You Think I'm Doing ALL The Heavy Lifting?
3/1/2007THURSDAY
6:30 AM
No column in today s paper. It was the darndest thing Wednesday: I got too busy with all sorts of ancillary columnist duties to actually sit down and ... write a column.
(I blame heartless writing contest deadlines, computer malfunctions, and the bane of modern worklife everywhere, meetings.)
Anyway, when this blog launched earlier this month, I apologized for a format that prevented direct reader comment. Since the only way you can weigh in is to e-mail me, I promised to run your e-mails as promptly as possible.
Turns out I m not as prompt as I d hoped, but, hey. I m human. That means deadlines, computer woes, and meetings (and all the rest of a messy and too-busy life) are bound to delay even my best intentions.
Let me make up for it today and turn all this over to you guys. But remember the rule: I don't clean up your messes. E-mails run as is," and all spelling/editing errors are up to ya ll to catch before you hit send. (OK, I'd delete any expletives, but that's the extent of it -- although, if your e-mail is really crass and pointless, I'd delete the whole %&$# thing....)
[ Ya ll ? I wrote "ya'll"? Cripes, where d I come up with THAT?]
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I like your blog.
Wish I had time to read it but I have to go back to work and do some taxes.
Thanks
Ed Michener
Ed, you crack me up. I thank you for reading the blog despite having no time to do so
PS Is it a breach of modern etiquette to utter the word taxes this far in advance of April?
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About Wednesday s post, in which I rued a life too full of electronic chatter, came this comment from Phil Philbin, a new Faithful Reader who writes a blog that hands-down has one of the best names I ve come across: http://perilsofcaffeineintheevening.com:,
I hear ya. I think I always had potential, but I think the unholy confluence of broadband, tabbed browsers and RSS feeds finally did me in. I always have Firefox open, with no fewer than 4 tabs and always including Bloglines, a Trojan horse offering immediate departure to up to 100 other links. One of which was yours this morning, just added last week.
Enabler.
One word, Phil: Totally The combo of high-speed Internet and wireless networking are the two best/worst things that ve happened in my house. Well, that and one particularly memorable party back in 92. But I certainly thank you for cluttering up your life even more by adding me to your mix.
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On Saturday, I gave an update about Carty s Marina District presentation to a panel of some of the country s leading city planners and urbanists. (True, the update pretty much said: Gee, can t reach anyone for a full update, but I m still trying. But the update to that update [?!] is that I did finally reach someone this week, and will do a column on this soon. Until then, this comment:)
Why does Carty and everyone in city and county government believe
they need to spend so much time and money on a Marina District?
Why don't those citizens who have money to buy boats, etc. put their
own time and money into a wonderful Marina District for themselves?
Carty's and other local government officials certainly have other high priorities to spend their time and THE LOCAL CITIZENS MONEY into such issues as HEALTH CARE, ELDERLY. ONLY ON MEDICARE AND NEED OTHER HELP, THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLES, EMPLOYMENT FOR THE UNEMPLOYED, THOSE WHO NEED MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR SOME WHO ARE NOW REFUSED SOME OF THE SERVICES and those who can ONLY AFFORD to use the BATH TUBS that they have at home and NOT A BEAUTIFUL BOAT OR MARINA DISTRICT SERVICE!
New Marina District, New Sports Arena, Shopping Malls Wi-Fi System, Carty and the local government paid working time and efforts need to be put back in place to help the Citizens of Toledo and Lucas County where they need it most and if they would open their eyes they would see more important issues than Marina Districts and Sports Arenas!
All Carty and Local Government wants to do is PLAY and SHOP!
Sue Alheim
Sue Sue, Sue, Sue. (Hey, you a lawyer? I dunno what makes me ask that )
Anyway, Sue, that s not Carty demanding a Play-n-Shop agenda for the citizenry. That s George Bush.
As for your contention that the Marina District is a waste of time and money, you might be right. But if you are and only time will determine that it wouldn t necessarily be because we put so much time and money into development. It would be because of the particular development into which we put so much time and money. If you get my meaning. (I knew I should have had a second cup of coffee before sitting down to all this )
I disagree with you, Sue, that government should not piffle around with development projects, although I admit I sometimes disagree with government about which development projects they choose to piffle around with, and in what manner they choose to do their piffling. (This paragraph alone should put me in Writer Jail, don't you think?)
As for the Marina District, methinks the jury is still out. I mean, the thing is nowhere near finished (or begun, really).
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On Friday,
I wrote about a lovely, locally produced TV documentary I stumbled across on WGTE Channel 30 one night. Example: Even though plenty of Toledoans already know the admirable story of Ella P. Stewart, I had nothing but praise for this Cornerstones documentary for filling in some details I sure never knew. Here's another take:
I had never heard of Ella P. Steward (okay, I'm not a Toledoan), but your story got me thinking. She would probably have become a Rosa Parks if the management had handled the situation differently. And then, how many unsung women might do this all the time - not causing a big ruckus, just 'doing'. Rosa didn't create marches (at least directly), she just 'sat'. Ella didn't orate from the street corner - just demanded her rights and then winked at the establishment with her 'nieces and nephews'. Love it.
Marilyn
You are spot-on, Marilyn: We will indeed never know how many unsung women are out there, even right this minute, just doing. (Yeah, and let's not fool ourselves there s still plenty out there that needs doing.)
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A Feb. 20 post, in which I registered gratitude for the serendipity of coming across Diane Rehm s NPR interview with security expert Stephen Flynn about his latest book, The Edge of Disaster, drew commentary from an East Toledo man who identifies himself as a safety and training consultant.
Trust me on this one. For years I was involved with the planning for such an event here in Lucas County. There is a plan the plan has been and continues to be tested. What I believe needs to be emphasized is individual planning for disastrous events. Do you have a plan for you and your family? Have you ICE d (In Case Of Emergency) your cell phones, do have a meeting site, what if all phone service is disrupted, do you have enough food, water, prescription drugs, cash. I could go on and on.
The point is most people think the government will be there for them if such an event occurs. They eventually will but, in the interim we are on our own. This is what I do, this is what I teach.
Ernest J. Toth
Hmmm. You ve got a point, Ernest. I do remember reading about the importance of ICEing my cell phone but, um, I never quite got around to it. In fact, I d forgotten how. But now I m halfway to finally crossing this off my To Do list, since I found some good directions here. So thanks for the gentle reminder.
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Finally, lots of comment about last Thursday s post, in which I offered a snippet of writing from U.S.M.C. Mom Cathy DePew, whose family I profiled as they all prepared to send son Kenton Dial off to war. (The first time Kenton s getting ready to head back yet again to Iraq.)
Thanks for offering the writing of Cathy DePew We love and wish our beloved nephew the very best on his return to Irac next month. Those of us who live in Pittsburgh will also be on our knees daily so that God will keep him safe and out of danger. Kenton and his family is deeply loved by the rest of his family. Even though we disagree with this war, Kenton knows that our prayers are constant for not only him, but for everyone who is defending this great nation, so out freedoms are protected. God s speed to Kenton, and please come home to your family and friends who love you (alive and safe). Thanks for being the man we always know you are.
Uncle Bill, Aunt Diane DePew and family
PS: Roberta: Just a side note, Cathy is God s messenger to you and you will never find a better friend and confidant God has deemed her life for greatness.
Just read your blog entry...... "From the Front, to the Laundry Room, and Back" I love your insight. And may I add this little gem from Mark Twain..... "When we are young we generally estimate an opinion by the size of the person that holds it, but later we find that is an uncertain rule, for we realize that there are times when a hornet's opinion disturbs us more than an emperor's."
- "An Undelivered Speech," 3/25/1895 - Mark Twain
Basjascanada
I loved the piece on Kenton and his mom. I am the mother of his best friend, Doug. We all admire Kenton and pray for him and I occasionally cry for him. His parents have been very kind in sharing him with us for the past 9 years. We hope he will be safe and return home in one piece. I hope I get to see him again for I have been fighting a rare cancer for 9 months. I look forward to the end of chemo so that I can go shop for goodies to send him in Iraq. Thanks for remembering one of the greatest guy we know.
Carol Guttenberger
Thanks, everyone, for all the kind words, thoughts, and prayers for Kenton and his family. I am certain they mean a lot.
Phew. I started compiling all this at 6:30 a.m. Took a break to drive my daughter to school, and am just now finishing up. Better get this posted ASAP. Thanks, everyone, for your comments.