Holiday Creep

Ok there is at least on retailer that I support.

This notion that we should be celebrating Christmas in September is infuriating to me.  We can't get past one holiday before we're not just 1 but 2 holidays ahead at the retail outlets.  Easter candy will be out before you know it.  My wife hates walking into Walmart with me when they put the Christmas rows up before Halloween.  I want to go down each row knocking down every item on the shelves. 

This week a partition went up to Target asking that they not allow the "Holiday Creep" to invade their employees family time.  Target is one of the many retailers opening up on Thanksgiving Day, vice the Black Friday day after.  I totally support the person whom started that (and the many others that have followed).

Targets response is that our customers told us they wanted us to open earlier.  Crack addicts want crack too, but you do give in to their wants.  Someone HAS to take a stand!!!

This is one of the 2 days a year that use to be held sacred in our society. It was family time.  Even with the fights and all, it was a time for kin folks and friends to gather, eat way to much, watch football, sit around telling stories of 'remember when we....' and so forth.  No retailer would of even considered crossing that line 10 - 15 years ago.

So now we have......nope, not even then is retailer free...so we're down to 0 (that's a zero) days that are family days now.  And we wonder why we have such a high divorce rate, why so many of our youth are in trouble, why stress levels are off the charts, and why parents don't have a clue what their kids are doing.

To me it's bad enough that schools no long honor those which use to be traditional holidays. But now the rest of society has turned each holiday into a cash cow and our kids don't have a clue what they stand for even.   Growing up Memorial day, Labor Day, Veterans day, Presidents Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas were all family days.  Picnics,  parades, BBQs, flags, cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents were staples on those days.  Today they are just another day of school or work. 

There is a solution to all this, but it would take discipline on our citizens parts, something that also has slipped in our society.  But the solution is that everyone stay home Thanksgiving.  Don't go shopping.  Wait till Friday morning to go buy all those Christmas gifts.  Watch a movie with the family.  Sit around the table and talk, laugh, have a glass of wine or what ever, just don't go shopping.

When the retailers put up Easter candy before Christmas is here, or Christmas before Halloween, DON'T buy anything from those aisle till after the holiday before is totally over with.  If all of a sudden those because the slowest moving aisles in the store the stores will change their strategy. 

I agree with Nordstroms, I want to celebrate one holiday at a time, and I want to celebrate it fully before I move to the next season.  Kudos to Nordstroms for taking a stand.  In support I promise to buy something from Nordstroms this season for under the tree.  But don't worry, I won't do it till after Thanksgiving.

God Bless,
Dennis

Veterans Day 2012

This has not been an easy weekend for me.  It's been Veterans Day 2012 weekend.  I've attended 3 events with the Boy Scouts for Veterans Day.  For those who don't know it's the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War this year.  But that's not what has been so tough on me.

I've never really cared much for Veterans Day.  I feel uncomfortable receiving recognition for not being extraordinary.  My generation had a few skirmishes and the start of Desert Storm, but I didn't have to go through a WWII.  I wasn't rejected as the Vietnam Veterans were on their return.  And I never saw terrorist actions like the young men in Afghanistan or the middle east.  So I'd much rather the attention go to those that do deserve it.   

But this year Taps has a more eerie sound for me.  It's always struck a chord in my heart, but this year, 2012, it's shook me to the core every time I've heard it.  You see, this is the first Veterans Day since one of the heros of WWII passed away, my grandfather Capt. William F. Nesser.  He wasn't in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard.  He was in the Merchant Marines.  He went where our Coast Guard and Navy wouldn't even think of going.  His command went to Russia and points between where u-boats were peppering the waters.

I remember back in the 80's when the Government recognized the Merchant Marines, my grandfather was elated to hold the title of veteran.  He received medals from the governments of France and Russia for his efforts in delivering goods to their countries, but the thing he was proudest of was his DD214 releasing him from military service and making him a veteran.  At his funeral the Navy played taps and handed the family a flag in his honor.  He deserved every bit of it. 

Recently the WWII museum in New Orleans had a display of my grandfathers maritime goods from his time in service and travels around the world.  The article is here if you're interested in reading about him and the museum.

Just weeks before he passed away they spent a day interviewing him about his adventures.  The stories I heard over the last 20 or so years about trips to Russia, watching explosions on the horizon as his buddies ships were blown up and watching them sink, politics over where the cargo ships were to go, and many others are held for my childrens children to remember what this man was part of.  I'm sure I've forgotten as many stories as I remember, but I remember many of them.

WWII vets are becoming fewer and fewer.  My grandfather was 92, and he was a young man when the war started.  If you know a veteran, especially a WWII veteran, make sure you take the time and listen to them.  Hear their stories of adventure of battles and sorrow of losses of their best friends.  It's time you'll never regret.   And honestly I can't think of anything a veteran would want more than to spend a few minutes telling another generation of their hardships and their victories. It really is a great way to pay honor and tribute for all they went through.

God Bless, and may He guide our country and put a protective hand over all the young men and women still in harms way protecting our freedoms.

Dennis Nesser

I know why....

As many of you know I'm pretty active in the scouting program for Gonzales and even for our district (south of Austin, Tx).  One of the things I try to stress time and time again to our boys is that scouting is not about the Monday meetings and going camping once a month, it's about a way we live. 

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

This week I've been left out to dry at a last minutes notice 3 times (no, not all by scouts, but at least once).  At the last minute I get a call (or in one case I called to remind them) saying that they wouldn't be able to perform what they had told me they would.  


In one case it absolutely killed an entire 1/2 day of my vacation trying to fix a problem that shouldn't have been a problem in the first place.  The person knew weeks ago they couldn't do what they told us they would, and then backed out. 


In a second (the one I called to remind), they knew at least a week before that they wouldn't be able to make it, how to I know, because they told someone else they were going to this other event...but forgot to tell me.  


So now I go back up to my list of 12 things.  Now I cherish these 12 things.  I think they are pretty Biblical in their ideology, and can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to live up to those standards (regardless of your religious preference).  They are the Golden Rule broken down 12 different ways.  They are the 10 commandments simplified.  They are...you understand where I'm going with this right?


So how trustworthy is someone when they dump something on you they said they would do?  I understand things come up, but isn't it then your place to come up with an alternative?  Isn't being trustworthy saying I'm still responsible so I'll take care of it? 


And don't even get me going on courteous!  Courteous is finding out you double booked and calling immediately.  Courteous is making sure things are going to happen regardless of your absence, because obviously someone was counting on you.  


*exhaling*

I'm pretty certain Baden Powell didn't put those two words in there for only those reasons, but I can imagine as an officer and a gentleman he knew all about being trustworthy and courteous.  


In every instance the 'panic mode' and 'scramble' could of been avoided if they individuals involved had just said something when they found out.  I understand there are last minute emergencies.  But I don't live moment by moment.  Hell I schedule things out a year plus in advance.  Between all my family, all my activities, and all my work I have to. 


So next time you've told someone you're going to do something, and you can because of xy or z, let the the right people know as soon as possible so they aren't scrambling.  Do your best to find a substitute or solution that would fill the void you've left behind.  If you don't have the answers how about some suggestions? 


There's a saying that says, "Unpreparedness on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part".  Unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way, and somehow I seem to be the one that has to pick up the pieces and make it work.  Trust me I put myself in that situation enough without anyone else helping me. 

God Bless,
Dennis

Memorial Day

I am a veteran.  I served 8 year in the US Army.  This year on Memorial Day, for what ever reason, I received a lot of text and even a couple of calls thanking me for my service.  It was uncomfortable for me. 

It was 4 years after I got of our the Army before I'd really acknowledge I had been in the military. Not because I was mad, or felt slighted by anyone like our Vietnam Vets, or anything like that, quite to the contrary.  It's because while conflicts happened during my tenure, I was, with one exception, always very safe, very secure, and definitely not in the line of fire.  I was in intelligence (put your oxymoron joke here) and provided those in the know the information they needed when needed, but for the most part I was very safe.

Yes, I went through the same basic and advanced soldier training, had the same weekly/monthly drills, took the same P/T test, and got promoted by the same standards.  I was just one of the fortunate ones that had a job that required I be left behind for the most part.   

But I'm rambling ...so back on topic....Memorial day was established to honor those soldiers, regardless of their branch of service, that gave not just the potential of sacrifice, but gave their life for our country. 

I live in a small town, and over the 150 years we've had those sacrifices.  From the 18 that went to the Alamo to help Travis, and through the centuries, our town has offered it's young men in sacrifice.

Thankfully I was never in the position that I ever had to make such a sacrifice.  I'm not saying at the time I wouldn't have, but Memorial Day is for those that did.

 A walk through a cemetery in Gonzales will provide you lots of fallen heroes to honor.  I'm sure where ever you live there are those who have do the same.

I spoke to my cousin this week who is also a proud vet.  She had very similar feelings as I do, so I know I'm not alone in my thoughts as a veteran.  Give us thanks, buy us a beer on Veterans Day and we'll smile and say thanks, that's the proper time for that.

If you want to make a burnt offering (BBQ for short) to those that went and gave their lives for our freedom, please do so.  Lift a glass of beer to them in remembrance, I think they'd like that.  But let's keep in mind what Memorial Day is really about.  It's about the men and women that have gone to their graves making sure you and I have the right to be free.  Knowing soldiers like I do, most of them would say while they didn't plan on getting killed, but we all knew it was part of the bargain we made when we signed up.  True heroes. 

By the way, I proudly stand up now when a call for all veterans in the audience.  I guess it just took me time to process it all.  I did my time and did it proudly. Can't say I was the best soldier there ever was, but I was good at what I did.  And I'm proud to be a vet!

God Bless America,
Dennis

Let's get rolling

I can't tell you how many times I've thought about something that I'd like to put out and say, but just don't have the right forum.  I've got my 90asign.com which covers politics, and my My Journey of Enlightenment, which covers my spiritual journey, but there are times that my nonsense doesn't belong on either blog.  And I like to keep on topic on those blogs. 

This blog however will be a mismatch of thoughts and ideas, desires, and general nonsense.  You might agree with me, you might think (or reinforce your opinion of me) that I'm the devil in disguise.  But what you'll read are things that have pinged around my head long enough to make their way out.  If nothing else my shrink will have something to read when and if I ever decide to decipher the rest of the stuff in my head. :)

God Bless,
Dennis