Wow, did the weather change or something? You're all posting things like mad. GTP's... PP's... It's beautiful to see.

Picture Perfect - ______ & ______

Our lovely host this week is Cherie. She has left it open to our own creativity to fill in the blanks.

I went with a shot I took in Washington, DC at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

I give you:

War & Peace

In silence they walk
In honor to the fallen
To the Unknown Soldiers
Who have answered the calling.

To play along, or view more entries, please go HERE.

How sad the loss

How sad is the loss of the twinkle
Of a boy's eye
At the sight of the extraordinaire
The brilliance of everyday

How sad is the loss of the innocence
Of a boy's smile
At the thought of adventure
The norm of being alive

How sad is the loss of the joy
Of a boy's dreams
At the notion of more
The future is today

How sad is the loss
Of a boy's inspiration
At the idea of far, far away
How sad is the loss... of everyday.

(c) Charles Graham 2011

I started watching Pan-Am... The opening scene was of a boy holding his mother's hand, staring out the window at a Jumbo Jet. It was 1963... it was new. It was fascinating. A pilot walks by and the awe on the boy's face... made me feel at a loss.

I felt the loss of anything being new again, like it was when all you wanted was the Lil Red Wagon... or a model of the Mercury rocket 'cause you saw it on TV. Or TV for that matter. I felt the loss of not taking these things for granted. They weren't always there, and now they seem to be the norm of everyday.

We've advance so far, so fast that new is the norm now. If something "new" isn't released every few months or so... we've become stagnant. Even in the reality that nothing really is "new" anymore... just redesigned. Minor tweaks, or new widgets.

I want new. I want someone to look up to... someone about whom I can say, "Wow! I wanna be him/her when I grow up!" Do kids really feel that anymore these days? Or am I just too old, and jaded? Oh, don't get me wrong... I get excited when there's "new" stuff released, just like any kid would, but it's not the same as... "I'm going to the moon one day!" excited.

I guess when I saw that... and saw the look in that boy's eye... I just wanted for this one moment to be that kid again, and believe that "Yes, I too can fly to the ends of the world and beyond."

How sad the loss...

GTP - Haunting Nights

A Shimmer in the Night

A movement in the distance
Shadows in the corner of the eye
You see them
But they aren’t there

They come to you from beyond
Slipping through the night
Calling to you in silence
Whispers in the dark

You reach out for them
They shy from your touch
Recoiling in fear
Your intent to them is unclear

You only have questions
Why are they here
Why do they linger
When the door is so near

It stands just out of sight
A shimmering passage
An end to the wandering
The doorway to salvation

They have always been close
Since that fateful day
When you came close to joining them
On their nightly foray

They only seem to watch
Few will come close
Their whispering is like the wind
They know you can see

Few will understand
What you can see
So you tell no one
Their journeys are safe with you


Evanescence - "Haunted"

Long lost words whisper slowly to me
Still can't find what keeps me here
When all this time I've been so hollow inside
I know you're still there

Watching me, wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
Fearing you, loving you
I won't let you pull me down

Hunting you, I can smell you - alive
Your heart pounding in my head

Watching me, wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
Saving me, raping me, watching me

Watching me, wanting me
I can feel you pull me down
Fearing you... loving you
I won't let you pull me down

Casey got a personal best again today. This was the Lancaster Invitational, and for the 5k (3 miles) he got a time of 22:07. This was a difficult and hilly course, I'm so excited for him! (And proud OF him!)

Thursday night we attended the Foo Fighters concert. Amazing! Friday was the company event at Deer Creek State Park. Fun. I fell asleep early after picking up the kids. I just awoke, and have NO voice at all. Nothing. Gone. It'll be an interesting weekend with the boys.

Picture Perfect - The Letter T

I tried to post this yesterday, but there was an epic failure... so here it is today:

 

The letter "T":

Thunderstorms!

 

Heather, (oneluckybean), isn't so lucky. She's been locked down for having been reported for inappropriate comments. Maybe if we all petition the Multiply Gods we can get her reinstated. I've never known her to be in the slightest way, offensive... She doesn't deserve this.

10 days left to let the American Diabetes Association fill up your gas tank

 

Dear Charles, It's not too late to let us put some gas in your tank while helping the American Diabetes Association Stop Diabetes®. 10 days left in the month! Beginning September 1st, the Association started offering FREE Gas Cards to our Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes® online fundraisers, and there is still time for you to take part in this exciting opportunity. Here’s how it works. For every $500 you raise online during the month of September for Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes, you’ll receive a $25 gas card (valid anywhere Visa is accepted). Gas cards will be mailed to the address you registered with 8-10 weeks after the September 30th end date. If you haven't already, you can jumpstart your fundraising (or give it a boost) by making a self-donation to support your fundraising efforts. No amount is too big or too small. It's a great way to show your potential donors that you're also serious about stopping diabetes.   Our improved online fundraising tools are simple, user friendly and can help you raise even more money to help the Association stop diabetes.  Not sure how to get started? Call your local American Diabetes Association office at 1-888-DIABETES to learn how to get started raising money to stop diabetes…and let us put some gas in your tank! Together we can Stop Diabetes. One step at a time.

unsubscribe | forward to a friend | view in browser American Diabetes Association 1701 North Beauregard Street Alexandria, VA 22311 1-800-DIABETES

Picture Perfect- "P"

Payroll Processing

Chuck :D
Sent from my iPhone

Picture Perfect - The Letter "R"

Everyday this week the PP team will be posting a different letter to try to get us out of our shells and into taking more pics...

Here's my contribution for the letter "R":

ROCKIN'!!



To see more, or to play along, go HERE.

A night to celebrate

Last night was a night to celebrate the seniors participating in school sports programs, as well as the band. Parents were invited to participate and escorted their child on to the field, arm in arm.

Syd is lucky... there were a few kids there with only one parent, either absent, or passed... She has three to support and love her. As much of a pain as I know she can be... I am thankful to her stepfather for being there throughout her life when I couldn't.

This is (left to right) Me, Syd, Jodi, and Adam. Congrats Miss Nicole! I'm very proud of you!

 

GTP - Tonight

Take my hand

Let’s go for a ride

Let the fears go

Let them subside

Nothing to keep us

Nothing to hold us here

Don’t look back

This night, it’s ours

Stay with me

Even on the rocky shore

Not just tonight

Every night, they’re ours

 

I dunno what I did during the night, but OMG, I'm in soooo much pain! I couldn't sleep 'cause of it... I'm sleepy.

Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes

http://main.diabetes.org/goto/duckie
Still needing help... Please, if you can, do. If you know of anyone who may like to help outside of my list of contacts... please, please forward this on to them.

For anyone wondering, this is sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. You can go to the following site for more information: http://www.diabetes.org/

For Trixy http://act.oceana.org/sign/turtlesoffthehook

Casey ran today. Got a personal best of 22:45! I'm proud of him.

Not that I've really been around much, but I'm prolly definitely not going to be available much this coming weekend... lots going on. Heading up to Lake Erie on Sunday, spending the night... Saturday is Linda's birthday, so I'll be catering to her whims... and baking a cake. See ya all when I get back. Hopefully with some lake photos. (Of course I'm taking a camera... pfffft!)