OK Ya'll next year before 12/10/09 we will be ready to support and comfort our Veterans. I have posted a comment for Jon (Mississippi Garden Blog) so that he knows about the address changes from the actual medical center to the Red Cross. Sadly enough, they need each card to be opened and inspected first. No gifts, pictures, return addresses, or email addresses. Susie

Another motivating story... "Late in the afternoon of 1 December 1950, Marine Staff Sergeant Windrich's company was surrounded by enemy aggressors at Yudam-ni. They were ordered to move toward Hagaru-ri. By the time they reached Hill 1520 (Hill number shows elevation in meters) it was very dark and the temperature averaged a minus 40 degrees. The company relocated a few times, then back to the knoll, between two rugged mile high mountains where they were bombarded by grenades, machine gun and rifle fire. Staff Sergeant Windrich led a rifle squad of twelve men to meet the enemy head on, while armed with a M-2 carbine. Seven of his men were wounded or killed before they reached the forward position they were to defend. Windrich was also wounded in the head by a bursting grenade. As blood gushed down his shoulder and back he moved his remaining men into a tight fire group. Then he ran to the company command post, drafting a small group of volunteers, and led them to evacuate the dying and wounded. Assuming command of what was left of a platoon, Windrich once more took up defensive positions. Now he was shot in both legs, but kept fighting, always refusing medical attention. For a long time he crawled in the snow, back and forth between his men shouting words of encouragement, deploying his forces and helping to throw back the attackers. It was only after the enemy had been beaten off did Staff Sergeant Windrich collapse and die due to the bitter cold, excessive loss of blood and severe pain. In the end there were two officers and eighteen enlisted men alive, who staggered down the mountain to be with the rest of the column headed toward Hagaru-ri. Windrich was not there! He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. "

Like andie just said, many song and music I really like are often shoved aside by some asinine things memory brings back or they are triggered by something I hear on the radio. A favorite is the duet from Bizet's pearl fishers, never get tired of listening to Beethoven's ninth,how can you not like the aria nessun dorma especially when sung by Pavarotti and even the anvil chorus from Il Trovatore when you need some rousing music. Far too many more to even try to mention. But, I woke just as the radio alarm went off at 6 am and what did I hear--Little boxes on the hillside and they are made out of tickey tackey. Don't remember the name of that particular song and it was followed by another I don't know the name of. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til its gone, tear down paradise and put up a parking lot. What music to wake up to, guess I'll turn the radio to PBS.

Interesting comments here - I don't remember JFK's election but I remember reading a lot about the Catholic connection. I do see a similarity, especially being here in the DC area and feelilng the excitement. I think there is a groundswell because Obama is different - he is young, energetic and vibrant, but is also grounded. This is truly a new era. A lot of shoulders and backs were bent/broken during a very ugly time in America's history. But I really think the groudswell of the younger Americans, coming together for change, was the true catalyst. There are a lot of people from the Civil Rights era that could be qualified to be President, but I don't think it was race that influenced this as much as America wanting to rid the past. I've never seen a time, other than during the 60s with the Viet nam war and Civil Rights protests, that so many young people have spoken. They rallied so hard - to win and to vote for the change. Obama was definitely a contributor in that, through a generational connection. The fact that he is African-American (really), was just the icing on the cake. I think it was more a coincidence that he is Black. But it offered the country a chance to redeem from that ugly past. If JFK had lived, it would have been similar. But times have changed and since then, more people have been allowed into the voting process. More people have been allowed to participate and lead. So, with change, came change.