Onward! But Slowly.
Posted at 6:00 AM on January 1, 2010
by Dale Connelly
(24 Comments)
Happy New Year!
It's 2010, a number which is going to take some getting used to. Every new year brings with it a date-writing readjustment, but this one seems more futuristic than the rest. Of course I thought that about 2000 as well.
Toast to the Posts
One of our most memorable conversations last year had to do with books. Kid's books, to be specific.
It was membership week, and a collaboration with an organization called First Book was the feature of the day. First Book does just what you would expect from an organization with a name like that - they provide books to children who might not get them otherwise.
This opened the door for memories about books and reading, childhood and fantasy and tradition. One of my favorite comments came from Barb in Blackhoof:
don't remember many books - neither parent read to us or encouraged reading - but i DO remember A Child's Garden of Verses. i liked the poem about going to bed by day (my pet peeve when i was 7 i suppose) and even though my Mom HATED Dr. Suess, i remember a few Horton books also. is there a line "i meant what i said and i said what i meant - an elephant is ....... one hundred per cent!" in there somewhere? didn't read Pooh till i returned to college in my late 20s and was taking Norwegian (reading Pooh pa Norsk was so fun!) and fell in love with Pooh and all the characters. so my BBF, now husband, gave me the whole series in english. read them when i was 27 i'm happy when i hear that parents read to their kids - forms good habits and sounds like a life-long love of reading! thanks for doing that, all you parents and grandparents!Posted by barb in Blackhoof | May 13, 2009 6:39 AM
Frankly, it's hard to say (or think) "Pooh pa Norsk" without a smile.
Among the revelations connected to this entry - we discovered that Trial Balloon readers have a shared fondness for a children's book called "The Poky Little Puppy". This makes perfect sense to me.
The PLP was a slowpoke and a uni-tasker, always a bit removed from the group, sniffing around the green patch at the bottom of the hill and frustrating the "next big thing" crowd with an unhurried appreciation of the wide, wide world. The more impulsive puppies rushed back and forth, got into trouble for digging under the fence and missed dessert - most of the time. The PLP was just as guilty of hole digging and outside-the-fence wandering as the others, but he was rewarded for his relaxed demeanor and habit of tardiness with extra helpings of rice pudding and chocolate custard. Admittedly, those very same qualities meant he was shut out when it came to the strawberry shortcake.
Still, when you look at the entire story, the PLP got ten helpings of dessert while the others each got 1.25. Not a bad outcome, overall.
And so, PLP's, we amble on into 2010.
Will you call it "Two Thousand Ten", or "Twenty Ten?"
Comments (24)
Since like many from MN I say both "ant" and "aunt" and both "crick" and "creek," I suppose I will say both
Thanks for all the music purchase suggestions yesterday.
Happy twenty ten to all in the Heartland from the poky little puppies, through the goats,, onto those of us us who get up early even when we don't have to, with a salute to those who sleep late, and extra special greetings to Dale, Mike, Jasper, and all those who keep the music , news, and blogs coming at MPR!
we slept in (didn't get to bed til almost 10 pm :-)
so i gotta get out there and tend to the goats' hangovers. (of course not the pregnant Girls)
two thousand ten
and a very, very happy healthy one to you all
I seemed to have missed the Poky Little Puppy in my childhood -I'm sure that explains a lot.
twenty ten here-no idea why
Goats with hangovers, that just can't be good.
Good luck, Barb and a very happy new one to all Heartlanders everywhere!
Good Morning PLPs,
I'm not sure I'm a PLP, may be part of the time. I will proably go with two thousand ten.
I don't remember any PLP books from my childhood, but I could use one today to read to my five ear old granddaughter.
My retired children's librarian wife can tell you that the PLP was still popular in the late 1990.
twenty ten
plpism is an aspiration not a natural instinct. i wish i could say i stop and enjoy the world around me as i go through each day and i do when i am making a conscious effort but i am as likely to multitask my way through the universe and miss the good stuff right in front of me as i am to catch it.
thanks dale i will add that to the new years resolution. to make an effort to slow down and catch whats there instead of anticipating the next leap while i am in the midst of the current one.
a great twenty ten to all
Border Collie
He came to use full grown in black and white,
eager to herd, fond of the chase, bold to please.
So one of us we have few photos
in which he is not to be found.
He was the companion of my youth.
Each New Year I think of him:
May I climb ladders as willing as he,
though small his feet upon the tilted rungs.
Could I look upon those I love
with eyes as liquid and brown as did he.
If I could cover the ground, new and known,
as joyous as he, with nose to the ground
to trace those who came before.
To be as loyal and forgiving of sin and slight,
not, oh ever, will I be.
And when my time comes to die,
may I lie down as quietly as he,
with paw upon paw and head upon these.
Eyes seeing no more until the wet nose
had finally grown cold.
May I turn into earth as softly as he,
free of pain, having given of me.
geez, Clyde - that was absolutely gorgeous and now you've got me weeping. was that "Lucky?"
thanks for sharing
i've gotta go blow my nose
great stuff clyde. what a wonderful memory and a beautiful poem. you nailed it.
i am glad to be able to hang around this mornig and reard the additional stuff that comes along. clydes poem today. yesterday i left early and didn't see clyde request for music.
i miss the classical injections we used to get in the old days and no musical library should be without yo yo ma doing the bach cello concertos, i saw the turtle island string quartet a couple weeks ago and the are still blowing me away on their cds and i hope pink martini is in your rh collection. lyle lovett always feels right billy collins does some of his poetry on cd that is wonderful.
happy birthday and enjoy the mp3. my kids are true believers in the headphones making all the difference. check them out.
Happy twenty ten RHers and fellow PLPs.
Lovely poem Clyde. I remember several years ago hearing something from Farley Mowat ("Never Cry Wolf") about how dog people will have several dogs throughout their life, but there will be one dog that will be the Dog of their Life - the one who is there to help through the important stuff (whatever that may be), who is there during big transitions, who is the constant companion, etc. Maybe this was your dog.
I'm a little late on today - but figured it was worth asking anyway - anyone online going to be at the Beausoleil concert on Saturday?
A very lovely remembrance, Clyde.
My music recommendation for your MP3 player is a collection called Largo. More info here.
And here are a couple of quotes for the Poky Little Puppy in all of us:
"Spirituality and speed do not go together."
- Satish Kumar
"Forever is composed of nows."
- Emily Dickinson
thanks linda
anna if i can be there i will
Thanks for the compliments, all. A sort of aligning of events. I do rework this poem every New Year, then here was the PLP and then tim did hos post about being a PLP . . .
Barb, this is not Lucky; this is our next dog: Boots (four white boots), Pepper (previous owner's name for him), or Butterdag (a word from my German father.)
Thanks for the additional music suggestions. I will check them out, and the head phones. I too miss a bit of the classical music infusion, although I get that when I am not listening online. I have Kiri Tekanewa on the MP3 for the sake of Jim Ed (who loved her, if you do not remember).
Oh, Anna, read Mowatt's "The Dog Who Wouldn't Be." Delightful Mowatt, about the dog of his life. I have read most of his writing. You have to live with his exaggerations, which can be a bit frustrating, but he is worth it.
Happy New Year, all, I've missed the blog while we were away. I've only had time to skim the last few days, but Clyde, did you write this poem??
Will call the new year Twenty-Ten (I was calling it Aught-Nine sometimes...)
From an earlier day: I have to add a couple of favorite quips...
from Martin Mull: Having a family is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain.
and (anonymous): Sometimes the truth depends on a walk around the lake.
Happy New Year to all! I work with too many acronyms in my daily life-all of which annoy me, so I shall try to uphold some decorum and say "two thousand ten". I believe the PLP was a confrere of the SBE (Saggy Baggy Elephant) which is what I feel like in my winter duds.
Barbara--I wrote it . . . several times, still does not scan. A walk around the lake, huh? but I used to live on Lake Superior. don't think I could take that much truth.
Happy New Year and thanks for a wonderful 2009 with Radio Heartland to Dale, Mike, Jasper and the great RH bloggers. I look forward to hearing what Barb and goats are up to, what else is happening in the far north with Cynthia, the creative musings of Elinor and Clyde, and the trivia internet searcher champ 'the guy in the hat" plus others.
I will be delighted in 2010 to be working part time so I won't have to view blogs and hear DC show at 10 PM 2 days later.
Jenny
Welcome, Jennine, nice that you'll have more time.
Another quip came to mind after reading the PLP entries...
from Missy Dizick: Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you.
(heard Garrison say it on Prairie Home..)
Happy New Year,all! I will say two thousand ten. Just sounds better to me.
I read the blog (and listen to the DC show) late and sometimes throw my two cents in late but more often decide I don't have much to add. I love each of your voices,
Clyde, your poem made me misty, too.
great day, TBers
thanks so much
and fun to see some new names in there!
While I will call it twenty-ten (shorter & precise), I have coined another option: 20X
Thought of it the other day, think it's snappy & logical. Certainly not the only one to think of it, but I did come up with it solo & will take as much credit as possible.
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