Trav's Thoughts

I'm having some trouble with my laptop. That's why I haven't been able to make rounds this week.

I'll see you when I see you.

Senator Edward Moore Kennedy died on Tuesday from brain cancer. He was 77.

Smarter people than me have recorded and will continue to record the life and times of Senator Kennedy, and indeed of the entire Kennedy clan. I have no inclination to rehash the more sordid details of certain aspects of the Kennedy legacy.

You don't have to agree with me, or encourage me, or even comment here today.

I'm simply going to speak to something that is important to me...idealism and service to it.

In spite of unimaginable tragedy played out painfully publicly, the Kennedy family served. Despite some questionable choices that had tragic consequences, the Kennedy family served. And whether it was ultimately about power, the family paid full measure for the power of their idealism in service and sacrifice.



John F Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."

Robert Kennedy said, "Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and ask why not."



Senator Edward Kennedy took to heart the words of his fallen brothers and learned to live them in his own political career. He dedicated his adult life to service, and continued to build on the Kennedy political legacy of service. He encouraged all to be of service.

From the Kennedy family example of idealism, my mother took her conviction that honor is not in the type of service but rather in the act of service. She taught me to be kind, respectful, patient, and tolerant. She taught me to share what I have with those who are less fortunate. She taught me to give. She taught me to be proud and to stand tall in my idealism and to always remember that my comfort and pleasure can never be taken at the expense of anyone else.

All of those things come in part from the example of the Kennedy clan, from both their successes and failures. Whether they specifically lived these values or not, the message was spread. When I see cynicism, I reach for idealism.

To paraphrase what Ted Kennedy said of his brother Bobby...See wrong and try to right it, see suffering and try to heal it, see war and try to stop it.

All men are flawed. Powerful men are powerfully flawed. The imperfections and mistakes of a public life are writ large, as are the triumphs. One cannot fail catastrophically without first deciding to try to succeed magnificently.

At the end of a powerful, flawed, imperfect, and sometimes triumphant man's life, I say be at peace.

If you're new to the Peace Globe movement, please go here to view the Peace Globe Gallery and here to learn how to make your own Globe. You can also find more information here. Then join us on 5 November 2009 by flying your Globe under the post title Dona Nobis Pacem.

I believe that words have power, so this matters.

The Silence of Peace, Papa's Marbles
The Doll Box

Mimi, Queen of Memes, has styled a new game for her subjects. This week's is an old favorite of mine. And I'm sure to stay out of the skeery dungeon!



Here are my answers to Mimi's Meme #7.

Message in a Bottle

Today we're going to take a mini-vacation before summer gets away from us.

Somewhere in a faraway bloggiverse on an island with a palm tree swaying in the breeze, a message bottle sits side by side with a Pina Colada and a cute little striped umbrella horizontally tilted in the beachy sand. Did YOUR bottle make it to land? Have you checked lately?

There are now 285 bottles floating in the bloggy ocean just waiting to be mysteriously delivered to a tropical island near you. It's time you added yours!

Here are the rules:

You are about to send a virtual Message In a Bottle across the Blog Ocean. Leave a message in the sand or on the bottle. Write anything you wish. Be a pirate or a poet. Serious or silly. Rant or ruminate. Anonymous or not.

What message would you like to send out to the universe?

Your virtual bottle will remain afloat in the blogosphere ocean for all blogernity (That's a Mimism for blog + eternity.) Mimi will add it to the master list of message bottles when you let her know you've completed the meme. You can do that by clicking here and signing the linky.

Now Mimi wants us to tag folks, but I rarely tag. This is a fun meme, so please click over to Mimi's and get your own blank message bottle. Then put your message on it and fly it proudly.

Here are two that I've done in the past.





And here's my new one. I made it just for this meme today.






If you're new to the Peace Globe movement, please go here to view the Peace Globe Gallery and here to learn how to make your own Globe. You can also find more information here. Then join us on 5 November 2009 by flying your Globe under the post title Dona Nobis Pacem.

I believe that words have power, so this matters.

The Silence of Peace, Papa's Marbles
The Doll Box

Conviction of the Heart (1991)
written by Kenny Loggins and Guy Thomas

Where are the dreams that we once had?
This is the time to bring them back.
What were the promises caught on the tips of our tongues?
Do we forget or forgive?
There's a whole other life waiting to be lived when...
One day we're brave enough
To talk with Conviction of the Heart.
And down your streets I've walked alone,
As if my feet were not my own
Such is the path I chose, doors I have opened and closed
I'm tired of living this life,
Fooling myself, believing we're right, when...
I've never given love
With any Conviction of the Heart
One with the earth, with the sky
One with everything in life
I believe we'll survive
If we only try...
How long must we all wait to change
This world bound in chains that we live in
To know what it is to forgive,
And be forgiven?
It's been too many years of taking now.
Isn't it time to stop somehow?
Air that's too angry to breathe, water our children can't drink
You've heard it hundreds of times
You say your aware, believe, and you care, but...
Do you care enough
Where's your conviction of the Heart?

One with the earth,with the sky,one with everything in life.
I believe it will start with conviction of the heart.
With the earth,with the sky,one with everything in life.
I believe it will start with conviction of the heart.
One earth,one sky,only one world,only one chance for one life.
When will we live?
One child,one dream,only one life.
You've but one chance for one life.
When will we live?
Only one earth,and only one sky,and only one world.
We've only got one chance to live in one life.
I believe, it's only gonna start when we begin with some conviction of the heart.




If you're new to the Peace Globe movement, please go here to view the Peace Globe Gallery and here to learn how to make your own Globe. You can also find more information here. Then join us on 5 November 2009 by flying your Globe under the post title Dona Nobis Pacem.

I believe that words have power, so this matters.

The Silence of Peace, Papa's Marbles
The Doll Box

It's the pairings!



Yes I know...everything was leaked on twitter by the celebrities and the pros last week. But I'm a traditionalist and I don't go for rumor, even if it's pretty reliable rumor right from the sources as they are meeting each other for the first time and starting to rehearse.

OK?

So here are the 16 couples that will dance for our votes on Season 9 of Dancing with the Stars. I've included a little bit of information about each of the pros. If you want to learn more, you can click the individual links, or read the quick bios at the Dancing with the Stars Bio page.

Kathy Ireland is paired with Tony Dovolani. This is Tony's 8th season. He has previously been paired with Stacy Keibler (Season 2), Sara Evans (Season 3), Leeza Gibbons (Season 4), Jane Seymour (Season 5), Marissa Jaret Winokur (Season 6), Susan Lucci (Season 7), and Melissa Rycroft (with whom he finished 3rd in Season 8). Tony has been 2005 and 2006 World Rhythm Champion, 2005 Ohio Star Ball American Rhythm Champion, 2006 Emerald Ball Open Professional American Rhythm Champion, 2006 PBS American Ballroom Challenge Rhythm Champion, and is the current world and undefeated US Open champion.


Natalie Coughlin is paired with Alec Mazo. This is Alec's 5th season. He has previously been paired with Kelly Monaco (with whom he won Season 1), Paulina Porizkova (Season 4), Josie Maran (Season 5), and Toni Braxton (Season 7). Alec has been Emerald Ball Latin Amateur Champion, 2001 International Grand Ball Champion, 2001 Holiday Ball Champion, and a 6-time US National Finalist. Alec is married to Edyta Sliwinska.

Michael Irvin is paired with Anna Demidova. This is Anna's first season after winning the new pro competition in Season 8, during which she was paired for one part of the competition with Maurice Greene. She has been an International Grand Ball 10 Dance Champion, USA Dance National Standard Champion, and 2-time US Youth International Standard Champion.

Chuck Liddell is paired with Anna Trebunskaya. This is Anna's 4th season. She has previously been paired with Jerry Rice (with whom she finished second in Season 2), Albert Reed (Season 5), and Steve Guttenberg (Season 6). Anna has been an International Grand Ball Champion, a UK Champion, 2004 USA Rising Star Latin Champion, 2003 Blackpool Rising Star Latin Finalist, and 1998 USA Amateur Youth Standard Ballroom Champion. Anna is married to Jonathan Roberts, with whom she has danced professionally for six years.

Louie Vito is paired with Chelsie Hightower. This is Chelsie's 2nd season and she is one of my favorite pros. She has previously been paired with Ty Murray (Season 8). Chelsie finished in the Top 6 of Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance, and was featured in two Emmy nominated routines from the show. She has been a US Representative to the 2005 World Championshps, a 2005 US National Standard Finalist, a 2006 International Latin Finalist, and 2005 20 Dance National Youth Champion.

Tom DeLay is paired with Cheryl Burke. This is Cheryl's 8th season. She is a 2-time DWTS champion and is the only pro to make the final three times. She has previously been paired with Drew Lachey (with whom she won Season 2), Emmitt Smith (with whom she won Season 3), Ian Ziering (Season 4), Wayne Newton (Season 5), Cristian de la Fuente (with whom she finished 3rd in season 6), Maurice Greene (Season 7), and Gilles Marini (with whom she finished 2nd in season 8). Cheryl has been 2005 World Cup Professional Rising Star Latin Champion, 2005 San Francisco Open Latin Champion, 2005 Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Champion, UK Champion, and 4th in US in Under 21s.

Joanne Krupa is paired with Derek Hough. This is Derek's 5th season. He has previously been paired with Jennie Garth (Season 5), Shannon Elizabeth (Season 6), Brooke Burke (with whom he won Season 7), and Lil Kim (Season 8). He has been World Under 21 Latin American Champion, 2-time Blackpool Open British Champion, 2-time International Open to the World Champion, 2-time US Open Champion.

Mya is paired with Dmitry Chaplin. This is Dmitry's 2nd season. He has previously been paired with Holly Madison (Season 8). Not only was it his first season on DWTS, but he lost his original partner to injury and had to adapt to a late replacement. Dmitry was a competitor on Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance and has since become a choreographer for the show. He has been a 2005 Ohio Star Ball Latin Finalist and a 2006 US National Finalist.

Ashley Hamilton is paired with Edtya Sliwinska. This is Edyta's 9th season, making her the only pro who has appeared in every season. She has previously been paired with Evander Holyfield (Season 1), George Hamilton (Season 2), Joey Lawrence (with whom she finished 3rd in Season 3), John Ratzenberger (Season 4), Cameron Mathison (Season 5), Jason Taylor (with whom she finished 2nd in Season 6), Jeffrey Ross (Season 7), and Lawrence Taylor (Season 8). She also stepped in and danced with Cody Linley in season 7 when Julianne Hough had surgery and missed a couple of weeks. Edyta has been Emerald Ball Latin Amateur Champion, 2001 International Grand Ball Champion, 2001 Holiday Ball Champion. Edyta is married to Alec Mazo.

Macy Gray is paired with Jonathan Roberts. This is Jonathan's 7th season. He has previously been paired with Rachel Hunter (Season 1), Giselle Fernandez (Season 2), Heather Mills (Season 4), Marie Osmond (with whom he finished 3rd in Season 5), Monica Seles (Season 6), and Belinda Carlisle (Season 8). Jonathan has been 2-time USA pro-am American Ballroom Champion, 3-time undefeated USA pro-am Latin Champion, 2-time undefeated USA pro-am 10 dance champion, 1997 USA Rising Star American Ballroom, 203 Blackpool Rising Star Latin, 2004 USA Rising Star Latin Champion, 2008 US Smooth Champion, and 2008 World Smooth Champion. Jonathan is married to Anna Trebunskaya, with whom he has danced professionally for six years.

Aaron Carter is paired with Karina Smirnoff. This is Karina's 7th season. She has previously been paired with Mario Lopez (with whom she finished 2nd in Season 3), Billy Ray Cyrus (Season 4), Floyd Mayweather Jr (Season 5), Mario (Season 6), Rocco Dispirito (Season 7), and Steve Wozniak (Season 8). Karina starred in the summer run of Broadway's Burn the Floor, with fiance Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She has been Asian Open Champion, World Trophy Champion, and 5-time US National Champion.

Donny Osmond is paired with Kym Johnson. This is Kym's 7th season. She has previously been paired with Jerry Springer (Season 3), Joey Fatone (with whom she finished 2nd in Season 4), Mark Cuban (Season 5), Penn Jillette (Season 6) Warren Sapp (with whom she finished 2nd in Season 7), and David Alan Greer (Season 8). Kym is a former Australian Amateur Ballroom and Latin Champion, UK Blackpool Ballroom Championship Finalist, and has danced in the Burn the Floor world tour and DWTS Australia seasons 1, 2, and 3.

Mark Decascos is paired with Lacey Schwimmer. This is Lacey's 3rd season. She has previously been paired with Lance Bass (with whom she finished 3rd in Season 7) and Steve-O (Season 8). Lacey was a finalist in season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance. She has been 2006 Emerald Ball Youth Latin Champion, 2006 US National Youth Latin Champion, 7-time US Open Swing Dance Champion, and 2007 World Swing Dance Champion. Lacey is one of my favorite pros.

Kelly Osbourne is paired with Louis van Amstel. This is Louis' 5th season. He has previously been paired with Trista Rehn Sutter (Season 1), Lisa Rinna (Season 2), Monique Coleman (Season 3), and Priscilla Presley (Season 6). Louis comes off an extremely successful run as a choreographer on Season 5 of So You Think You Can Dance. Although he hasn't competed on DWTS since Season 6, he has made numerous appearances each season on the results show as a dancer and choreographer. He has been 1995 Grand Slam Latin Champion, 1994 and 1995 World Amateur Latin Champion, 1995 European Amateur Latin Champion, 1996 Professional World Latin Finalist, 1996 World Professional Showdance Champion, 7-time Dutch National Amateur Champion, 2000 US Professional latin American Champion.

Debi Mazar is paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. This is Maks' 7th season. He has previously been paired with Tia Carrere (Season 2), Willa Ford (Season 3), Laila Ali (with whom he finished 3rd in Season 4), Mel B (with whom he finished 2nd in Season 5), Misty May-Treanor (Season 7), and Denise Richards (Season 8). Maks starred in the summer run of Broadway's Burn the Floor, with fiance Karina Smirnof. He has been ranked 2nd in the US, 2003 Ohio Star Ball Latin Champion, 2004 Manhattan Dancesport Professional Latin Champion, and 2005 Yankee Classic Professional Latin Champion.

Melissa Joan Hart is paired with Mark Ballas. This is Mark's 5th Season, and he is a 2-time DWTS champion. He has previously been paired with Sabrina Bryan (Season 5), Kristi Yamaguchi (with whom he won Season 6), Kim Kardashian (Season 7), and Shawn Johnson (with whom he won Season 8). He has been Latin American Champion, British Open to the World, US Open to the World, International Open to the World twice, United Kingdom-Youth, Junior Olympics Gold Medal Winner, US Open to the World, British Open to the World and International Open to the World Junior Latin American Champ, British Juvenile Ballroom and Latin American dance champ.

I'm not making any predictions, but I do have my eye on a couple of these pairs. Remember, the show premiers on 21 September with the first of 2 performance shows. The second performance show will be 22 September. And the first results show is 23 September.



If you're new to the Peace Globe movement, please go here to view the Peace Globe Gallery and here to learn how to make your own Globe. You can also find more information here. Then join us on 5 November 2009 by flying your Globe under the post title Dona Nobis Pacem.

I believe that words have power, so this matters.

The Silence of Peace, Papa's Marbles
The Doll Box

Take This Tune is a new meme hosted by my pal Jamie at Duward Discussion. Jamie puts up a video prompt complete with lyrics to the song, and the task is to write something inspired by the title of the song or something in the lyrics.

I'm including the video this time because this is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite artists. This is Vincent by Don McLean.



I can feel myself becoming uneasy as September approaches. It's an unease that builds slowly. It makes me jumpy and I don't really sleep all that well. I haven't quite been able to minimize it, even after 8 years.

The events of 11 September 2001 haunt me still.

But the unease runs it's course. In the days following 11 September each year, it fades and I find that I can breathe again and let the ache recede. The day never really goes away. But the images from it aren't constantly in my thoughts after the day goes by.

The lyrics to the song Vincent are so evocative. Even if you knew nothing of Vincent van Gogh, you can be moved by these lyrics in some way. And I think that is the power of art and music. It can bring whatever you might need to a moment. It can stir passion, or settle unease, or do both at once.

At this time of year, I need to know that beauty can still be found despite unimaginable pain and loss. I've never looked at a van Gogh and not been disturbed by the warped yet magnificent beauty in it.



Disturbed...put out of order, disarranged, unsettled, agitated, distressed.

Sometimes I need to be disrupted a little. And I guess that's what this time of year does for me. It disrupts me, reminding me that although I feel safe and comforted in my life right now, I need to keep working to maintain it. It's not time yet for me to relax.

I still owe a lot to my family, my community, and my country. And that helps me find perspective. The perspective gives me strength. And the strength keeps me from being frozen in place like I was on that Tuesday 8 years ago.

Thank you for this prompt, Jamie. It's perfect timing.

Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don McLean

Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills,
Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
In colors on the snowy linen land.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

Starry, starry night.
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,
Swirling clouds in violet haze,
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.
Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

For they could not love you,
But still your love was true.
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life, as lovers often do.
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you.

Starry, starry night.
Portraits hung in empty halls,
Frameless head on nameless walls,
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Like the strangers that you've met,
The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The silver thorn of bloody rose,
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they're not listening still.
Perhaps they never will...



If you're new to the Peace Globe movement, please go here to view the Peace Globe Gallery and here to learn how to make your own Globe. Then join us on 5 November 2009 by flying your Globe under the post title Dona Nobis Pacem.

I believe that words have power, so this matters.

The Silence of Peace, Papa's Marbles
The Doll Box

Northwest Champion Mercer Island Little League had a 3-0 lead through the top of the 5th inning today, but the Midwest Champions from Iowa scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 5th. Iowa held on to win, and Mercer Island is eliminated after losing it's first 2 games.

All the teams are guaranteed 3 games in pool play, so the kids will get to play one more game. They'll face the Southeast Champions from Georgia on Monday.

I found out that Mercer Island has only had the Little League program for 4 years. It's a grand achievement to make it to Williamsport in that short amount of time. Congratulations to the boys and the community!