Tuesday, September 30, 2008
33.34% There!
I am now one-third of the way to 30 posts in a month. (Or was it 30 posts in 30 days?) I'd like to find my Composition II archive, where I have a few poems and short stories. It's so old that it's not even on any of the back-up drives I keep for my computers. So watch! There's more to come!
Post 10 of 30: "If"
This seems somehow appropriate given today's news re: the economy, the election, the housing market, the stock market . . . Thanks, Mr. Kipling!
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Post 9 of 30: The English Language
"The English language is nobody's special property. It is the property of the imagination; it is the property of the language itself."
- Poet Derek Walcott
This quotation came to me from The Writer's Almanac, found here on the web. I think it's right on, too.
Having travelled just a bit - both throughout the United States and Europe (England, Denmark, Germany, The Czech republic) - I find it remarkable that people outside the U. S. speak much better, generally, than we do. The most striking difference is in their vocabulary. We here in the U. S. tend to use simpler words. We just don't use a large number of words.
The Monty Python group made a joke of their sole American-born member for what he said on a flight from England to the U. S. - to California, I believe. Terry Gilliam looked down, saw a lake and said something like, "Look at that great big bunch of water!"
And that's what we do - we use many simple words ("great big bunch of water") to describe something for which there is a perfectly acceptable alternate word. An alternate word about which, many times, we don't have a clue! (In this case, "lake" would have sufficed, of course.)
But back to the language . . . flexibility is its hallmark. How many times have new words been created (sometimes in jest, I think) only to be adopted by the masses in short order? Think "gynormous". Same with phrases. Remember Clara Peller's "Where's the beef?"
As a comparison, consider this: there are about one million words in use in the English language, compared with 100,000 for French.
I suspect that as the use of English expands to all portions of the globe the number of words will increase. After all, English does tend to pull into usage words from many differente languages. All it takes is a popular song or a line in a movie or a news story to introduce a new word to the rest of the English-speaking world.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Post 8 of 30: Frank Capra
I believe this quote fits in very well with the feeling I get while watching "It's A Wonderful Life" . . .
"A simple, honest man, driven into a corner by predatory sophisticates, can, if he will, reach down into his God-given resources and come up with the necessary handfuls of courage, wit and love to triumph over his environment."
"A simple, honest man, driven into a corner by predatory sophisticates, can, if he will, reach down into his God-given resources and come up with the necessary handfuls of courage, wit and love to triumph over his environment."
- Frank Capra, on the moral of his movies
Post 7 of 30: Would I Walk Away?
Lyrics to a song inspired by a trip to southern California, where my daughter was doing mission work one summer. I'll post a version of the song in MP3 format as time permits.
You won’t realize that God is all you need until God is all you have. (Dr. Tony Evans)
Would I Walk Away?
Lyrics © 2006 by Mark Dopita
I strolled a distance on the beach
So cold; the surf erased my feet
A bright, high sun upon my face
Thoughts of love and faith and grace
On the pier, lines cast to sea
Though men fished, none fished for me
Perhaps it is that I am caught
But free to act and free in thought
Would I walk away?
Though none can come and take away
What is mine?
Would I walk away?
Would I testify to truth and say
What is mine?
At a distance from the sea
A building stands, reflecting me
The image of the man, the son
Whose timeless work is yet un-done
The better purpose, argued still
To do the work, to do the will
To fight the fight at any cost
A monument to chances lost
Would I walk away?
Though none can come and take away
What is mine?
Would I walk away?
Would I testify to truth and say
What is mine?
Deep within the land of dreams
To my sad eyes not what it seems
Possessed of wealth I’ll never know
And depths of pain to deep to show
Yet on this stage, whose thanks we sing
Some do the work of Lord and King
To pour His grace on those who fell
That in His spirit they’ll ever dwell
Would I walk away?
Though none can come and take away
What is mine?
Would I walk away?
Would I testify to truth and say
What is mine?
You won’t realize that God is all you need until God is all you have. (Dr. Tony Evans)
Would I Walk Away?
Lyrics © 2006 by Mark Dopita
I strolled a distance on the beach
So cold; the surf erased my feet
A bright, high sun upon my face
Thoughts of love and faith and grace
On the pier, lines cast to sea
Though men fished, none fished for me
Perhaps it is that I am caught
But free to act and free in thought
Would I walk away?
Though none can come and take away
What is mine?
Would I walk away?
Would I testify to truth and say
What is mine?
At a distance from the sea
A building stands, reflecting me
The image of the man, the son
Whose timeless work is yet un-done
The better purpose, argued still
To do the work, to do the will
To fight the fight at any cost
A monument to chances lost
Would I walk away?
Though none can come and take away
What is mine?
Would I walk away?
Would I testify to truth and say
What is mine?
Deep within the land of dreams
To my sad eyes not what it seems
Possessed of wealth I’ll never know
And depths of pain to deep to show
Yet on this stage, whose thanks we sing
Some do the work of Lord and King
To pour His grace on those who fell
That in His spirit they’ll ever dwell
Would I walk away?
Though none can come and take away
What is mine?
Would I walk away?
Would I testify to truth and say
What is mine?
Post 6 of 30: Trials
I have not truly faced many trials in my life. Not really. Not compared to many.
I have struggled to "get ahead", but we all do that.
I struggled at being a father, choosing to be a parent instead of a "friend" to my children. I've paid a price for that with one of mine, and while I would prefer to have been more understanding of him, I have to ask if that would have helped him, or would rather have simply enabled him to continue doing what I knew to be wrong. That's a question I'll have to ask at Judgement. But others have lost children altogether, to death or estrangement.
My wife has been ill for several years, but others have suffered the loss of a spouse.
We've had water come up from the sump wells into our basement, but others have lost their homes to floods.
No, I have not had to deal with tragedy; I have not truly been put through any great trials. The Lord has made it somewhat easy for me, even though, at times, I have felt depressed, and lonely and have felt that nobody truly cared.
But for those who have had to suffer, there is a Bible verse that will help you through difficult times:
I have struggled to "get ahead", but we all do that.
I struggled at being a father, choosing to be a parent instead of a "friend" to my children. I've paid a price for that with one of mine, and while I would prefer to have been more understanding of him, I have to ask if that would have helped him, or would rather have simply enabled him to continue doing what I knew to be wrong. That's a question I'll have to ask at Judgement. But others have lost children altogether, to death or estrangement.
My wife has been ill for several years, but others have suffered the loss of a spouse.
We've had water come up from the sump wells into our basement, but others have lost their homes to floods.
No, I have not had to deal with tragedy; I have not truly been put through any great trials. The Lord has made it somewhat easy for me, even though, at times, I have felt depressed, and lonely and have felt that nobody truly cared.
But for those who have had to suffer, there is a Bible verse that will help you through difficult times:
"So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith to show that it is strong and pure, it is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."
- I Peter 1: 6-7 (NLT)
Post 5 of 30: One of My Failings
I am often an angry man. It wells up inside of me and exits my mouth. And while I know I should keep my person under greater control, I very often do not. Loving what God has done for me in my life, I really, really need to take heed of this verse which I have saved to my "Things to Remember" folder:
James 1 19:27
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1 19:27
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Post 4 of 30: Why I Blog
Okay, perhaps these aren't my own words, but replace certain of them with "me", "my" or "I" and I think the sentiment's the same.
From William Faulkner's Nobel Prize acceptance speech in 1950, courtesy of The Writer's Almanac (here):
"It is the poet's privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail."
From William Faulkner's Nobel Prize acceptance speech in 1950, courtesy of The Writer's Almanac (here):
"It is the poet's privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail."
Post 3 of 30: Temperature Conversion
I have a file folder on my PC that has the label "Miscellaneous Neat Stuff". If you've ever wondered how to convert temperatures, especially to the very popular Kelvin scale (or absolute temperature scale), here's how to do it. I got this from another web site, of course.
Today's expected high:
- 77 degrees Fahrenheit
- 25 degrees Celsius
- 298.15 degrees Kelvin.
Dang, that sounds hot!
Post 2 of 30: The Folks Who Live On The Hill
I own the CD "Bette Midler Sings The Peggy Lee Songbook". I'm not sure that many have heard the song "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", but it is beautifully done on that album. And, at this stage in my life, it's exactly how I feel (though we don't actually live on a hill).
The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
Many men with lofty aims,
Strive for lofty goals,
Others play at smaller games,
Being simpler souls.
I am of the latter brand;
All I want to do,
Is to find a spot of land,
And live there with you.
Some day
We'll build a home on a hilltop high,
You and I,
Shiny and new a cottage that two can fill.
And we'll be pleased to be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
Some day
We may be adding a thing or two,
A wing or two.
We will make changes as any fam'ly will,
But we will always be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
Our veranda will command a view of meadows green,
The sort of veiw that seems to want to be seen.
And when the kids grow up and leave us,
We'll sit and look at the same old view,
Just we two.
Darby and Joan who used to be Jack and Jill,
The folks like to be called,
What they have always been called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
Many men with lofty aims,
Strive for lofty goals,
Others play at smaller games,
Being simpler souls.
I am of the latter brand;
All I want to do,
Is to find a spot of land,
And live there with you.
Some day
We'll build a home on a hilltop high,
You and I,
Shiny and new a cottage that two can fill.
And we'll be pleased to be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
Some day
We may be adding a thing or two,
A wing or two.
We will make changes as any fam'ly will,
But we will always be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
Our veranda will command a view of meadows green,
The sort of veiw that seems to want to be seen.
And when the kids grow up and leave us,
We'll sit and look at the same old view,
Just we two.
Darby and Joan who used to be Jack and Jill,
The folks like to be called,
What they have always been called,
"The folks who live on the hill".
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Post 1 of 30: God Loves You!
With Thanks to Lennon and McCartney
New Lyrics © 1998 by Mark Dopita
To the tune of "She Loves You"
He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
God loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
I hear you’re feelin’ down
Since I saw you yesterday
You feel like you’re a clown
Is that what others say?
You know God loves you!
Turn to him when you are sad
Yes, He loves you
So you know you should be glad!
I know kids can be mean
They’re hurtful and unfair
They don’t care what they do
Just turn to God in prayer
You know God loves you!
Turn to him when you are sad
Yes, He loves you
So you know you should be glad!
Oh, He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
God loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
With God’s love like that
You know you should be glad!
You know just what to do
Lift up your hurt in prayer
That’s what I do, too
You know that he’ll be there!
Because God loves you
He’ll help you when you’re sad
He loves you
And you know you should be glad!
Oh, He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
God loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
With God’s love like that
You know you should be glad!
With God’s love like that
You know you should be glad!
New Lyrics © 1998 by Mark Dopita
To the tune of "She Loves You"
He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
God loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
I hear you’re feelin’ down
Since I saw you yesterday
You feel like you’re a clown
Is that what others say?
You know God loves you!
Turn to him when you are sad
Yes, He loves you
So you know you should be glad!
I know kids can be mean
They’re hurtful and unfair
They don’t care what they do
Just turn to God in prayer
You know God loves you!
Turn to him when you are sad
Yes, He loves you
So you know you should be glad!
Oh, He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
God loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
With God’s love like that
You know you should be glad!
You know just what to do
Lift up your hurt in prayer
That’s what I do, too
You know that he’ll be there!
Because God loves you
He’ll help you when you’re sad
He loves you
And you know you should be glad!
Oh, He loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
God loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah
With God’s love like that
You know you should be glad!
With God’s love like that
You know you should be glad!
Post-A-Day . . . For A Month?
I am challenging myself to publish 30 times in 30 days, though not necessarily one per day. As such, I'm "dredging through the archives", looking for poetry, song lyrics and other such things. Let's see what I can find . . .
Sunday, September 21, 2008
William Braun
My father-in-law passed away this past Wednesday. He will be missed by many. Here are my wife's remarks.
All of you here today who knew my dad loved my dad. He was just that kind of a guy. He was a great dad and taught us many things so that we would live a good life.
First, he taught me to take anything that's free. You never know . . . you might meed it some day, he would say. One day my young nephew Michael came out from the city with my sister. Dad said, “Come on Michael – I'll take you to lunch.”
When they returned we asked where they went. Michael replied, “We went to Sam's Club for the free samples for lunch. Then he bought me an ice cream bar.”
He also taught us to enjoy the little things in life. One of my best memories was when I was in college. He'd make a surprise visit on his way back from a business trip. If you knew my dad . . . he always enjoyed a drink, and in those days, of course I did too! He'd take my friends and I to his favorite bar at Eastern Illinois University – Chink's. It was a dirty, grungy, townie bar where you could only drink quarts of beer. But at the end of the night he could enjoy, “the best liver sausage sandwich that you ever did have.” Not many bars had that bonus!
He taught us to enjoy nature. His favorite of God's creations was the sun. No matter how sick he was he looked great with his beautiful suntan.
This summer he and I spent a lot of time sitting outside. He shared with me how flowers, trees, rain were such miracles. He appreciated their beauty.
He taught us to be strong and accept what came our way and not complain. He displayed this quality the most. No matter how sick he was or how much he endured he was always in “tip top shape.” One time, when I was teaching pre-school, he had just gotten out of the hospital. I had just finished telling everyone how bad off he was. All of a sudden my boss looked out the window and said, “Nancy, there's your dad!”
He walked in the class. He loved to see the kids! One of my little four-year olds ran to him, put out his hand to shake my dad's and said, “Hi there, Mrs. Dopita's dad!”
My dad then told everyone he was fine. He would also tell us, when something else was wrong with him, that his body was “an amazing specimen” and that it “just seems to overcome anything.” He helped me to accept my illness and not dwell on it; just do what you have to do.
He taught us not to be afraid to admit we were wrong. When mark and I decided to move to Island Lake twenty-four years ago he told us it was a big mistake – it would not be a good investment. He would come out a lot to visit his grandchildren and grew to enjoy the fun qualities and closeness of a small community. He moved here seven years ago to enjoy the rest of his life, because, “it is the most beautiful area you ever did see.”
My dad taught us to be a friend. Everyone he met was his good friend. No matter who they were, what they did or where they lived he would do anything for them. He always helped anyone – just as God wants us to do. He'd always say he'd take care of them and help them out – and he did.
He taught us to love our family. He loved my mom - and was married to her for fifty-four years. He loved his four children and eleven grandchildren so much! He was always anxious to share with people what we were doing - he was proud of all of us.
More than anything else he taught us to be happy with our lives the way they are. It doesn't matter what you have, where you live or how much money you have. Be happy when all of your family gathers together. Be happy to sit outside and enjoy the sun. Be happy a friend sent you a card. Be happy someone made you a special Kahlua cake, just because they know you like it! Be happy someone stopped by to see you. Be happy the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, the seasons are changing. Be happy to enjoy God's people and creations!
That's how my dad lived his life every day and that's why I loved him so much – and why I'm sure you did, too!
Dad, I'll miss you, but I'll try my hardest to keep living as you did. You are - and always will be - my hero!
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