Daily writing prompt

Who are some underrated people in history?

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Now there is a concept.

Brought forth for consideration in a world where “influencer” is a respected vocation and some guy who goes by “AI” finds the time to write papers, proposals, presentaions, books, answer phones, provide customer service and appear in media shorts or commericals. Sheesh. He must get less sleep than Elon. But I seriously digress…..If this is me writing this….I wonder…

How about the men, women and children that handled the agricultural needs and maintenance here and all over the globe way back when, and in some cases, up to now ?

Or those of varied backgrounds that literally linked nations via rail, or helped to provide a path for vessels to access one body of water into another?

The teens and young adults from all countries that took a bullet in the trenches, on a battlefield, in a jungle, on the ocean, or in the air?

The women that built those modes of death and warfare while keeping families in tact away from the conflict, here, there and everywhere?

How about those labeled, rounded up for their beliefs and essentially converted and reduced to perishable goods across the planet?

Families working diligently and tirelessly to remain intact, so that theirs may learn and live to do the same?

Those gifted with diverse abilities that despite their challenges are well suited to show the rest of us what is important in life?

More of these that are underrated will come to mind I am sure. And these examples don’t even touch the centuries and millenia prior.

The thing I have witnessed about being underrated is that though bearing that mantle it literally means that you have nothing to lose.

Without expectation, there are no foreseeable means to accrue anything of what is deemed as “value”. Least of all, what may be termed as a “future”.

Their being underrated as such, but accomplishing what they did, pretty much cost them everything, but made things happen for us. Eventually.

Despite that, we bask in ourselves, though our gratitude is vastly underrated, if even present.

At all.

Daily writing prompt

What’s a thing you were completely obsessed with as a kid?

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Now that I think about it, I don’t think it was one thing.

When all was said and done, I had the opportunity to try many different things when I was growing up. My parents supported many different endeavors for me and my brothers. So perhaps my obsession was just doing all sorts of things.

Like painting and building model airplanes. Hanging them from the ceiling in my bedroom. Squadrons of B-17’s, B-24’s, Mustangs, Corsairs, Spitfires, Hurricanes. Tanks and armored carriers on the shelves.

Estes rockets too!

Walking home for lunch from grade school at The Lane for a sandwich, chips and a glass of milk and watching Bozo the Clown on WGN.

Riding bikes all over. Even taking a bag of clubs to the local par three and spending five bucks to play golf for the day.

Fishing trips to Iron Mountain, Michigan, Bangs Lake, Spring Lake or on Lake Michigan for the Mighty Ohoc with Dr. Cerchio.

Listening to records at “11” in the living room, laying on the floor next to the console, reading the liner notes.

Block parties.

Playing army.

Whiffel ball, stealing bases, or football in any one of the front yards on the block.

Street hockey.

Learning to cut the grass.

Shoveling the driveway, then making snow forts and igloos.

I grew up with an opportunity to try and do all sorts of things back in the day.

Leading to my decades old obsession now.

That is just one of them.

Daily writing prompt

What’s the most interesting local custom you’ve encountered?

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Well I can’t say I have encountered an interesting local custom. There is word of something other worldly that resides in the northern portion of the state. The great spotted Hodag. I don’t think that qualifies as a custom, unless you count looking for it.

So if it is ok with you, I will share two football related customs I have been a part of.

In high school, we played in one of the oldest football rivalries in the state of Illinois. The “Old Oaken Bucket” football rivalry between Hinsdale Central and Downers Grove North began in 1935 as an annual contest between the two West Suburban Conference charter schools. The trophy, a copper-bound wooden bucket, was created by students in the [Hinsdale High School manual training room] to symbolize their rivalry, with results marked on it annually.

Our senior year, 1976, we won it back on Homecoming,, on Augie’s amazing touchdown. He is on the left. I am pointing out the score, 21-19.

Then in college, I got to play in one of the oldest rivalreis in college football. The Knox-Monmouth football rivalry began in 1888, ranking as one of the oldest in college football. Known as the “Battle for the Bronze Turkey,” it officially became a trophy game in 1928, proposed by Knox player Bill Collins because the annual matchup was held on Thanksgiving Day.

After getting spanked in that game my freshman and sophomore season, we took it back my junior year in 1979, and held onto it my last season as a football player. Here, Tom, Bobby and I formally receive the Turkey.

Those games, regardless of the outcome of the season, remain a focal point for each of those schools. And let me tell you, they are true battles where just about anything goes. I think I still have some of those boo boos left.

Perhaps that makes them customs.

Daily writing prompt

If you had to describe your ideal life, what would it look like?

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I am not there yet.

Still a work in progress. Both knowing and then doing.

But for now, I need to live in this moment with intention, think, speak and act with selflessness, embrace and trust in my faith and engage in and cultivate genuine fellowship.

If I can trust this description, then I can and will live it.

Bit by bit.

Day by day.