Happy Labor Day 2023!

Happy Labor Day 2023! This day serves as an annual commemoration of the labor movement’s contributions to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Importantly, it’s a time to reflect on significant milestones that have shaped our current work environment. The journey to secure workers’ rights has been long, and many of the benefits we enjoy today are a direct result of decades of activism, advocacy, and sometimes, upheaval. 40-Hour Workweek The concept of a 40-hour workweek is largely credited to the labor movement, which campaigned for shorter work hours to replace the grueling schedules that were commonplace during

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Happy Labor Day 2023!

Happy Independence Day 2023 – Toward A More Perfect Union

The phrase “toward a more perfect union” comes from the Preamble of the United States Constitution, a document that embodies the ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice that we celebrate every 4th of July. This phrase captures the aspirational nature of the American project, an ongoing endeavor to create a nation that continually improves and refines itself, a work always in progress. It acknowledges that perfection may not be achievable, but the aspiration itself is worthy. The 4th of July, or Independence Day, marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which declared the 13 American colonies as a new

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Happy Independence Day 2023 – Toward A More Perfect Union

Happy Memorial Day weekend – Honor the Fallen

Memorial Day is a time to remember and “Honor the Fallen” – those who have sacrificed their lives while serving in the military.  Memorial Day is also an opportunity for families to honor and remember all their ancestors who have passed away. Recognizing the contributions and sacrifices made by those who came before us helps to deepen our understanding of our roots and strengthen our connection to our history and culture. Many cultures around the world have unique traditions for honoring and celebrating their ancestors. By incorporating these practices into our own Memorial Day celebrations, we can create a more

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Happy Memorial Day weekend – Honor the Fallen

Technology plus Vintage Art for a Merry Christmas 2022

Using Technology to Add Old-Fashioned Ambience – Merry Christmas 2022 Enhance the senses and sensations for a Merry Christmas, 2022 style.  Little can beat the aromas of a Christmas dinner cooking, or the tastes of Christmas cookies – including your favorites – shared during a holiday celebration with loved ones. Kids playing add to the visual and auditory delights.  The tactile senses earn high marks with a quotient of human warmth given long overdue hugs and handshakes.   Now we have a “tech” addition to the tastes and smells, the sights, sounds and touch of the holidays – YouTube. If you’re

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Technology plus Vintage Art for a Merry Christmas 2022

Thanksgiving Day Traditions

Happy Thanksgiving Day Traditions Thanksgiving Day traditions vary widely, I’m sure.  In preparation for this holiday post, I looked up a lot of them.  While they included many great traditions, some of which we practice in our home, a couple of my favorites were missing. First, the common traditions that we practice here are no doubt among the most common across the country. Macy’s Parade starts the day, very much as a background to the cooking and last-minute calls about who’s to bring what and when they’ll be here. It’s the ‘official’ start of Christmas movies and Christmas music playing

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Thanksgiving Day Traditions

Veterans Day 2022 – Thank you for your service!

Veterans Day 2022 – and every year – falls on November 11th. This is the day when you should absolutely thank a veteran. Memorial Day is to remember those who died serving. Veterans Day is for thanking those who are still with us. This year our son, Sean “Sarge”, is a civilian. He and many like him, think they have done nothing noteworthy or deserving of recognition. I contend that the Armed Forces are huge machines, requiring large numbers of support personnel to be effective. Every cog in the machine serves a necessary function. Some are worthy of special honors.

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Veterans Day 2022 – Thank you for your service!

Long Live The Grand Experiment: Happy Independence Day 2022!

Long Live “The Grand Experiment!”  Happy Independence Day! Allow us to share original thoughts of some great Americans to celebrate the 4th of July, the anniversary of the American Experiment; The Grand Experiment. “No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is therefore, the first shut up by those

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Long Live The Grand Experiment: Happy Independence Day 2022!

Memorial Day 2022; Remember the Fallen

In observance of Memorial Day 2022, we share the following from Wikipedia. Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day[1]) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces.[2] It is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970.[3] Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many volunteers place an American flag on graves of military personnel in national cemeteries. Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer in

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Memorial Day 2022; Remember the Fallen

Do What Matters Most – Book Review

Do What Matters Most…I’m a self-help, self-improvement book junkie. At nine or ten years old I started with with How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. By my 20s and 30s, I listened to Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar and many others, at least fifty times per set of cassette tapes (remember those?). In my early 30s, I re-read Dale Carnegie; I re-read it again thirty years after that. All of that history is to preface that I’m not genuinely surprised by most of the self-help/self-improvement genre anymore. That said, Do What Matters Most was a very pleasant

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Do What Matters Most – Book Review

Our Easter Celebration: Anchor of Hope – Righteous Redeemer

In observance of our Easter celebration this year, we share this post from a “sister site” – Crown of Compassion (more below). “Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise/ Refuge of strength to the end./ Righteous redeemer and mighty to save/ He’s the anchor of hope for all men.”- Ellie Holcomb, Anchor of Hope “On that evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’  After he said this, he showed them his

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Our Easter Celebration: Anchor of Hope – Righteous Redeemer