Arriving in Hawaii

Well Daddy let me drive in Texas, then the family went to Disneyland. I had already gone there in 1956 on the way to Hawaii, while my father was stationed on number 43 the Aircraft Carrier Coral Sea. But it was 1959 and we did the Matterhorn, looked at the Monsanto Plastic House, and what was my favorite ride? You guessed it, those little bumper cars that we took on a small little freeway.

Arriving in Hawaii in July 1959 was impressionable, since it was about to become the 50th State. Somehow these landmark events as Sputnik, and Hawaii Statehood were happening just as we were arriving somewhere.

Attending Catholic School was interesting for me, being raised in Public Schools up to that time. In my young thoughts there was something better than what most of these people were offering. In general their notion of purgatory and hell seemed too central to the catholic faith, but they distinguished from fearing God to the Love of God. Once you love God it puts away all fear. Very few of these people, nuns included really practiced what I could see myself as a kid, and it is too simple when you fit the words together. Where Jesus speaks tender words, less than tender words happened.

One exception was a Priest, Father Moron. Curiously his name does not mean stupid, it is just a name. His eulogy said how he would do things that others would not do. He would turn on the ground lights at night sometimes, and let the young play basketball.

Vatican II was happening, when our treasured Latin mass was replaced by a less poetic English version. The priest now faced the parishioners rather than facing the Altar. I went from a public school where they prayed in the morning the Protestant "Our Father," to a parochial school where it was Catechism for the first hour every day. The knees ached from kneeling, since being overweight was a problem. The religion period brought the class to mass twice a week.

Later in life I read the Urantia Book cover to cover seven times. Those insights are much different, considering a religion without authorities, simply a book to read or not to read. That was the strange concept, no one in my family took the time to achieve the same blissful readings.
I thought I did understand it, but now read only some excerpts from time to time. Religion is not the sole property of existence, only some scaffolding to achieve continuous self improvement. Even that fails sometimes. But I keep renewing what I can.

More Autobiography - Daddy Let Me Drive

My dad was born in California but he was raised by his grandparents in Texas. He excelled in school, and that is why he entered the United States Navy as an Aviator.

After the experience of growing up near Washington, DC, we had a long drive in our 1958 Plymouth Station Wagon cross country. Remember those cars with their push button drive transmission, and tail fins?

Well we got to Big Springs, Texas. Now my dad used to tell me stories about how he drove a Model T beginning when he was eight years old, in order to transport he and his older sister to school. Well I called him on it at the age of 10! I wish we could have moved the seat up a bit, but I stretched to reach the gas pedal. We were on private property of course. It was a nice 10 minute drive.

Watching country and western late night, I had to remember, as the song rang true.

Catch the link: Daddy

The White House is Calling

I already mentioned this idea, but let us share as to elaborate. The White House used to call my Grandfather's house on the telephone more than a few times way back in the 1920s and 1930s. He was a delegate to the Democratic Convention, and a Hawaii Territorial legislator. He built a US Army building so strong, that years later people gave up demolition, repairing the slightly cracked but largely intact shell of it to house a military museum. He was a defense contractor. Have you ever heard of the "Grandfather Clause?" It can define different angles, in this context think about it. It should mean you do not hesitate, and as in Margaret Truman's biography remembers people who confided in the President, you say "exactly what you are thinking."

In this leeway you treasure the art of speaking well. "First Amendment," was made for all citizens and it does not require any illusion of privilege. The point here is having just enough time, just enough recognition, to get that message through and watch for the event when anything happens with it.

But if you get it, this family tree is from an honest contractor who bid fair and true, while the proof is in the building years later. It can be so sweet see when the power to do good fulfilled while a better state of mind gives currency to facts.

If being "in like flint," is not the only issue. Think of that family tree not only building military buildings, but also churches even synagogues. All of the latter things had a charitable inclusion. It can be hard telling no one your grandparents have two stained glass windows at the church of the parochial school you are attending. I really didn't care to. But don't forget the local Catholic University also. How do you start from the bottom in such a family, when no one will allow it? Do people esteem you and keep putting you on top of the world? Do you ever feel that someone thinks more in a good light about you than you do for yourself? Then again remember little details such as your daily bread and to give all you can even from your needs. Maybe the fantasy world does become true, but in these meditations family fun is the best of fun. The above cited Basketball victory, the upset of top rated Virginia was an attitude, one of the little known but suddenly beloved underdog who keeps trying. Maybe now you have a clue to what happened only a few days from the New York Times commentary on a 1982 game for what proceeded as a move for greatness.

You can just think of all this as science fiction, if you want. The larger truth is even stranger.

Elvis Keeps on Coming into Our Family Life!

One day my mom was driving in Nashville, and all the traffic lights went red. That was the way local police handle something happening down the street. It was about 1954, and suddenly someone in a pickup truck commented, "It must be great mame, to have those Hawaii License plates." She actually knew who he was, as a local singer, but not as the national sensation he later became. She replied, "yes it's wonderful to be from Hawaii." Both talked for about half an hour, until the traffic lights cleared. People in the military got to register cars in their home State. I sometimes wonder about later movies such as "Blue Hawaii," and what kindles these ideas.

On March 25, 1961 Elvis did a concert in Hawaii raising funds. His promoter for the Arizona Memorial Project was a family friend. I used to think Tucker Gratz looked a lot like Art Linkletter, remembering his visiting my Grandmother's mansion on Sierra Drive on Oahu. He was taking my aunt out to dinner. Elvis raised a good chunk of it that Arizona Memorial. Mom talked to Elvis somewhere along the way when he was here, and remembering that earlier chance meeting in traffic years before must have been interesting.

It is some kind of Ghost movie how I never met Elvis. He later stayed at another aunt's house at Kahala Beach in 1973 for an entire month. April 4, 1973 was when he had the worldwide TV show at the Honolulu International Center. But it wasn't just Elvis who appeared in our lives in that location; try backstage with the Beach Boys, the Doors, all these bands.

That leads to another scene, meeting the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, right in the same week as the Beatles "we are no longer with him," announcement. Imagine the approach avoidance conflict here, in with the Beatles, out with Beatles, loving both, then having some sense of a weight of the whole world on your shoulders. In any case other bands and celebrities continued with the Maharishi. It was about Transcendental Mediation, something my parents found in 1967. Many celebrities came into play, oh I remember going over to Donavan's Hawaii house one time, when my mom drove over there. She knew everyone from traveling to those courses TM used to give. "Mr. Leech let us in," I said to one of the handlers. Anyway "Wear Your Love Like Heaven." All I cared about in all this was the music, because I can rock. Fame and meeting famous people has doesn't really float my boat, I wanted to jam! None of these stars seemed to care about jamming, except maybe Hendrix here in Hawaii at the "Art Park," where he walked guitar in hand and plugged into a local band, making it a super band. I’ve played to thousands of people locally, but not for years. College focused everything, while people in the band went their separate ways. Here is our band playing at Sandy Beach Oahu.

One of our fellow bands who played at the Sandy Beach, called "Sweet Rush," was the fortunate recipient of the above mentioned visit from Jimi Hendrix in another location, at the "Art Park." It was just another block north from where Jimi finished his paid concert. I think there are many stories about how Hendrix would jam with almost anyone. I think he heard the band playing and just went in there. That is the kind of spontaneity the world needs today, when sweet dreams became real.

The Life Story Continues

Well growing up with your Dad in the Pentagon is interesting, especially when he has these poster charts in the basement, making up new briefings for Navy public relations. In August of 1957 our family flew into Washington, D.C. I was eight years old. We stayed in a short term apartment for a few days until we found a house in Arlington, Virginia. I am not sure how many people around the country feel about Washington, D.C., however for me it feels like my home town, since I lived in the area for two years. Walking through the Pentagon is an experience, but it was all so normal at that young age.

There was the father-son experience. We started learning to shoot at various places. My brother was six years older, and I was only eight. My father was the military man, a Commander in the Navy, an Aviator. He was the favorite flyer for Admiral Halsey, until he transferred to cover New York for submarine warfare. He was most proud of a perfect record, no ships lost on his watch.

We had a 22 rifle, and took to targets. Everyone was a member of the NRA, and at some times we went to a Marine base to continue our exercises. I think I was pretty good for a kid, but we learned safety and respect for what we were doing first. Maybe this is why I think it is entirely alien, what is happening in Congress regarding the 2nd amendment. If we prize a national defense, and the citizen soldier, people should prepare, not license themselves to unwarranted phobias and heavy controls. It is about safeguarding human rights, when everyone in effect is in the militia. Curiously I have had no need to go target shooting since those two years in Washington, D.C.

Maybe it was Sputnik that impressed me the most, and collecting "Space Cards." Superman was the favorite comic book, while also reading magazines such as "Time," which taught me to read three or four grades above level.

I have a bone of contention these days for those who disparage "Dodge Ball." I was a husky kid, my mom used to say, and the other kids just pelted me and I was out. One day I am not sure if I just "got good," or what it was, but I won! I liked the game, and I think those heavy handed psychologists, or politically correct zombies are flat out wrong to restrict this game.

I cannot omit to mention the piano lessons, but I was already into boogie woogie piano, playing duets with my now deceased sister with such gems as "Heart and Soul." At the end of those lessons my recital played "Yankee Doodle." I just like the song very much, but it was too simple for others. One day my mom bought be a copy of "Bird Dog," by the Everly Brothers, and I just played it over and over again in the basement. I like that song a great deal. Later I found rock music in a new way, but we will get to that soon enough.

Your commentary is welcome as we move forward!

Aloha from Hawaii

Well here I am in wonderful Hawaii, looking out on the palm trees, and basking in the warm air. It is a good life here, while many people here have helped form my thoughts during the past 57 years. Maybe the first of things I remember is playing in a dog house, making me think the saying "snips and snails and puppy dogs tails," has a bit of direct experience. I got out of there and had some corn flakes in a little box, open and filled with milk. It was Tennessee of all places, where my dad was stationed as a Naval Aviator. Well considering some humble beginnings, there was much more to think about. I discovered my mother's side of the family was more or less on top of the world, and in more ways than I previously imagined. She tells me when she was young; she answered the phone when the White House was calling for my Grandfather. She tells me now at over 80 years of age, “I am not afraid of anyone.” He was a defense contractor who actually built buildings. One of them was so strong; they could not bring it down, so they made it into a military museum at Fort DeRussy, Oahu.

While I was in Hawaii in 1956, my Dad was stationed on the USS Coral Sea in the Mediterranean. For some social reasons on my mother's side of the family, I may thoughtfully recognize, he contacted Claire Booth Luce, who assisted in Italy to end some conflicts in the Middle East. I come from a family of peacemakers, so I would want to think about that in all my future decisions, policy formulations, position papers, and other things. It is not too difficult to change the entire world; the right idea is change it for the better. Maybe it is also wise to realize how much you can do anywhere as a citizen. Communications can go around the world, and reflect your style. In my thoughts language is like liquid helium, it pervades everything. You may think of nothing more important that speaking as well as you possibly can, because sooner or later whether you are acknowledged or not, what you say goes, so it may as well go for the better. You only have to read the papers more completely, and recognize your own ideograph. Language is a living commodity all its own. I have studied the future for years since college, and let me tell you this, I have been right about it some of the time, and based on many converging thoughts generated out of the National Science Foundation. This view of the future is not about "astrology," although it catalogs such things as aspects of a long quest for attaining some forward knowledge of images in action. It is about Future Studies advocates who have proceeded upon visionary advancement within scientific method. Reading critical documents some obscure but published by the USGPO, you might more fully understand where our country has proceeded upon great decisions. This book is the one, The Study of the Future: An Agenda for Research. Look it up at many libraries across the US and enjoy. It may be dated, but the technology is entirely valid for the present.

I will continue this blog and will enjoy reading your future comments.

The Study of the Future: An Agenda for Research

Get the document and save it before it's gone. But do not worry it can be obtained in many University libraries.

See page 160 and 161 pdf (148 and 149) for a general idea of SDI, Perestroika, making Nuclear Weapons "impotent and obsolete," and how to end the cold war with hundreds of applause one liners. Maybe this is too deep.

Just picture yourself on vacation in Hawaii, calling the Executive Office commentary line March 21, 1983 at 9AM EST, citing the book name The Study of the Future: An Agenda for Research, as well as page 149 neglecting to read the Soviet joke on page 148. Tell them "it seems this is what we are up against." Wait for your next issue of Time Magazine.

Kick back and watch Andropov say SDI is "insane," because he was listening to his "intelligence experts," when it looks too much like it was cited by a nobody even a less than nobody with rich relatives.

Watch your already inflated chess player ego go into a secretive stratosphere for years. Etc. etc. But there is a far deeper story to all of this before and after.

Note the strong conclusion of the article:

"Neither Russia nor America can spawn the future. The image of the future, at its best, has always been universal in character, a vision to serve and foster the growth of all mankind.....A vision of the future which falls short of this universality will in the end leave the earth a smoking ruin."