A Bit About Camp Run-A-Muck...
There’s some of us out here that remember “heroes” and times when we had another person to admire and emulate. I recall believing, as a child, that I was going to either be the first female Lone Ranger or at least closely akin to Dale Evans when I grew up because they were my heroes. Looking back I think I evolved into a character with attributes more like Tonto, the Lone Ranger’s famous sidekick, ‘cause when I married I spent a lot of time saying “yes, honey” and following orders. That was kinda the “norm” back then for wives.
As a very young woman, I often found myself listening to rants by older darlins’ about the direction the world was taking and how off course everything was. You know, I listened because most times it was one of my heroes ie., an elder worth listening to. These days if I tell a young person “good morning” they look out the window to see if I’m telling the truth.
A young friend of mine (who actually consults me on occasion) broached the subject of sex before marriage the other day. Now that’s a trick question if there ever was one. I definitely wasn’t going to share my life experiences on that subject so lapsed into the old Texanese thingy of “why would a guy buy a cow if he’s already got free milk?” A confused look came over her sweet face and with all seriousness she replied, “Aunt Sis, we weren’t talking about cows. What do cows have to do with sex before marriage?” It was my turn to look confused so I did and changed the subject. Obviously, I failed the hero test. What’s even scarier is the girl is old enough to vote – and will! And there, this light hearted but serious rant, begins to take shape.
Back in the “olden days” all our heroes weren’t human beings. This country -- our United States of America -- was a huge hero in all our lives. We trusted our government, our president and the majority of those we elected to office. We also loved every one of “our boys” fighting WW II. Patriotism ran rampant during that time and our nation was totally committed to supporting the war effort. Rationing was tough, times were hard, and the possibility of receiving that dreaded telegram from the War Department that your loved one was dead hung like a pall over men, women and children but we KNEW better times would come. I was a little bitty kid in those days but I recall them as if it were yesterday.
We clung together, shared and grieved, and came out on the other side of a great and debilitating war scarred and saddened but still believing in the future. There doesn’t seem to be much of that optimism left these days. and the government of the United States is far from hero material. In fact, it’s rather“strange” at best by anybody’s standards. Back in the day we put up with rationing and doing without because we were fighting a war we had to win and trust in our government kept us believing. Today, America is in a great battle to keep hope, faith, and confidence alive in a government that’s collectively stepped on it’s own hooter and just keeps standing there. I’ve never experienced anything like it in three-quarters of a century on this old planet and I find it very, very scary.
We’re nearing the time to elect a president again and for me personally, (after studying our choices), it’ll be a matter of choosing the lesser of the evils. It’s been said that “heroes come and heroes go.” I’m seeing a lot of so-called “heroes” with their dirty laundry hung up on the line for the whole world to see and it’s far from attractive. No, I don’t want to go back in time but I’d sure like to see a few of the morals and mores, which were pertinent to being a hero back then, come back into fashion.
Give me just one honest politician who says “I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, I’m human but I’m qualified and here are my credentials,” and have the personal history and qualifications to back up that statement. Instead we’re hearing lies, spins, “I mis-spoke”, and obvious political jargon. In Texas we call that “Big Hat – No Cattle” and to my mind that’s a pretty good analogy. Most of the politicos I’m listening to have a “Big Hat” but would have one hell of a time wearing it if a head was any indication of brain size‘cause it’d drop down around their shoulders. As to “No Cattle” that’s a given and easily recognizable.
If there’s ever been a time we needed a hero to come riding to the forefront in this country – it’s now. Which brings to mind a quote by a famous Texan, Mr. T. Boone Pickens, discussing an election for governor of Texas some years ago: “There’s no one in Texas better prepared than I am to be governor. If I run for it, I want it. If I want it, I get it. And if I get it, I’ll be the best damn governor ever!” Right there’s a man shootin’ straight from the hip. He’s said who he is, exactly how he feels, what he knows, he wants the job and makes a bottom line statement on how he’ll perform. He has the courage of his convictions whether those convictions are popular or not. Now I don’t know how that election came out (and ain’t gonna look it up) but the man damned sure wasn’t ridin’ a Shetland.
My fondest wish now? I just wish our president and his cronies were smart enough to quit squattin’ on their own damn spurs – and dear hearts, that ain’t askin’ a whole lot.
-- Angela Blair © November 2011
2007 © Music Maven Productions.
This website is built and owned, including all content therein by Music Maven Productions
and all rights are reserved. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction of
this website including pictures, music, videos and contributions by any writer/author by
any means without express, written permission from Music Maven Productions and imposes
fines up to $25,000 for violation.
You are listening to "Heroes"
written and performed by Steven Fromholz
from his new Cd "Texas Trilogy Goes to G'Nashville."
Click link to order Cd:
"TEXAS TRILOGY GOES TO G'NASHVILLE"
As a very young woman, I often found myself listening to rants by older darlins’ about the direction the world was taking and how off course everything was. You know, I listened because most times it was one of my heroes ie., an elder worth listening to. These days if I tell a young person “good morning” they look out the window to see if I’m telling the truth.
A young friend of mine (who actually consults me on occasion) broached the subject of sex before marriage the other day. Now that’s a trick question if there ever was one. I definitely wasn’t going to share my life experiences on that subject so lapsed into the old Texanese thingy of “why would a guy buy a cow if he’s already got free milk?” A confused look came over her sweet face and with all seriousness she replied, “Aunt Sis, we weren’t talking about cows. What do cows have to do with sex before marriage?” It was my turn to look confused so I did and changed the subject. Obviously, I failed the hero test. What’s even scarier is the girl is old enough to vote – and will! And there, this light hearted but serious rant, begins to take shape.
Back in the “olden days” all our heroes weren’t human beings. This country -- our United States of America -- was a huge hero in all our lives. We trusted our government, our president and the majority of those we elected to office. We also loved every one of “our boys” fighting WW II. Patriotism ran rampant during that time and our nation was totally committed to supporting the war effort. Rationing was tough, times were hard, and the possibility of receiving that dreaded telegram from the War Department that your loved one was dead hung like a pall over men, women and children but we KNEW better times would come. I was a little bitty kid in those days but I recall them as if it were yesterday.
We clung together, shared and grieved, and came out on the other side of a great and debilitating war scarred and saddened but still believing in the future. There doesn’t seem to be much of that optimism left these days. and the government of the United States is far from hero material. In fact, it’s rather“strange” at best by anybody’s standards. Back in the day we put up with rationing and doing without because we were fighting a war we had to win and trust in our government kept us believing. Today, America is in a great battle to keep hope, faith, and confidence alive in a government that’s collectively stepped on it’s own hooter and just keeps standing there. I’ve never experienced anything like it in three-quarters of a century on this old planet and I find it very, very scary.
We’re nearing the time to elect a president again and for me personally, (after studying our choices), it’ll be a matter of choosing the lesser of the evils. It’s been said that “heroes come and heroes go.” I’m seeing a lot of so-called “heroes” with their dirty laundry hung up on the line for the whole world to see and it’s far from attractive. No, I don’t want to go back in time but I’d sure like to see a few of the morals and mores, which were pertinent to being a hero back then, come back into fashion.
Give me just one honest politician who says “I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, I’m human but I’m qualified and here are my credentials,” and have the personal history and qualifications to back up that statement. Instead we’re hearing lies, spins, “I mis-spoke”, and obvious political jargon. In Texas we call that “Big Hat – No Cattle” and to my mind that’s a pretty good analogy. Most of the politicos I’m listening to have a “Big Hat” but would have one hell of a time wearing it if a head was any indication of brain size‘cause it’d drop down around their shoulders. As to “No Cattle” that’s a given and easily recognizable.
If there’s ever been a time we needed a hero to come riding to the forefront in this country – it’s now. Which brings to mind a quote by a famous Texan, Mr. T. Boone Pickens, discussing an election for governor of Texas some years ago: “There’s no one in Texas better prepared than I am to be governor. If I run for it, I want it. If I want it, I get it. And if I get it, I’ll be the best damn governor ever!” Right there’s a man shootin’ straight from the hip. He’s said who he is, exactly how he feels, what he knows, he wants the job and makes a bottom line statement on how he’ll perform. He has the courage of his convictions whether those convictions are popular or not. Now I don’t know how that election came out (and ain’t gonna look it up) but the man damned sure wasn’t ridin’ a Shetland.
My fondest wish now? I just wish our president and his cronies were smart enough to quit squattin’ on their own damn spurs – and dear hearts, that ain’t askin’ a whole lot.
-- Angela Blair © November 2011
2007 © Music Maven Productions.
This website is built and owned, including all content therein by Music Maven Productions
and all rights are reserved. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction of
this website including pictures, music, videos and contributions by any writer/author by
any means without express, written permission from Music Maven Productions and imposes
fines up to $25,000 for violation.
You are listening to "Heroes"
written and performed by Steven Fromholz
from his new Cd "Texas Trilogy Goes to G'Nashville."
Click link to order Cd:
"TEXAS TRILOGY GOES TO G'NASHVILLE"
