troops.
- There is the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina
- There is the slow and steady decline of the economy
- Now we're spending $700 billion to bail out his friends.
Great times ain't it.
Go back to Texas you dumb mother f*cker.
That's what I think.
LastManOut
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Gratitude
There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, "If I could only see the world, I will marry you."
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: "Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine."
This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life Is a Gift
Today before you say an unkind word, think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.
Today before you complain about life, think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before whining about the distance you drive, think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: "Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine."
This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life Is a Gift
Today before you say an unkind word, think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.
Today before you complain about life, think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before whining about the distance you drive, think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Oh the Dress...
...Is finally done. For all of you that know when I take on sewing a dress, it is somewhat like giving birth. There is always a learning process that takes place. Here are a couple great sewing tips that may guide you.
Check online for answers:
- Threads Magazine's website was of ueber help. I loved them so much I subscribed to it. Here's why: The had the best article on how to create your own dress form using either duck tape, paper tape, or plaster. http://www.taunton.com/threads/
- Also really helpful is the website for the manufacturer of your sewing machine.
LastManOut
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Attitude
"Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill." -Charles Swindoll
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Why Walmart Works
Sometimes it's more subtle when it comes to a pricing strategy. And very often, you may not even realize when your getting deal or when you are paying too much. A couple weeks ago when I did my grocery shopping I was in the market for a new green tea. I found a variety at Festival, our neighborhood grocer, and it was a little over $4 for the box. I thought it was a little high, but said to myself, "I probably can't get this just anywhere."
I was mistaken. Yesterday I got a few pickups at Walmart; I try to stay away from shopping there too much. However, when going down the tea isle, there was my gourmet green tea. It was priced a little over $2. Now I said to myself, "What the fuck!" I was so pissed that the chronic shopper in me bought not just one box of tea but three boxes. To be fair, I bought one of each kind.
Sitting here now I realize that in the whole scheme of this shopping experience I've really been had. Walmart under prices so that you'll buy more than you need and spend more than you would have. Other retailers either just mark things up too high, or they are not getting a competitive price on the goods. Isn't there any place that I can shop in Green Bay that is just sensible?
I was mistaken. Yesterday I got a few pickups at Walmart; I try to stay away from shopping there too much. However, when going down the tea isle, there was my gourmet green tea. It was priced a little over $2. Now I said to myself, "What the fuck!" I was so pissed that the chronic shopper in me bought not just one box of tea but three boxes. To be fair, I bought one of each kind.
Sitting here now I realize that in the whole scheme of this shopping experience I've really been had. Walmart under prices so that you'll buy more than you need and spend more than you would have. Other retailers either just mark things up too high, or they are not getting a competitive price on the goods. Isn't there any place that I can shop in Green Bay that is just sensible?
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Today's Fortune's
Jerad and I had Chinese again for lunch today. Here were the results:
Josh - Don't pass up a once-in-a-lifetime offer.
Jerad - Keep your feet on the ground even though friends flatter you.
:)
LastManOut
Josh - Don't pass up a once-in-a-lifetime offer.
Jerad - Keep your feet on the ground even though friends flatter you.
:)
LastManOut
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Today's Fortune's
We got chinese for lunch. Here's what came of it:
Jerad: "Theories get you thinking. Sweat gets you results."
Josh: "You need to talk to somone about what's on your mind."
If you only knew how appropriate these really are right now.
Go figure.
LastManOut
Jerad: "Theories get you thinking. Sweat gets you results."
Josh: "You need to talk to somone about what's on your mind."
If you only knew how appropriate these really are right now.
Go figure.
LastManOut
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Logic Quiz
Questions:
- If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have?
- If you have only one match and you walked into a room where there was an oil burner, a kerosene lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would you light first?
- How far can a dog run into the woods?
- A doctor gives you three pills telling you to take one every half hour. How long would the pills last?
- Why do you always find something in the last place you look?
- Two men play five games of checkers. Each man wins the same number of games. There are no ties. Explain this.
- A man builds a house rectangular in shape. All sides have southern exposure. A big bear walks by. What color is the bear? Why?
- What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end, and the end of every race?
- Divide 30 by 1/2 and add 10. What is the answer?
- A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. How come?
Answers:
- 2
- The match
- Halfway
- 1 hour (Other exceptable answer: not long enough.)
- You would not continue searching other places after you found the item, therefore finding it in the last place you look.
- The men were not playing together or The men played a total of 10 games against each other and each won 5.
- The bear is white, a polar bear. The house in on the North Pole.
- The letter "E"
- 70
- The begger is the woman's sister.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Stress
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, Raised a glass of water and asked "How heavy is this glass of water?"Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, As the burden becomes increasingly heavy, We won't be able to carry on. " "As with the glass of water, You have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."
"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, Let them down for a moment if you can. "So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon,And some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet,Just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look goodIf you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can beRecalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, It was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, Because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, You're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, But you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today... I did.
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, As the burden becomes increasingly heavy, We won't be able to carry on. " "As with the glass of water, You have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."
"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, Let them down for a moment if you can. "So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon,And some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet,Just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look goodIf you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can beRecalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, It was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, Because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way, You're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, But you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today... I did.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Things only a whore would say...
- If you can't have a happy home, wreck one.
- Because I can.
- I prefer thinner.
- Better now than never.
- I don't do windows.
- Because I can.
- I prefer thinner.
- Better now than never.
- I don't do windows.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
It's a good thing...
Here's a few things in to keep in mind that I've learned along the way:
Every room needs a little bit of red in it. Even if it's only something very small.
Nice is different than Good.
"It's not mean if it's true." - Michael Thomas Ford
Hard work is not required; but smart work is.
Ambition without purpose is dangerous.
Every room needs a little bit of red in it. Even if it's only something very small.
Nice is different than Good.
"It's not mean if it's true." - Michael Thomas Ford
Hard work is not required; but smart work is.
Ambition without purpose is dangerous.
Everyone deserves to have a good day, everyday.
A smile goes a lot farther than a frown.
In the real world, you really are graded on the end result, effort doesn't count for much.
There really is someone for everyone out there.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Remembering Betty Rose Meyer
Saturday, January 19th, 2008, 11:00 a.m., I had the honor of being chosen to sing at funeral of Betty Meyer, who had recently passed away. She was just shy of 95. Betty had requested a baritone to sing the show tunes that she had selected to be sung at her funeral. Our Choir director called me because she knew I would be just the one to do it. The music selections were all in all quite, "unforgetable." Betty had chosen as a reflection the song "I believe," for the Offertory "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel, and as a recessional, "Unforgettable," by Irving Gordon.
I have to say that since the funeral I have not been able to get the melody and words from "Unforgettable" out of my head. I think it has even been tormenting me in my sleep. Betty, I have you to blame. Truy, Betty, "Never before has someone been more.....Unforgetable...." The real clincher is that she was wheeled out of church to this song. You can imagine the image that comes to me. It's true, I'll never forget it as long as I live.
However, the other music selections seem to give a little more insight into the person that her family and friends knew so well. Three very different, and very insightful reflections were given by Steve Swan, UWGB, Mary Jane Herber, Friend, and Robert Meyer, Nephew.
Steve Swan spoke about Betty's generosity to the community, most notably the scholarship funds that she helped establish at UWGB. What touched me inside about this gift she gave was that she had said that she wanted the scholarships to go to regular students; people who maybe didn't have the highest grades, but had to work hard. She wanted them to go to people who exihbited leadership in their communities. That's a very profound observation Betty made; support the people who keep it all going in everyday life.
Mary Jane Herber told us very much about Betty as a person. She told the story of how at a dinner party she was introduced as being a bit "peppery." We were told how Betty was a very direct person who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Mary Jane Herber told us about Betty's humility and that while she generously supported almost every major project in Green Bay, she really didn't want the recognition for it.
Read more about Betty Rose Meyer at:
http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/logarchive/logarchive39/2008jan15.htm
http://www.meyertheatre.org/about/index.html
I have to say that since the funeral I have not been able to get the melody and words from "Unforgettable" out of my head. I think it has even been tormenting me in my sleep. Betty, I have you to blame. Truy, Betty, "Never before has someone been more.....Unforgetable...." The real clincher is that she was wheeled out of church to this song. You can imagine the image that comes to me. It's true, I'll never forget it as long as I live.
However, the other music selections seem to give a little more insight into the person that her family and friends knew so well. Three very different, and very insightful reflections were given by Steve Swan, UWGB, Mary Jane Herber, Friend, and Robert Meyer, Nephew.
Steve Swan spoke about Betty's generosity to the community, most notably the scholarship funds that she helped establish at UWGB. What touched me inside about this gift she gave was that she had said that she wanted the scholarships to go to regular students; people who maybe didn't have the highest grades, but had to work hard. She wanted them to go to people who exihbited leadership in their communities. That's a very profound observation Betty made; support the people who keep it all going in everyday life.
Mary Jane Herber told us very much about Betty as a person. She told the story of how at a dinner party she was introduced as being a bit "peppery." We were told how Betty was a very direct person who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Mary Jane Herber told us about Betty's humility and that while she generously supported almost every major project in Green Bay, she really didn't want the recognition for it.
Finally Robert Meyer, nephew, spoke on Betty's behalf. I don't recall how exactly it was worked in, but I did appreciate that Robert stated that she was "one classy broad." You got a huge sense of Betty's love for her family and her hospitality from Robert. Robert let us know that his "Milwaukee" side of the family was always received with openness and warmness whenever they would visit Green Bay. Also, He told a cheeky story that, as he accepted his Aunt's invitation to stay over in Green Bay when he was on business, she offered him her bed. He was elated of coarse because hers was much more confortable than the other option. Only to find, that along with her bed came her husband, who snored like a locomotive.
So really Betty, I have to hand it to you, I've been to a lot of funerals, and yours was quite...Unforgetable...
Yours Truly,
LastManOut
Read more about Betty Rose Meyer at:
http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/logarchive/logarchive39/2008jan15.htm
http://www.meyertheatre.org/about/index.html
Monday, November 26, 2007
I've been busy
I know it's been forever since I've written a blog, but really It's not my fault. I'm not one of those people who likes to dwell on how busy I'm been or how hard I work. For me, even though those things are usually true, I don't like to focus on them like they're the only important things in my life. It's really hard to remember that you are still a multi-dimensional person even when your daily activities are in a unidirectional mode. Question: how do you avoid becoming a broken record of a chatter box when life is the same old?
For starters try to personalize your life experience. It's not too much to take that standardized, boring old situation at work, school, church, etc and make it your own. Tack up your personal photos and flare and really move in. Maybe you'll freshen things up by just expressing how you feel about something. You might in turn actually start talking with people and figure out how to make it better.
Also, make the experiences you have on a daily basis special by emphasizing what it is that makes that thing important. Mundane things are really not mundane at all, it's just our attitude towards them and how we approach it. Keeping the pep in things requires some creativity. My mom always made doing dishes better by having me help her. And she was right; it was one of the few times we really got to talk and spend time together. Plus we got a lot of work done and somehow something as mundane as dishes became a ritual, special in its own way.
Take care of yourself, you're special to a lot of people out there.
LastManOut
For starters try to personalize your life experience. It's not too much to take that standardized, boring old situation at work, school, church, etc and make it your own. Tack up your personal photos and flare and really move in. Maybe you'll freshen things up by just expressing how you feel about something. You might in turn actually start talking with people and figure out how to make it better.
Also, make the experiences you have on a daily basis special by emphasizing what it is that makes that thing important. Mundane things are really not mundane at all, it's just our attitude towards them and how we approach it. Keeping the pep in things requires some creativity. My mom always made doing dishes better by having me help her. And she was right; it was one of the few times we really got to talk and spend time together. Plus we got a lot of work done and somehow something as mundane as dishes became a ritual, special in its own way.
Take care of yourself, you're special to a lot of people out there.
LastManOut
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Sorry, I was the last one out.
So I completely forgot about National Comming Out Day. It was like two days ago and even though I had notice before hand that it was comming, it obviously didn't make waves with me.
National Comming Out Day is sort of like the gay Christmas. It's not how many people you tell on that day, but really how you live your life all year long. It's like you can have the spirit of Christmas for 24 hours, or you can spread Christ's love all year long. So, It's like this, love one another, accept people for who they are, and most importantly be honest with yourself. Love yourself, I'm sure your a more beautiful person than you really know.
Happy Pride, All Year Long!
LastManOut
National Comming Out Day is sort of like the gay Christmas. It's not how many people you tell on that day, but really how you live your life all year long. It's like you can have the spirit of Christmas for 24 hours, or you can spread Christ's love all year long. So, It's like this, love one another, accept people for who they are, and most importantly be honest with yourself. Love yourself, I'm sure your a more beautiful person than you really know.
Happy Pride, All Year Long!
LastManOut
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