Thursday, November 22, 2012
Back to the blog
It's been some time since I've blogged. Since that time, my father passed and my mom recently had emergency colon surgery. Fortunately, she is recovering nicely and for that I am grateful. Though I still enjoy writing, some parts of my job are getting a little taxing but I will continue to do my best.
Had a great Thanksgiving today with family, the typical turkey "pig out."
On my want-to-see-movie-list are "Lincoln," "Flight," "Skyfall," and "Hitchcock," all one-word title films. Probably will see "Skyfall" first. Big Bond fan am I.
Just posted this to keep things active.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The story of Marvin the penguin prime minister
Back when the world was young, there once lived a penguin in Antarctica named Marvin. Due to some genetic fluke, Marvin was gray while all the other penguins were black and white. Also, Marvin stood out because all of the other birds in the community had “fancy” names like Ian, Alexander, Sebastian, Annabelle, and Esmeralda. Marvin’s mother, however, always instilled pride in him and told him to embrace his differences as just the way things were supposed to be.
As he matured, Marvin became a natural leader. Many came to him for advice and inspiration and suggested that he run for prime minister, elected by majority vote every six years.
Penguins campaigned and sought out the votes of their fellow birds. Because of his mother’s teachings, Marvin really wanted to help and serve others, so he took the suggestions of his peers and ran for the office.
His opponents, who couldn’t find anything that they could use against him, decided to focus on his name, saying that with a “common” name like Marvin, he couldn’t be “one of them.” He must have different values, a “flawed” morality, or even have been born under mysterious circumstances.
Their efforts didn’t prevail, though. He was elected as the prime minister and did his best during his first term in office. He suggested and initiated – with the help of the penguin “House of Parliament” - programs to help with employment, health care, and defense. Of course, there was always that opposition that continued to try to paint Marvin as an “outsider.” As time approached for the next election, Marvin’s political enemies decided to attack him, painting him as a menace to society, labeling him “a non-follower of penguin religion, a threat to individual rights, or even worse, the “anti- penguin.”
The closer the elections came, the more vehement the rhetoric against Marvin became. When the time came to pick a new prime minister, Marvin found himself facing an opponent that really played on the negatives, thinking that by playing on fears and suspicions would be enough to make Marvin a one-term prime minister.
To the opponent’s surprise, however, the voting populace could see beyond the untruths and the vicious rumors and put Marvin back in office for another six years…and what a glorious six years they were. All the programs that he initiated during his first six years came to fruition and Marvin “the different one” went down as one of the best prime ministers in penguin history.
Isn’t that a nice story?
As he matured, Marvin became a natural leader. Many came to him for advice and inspiration and suggested that he run for prime minister, elected by majority vote every six years.
Penguins campaigned and sought out the votes of their fellow birds. Because of his mother’s teachings, Marvin really wanted to help and serve others, so he took the suggestions of his peers and ran for the office.
His opponents, who couldn’t find anything that they could use against him, decided to focus on his name, saying that with a “common” name like Marvin, he couldn’t be “one of them.” He must have different values, a “flawed” morality, or even have been born under mysterious circumstances.
Their efforts didn’t prevail, though. He was elected as the prime minister and did his best during his first term in office. He suggested and initiated – with the help of the penguin “House of Parliament” - programs to help with employment, health care, and defense. Of course, there was always that opposition that continued to try to paint Marvin as an “outsider.” As time approached for the next election, Marvin’s political enemies decided to attack him, painting him as a menace to society, labeling him “a non-follower of penguin religion, a threat to individual rights, or even worse, the “anti- penguin.”
The closer the elections came, the more vehement the rhetoric against Marvin became. When the time came to pick a new prime minister, Marvin found himself facing an opponent that really played on the negatives, thinking that by playing on fears and suspicions would be enough to make Marvin a one-term prime minister.
To the opponent’s surprise, however, the voting populace could see beyond the untruths and the vicious rumors and put Marvin back in office for another six years…and what a glorious six years they were. All the programs that he initiated during his first six years came to fruition and Marvin “the different one” went down as one of the best prime ministers in penguin history.
Isn’t that a nice story?
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