I’m not sure why, but I’ve spent a few hours the past few weeks reviewing my life, and future plans and what I would like to accomplish with the time I have left.

Not sure why I visited this inner conversation, but I did, and I came up with some remarkable personal observations, answers, and subsequent feelings. I’m not afraid of the future…far from it. I embrace whatever life has to offer me…whether it’s 5, 10, or 30 years more.

Then today, I came across this video presentation. Yep…I agree with this professor on every level. This is the full 1 hour, 45 minute speech. Take time to watch it soon.

Enjoy.

Rich

P.S. See the ENTIRE professor’s speech here…
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3633956
Click on the menu to the right to see parts two, three and four.

Watch this video by Penn and Teller. It’s an irreverent, satirical, yet biting commentary on the whole issue of gun control, 2nd ammendment rights, and firearms in general.

CAUTION: The name of the show is “Bullsh*t”, and there is blue language…however, I think this show is worth watching for the broad overview these two bring to the subject.

Let us take bit of time sometime during our day today, and bow our heads in a precious moment of prayer for all those who have gone before us on this anniversary date.

Let us remember all that had happened up to that day…and has happened since.

Let us not forget…that it is up to US….the survivors…to not let this happen again….

And, if this kind of event IS repeated, God forbid…let us have the ability to have shared as much survival information as we humanly can…in any way, shape, or form possible…with the entire world, through all our faculties, web sites, media outlets, and in person.

Should another Day of Infamy occur…Let us be the first ones there to help the victims…we, the people with the skills, the knowledge, and the capacity to comprehend the abilities and talents to rescue as many as possible…with whatever tools we have with us, or can make from whatever is around us.

…and the last ones out…having done everything in our vast and deep resource of inner power and energy…to make sure that everything that could be done….must be done…and will be done….

…has been done.

Let us have had the capacity to take care of our families…completely and totally…so that no matter what, and no matter where…THEY are taken care of and out of harm’s way, with the resources, food, water, and shelter, they will need to keep going should any on of us fall.

I can’t tell you just how much I appreciate each and every one of you for being here…in this incredible little group of ours…SurvivalRing, the Tank, and more.

It is literally beyond words sometimes…and at this moment, tears are welling up.

We have a huge job ahead of us, if we are to make the difference to the American Way…that *I* think we can.

Let’s pause to remember…to reminisce…to ponder…and to pray.

Then, let’s roll up our sleeves, and just get it done.

Thank you…to each and every one of you…for all that you have done…all that you are doing…and all that we will accomplish…together.

Rich

Buck Sargent put a great article online today, about Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, the son of the bitter Cindy Sheehan. He also has an awesome, very touching video available as well, called Once Upon A Time in Mosul.

Take a moment. Read the article. View the video. You WILL be touched beyond belief.

As I’ve mentioned previously on this blog, I have a large portion of my family that has served in the US Military here and overseas. I am proud of all of them. Fortunately, I haven’t lost any of them to combat. Unfortunately, many of my friends, neighbors, and associates have lost people in their lives to combat conditions.

Buck’s article should bring a tear to your eye…even more so with the video.

Rich

Yesterday was my birthday…number 46.

Busy day…to the bank, the grocery store, the college bookstore..

Got to work a bit after noon, and got the news and weather done..

Basic stuff…normal day.

Then, starting at 4pm, the excitement built a bit.

Had a special visitor coming to town…not for me, mind you.

Wyoming first lady Nancy Freudenthal was coming to town for her state wide teen anti-drinking initiative….

Just so happens we’ve been doing some video work in this area for the last YEAR. www.yaaaonline.com

Doors opened at 6. We got there at 5. I was part of committee that put together this visit for the Fremont County Coalition of WFLI.

I was in charge of the video presentation hardware, and audio system.

Did I mention that the best steak restaurant in town was catering?

Took just a little time to get the laptop setup with a borrowed computer projector, and ran thru the video’s making sure everything would work as we wanted, when we wanted.

About 5:45, everything was done…so we (me, daughter Laurie, friend Charlie [backup geek], and Bart [Riverton cop and fellow YAAA sponsor] relaxed, and had a seat at our reserved table waiting for our YAAA teens to finish showing up.

Blessings were said at 6, and dinner serving started. REALLY good food..and free for anyone who showed up (about 300 or so folks from around the county).

Then, Wyoming Family Services Coordinator Roger xxxx got up and gave a short introduction speech talking about how prevention was the key to helping teens avoid becoming teen drinking statistics, and later adult drinking statistics.

When he was done, it was our turn…Young Adults Against Addiction. 6 teens, I cop, and one non-traditional college student (me). We were officially announced, and headed up to the stage/podium to do our little presentation.

Bart started first, and gave a very short history of how YAAA came about. (Read the website above). Then tow of the teens, Megan (star of THINK ABOUT IT) and Austin (star of PARTY BOY and TWILIGHT ZONE) each said a few SHORT words…less then 1 minute each. Then it was my turn…

I have spoken in front of a few groups the past couple of years here at college…at most a few dozen folks at a time…and almost always fellow students.

This time it was HUNDREDS.

I spent over an hour today writing several versions a speech, including trimming it and timing it to as close to two minutes as possible. See it below. However, I didn’t even pull the speech out of my pocket…I winged the whole thing..and left out a lot of details.

I think I did OK. Finished my little verbiage, then introduced the videos, and scooted over to start the show. We showed the last five of our 8 finished projects. The audiences laughter at the right places, silence at the right places and applause at the end let us know we did good.

Besides the first lady, attending were the sheriff, chief of police, mayor, most of the city councilman and county commissioners, the native American liaisons to the Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Nations, the states chief prosecutor, and lots more important folks and regular people just like myself.

The great turnout for something like this means that we ARE making a difference. Locals and state wonks are paying attention. Kids are joining our group more and more, and more people are asking about our projects.

Daughter Laurie shot video of our presentation this evening, and I’ll try to get it digitized and online this weekend for you all to see what we do.

It may not be much…we’re just a little town WAY off the beaten path, a few hours from the nearest interstate. We don’t have any money to put into this project, so the kids, Bart, and I..we do it for free.

But, when someone at the highest office in the state (yes, Governor Dave DOES listen to his wife) takes the time to come to town, and makes a special point to see our work, and then asks to share it with the rest of the state….and THANKS us for doing it…well, I think we’re doing just fine.

If you haven’t yet, take the time to visit the YAAA site above, and watch each of the videos. Share them with YOUR local school district, police department, and any youth groups in your area.

If you have any questions about the videos, future work, or learning how to do this yourself, just ask.

Have a great weekend…(I’m going to enjoy my last full weekend before school OFFICIALLY starts next Tuesday)

Take care,
Rich

ps… here’s that speech I worked so hard on, and didn’t completely cover while winging it. It should make it a little bit more clear about why I spend so much of my time on THIS very unique project.