I Love a Flash Mob

Bob Kelly had this posted on Facebook. It is Ode to Joy written in1785 by the German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller, enthusiastically celebrating the brotherhood and unity of all mankind. ...The ode is best known for its musical setting by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony (completed in 1824), a choral symphony for orchestra, four solo voices and choir. Listen and watch on full screen for the best effect.



I realized that I did not know much about this piece, except that it was part of Beethoven's Ninth and that the church I went to used it as a hymn.

I looked up the translation and found it interesting.  You can read the whole thing here.  I really like the part I copied below.

Be embraced, millions!

This kiss to the entire world!

Brothers, above the starry canopy

Must a loving Father reside.

Whoever has succeeded in the great attempt

To be a friend's friend;

Whoever has won a lovely woman

Add in his jubilation!

Yes, who calls even one soul

His own on the earth's sphere!

And whoever never could achieve this,

Let him steal away crying from this gathering!

Chorus

Those who occupy the great circle,

Pay homage to sympathy!

It leads to the stars

Where the unknown one reigns.

To be a friend's friend....Sometimes I really wonder about friends.  Do we really have friends any more.  I mean real friends of the kind my mother had.  She had a group of friends that she played cards with and others who came over for coffee and conversation regularly. And yet, when she became ill there weren't many of them around.  Even some family members no longer came over..one of them said that she didn't want to "remember Ruthie like that,"  I have resented that for a long time. Mother truly loved people and was there for them no matter what. And yet at the end it was just her sister and me who were with her.  There were a lot of people at her funeral but I wonder where they were when she was alone while I had to work? If they were real friends why weren't they around earlier?

I have a lot of people I call friends but they aren't all really friends.  I read somewhere on Facebook that true friends can "just pick up where they left off 20 years ago."  I can understand when friends move to another state and then come back that it can be like that but in this day and age you can still keep in touch.  

I have just a few people who I feel are really close friends who I can rely on for almost anything.  But if we live in the same town and there is no contact whatsoever I think perhaps that we aren't really friends...and that saddens me.  

I think perhaps that it is something wrong with me as I do seem to have people who come into my life and then they are gone.  I hate asking people to do things for and with me.  I used to have a friend I went out to eat with and did some other things with but that friendship went by the wayside and now we are just friends who see each other if we happen to be at the same meeting,  Sometimes I feel bullied by some friends and that isn't a good feeling.

I guess that really Miss Molly is my best friend and she knows when I need some extra hugs.  She has been wanting on my lap a lot lately and it helps. I will always be grateful that she is in my life. I think having to stay home is also not much fun but I will get through that,  ARTYAL. Hugs, j

Breakfast Club

Actully I took this photo on the way home. It was worse on the way down. Snow and mist today in central Iowa but I still got out to go to the Waveland Park Breakfast. It is too good to miss and besides I had presents for the kids.
First a full breakfast including anything you want to order and you can get seconds. The Prince was hungry.
Mom was concentrating on the paper. I forgot to tell her I liked her Christmas sweater.

The Princess loves her sausage links.

And Dad has his morning coffee.

After breakfast I had some presents for the kids because I won't see them until after Christmas.
For the Princess a Princess and the Frog (Phrog for all you Wordzzle fans) Barbie doll. A little old for her perhaps but you can see it made her happy.
And the Prince gets a Jurassic Park Hot Wheels. He could not wait to go home to set it up.
One last shot and there will be a short video of how it works after it is done processing.

Breakfast Club from Jay Simser on Vimeo.

You know these folks are wonderful to let me share their kids. I was thinking on the way down to Des Moines that the greatest gift anyone can give is the gift of friendship and I have received it in abundance from them. I hope you all had as great a day as I did and now I must catch up with another friend who sent me an e-mail. I am truly blessed. Have a great week. j

Birthday Lunch

Kurt (above) came up to Ames to help celebrate Trevor's 21st Birthday which was today.
Trevor lives in New York City where he is attending school. He came back to see his girl friend and some of his brothers. It was great to see him.
Kurt met us at the Cafe where we had a great lunch at the bar (the restaurant was full) and it was great to catch up.
Masonry is inter generational. I have friends in Lodge who run the gambit of age. I hang out with some guys in their 20's, 30's 40's etc all the way up to 90' and we meet on the level. It is one of the many things I really love about Freemasonry. When I got home I found a tin or almonds and a bottle of wine on my chair. Kurt had dropped it off for me. It was really nice of him but if that sort of thing is going to happen again I suppose I must keep the house a little cleaner. It is a mess. Oh well! Thanks for stopping by. Hugs, J

For Spo

I know exactly how you feel. Sending white light.

For my Friends

BALLOONS...

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
Love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands..
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said life would be easy.
They just promised it would be worth it.

I got this in an e-mail - I tried to send it to people but AOL wouldn't work so you get it here.

A Great Day

I got a phone call this morning from Kevin. He wanted to bring something over to me. Imagine my surprise when he came and presented me with this hat. The hat is on a lamp in my kitchen cause you wouldn't want to see it on me. But I am highly honored that he chose me to give this to.
Then the man from the garage store came and gave me the bad news. I have an old garage door opener system with cables and large springs. When I came home the other night the damn thing (Yes, I know I could have said darn but I really mean the word I used.) broke. The large spring was on the floor and the door is at an angle. Anyway it is going to cost almost $500. There goes the travel account. Oh well I could have been stuck in the garage or really hurt.

I got a call from Bob at Acanthus they needed some help on the degree tonight. Last minute. It could happen to anyone. I called Bill and asked him if he could help them out. He graciously accepted and so I picked him up and we went down for dinner. Jeremy was also going to help but that had been arranged while he was in Washington DC (via e-mail - Gosh I love the Internets). So here is Bill and Andris (WM of Acanthus) doing a little conferring before the second section. Bill gave the long trowel lecture and both of them did an outstanding job. I think the guys at Acanthus want them to affiliate.

Below are the officers of Acanthus and the new Brother and his father.

Here is Ken and Erik with Andris. Erik is a 6th generation Mason. If my father had been a Mason I would have been a 4th generation Mason but a 6th generation Mason is really impressive. Congratulations, Erik I am proud to call you Brother.

After the meeting about 12 of us went over to 632 1/2 (In Ames they call it "Grand Lodge") and had a social time. As usual a lot of good talking and fellowship. all in all a great day.

I also got a lovely thank-you from my friend Anne who the blog is dedicated to all this month and want to remind you to go to the left and click to donate for free to make mammograms available for poor women.

I also got an e-mail from a former student who told me her son is being deployed to Iraq. Please keep Nathan and all of our soldiers in your prayers.

Huge hugs on this beautiful Fall day from J-bear (formerly known as j-bird) -