Hank Azaria And Jeremy Irons

Hank Azaria and Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons: People Who Don't

Jeremy Irons: People who don't

Memorial Day 2010, Part 2

I'm spending Memorial Day Weekend reminiscing about my dad's service in World War II.  Call it a blog indulgence.  Back to regular programming on Tuesday.
I have less than a dozen pictures of my dad during the time he served in the infantry.  These are from training. The most special thing about the two pictures on the left is that he wrote notes on them before he sent them home to his father. 
The note on one of them reads:
"Father, This is my picture with a full field pack.  The full field pack weighs fifty pounds, inside of it we have a blanket, tent, mess kit, under wears, toilet articles, and tent poles that fold up.  All of this gets rolled up in a tight pack, and on the outside we have a small pick, small shovel, rifle, bayonet, and belt with ammunition."
I found the real treasure on the back of the other one:
"Father, This is my picture. It was taken when we were out on maneuvers. We were sent out on a combat patrol to recognize the front of the enemy.  I was sent out ahead of the patrol, as a scout, and a few minutes later a machine gun cut loose right in front of me, and I was ruled out of the game.  When a man is ruled out, he just sits around and waits, so I decided to take some pictures while I was waiting."
I never remember my father taking photographs, but, given my passion for photography, it thrills me to learn that he decided to take pictures on that day.  It's a connection I never realized we had before.  But one that I will now treasure.

Memorial Day 2010, Part 1 (A Series Repost)

{Today, in honor or Memorial Day, I am reposting a series of three posts from last year that focus on my father and his service to our country. I hope you enjoy this tribute and remember all who fight to keep us free}.
It is Memorial Day Weekend here in the United States. . . a three day holiday which to many people means the beginning of summer and big sales at the mall.  I wanted to take the weekend, though, and use it as a way to record some memories of my dad's service in World War II. Obviously, he did not die during the war (or I wouldn't be here), but he has been gone for over five years now, his birthday was in May and with Father's Day just around the corner, I've been thinking about him a lot. The idea for this series of posts was also inspired by the "Coming Home" photography challenge on The Pioneer Woman blog.  Thanks to Sherry Mescher for bringing it to my attention.  If you're in the mood for altered art instead of my family memories, come back next week, and I'll be featuring the rest of the assemblage menagerie and my twinchie for the Something Completely Different contest.  Also, you can click on this link to see a collage I did for Veteran's Day, 2009.
In 2002, I created a scrapbook page about my father's service which you can see at this link, but here's the journaling:
He was part of the Greatest Generation. Born just before the Great Depression, seventy-plus years of hard living show on his face.  His achievements are not as obvious:  served in World War II; helped build the aerospace industy; raised six kids and sent them all to college; married to his wife for almost fifty years.  During the war, his Division liberated a concentration camp. He received a shrapnel injury and Purple Heart fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. He earned a Bronze Star for retrieving and rescuing a fallen comrade.  We were so proud when Orange County honored Latino veterans, and his banner hung from the rafters during the ceremony. My father. One of the Greatest indeed.
In the pictures above, you can see him holding a slide rule and with a radio.  Although he did not have a lot of education before going into the service, he was a brilliant man who became a radio tech in his infantry unit.  In the group picture, he's standing on the far right.  
He was such a big man.

Memorial Day 2010, Part 3

This is a copy of my dad's discharge papers from the Army.  I love pondering the information contained on this:
- He was barely 18 when he joined the service and had 7 years of grammar school and 2 years of high school
- His battles and campaigns include the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe
- He received the Purple Heart, 3 Bronze Stars and a Good Conduct Metal
- He received immunizations for smallpox, typhoid, tetanus and typhus
- His mustering out pay was $300.
- He was listed as 5'11" and 130 pounds.
- He was 22 when he was honorably discharged in 1945.


There is no doubt that my dad's time in the service changed him "for good."  It changed him for the better because it opened up avenues of education that set him on the course to becoming a middle class aerospace engineer in California.  But he also came back deeply affected by having seen the violence of war.  All of it made him who he was, and I am grateful for who he was because he had such a big, positive effect on me.  I miss him and wish my kids could have known him for many more years.  Today is Memorial Day in the United States, and I invite you to remember and be grateful for those who have served in the armed forces, trying to make the world a better place.  

Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons

Dumb it Down.......

1. Don't be to bold so people will like you.
2. Don't be to loud so people wont think your arrogant.
3. Don't speak your mind so people wont think your a know it all. 
4. Don't challenge authority so you will get promoted 
5. Don't stand so tall so you dont intimidate people.

Sylvie van der Vaart y su esposo Rafael en la playa de St. Tropez

El FC Barcelona se proclama vencedor de la Champions League

(EP) El FC Barcelona se ha proclamado campeón de Europa por cuarta vez en su historia al imponer el fútbol ofensivo que lleva por bandera y vencer al Manchester United (3-1) en un nuevo Wembley que ya es tan mítico como el original para los blaugrana, que han cerrado el círculo abierto por el 'Dream Team' en 1992, y recuperan así el trono perdido el año pasado.

Tanto Barça como Manchester se estrenaron en Wembley y luchaban esta noche por su cuarto título. Empezó el Manchester más entonado, en los primeros diez minutos, pero nada tuvo que ver con la final de Roma. No dispararon a puerta y el rumbo del partido no empezó con un gol blaugrana, entonces de Eto'o, sino por un cambio de mentalidad, ritmo e intensidad que les convirtió en amos del balón.

Y, con él, este Barça no tiene rival. Se fue al descanso con empate, pero el juego fue tan superior que en la segunda parte solo tuvieron que centrarse en lo hecho, e ir un poco más allá. El gol de Rooney fue el único peligro de verdad en los de Sir Alex Ferguson, que una vez más ha vuelto a caer contra la frescura e inteligencia del técnico de Santpedor. Guardiola venera al escocés, éste ve como el catalán le priva de una 'Orejuda' más de despedida.

Con un vendaval de ocasiones, de pases milimétricos entre una ordenada defensa inglesa, y la portería de Van der Sar como único punto de vista, los blaugrana sentenciaron la final con dos goles que les certifican como reyes de Europa. Pudieron ser más, no llegaron y los blaugrana se conformaron con el 3-1, renta suficiente para no tener que pasar apuros.

Xavi e Iniesta llevaron una vez más la batuta del juego, secundados por un Busquets ya consagrado y la tranquilidad que da tener atrás a Valdés, Piqué, Alves, el recuperado y sorprendente Abidal y a un Mascherano que llegó para ser suplente de 'Busi' y que finaliza la temporada como un central de garantías.

Pero si este Barça es superior es, en gran parte, a la figura de Leo Messi. El mejor jugador del partido, para la UEFA y para todo el barcelonismo, no paró de driblar rivales, asistir y rematar en todo el partido, y no cesó hasta que marcó el segundo gol, el que volvió a dar alas a los blaugrana y a encerrar en el infierno a los 'red devils'. El argentino demostró que su hambre de títulos no cesará nunca, todo entrega y sacrificio por el grupo.

Fue una gran noche para los catalanes, una en la que demostraron que costará acabar con su hegemonía en Europa. Valdés casi no tuvo apuros, pero estuvo muy atento al corte, la defensa actuó de oficio con la única excepción del gol de Rooney, los 'locos bajitos' del centro del campo aleccionaron como siempre y que decir de los tres de arriba más que honoraron a su apodo, 'MVP', con un gol para cada uno.

Pedro abrió la lata dejando sentado a Van der Sar, que se despedirá del fútbol con un sabor amargo, y tras aprovechar una gran asistencia del metrónomo Xavi. Messi, con una tranquilidad pasmosa, se fabricó él solito el gol. No había espacios en la frontal, así que se adelantó el balón y dejó ir un latigazo imparable. Para poner el broche de oro, Villa se reencontró con el gol en el mejor momento y de la mejor manera, con un tiro colocado con sabor a 'Champions', a la cuarta de la historia. Londres, París, Roma y de nuevo Londres. ¿Próxima estación? La celebración del título en Barcelona.

Antes, los capitanes blaugrana decidieron dar el honor de levantar la 'Champions' a Éric Abidal, que ha superado el cáncer de hígado que se le detectó en marzo y, como suele decirse, ha vuelto a nacer para levantar el máximo trofeo continental. Esto es ser 'més que un club', como el hecho de que Valdés vistiera de verde en honor a Andoni Zubizarreta, portero y capitán del 'Dream Team' que empezó a escribir la historia hoy ampliada.

FICHA TÉCNICA

RESULTADO: FC BARCELONA, 3 - MANCHESTER UNITED, 1 (1-1, al descanso).

EQUIPOS:

FC BARCELONA: Valdés; Alves (Puyol, min.88), Piqué, Mascherano, Abidal; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Villa (Keita, min.85), Messi y Pedro (Afellay, min.90).

MANCHESTER UNITED: Van der Sar; Fabio (Nani, min.68), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Valencia (min.79), Carrick (Scholes, min.76), Giggs, Park; Rooney y 'Chicharito'.

GOLES:

1-0. Min.27, Pedro.

1-1. Min.34, Rooney.

2-1. Min.54, Messi.

3-1. Min.69, Villa.

ÁRBITRO: Viktor Kassai (HUN). Amonestó a Alves (min.60) y Valdés (min.85) en el Barcelona y a Carrick (min.61) y Valencia (min.79) en el Manchester United.

ESTADIO: Wembley, 87.695 espectadores.

Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons

Never Forget Those Who Served

He was part of the Greatest Generation. Born just before the Great Depression, seventy-plus years of hard living show on his face.  His achievements are not as obvious:  served in World War II; helped build the aerospace industy; raised six kids and sent them all to college; married to his wife for almost fifty years.  During the war, his Division liberated a concentration camp. He received a shrapnel injury and Purple Heart fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. He earned a Bronze Star for retrieving and rescuing a fallen comrade.  We were so proud when Orange County honored Latino veterans, and his banner hung from the rafters during the ceremony. My father. One of the Greatest indeed. Original layout from 2002.
Originally posted November, 2009. Reposted today to mark Memorial Day Weekend in the U.S.

Maybe I Just Wanted To See

Maybe I just wanted to see

Animal Tattoo Designs

Animal Tattoo Designs

If you have a love for tattoos and a love for animals, then why not celebrate the two with an awesome animal tattoo! Here at Tattoo fashion, we aim to create amazing real life animal tattoos that may give you inspiration to get a cool real tattoo.

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