Christmas In NYC 2007

I went to NYC this weekend and checked out one of the most famous Christmas Trees in the world, the tree at Rockefeller Center. One thing NYC could do is decorate the city for Christmas. Here's a peak at Christmas in NYC for those who aren't lucky enough to see it in person. Thanks to Kenny once again for these great pictures!
(Click On Picture To Enlarge)

"Rudolph the Red Nosed FREAK and the Shame of Santa"

(take this all in fun)
Tonight I watched "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", what some people consider a classic Christmas cartoon. I'm here to let the truth be known about this "holiday classic"

This cartoon has so many hidden messages of hate and prejudices . It's a story about a small reindeer (Rudolph) that's born into the world with what some other reindeers and SANTA would call a deformity. A shinny nose that glows a bright red hue.

Rudy's parents are horrified when they realize their son is "different" and they try to hide his glowing beak from the world by making him wear this ridiculous looking black casing over it. Now Rudy fits well into society and is popular and excels in sports such as flying and other events in the Reindeer Games.

Things go terribly wrong for Rudolph the second his light bulb like nose is exposed to the world. His "friends" look at him in horror, staring at the red nose pulsating in front of them. Then Santa walks up to Rudolph's parents and says, and I quote, " Donnor (Rudy's dad), you should be ashamed of yourself!" What kind of man is this Santa??? Telling a parent he should be ashamed of himself because his son was born deformed! Who's he to talk, after all the man is a walking heart attack with that huge gut and don't even get me going about sneaking into children's rooms at night while everyone is asleep... the sicko.

Any how, we then have this little elf named Herbie. The guy hates working in this sweat shop like factory making toys. I'm sure the money sucks, if they get paid at all. The guy dreams of becoming a dentist and for that he's ridiculed by the forman and ends up running away because in the North Pole it's obvious it's a communist state and you're not allowed to follow a dream.

While running from the horrors of Santa's workshop Herbie meets Rudolph who has ben shunned from society and is now on his own in the freezing cold. The pair end up on an island. This is the worst part of the entire story. It's an island where civilians are sent that don't fit into the "normal world" to live out their lives in isolation. Kind of a leper colony of sorts. On this " Misfit Island" the duo meet toys that were banished after they didn't meet the evil Santa's standards. This menacing bunch would wait day and night for someone to come rescue them from the hellish prison and dreamed of a world where they would be a welcomed without prejudice.

We quickly learn that on Christmas Eve night the world is covered with some eerie fog and Santa realizes that his super race of reindeers are pretty much useless because they can't find their way through this heavy cloud cover. This is the point where Santa shows his true colors and hits an all time low. He decides to use his physically deformed freak reindeer Rudolph because his glowing nose would light the way. Because Santa needs Rudy, because he has no where else to turn, he allows Rudolph to live among the "normals". WHAT A LOW LIFE USER!" If I was that reindeer I would fly Santa's fat butt smack into an iceberg and let him sink like the Titanic.

The message of this story is if you don't fit into society. If you're different in any way it's o.k. to be ridiculed and shunned until you're needed to save everyone's butts.

Christmas kickoff 2007

To kick off the Christmas Season on my blog I thought I'd let Linus tell all of you what Christmas is all about (this speech is classic). We hear what Christmas is all about to Linus now drop me a message if you have time and tell me what Christmas is all about to YOU.

History of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The first Parade in 1924 was called the “Macy's Christmas Day Parade” although it took place on Thanksgiving Day. In the early 1920's most of Macy's employees were first generation immigrants from Europe. To show their pride in America the started celebrated Thanksgiving in a European festival fashion by marching down the streets dressed as clowns, knights and other costumed characters. In 1927 it was renamed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Live animals including camels, goats, elephants and donkeys were a part of the Parade that inaugural year.

The original Parade route started at 145th Street and Convent Avenue and traveled 5.5 miles to 34th Street and Herald Square.

In the first Parade horses pulled the floats. A particular white steed, that was to aid in the Ben-Hur float, disappeared at the last minute before the start of the Parade.

In 1925 and 1926, bears, lions and tigers were added to the live animals used but this had to be discontinued because they scared the children along the line of march.

In 1927, Macy's replaced the live animals in the Parade with its now signature giant helium balloons. The first balloons included Felix the Cat, The Dragon, The Elephant and Toy Soldier.

1928 saw the first release of the giant Balloons into the air at the end of the Parade. Equipped with a return address label, in 1929, Macy's began offering prizes for the return of the giant balloons.The practice of releasing the Balloons was discontinued in 1933.

The Parade was canceled in 1942, 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. At the start of the war, Macy's donated the Balloons (that where made of rubber at the time) to the government’s rubber scrap heap in a ceremony held at New York’s City Hall.

In 1947, the holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street, brought the Parade’s magic to theatres worldwide.

In 1948 NBC began telecasting the Parade nationwide, as spectators from coast-to-coast began referring to the Parade as the “Macy's Day Parade.

Macy's is the world’s second largest consumer of helium. The United States Government is the first.

In its 77-year history more than 300,000 Macy's employees have participated in the Parade. More than 50,000 clowns have delighted millions of children along the Parade route.

(click on pics to enlarge them)

Thanks to www.nyctourist.com for the cool history lesson!

Optical Illusions

Hi! I thought I'd have some fun with your brains and eyes. Check out these cool optical illusions. Remember, nothing on the page is actually moving. They're kind of wild.
(click on the image to make it bigger)

Cool Thanksgiving Facts

After doing some research on the web I came across this cool site that listed these Thanksgiving facts. So to start off the month of November on my blog I thought I'd list them.

(Thanks to http://abigslice.typepad.com for the info)

Some Cool Thanksgiving Facts

There are a lot of misconceptions about the first thanksgiving. The image that we grew up with was a bunch of pilgrims, clad in black with hats and large buckles on their shoes. They gathered around a table laden with pumpkin pies and turkeys and joined the indians in giving thanks for the bountiful harvest. This does paint a pretty picture, but not a very factual one. Here are the facts.

1621 is but the first of many holidays
Fact : Actually the first thanksgiving feast was not repeated. It was not the beginning of a long tradition of family meals. What's more the puritans would not have called the day "Thanksgiving." That term would have been applied to a religious holiday and such a day would have been spent in the church and not at a table feasting. Journals from the time tell of dancing, singing and playing games all of which would not have been allowed in a religious celebration. So the first Thanksgiving was secular in nature and therefore, in the minds of the pilgrims, it would not have been considered a day to give thanks to God.

The first Thanksgiving was the fourth Thursday in November
Fact : Although the exact date of the first Thanksgiving is not known, it probably occurred sometime between September 21 and November 11. More than a meal, the first Thanksgiving was really a festival lasting three days. The English had a centuries old tradition of harvest festivals and the first Thanksgiving was an extension of those. It wasn't until 1817 that New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. Slowly other states began to do the same. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln assigned the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving. But it was not official and was up to each subsequent president to renew the appointment. Not until FDR was the date officially set. In 1939, the fourth Thursday in November was approved by the president as the official date of Thanksgiving. Congress ratified in 1941. So in the big scheme of things, Thanksgiving is actually a very modern tradition.

Pilgrims wore big buckles on their shoes
Fact : It was not until much later into the 17th Century that buckles came into fashion. As English Puritans the pilgrims only wore black and white on Sunday and formal occasions.

The feast included pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes
Fact : Of course, no one knows exactly what was on the menu at that first feast but, it is known that pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes were not there. It is almost certain that the pilgrims had no pies and no sweets on the table. They came to america with a limited amount of flour and sugar. After their first year in America the supplies of both were probably long exhausted. There were no ovens so breads and cakes, as we know them, were impossible. What it certain from written sources is that the pilgrims did enjoy lots of venison and wild fowl. According to Puritan custom, the first feast would have been eaten in shifts. In Pilgrim households the adults ate first while the children and servants stood by.

The Indians were in attendance
Fact : This one is true. According to Edward Winslow in A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth: "many of the indians came amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some 90 men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted." However the myths have grown, it is clear that life for these settlers was grim at best. Many of them perished en route to America, and more were to die during that first harsh winter. Their diet would seem to us today as very heavy and fatty, but the pilgrims needed that additional protein for their strenuous lives. You may not know that the only furniture they brought with them on this voyage were storage chests and boxes. Everything that they needed was constructed once they arrived in the New World.

We have come a long way since that first festival and Thanksgiving has taken on a whole new meaning. We are truly blessed with plenty. The tables are piled high with all sorts of dishes as we come together as families to enjoy the food and fellowship. We don't depend on a successful harvest to get us through the winter and as such modern Thanksgiving has evolved. Today we allow ourselves this one day to slow down and gather around the family table. In our opinion, that spirit, in and of itself, is worthy of a holiday.

Halloween Wrap-Up

Halloween has come to an end and I figured I should end it with a Halloween wrap up. I received a lot of fun feed back on the scary ghost video. That's what Halloween is all about. Some scary fun.
We WON for Best Original Pumpkin in the 2nd Annual Hospital Of Saint Raphael Pumpkin Contest with our Cinderella Coach pumpkin!

So with all the Halloween candy collected and the Thanksgiving approaching fast here's some pics of my nieces and nephews and friends in their Halloween costumes.

Horror Movie Quotes

Guess The Horror Movie Quotes:
(The answers are posted in the "comments". Tell me how many you got or any ones you know that I didn't post.)

1. "We all go a little mad sometimes."
2. "I want to see what your insides look like."
3. "Heeeeeere's Johnny."
4. "He never got out of the cocking doodle car!"
5. "Get out...GET OUT!"
6. "They're heeeeere."
7. "Stay on the road. Keep clear of the moors."
8. "He gets wolfier as the moon get's fuller."
9. "Hi, I'm Chucky. Wanna play?"
10. "To die..to be really dead, that must be glorious."
11. "You can't kill the Boogyman."
12. "I see dead people."
13. "Your gonna need a bigger boat."
14. "Kill her mommy. Kill her!"
15. "Have you checked on the children?"
16. "What ever you do, don't fall asleep."
17. "Help me. Help meeeeeee."
18. " They're coming to get you Barbara! They're coming to get you."
19. "Sometimes dead is better."
20. "They're all gonna laugh at you. They're all gonna to laugh at you!"

GHOST CAUGHT ON VIDEO!!

INCREDIBLE footage of what appears to be a ghost caught on video by a news film crew in England. This is frightening footage!!! Watch upper part of screen very close right after guy walks out of room. Happy Halloween!!

Pumpkin Contest

Today at work we created the most awesome pumpkin design for the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Contest at the Hospital of Saint Raphael (where I work). One of the rules of the contest is that no one could actually carve the pumpkin so we went with the theme of one of the most famous pumpkins of all (no...not The Great Pumpkin)... Cinderella's Pumpkin Coach. Here's the progress pics. (click on pics to enlarge)

The competition :

Ghost Photos

As Halloween gets closer I thought I'd throw more creepy things your way. I've uploaded a few pics where some believe ghost have been captured on film. I didn't take these pictures but after viewing dozens and dozens of images I was most impressed with these.

1. In 1995, as the town hall in Shropshire, England was being engulfed in flames, a man snapped several pictures of the burning building. After he developed the photos he notices standing amongst the raging fire was a little girl staring back at him. You could see her on the right side of the photo.
In 1677 on this very spot, several timber houses burned to the ground. A small girl was one of the victims of that fire. Could this be the same little girl? (click on picture to enlarge it)

2. Gettysburg, PA. was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War. Thousands upon thousands of men lost their lives in the three day battle in this tiny town. Since the following days of the battle, people began reporting images of ghost of Civil War soldiers. It is now believed to be one of the most haunted placed in America.

In this photo, a person took a picture of a group of people standing on the rocks in what is now called "The Devil's Den". After the picture was developed it showed a figure standing on the left side of the rocks. When the area was blown up for viewing you could see what apears to be a man dressed in a Civil War uniform. (Click on picture to enlarge it)




3. The town of Amityville, NY was thrown into the spot light after a family claimed their Long Island house was haunted by ghost of the previous family who were all murdered in the house. During the investigation of the haunting hundreds of pictures wee taken. While studying the photographs they came upon this single shot of a little boy staring back at them through a bedroom doorway. The same doorway where the children where shot to death. (Click on picture to enlarge it)

Gettysburg Ghost Video

I went to Gettysburg, PA. with my friend Dan on Saturday.
Walking the grounds where one of the bloodiest battles on American soil was fought was almost surreal.
The stories of the three days of fighting in this small town tell the tales of war and how devastating it could be.

Thousands of men lost their lives on these grounds.

While we were touring the battlefields of Gettysburg we realized that the grounds haven't changed much since that bloody day.
One thing I did learn was that many people claim these grounds are haunted. Some people show photos of what appears to be ghostly images of Civil War soldiers. The more I looked into these stories the more I found.

I'm posting a video that was shot a couple years ago in the heart of the battlefields of Gettysburg.

It shows what appears to be soldiers coming in and out of the woods just as they would have during this desperate battle. The woods were used as cover from gunfire because Gettysburg was made up of huge fields and rocky hills. Watch close and make up your own mind!

Halloween Cards

In the early 1900's it was very common to send Halloween greeting cards through the mail. This trend was as popular if not more popular then sending Valentine's cards. Most of the Halloween cards (Halloween spelled "Hallowe'en") focused on romance and good luck.
The act of sending cards at Halloween time faded away after the telephone caught on in the late 1930's. Here's some actually Halloween cards dating back between 1910 and 1925. (click on the card for full size)

History of the Jack-O-Lantern

Throughout the month of October I'm going to try to bring some interesting things about Halloween. I hope you enjoy.

My first Halloween post is the legend of the jack-o-lantern.
The Jack-O-Lantern is a classic Halloween pumpkin with a face carved into it and a candle inside that lights it up.

The story of the Jack-o-lantern has many origins but the most popular is about an Irishman named Jack. Jack was a drunk and a mean one at that.

On Halloween night Jack once again got himself drunk. He was said to be so drunk that his soul began to leave his body.

The Devil saw this happening and grasp at the opportunity to claim a victim. Jack was so desperate to save his soul from the Devil that he came up with a plan.

He begged the Devil to join him in one last drink. The Devil agreed but stated that being the Devil that he carried no money with him.

Jack, who claimed to have only enough money for one drink talked the Devil into changing himself into money.
When the drink was paid for the Devil could change back into himself, have the drink and take Jack's soul.
When the Devil changed into the coins, Jack picked them up and put them in his wallet which had the symbol of the cross on it. This trapped the Devil.

The Devil pleaded with Jack to be freed and promised Jack he would leave him alone for an entire year. Jack agreed.

The following Halloween the Devil returned in which he found Jack once again drunk and mean.
The Devil told Jack he came for his soul and Jack quickly came up with another plan.

He told the Devil that he would like an apple before he was taken. the Devil agreed and Jack lifted the Devil into an apple tree so he could retrieve an apple for Jack.

As the Devil stood in the tree Jack carved the symbol of the cross in the tree, trapping the Devil. The Devil bargained with Jack and promised if he was set free he would never bother with Jack again. Jack agreed and let the Devil free.

Jack lived out his life as a mean drunk and one day passed away. When Jack went to heaven he was turned away at the gates because of his life of hate and drunkenness.
Jack then went to the gates of hell where he was turned away by the Devil, stating their agreement that he would have nothing to do with Jack.

As Jack walked away the Devil tossed jack a burning lump of coal which Jack placed inside a hollowed out pumpkin which he would use as a lantern as he wondered Earth for eternity.

People would place hallowed out pumpkins with candles in them and place them on their front doorsteps in hope that Jack would take the light if needed instead of bothering anyone in the home.

Durham Fair

I stopped by the Durham Fair on Friday night with one of my friends. This is Connecticut's largest fair and as far as I see it, it's something that goes with fall like apple picking and Halloween.

It was an incredible fall night. The stars were shinning and the temperature was on the cool side. I usually go to this fair on a Friday night because the crowds are about half of what is there on Saturday.

After stuffing my face with all kinds of fair foods we trekked down passed the "carnies" (those hillbilly looking people that run the rides and try to get you to play the games). Even though they don't have a freak show at the fair, that walk made up for it.
After walking through tent after tent of crafts and antiques we came across the animals. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of cows but I have to say that come of them were on the cute side even though they smelled to high heaven. The chickens and rabbits were a lot easier to be around and they were a hell of a lot cuter too. I posted a couple of pictures of them.

So after seeing giant pumpkins, tiny bunnies, new infomercial products, antiques, the best steak sandwiches under the sun, candy apples and apple pies I don't think fall would be fall with out this fair.

Things I LOVE About Fall

Things I LOVE about the fall:
The leaves, Halloween (one of my favorite holidays), shorts and sweatshirt weather, the smell of the air, pumpkins, the sound the leaves make as you walk through them, new television season, scary movies, candy corn, scare crows, chilly nights, apple picking (which I did this weekend with my friend Kenny), dusk on a clear day, cider donuts (I found out yesterday that they go great with raspberry jam and cool whip), fairs (Durham Fair coming next weekend), Indian summer, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (I love when Sally tells off Linus when she misses "tricks or treats").

Running up 70 flights of stairs (Rockefeller Center) NYC

I don't know if I should call myself crazy or just some one who jumps before looking.

One of my friends (yea I'll still call you a friend, CHRIS) talked me into climbing the stairs in a "Nike Run" at the Rockefeller Center Building in NYC.
I brushed off the fact that it was 70 stories high and had over 1,200 stairs.
I didn't bother to ask why we were doing this or even what this "run" was for (I still don't know what it was for).

My master plan was not to train for this. I figured it I did practice running up stairs that I would most likely not like it and change my mind about the run. We'll call that "mistake number one."
I went out with my friends until 1:30 am the night before because I wasn't worried about this run thing. Mistake number two.
Maybe letting Chris talk me into this whole thing was mistake number one..hmmmmm. OK there were a dozen mistakes made. I admit it.

The run was one of the hardest freaking things I've done in a looooong time. I think it was on the 63 floor where I thought my lungs collapsed. I made the mistake of stopping and looking at the floor number thinking this is where I'm going to die.

I give Chris credit for flying up the stairs. I would have accused him of taking the elevator if my friend Kenny wasn't a witness of him coming out of the stairwell.

I did make it. I think I was 300 out of 250 runners. I did make it though!!

At the top of the building we had the most excellent view of NYC. Inside there was a breakfast spread and gatorade in Champaign glasses. OK, maaaaybe it was all worth it.
One of my friends who runs marathons once told me that he hated running marathons. It was the feeling after the marathon was over he loved. I think I feel the same way about running the stairs.. I hated running them and when I start liking the feeling after I'll let you know.

Thanks for taking the cool pictures Kenny!!!

Mark Bingham: United Flight 93 (re-post)

Hi! My name is Rick Clark. The last year my life changed for ever and through this change I decided to start keeping a record of who I am. Now, for me to say "who I am" is kind of important because to this point in my life not many people knew who I was.

I grew up in a large family. 5 brothers and 3 sisters. I was the 3rd youngest of this baseball team we called our family. We nicked name our house "The Clark Ark." I have a very close circle of friends. Now I have a lot of friends but I hold only a very few close to my heart. I have a saying that Family isn't who you are born with, it's who you let in to your life. I say that because I'm not to close to most of my blood family but I hold my best friend at the same level as I would a true brother. As time goes on I'll introduce you to who the people in my life are and how they played a role in me becoming me.

In the spring of 2006 I was depressed. I found myself totally alone again in my apartment in Wallingford, CT. I was alone by choice but at that point in my life I didn't realize that. The TV was on and it was showing a news broadcast. I'm still not sure if it was CNN, FOX... but it was one of those 24 hour news stations. I was half paying attention to it, feeling sorry for myself and not knowing why. Then suddenly a woman's voice caught my ear. Her name was Alice Hoglan and she was being interviewed. I heard her say she didn't want people to forget who her son was and what he did. It was like someone whispered in my ear and told me to pay attention. Her son was Mark Bingham. He was one of the 4 men on United flight 93 that stopped the hijackers from flying their plane into the Capitol on September 11, 2001.

For some reason that I can't explain I went to my computer. For these moments I forgot I was depressed and I typed the name Mark Bingham into search on Google. I already kind of knew who Mark Bingham was. I knew he was a hero and was on flight 93 but that was about it. When the search was complete there was a website listed. It was run by Mark's friend's and family. It was full of pictures and stories about who Mark was to them. I started reading and I was taken back by the love these people showed for him. There was even strangers who posted and thanked him. Then I came across something that would surprise me and change my life for ever. Mark Bingham was a 6'4, 220 pound rugby player, caring friend, devoted son and brother, business man and hero..who happened to be gay.

It was like something clicked in my brain. I read about him for hours that night. I saw so much of me in him. His belief in people and seeing the good side of them. Protecting the ones you love at any risk and when he was younger a fear I shared with him to this day...the fear of people finding out I was gay. The more I read, the more I felt my soul telling me it's time to tell your friends and family who you really are. I was afraid. I admit that dearly. I was afraid of the reaction, the backlash. I then came across a eulogy written by Mark's best friend Todd that was posted on the sight. It was the end of it that sunk deep into my soul and gave me strength. He wrote of fear. This is the end of that eulogy:

Fear can ruin a friendship. Fear can ruin a marriage. Fear can, at the very least, render a life completely and utterly mediocre.

We admire Mark because he had all of these wonderful qualities that I and everyone else here have talked about tonight. What I hope you realize that you love these qualities not just because Mark had them, which he did, but because you do, too. You just may let fear get in the way of how those qualities show up in your life.

Here's my challenge to you, the challenge I am giving myself. I challenge you to not necessarily be fearless, but to recognize your fear and to act anyway. To take action and make the most out of every single day. To not let fear of failure keep you from trying at all. To not let fear of rejection keep you from showing up every day of your life. I love you, Mark. I always, always will. I will make my life great, I swear I'll make you proud.

Todd Sarner

I actually started to cry when I read this. It was a line that spoke to me. The line that read "To not let the fear of rejection keep you from showing up every day of your life." I knew I could tell people now. I knew I needed to tell people who I am. I lived in that fear and I knew if a man could be like Mark, that could be so loved, so fun, so dedicated and so brave and be gay, that it had to be a good thing. Mark lived as Mark and I wanted to start living as Rick. I just didn't know how to start the ball rolling. That's when I emailed Mark's mother Alice.

I explained to Alice how I came across Mark's site and how I wanted to tell people about myself and was afraid. Thank God she emailed me back and that she was a caring, loving lady. She told me how Mark told her. He promised himself that he would tell his mom that he was gay before the sun went down one day. He did just that. Her email gave me strength and I decided to tell my best friend

Joe first. I called him and ask if I could speak to him face to face because I had something I needed to tell him. My heart was pounding just saying that over the phone to him. After I hung up I was almost panicked. I didn't know how I was going to do this. I read the line on fear that Mark's friend wrote and it somehow gave me strength so I printed it up. No sooner did I get to my living room that the phone rang. It was Joe and he said I'll be over in 5 minutes. I didn't expect him to come over seeing it was kind of late and a Sunday night. Now I was panicked. I knew I had to do it though. After he got here he sat down. I looked up out my window and saw the sun fading away. It was just peaking out on the horizon. I was totally lost in what I was going to say. My hands were shaking. I then took the paper I printed from Mark's site and read to myself what Todd wrote about fear. Without a word I looked up at my best friend and handed him the paper. I hardly got out "read this" before my voice cracked. He did and then looked at me kind of confused. I just blurted out "I'm gay."

The few seconds I waited for his reaction seemed like hours. I swear I felt Mark supporting me. I didn't feel alone anymore. Joe's reaction couldn't have been better. He showed me total support and I knew it came from his heart. His positive reaction helped me pave the way in telling my friends, coworkers and family who I was. It also made me realize that some of these people, especially Joe and his wife Cynthia knew me for years but never really knew me. As I told more and more people who I cared about it became easier. I did take out the words of Mark's friend Todd over and over before I did tell people. To this day I carry those words in my wallet. They are strength for me along with the heart of Mark Bingham and who he was and how he changed me forever. I never thought nearly 5 years ago watching the story of United flight 93 on the news that one of those heroes on that plane would be a true hero to me today.

On the weekend May 27th. I had the honor of meeting Mark's mother Alice face to face in NYC. It was at a Rugby tournament held in her son's honor called The Bingham Cup. She was even more incredible and caring then I could hope for. I met so many of Mark's friends and watched them play the game he loved so much. I realized at this point I finally arrived. I'm finally Rick.

Since that day I joined Alice Hoglan and Mark's friends and family in Shanksville, PA on the fifth anniversary of the plane crash and the terrorists attacks. Shanksville was the small country town where United Flight 93 crashed. Seeing the memorial site there was a surreal and moving experience. I will forever be thankful to Mark Bingham for being who he was and for what he did for this country and for me personally. Thank you Mark.

I would also like to thank Mark's Mom Alice for being a beacon in a storm for me and guiding me home. To Mark's friend Todd for words that gave me strength and showed me a new way to live my life. To Mark's friend Joe in San Francisco for the support and friendship he gave to me and to my friends who I love so much, especially Joe..my best friend. You're a true brother to me!

I'm honored to be part of a documentary about Mark's life. Here is the link to view the trailer and make a donation to the production.

http://www.markbinghamdocumentary.com/index.html

Six years ago....

It’s been six year since the terrorist attacks against the United States. I was in NYC last week and life was booming once again. Steel beams are beginning to rise out of the Earth at Ground Zero where the new Freedom Tower will stand.

The Pentagon is repaired and security is tight.
The field in Shanksville, PA. where United Flight 93 crashed is now covered with grass and wild flowers.
Time has gone on and yet it seems like yesterday that the world went mad.
The shock of the World Trade Center being struck, not once but twice. The towers falling. The Pentagon exploding and the crash in PA.
As the white dust cleared from the falling buildings we saw mayhem and disaster. Twisted steel and mountains of debris. The Pentagon fire was put out and all that was left in Pennsylvania was a huge whole in the ground where United Flight 93 slammed nose first at 600 MPH.
But as we looked deeper into this nightmare we found hope. The people of NYC and the world banned together. In a city where no one looks twice at you, we saw strangers stopping and helping strangers. Picking people off the ground. Hugging one another in search of comfort and understanding. Volunteering to dig through tons of cement in hopes of finding survivors.
We learned that aboard United Flight 93 the passengers and crew phoned their loved ones to say good bye moments before they stood in the face of terror and fought back. They gave their lives to stop the hijacked plane from reaching it’s destination, which we now know was Washington, DC. In doing this they saved hundreds if not thousands of lives.

I had the honor of visiting the field where Fight 93 crashed, in Shanksville, PA. The windswept field stands in the middle of rural America. It seems only fitting that the first battle in the war against terrorism would have been fought and won over the skies of this field. It’s now a peaceful place. A make shift memorial now stands where a larger one soon will be built. This memorial is to me the most impressive of all memorials from that dark day. It was made by people, families and friends of the heroes that gave their lives that day. It was made by strangers who wanted to show respect and thanks. A fence on the field is covered with hundreds of memorabilia from all over the world. Flags, shirts, flowers, hates, banners, all that show thanks for what these 40 strangers did that day. 40 tin angels line the front of the field with the name of each person on board the plane that day. This field is a place of peace and thanks. It’s a field of honor and heroism. It’s a field that represents what this country is all about. I honestly believe that every American should someday visit this tiny town in Pennsylvania and stop by this field. If you don’t have an understanding what bravery is all about you will there.

Where were you on September 11, 2001?

Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001?

I remember the morning of September 11, 2001. It was a Tuesday and the sky was almost cloudless. It was a perfect late summer day in New Haven, CT.. I work for a laboratory in the Hospital Of Saint Raphael in New Haven and I was in the break room with two of my friends (Gabby and Frank). Someone came in and said a small airplane just hit the World Trade Center in NYC. I remember Gabby’s comment was “How blind could they be? That building is huge.” Right there I guess we knew on the inside something was wrong.

We stood in front of a television set in the lad watching the Today show. There was only about 6 or 7 people watching it with us. It was live at the Trade Center and I remember how shocked I was at the size of the fire because they were still reporting that it was a small plane that crashed into the side of the building. It was then what seemed like a blink of an eye that a second plane appeared on the screen and slammed into the second tower. I was actually confused at that point. I thought maybe it was film footage of the early crash being shown. I then heard the panic in the news reporter’s voice and it occurred to me that this was a second plane. I felt the blood drain from my face when I realized we just watched hundreds of people die. I instantly wondered how in the world were they going to get all those people out of those burning buildings? The news cameras were closing in on images of people hanging out the windows hundreds of feet above the ground, trying to get air. I cold see things falling from the buildings and then I realized the things falling were human beings.

I remember running down the hall and telling people in our work area what just occurred. Before I knew it, it seemed like half the laboratory was crammed in front of this small television set.

I returned back to my work area and the phone rang. My friend’s and family all were calling to ask if I knew what was happening in NY. Awhile later my brother Tommy called and said that a plane just hit the Pentagon Building in Washington, DC. I remember I was almost in a panic on the inside because no one had any idea what in the world was going on. He would call with updates over and over, One call he told me that the planes were believed to been hijacked and there was possibly two more still in the sky.

I walked into the room were a TV was on. The room was now packed with shocked co-workers. As I walked in the unthinkable happened. One of the Twin Towers fell. My heart sunk. Total panic and a white cloud of smoke filled the television screen.

The phone rang again. It was my brother. He said a plane, a big one, just crashed in Pennsylvania. No one at that moment had any idea that what would unfold from the crash of this plane would go down in history as one of the bravest act of heroism ever.

Our hospital was now in a small network of relief hospitals designated to help with survivors o this disaster.

I left work early that day only to promise to come back if they need people to help with survivors. I remember getting on I-95 and the electronic highways signs all had the same message lit up across them, ”All entrances to NYC CLOSED”. I remember crossing the Q bridge over New Haven Harbor and looking up to see if any planes were heading toward it. Inside it was panic and disbelief.

Nearly all of the schools, stores and businesses closed early that day. There was no need to go back to the hospital because it became very apparent that there would be no survivors coming out of the now collapsed World Trade Center.

I sat in front of the television set all through the night watching the news in horror, sadness and disbelief. I watched the news as they showed families and friends of loved ones lost crying. The stories of the NYC firemen and policemen and rescue workers that lost their lives trying to save others. I heard of the phone calls made from hijacked United Flight 93 and how they began to believe that the passengers and crew may have fought back against the terrorists.

The following days proved to be a time of healing and support. I was one of those people that watched a telethon of stars rallying up support for the families that lost loved ones. I lit a candle with millions of others in remembrance.

One thing we must do is remember. Let us never forget what we lost and what was given on September 11, 2001. I hope in the next few postings I could help people do just that and remember and honor those we lost six years ago in that Tuesday morning.

Senator Craig arrested.." I AM NOT GAY"

Sen. Larry Craig today denied any wrong doing today in connection with his arrest in a men's public restroom in the Minneapolis Airport. But what strikes me as odd is Craig's even more desperate cry to the public that he's not gay.

The married Idaho senator, who has been known to vote against every gay issue concerning equal rights, was arrested after soliciting an undercover male police officer in a men's public restroom at the airport in Minneapolis. The undercover officer stated that Senator Craig watched him go into a men’s stall and peeked at him through the crack in the door. Craig then went into the stall next to the officer and placed his wheeled baggage in front of the stall door so no one could see into the crack. He than slid his foot into the officer’s stall until it touched the officer. After he got down on his knees and brought his hand and arm over into the officer’s stall “reaching for him”. The officer then showed his badge under the stall. Senator Craig then stated “oh no”.

Dear Senator Craig, You keep stating that “I AM NOT GAY”. Being GAY is not a crime. Being a pervert in a men's public bathroom is a crime.

I know the fear of living life in "the closet" (I hate that saying but I'll use it in this case). But I never lied about who I was or work against the very lifestyle God chose for me or perved in a men’s public bathroom like you have done. A true man would stand his ground and admit to whom he was when faced with destiny. I have found that the fears of saying "I'm gay" are empty. I live by the words someone wrote..."Don't let the fear of rejection keep you from showing up every day of your life".

I can’t imagine living a life of lies and being true to yourself about who you are..in a men’s bathroom. That’s so sad if you think about it.

Now I’m not saying you have to make your personal sexual preference public to the world but I am saying you shouldn’t knock the very person you are by voting against equal rights for everyone.

The advice I would give to Senator Craig is to stop being a coward. (and I say coward not because of not admitting he’s gay but for using his power to vote against gays because of his fear and denial). Stand on your own two feet and stand proud of who you are. Once that step is taking I think you’ll breathe a lot easier. Your life will change and there’s a big chance that you won’t get back into office because of ignorance but you’ll live a life being true to yourself and the ones you love. But the most important advice I would give to him would be to stop being a pervert in public restrooms.

How To Spend A Million Dollars

I'll be the first to admit that I play the Powerball Lottery twice a week in hopes of winning the millions (this week it's 160+ million). I can't begin to imagine what I would do with the money if I won. Well, the truth is I must have had a million different dreams about what I would do with the money if I won. From investing it to make more (ohhh the greed) to spending it on foolish things like a $800,000 tree house (ohhh the stupidity). One of my friends ask me today how I would spend 1 million dollars if I had it and the question wasn't easy to answer. I thought about helping out my family members who needed some help or buying a nicer home. I also read that 70% of people who win the lottery are broke within a few years from being foolish with spending, not realizing there are high taxes, ect.
"They" say that money doesn't buy you happiness. I say paying my bills makes me happy. Buying nice things makes me happy. I know it can't buy you friends or love. It could turn the nicest person in the world into the most evil. It could make friends turn on friends, loved on on loved ones. There's so much to lose and so much to gain. It could make you so popular and yet make you a target.
What would you do with a million dollars? Would it change you? Would it make you happier? Who would you tell you had the money? Would you quit your job? Ect.
The answers could be so easy and yet so hard. Personally one day I would like to find out!!

Erasure: Brooklyn, NY

On one of the hottest days in recent memory I ventured out with a few of my friends to see Erasure give an outside concert in Brooklyn, NY. I once again joined my trio of Erasure groupies (Gary, Suzanne and Denise) and met up with a few of their friends to withstand the heat and watch Andy Bell give yet another incredible performance as lightning eerily lite up the nighttime sky. While most of the songs were from the Light At The End Of The World cd (I love this cd), they also played some of their classics. Just watching how much fun Andy Bell has on stage I could tell that he loves what he does and that makes for an even better performance. His voice and music just gives you a nature high (even though I could smell some other ways of getting high around me ha ha).
I'm still amazed by NYC. Even though I've seen it dozens and dozens of times I'm still blown away by everything from the skyline, to the cool diner and bar we went to and right down to the whole lifestyle of this great city. I don't think I'll ever outgrow that feeling of awe. We ate at the best diner and then met some friends in a bar that was so cool that it set the mood for the rest of the night. Even though Denise didn't get her Mr. Softie ice cream (rumor has it that they sell drugs from the truck anyhow) the night still rocked! I do have to give kudos to Suzanne's most excellent driving skills. She drove the streets of NYC like a pro, got us there in an hour, found an incredible parking space (Gary said "no way he was parking his car in that neighborhood" ha ha) and navigated us through the pouring rain and lightning on the way home! I get lost just looking at a "WELCOME TO NYC" sign! Here's a few pictures of the concert and friends.