Author: usfman

I accomplished a rewarding career as a teacher and professor for 28 years.No more daily lesson plans now frees my curious mind to experience life on my own terms now.

Georgia Deserves Full Attention. (Pt.I)

“Don’t count the days. Make the days count.”(Mohammed Ali)

There seemed to be a definite vibe in the air of endless freedom again on the first day of our road trip. So I was not going to get stressed by the heavy traffic north on the Florida Turnpike and I-75 as we steadily made our way to South Georgia on the last weekend of February. With so many vehicles speeding by me at 90 mph+, I nevertheless remained determined to make good use of my cruise control operation to keep my speed in range of the legal 70 mph. Feeling more inclined to share the driving load with Ruth today, I also seemed more intensely curious than normal about my surroundings. Why then did I see so many leafless trees in the heart of winter when temperatures today rose to almost 90 degrees? What happened to the citrus groves that once grew everywhere in Central Florida? What else beside peaches and pecans was there to interest a tourist in South Georgia? Booking our first night room in Tipton, Georgia for locational reasons, we were on track to reach Atlanta earlier than expected by late afternoon tomorrow.

On the morning of day two, I looked forward to adventuring into the the interior of Southern Georgia for a short visit in Warm Springs, former home of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Winter White House. Passing through these rolling hills of seemingly unchanged towns and rural farming communities, I daydreamed some about our upcoming visit to Warm Springs. Why did this man of such inherited family wealth and high political stature choose to regularly visit this obscure Southern town? What curative magic did the town provide for him from an emotional standpoint? How strongly was the Democratic Party pulse from that 1930s-40s era still felt in this region?

Our Warm Springs visit thus took place with a manageable drive from Tifton on this foggy Sunday morning during the last day of February. Strong messaging about FDR’s life in Warm Springs soon became apparent at the Memorial Museum, as we browsed the multitude of displayed artifacts from the twenty one years period that FDR had visited there. For I first and foremost understood  then why this polio stricken man loved Warm Springs as a place to deal with his debilitating paralysis condition. I would also conclude from our tour that FDR found an uncanny calling in Warm Springs on so many occasions to look beyond his own health problems to unselfishly serve this poor rural community and the polio inflicted masses who flocked there amid hard economic times.

Exiting the rear of the museum, a majestic, flag shrouded walkway led to the Little White House and adjoining buildings, where we conducted a self guided tour of FDR’s vacation home and surrounding environs. Amid this scenic hill setting overlooking a remote woods leading outside town, I imagined FDR admiring nature’s serenity from his living room windows. Touring the home interior, room by room, I also obtained a genuine “ feel” for FDR’s leisurely passions of non fiction reading,  foreign stamp collecting and frequent informal chatting with friends. Yet I seemed most “moved” emotionally by the tragic circumstances of FDR’s untimely death on April 12, 1945 in this house. How sad that an unfinished self portrait of an ailing FDR remained my strongest memory of this extraordinary man as I exited the complex.

 

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Road-Trip Runway Show (Pt.2)

“The road is there. It will always be there. You just have to decide when to take it.” (Chris Humphrey).

Ruth and I feel fortunate that we have been able to continue our travels through long distance road tripping amid the ongoing threat of the Corona pandemic. What about you? Do you similarly aspire to drive freely amid America’s wide open spaces west of the Mississippi River? How might a road trip west (or for that matter anywhere else in this country) help you reconnect with yourself or distant friends/family? What “quality” learning experiences might you be desiring to experience anew in “hitting the road” again to see this country? 

Might I then be of assistance to you in providing some suggestions of future journeying interest? If so, may I invite you to take a look then some road trip goals that Ruth and I are planning to accomplish during our upcoming, eight week journey.

1. Check out the the High Museum of Art/History Center in Atlanta, Georgia as well as spend quality time there with some close friends.

2. In the great Mississippi River town of Memphis, Tennessee, visit  “Elvis Town” for a bit of blues music in the historic Beale Street corridor.              

4. Drive the historic car route west  along the I-40 corridor combined with a brief stop at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma.

5. Hike amid the wave-like dunes of New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument.

6. Enjoy the return of Major League Baseball in 2021 by attending a Spring Training game or two in the Phoenix, Arizona vicinity.

7. Feel the mystical presence of Saguaro cactus fields near Tucson, Arizona.

8. Hike nearby the famed red rock cliffs of Sedona, Arizona and experience the positive effect of vortex energy.

9. Gaze with wonder at eons of rock layered time at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona.

10. Walk along the River Narrows pathways amid the snow capped canyons of Zion National Park in southern Utah.

11. Find two economical tickets to see a live nightly show or two along the famed “strip” in Las Vegas, Nevada.

12. Share two weeks of fun with several friends of ours who live in California beachside settings as we make our way north along State Highway 1/101 through busy Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco Bay vicinities.

13. Experience wild nature’s bliss in a Pacific coastal setting, at Morro Rock and Harmony Headlands/Montana de Oro State Parks in Central Coast, California.

14. Enjoy the the Bay Area panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge and curiously walk amid the intriguing sights, smells, and sounds of downtown San Francisco, California again.

15. Feel the pioneer spirit of explorers Lewis and Clark by driving the scenic highway along the Columbia River gorge along the northerly border of Oregon. 

16. Complete accessible hiking routes nearby Jenny/Jackson Lake watersheds at Grand Teton National Park in Northern Wyoming.

17. Access the eastern portion of Rocky Mountain National Park to conduct day hikes from Lyons Colorado.

18. Enjoy the seasonal awakening of springtime from our motel window overlooking a verdant valley setting in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

19. Relive youthful times of aimless shopping, biking and walking encounters by visiting our past neighbor in Lincoln, Nebraska.

20. Find historic memorabilia at the Bob Feller Baseball Museum in Van Meter, Iowa.

21. Obtain an affordable ticket to attend a New York Yankees/ Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball game at Progressive Ballpark, in my childhood home of Cleveland, Ohio.

22. Drive slowly through the rustic Blue Ridge Mountains of Western Virginia and North Carolina.

23. Experience a breath of southern antebellum air along the riverfront district and city squares in historic Savannah Georgia.

*By the way, I’ve discovered two wonderful travel apps called “inRoute” and “Roadtrippers” that enable me to download the itinerary of  our projected road trip with impressive visual clarity. So check out two maps of our upcoming adventure that I’ve created from each of them in the photos below.

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Road-Trip Runway Show (Pt. 1)

“I can speak to my soul only when the two of us are off exploring deserts, or cities, or mountains or roads.” (Paulo Coelho)

I’ve checked in with the road-trip “gods” again and am excited that Ruth and I have gained clearance to “take off” on our next U.S. road trip travels beginning, Saturday,  February 27. Yes, we’ve obtained their wise consent for us to head westward on schedule in spite of the lingering dangers of the Corona pandemic. For we’ve convinced them that because we have assertively managed to receive both doses of the Pfizer“shot”,we’ve lowered our risk considerably to catch or spread COVID during this vacation. Yet they’ve informed us in very definitive terms, that it would be morally responsible of us to think equally about others at potential risk and thus continue our mask use and social distancing practices that are currently in place. So we plan to stay in touch with these higher authorities periodically on this vacation to gain additional insights for adapting to those crowded urban centers or live entertainment /sporting events along the way.

We also realize that the currently frigid weather trends covering much of the country will become an additional factor to consider as we prepare to “lift off” on our latest highway adventure. For it seems prudent for us to follow a more southerly path and avoid patches of higher elevation for the first leg of our adventure for sure. We’ve also prioritized pre-booking our lodging accommodations at our landing destinations more than usual, particularly at those motel “way-stations”that offer more lenient, room cancellation policies in cases of last minute routing change. Please refer to our intended clockwise motor path by noting the blue circles on the U.S map displayed above. My next blog will elaborate our intended routing corridors on this road trip in greater detail.

Who might these “road trip gods” be then that I will so dutifully listen to in the course of this adventure? That would be Ruth and I of course. For we feel fully confident to make the right decisions in staying safe, healthy, and emotionally energized during the course of this two month vacation. So wherever you are today, I invite you to escape from any winter woes and join us in celebrating our relentless road trip pursuit of those positive California vibes in the following “Oldies” song during the weeks ahead.

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“Trick or Truth” On Trial

“Anyone who makes up their mind about an issue before they hear the issue is a fool.” (Chris Rock)

I found it very difficult to follow the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump this week. For as an informed citizen, was I being taken for a fool by watching those who seemed to simply hide behind the “tricks” of the political trade? So let me give you a practical analogy of the mindset I expected then. As a teacher/professor, there seemed little doubt that my students would pay diligent attention to my presentations in class. For if they did not take the time or were unable to effectively absorb the material conveyed then, they likely failed my exams or the entire course. To enhance their learning prospects, I also urged them to work together cooperatively with me as I responded impartially to their questions during lectures. I also encouraged them to share ideas by forming study groups together in preparation for these exams. Now let’s consider below several matters related to a similar code of conduct that I hoped would occur during the course of these impeachment proceedings.

Did the senator participants in this trial feel the urgent need to “critically” examine the evidence according to our U.S. Constitutional framework? Were they attentive to both defense and prosecution sides of the issues presented? Did they even feel compelled to “show up” during those times of impeachment testimony? What message for instance was being sent when eighteen senators were observed to be absent at various points of Thursday’s prosecution proceedings. Furthermore, why wasn’t the 2/3 conviction vote decision to convict or acquit in this trial based only those senators who actually attended all the hearings?

To what extent as well did established impeachment trial procedures help senators to go about honestly doing their duties these days? Or did this forum merely descend into a shortsighted sham of flagrantly partisan opinion making? Consider for instance the political implications of not allowing impeachment motion votes of each senator to be recorded anonymously throughout this trial. For many of them were most assuredly wary of inviting public scrutiny of their decisions. For that matter, were their aye and nay votes recorded in this impeachment trial an accurate representation of what members really believed about the guilt or innocence of the ex-Prescient’s culpability in this trial?

Moreover, how damaging might have been the divisive political mindset of the senators themselves in influencing a fair tally of votes to convict or acquit the ex President? For why was our ex- President and Vice President, for example, granted a “free pass” from testifying as a witness in this impeachment hearing? How could Mitch McConnell as well declare his acquittal verdict in this trial while the matter of witness subpoenas were still pending? Why were other live witness testimonies not compelled in this impeachment trial as well?  

As the closing argument phase of the trial took place on Saturday afternoon, this impeachment trial thus seemed tragically incomplete. Could they not have considered, for instance, the increased incidence of the Corona virus as a culpable matter for the ex- President in his encouragement of this densely attended social gathering on January 6? Or why weren’t security camera images of the President’s behavior/movements in the White House at the time of the insurrection brought up as relevant evidence in this trial? Was not censure an option in lieu of an impeachment conviction worthy of consideration then  as well?

I would welcome your follow up comments on any of the questions I’ve raised above. On a more positive note, Ruth and I will begin our next road trip west in less than two weeks to California. My next blog will preview our intended itinerary for this two month adventure. Stay well.

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Commitment To Caring

“Sometimes it only takes one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.”(Jackie Chan) 
 
Francis and I now enter over forty years of casual condominium living in a two story building overlooking a pleasant lake in South Florida. Over that extended time period, for the most part, unit owners in our facility have adjusted well to cooperative, multistory living conditions with seemingly little fanfare. Yet there have been renters at times, who’ve challenge the existing board rules. Such violations can be typically measured by accounts of unauthorized vehicles in assigned  parking spaces, chaotic screams of unsupervised children locked inside apartments, the late night comings and goings of an extended family living in one unit, or the offensive blasts of loud music from partying college students in late night hours. 
 
Such a displeasing home scenario, however, would clearly not be the case with Ray, our young renter from Wisconsin, who moved in by himself over a year ago to a rental unit below our apartment. For I quickly observed Ray to be a model resident as this neatly attired computer designer completed life’s routines of condo life so quietly each day. As the Corona pandemic deepened, I often wondered how his reclusively private lifestyle, however, might be impacting him emotionally inside.There were times, in this regard, when Wayne, Ray’s middle age father, would fly down from Wisconsin to spend “quality time” with him for a few weeks in his apartment. On those occasions, Wayne would sometimes  seek me out at my front door for a friendly, “one on one” conversation or alternatively offer his services in the parking lot with his toolbox in hand for any handiwork that I might need. Not knowing Wayne very well, it seemed odd that this father figure seemed so amiable then and I thus fully intended to respectfully decline his helpful assistance. Yet our conversations would always end with his assertive insistence that I contact him 24/7 as needed. 
 
On a recent Monday morning, after awakening  around 6:30 am. to the ominous sounds of loud thunder and pounding rain. I glanced outside the kitchen window to a most unsettling event. For why was Wayne so obsessively polishing  up the faded headlight covers of my car amid such a storm deluge? Had I even told him to do this? In fact, he would expand his efforts to beautify the outside of my vehicle for several more days that week with washings, waxings, polishings, and dent repair poundings. Something was definitely missing that I needed to know in solving this puzzling equation. 
 
Perhaps I should have suspected my more direct connection with Ray’s past life as the reason why Wayne appeared so illogically driven to help someone like me that he barely knew.  So in a followup conversation with Wayne, that morning, I would come to more clearly understand his altruistic motives.  For his son, I was told, had once precariously survived by living in his car as a homeless person nearby the Community College I once taught at as a professor. He further unsealed past memories of his reserved son successfully completing my College Preparatory Reading class at that poverty stricken time as a critical first step toward  future attainment of his career aspirations in the computer field. Wayne’s acts of unselfish kindness thus simply expressed thanks to me for being a positive role model to Ray in his time of great need. Sadly, this would be the last conversation I would have with Wayne as his son would soon move out of his apartment and return to a better job opportunity in Wisconsin. But those fond memories of such honest kindness contagion will reside in my soul for the remainder of my lifetime. 

 

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Verdant Valley Voices

“All our dreams come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” (Walt Disney)    

                                                                                                                         The following entry was written as part of a writing challenge sponsored by “Carrot Ranch Blog Community” to write a story of exactly 99 words about the title picture above. Click on the website below for additional information about the contest. 

Continue reading “Verdant Valley Voices” →

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Truthful Trust In Progress

“ If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.” (Barack Obama)                                                                                                

Jason seemed to be a relatively untroubled Georgia resident who enjoyed his unglamorous daily routine in the quiet suburbs of Atlanta. After all, he took great pride in working hard to support his wife working construction on his day job around town while “winding down” in his home at night to enjoy a few beers, maybe a cigar or two, and a local sports event on TV. Why then would such a sensible man savoring his normal life of simple contentment fall for a robocall, telemarketing  ad of such suspicious intent?  Yet as Jason listened several times during this call that he should consider purchasing a beachfront bungalow paradise offshore of the Florida Keys, this offer seemed too enticing to pass up for himself and his wife on that otherwise forgettable night. For he envisioned a new  “American Dream” then of carefree comfort with his fishing rod in hand along shady palm trees overlooking blissful aqua waters. The reality of course would later surface that  no housing actually existed on this swampy atoll infested by hordes of mosquitos, poor mainland access, and little actual solid land.      

Facing pressure to commit to this false deal on the phone, Jason never saw the fraud that was coming. For after failing to check out the company’s credentials, ask timely questions, or visit the property itself, he would impulsively commit to a falsified contract during a follow up call that night requiring him to wire over thousands of dollars in deposit to this fake business. It seemed no surprise then that these untruth perpetrators would quickly vanish with his deposit money without later delivery of the property promised to be rendered. Their intent to spread lies  in lieu of truth would regrettably  go unpunished as Jason came to realize he became a victim of this horrible scam. 

Continue reading “Truthful Trust In Progress” →

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Why Take The “Shots” ?

“COVID  is the time for cleansing and introspection.” (Bert McCoy)
 
I would like to share with you my experience with the Pfizer Corona Vaccine. My wife and I, two healthy individuals who qualify for senior status, are apparently among the lucky ones in South Florida to obtain this injection. For to date, the vaccine distribution in Broward/Dade County has been reported to be plagued by (1)  uncertainty of online signup glitches, (2) hordes of out of state “snowbird” registries (3) long queues  at designated regional sites to obtain the “shot” in mobile fashion and (4) politicization of the vaccine distribution by a Republican Florida governor and legislature. So with respect to my home region heavily populated by  medically challenged retirees of majority Democratic Party status, it’s reasonable to question the adequacy of the current supply vs demand process in the allocation of this valuable vaccine now. 
 
In retrospect, the timing for us in getting the  injection seemed critical for us with respect to our travel heavy lifestyle. For we needed to complete the Pfizer process as part of our upcoming plans to road trip west prior to our late February departure . For amid the confusion of numerous guidelines among U.S. states  for compliance with current COVID restrictions, the “shots” would at least help us feel better prepared in the event  that state border crossings became a problem. Given I’ve been spending more of my spare time visiting my mother at her independent living facility, it was also felt to be the right time to take the “shots” to lessen the chance that I would contract or spread the virus amid the medically vulnerable populace there. 
 
So with no apprehension , Ruth and I welcomed the availability of the vaccine on our latest visit to mother last Saturday. My first impression in this regard when I brought her to the injection site that morning seemed  to be the caring atmosphere conveyed by the  medical staff at each table.  For even though Ruth and I were not on the designated list that day to take the vaccine, we were calmly assured  by nurses in the room that there  would be an ample supply of vaccine available if we just waited out the day. In fact, one of them  insisted to me that she saw her job duty as an expedient way to vaccinate as many persons as possible entering the room while her team was present that day. So after patiently waiting six hours for all of the residents of the facility to have opportunities to take this first shot of the entire vaccine process,  we thankfully got the “green light”  to proceed to the vaccination site  for our initial inoculation.
 
As far as the vaccine itself, the procedure seemed painless and routine. For we filled  out the registration papers for the scheduled injections in less than five minutes, and were also assured that any post injection reactions would be monitored in a  thirty minute wait period at a designated room after the “shot” was administered. In fact, we enjoyed cheering up the advanced elderly crowd with our youthful vigor, sitting amid them then. Other than  feeling a slight stiffness in my arm for less than  twenty four hours after the procedure, I felt good as new and proud that I’ve done my duty to enhance my immune system needs at this critical time.
 
So I urge anyone who qualifies for this first wave of Corona inoculation to reflect deeply about your own situation and others you might encounter. At the very minimum, do  not let fear, cynicism, and distrust stop you from getting the “shot.” For America desperately needs to move beyond destructive Corona uncertainty toward a revitalized sense of normality in the coming year. Stay well. USFMAN 

 

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Mobile Messaging Abounds

“Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to move forward, and savoring the journey.“(Roy T. Bennett).                                                                                  

 Excitement builds again for Ruth and I as we anticipate embarking in the coming weeks on our latest American road trip cross- country from South Florida to California. So as we move past 2020s disturbing era of “Breaking News” turbulence, it seems vital for us to spread restorative signs of optimism on our upcoming adventure. If you have read my blog in the past, you probably know already that these two seasoned travelers often become inspired by unexpected present moments encountered via specific sensory impressions  along the way.  For this particular blog, then, allow me to illustrate more clearly what I mean as a “kick start ” boost of enthusiasm for the coming year(s). Thus observe in the following travel photographs some spontaneous occasions in the past, when a motor vehicle  stood out as a powerful symbolic  impetus for a potential moment of truth to move forward in making  our lives and/or our world a better place now.

 
On our recent visit to South India, a pink shrouded police vehicle raised vivid reminders that women’s rights now globally remain a major issue of concern. 
Wild West fever in this pickup truck for political election campaigning at Steamboat, Colorado provided hope that pro-Trump  cultish behavior in rural areas across America does not always prevail. 
Along the Pacific Coast Highway from Washington to California, bumper stickers on SUV vehicles revealed an enhanced concern that Americans must protect their  environmentally sensitive lands. 
In downtown Montgomery, Alabama, a passing cargo truck displayed conspicuous advertising that America’s current moral value crisis requires enhanced worship of fundamental religious values. 
Is the peace and love movement of the late 1960s really dead in these politically divisive times? In Bethel, New York where the original Woodstock Festival took place, this psychedelic bus and car provided good reason to say no. 
As this contented dog in Seattle, Washington suggests to us, it’s time to liberate ourselves from our extended Corona confinement. So get out and smell  some fresh, clean air. 
A Paris mini car situated in a tight parking spot suggests that the much cherished dependence on gas guzzling, fossil fuel consumption and waste of natural resources must end to insure that life’s survival on our earth will endure. 
In Los Angeles, California, a tasty taco mural on this truck provided reminders that multiculturalism now thrives amid this country in so many ways. 
A white truck and orange/aqua van in South Florida provides hope that a winning football team provides optimism for better days ahead for loyal home sports enthusiasts. 
 In Morro Bay California, an old time, volunteer fire truck  suggests it’s due time to thank anyone who has unselfishly given their time to serve community needs during this tragic pandemic time.
Th National Guard presence of this “fortified “Humvee” at this hotel parking lot in Asheville, North Carolina bodes well for Americans who worry about the safety of our riot vulnerable cities and the latest attack on the U.S. Capitol. 
As I witnessed this classic roadster slowly cruise around downtown in Hot Springs, Arkansas, I “saw the light” that there are health benefits in taking one’s time in daily life as a positive  learning experience gained from the endless tedium of the Corona lockdown. 
A pair of Portland, Oregon vans imaginatively redesigned as shoes gave notice to me that our creative hobbies have helped to sustain us during these extended times of confinement at home amid the Corona crisis. 
Santa Cruz, California here we come. The surf’s up so jump in and enjoy the spirit of worry- free fun in your life once again. 
This heavy sticker presence of tourist destinations visited on a white van in Jackson Hole, Wyoming will spark much needed opportunities to travel in 2021 as the pandemic comes under control. 

 

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