Icewind's Ramblings

Memorial Day 2013 This post is one that struck me when it was first circulated in 2009 by the Anchorage Daily News as an opinion piece ran here: http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/807109.html It still holds meaning for me today and I wanted run it again as I think it captures the essence of this holiday and its true meaning in how it came to be and the fact that life goes on . . . Our view: Memorial Day We honor the fallen today with silence and taps and life Published: May 24th, 2009 04:40 PM Last Modified: May 24th, 2009 04:48 PM Chances are that when you opened this page you saw the photograph first, in the same second that you saw the headline.  When you look at it and read the caption, isn't it easy to imagine the grandfather buried beneath that headstone, wherever he is, taking great joy in the grandchildren who visit his grave? Today we honor the dead who served, from those killed in battle to those who died peacefully decades after t...

Life Observation # 169 - Patience  "Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything else is not only impossible, but the mark of a false messiah."           - Illusions by Richard Bach - Sometimes in our life we go through something and while in the middle of it may not understand why things are the way they are.  What I have learned is that you must trust yourself and stay true to your values even when the outcome and costs to yourself are on the line. I think it is about the value of a man or woman holding onto what they believe and having the understanding that it is not always in our hands or timetable to change the outcome. Patience was a hard thing for me to learn but after 7 months I think I have a pretty good grasp of it. Great things are on the horizon and I am spreading my wings to soar up to new heights to see it come to fruition! H...

Life Observation # 168 "Holding on to anything is like holding on to your breath. You will suffocate.” Sometimes we need to remember we cannot do it all on our own and need to look up and ask for help.  It still amazes me how that works and the capacity of what happens when you do. Ice

Boston Marathon Tragedy – 04-15-13 Once again I find myself looking at the news in real time of another needless tragedy on so many levels of American society. Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this tragedy and the effects it will have on this country in our efforts to secure our safety and well being. "More than any time in recent history, America 's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek, nor did we provoke, an assault on our freedom and our way of life.  We did not expect, nor did we invite, a confrontation with evil.  Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive. 2 people were killed and over a hundred maimed and injured a couple of hours ago at the Boston Marathon finish line in Massachusetts .  This is another needless act of violence in this country.  Police were on scene as this tragedy unfolded and you could easily see that they ran towards the tw...

Several months ago I watched the movie, “Moneyball” with Brad Pitt.  It is a baseball story on the Oakland A’s rebuilding their baseball team using on base statistics as opposed to high dollar ball players.  There was a song that Pitt’s daughter in the story played that has kind of stuck with me since and at different times kept going off in my head. Major league baseball slang for playing in the big leagues is called being in “The Show” which the name of the song is written by Lenka.  It is a catchy little tune but it kept going over in my mind how much like Life it applies for many of us.   “I'm just a little bit caught in the middle, Life is a maze and love is a riddle, I don't know where to go, can't do it alone, I've tried and I don't know why. Slow it down, make it stop or else my heart is going to pop', Cause it's too much, yeah it's a lot to be something I'm not, I'm a fool out of love 'cause I just can't get ...

It seems like this happens more and more these days as I received the call yesterday afternoon from an Old Friend that news of a family member having inoperable lung cancer was texted me so I would know what was happening.  Several phone calls later and with much anxiety details and some form of plan was put together on how best to prepare for things. It is never easy for anyone finding out news that affect your circle of family and friends but one which everyone needs to prepare so you can be the shoulder if needed or the foundation to give them your support and a pool from which to pull from your strength as needed while dealing with things. It is a bittersweet feeling that you are honored to be one of those who is trusted to give your thoughts on things but also the futility of not being able to “fix it” or make things immediately better.  All anyone of us can do is place things in “Others” hands to help everyone see things through as that is all anyone ...

One Hundred Twenty Five Hours that changed my Life Part Two  - The Time Line of Events This is the second part of sharing my recent heart attack and the lifestyle and possible events leading up to it.  Sometimes we are so busy living life that we fail to see or recognize things that may be in plain sight in front of you.  I recently had one of those experiences that oddly through the mental pain, the physical pain and suffering found a way to change some things modify my lifestyle a little bit.  It is from these changes and those events that probably saved my life.  We are getting older and need to be aware of our habits both in eating, exercise, and our mental state, not sweating the small stuff. What I am talking about is a heart attack. Friday, 11-30-12    11:00 am      Pick up Friend & go to Fred Meyer before lunch She had returned home from a flight late the night before and wanted me to give he...

Like most people at this time of year it seems like everyone takes a few minutes to think about and review the past year.  I do that now and again but try not to write those “year end reviews” that some people enjoy sending out each year which embellishes all the great things that have happened to them or their family members. Hopefully this will not be that type of review though there may be some exaggeration of a few things since I tend not to really want to go to those things which may have been negative for me this year. As 2012 started in January there was much work going on with me traveling out to many remote Alaskan villages where the company I worked built clinics, water & sewer plants as well as other needed infrastructure so needed in the bush.  Many Natives still do not have indoor plumbing or clean water and I was fortunate to help provide that in several villages. The time of my separation and divorce brought me to a period for the first time in...

It has been a little strange for me that since my heart attack that my being able to sit down and write just seemed to be stalled.  There was much to say and many notes to gain topics from which to write but it has been hard for me to sit down at the computer to write it down. I have tried many times in these last few weeks where I would sit and start and just as quickly stop not able to make my fingers hit the key strokes like they have so many times before.  It is strange in some ways as I could sit and write things on a notepad but could not bring myself to transfer the words from paper to word process.  I have wondered why that has been that way or what did not motivate me to sit and write during this time I have been in a state of convalesce since my hospital stay. It has only been two days now that I can seem to sit here and contemplate this state and start to put things down on what I would like to say again.  I have been editing my book getting it r...

It is such a needless tragedy on so many levels of American society and politics. Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this tragedy and the effects it will have on this country in our efforts to secure our children’s safety and well being. "More than any time in recent history, America 's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek, nor did we provoke, an assault on our freedom and our way of life. We did not expect, nor did we invite, a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive. 26 people were killed a couple of hours ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut .  20 children from the school were killed and 6 adults in this needless act of violence.  Police were alerted after having been notified, they ran into the building to help get people out and protect others still inside and in harms way.  Ran into the building to help...

Many people hold on to their past and for some it is like an anchor that holds them back from being happy or living an abundant life.   To truly live abundantly in the present, we must dismiss the past and in many ways the future. Life concepts intrigue me as we must learn to accept this universal truth, now is all there ever is. We are here right now . . . in the present . . . no past, no future . . . Only now. Nothing else exists, besides this present moment. Think about that for a minute.   Now that is a reality check for sure. Fantasy Land is where you are when you spend your time thinking about the past or the future.   The power of our mind, we can make the past feel very real, however it is not real.   Your fantasies of the past may seem very real, our mind is quite powerful, but they are gone in an instant. Have you ever heard of placing a picture of a new car you wanted on the mirror and everyday looking at the picture and telling yourself that ...

I ran across this older post on my gaming board, The Amazon Basin and it gave me a chuckle on parenting and children coming of age and dating.   I thought I would post on my blog so others may gain insight into their own experiences.   This was written in 2006 and brought with it several events that have run full circle now in my family’s life. Enjoy. As my youngest daughter has grown up and started dating it has become apparent that I needed to break out the rules again for dating my daughter.   Before the holidays I had a strange thing that happened and wanted to share it with you.   On one of the weekends before the Thanksgiving holiday some little girls stopped by the house to sell some gift wrapping paper for a school project.   This happens every year and talking with the neighbors kids was nice seeing how they were doing and what was happening in their school.   One of the young girls asked me if we could get the car that parked at the edge of ...

I wanted to get my three daughters a little something for Christmas to put some positive thoughts to events over the last couple of years.   In Anchorage we had a nice large Barnes and Nobel bookstore that has a coffee shop and a nice sitting area to read.   It can be found with quite a few people hanging out and enjoying a good book or a cup of java.   I love coffee so decided I would stop for a cup while I was trying to do my Christmas shopping. I wanted to send my daughters a positive book that has always given me food for thought.   It is called "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. My thoughts were everyone can always use that little lift from a positive attitude and sharing that feeling with others around you. Being the good father I wanted to boost these young women's spirit and help them get through the tough times away from family many miles away.   My thought process was I wanted to spout all this positive stuff how they...

As we prepare our meals and ready for the gatherings tonight and tomorrow be remember our loved ones away from home around the world serving to protect our country and the freedoms we enjoy. Take a couple of minutes to watch this video of “American Trilogy” Many may remember Elvis performed this in Vegas so many years ago but the best I have ever seen it done is by my friends who used to play in Atlanta in the 70’s & 80’s in their band called Cullowhee.   In the middle of this rendition is the speech of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox done so beautifully by Terry Edwards. Enjoy your Thanksgiving, Give Thanks, Be Safe, and may God Bless. Cullowhee American Trilogy Happy Holidays! Ice

This from the Wall Street Journal’s report from tonight’s NBC’s magazine “Rock Center”, Jerry Sandusky says: “I shouldn’t have showered with those kids”. I am one not to rant too much but this really pisses me off to no end.   He states he is innocent but he did do some of those things.   Now I am not sure where you come from or what your daddy taught you but anytime that urge hits you to shower or touch children comes over ones self it is time for you to put a gun in your mouth as God intends for you to be culled from the herd of those of us who never entertain those thoughts.   Anytime there is no major flag or siren going off in ones head as they are about to do something so terrible to an innocent child, you have lost your moral compass and to my way of thinking the compass was never there in the first place or there is no way to redeem oneself to get pointed back on track.   Rehabilitation should not be an option as it has repeatedly shown that more often t...

Or . . . 72 Virgins and the Suicide Bombers . . . Do the math. I was reading an article about all of the suicide bombings in the Middle East and in Pakistan and how the tactic strikes fear into those regions where it is used.   We have had some experience with its use in the U.S. with the upcoming reminder of the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on American soil. What started out as a semi-comical look into a form of world wide terrorism used to inflict trauma to those close by slowly evolved into another remembrance of a day when America was attacked and many lives were lost.   In vain . . . I hope not but there are still people out there ready to continue their battle just as we continue to defend against it.   Once again, thanks to our military and their families whose sacrifices are given from a grateful nation! In the 1970’s film M*A*S*H the theme song for the movie and the following television series was “Suicide is Painless” a catchy tune ...