Trav's Thoughts

I'm still on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds, at least for another week or so.  Of course there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 65:  Because we are so much more than the sum of our political opinions or cultural differences.  Two people who disagree have disagreement in common.  Imagine what other common ground they might find if they looked beyond disagreement.

Join us on 4 November.  You know you want to.

It's the cast for Season 13!

As with most cast announcements for DWTS, this group is getting pounded by everyone with an opinion.  But you know me...I do my best to give every celebrity a chance to prove it in the ballroom.  Since the very first season, the show has been fluffy entertainment starring outstanding professional ballroom talent paired with C- and D- list celebrities.  I'm not sure why some profess surprise when those are the types of celebrities that are cast each time.

Here's how I see it.  Ballroom dancing is hard and if you want to do well on the show, there just isn't any time to play at a persona.  So if a celebrity finds that he or she can pick up the steps and the rhythms of what they are asked to do, they'll quickly shed all the foolishness and focus on learning what they need to learn.  Fans may or may not like the person, but the more abrasive characteristics aren't as exaggerated because each celebrity knows they need the fan vote to stick around.

If a celebrity can't pick up the steps and doesn't have the rhythm or musicality to stick around for long, then we'll get the persona on overdrive so the celebrity can plug what he or she came to plug for as long as they can get their specific fan base to hang in and pick up the phone.

So with my opinion out of the way, here are the celebrities for Season 13!

Seriously, I don't see anything out of bounds with this cast.  I don't recognize some of the names, but I do recognize quite a few of them.  The professional pairings will be announced on Wednesday.

Season 13 premiers on 19 September!!


Reason 66:  Because, "Love is better than anger.  Hope is better than fear.  Optimism is better than despair.  So let us be loving, hopeful, and optimistic.  And we'll change the world."  Jack Layton (1950-2011), leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, who lost his battle with cancer and passed on 22 August.

Join us on 4 November.  You know you want to.

I'm still on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds, at least for another week or so.  Of course there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 69:  Because I believe that the joys in life are the right of every human being on the planet, and not just those who are fortunate in the random circumstances of their birth.

Reason 68:  Because there will always be things in life that irritate me, like whistling in a cubicle environment.  Being a peace activist reminds me that these irritants are temporary things and not worth fighting over.

Reason 67:  Easy to be Hard, originally from the musical Hair, circa 1967

Congratulations to the kids from Huntington Beach, who won the Little League World Series 2-1 over Hamatsu City, Japan on a 2 out hit with the bases loaded.  Huntington Beach, representing the West region, is the 7th team in the history of the international tournament from California to capture the championship of Little League.

Well done fellas!

It's starting to heat up a little here in the pacific northwest. 

OK, I admit it.  It's just getting into the mid to high 80s, so we're not setting any records for heat.  Some areas of the country are still hitting triple digits.  I get it...that's really really hot. 

But 86, like it was today, is too warm for me.  I like it in the 70s.  I lived my time in the hot and I don't want it anymore. 

So it's too warm for Travis heading into this last August weekend and I've got some smokin' instrumentals for you.

Welcome to Set 83.




If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.

3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds for the next little while, but there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 70:  Because even though humans may be aggressive by nature, that doesn't mean we have to be warlike in response to every challenge.

Join the movement in November.  You know you want to.

I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds for the next little while, but there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 71:  Because I get tired of watching people behave as if anyone who isn't "us" is "them" and "they" must be feared, hated, and destroyed.  

Peace blogging is inherently inclusive.

Join the movement in November.  You know you want to.

I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds for the next little while, but there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 72:  Because it is astonishing how much more negative than positive is in the air these days...from news media to opinion journalism to bloggers.  Take an hour out of your day and tally up your own negative vs positive behaviors.  I try to be honest with myself and when I find I'm tilting toward too much negative, I take charge of my attitude because that's what I control.

I blog for peace because it is an inherently positive thing to do.

Join the movement in November.  You know you want to.

I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds for the next little while, but there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 73:  Because at the Little League World Series, kids from across the globe come to Williamsport to play baseball.  They live in dormitories that cater to the things 11, 12, and 13 year old boys like...swimming pools, video games, ping pong tables, foosball, table hockey.  They play to win, and that is important.  But equally important is the friendships they make with kids from other cultures who, they often find, are the same as they are.

I blog for peace in the knowledge that one day, the life in those friendships will overcome the need for war.

Join the movement in November.  You know you want to.

I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds for the next little while, but there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 75:  Because I believe in a collective consciousness that tells me that what I think and feel can impact my fellow man, and I'd like the things I think and feel, and my impact on my fellow man, to be positive and peaceful.

Reason 74:  Because even though I cannot know what is going to happen tomorrow, it gives me comfort to know that I'm a Peace blogger.

Join the movement in November.  You know you want to.

Even though I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds, some things catch my eye.  And of course, there are still 100 reasons to blog for peace.

In 1989, a young man named Chris Drury drove in 2 runs and pitched a complete game to lead his Little League team from Trumbull CT to the LLWS championship over Chinese Taipei.  This was the first year I ever watched the Little League World Series, and I still remember how dominate Drury was at the plate and on the mound.

Chinese Taipei (or Taiwan) had won 13 LLWS titles to that point, and the previous 3 in a row.  After losing to Trumbull, they won the next 2.  Chinese Taipei (or Taiwan) has 17 championships, the most of any region by far.  Many in the Little League community were suspicious at that time, questioning the ages of the players and suggesting that they were at least a year and sometimes 2 years older than was legal under the rules.  So it was a big deal for Trumbull to get that victory.

Drury elected to play hockey over baseball.  As a freshman at Boston University in 1995, he won an NCAA hockey national championship.  He was a 2 time Player of the Year in the Hockey East conference and won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA Player of the Year in all of hockey as a senior.

Drury finished his career at Boston U with 113 goals and 100 assists, the first BU player ever to hit 100 in both goals and assists for a career.  He is considered the best defensive forward ever in the Hockey East conference.

He became the NHL's top rookie in 1998-99 with Denver.  He is the first player ever to win the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year in the NHL and the Hobey Baker for player of the year in college.  He won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2000-01.  As a pro, he also played for the US National Hockey team, winning Silver in 2002 (Salt Lake City) and 2010 (Vancouver).  He also won a Bronze medal at the Hockey World Championships in 2004 (Prague).

Why am i going on and on about Chris Drury?  Well, the 2011 Little League World Series started this past week in Williamsport PA, and I felt a little nostalgic for when I started to get hooked on the competition.  The other reason is that Drury announced his retirement from the NHL yesterday at the age of 34, after 13 seasons.

And because I wanted to tell you that a LLWS championship, an NCAA championship, representing your country in the Olympics, and winning a Stanley Cup are some pretty high water marks in an athletic career.  And that kind of illustrates today's reason to blog for peace.



Reason 76:  Because when you know what you want, all that's left to do is put a plan together and then execute on the plan.  You want peace?  Start with your own space, put together your plan, and then execute. 

Make a Peace Globe part of your peace plan this November.  You know you want to.

Even though I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds, I couldn't leave Five on Friday to languish.  So welcome to Set 82.

You don't always have to win.  In 2003, a show called Nashville Star was looking to do for country music what America Idol was trying to do for pop music...find "The Next Big Thing".

Miranda Lambert finished third that season.  I had no argument with the result.  I thought that the gentleman who won, Buddy Jewell, was about as polished as an undiscovered singer/songwriter/musician could be.  He was a studio musician with a smooth radio friendly sound.  I liked him and I have two of his CDs.

Unfortunately, Buddy has had limited commercial success since winning the show.  The singles Help Pour Out the Rain and Sweet Southern Comfort both hit #3 on US Country charts in 2003.  In 2004, the single If She Were Any Other Woman reached #27.  Buddy was dropped from his label after his third album failed to produce any hit singles.

I thought Miranda needed a little seasoning.  She didn't release a major label album for 2 years after Nashville Star.  That debut album, Kerosene, was released in 2005, was certified Platinum, and had 4 singles make the Top 40 on Billboard's Hot Country.  In 2007 her next project, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, had 3 singles make the Top 20.  Gunpowder & Lead from that album was a Top 10 hit.

In 2009, The House That Built Me and Heart Like Mine from Miranda's third album, Revolution, both hit #1.

Miranda has 9 Academy of Country Music Awards, a MusicRow Award, 2 CMT Music Awards, 4 Country Music Association Awards, and a Grammy.

I'd say that's some seasoning.  And she's only 27 years old now.  Well done, young Lady.

Here's Sweet Southern Comfort from Buddy Jewell, and I added another song of his to the playlist.  Full of talent.  Just hasn't caught an audience.





If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.

3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!

I'm on hiatus from regular blogging and blog rounds for the next little while, but there are still reasons to blog for peace.

Reason 77:  Because someone believed in me when I needed it most and showed me another path besides anger and bitterness.  Why shouldn't I try to do that for someone else?

Join the movement in November.  You know you want to.

Former US Army Captain Albert Brown, at 105 the oldest survivor of the Bataan Death March, died Sunday.  You may read more by clicking here, or by purchasing the book Forsaken Heroes of the Pacific War:  One Man's True Story, written by Kevin Moore and Don Morrow and published in 2011.  The book is based in part on Mr Brown's recollections of his time in Japanese captivity, recorded carefully on a canvas bag he kept with him throughout the ordeal.

I have written about the Bataan Death March.  You can read my 2011 commemorative post here.

The last official figure I found says that there are fewer than 70 survivors of the march left today.  It is the nature of time that they leave us.  One can hope that each man has found a measure of peace.



Reason 78:  Because I want to be part of a world in which no human being should ever again perpetrate such an atrocity on other human beings, nor have to endure the pain and life long memory of having such an atrocity perpetrated upon him.

• The photo of Captain Brown at the top of this post is an undated family photo I pulled from the story online at the NY Times.
• The photo below is of Mr Brown in 2005 with several ROTC members, credit to AP/The Southern Illinoisan, Ceasar Maragni.