By Scott Riddick
http://atypicalread.blogspot.com/
For the first drop of blood ever spilled, wherever the soil it stains had spoiled the precious things that sprouted from it, and for the men who forced shaky fingers to squeeze unnecessary triggers, spawning wars that could have ended peacefully but, instead, turned rivers that flowed into oceans red.
For all of the men and women who will never know what tomorrow brings, and for the children who must grow up with grandparents instead. For all of the lies our governments spread, and the twisting of arms to weave their plots and political dread. No thanks needed for millions of broken hearts welcome you, along with millions of people who are dead.
For those who lost their homes and need refuge from the cold or shelter from the rain, and for those few whose wallets swelled only to have golden chutes fattened, escaping the financial flames while millions of others scraped and scrounged to keep their own worlds sane. For all of the poor less fortunate people I see and hear or read about on the net, to those I have never even had the pleasure to know or likely ever met, no amount of thanks can help get back those memories you try not to forget.
For all the children who will not eat a single meal for a solid week and to those gluttonous mouths that toss it out or refuse to even eat. For all those unfortunate souls who have to travel for miles for a bucket of water, when many simply select it from a vending machine, or fresh from the kitchen sink. Do try to remember as you sit down and stuff yourselves this November that some child lay dying somewhere in the world while you’re dining, a fat turkey buttered nicely and stuffed with all the fixings, I’m sure, is welcomed.
For everyone who works hard for their family to support them in health and put food on their table, and those who cannot break even on dimes a day that now have a chance to take their sick mother or father to a doctor without pay. You are welcomed for the taxes, the bills, the Change of a leader and for all those who support his will and believe in his message.
Lastly, for all who can read this and understand its message, we are not truly thankful enough in the world, specifically, this country. We are people who thank on occasion and pretend the rest of the year and though not everyone is this way, the majority is seems to me is clear. I raise my glass high and wish you all good will, and then rush out to department stores the next day to save a few dollars on all that Christmas cheer.
11/27/10
11/23/10
Happy Thanksgiving!
By Layla Morgan Wilde
http://blog.laylamorganwilde.com/
Editor's Note: Yet again, another fabulous image sent in by Layla! She always amazes with her pictorial compositions!
http://blog.laylamorganwilde.com/
Editor's Note: Yet again, another fabulous image sent in by Layla! She always amazes with her pictorial compositions!
11/19/10
Dear LORD You Have Gifted Me.
By Frank Brinkman
http://www.icare2be.wordpress.com/
Dear LORD,
You have gifted me,
Unlimited, yes, without boundaries.
I am but a simple man,
Uneducated, except by your gifts.
I copy or produce that which you create,
Gifts that you have given.
You have gifted me,
Hands, to create things.
I am but a simple man,
Mind, to dream. Dreams you have created.
I reproduce what you have given,
Written word, scribbled with pen.
You have gifted me,
Hands, to pray with thanksgiving.
I am but a simple man,
Mind to meditate on your creation.
I reproduce what you have given,
Me, wholly and completely.
Amen.
March 26, 1997
Behind the poem...
In the process of dealing with lots of pain and the suffering it entails, I began to be thankful for the gifts I was received. This prayer was a result of that meditation and the realization I had a lot to be thankful for. It is true today as it was then. The words coming from my mind to my journal without editing. Since 1997 I try to live a humble life of thanksgiving and sharing.
Posted on Frank's Musings and Prose
http://icare2be.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/dear-lord-2/
http://www.icare2be.wordpress.com/
Dear LORD,
You have gifted me,
Unlimited, yes, without boundaries.
I am but a simple man,
Uneducated, except by your gifts.
I copy or produce that which you create,
Gifts that you have given.
You have gifted me,
Hands, to create things.
I am but a simple man,
Mind, to dream. Dreams you have created.
I reproduce what you have given,
Written word, scribbled with pen.
You have gifted me,
Hands, to pray with thanksgiving.
I am but a simple man,
Mind to meditate on your creation.
I reproduce what you have given,
Me, wholly and completely.
Amen.
March 26, 1997
Behind the poem...
In the process of dealing with lots of pain and the suffering it entails, I began to be thankful for the gifts I was received. This prayer was a result of that meditation and the realization I had a lot to be thankful for. It is true today as it was then. The words coming from my mind to my journal without editing. Since 1997 I try to live a humble life of thanksgiving and sharing.
Posted on Frank's Musings and Prose
http://icare2be.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/dear-lord-2/
11/14/10
12 Year Anniversary – That’s Like 20 in Straight Years
By Pierre Le Roux
http://gaywarfare.blogspot.com/
21st May was our 12 year anniversary, that’s like 20 in straight years. Gosh, I can’t believe hubby and I have been together for so long – we must be getting old! I received many well wishes that day. Many said “congratulations, you guys set a good example”. After reading some of the e-mails I started to wonder, are we the exception rather than the rule in the gay community? Is it that rare to find gay couples in committed relationships that actually last?
Look, I must be honest, the last 12 years wasn’t all smooth sailing. We most certainly have had our ups and downs. We even broke up once to “see other people” and that lasted less than a week. Like all couples we have our disagreements, the odd fight and have to compromise on issues either one of us feels strongly about. But at the end of the day it’s all worth it once you find that special someone you are willing to make the effort for, and I’m grateful I found my special someone.
In all relationships, once you pass a certain point you start behaving like an old married couple. Trust me; this happens without you even knowing. You start finishing each other’s sentences, reacting in the same way and making the same agreeable noises at the same time during conversations or watching television. You bicker in shops about groceries or at the nursery about what plants you want in your garden. Get irritated when there is one ice cube left in the tray and hubby didn’t see it necessary to fill it; or hubby being irritated because I have the inability to properly close drawers after I liberated an item from them. You know you are an old married couple once you feel comfortable making a number two while your partner is in the bath next to you (I know it’s rude but it does happen). Luckily for us, we are not the only gay couple that exhibits such queer behavior.
There are many couples in the gay community that have been together longer than us. There is no secret handbook that tells gay people how to make relationships work. Yet, couples in long term relationships almost seem to be viewed as mystical – knowing something or doing something that helps their relationships last. I often times wonder why this is. Is it because we are less visible in the community? Maybe this is true because as we grow older we tend to go to clubs less, rather opting to spend quiet evenings at home with friends. Not all of us are actively involved in the community and we go about our daily business unnoticed. So when do the younger gays ever get to see that it is possible to find your soul mate and that gay relationships can and do last?
In the world of clubbing, sex and drugs when you are young, if I recall my twenties correctly, some queers are into fast love, plenty of sex and parties. I saw many of my single friends have one night stands which then, thinking they are in love, became a three month relationship, only to grow bored and abruptly end it. Some lucky ones even made it to a year. The one common denominator I identified was this notion that there might just be someone out there who may better than the boyfriend/girlfriend they currently had. None of these friends, I believe, were ready to settle down at the time. I remember one friend telling me just after our 4th anniversary that he wished he had what hubby and I have – someone that loved him enough to want to stay with him. The problem was not that “that someone” wouldn’t love him enough, but the mere fact that he just wasn’t ready to put in the effort from himself. Now 8 years later, he did find “that someone” and is willing to make the effort to ensure that his relationship will last.
No relationship just happens over night. It’s a lot of work and takes time. Both people must be willing to put in the effort and be strong enough to endure both the good times and the bad. Understandably, it is difficult in the gay community as we sometimes face challenges much different from our straight counterparts and role models are few and far in between. But this should not mean if you are single to give up hope. Hubby and I, and other couples just like us should not be viewed as the exception, but rather as the rule. Everyone has someone out there who will love them unconditionally, support them and be prepared to travel the road with them no matter how smooth or rough it maybe. Sometimes the gay cupid is just a tad slow, or maybe a tad wise making sure your special someone crosses your path at just the right time.
Till next time.
http://gaywarfare.blogspot.com/
21st May was our 12 year anniversary, that’s like 20 in straight years. Gosh, I can’t believe hubby and I have been together for so long – we must be getting old! I received many well wishes that day. Many said “congratulations, you guys set a good example”. After reading some of the e-mails I started to wonder, are we the exception rather than the rule in the gay community? Is it that rare to find gay couples in committed relationships that actually last?
Look, I must be honest, the last 12 years wasn’t all smooth sailing. We most certainly have had our ups and downs. We even broke up once to “see other people” and that lasted less than a week. Like all couples we have our disagreements, the odd fight and have to compromise on issues either one of us feels strongly about. But at the end of the day it’s all worth it once you find that special someone you are willing to make the effort for, and I’m grateful I found my special someone.
In all relationships, once you pass a certain point you start behaving like an old married couple. Trust me; this happens without you even knowing. You start finishing each other’s sentences, reacting in the same way and making the same agreeable noises at the same time during conversations or watching television. You bicker in shops about groceries or at the nursery about what plants you want in your garden. Get irritated when there is one ice cube left in the tray and hubby didn’t see it necessary to fill it; or hubby being irritated because I have the inability to properly close drawers after I liberated an item from them. You know you are an old married couple once you feel comfortable making a number two while your partner is in the bath next to you (I know it’s rude but it does happen). Luckily for us, we are not the only gay couple that exhibits such queer behavior.
There are many couples in the gay community that have been together longer than us. There is no secret handbook that tells gay people how to make relationships work. Yet, couples in long term relationships almost seem to be viewed as mystical – knowing something or doing something that helps their relationships last. I often times wonder why this is. Is it because we are less visible in the community? Maybe this is true because as we grow older we tend to go to clubs less, rather opting to spend quiet evenings at home with friends. Not all of us are actively involved in the community and we go about our daily business unnoticed. So when do the younger gays ever get to see that it is possible to find your soul mate and that gay relationships can and do last?
In the world of clubbing, sex and drugs when you are young, if I recall my twenties correctly, some queers are into fast love, plenty of sex and parties. I saw many of my single friends have one night stands which then, thinking they are in love, became a three month relationship, only to grow bored and abruptly end it. Some lucky ones even made it to a year. The one common denominator I identified was this notion that there might just be someone out there who may better than the boyfriend/girlfriend they currently had. None of these friends, I believe, were ready to settle down at the time. I remember one friend telling me just after our 4th anniversary that he wished he had what hubby and I have – someone that loved him enough to want to stay with him. The problem was not that “that someone” wouldn’t love him enough, but the mere fact that he just wasn’t ready to put in the effort from himself. Now 8 years later, he did find “that someone” and is willing to make the effort to ensure that his relationship will last.
No relationship just happens over night. It’s a lot of work and takes time. Both people must be willing to put in the effort and be strong enough to endure both the good times and the bad. Understandably, it is difficult in the gay community as we sometimes face challenges much different from our straight counterparts and role models are few and far in between. But this should not mean if you are single to give up hope. Hubby and I, and other couples just like us should not be viewed as the exception, but rather as the rule. Everyone has someone out there who will love them unconditionally, support them and be prepared to travel the road with them no matter how smooth or rough it maybe. Sometimes the gay cupid is just a tad slow, or maybe a tad wise making sure your special someone crosses your path at just the right time.
Till next time.
11/11/10
Happy Thanksgiving, Canada
By Gary P. Pennick
http://klahanie.blogspot.com/
**Editor's Note: While a good portion of RBU's members are from the United States, there are also many who hail from other countries. And while the fourth Thursday in November is 'Thanksgiving' for Americans, it's important to remember that other nations celebrate their 'Thanksgivings' or other similar days all through out the year. This particular submission celebrates the Canadian Thanksgiving which occurs on the second Monday of each October.**
_____________
I would like to wish all my friends and family, in Canada, a peaceful and positive Thanksgiving Day. I will be thinking about you.
So I thought it would be really neat eh to tell you some 'facts' about this great nation that you might not already know. Okay, I'm cheating a bit, because some of the stuff below has been used by me in previous blogs. Hey, I'm lazy and in a rush to get this out on the right date.
Did you realise that it was a couple of Canadians who basically sorted out the Universe? Please allow me to explain. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) of Star Trek fame, is Canadian. You remember this famous line? 'Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship 'Canada eh'.
Then again, there was also Commander Adama, (Lorne Greene) another Canadian trying to get things sorted out in space and the leader of a noble mission. Do you recall him saying this? "Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar, 'Galacticanada', leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest—for a shining planet known as Earth." So there you go, some overwhelming 'proof' just how vital Canadians have been in our space type adventures.
Wait there's more. Let me tell you about an invention by a truly great Canadian scientist. The year was 1962, the scientist in question, Edward Asselbergs, who created something so significant to the betterment of mankind, that other events of 1962, such as John Glenn being the first American to orbit the Earth, pale by comparison. That's right, Mr. Asselbergs brought to the world...instant mashed potatoes.
Right then, the above two paragraphs were 'copied and pasted' from one of my previous blogs. The next part is now bonus fascinating information about Canada. Here are some famous female Canadian singers, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, Shania Twain and whoops, Celine Dion. Here are some well known Canadian male singers, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, Michael Buble and whoops, Terry Jacks. Here are some famous Canadian bands, Rush, Steppenwolf, Bachman Turner Overdrive, The Guess Who and whoops, NickelBack.
Briefly, cause you are probably falling asleep reading this, here are some famous Canadian folks from the entertainment industry you may have thought were American. Raymond Burr aka 'Perry Mason' aka 'Ironsides'. Dan Akroyd, Michael J. Fox, Rick Moranis, Donald Sutherland, Leslie Nielsen, Tommy Chong (as in Cheech and Chong...'cough, cough') and whoops, Jim Carrey. And to conclude this paragraph, here are just a few Canadian actresses that you may be familiar with, Margot Kidder, Neve Campbell, Mary Pickford , Catherine O' Hara and whoops, Pamela Anderson.
Now there were plenty more Canadians I could of mentioned such as Glenn Ford, Mike Myers, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, but I won't. In closing, here's a bit of trivia for you. The board game 'Trivial Pursuit' was invented by a couple of Canadian dudes named, Scott Abbott and Chris Haney. Hmmm...trivia about Trivial pursuit.
Finally, yes really, finally, in closing, it is thought that Canadians say 'eh' a lot eh. They think that Canadians say 'how's it goin' eh?', all the time eh. Well eh, I can tell you eh, that's not true eh. So then, how do you spell, 'Canada'? 'C eh n eh d eh'.
Have a happy Thanksgiving Day, Canada!
http://klahanie.blogspot.com/
**Editor's Note: While a good portion of RBU's members are from the United States, there are also many who hail from other countries. And while the fourth Thursday in November is 'Thanksgiving' for Americans, it's important to remember that other nations celebrate their 'Thanksgivings' or other similar days all through out the year. This particular submission celebrates the Canadian Thanksgiving which occurs on the second Monday of each October.**
_____________
I would like to wish all my friends and family, in Canada, a peaceful and positive Thanksgiving Day. I will be thinking about you.
So I thought it would be really neat eh to tell you some 'facts' about this great nation that you might not already know. Okay, I'm cheating a bit, because some of the stuff below has been used by me in previous blogs. Hey, I'm lazy and in a rush to get this out on the right date.
Did you realise that it was a couple of Canadians who basically sorted out the Universe? Please allow me to explain. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) of Star Trek fame, is Canadian. You remember this famous line? 'Space... the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship 'Canada eh'.
Then again, there was also Commander Adama, (Lorne Greene) another Canadian trying to get things sorted out in space and the leader of a noble mission. Do you recall him saying this? "Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar, 'Galacticanada', leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest—for a shining planet known as Earth." So there you go, some overwhelming 'proof' just how vital Canadians have been in our space type adventures.
Wait there's more. Let me tell you about an invention by a truly great Canadian scientist. The year was 1962, the scientist in question, Edward Asselbergs, who created something so significant to the betterment of mankind, that other events of 1962, such as John Glenn being the first American to orbit the Earth, pale by comparison. That's right, Mr. Asselbergs brought to the world...instant mashed potatoes.
Right then, the above two paragraphs were 'copied and pasted' from one of my previous blogs. The next part is now bonus fascinating information about Canada. Here are some famous female Canadian singers, Alanis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, Shania Twain and whoops, Celine Dion. Here are some well known Canadian male singers, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, Michael Buble and whoops, Terry Jacks. Here are some famous Canadian bands, Rush, Steppenwolf, Bachman Turner Overdrive, The Guess Who and whoops, NickelBack.
Briefly, cause you are probably falling asleep reading this, here are some famous Canadian folks from the entertainment industry you may have thought were American. Raymond Burr aka 'Perry Mason' aka 'Ironsides'. Dan Akroyd, Michael J. Fox, Rick Moranis, Donald Sutherland, Leslie Nielsen, Tommy Chong (as in Cheech and Chong...'cough, cough') and whoops, Jim Carrey. And to conclude this paragraph, here are just a few Canadian actresses that you may be familiar with, Margot Kidder, Neve Campbell, Mary Pickford , Catherine O' Hara and whoops, Pamela Anderson.
Now there were plenty more Canadians I could of mentioned such as Glenn Ford, Mike Myers, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, but I won't. In closing, here's a bit of trivia for you. The board game 'Trivial Pursuit' was invented by a couple of Canadian dudes named, Scott Abbott and Chris Haney. Hmmm...trivia about Trivial pursuit.
Finally, yes really, finally, in closing, it is thought that Canadians say 'eh' a lot eh. They think that Canadians say 'how's it goin' eh?', all the time eh. Well eh, I can tell you eh, that's not true eh. So then, how do you spell, 'Canada'? 'C eh n eh d eh'.
Have a happy Thanksgiving Day, Canada!
11/6/10
Thanksgiving’s Utopian Energy
by Antonio Maurice Daniels
University of Wisconsin-Madison
http://revolutionarypaideia.wordpress.com
(RBU Join Date: 05/13/2010)
Each year, Thanksgiving presents Americans with the opportunity to think about what they have to be thankful for. For most Americans, one of the most fundamental things they can be thankful for is the fact they have food to eat. Having food to eat is not something one should ever take for granted. Far too often, we become so consumed in our own problems that we forget about there are other people out there who have more life-threatening problems than most of us. Many people live on the streets each day just trying to find something to eat each day. Many people suffer from such severe hunger that they would love to have a piece of gum out of your handbag or pocket to consume it like a piece of steak. Now, I know that we all have problems, but those problems need to be put into their proper perspective. People often try to make their problems seem like they are the most critical problems in the world when they are truly not that serious. On this Thanksgiving, I want those of us who are more fortunate than others to do something to make this Thanksgiving truly special for the less fortunate.
Great utopian energy lies in having a willingness to look beyond the concerns in your home to reach out to the concerns of those who are outside of the confines your home. People are starving on many American streets and we cannot wait for the government to take care of them. We are stronger when we take care of one another and do not depend on the government to look out for us. If you have a little something that you can spare with someone who is needy, then I would greatly encourage you to give to that needy person. It will not hurt you to give a little something to someone on Thanksgiving to let him or her know that love still exists and that someone cares for him or her. You could even go out and give someone a meal on the streets from what you have prepared for your Thanksgiving dinner. You could also give at least $1 to some charity that takes care for needy individuals and families during the Thanksgiving holiday. Do something to help those who are less fortunate than you on Thanksgiving.
If you are not willing to do something for someone less fortunate than you on Thanksgiving, I really hope that your food will not be as enjoyable as it could be. In fact, I really hope that you choke on something that you eat on Thanksgiving, so that this choking might cause you to think about how precious life is and how you might consider how precious life is for others. Just maybe this choking might wake you up to what you need to be in someone else’s life.
We need a selflessness movement to birth in America, so that we can be able to recognize again that this country is strongest when we are fully united. We cannot be truly united until we begin to provide for the weaker and less fortunate among us. Everything is not all about you and your problems. Learn to look around and see how you can be a blessing in someone else’s life. Let’s capitalize on the utopian energy latent in Thanksgiving that can help to give birth to a better America, an America where we understand that we are weak when we don’t help others to be strong.
On this Thanksgiving, don’t simply feed your own face—help someone else who is less fortunate to be able to feed his or her face. Let’s make this Thanksgiving one that our most disadvantaged Americans can positively remember forever. I appreciate all of you in advance who will join me in this effort to make this Thanksgiving a day when we all can truly give thanks.
11/2/10
Thinking About Thanking You
By Glen Staples
Managing Editor, RBU: The Group Blog
http://glenslife.com/
There are so many things to be grateful for in life that it is hard to know what to single out, but I am going to try and get into the spirit of things and join our American cousins in their time of thanksgiving.
I’ve put a lot of thought into this and have had to cross quite a lot off my list in order to keep it to a respectable length, because I don’t want to put you busy guys off reading. I’m also going to occasionally mention sexual antics in a random manner, just so that skim readers have to go back a step and re read a section, to try and make sense of it. Actually I probably won’t do that at all – or will I?
Some of the things I have decided not to waste page space publicly thanking are pizza, cheese slices and Galaxy chocolate (which have got me through the darkest, loneliest and saddest moments in my life) and I also won’t make a point of thanking lager and wine (without which, I suspect, I would still be a virgin).
So I won’t be thanking those things this time, no matter how much I owe them.
I also decided to strike off that which is too obvious. For example, I will not be dedicating a whole paragraph just to thank my wife. No way, that would be far too much of a cliché. My wife picked me up in a bar and changed my life forever. I may have been too young to realise it at the time but I loved her from the moment I met her, and love her more every day that I know her. Oh don’t get me wrong, she isn’t perfect. I get frustrated, cross and downright fed up of my wife, in the same way that any husband on the planet does from time to time – don’t even ask me about the damp towels on the bed thing, what the Hell is that all about? I spent four hours putting the wonky towel rail up in our bathroom, why can’t she use it?
Even with that heinous crime taken into account though, I still love her, I still want her and I still need her after 12 long years of marriage. Why is that? Because she is everything, that’s why! Everything and more that I could ever possibly ask for is right there, hiding behind those beautiful eyes and crowd stopping smile. Thanking her for putting up with me, for holding me when I need holding, for pretending to like reading my blog, for being wonderful, for still doing the majority of housework even though she works full time as well, for making me laugh and most of all, for being such an amazing mother to my children, would be far too easy and predictable – so I won’t.
I bet you would be expecting me to thank my children too wouldn’t you? For making me wake up and realise just how wonderful life can be maybe? How about for drawing pictures of me as a stick man with a round face filled with a smile? A moment like that melting my heart would make me grateful wouldn’t it? What about when they come running out of the house to hug me when I come home early from work and they are still awake? When they snuggle up in the mornings at some ridiculous early time just so that I can spend some precious moments with them before school and work, do you really think I appreciate that? For completing me in a way that Jerry Maguire could never understand (until the last Hollywood second) and making every day of my life a crazy roller coaster of discovery, I undoubtedly should be spending a little time thanking them here, but it just seems a bit obvious, so I won’t.
If I was going down the well trodden thank you to my family route, I’d probably have to thank my parents as well. They struggled to raise a family in the downtrodden 70’s on a Council Estate with next to no pay for the excessive amount of work that they did. I was never short on love. I was never short on hand me downs and peanut butter. These people made me who I am. I make them proud simply by walking and talking simultaneously; they make me proud by successfully sending an email. I love them, they deserve so much more than they get. However I am not here to copy a million other blogs by talking about how much I owe it all to my parents, so I shall not mention them.
I could thank the Chilean Miners, and everyone involved in their rescue, for reminding me just how unbelievably brilliant humans can actually be when they stop trying to kill people based on skin colour or religion for five minutes. However, I have already covered that extensively on my blog so I’d just be repeating myself.
In the end I made my decision and so if you can sit back and get comfy I shall now write my post about the person I most want to thank. I haven’t wasted any space or your time thanking obvious people and so I can take my time here and thank someone that matters. My hero, the man who single handedly made the most significant impact on my life - John Logie Baird
Thanks John.
Managing Editor, RBU: The Group Blog
http://glenslife.com/
There are so many things to be grateful for in life that it is hard to know what to single out, but I am going to try and get into the spirit of things and join our American cousins in their time of thanksgiving.
I’ve put a lot of thought into this and have had to cross quite a lot off my list in order to keep it to a respectable length, because I don’t want to put you busy guys off reading. I’m also going to occasionally mention sexual antics in a random manner, just so that skim readers have to go back a step and re read a section, to try and make sense of it. Actually I probably won’t do that at all – or will I?
Some of the things I have decided not to waste page space publicly thanking are pizza, cheese slices and Galaxy chocolate (which have got me through the darkest, loneliest and saddest moments in my life) and I also won’t make a point of thanking lager and wine (without which, I suspect, I would still be a virgin).
So I won’t be thanking those things this time, no matter how much I owe them.
I also decided to strike off that which is too obvious. For example, I will not be dedicating a whole paragraph just to thank my wife. No way, that would be far too much of a cliché. My wife picked me up in a bar and changed my life forever. I may have been too young to realise it at the time but I loved her from the moment I met her, and love her more every day that I know her. Oh don’t get me wrong, she isn’t perfect. I get frustrated, cross and downright fed up of my wife, in the same way that any husband on the planet does from time to time – don’t even ask me about the damp towels on the bed thing, what the Hell is that all about? I spent four hours putting the wonky towel rail up in our bathroom, why can’t she use it?
Even with that heinous crime taken into account though, I still love her, I still want her and I still need her after 12 long years of marriage. Why is that? Because she is everything, that’s why! Everything and more that I could ever possibly ask for is right there, hiding behind those beautiful eyes and crowd stopping smile. Thanking her for putting up with me, for holding me when I need holding, for pretending to like reading my blog, for being wonderful, for still doing the majority of housework even though she works full time as well, for making me laugh and most of all, for being such an amazing mother to my children, would be far too easy and predictable – so I won’t.
I bet you would be expecting me to thank my children too wouldn’t you? For making me wake up and realise just how wonderful life can be maybe? How about for drawing pictures of me as a stick man with a round face filled with a smile? A moment like that melting my heart would make me grateful wouldn’t it? What about when they come running out of the house to hug me when I come home early from work and they are still awake? When they snuggle up in the mornings at some ridiculous early time just so that I can spend some precious moments with them before school and work, do you really think I appreciate that? For completing me in a way that Jerry Maguire could never understand (until the last Hollywood second) and making every day of my life a crazy roller coaster of discovery, I undoubtedly should be spending a little time thanking them here, but it just seems a bit obvious, so I won’t.
If I was going down the well trodden thank you to my family route, I’d probably have to thank my parents as well. They struggled to raise a family in the downtrodden 70’s on a Council Estate with next to no pay for the excessive amount of work that they did. I was never short on love. I was never short on hand me downs and peanut butter. These people made me who I am. I make them proud simply by walking and talking simultaneously; they make me proud by successfully sending an email. I love them, they deserve so much more than they get. However I am not here to copy a million other blogs by talking about how much I owe it all to my parents, so I shall not mention them.
I could thank the Chilean Miners, and everyone involved in their rescue, for reminding me just how unbelievably brilliant humans can actually be when they stop trying to kill people based on skin colour or religion for five minutes. However, I have already covered that extensively on my blog so I’d just be repeating myself.
In the end I made my decision and so if you can sit back and get comfy I shall now write my post about the person I most want to thank. I haven’t wasted any space or your time thanking obvious people and so I can take my time here and thank someone that matters. My hero, the man who single handedly made the most significant impact on my life - John Logie Baird
Thanks John.
11/1/10
A Message From the Founder's Keyboard...
Another month is upon is and that means more terrific submissions offered to our group's blog thanks to our wonderful members. Over the past months, RBU: The Group Blog has proven to be a thoroughly unique sort of place for our members to express their artistic selves outside of their own sites. The quality of the work that has shown up here has been outstanding. The attention to detail and the amount of heart our members put into their submissions rivals that of any of the 'pay-to-participate' group blogging sites that I've seen. And for that, I am so very proud and even more thankful.
When I started RBU back in January, I wasn't sure if anyone would join or if it would grow beyond it's little 'box' over at BlogCatalog.com. And lo & behold here we are in November...just two months shy of a full year of 'being' and we've got just at 200 members and the number has been growing, slowly but steadily! Granted there are some members who have either left the blogging world altogether or simply joined to say they'd joined, but that happens with any sort of social group. However, our core remain strong. And for that, I am thankful.
If you've been dropping by over the past couple of weeks you've no doubt noticed that there have been lots of changes to our little home here in the blogoverse. We've snazzed up our look, added (fairly) instant access to one another as we now have a real-time shout box on our page, and we're busy organizing, updating, and categorizing our members. And as you may know, many of these changes come as a direct result of some unexpected formatting changes at the site of our original 'home' over on BlogCatalog.com. But that's alright. Because I think it was the right time for us to move out from under the umbrella of BC so we could stand on our own two (x 200+ pair of) feet. And for that, I am thankful.
As I'm sure you know from working with your own blog, sites get dressed and redressed all the time to keep up with the times. However, one thing that will remain a constant here at RBU is our commitment to offering our members access to a free, easily accessible group of fellow bloggers who share a simple joy...the joy of blogging for blogging's sake. Likewise, our dedication to providing you, the members of RBU, with a quality, top-notch group blog filled with the talented poems, prose, and photos of your fellow members has not faultered. We hope to continue the sharing the 'blog-tastic' work of one another for a very long time. And I'm sure I speak for both Glen and Antony in saying that we are so thankful to have been given the chance to get to know each of you and to be part of something that is bigger than ourselves!
Now moving on to this month's theme, it's an aptly chosen one called 'A Time of Thanksgiving' because regardless of where you may be on this beautiful blue marble floating through space we all should take a moment to stop and consider the things for which we are thankful. ,
And I am thankful for you!
Cordially,
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