Awesome

Awesome. . .

A time we flexed our growing independence.  Adjusting to new changing bodies and wrestling with feelings of  dawning sexuality, we completed our mandated formal education and graduated.  CLCHS.  1962 . Running track and homecoming queens, slam books, the twist, school plays, sneaking cigarettes, cruising the Freeze, making out, affecting a “look”. Our very own adventures. Anticipations.  It was awesome

We moved forth, some to further learning at college or University, some to adjusting to the regimen of a workplace. Mastering a skill or a craft.  Some sought a partner and  some to starting a family.  We all expanded ourselves and went forth into the world with youthful confidence and trusts of our teachings. We had fervor and ambition and conviction and drive. We were involved. And ready to change the world. It was awesome

Children came for some,  career awards and achievements of all diversities for  others. For some, success was easy; some fought hard.   We found the constancy and comfort of love.  Some bought a home of our own or  made a figurative one surrounding ourselves with friends.  We added bonfires, baptisms,   volunteer work, travel, a belief set,  avocation, expanding ourselves and walking an infinite number of paths. We experienced art or craft and music and sports  and  travel as we grew into the comfort of knowing our unique selves. We nurtured others and found fulfillment in raising our own children and grandchildren. It was awesome.

Adversity came upon us and into us.  For some it creeped in. For others it smashed us up in a car wreck of emotion at sudden and abrupt happenings.   Illness, injury, death, loss of work, divorce, abuse of ourselves or others.  We lost friends and family.  But, somehow, we got through it and survived. We became better selves.  Maybe diminished, but learning from our experiences. Never forgetting, but proud that we could still weather on to one more tomorrow. A brighter time.  And that was awesome

We join again together today, a rekindling of all our memories. Relating our humanity to one another.  As we step close to the portal of our 7^th decade, we are all wealthy.  Wealth of memories, wealth of experiences, and wealth of friends and family .  And we are delighted to celebrate that wealth with the glory of finding that even now we can still hope, we can still dream, and we can still find ever new delights in living and in our appreciation of life.

Today in our own  myriad ways, we celebrate that.

And that,… THAT my classmates and friends is still awesome.

Welcome  fellow classmates to our 50^th reunion of the CLCHS class of 1962 !  

                                                                                                   -Jerry Wendt 2012

Chatting with Hermione

Hermione was all aflutter having just come from Infernetta’s Wing Waxing and Nail Salon, sporting her talons burnished in a lush prehistoric purple.

Now, it isn’t very often that a guy finds himself seeing a dragon, much less sitting across from one in a coffee shop.  Indeed, adults rarely see dragons at all.  Children do more often, well, because they are children and have little notion as to realities. But dragons do exist, just beyond the realm of consciousness, and they rarely make the journey between.

It started with me shoveling my front walk after a January snow.  It was very slippery and my foot caught a patch of underlying ice. I upended, hitting my head on the sidewalk.  Things faded to black, and the next moment I found myself sitting in front of this very warm hospitable dragon in a very strange coffee shop.

Hermione introduced herself and quickly related as to how she was very lucky in getting booked for a new series of children’s dreams and that, along with husband Nevermore’s recent success with cooling breath mints that were all the rage in the dragon community (dragon breath creates great demand for products like this, she told me ), things were very good with them .

“But enough about me,” Hermione added, “What’s going on in your world? Oh, but first, let’s get you a little warmer-upper. Now I can’t recommend the ‘Brimstone Latte’ I’m having as they can give you hiccups.  Matter of fact they did that very thing to me last time I had one and I singed quite a few dragons around me; which I can tell you is not a good thing.  Maybe you should move your chair a tad back, just in case, O.K.?  I know; we’ll order you a Crème Brule, and I can finish it off for you.  They say my caramelizing is to die for.”

So, settled in, as much as one can be with a dragon, I started relating to Hermione the latest news in our world. She was very pleased to know we have a female president, that global warming was getting worse, and that a new volcano had erupted in the Hawaiian chain. Things were just getting interesting when I started feeling wonky, stars started swirling around, and things faded out again.

I found myself lying on my sidewalk on that January day, shovel still in hand. But you know the strangest thing- my sidewalk was cleared completely… and bone dry.                    

 -Jerry Wendt

Just an old parrot squalking

"Cookie" 83 years old Cockatoo living at Brookfield Zoo

In this contentious political election that has brought so much heated debate and vitriol to the forefront ( It’s like zombie road rage)  some characterize me as “Ostrich”  with my head in the sand.  Not so. I am more the sage old parrot sitting on my perch observing some around enrobing themselves in ignorance and stubborn disposition.  I watch, knowing in my experience that understanding means using ears more often than mouth.

I also learned long ago that my rights stop where yours begin and conversely. There is too much “me”  and “I” going on, and not enough “you” and us.

I am surrounded by friends, which I also know to be the best part of life. Sometimes that means I hold back in deference to that bond.  Not that I would lose it, because I am assured my friends also value me more than any position I may take.  Mutual respect is another of those things not used often enough .

But that doesn’t mean I don’t know what is going on around me. It doesn’t mean that I don’t have an opinion, And it doesn’t mean that my opinion is any less valid than yours is.

 I have already voted for Hillary Clinton to be our next President.  In my exercised vote from my choices, I have decided she is best able to represent our country and accomplish what needs to be done.  She isn’t untarnished. I recognize that.

Whatever your conviction, I hope you also vote your best choice.

I am proud to live my life as a citizen in this USA.  I do realize many, many people cannot say that. I understand many have rightful reason to that position.

I hope that January brings a marker that I can rededicate myself to being a better person , to listen more, to be more understanding and still stand to the spirit of my conviction in voice and deed. And I do hope that I can join others of the same bent, help the disenfranchised, do my part as good neighbor, and having even small influence in living with you in an ever better country ,  in my “parrot opinion” still the BEST country in this world, The United States of America.

For the time being this old parrot is still standing ground that it is of worth. Maybe not as vocal nor as active as earlier in life, but still holding out for us all to rise and be the best that we can be. That I’m still up for the effort to try for from my own perch