12/30/07 - NNHS Newsletter -
Ring Out, Wild Bells

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”

- Hamilton Wright Mable

"And the more you spend in blessing The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart's possessing Returns to make you glad."

- John Greenleaf Whittier
(17 Dec 1807 - 7 Sep 1892)

Dear Friends and Schoolmates, 

   My precious company has gone back to Ohio (SOB!!!).  Perhaps I'll be able to catch up with myself one day soon!   The demands on my time don't seem to be as great now, and there are fewer distractions, true, but it's so - so dreadfully - quiet!  Sigh....

   So I'm not sure if my ability to concentrate has been restored yet or not, but I'll give it a try.

   And, oh yes, this theme will repeat each year:

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/12-30-06-NNHS-Ring-Out-Wild-Bells.html

BIRTHDAYS - TODAY AND UPCOMING:

   We have another Three-Fer today! William Gwynn ('57) AND     Ron Miller ('59) of NC AND Sarah Stewart Vance ('69) of VA are all celebrating their birthdays!

   Tomorrow we'll have a Two-Fer! Pat Floyd Pride ('62) of VA AND      Susie Overton Jones ('63) of VA will both be lighting some candles!

   Many Happy Returns to you all!

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/Happy-Birthday.html

PAGE HITS:

   Hit #68,500 was probably made sometime on Saturday, December 29, 2007 when I was paying no attention whatsoever.

http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com/page-hits.html

    From My Niece, Shari, of VA - 12/28/07 - "NICE WEB MOVIE":

http://www.cryofthespirit.com/after.html

A couple days late, but the message is clear.

   Thank you so much, Shari! This is a perfect opener for today's Newsletter.   

   From Frank Blechman ('65) of Northern VA - 12/21/07 - "a REAL "Christ"mas message ":

Your kind of material. 

 

Letterhead

  
Dear friend,
         I had planned to send you a very meaningful message about the "Christ" character responsible for so much of the commotion these days. But it's an illustrated message and it doesn't translate well to the various mailing systems used by the hundreds of friends on my mailing list, so I've put it online where EVERYBODY should be able to see and read it in its most attractive form.
        So would you be kind enough to click on http://LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/about/Christmas.html right now, view and read it yourself, and share it with anyone else whom you think will appreciate it.
        Thank you very, very much, and have the greatest Christmas ever!
      Ray Dubuque, creator of
http://www.JesusNoRepublican.Org/ which shows why Jesus would abhor today's Republican Party,  &
http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/ which shows why Liberal Democrats are more like Christ than are Conservative Republicans!
 and now the great new public Bulletin Board at http://LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/forum.

    Ah, Frank! It's so good to know that even as so much of life changes about us, your proclivity for intellectual stimulations are still wondrously intact after lo, these many years!

   As with so many things you've shared with me over the years, this selection is delightfully thought-provoking.  Much of it (no, not all of it  - GIGGLES!!!), in fact, restates many of the same principles I've been teaching my Sunday School class of older teenagers in just these past few weeks.

   Thanks, Darlin'! Happy New Year!

   From Henry Hoyle ('65) of Northern VA - 12/22/07 - "Thought for Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007":

Hi Carol,  

My brother Pete (NNHS-1960) sent this to me:


I thought the following was amusing... (None of you are lawyers, are you? I presume that they would just think it it the natural way to write...)

                                             Updated Golden Oldie


 ******   ******   ******   ******   ******   ******   ******   ******

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . . . and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or choice of computer platform of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting  these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.   This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

 ******   ******   ******   ******   ******   ******   ******   ******

   WILD GIGGLES! Thanks, Cousin Henry - and Cousin Pete! Happy New Year!

     From the Head Flagtwirler of 1965, Janice McCain Rose of VA - 12/22/07 AND  From Sarah Puckett Kressaty ('65) of VA - 12/23/07 - "Frosty":

Subtle Holiday Humor !!
If offended easily - don't look !!
 

      Thank you, Ladies! Happy New Year!

  From Christine Wilson Starkman ('68) of CA - 12/23/07:


Dear Carol,
 
My father, who died at the age of 83, was a proud WWII veteran who cherished his freedom and loved America. I never heard him utter a bigoted or racist remark. He was also a Christian who never used Christ to bash people of other creeds or religions. I loved him very much.
 
Two of my nieces are Asian American. They are not "japs," or "chinks," or "gooks." They are my beautiful and brilliant nieces and I love them very much.
 
It would be an insult to my father and my nieces if I quietly tolerated racist remarks for any reason. So, please accept this as my LOUD objection to recent racist remarks in your Newport News High School newsletter.
 
Carol, I admire you for setting a tone of inclusion and tolerance in the newsletter, as I am sure you do in your life. I am sorry someone has spoiled this and sincerely hope it will not continue.
 
Merry Christmas and Typhoons Forever,
Chris Starkman
 

   Thank you, Chris. I'm sure that no insult was implied or intended by the writer.  A great many of us now have Asian relatives, whether by adoption or by intermarriage.  My sister        Eleanor (Buckley Nowitzky - '59 - of NC) has two beautiful granddaughters who were adopted from China.        Herb Hice's    precious grandchildren were all adopted from Korea, if I recall correctly.  My own newest daughter-in-law's    maternal grandmother was born in the Philippines.  I think every so often we say things which sound quite differently from the way we feel, simply because such words exist somewhere in our memories, and they tend to pop out at inopportune moments.

   And every culture and faith has words which describe its natives and practitioners in, shall we say, less than desirable terms - "wops", spics", "wetbacks", "frogs" - even "WASPs". 

   Sometimes these same words are used in a different manner altogether. Twenty-five years ago I had a friend who met his lovely bride while stationed in Germany.  He taught their two tiny daughters to introduce themselves by saying, "My daddy is from Missouri and my mommy is an alien" - and he would lean back his head and roar with laughter while all around were befuddled and bug-eyed, until Petra would punch him gently and giggle.  Later I had a dear friend who used to lovingly and playfully call his beloved wife of fifty years his "little beaner".  She would smile and shake her head and they would hug and kiss and we would all laugh with them.

   Times change and people change - but not always as fast as we'd like.

   Thanks again, Lady! Happy New Year!

DATES TO REMEMBER:

1. Friday and Saturday, May 16 - 17, 2008 - NNHS CLASS OF 1958

      From one of my Famous Marines,  Herb Hice of MI, who served in the Pacific Theater during WWII -  12/14/07 - "Dear Carol / Dimples, This is Dog Logic" (#10 in a series of 12):

Dear Carol / Dimples
 
Something to ponder.
 
Herbie  

   GIGGLES!

   Thanks, Herbie Darlin'!  
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain

    May the spirit of this season bring you all as much joy as you've brought to me! 

   Remember - there are still many images and thought provoking topics yet to be covered - sometime soon - MAYBE even - next time!  Meanwhile, Happy New Year to you all!

   Y'all take care of each other!  TYPHOONS FOREVER!  We'll Always Have Buckroe!

                          Love to all, Carol

==============================================

NNHS CLASS OF '65 WEB SITE: http://www.nnhs65.00freehost.com

PERSONAL WEB SITE: http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/cluckmeat

==============================================

Carol Buckley Harty
219 Four Ply Lane
Fayetteville, NC 29311-9305
910-488-9408

 

 

Ring Out, Wild Bells

"Alfred, Lord Tennyson is considered the most representative poet of the Victorian Age in England, and many of his works characterize the conflict between the Christian faith and the beginnings of the scientific revolution. The death of his sister's fiancé, Arthur Henry Hallam, at the age of 22 plunged Tennyson into profound shock and a lifelong struggle between faith and doubt. "Ring Out, Wild Bells," generally considered a New Year's hymn, is taken from the 106th Canto of In Memoriam, Tennyson's monumental elegy to Hallam that was published in 1850, the same year that he was appointed Poet Laureate."

Words by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
(6 Aug 1809 - 6 Oct 1892)
 

  1. Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

2. Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

3. Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

4. Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws. 		5. Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

6. Ring out false pride in place and blood.
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

7. Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

8. Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.		  


"Ring Out, Wild Bells" midi and lyrics courtesy of http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2168/songs009.html - 12/30/06

History of "Ring Out, Wild Bells" courtesy of http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/ring_out_wild_bells.htm - 12/30/06

Bells on Bows clip art courtesy of http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/christmas-bells.shtml - 12/29/07

Animated Ringing Christmas Bell clip art (designed by Art Holden) used to form Divider Lines courtesy of http://www.animationfactory.com - 12/08/05

Animated Tiny Birthday Cake clip art courtesy of Sarah Puckett Kressaty ('65) of VA - 08/31/05
Thanks, Sarah Sugah!

Army Seal clip art also courtesy of Al Farber ('64) of GA - 05/24/06
Thanks again, Al!

Page Hit Counter clip art courtesy of http://www.bravenet.com - 03/07/06

Navy Seal clip art courtesy of http://www.onemileup.com/miniSeals.asp - 05/29/06

Animated Laughing Head courtesy of Janice McCain Rose ('65) of VA - 01/25/06
Thanks, Janice!

Marine Corps Seal clip art courtesy of Herbert Hice of MI - one of my Famous Marines who served in the South Pacific during WWII.
Thanks, Herbie!

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