Happy Birthday, Boobie

I first saw Will when his mother showed me a picture of a little tan-skinned boy with curly hair sitting on Santa Claus' lap. She told me the boy was her son. I said "congratulations!" because I didn't know what to say.

Within a couple of months I was dating the boy's mother. That was January '95. Boobie, her affectionate name for him then (and sometime's now when the moment feels right), would turn 3-years-old that month. Today he turns 18.

I've always thought I was lucky to get in good with him at such a young age. Had I met him at 7 or 8 or 9, it's possible he would have never liked me. His mom said once that he was basically an adult at age 10. And I think that's true.

Around that time he watched Pokemon a lot-- a show about a boy roughly the same age who traveled independently with his Pokebal. Ash went from tournament to tournament with his ball and his pets fighting more experienced trainers. I can see now how he felt connected to that show.

At 18, Will is smarter than his stronger friends and stronger than his smarter friends. If he even has smarter friends. He's confident, but quiet around people he doesn't know. He sings songs loud and off-key when he chooses to sing. But he hasn't been uncool for years. He never smiles in pictures.

Before his Grandpa Bud died, when Will was 12 or 13 or so, we had gone over for dinner. I think this was near the time that became a weekly event. Bud had a camcorder, and as soon as Will walked in the door Bud asked Will to stand still because he wanted to take his picture.

Will stopped right in front of the camera, and simply looked in. He didn't pose, as most would do. He didn't avert his eyes or talk to others-- he just stood there and let his Great-Grandpa videotape him. Bud had pulled his eye away from the view-finder for a moment to look at him, perhaps a little taken aback by his great-grandson's lack of shyness, his lack of goofiness. Then he took took the camera back, and the two stared honestly at each other for a minute before turning his attention to others.

Today is Will's birthday, and he is over at a friend's house. In the fall he is moving to Columbia to start college. He's played varsity football, and he's beaten Kickapoo. His G.P.A. is good. His A.C.T. score was more than enough.

We're here if you need us, Will. We're not going anywhere.

Remember MLK

Today I was lucky enough to tune in to Imus in the Morning and hear Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. That Imus. Yes.

If you have never actually heard the speech in full, you really should take a couple of minutes to hear the actual audio clip.

I found it on a Web site devoted to American Rhetoric. The site ranked MLK's speech No. 1 out of the 100 top speeches, many of which it has clips for. Check it out.

Left and right

I found this infographic when stumbling on Stumble Upon, and I have to admit I'm fascinated with it.

It compares generalizations about conservatives and liberals in a seemingly consistent, if not totally objective, ways. A lot of it appeared to be based on objective data, but I didn't see the sources.

For example, the conservative parent tends to be more strict, more religious, and produces a more disciplined child, a more self-reliant adult.

The liberal parent tends to be more nurturing, more empathetic, and produces a more reflective child, a more fulfilled adult.

Liberals favor equality. Conservatives prefer freedom. Liberals tend to be urban; conservatives are more rural. Individuals on the left might be attracted to careers like science, teaching, media (I thought that was interesting). Those on the right might prefer to become a police officer, in the military, or in sales.

I can't decide how much I agree with it, but I like it because I think authors were being honest and non-judgmental. So often, any examination of the left or right thinking comes with such obvious bias that you can only agree with the view if you fall on the side being promoted.

The graphic comes from a fabulous Web site that appears to have roots in England (it has an English version), and so I think perhaps the authors' distance from the American political system offers some good insight. In fact, it has a lot of cool charts on all sorts of interesting topics. But, I am getting side-tracked.

Lately, I've been feeling that politics has become so divided that it seems almost impossible to have an honest discussion with anyone about any important civic topic without worrying I'd be saddled with one label or another. Both have negative connotations by the way.

Be honest, If I told you I was a conservative, would you roll your eyes? If I told you I was liberal, would you be disappointed?

According to a recent Gallup poll, in 2009 49.0 percent of Americans saw themselves as Democrats or leaned Democratic. Gallup found that 40.7 percent of Americans identified themselves as Republicans or leaned Republican. The Dem number is down from 2008, and the Reps number is up. In 2003 the two parties were separated by one tenth of one percent.

I didn't see any numbers for bleading-heart commie v. bible-thumping nutjobs. I'd like to think they have about 5 percent each. At most.

End of year issue

The latest and last 2009 issue of the Community Free Press is now online and hitting stands throughout the area.

"Aren't you that paper at the Y?" Yes, we are. But, we are actually all over the place. Here is the list of places where you can pick us up (I don't think this is totally current, but it'll give you a good idea). It also may help to remember that we're at all the Walgreens in Springfield.

I think this issue turned out to be pretty solid. Fines landed the Andy's feature and I was able to talk to John Q. Hammons about his proposed hotel. This one was also fun because we got to do a two-page year-in-review. Yes, we are patting ourselves on the back a little, but I think its kinda cool nonetheless. It was definitely a reminder to me how very dependent we are on the people who take a few minutes out of their day to talk to us. Anyhoo, check it out.

Two sides of Christmas

My mother and father divorced each other when I was 8-years-old. Well, it was official two days before my 8th birthday, but just because I remember the date doesn't mean it was traumatic for me. Dad brought me a new bike the day he brought the papers to mom.

From 8 on, I always felt lucky to have two birthdays and two Christmases. Like I was getting away with something kids with one home didn't know about.

At 34, I'm pleased to say I have stayed close to both my parents. But, I suspect, whether one has parents still together or not, the things that mom's and dad's offer up as special holiday gifts are quite different.

Case in point: the following e-mail and video came from my mom and dad. Each in their own way, were trying to make my holidays more special. Both worked. Mom, wrote an emotional story about her Aunt Vonny that she sent to me and other relatives. The story truly stands on its own, apart from the Mom and Dad frame I've set for it here.

Mom's story

Just a quick note to tell all of you a little story about Aunt Vonny. Many times in my life, I have been so fortunate to have a friend or a relative do something so nice for me that the memory of what they did carried on for me and I still remember all of those special people. Aunt Vonny was one of them. I remember one time when I first moved to Springfield, Brian was 9 and Justin was 4. I was really broke and a little down about just life in general. I had talked to Vonny on the phone on occasion and she would sometimes send me a little note or a silly card. One time, just out of the blue, she called and said she had been praying and believed the Lord wanted her to do something for me. So for a few months, she sent me her tithing..her 10% that she normally gave to her church, she sent to me. I remember crying when I got her check and told her she didn't need to do that, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. When the time came, she called and said she felt it needed to go back to the church. I have never forgotten that act of kindness. I hadn't asked her for anything, but she felt she wanted to do something for me. When she died, I really wanted to go to her funeral, but the car I had at the time was really not in good shape and I was afraid to take it on the drive to Cape. I had told most of the family that I didn't think I could make it..I had visited Vonny in the hospital 2 weeks before and I rode out to Cape, I can't even remember who with? Maybe Ted? or Kenny? I don't know. So I told myself that since I just saw her, I didn't need to go to the funeral. The day before her funeral, a girl I worked with at the cable company came up to me and said she heard I wanted to go to my aunt's funeral but was concerned about my car. Her name is Darenda. I have lost touch with her. But on that day, she opened my hand and put her car keys in my hand and told me to take her car to the funeral and she would find a way to work while I was gone. She wouldn't take no for an answer. I remember at Vonny's funeral not wanting to go up to see Vonny in the casket and Aunt Bert grabbed my hand and said, "It will be ok." So I did and I think Vonny was once again helping me...someone else helped me so I could go to her funeral but I somehow think Vonny had her hand in it.....
So Merry Christmas to all of you and try to remember something special about someone this Christmas and then do something nice for someone else..even if they don't expect it!

Dad's video

Context

I had a journalism teacher who talked a lot about context. How it was important, why it was important. This article in the NYTimes does a great job of putting things in context. America is divided today in a way that is troubling to me. Something to think about as we head into Christmas.

Ozarks Christmas Village

Today is the first day of the Ozarks Christmas Village. The event features more than 50 booths with a variety of Christmas foods, holiday gifts, ornaments and other arts and crafts. It is being held at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds from 5-9 p.m. today, tomorrow and Friday.

The event is the brain-child of Jeff Germann. But don't call that. Especially in his suit. He prefers to go by "Papa Santa."

I interviewed him last week for a "15 minutes with" piece at CFP's office. He truly was the best Santa Claus I've ever seen. His wardrobe was entirely handmade, complete with an overcoat that featured a nativity scene on the inside.

He was kind, and humble and, well, perfect. He said he wanted to start the Ozarks Christmas Village as a way to bring the community together. A way to celebrate the season as a real community apart from the corporate hullabaloo at the mall. Okay, some of that is me talking.

Anyway, he was a really cool guy and if you are wanting to do something Christmas-y with the kiddos during the next couple of days you should really check it out. It is free, but please bring a non-perishable food item or give a cash donation.