tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88343645418252118792024-03-13T10:22:44.746-07:00the View from Kevin's cornerMusings about what's going on in my life, in the world, and in my circle. Click the Title Bar (above) to read the "full" blog.<a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-27505807021765655932020-02-16T13:03:00.000-08:002020-03-10T11:29:32.922-07:00My Coming-of-Age UU Chalice Lighting — One year of Retirement<br />
Good Morning,<br />
I'm Kevin Pammett.<br />
<br />
It is my honor and privilege to be here Lighting the Chalice <a href="https://uugroton.org/nbu/public/audio/2020-02-16-k-pamm.mp3" target="_" title="Click here for an audio recording of my Feb 16/2020 Chalice Lighting">(<i>audio</i>)</a> this morning — to share with you my perspective on <span style="background-color: orange;">“It Takes a Village”</span>, and my excitement about<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"> how <span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>well</b></span> this community is doing exactly that.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"></span><br />
Following Donna's lead from last week, I'm sure it's no surprise that my word for 2020 is <span style="background-color: lime;">Retirement</span><br />
<br />
As many of you know, it started last year for me, and imagine — this Valentine's Day pretty much marked the end of my first year of retirement. And <span style="background-color: yellow;">I'm here to tell you it's been a terrific journey!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"></span><br />
It is pretty amazing when all of a sudden all of the rules seem to change. Without a 9-5 job, I no longer have many constraints I used to have. I can pretty much do whatever I want. I get to re-establish my daily routines, and spend more time doing things I really enjoy.<br />
<br />
One of the things that I've really been enjoying in our Church this year is seeing the youth in the Coming-of-Age program — each standing up and doing their own Chalice Lightings. I find it very inspirational, though I admit that many of them seem like<i> a pretty hard act to follow</i>.<br />
<br />
But I have been really identifying with it because, not unlike these brave youth, my Rite of Passage into retirement also has me questioning things like the following, which I also invite you to think about regarding where you are in your life, now:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: cyan;">How do I fit in, </span><span style="background-color: cyan;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Now</i>? </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">What am I going to spend my time on, <span style="font-size: large;">Now?</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: cyan;">What do I really care about, <span style="font-size: large;">Now?</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">What do I really stand for, </span><span style="background-color: lime; font-size: large;">Now? </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: cyan;">Who do I want to spend my time with,</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: cyan;"> Now?</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: lime;">Should I be looking for a different mentor, </span><span style="background-color: lime; font-size: large;">Now? </span></li>
</ul>
As I look out on everyone here, it's clear to me that you don't have to be <i>Coming of Age</i> or <i>going into Retirement</i> in order to be facing these sorts of questions - or even situations far more serious. <b>We are all on that path we call <i>life</i> and none of us knows what's around the next corner. </b>That's exactly why the opportunity for all of us, here, is to <i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;">fully bring who we are — and what we are dealing with in our lives — to the many different facets of this community</span></i>.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: lime; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif , "segoe ui symbol"; font-size: 30px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.75px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">• </span></span><span style="background-color: lime; font-size: large;">This is the place where we can all express ourselves in such a way that people really <i>get</i> who we are.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: lime;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "helvetica" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif , "segoe ui symbol"; font-size: 30px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.75px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">• </span></span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;">Here we surround ourselves with people who <i>actually want</i> to know who we really are.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
And to me, THAT is really the magic and the wisdom of this <i>Welcoming and Nurturing community</i> - it is why we are all really here. It is how <b><i>we take care of one another</i></b>, and it is the foundation that enables us to <b><i>Be a Blessing to the World</i></b>.<br />
<br />
I light the Chalice today on behalf of <span style="background-color: orange; font-size: large;">our multi-generational community of loving and compassionate support for one another — through all of the Rites of Passage, and the large as well as the small Transitions in our lives. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: orange; font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-47028127943249098492018-12-30T13:33:00.000-08:002019-07-30T08:57:59.800-07:00My Christmas Chalice Lighting, Dec 23rd, 2018Below is the text I created when I led the <i>Lighting the Chalice</i> ritual at our UUC in Groton, the day before Christmas, 2018. Since it was the Christmas service, I skipped over some of this during the actual presentation in the interest of time.
<hr>
<p>
It is such an honor to be here this morning — to share with you my perspective and my excitement about this very special and important time of year...
</p><p>
For many of us, it's a time to experience our extended families - we see people we love, and we rekindle fond relationships. Maybe there are folks we're happy to see only once a year — but even that keeps us in touch, and it replenishes our thirst for connections to our past, present and future.
</p><p>
So in many ways, <strong>this is The Season of Joy</strong>.
</p><p>
Indeed, one of the great joys I have already experienced this year happened because my wife made an off-hand comment about "The Clapper" as we were trying to unravel the mysteries of all the lights on the Christmas Tree.
</p><p>
So I did it — I succumbed — even though I vowed I'd never buy "<b><i>The Clapper</i></b>" because I thought it was only for really old people ... Now just imagine the joy when this <b> (clap, clap)</b> makes all of the holiday lights go on, and <b>(clap, clap)</b> makes them go off. Pure Joy!
</p><p>
But as Elea reminded us last week, let us acknowledge that the road thru our yearly Chanukah and Christmas celebrations, albeit paved with the best of intentions, is not necessarily a smooth passage.
</p><p>
It could be fraught with memories of previous seasons where all did NOT go well. Maybe we have lost loved ones who have left us yearning to be with them again. Or maybe this season especially reminds us of regrets too numerous to elaborate. You all know what I'm talking about.
</p><p>
For that reason, many of us set out to "Be on our best behavior" — pretending that everything is OK, even when it isn't... so we avoid "making waves" — a kind of a "hiding out"... Sometimes that "works"... but I would like to suggest an alternative.
</p><p><font size="+2" color="green"> <I>
Be open to the positive side of everything that happens, whilst still acknowledging the reality of our situations. Fully experience whatever happens and look for the blessings, in gratitude. </I></font>
</p><p>
In my men's circle we use phrases that articulate "ways of being" — ones that we aspire to hold. Here is one called "<a href="http://bit.ly/HommeEnFeu" title="Let your Emotions flow freely — Feel the Burn">Feel the Burn</a>" — I brought this picture to illustrate the point. I know this is too small for most to see; if you're feeling brave, Google "picture, burning man".
</p><p>
Recently I found a much better way to say this... In her cyberspace blog called "DailyOM ", Madisyn Taylor writes in her article called "<b>Honoring All Experiences</b>":
<ul>
<li>It is important when pain comes our way to honor the experience, as it is usually a great teacher.</li>
<li>Honoring the experiences we have in our lives is an invaluable way to communicate with life, our greatest teacher.</li>
<li>We do this when we take time at night to say what we are thankful for about our day, and also when we write in a journal.</li>
<li>Both of these acts involve consciously acknowledging the events of our lives so that they deepen our relationship to our experiences.</li>
<li>This is important because it brings us into closer connection with life, and with the moment.</li>
<li>Only when we acknowledge what's happening to us can we truly benefit from life's teachings.</li>
</ul>
So I light the Chalice this morning for each and every one of us — that we fully appreciate who we are, and that we totally bring our present selves into these holidays... as they unfold thru New Years.
</p><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-40289617509552979842015-12-10T12:14:00.001-08:002015-12-10T13:26:44.103-08:00The Extended Groton Community Sings — GCCC 2015<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6leUvzXYahU/Vmnju1PnLPI/AAAAAAAABN0/mpfonIgNNEM/s1600/UUC%2BGCCC-WP_20151205_011-dated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6leUvzXYahU/Vmnju1PnLPI/AAAAAAAABN0/mpfonIgNNEM/s320/UUC%2BGCCC-WP_20151205_011-dated.jpg" /></a></div> I was late putting out the sandwich boards for this year's Groton Community Christmas Chorus, but as you see here in my selfie when I did put the first one out, that I'm looking pretty pleased with myself. I guess that's because I love having the opportunity to bring this gift to our community every year.
</p>
<p>Click on the image to the right to see the full-sized version of this year's GCCC 2015 board — right in front of the Union Congregational Church on Main St in Groton, Ma, where all 3 concerts are performed each year, starting in 1974 by <strong>Edie Tompkins</strong>. That makes this year the 41<sup>st</sup> Annual GCCC. Wow! What a legacy!
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhAq-ddFUK8/Vmnp9CVpA-I/AAAAAAAABOU/0Dwlrwz6AZ8/s1600/GCCC%2BFinal%2BPublicity%2BPoster%2B2015-border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PhAq-ddFUK8/Vmnp9CVpA-I/AAAAAAAABOU/0Dwlrwz6AZ8/s200/GCCC%2BFinal%2BPublicity%2BPoster%2B2015-border.jpg" /></a></div> Either the picture above or the GCCC flyer on the left give the details of when the 3 concerts are sung.
For fire safety reasons the Church is only allowed to hold a certain number of people at one time so we sing three concerts in mid December to make sure we can accomodate all who want to come and start of their Christmas season with this concert. See the flyer on the left for details.
<p>
See you there !
</p>
Maybe after we sing the concert I'll use this space to attach some snapshots or video clips.
</p>
<p>
Click <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=GCCC&max-results=20&by-date=true" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about GCCC - the Groton Community Christmas Chorus" >here</a>
for a selection of my blog articles about the Groton Community Christmas Chorus as I have sung in it many times over the years.
</p><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-90869720021232371932015-11-14T10:24:00.001-08:002015-11-15T11:38:39.687-08:00Honoring our Dad — “Dutch” Pammett — Chalice Lighting 2015Coincident with a long weekend visit from my sister Nanci and her husband Art Phelan, Nanci and I wrote and delivered the Veterans’ Day tribute you see below as part of what we call the “<i>Chalice Lighting</i>” ceremony at our First Parish Church (Unitarian Universalist) — a Welcoming Church in Groton, Ma.
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Good Morning, I'm Kevin Pammett –</td>
</tr>
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and I’m Kevin’s sister, Nanci Phelan from Canada.</td>
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[kp] It is our privilege to light the chalice this morning in honor of Veterans’ Day and also to honour our father, Harold “Dutch” Percy Pammett who was a veteran in the Canadian Navy during WWII.</td>
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<tr>
<td cellpadding="3">
[np] For us, Remembrance Day will always have a special meaning because Dad passed away on that day in 1981. He was out golfing on a sunny autumn morning’ having just beaten my mom in a game of gin rummy. I was sitting on the couch with my young children, watching the Remembrance Day service on TV, when I got the phone call. It was a sad shock but over the years we’ve found comfort, healing and a kind of dignity in the coincidence and in the memory.</td>
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<tr bgcolor="#ACFFAC">
<td cellpadding="3">
[kp] For me, it is now more than half of my life ago that Dad died – imagine – a heart attack while he was doing what he loved !
… Among the major life lessons I learned from my Dad – because he died at the young age of 61 – was this: <i>All we really can count on is living every day to the fullest – because “Tomorrow is promised to no one.”</i>
<br><br>
In addition, I hold my Father honorably as a real life example of the many hundreds of thousands of men and women who have given their lives and who <i>continue to give everything of themselves</i> – in the service of their country.
</td>
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[np] Another Remembrance Day memory occurred in 1999 when I was chosen to lay a wreath on the Cenotaph in Ottawa, for the Canadian Federation of University Women. It was a wonderful and exhilarating service on a crisp, sunny morning under a cloudless blue sky. To my right was a sickly old man on an electronic scooter, outfitted with a Canadian Flag. There were throngs of people and vets in a great array of uniforms. We were in front of the Peace Tower and beside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Canadian Snowbirds, who are famous worldwide for their aeronautics, did a fly past salute. It was an honour to be part of such a poignant and venerable celebration. I was deeply moved by the immensity of what war had wrought. Remembrance Day took on a meaning beyond the personal and a poem took shape.</td>
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<td cellpadding="3">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mqz9n2RKa6g/VkeDZ1Mx0mI/AAAAAAAABNI/40Z4v29B4cg/s1600/Waterfire-Providence-RI-Nov-2015-WP_20151107_019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mqz9n2RKa6g/VkeDZ1Mx0mI/AAAAAAAABNI/40Z4v29B4cg/s320/Waterfire-Providence-RI-Nov-2015-WP_20151107_019.jpg" /></a></div>
[kp] This year, since Nanci and her husband were visiting us for the long weekend, we had the opportunity to forge another treasured Veterans’ Day memory by going to the Waterfire event in Providence where they held a special tribute to our Veterans of Foreign Wars. What a privilege it was standing around “the basin” with dozens of blazing fires burning over the water, listening to a marching band and several traditional “American” songs as we watched the ring of men and women – each lighting the torch of the Veteran standing next to them – until the whole circle was ablaze with hundreds of torches proudly held high. Indeed, it brought tears to my eyes as I thought about the sacrifices made by these heroes and it really left me feeling “<i>Proud to Be an American</i>”.
<br><br>
Veterans’ Day, I’m sure, means very different things to each one of us and so Nanci and I light the chalice this morning in honor of Veterans’ Day or Remembrance Day, and in honor of what each person here holds for it in their hearts individually.
</td>
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<br />
How fortunate I am to live in such a community, and to have had this opportunity to do this with my dear sister.
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0Groton, MA, USA42.6112018 -71.57451520000000842.5177203 -71.7358767 42.704683300000006 -71.413153700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-7381673527703318612014-12-19T10:01:00.001-08:002014-12-20T12:29:13.937-08:00Family, Meteor Showers, and Community Chorus<p>Now that the dust has settled after the 40<sup>th</sup> Annual Groton Community Christmas Chorus, I can't resist writing one more article about it — for a few reasons… For starters, the picture below is one where you can actually see that I sing as a Baritone (back row) in the choir, because it was taken by a man on my team who came to see the "middle" concert — the one on Sunday night.
</p>
<p> As strong as ever, about 100 of us from a dozen or more towns around Groton gave our Annual Christmas Gift to the Community — the usual three concerts at the UCC in Groton. And, as always, all 3 performances were to a packed house and the choirs all sang well. The instrumentalists we all fabulous, and as always The Treble Choir stole the show.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a title="Click here for the full sized image of this years Groton Community Christmas Chorus" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lzwwyHKt6nw/VJRp3SnAODI/AAAAAAAABLA/kUjVcBaU0Is/s1600/GCCC-full-chorus-IMG_0470-Dec14-2014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lzwwyHKt6nw/VJRp3SnAODI/AAAAAAAABLA/kUjVcBaU0Is/s400/GCCC-full-chorus-IMG_0470-Dec14-2014.JPG" /></a></div>
This year I felt more a part of the chorus; I think I just put more time and energy into getting to know the people behind the voices. And I was thrilled with how many new — especially younger and new — singers we had. We had a really simple piece for the GCCC men's number, but it was challenging enough because Edie had us sing it in an unusual configuration. The GCCC Women sang "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Gifts#Lyrics" title="Click here for a Wikipedia article about Simple Gifts, including the lyrics" >Simple Gifts</a>" and I did capture a video clip of that <a href="http://youtu.be/ZnlaVjpPVZ0" title="Click here for a video clip of Simple Gifts -- but only during the dress rehearsal" >but only during the dress rehearsal</a>, not the actual performance. Another thing that was different for me was that I got to be part of a quartet of men who joined the Treble choir while they sang "Little Drummer Boy" and we/the men were challenged (believe it or not!) <strong>to be the drums</strong> using our voices. Likewise, this isn't good video (because of where my camera was) but you get an excellent sense of <a href="http://youtu.be/BSbO_0M2zT0" title="Click here for a video clip of what the Bell Choir sounded like (albeit from sitting behind them on the stage)" >what the Bell Choir sounded like</a> from where I was.
<hr>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czarkyj0EV0/VJR5-4Snd6I/AAAAAAAABLw/xP9WvhIlpgw/s1600/kgp-Geminid%2BMeteor%2BShower%2B-%2BDust%2BFrom%2Ban%2BAsteroid-12-14-14.jpg" title="Click here for the full sized image of the where in the night sky you can see the Geminid Meteor Showers" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czarkyj0EV0/VJR5-4Snd6I/AAAAAAAABLw/xP9WvhIlpgw/s200/kgp-Geminid%2BMeteor%2BShower%2B-%2BDust%2BFrom%2Ban%2BAsteroid-12-14-14.jpg" /></a></div>The Saturday night before the concert we had a most-memorable extended-family bonfire cook-out in our yard. Both of my daughters were home, with their precsious men and several other friends, and we and had a fabulous time. Totally coincidentally, it was one of the peak evenings for shooting stars and we saw the "Geminid Meteor Showers" off and on over a period of about 3 hours. How appropriate it was for us to be watching "sharply bright dashes of light" (spirit!) on this particular evening — going into December 14<sup>th</sup> — because of the anniversary of a tragic family loss.
<p>
For fascinating details about these "Geminid Meteor Showers" you might want to check out <a href="http://www.space.com/23281-geminid-meteor-shower.html" title="Click here for the Space.com article -- Geminid Meteor Showers: Dust From an Asteroid " >this Space.com article and video</a>. Likewise, click <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=GCCC&max-results=20&by-date=true" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about GCCC - the Groton Community Christmas Chorus" >here</a>
for a selection of my blog articles about singing in the Groton Community Christmas Chorus over the years.
</p>
<p>
Wow — we were truly blessed on Saturday night, and I am truly blessed to be part of this community!!!
</p><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-3844643942134446702014-11-30T05:05:00.002-08:002014-12-01T19:52:43.924-08:00Thanksgiving in Groton; Christmas starts with the GCCC<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CNnnVzjRZ9s/VHsXVaULDpI/AAAAAAAABKQ/cSou_c_qLGs/s1600/Thanksgiving-in-Groton-WP_20141127_003.jpg" title="click here to see the full-sized image of this year's Thanksgiving snow on the trees in our yard" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CNnnVzjRZ9s/VHsXVaULDpI/AAAAAAAABKQ/cSou_c_qLGs/s320/Thanksgiving-in-Groton-WP_20141127_003.jpg" /></a></div> This year in my GCCC article I also want to include the early morning sunrise picture that I took on Thanksgiving morning. Click on the image to the right to see the full-sized version of this year's early Thanksgiving morning snow on the trees in our yard.
<p>
The snow started to fall on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so early on Thanksgiving morning it was so beautiful and fluffy on the naked trees in our yard that I couldn't resist taking a number of pictures. Just the simple natural beauty of it put me immediately into a context of gratitude; it was the perfect way to start my Thanksgiving holidays.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mM4rVp1TpuY/VHsaIpA9M3I/AAAAAAAABKk/3A4qZvxH4eI/s1600/GCCC-2014.jpg" title="click here to see the full-sized image of the GCCC flyer for 2014" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mM4rVp1TpuY/VHsaIpA9M3I/AAAAAAAABKk/3A4qZvxH4eI/s320/GCCC-2014.jpg" /></a></div>
And as I know from other years, once we get to Thanksgiving, the Groton Community Christmas Chorus is right around the corner. And this year Thanksgiving was so late in the month, that we're already just 2 weeks away from the three concerts we do in mid December. See flyer on the left for details.
<p>
So that's why I went out today and put out the first of the sandwich boards. But it was too dark out to get a picture, so <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-season-of-joy-2013.html" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about my annual Production conbribution to the GCCC" >here is</a> what recent GCCC sandwich boards look like.
</p>
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<font size="+1">
Keep in mind - 3 concerts:
<UL>
<LI>
Sunday, December 14<sup>th</sup> at 2.00 p.m.
</LI><br>
<LI>
Sunday, December 14<sup>th</sup> at 7.30 p.m.
</LI><br>
<LI>
Monday, December 15<sup>th</sup> at 7.30 p.m.
</LI>
</UL>
</font>
</td>
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See you there !
</p>
<p>
Click <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=GCCC&max-results=20&by-date=true" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about GCCC - the Groton Community Christmas Chorus" >here</a>
for a selection of my blog articles about GCCC - the Groton Community Christmas Chorus.
</p><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-1423011002827281442014-10-24T05:45:00.002-07:002014-10-24T07:50:43.606-07:00A Breath of Sunshine on a bleak day in October<p>Recently when I had a little time to <i>fill in</i> between early-morning choir practice and our usual 10am Sunday morning service, I wandered out into our "UUC Memory Garden" and took the snapshot that you see, here, of "Gaye's Memory Brick". Click <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-england-fall-gayes-memorial-brick.html" title="Click here for my blog articles about Gaye's memorial brick" >here</a> for my blog article about Gaye's brick <i>per se</i>; here I tried more to capture the garden itself within the environment where it rests. You'd never know that this is right in the center of our town, Groton, Ma.
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<a title="click here to see the full sized picture of the UUC Memory Garden highlighting Gaye's Brick" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RhCFQmPsrHg/VEpK47YlUvI/AAAAAAAABJs/RH-pmUtHQKQ/s1600/UUC-memory-garden-in-Fall-WP_20141005_006-Gaye'sBrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RhCFQmPsrHg/VEpK47YlUvI/AAAAAAAABJs/RH-pmUtHQKQ/s640/UUC-memory-garden-in-Fall-WP_20141005_006-Gaye'sBrick.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
What a peaceful place it is — standing on and reading the 100s of bricks that memorialize loved ones from our congregation, looking out over the magnificent New England Fall, as you see it here, and listening to hear Gaye's voice in the wind, as I've written about <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2007/10/gaye-elaine-pammett-climb-every.html" title="Click here for my blog articles about Gaye's memorial brick" >before</a>. This voice is not a lamentation; it's about everlasting joy — the <i>joie de vivre</i> that characterized the life she lived, albeit way too short.
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Alas, I doubt that this view looks like that now because we've recently had three days of rain so I suspect most of the leaves have now fallen. But that's OK; it's perfectly appropriate. I actually like this view in every season, even on frigid cold days in Winter, or like today, a pretty bleak end-of-October day.
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So where's that <i>"Breath of Sunshine" ? </i>
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It's easy — just listen to the soundtrack from "The Sound of Music" and imagine living your life like that. Every day's an adventure. Every day the glass <u>is</u> always half full.
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It was Gaye's lifetime context of "Climb Every Mountain" — with all of the UPs and DOWNs that entails — that taught me about why that's so important. It's all about embracing life <u>as it is</u>. Fully appreciating today, not waiting for something that <i>might come</i>… because this moment — <strong>right now</strong> — is all that any of us really has. It's about being truly happy with what <u>is</u> within your reach.</td>
<td height="100%"><marquee style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana" scrollamount="1" scrolldelay="0.5" direction="up" width="230" ><h4>Climb every mountain… <br /> — from <i>"The Sound of Music"</i> soundtrack</h4>
Climb every mountain,
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Search high and low,
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Follow every byway,
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Every path you know.
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Climb every mountain,
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Ford every stream,
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Follow every rainbow,
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'Till you find your dream.
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A dream that will need
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All the love you can give,
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Every day of your life
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For as long as you live.
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<br />
Climb every mountain,
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Ford every stream,
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Follow every rainbow,
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Till you find your dream
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A dream that will need
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All the love you can give,
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Every day of your life,
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For as long as you live.
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<br />
Climb every mountain,
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Ford every stream,
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Follow every rainbow,
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Till you find your dream.
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Thank you, and I miss you, dear sweet sister Gaye. Thank you for the life you lived, and for what you continue to give to me by still being present in my life every day.
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-78535144112698261042014-09-14T11:22:00.001-07:002014-09-14T12:50:31.505-07:00Community Holy Water and George Downey's Chalice Story <br />As per our annual UUC Groton tradition at the beginning of the Fall season… this week we had our "Gathering of Community Water" ritual during our first "big church" service of the Fall. As always, there was a huge turnout as everyone proudly told their story — I loved it. Moreover, this year that was especially great for me because it rained on
<a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2014/08/citizen-pammett-proud-to-be-american.html" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about where the rain water came from" >The Day I took my US Citizenship Oath</a> and I had gathered that rain water specifically for this ritual. So I proudly said “<strong><i>Dual Citizen</i></strong>” as my "word" that goes with the water and that was very meaningful for me.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_-Lerg_8ZQ/VBXmpjE6IKI/AAAAAAAABJI/skekdp6OcHQ/s1600/TributeTo-George%2BDowney-age90-WP_20140907_002-09-11-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_-Lerg_8ZQ/VBXmpjE6IKI/AAAAAAAABJI/skekdp6OcHQ/s400/TributeTo-George%2BDowney-age90-WP_20140907_002-09-11-14.jpg" /></a></div>On the right you see a picture of the huge "card" that everyone got to sign for George Downey's 90<sup>th</sup> birthday along with a recent picture of him. Below is the text from his story about his most generous gift to the UUC community sometime after the year 2000.<TABLE BORDER="1" cellpadding="5" ><TR><TD bgcolor="#a0ffa0" >“<i><strong>The Chalice Story ” — by George Downey</strong></i>
<br> Several years ago Jean and I arrived, joining with others in the congregation for Sunday worship at First Parish Church of Groton. Our Chalice then was a pewter vessel showing some dents, with a somewhat distorted rim, and sitting slightly askew on its base.
<br> Some place in Elea's sermon that morning my mind strayed to imagining a new Chalice vessel: what shape, how big, how wide, how high, what wood, what artistic presence? Well, my mind got back to Elea's sermon, but I took all of those fleeting thoughts home with me.
<br> First, it was to the drafting board: rough sketches, finally a satisfying idea, scale drawings, full-scale drawings, templates cut to the shape of the finished design. The wood should be mahogany, like the molding trim around the top of the box pews.
<br> It was time to go to my woodworking shop. I had a supply of leftover mahogany pieces. The pedestal is a stack of disks of diminishing diameters. These are glued and clamped. While the glue hardened for seven days it allowed time for me to re-sharpen all the lathe chisels to razor-sharp edges.
<br> The lathe will turn the pieces slowly at first. The pedestal and the bowl are shaped separately on the lathe. The speed is increased as the pieces are rounded, and increased more for shaping. The pieces are sanded on the rotating lathe. The pedestal and bowl must fit together precisely for the final assembly and gluing. The last step is a finish applied to bring out the beauty of the mahogany wood. To this point this is just a created object in my workshop.
<br> When the wooden vessel made its way from my workbench to our sanctuary and was placed on its stand, with a flaming candle, it was infused with new meaning as Our Chalice, truly a metamorphosis in wood!
<br> The flaming Chalice is the symbol of Unitarian Universalism, and it is a centering symbol of our gathered community.
<br> Our Chalice flame embraces all who come! - Sept 2014</TD></TR></TABLE>
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George tells me the "he's not on-line", so I guess he won't likely see this. But I wanted to post it nevertheless because I very much value our heritage and believe firmly in doing whatever I can to help preserve it. As you can read in <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=UUC" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about my UUC participation" >my blog articles about my UUC participation</a>, I've been going to this Church for many years yet I had no idea of the story behind our beloved mahogany wooden chalice. Thank you so much, George !<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-50947952884400024932014-08-13T12:16:00.002-07:002014-08-14T08:50:31.678-07:00Proud to be an American — Citizen PammettAt long last it finally happened — I made my way through <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=citizen&max-results=20&by-date=true" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about the steps to Naturalization (citizenship) in the USA" >all of the tedious steps</a> and have just taken the final step — the pledge of allegiance to the USA. Yup. <i>Citizen Pammett</i> and I <u>am</u> Proud to be an American!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dG2GoI24_fk/U-vCN0ChGjI/AAAAAAAABIo/5VRQ-kSCKA8/s1600/Jillian-and-Kevin-citizenship-day-WP_20140813_013-crop.jpg" title="Click here for the full sized image of Jillian and Kevin at Panera Bread in Chelmsford" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dG2GoI24_fk/U-vCN0ChGjI/AAAAAAAABIo/5VRQ-kSCKA8/s400/Jillian-and-Kevin-citizenship-day-WP_20140813_013-crop.jpg" /></a></div>Never having seen such a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalization" title="Click here for a wikipedia article about the naturalization process" >naturalization</a> ceremony, I didn't know much about what to expect, so it was pretty interesting. First lesson learned: When they say "it starts at 10:30", what that means is that some people will arrive by then, but they don't actually start the ceremony until after everyone who is going to arrive has had their paperwork checked, and they're all sitting in their seats. So in my case that meant that we actually got going just after 12:30.
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Then the interesting part started. First up, they said that we were 643 applicants, from 95 different countries. Then they called out all of the countries in alphabetical order, encouraging everyone to stand up and cheer when their country was called. Not unlike the Olympics… it was an amazingly long time until they got to Canada at which point I did cheer loudly to make my presence known — as if it wasn't already obvious enough due to my Uncle Sam top hat and celebratory garb. Much to my surprise, it was the only such hat that I saw all day. The festive garb was the brainchild and birthday gift from my baby girl, shown with me on the left when we went out for lunch afterwards with my longtime friend, Austin.
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The ceremony was actually more interesting than I expected, featuring a very inspirational "keynote" from the Judge — herself an immigrant — who presided over the ceremony. Her quote, which totally enrolled me, was [that I was] <font size="+1">“Pledging myself to an enterprise in human freedom”</font>. Yeah ! I totally get it. After the Oath, tears came to my eyes as I sang “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCmk88S2sdQ" title="Click here for a male vocalist ensemble singing The Star-Spangled Banner" ><i>The Star-Spangled Banner</i></a>” for my first time as an American Citizen. I was also touched by the symbolism of it being such a rainy day (new life). When I got home I put out a container to catch rain drops and I will use that water as my "Citizenship" contribution this Fall when we do <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=UUC&max-results=20&by-date=true" title="Click here for all of my blog articles about our UUC (Unitarian Universalist) community" >our UUC tradition</a> of combining community water to make ritual water for the coming year.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jp3wbWDxJ-8/U-vH2ox5obI/AAAAAAAABIw/WG8bg3hSX8Y/s1600/WP_20140326_002-greenCard.jpg" title="Click here for the full sized image of my green card from 1982" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jp3wbWDxJ-8/U-vH2ox5obI/AAAAAAAABIw/WG8bg3hSX8Y/s200/WP_20140326_002-greenCard.jpg" /></a></div>For comparisson — on the right you see what I looked like when I got my green card in 1982, which was already 5 years after I'd come to the USA. Yea... things change. How many times have I had to explain <u>that</u> at border crossings? <br />
Which brings me to answering the question everyone asks: <font size="+1">Why did I do it ?</font>
<br>Basically, to me it was a mater of Integrity. Technically, I'll always be a Canadian. But I have lived and worked my entire life outside of Canada — years in France but mostly in the USA. And at this point in my life I want to "go home" when I retire — home to <i>my country</i>. And though I have lived elsewhere for almost half my life, deep down I feel like this is my home and always will be. So I just wanted to make the commitment officially and take my rightful place doing my part in “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner" title="Click here for a wikipedia article about The Star Spangled Banner" ><i>The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave</i></a>”.
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So that's my story and I'm stickin' to it
!<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-40467937502241740822014-08-12T07:04:00.001-07:002014-08-13T05:25:26.927-07:00How much have you loved? <br />
Last evening, just when my mind was turning to the next day — to today being the anniversary of <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=audrey" title="Click here for my blog articles about my Mom, Jean Audrey (Carter) Pammett" >my Mom</a>'s passing in the year 2000 — I was totally blind-sighted by the shocking news of the tragic passing of Robin Williams. I have long felt a kindred spirit with him, but didn't realize until I looked it up how close we really were on life's timeline: We were almost exactly the same age except that he was born on the 21<sup>st</sup> vs my birthday being the 24<sup>th</sup> of July, 1951.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wowFC2FaYv0/U-pQjU3OQ5I/AAAAAAAABIY/QQOHh3Hv2s0/s1600/lone-Wolf-cries-out.jpg" title="Click here for the full sized image of my lone wolf and supermoon collage" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wowFC2FaYv0/U-pQjU3OQ5I/AAAAAAAABIY/QQOHh3Hv2s0/s400/lone-Wolf-cries-out.jpg" /></a></div>So today, rather than lament his unfortunate choice of leaving us, I choose to focus on one of the many of his quotes that I heard on TV today. In an interview where they were talking about the choices we all make as we go through life — what ultimately matters and what doesn't — RW said that the most important way we all can assess our own lives is to look back over it and ask the simple question: <font size="+1">“How much have you loved ?”</font></p>
<p>Such a poignant and important question! I might prefer to generalize it a bit and rather ask a question about being in touch with your passion... <i>What are you passionate about?</i> Or: <i>When was the last time you allowed yourself to really engage in something that you are passionate about?</i> Take a second, now, and answer that honestly. You may be inspired by what you discover.</p>
<p> If you know me you'll know that generally I have no shortage of answers to such questions. Most of that revolves around my connection to people and nature, which I guess is why I chose this picture for my R.I.P. statement about Robin Williams. But really it's a calling out to all people out there who can look deep down inside and find something <u>they</u> want to howl about. If you prefer poetry... check out my
“<a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2009/06/passing-on-invitation-from-oriah.html" title="Click here for my blog article about getting in touch with your passion" >Howling at the Moon</a>” article.
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If you're still unsure... go out <u>tonight</u> and marvel at the Perseid meteor showers. Tonight just happens to be when they will be at their peak. And if you're anywhere near Boston, Mass,
<a href="http://www.chiff.com/science/perseids.htm" title="Click here for When and where to look for Perseids in 2014" >check out this article</a> for details on how to see this yearly marvel from the North East USA vantage.
</p><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-20579316740222042462014-07-19T06:47:00.001-07:002014-07-19T07:42:15.028-07:00Two Young Bucks in the Woods <br />I love living out in the sticks !
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To the left is a young buck, taken from my fire circle in the woods early this morning in July. When I went into the woods to dump compost, there he was with his large but broken antlers... but of course he ran away immediately. So I followed his trail until I was in the team mtg site part of the woods, and I just sat still... and there he was - hiding quietly behind a tree about 30' away. So we both sat there for several minutes, inspecting one another until he decided to move beyond the next hill in the neighbors woods.
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I feel privileged.
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The picture below shows the fire circle, but in order to take it I had to step back from the circle and by the time I got to where I could get the view, the young deer had already disappeared behind the hill in the neighbour's woods. So I made a little inert to show where he had been.
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<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-53587210190644082382014-07-04T08:09:00.002-07:002014-07-04T08:44:22.499-07:00Citizen Pammett → Declaration of Independence on July 4th <br />On this lovely day in July I just happen to stumble upon this really terrific video that I've embeded below.
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<td>Of course, we've all heard about the vote that you see in that video clip — with the representatives from each of the 13 colonies when they voted to put their stake in the ground and founded this country. So that's not news. But what struck me when I watched this morning was how brave those people must have been → standing up to what had been the largest military force in the world. Of course it didn't come easy and imagine what it would be like doing that and knowing that people would die making this American Dream — this Dream of Freedom — come true.
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So what does that challenge look like today — when we're facing a world that's so unimaginably different from even just a few decades ago? Click on the video, and as you watch it... think about what <u>you</u> are being called to stand up for in our new global economy, social-media dominated world.
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-70872545291877369362014-06-24T15:12:00.003-07:002014-07-04T08:06:55.448-07:00The Long and Winding Road - to US Citizenship <br />Another very important milestone on my journey towards becoming a "naturalized citizen" of the USA, today, so here's another selfie.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bfcSFF76joE/U6n6tauVfEI/AAAAAAAABGU/c86h1BnMKIk/s1600/KevinPammett-citizenshipTest-WP_20140623_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bfcSFF76joE/U6n6tauVfEI/AAAAAAAABGU/c86h1BnMKIk/s400/KevinPammett-citizenshipTest-WP_20140623_002.jpg" /></a></div>
The selfie on the right is me outside USCIS → the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (formerly known as the INS) in Lawrence, Ma, after the long-awaited citizenship test, which I passed with flying colors on this lovely day in June.<br />
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And now I think there's an excellent chance that it will happen in time for me to vote in November → the USCIS interviewer said that the only remaining step would be the swearing in, and <i>that could be with the July group, otherwise likely to be in August</i> (though of course they can <u>never</u> promise anything).<br />
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If anyone is interested in the process, it's well explained <a href="https://www.uscitizenship.info/" title="click here to check out a site I found very useful in understanding the U.S. Immigration Process" target="_blank">here</a> :<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.uscitizenship.info/" title="click here to check out a site I found very useful in understanding the U.S. Immigration Process" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pBvmMS6_dmM/U7a9oY85IUI/AAAAAAAABG4/bBg5PfdEkW4/s200/logo-USCIS.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-1757901110542847862014-05-08T15:34:00.000-07:002014-06-24T15:46:25.437-07:00Fingerprinting Without Ink - USA CitizenshipThis selfie represents me at a very important milestone in my 30-year journey from being a "landed immigrant" to a "naturalized citizen" of the USA.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXjuvWUwYVM/U6n-MqWdrtI/AAAAAAAABGg/f1MJoGb4u5Q/s1600/KevinPammett-Fingerprinting-WP_20140508_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXjuvWUwYVM/U6n-MqWdrtI/AAAAAAAABGg/f1MJoGb4u5Q/s400/KevinPammett-Fingerprinting-WP_20140508_006.jpg" /></a></div>
On the left — my <i>selfie</i> — is me waiting at the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (the INS) in Lawrence, Ma, for my appointment to get my fingerprints taken for my official citizenship records. And they did it without using any ink, unless you wanna call a full-hand touchpad gizmo something like digital ink.
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Of course this is not the long-awaited citizenship, yet. I don't know when that will clear. But I do think I have reached the point where it is inevitable. There is nothing left that I have to do that I have any big barriers around, which is way more than I can say about most of the other steps along this path. The only major thing left is the interview (which I think is the same thing as the citizenship test) so I will have to study up a bit for that.
<br /> <br />
So there is a chance that it could happen in time for me to vote in November... But I rather suspect more of a delay than that, even though I must admit that the INS folks did pretty good getting to the fingerprinting part already given that I didn't actually submit my citizenship application — finally — until mid-March, 2014.
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-18508601676043980842014-03-26T05:51:00.001-07:002014-03-26T06:52:08.776-07:00Man In Flight — Flying With Eagles <br />I don't normally write articles that mostly contain someone else work, but this morning when I sat back and watched the video that you see below, I was so inspired that I wanted to help others connect with it personally, just like I did.
<table width="100%" border="0"><tr>
<td>Wow!
<br />To see the view that you can get from a hanglider; that's already amazing. But when you bring the Eagles into it — especially when it's so obvious that these powerful birds are willing to really connect with mankind — it really inspires me to connect even more than I usually do with Nature.
<br /><br />
By all means… when you watch this video do it in <strong>full screen</strong> with your audio turned up. Click on the "Play" icon in the center of the picture on the right, and then click the "full screen" Icon [looks like an open square] on the bottom right of the viewing pane.</td><td>
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pd5BMP_41bI?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</td>
</tr>
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<p>
Thank You God!!
<br />
Thank you for bringing us into such a magical and marvelous world where <u>we really can</u> "Fly <u>With</u> The Birds".</p>
<a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-32632706871311779802013-12-30T08:57:00.001-08:002013-12-30T11:49:18.513-08:00PhotoStamps — Creative Christmas Giving<p>Following the model I used for <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2010/01/gifts-that-get-given-away-twice.html" title="click here for my other blog article about creating PhotoStamps">Christmas PhotoStamps in 2009</a>,
this year for many of my Christmas presents I used <a title="create your own Postage stamps in the USA" href="http://photo.stamps.com/Store/">stamps.com</a> (in the USA, and its <a title="create your own Postage stamps in Canada" href="http://www.picturepostage.ca/picpostageprod/DispatcherServlet?op=welcome_public&lang=ENGLISH">Canadian counterpart</a>) to create real postage stamps — featuring pictures that I knew would be special to each of my loved ones, mostly borrowed from FaceBook.
In my 2009 article I used the <strong><i><font size="+1">“3D cube navigator”</font></i></strong> for presentation, but since this time I only made four stamps, I think I'll just go with the "flat out" approach.
</p>
<table width="100%" border="0"><tr>
<td size="34%" ><a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/ps-EllisAndJean-PlanB.jpg" title="click here to see the full-sized image of the PhotoStamp for Ellis and Jean"><img width="250" border="0" src="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/ps-EllisAndJean-PlanB.jpg" />
</a>
</td>
<td size="14%" >The stamp on the left shows both Jean and Ellis doing their favorite things - horseback riding and sailing. This was an easy one though I did have to adjust (rotate) Ellis because Photo Stamps have to be square in shape.</td>
<td size="14%" >Also easy is making stamps for grand-parents, in this case the stamp I made for my sister Nanci on the right. I won't name the grand child 'cept to say that she's the real cutie we got to know this past summer on vacation in Haliburton.</td>
<td size="34%" ><a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/Canadian-stamp-IMG_9662-sq.jpg" title="click here to see the full-sized image of the PhotoStamp for Nanci Phelan"><img width="250" border="0" src="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/Canadian-stamp-IMG_9662-sq.jpg" />
</a>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="100%" border="0"><tr>
<td size="18%" >On the right is the stamp I made for my sweetie and I. It features a wooden statue that Lynnie took a fancy to in Montreal, and a shadow <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/" title="click here to read the CNN article on Selfie being named word of the year for 2013">selfie</a> of me in my role as Shaman at a recent New England Legacy Discovery.</td>
<td size="34%" ><a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/Lynn-and-Kevin-PlanB.jpg" title="click here to see the full-sized image of the PhotoStamp for Lynn and Kevin"><img width="240" border="0" src="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/Lynn-and-Kevin-PlanB.jpg" />
</a>
</td>
<td size="8%" >This year Jillian got engaged to her longtime beau, Mike Nedoroscik. So here they are about to go out zip lining in Costa Rica. <u>The Ring</u> is shown as an inset as is the cake writing from their celebration at The Pig.</td>
<td size="34%" ><a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/ps-Jillian-and-Mike-PlanB.jpg" title="click here to see the full-sized image of the PhotoStamp for Jillian and Mike"><img width="240" border="0" src="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/ps-Jillian-and-Mike-PlanB.jpg" />
</a>
</td>
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<p>
I guess it's not something that you can do every year, not to mention that "no one" uses actual postage stamps anymore... but I still think that photo stamps is a good way to put a little creative juice to work and come up with something memorable — especially for people who already have everything you could possibly imagine.
</p><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-85560517919129973982013-12-07T14:41:00.001-08:002014-01-11T10:52:00.058-08:00The Season of Joy 2013There are at least three things that I'm involved with as this end-of-Fall before-Christmas season approaches, and though they're not directly related, I'm just going to talk about them all in this post.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkiZdk-yUS8/UqOo9-vdZgI/AAAAAAAABDk/7cmfoBIO_xQ/s1600/Kevin-GCCC-selfie-WP_20131130_014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkiZdk-yUS8/UqOo9-vdZgI/AAAAAAAABDk/7cmfoBIO_xQ/s400/Kevin-GCCC-selfie-WP_20131130_014.jpg" title="click here to see the full sized image (my selfie) of putting up the GCCC sandwich boards" /></a></div>
<br />The first is when I unwrap the sandwich boards for the Groton Community Christmas Concerts that I keep stored in my shed for most of the year. Then, round about Thanksgiving, I clean them up and rework the dates in preparation for putting them out in early December, around 10 days before the 3 concerts we put on.
<br />
The picture on the right — my first published <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/19/living/selfie-word-of-the-year/" title="click here to read the CNN article on Selfie being named word of the year for 2013">selfie</a> — was my stake in the ground for writing this article, and I used it during the Fall as a place to direct people to when they asked me about the timing of the 3 concerts we give each year in early December.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BtC9lJdXzXQ/Ur8Q6vq2YtI/AAAAAAAABEY/Ulqa4byJmnY/s1600/The-2013-Groton-Community-Christmas-Concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="click here to see the full sized version of the flyer for the 2013 GCCC"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BtC9lJdXzXQ/Ur8Q6vq2YtI/AAAAAAAABEY/Ulqa4byJmnY/s320/The-2013-Groton-Community-Christmas-Concert.jpg" /></a></div>
On the left is the traditional "flyer" that we have for the GCCC every year, citing the names of the songs that we sing in the concerts. And though I don't have many pictures of us singing during the concert itself, I did take this short video clip of our encore, "<a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/GCCC-Down-The-Bethleham-Rd-WP_20131215_002.mp4" title="click here to see the video clip of Down The Bethlehem Rd">Down The Bethlehem Rd</a>", as seen from standing on the stage.<br />
<br />
The 2<sup>nd</sup> Fall tradition for me is that I work with <a href="http://bit.ly/mdiA2B">my men's team</a> to take part in an annual community service project called "Operation ELF", where ELF stands for <a href="http://www.operationelf.org/" title="click here to go to the Operation ELF web site">"Everybody Loves Families"</a>. The part of ELF that I did with my team this year was to go shopping for needy kids, fulfilling what they'd put on their "Wish Lists" as best we could from <a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/kgp-mdi-Groton-ELF-11-22-13.jpg" title="click here to see the full sized image of the flyer for the fundraising we do">the fundraising we do</a>.
Click <a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/KevinChaliceLighting-Dec2013.htm#menShopping">here</a> for a picture I painted of this outing.
<br />
<br />
As per our <a href="http://bit.ly/WhatIsUU" title="click here to visit my page that promotes The Sources and Principles of Unitarian Universalism">Unitarian Universalist</a> tradition, near the beginning of each service someone lights the chalice and speaks about whatever aspect of their <i>Putting Faith Into Action</i> that they want to. So in order to promote the GCCC, I signed up to do the Chalice lighting in <a target="_more" href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=UUC" title="My blog articles about our UUC / FPCoG and Unitarian Universalism" >our UUC</a> service on Dec 15<sup>th</sup> since that was the first day of the performances. In <a href="http://digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/community/UU-blog/KevinChaliceLighting-Dec2013.htm" title="click here for the full text of my ">the full text of my Chalice Lighting</a> I linked the GCCC and ELF together in a salute to "the Joy of Giving thru Community Service" and painted this picture of singing in the GCCC: "<i>I stand up on the stage and see all those community faces… They show up tired and worn out from long days… But as the concert unfolds they begin to relax, and before you know it they are beaming with "The Joy of the Season"</i>.
<br /><br />
Indeed — The Season of Joy 2013 — Let us all count the ways that we are all truly blessed.<br />
<br /><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-67013375751830885422013-03-24T15:18:00.000-07:002013-03-25T18:12:41.213-07:00Palm Sunday In Groton<table border="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td>Great service at our UUC in Groton today. I wanted to capture my palm frond after the service so here's my snapshot from right in front of the church - with about 1' of snow still on the ground.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vB6v-3Q3Nvc/UU97aZaFYRI/AAAAAAAABBw/W-Fu7WW3gnw/s1600/PsalmSunday-Passover-0324131225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="click here for the full sized image of my Palm Sunday frond lying in the snow in front of the UUC after the service"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vB6v-3Q3Nvc/UU97aZaFYRI/AAAAAAAABBw/W-Fu7WW3gnw/s320/PsalmSunday-Passover-0324131225.jpg" width="320" /></a></td><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b3rJeSiNygM/UU99V1bDgTI/AAAAAAAABB8/YpUWLLem4Js/s1600/PsalmSunday-PammettSign-0324131327.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" title="click here for the full sized image of the new chains on my Dad's sign from our cottage on Pigeon Lake" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b3rJeSiNygM/UU99V1bDgTI/AAAAAAAABB8/YpUWLLem4Js/s320/PsalmSunday-PammettSign-0324131327.jpg" /></a><br />
The other thing that happened today was that I finally got rid of the binder twine I'd been using for our "Pammett" sign, and replaced it with chain that looks a lot better and I hope will require less maintenance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-22276433621319931022013-01-26T18:35:00.001-08:002013-01-26T19:16:00.972-08:00New England Winter At Its Best — Ice Skating On A Frozen Lake <br>Though it's been really cold in New England for the last 2 weeks or so, today we had a glorious time frolicking on our local lake. Actually, we went out twice. The first time we had no idea we could skate, so we just went to commune with the ice fishermen who told us all about their passion for being out there on days like today, a feeling that we totally shared. We also heard about how they eat whatever they catch (as long as the fish are big enough) unless they catch bass in which case they put them back so as not to offend the Bass Gods. Oh... OK...
<br><br>
And during that walk, our Aussie friends from Down Under took this panorama.
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g7t9uADF-P4/UQSTUgb0VYI/AAAAAAAABBg/AfB9YJ5zOr8/s1600/IceFishing-on-Lost-Lake-Groton-image-01-26-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" width="100%" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g7t9uADF-P4/UQSTUgb0VYI/AAAAAAAABBg/AfB9YJ5zOr8/s400/IceFishing-on-Lost-Lake-Groton-image-01-26-13.jpg" title="click here for the full sized panorama of us out walking on the ice on Lost Lake in Groton, Ma" /></a>
This is about a 180° panorama, and is not 'perfect' (because someone allegedly moved at the wrong time). But this is an example of an "easy" panorama because it was produced automagically "with just one sweep, capturing more like video", and I think it's a pretty great example of how far technology has come.
<br><br>
Later on that day, once I discovered that I could dust off my old hand-me-down ice skates, my sweetie and I went back for another couple of hours — gliding across the ice with ease, and warming ourselves on a bonfire that we made alongside the shore. I have some other pictures from the afternoon and will likely post those tomorrow.
<br><br>
Truly, this is New England Winter at its best.
<br>
<a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-45214827034699292862012-12-01T14:04:00.001-08:002012-12-29T17:17:38.317-08:00Using My Creative Energies To Promote Unitarian Universalism <br />
The story behind the webApp whose image you see below started when a set of very colorful and inspirational posters or "banners" suddenly appeared in the sanctuary of our Church, the <a target="_more" href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=UUC" title="My blog articles about Unitarian Universalism" ><i>First Parish Church of Groton</i></a>, in Groton, Ma. I'm sure they were long in the works for those who created them, but at that point they were all new to me and I admit I was quite taken by them. They were the inspiration for what I describe in this posting. <br /><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uICeVXrpF3o/UMayKTHzJAI/AAAAAAAABBE/aEZvv1G5ZCI/s1600/WhatIsUU-ras-pg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="326" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uICeVXrpF3o/UMayKTHzJAI/AAAAAAAABBE/aEZvv1G5ZCI/s400/WhatIsUU-ras-pg.jpg" /></a></div>
What fun — and what a learning experience — it has been creating the page that I call: <a href="http://bit.ly/WhatIsUU" title="click here to visit the WhatIsUU page I created" >http://bit.ly/<strong>WhatIsUU</strong></a>. From the beginning, I dreamed of having a web page where you could just see each of those banners as an animation because that's exactly how I 'see' these values and principles playing out in our UUC community.
<br /><br />
A secondary motivation that I had for <strong>WhatIsUU</strong> is that I was looking for
an excuse to brush up on my JavaScript because it has been a while since I used the technology
and because I wanted this to be a standalone page — using client-side scripting, if necessary — but otherwise not needing any special
support from the web server.
<br /><br />
And then there were the end-user requirements: I wanted someone to be able to
really read the page, so that meant that I had to do more than just have it be a picture annimation — because people read
at different speeds. Hence "next / prev" vs. <i>slide show</i> modes which are mutually-exclusive and intended to support both reading models. To add a little flexability to the <i>slide show</i> there is a DropDown where you can chose how long the WebApp waits before it shows you the next UU banner.
<br /><br />
A final JavaScript challenge was to see if I could provide a search
capability on the page where the thing that you end up searching for
is a function of which banner you're looking at. For that one I
tried several different techniques, and although each one of them quickly
led to a solution for one browser, typically it wouldn't work with
other common browsers. That's why I ended up with what you see on the
lower right-hand part of the page where it says "<strong>Find Out More</strong>".
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-91899906239913553052012-08-31T20:24:00.001-07:002012-09-03T12:11:28.546-07:00Auntie '•' & Uncle Buster — May You Rest In Peace <br />
Tomorrow in Southern Mass we'll be having the memorial service for a great lady whom I've had the privilege of knowing for some 35 years now — my wife's Auntie '•' — as she liked to call herself.<br />
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<tbody>
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<td width="30%"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLyqgLCFxn8/UETJ7yhW2CI/AAAAAAAAA-w/FkKjWB7gUhg/s1600/Doris%2BRedfield%2BCHADWICK-a-November-2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" title="click here for the full sized image of Auntie Dot in Florida at age 103"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLyqgLCFxn8/UETJ7yhW2CI/AAAAAAAAA-w/FkKjWB7gUhg/s320/Doris%2BRedfield%2BCHADWICK-a-November-2011.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<br />
In this picture you can really see Auntie Dot's spirit — the <font size="+1"> “<i>I see you</i>” </font> fire in her eyes. She looked at you with a kind gentle love, a sense of genuine interest in you. I always remember talking to her and getting a real sense that she cared about me and really wanted to know who I was. She had a great smile and a warm, genuine way of being.
<br /><br />
For a more recent picture of Auntie '•' along with some of her extended family,
<a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/2009/02/doris-chadwick-turns-100-years-old.html"
title="click here for my blog article about when Auntie Dot turned 100 years old" >click here</a>
for my blog article about when Auntie Dot turned 100 years old.
</td>
<td width="45%">Sept 2<sup>nd</sup> : As it turns out, the memorial service was to celebrate the lives of both Auntie '•' and her beloved husband, Uncle Buster. Though he passed away in Jan 2002, she kept his urn with her for more than a decade because of their commitment to be laid to rest together. It was very sweet.
<br /><br />
To the right, above, one of the great granddaughters sings “<i>Somewhere Over The Rainbow</i>” as her Dad accompanies her on guitar. Below that the Chadwick gravestone holds an amazing testimonial about this family : Buster's name does not appear on the stone so that the name of a dearly beloved family friend would have a place of honor for eternity.
<br /><br />
We sang beloved hymns, prayed together, and many more family stories were told during the service. It was very inspirational. It left me with an intense feeling of pride just being part of a family whose legacy of Faith and Strong Family Values goes (literally) back to immigrants who came over on the Mayflower. As '•' clearly documented in her monumental genealogy “<i>Hold High The Torch — The Genealogy of 350 Years of OUR REDFIELDS in America</i>”, the grand children with us now are the 14<sup>th</sup> generation.
She also published a truly amazing book about her place on the Redfield family tree : “<i>The Last Twig</i>”, among others.
</td>
<td width="25%">
<a title="click here for the full sized image of the grand daughter singing with her Dad playing guitar during the memorial service" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ndsei8ej__w/UETpdmdvLuI/AAAAAAAAA_o/-MbE039MHn4/s1600/Dot-and-Buster-OverTheRainbow-09-01-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="210" width="260" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ndsei8ej__w/UETpdmdvLuI/AAAAAAAAA_o/-MbE039MHn4/s320/Dot-and-Buster-OverTheRainbow-09-01-12.jpg" /></a>
<br />
The impressive Chadwick gravestone, dating from 1887, is just one of the name markers at the site where they held the memorial service. Several others names — including Buster (Frank Goddard Chadwick, Jr.) and '•' (Doris Redfield Chadwick) — are on flat markers visible on the ground.
<a title="click here for the full sized image of the Chadwick family headstone" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQxUmer9l9U/UEToRdlosrI/AAAAAAAAA_c/6enVf2BD7W4/s1600/The-CHADWICK-family-gravestone-09-01-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="180" width="260" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JQxUmer9l9U/UEToRdlosrI/AAAAAAAAA_c/6enVf2BD7W4/s320/The-CHADWICK-family-gravestone-09-01-12.jpg" /></a>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I have posted some more pictures that Ruth gave us after the memorial service so
<a title="click here for the Flickr album of treasured shapshots that Auntie Dot had kept for us"
href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinpammett/7923523166/in/set-72157631389145712">click here</a> for snapshots
(or the <a title="click here for the Flickr slide show of treasured shapshots that Auntie Dot had kept for us"
href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinpammett/sets/72157631389145712/show/">SlideShow</a>)
of these treasured images of (mostly) the Alexander side
of the extended Chadwick / Redfield family.
<br /><br />
In closing, let us all be grateful… and remember the responsibility that comes
with belonging to such an amazing family —
to <strong>live those family values</strong> in our own lives as we pass them on to our future generations.
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-54277113346349282982012-06-16T17:01:00.000-07:002012-09-05T21:36:48.659-07:00KevLyn at Casa Cecchi in ItalySo far, all I've done is create this picture for my blog story.
And/but I will get to writing this... soon.
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRKCvFAlJz8/UEgoVtw4eNI/AAAAAAAABAc/v_vz6kah_3c/s1600/0551-0554-elipse-Casa%2BCecch%2B%2528Siena%252C%2BTuscany%2529-May-09-2012-16-21%2B--%2BCasa%2BCecch%252C%2BAndrea%2Band%2BLynn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRKCvFAlJz8/UEgoVtw4eNI/AAAAAAAABAc/v_vz6kah_3c/s400/0551-0554-elipse-Casa%2BCecch%2B%2528Siena%252C%2BTuscany%2529-May-09-2012-16-21%2B--%2BCasa%2BCecch%252C%2BAndrea%2Band%2BLynn.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-40524884929715248412012-05-27T09:27:00.001-07:002012-12-01T12:28:25.089-08:00To Live Powerful Purposeful Lives — Why We RememberDuring our <a href="http://kevinpammett.blogspot.com/search?q=UUC" title="A collection of blog articles I have written about my UUC (Unitarian Universalist) community" >UUC</a> services we sing<strong>*</strong> the words you see on the right below… and today, it being Memorial Day 2012 and because of the amazing service we had, my eyes were opened and I realized that these words can also be taken in the much broader context of
<font size="+1" ><i>commitment to service and giving</i></font> that I've seen in just the last few days:
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<tr>
<td WIDTH="67%">
Some recent, compelling, examples of selfless giving …
<br><br>
• The men and women whose dedication to preserving <u>every</u>one's freedom
trumps their fears — that I can hardly even think about — of going to war,
<br>
• Aging hippies whose sweet voices remind us of the 60s
music from <i>Woody Guthrie</i> and <i>Simon & Garfunkel</i>
and brought me back to what's important …
<br>
• A young boy who practiced and learned to play grand piano and then
had the courage to come and perform it for the entire congregation,
<br>
• The gifted men+women quartet from the UUC choir
whose harmonies of
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxology" title="The score for America, the Beautiful (from a Wikipedia article)" ><i>“America, the Beautiful”</i></a>
really showed what an incredible song this is.
<br>
• Ellen's compelling testimonial, the result of tedious research, and
<a target="_LD-2012" href="http://uugroton.org/nbu/public/sermons/2012-05-27.mp3" title="Bless the Poets and Those Who Mourn (Rev. Elea Kemler) from Memorial Day 2012" >Rev. Elea's <i>“Why We Must Remember”</i> sermon</a> that inspired me to write this,
<br>
• I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of a strong, committed
team of men who dedicate themselves to mentoring men,
young and old, to realize their full potential as mature masculine men
via the upcoming
<a target="_LD-2012" href="http://www.tmw.to/members.php?uri=legacy-discovery-mdi-mens-weekend"
title="web site for The Legacy Discovery Weekend — A Journey of Self Discovery" ><i>Legacy Discovery</i></a> weekend coming up June 8-11<sup>th</sup> in Fishkill, NY.
(<a target="_LD-2012" href="http://www.digitalmediamagik.com/kgPrivate/MyMen/LD-June2012/Legacy_flier_4-29-2012.pdf" title="registration form for The Legacy Discovery Weekend — A Journey of Self Discovery" >sign up</a>)
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Thanks be to all who freely give,
<br>
who guide us in the way to live,
<br>
with generosity of heart…
<br>
inspiring us to do our part.
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<br>
<font size="-1" ><strong>*</strong>
Sung to the familiar melody of
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxology" title="what Wikipedia has to say about The Doxology" ><i>The Doxology</i></a> — the
one where I can just barely keep myself from singing “<i>Amen</i> !” when we finish.
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<a title="click here for my page: The Sources and Principles of Unitarian Universalism"
href="http://bit.ly/WhatIsUU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zYiRuA_CIks/T8KFGCSBqhI/AAAAAAAAA98/mKKJ57EdB4g/s200/World-Religions.jpg" width="146" /></a>
</div>On Memorial Day (and every day) we remember… so that each of us can do our part to move
mankind forward toward the elusive — but very achievable — dream of <u>every</u> human
being living in peace and in harmony with <u>every</u> other man, woman,
and child on this Earth today and in the future.
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<br><br>
I've changed my Initial
"<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zYiRuA_CIks/T8KFGCSBqhI/AAAAAAAAA98/mKKJ57EdB4g/s1600/World-Religions.jpg"
title="click here for my page: The Sources and Principles of Unitarian Universalism" >placeholder for an animation</a>"
icon, on the left,
to be a link to what that "idea" became: a separate page
to which I've given the name
<a href="mailto:friend@eMailAddress.com?subject=Check out this great web page I found about Unitarian Universalism -- http://bit.ly/WhatIsUU&body=I really enjoyed visiting http://bit.ly/WhatIsUU and think you will, too!"
title="click here to tell your friends about this page" >http://bit.ly/WhatIsUU</a>
where you can
navigate the UUC banners or see them in an animation which features the 6 posters that we have
depicting
“<i>The Six Sources of Unitarian Universalism</i>”.
And now that I more fully understand this, the page also talks
about how that relates to the 7 Principles of Unitarian Universalism and features links and searches to a myriad of
related resources.
<br> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-88501449495962579982012-05-10T10:30:00.002-07:002020-08-18T14:13:54.645-07:00In Touch With the Vibration — Hallelujah !!One morning recently my sweetie and I got up very early to go explore the ancient walled city of Siena, Italy. And once inside the city, walking along the bright, colorful, and clean cobble-stone streets, I noticed a particular song — a very farmiliar one from my past — building up inside my head:
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I've heard there was a secret chord
<br />
that David played and it pleased the Lord…
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Initially, I didn't think too much of it.
<br /><br />
And then we came upon an Ancient <i>Chiesa</i> — a Church which was certainly not "Notre Dame" so I'm not sure whether it was a Cathedral (or <i>Duomo</i>?) or not, but it had huge pillars and a large Dome, so in my mind it's a "small Cathedral". From it I felt a compelling voice that drew me in so I decided to do so, mostly because this one did not have a lot of people around it so I thought maybe I could appreciate it — just for what it is, without all of the usual distractions.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ocu14hqtBMs/T7NlAtN6OcI/AAAAAAAAA9s/NRV8xgv_r4s/s1600/0633-Cantando%2Ben%2Bla%2BCatedrale%2B%2528Siena%2529-May-10-2012-10-38-44.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Click here for the full size image of the Chiesa where I sang Hallelujah !! inside the ancient walled city of Siena, Italy"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ocu14hqtBMs/T7NlAtN6OcI/AAAAAAAAA9s/NRV8xgv_r4s/s320/0633-Cantando%2Ben%2Bla%2BCatedrale%2B%2528Siena%2529-May-10-2012-10-38-44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The picture here is from when I first walked into the Cathedral and I was immediately moved by how bright and inviting it was. I noticed only two people near the back of the Cathedral, and as I wandered towards the front there was only one old man sitting quietly off to the right-hand side. The quietness and "echoes of silence" in the place drew a sharp contrast to the music that was now building even more inside my head:
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It goes like this: the 4<sup>th</sup>, the 5<sup>th</sup>
<br />
… the minor fall, the major lift…
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Very quietly I hummed a few notes from the song and even though it was almost inaudible, I got a sense that this was a spiritual place — one that was carefully designed and built to be acoustically "perfect". So I decided to sit and just feel the presence of spirit, and music, over the ages, watching out of the corner of my eye for the people in the back to leave. And they did, as did my sweetie who wanted to go see something else just outside the Cathedral. Then I stood and walked out into the center / front part of the Cathedral, right under the dome, and allowed myself to very quietly let some of the notes from the song come out more like a quiet humming than actually singing. And the Cathedral responded with just the right amount of vibration… as the old man got up, wandered slowly to the far back of the Cathedral, and after a moment he too left.
<br /><br />
So there I was, totally alone in this place where I knew I would offend no one as I started to let the notes and then the words of the song come from that voice inside me, very quietly at first… — standing right in the center of that enormous space that was built for harmony. Louder I sang, with no inhibitions about not really knowing the words, and it grew until I felt like I was completely part of the vibration of that ancient spiritual space.
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And it's not a cry you can hear at night
<br />
It's not somebody who's seen the light
<br />
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah…
<br />
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
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The whole thing probably didn't last very long, but after the climax I was overcome with intense feelings of joy — and sorrow, combined — something I don't really have words for.
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…
The embattled King, composing Halleluja …
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Completely consumed and spent, I made it back to a sitting place still under the dome, and was literally overcome with tears and exhaustion. And I sat there for a long time… returning to the reality of the place and imagining how many people over the ages have had life-changing experiences in this Ancient place.
<br /><br />
I know that I certainly have. It's a “<i>Hallelujah</i> !! ” that will be with me for the foreseeable future.
<br /> <a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834364541825211879.post-29948510320401477832012-05-06T22:05:00.001-07:002019-01-03T08:13:06.648-08:00Leaving Sicily to Go See Southern Italy <br>
OMG… talk about <i>serendipity</i> — but first, a quick digression about how to pronounce “Sicily” : It was only on our very last day before leaving Sicily (Can that be just yesterday?) that someone finally corrected us about saying “<i>Seh-Chie-eel-Yah</i>” ! We've been trying to speak Italian every chance we get and have thought that we've been doing pretty well at it… but certainly not even being close in saying the name of the place where you are is a pretty big gaff — a total tell-tale that we're yankie tourists, which I guess I should admit we're doing a better job of when we speak French or I speak Spanish than when we stumble our way thru “<i>Quanto costa …</i> ? ”.
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<a title="click here for the full-sized image of Giovanni, Felice and Kevin at the B&B in Roccalumera on the Eastern coast of Sicily." href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ot0sWPYs8v8/T6djQ2gxsJI/AAAAAAAAA9c/v3GYmre2WQ0/s1600/0985-Roccalumera%2B%2528BnB%2BNonna%2BGermina%2529-May-06-2012-08-38-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ot0sWPYs8v8/T6djQ2gxsJI/AAAAAAAAA9c/v3GYmre2WQ0/s400/0985-Roccalumera%2B%2528BnB%2BNonna%2BGermina%2529-May-06-2012-08-38-49.jpg" /></a></div>But I digress…
We found this out by talking to really old people. It was actually from a conversation that Lynn had with an ancient couple when I wasn't there, so no actual picture. But another example of an amazing encounter you see in this picture from breakfast in the garden at a B&B that we found in Roccalumera, on the Eastern coast of Sicily. We didn't find the B&B until pretty late at night, and from the street view it didn't look that great. But inside the rooms were perfectly clean, very comfortable, and the internet worked easily. And then in the morning we had breakfast “<i>en el giardino</i>  where they had dozens flowering trees, most of which had ripe, delicious fruit. In fact, just after we started eating, <i>Felice</i>, whom we could just barely understand, brought us a plate full of little yellow fruit (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat">"Nespola"</a>) which turns out to be “<i>loquat</i>” and was the most delicious fruit we'd had yet — not that it hasn't all been delicious. The man who runs the place, Giovanni, is the younger one in the picture and was so friendly and accommodating — he reminded us of our dear friend <i>Didier</i> in Paris. So Felice is the father-in-law and Giovanni's been running this place for years. We left there VERY grateful for all of their kindness and generosity and had an amazing ride along the Eastern coast of Italy right up to the very Northern tip.
<br><br>
After that we caught the ferry to Italy and were wow'd by the vistas crossing the straights of Messina … but not as much amazed as we were that the cost for us to bring our rental car with us on the ferry was an extra 1 Euro. Yup. I'm not making that up.
Once we got up the coast we stumpled upon “<i>Baia Del Capo</i>” near Capo Vaticano on the coast of the Mediterranean, and that's where the <i>serendipity</i> comes in because we had no idea what it would be like when we booked it, but it's a most amazing place with absolutely incredible food and stunning landscaping. After a great afternoon around the pool, my sweetie and I sat outside and watched the 100% full moon rise over the mountains behind us and head out over the sea before we drifted off to pleasant dreams after another wonderful day exploring Italy. Tomorrow — off to Napoles.
<br><br>
Wow… What an amazing day we had leaving Sicily and exploring Southern Italy!
<br> <br><a href="mailto:PammettKevin@gmail.com">Kevin Pammett</a>http://www.blogger.com/profile/11168438773323551098noreply@blogger.com0