Memorial Day - What Am I Supposed To Remember?

That question is from a movie I watched today called, Memorial Day, starring James Cromwell. On Memorial Day in the United States, we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in military service.

Calendar-wise, it marks the unofficial start of Summer, and so a lot of folks go to the beach, have barbecues, and so on. Many attend parades to honor those fallen veterans, and others pay their respects at cemeteries and veteran monuments all over the country. Some try to do all of the above.

When I was a kid, I fell more into the beach and barbecue camp. Once I became a veteran, I found myself more and more asking myself, "what am I supposed to remember?" It never came in those words, but those words best capture the sentiment. I've never seen real combat. No one I knew personally (that I'm aware of) ever died in combat. Still, as someone who has served, all soldiers, past, present and future, are my comrades. I don't have to have known them personally, or even tangentially. All that is required is that they took the same oath I did.

I'm not much for parades, so I found myself at Oak Grove Cemetery paying my respects to some one hundred or so World War I veterans from Medford, Massachusetts. My habit as of the last few years is to see if I recognize a last name. It's a small world, so maybe I know one of their descendants. I think I might have today. Even if I didn't, so what?

After watching the movie, I too found myself looking at the "souvenirs" (for lack of a better word) of my time in the military, and more importantly the stories behind them.

While not all Americans are veterans, every American who isn't, knows, is related to, has seen, or is somehow connected to a veteran. These non-veterans may have never though to ask, "what am I supposed to remember?" If they are haven't, one day I pray they will.

Oklahoma Will Be O-K

The tornadoes' wrath across Oklahoma shown in news images of ravaged miles of buildings, reminds me of the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. However, the fury of nature has no person or state to hunt, demonize, or prosecute. I can barely comprehend the vast carnage over such distances, and how those affected will rebuild. Although I know, rebuild they will. 

The courage of the victims, their friends and families and neighbors give me hope of our better nature as Americans, as human beings. Their grace amidst the chaos that seemed to take so many by surprise, is a stark reminder that it can all go to heck in an instance. Every moment is a gift.

Like we often hear after each of these life altering and shattering events, hug your children, tell them you love them. To this I add, hug your family, your neighbor, your friend, your dog, your cat, your fish. Give and receive love.

I pray that the departed are in peace. I pray those left behind continue to persist and persevere and take nothing for granted. I know from the determination in their eyes, and the conviction of their resolve, that the people of Oklahoma will be O-K.

Blackberry Messenger Coming to Android and iOS Devices - This Is Not A Drill!

Yes, it's true. Blackberry Messenger (or BBM to those Blackberry lifers) will be coming to Android and iOS (Apple) mobile devices. This is a win-win for Blackberry and non-Blackberry customers alike, but a real double-edged sword for Blackberry (once RIM). My wife, a long time Blackberry user, is ecstatic. She can finally move from her ailing Blackberry Bold to an iPhone or Android device, while not losing her extensive BBM family.

For Blackberry, it a dicey bet. On one hand, non-Blackberry users will have an incentive to care about Blackberry. However, BBM was the single reason a lot of Blackberry users I know stuck with their Blackberry devices. This puts a lot more pressure on the Blackberry Z10 and Q10 to really meet or beat the value proposition of the iPhone (possibly) and Galaxy Samsung S4 (I'm not optimistic). In all fairness, I have had neither Z10 nor Q10 in hand to determine if they have the right stuff to be and remain competitive.

Still, if Blackberry can find a really easy way to really get the Z10 and Q10 into people hands (like they did at their recent developer's conference in Florida), they may get back in the game in a significant way.

Personally, I've always loved the old school Blackberry Curves with the scroll wheel, track ball, and WAP browser. Heck, I still use one (OS 4.x) as my mobile when I travel internationally. It's as durable as a tank, batteries last forever, and if you're not picky about condition, you can get them on eBay for less than $20 USD.

My falling out with Blackberry was the move to the sleeker, all-black looking, but less durable Curve and Bold models. User experience was lost along the way. Still, I'm excited about the direction Blackberry is moving in, and look forward to road testing the Z10 and Q10.

Four and One

What I've learned:

• Choose your own adventure, or you may find yourself trapped in someone else's
• If history keeps repeating itself, there's something you haven't learned yet
• Acknowledge and respect who you are, and what you are made of
• Memory * Time = (Good | Bad) / Your Attitude
• Playing chess provides rewards beyond checkmate

Charles Ramsey, Keepin' It Real

Charles Ramsey - ABC News Interview

When I first saw pictures of Charles Ramsey, I suspected that the photos were selected because of the way they portrayed him. Still, Chuck made the joke on his would be critics. In spite of his perceived style of "storytelling" or maybe (in my view) because of it, Chuck was able to bring a rarely seen public authenticity and candid insight into issues of race and class in America. In simple and clear language, no less. Plus, Chuck (albeit unintentionally) gave the women he helped rescue, and their families, the privacy they craved. I doubt the media would have freely given such privacy otherwise.

Unfortunately, his most important comments were glossed over, ignored, or eschewed, primarily out of the fear of most of the media being unable to spin it into something other than one man's truth. This type of truth that most of us wouldn't have the courage to utter or hear amongst mixed company, yet alone on live television.

Thanks Chuck, for keepin' it real; from all of us who don't always have the courage to when the situation requires it.