Happy Phriday The 13th
Do you feel lucky today? Or do you have paraskevidekatriaphohia?
* Judas was the 13th guest at the Last Supper
* Jesus was crucified on Friday
* Eve gave Adam the apple on Friday
* Cain killed Able on Friday
* Loki arrived in Valhalla as the 13th and uninvited guest
* 12 is a number of completeness: 12 months, 12 Zodiac signs, 12 apostles.
Quote I am considering
“When I read great literature, great drama, speeches, or sermons, I feel that the human mind has not achieved anything greater than the ability to share feelings and thoughts through language.” —James Earl Jones, RIP (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024)
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Sammie’s Journal: A Change In Weather
September produces the most glorious days of the year and that morning was one of them. A high pressure front had moved in. There was not a cloud in the sky. As I traveled toward the east on my way to work, the rising sun ignited a crisscross of sliver contrails of commercial jet liners taking busy Americans to do their work, to meet their families, to their vacations.
I had barely gotten into my office at the factory in Chatsworth that morning when I got a call from our national sales manager about a product issue. During the call he said, “Hey did you hear about that jet plane that hit one of the Trade Towers in New York?”
At first I thought he was joking. “No, I had not heard that. How can that happen?”
“Must be some kind of equipment failure.”
We finished our call and got busy doing something else. Airplanes flying into buildings was not my problem.
Just minutes later my boss called me and said, “Hey, a second plane just flew into the second Trade Tower.”
“What are the odds of that happening?” It took me a second to understand. Then I said, “This has got to be intentional.”
He said, “Ya think?”
I hung up with my boss and called my wife at home. “Are you watching TV?” Remember this was before smart phones and social media.
“No.”
“Turn on the TV. Tell me what is happening.”
She described the scene. She feared for those who were stuck above where the two planes had impacted. She wondered if helicopters could save them.
But the news got worse. Way worse.
All of America’s air traffic was shut down that morning. And the airspace remained closed for three days.
I don’t remember getting much work done that day.
At 5 o’clock I left my office and walked to the parking lot to go home. A few of us stood there chatting about what the days events might mean and who might have attacked America and were we safe even in our own homes.
I looked up into a nearly perfect September sky. Usually at this time of day this time of year the setting sun lights up a patchwork of commercial jet contrails. But that is not what I saw. I saw six parallel white streaks high in the brilliant blue. A large jet putting out four contrails flanked by two smaller aircraft putting out thin contrails. Even at that altitude these planes looked like they were hauling-ass.
My drive home was fifty minutes. By the time I walked into the kitchen, President Bush’s helicopter was just touching down on the White House lawn. And our world changed forever.
Mike’s Friday Funnies:
I asked my girlfriend if she'd like a day of eating ice cream and hanging with her girl friends. She said "Yes!" I said "Good, because I'm breaking up with you." Where do tigers go for ice cream? Carol Baskin Robbins. What do children and ice cream have in common? They’re sweet but they sometimes give you a headache. The local ice cream shop has introduced a new mixed fruit flavor of ice cream dedicated to the former president of the United States. They call it the peach-mint. They say it is good, perhaps the greatest in the history of fruit ice creams. The cast of The Wizard of Oz go out for ice cream. After a few minutes the Lion stops licking his cone, yelling, "Ouch!" and gripping his temples. The Tinman next stops licking his cone, yelling, "Ouch!" and gripping his temples. Dorothy also stops licking her cone, yelling, "Ouch!" and gripping her temples. The Scarecrow says, "What's the matter with you guys?" The ice cream truck is going down the street. And a lady runs after it but it doesn't see her and keeps going. She keeps following until the driver sees her in his mirror. He stops and she's out of breath. Truck driver: “Hey, sorry about that, I didn't see you, what can I get you? “ Out of breath she says “I just wanted to tell you...I'm vegan”.
GoodEnough: Derek Story
In this episode, Mark and Sam ask Derek Story if AI will kill us all. Derek is a thought leader on the use of AI in HR. He is currently the Director of HR Systems, Training, and Communication at Illinois State University. During his time at ISU he has been responsible for continuity of HR technology, learning and development for campus, and staff recruiting and orientation. Before joining Illinois State University, Derek had experience as a professional recruiter at the global staffing firm TEKSystems. He is a two-time Illinois State University alum, having received both his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from ISU. He teaches courses at Illinois State University and Illinois Central College in message design, public speaking, and business information systems. He is also a board member of the Bloomington/Normal Human Resources Council and an active member of the Higher Education User Group for Oracle Technologies and the College and University Professionals Association.
Friday Twain is Leaving the Station
‘Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.’ – Mark Twain
Throat Punch Poetry: Tuesday, Haiku Triple
By S. Lewis
iron dog stares at me as I calve these whiskey sentences slowly while spider webs appear in silver setting sunlight in late September and neighbor's fire pit smoke brings into the dark backyard the scent of autumn
Moment of Zen
This was the cover letter screenwriter Robert Pirsoh sent with his resume to MGM studios. They hired him. Fifteen years later, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his work on the war film, Battleground. A few months after that, he also won a Golden Globe.