"Just some thoughts: This coming summer my wife and I are planning on taking an extended car trip visiting a number of points of interest in our western states. Over the years with my work I was fortunate to have visited most all the states in the union but my wife has not been to some of the western states. Some of the places we plan to visit while traveling are the Dakotas, The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Montana, Wyoming, etc. And I would like to again visit the area known as the Battle of Big Horn where General George Custer and his men met their final fate. I have always found two characters associated with the west to be of interest, Buffalo Bill and George Custer. Two very interesting characters from our country's history. Often we have heard it said, "take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves." TCB seems to have been a weakness many associated with Custer. I do find it interesting how writers of history often reference various ones in our country's history. Most all historians will tell one that " Custer finished last in his class at West Point." Hey, first of all West Point was not some diploma mill or a place in which one would be embarrassed to have graduated. Also, I find interesting especially today is the use of the word "massacre." About two hundred men were killed with Custer in what history uses words like "Last Stand." I don't make light of the number of two hundred, but today in one of our most noted American cities we have over two hundred people being killed..... a month and little said of such in the media but in a military battle that number is noted quite differently. Or the other day I noticed as of this date 318 people have lost their lives on Tennessee highways. Custer did have a rather noted past. He served in the Civil War and it is said he played an important part in the engagement culminating Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. To such that Lee is said to have given Custer the surrender flag. Also, one historian noted that some have said that Custer made off with the table on which Grant and Lee signed their agreement of surrender. Can you imagine today showing up on Roadway Antiques and getting a quote as to the value? Evidently Custer did have a bit of an ego. He often wore an unauthorized black velvet uniform which he had designed for himself. That appears a bit strange and it was adorned with gold braids. It was said he could be "selective" in his judgment as he once ordered the execution of twelve solider's for desertion and he later absented himself without leave to visit his wife. For this he was court-martialed and his punishment was suspension of his duty for one year without pay. (Kinda reminds me of a once very successful college basketball coach, "rules apply to my players, but not to me.") Evidently he knew the practice of taking care one one's relatives as in his command was his brother, a captain, his sister's husband, another brother and his nephew. Most historian say that Custer failed to pay attention to a detail of preparation before he engaged his enemy on that faithful day in June of 1876. The failure of dividing his forces without accurate knowledge of the enemy, its strength and its exact location. A small detail one might say, not so. Maybe Custer once again had relied on what many had come to call "Custer's Luck" and it ran out. A good lesson for everyone is that attention to detail is very important. "Rather more serious was his inclination to pursue objectives without paying due regard to the details by which they were to be achieved." Last Stand--Bryan Perrett "Pursue objectives without paying due regard to the details." Far too often a formula for failure. What is they say "take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves." ================================================================================================ March 1, 2017 Keep on, Larry Adamson Just some thoughts:
"Please, please, please baby, please." James Brown was like few others. He had the title of "Godfather of Soul." I now smile when I hear his name. One time in an old, well Indiana we called them armories, I saw James Brown. I was never sure how those places got their names. Often local military units trained there and sometimes because of their size they often held public events. In my teenager years I often saw rock-n'-roll shows that would coming through doing one night stands. I can also remember in my home town they held wrestling matches. If you had never been to wresting matches in a local setting, say Friday nights you missed something. But back to James Brown. My good friend Cohort and I, we once went to see James Brown at such a place. I think it was in Indianapolis. As teenagers we did not have a clue what we were in for and to see. It was like a time we seldom had experienced, it was one of the earliest times we were in a racial minority. Later we would experience that at a outdoor show featuring Chuck Berry and I would also experience at a Ray Charles concert. "James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, America's greatest soul singer, left most of his wealth, conservatively estimated at $100 million, to educate poor children in South Carolina and Georgia. Ten years after his death on December 25, 2006, not a dime of it had reached a single kid. Untold millions have been frittered away by lawyers and politicians who have been loosed on one another by various factions of his destroyed family." James McBride--Kill' and Leave A too often repeated story, a good work gets hung up for various and often selfish reasons. The living fighting over what the dead left. ================================================================================================ February 3, 2017 Keep on, Larry Adamson
Just some thoughts: There are a lot of ways in which no can be said. Most everyone has experienced a variety of ways in which it has been said to them. But it can be said with tact and some kindness if given a bit of thought. A unqualified man lacking the mental capabilities once applied to President Abraham Lincoln for the post of doorkeeper to the House. The man had no special rights to ask or even approach Lincoln about this matter. It was necessary that Lincoln decline his interest, in other words no. "So you want to be a doorkeeper of the House, eh?" "Yes, Mr. President." "Well, have you ever been a doorkeeper? Have you ever had any experience of doorkeeping?" "Well, no-no actual experience, sir." "Any theoretical experience? Any instructions in the duties and ethics of doorkeeping?" "Umph--no." "Have you ever attended lectures on doorkeeping?" "No, sir." "Have you read any text on the subject?" "No." "Have you conversed with anyone who has read such a book?" "No, sir, I'm afraid no, sir." "Well, then my friend don't you see that you haven't a single qualification for this important post?" said Lincoln in a respectful tone .Yes, I do," said the applicant, and he took leave humbly, almost gratefully.
Yes, one can be told no .........in a number of ways. There are other ways at arriving at.... "NO." ================================================================================================ November 7, 2016 Keep on, Larry Adamson |
About Larry
Larry Adamson was raised in Indiana. After teaching and coaching for several years he worked as Director of Championships at the United States Golf Association in NJ. He's retired, living just outside Nashville,TN. He blogs about his favorite things: sports, music, old cars, and the good ole days. Click on the about page for more information. Archives
May 2018
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