My favorite president, hands down. Who's yours?
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Let's talk about the pleasures and puzzles of the smaller mystery--mystery novels and other fiction--and the bigger one--life.
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41 comments:
Is there an apostrophe in Presidents Day? It's not "their" day, exactly. It's more like the Day of the Presidents.
I'm a fangirl for Gen. Washington.
I tend to not like Presidents a lot more than I like them so I think I'll just stick to being glad I don't have to work today.
Morning all.
I didn't even realize it was a holiday until someone here was celebrating the long weekend...
It was fun to have a president that I actually liked when Clinton was in office, but I can't say that I have a favorite throughout history. I never learned American history, so can't name half of them. (Although I used to have a poem memorized that listed all of the kings of England!)
Morning, andi and everyone else - enjoy your day off!
Oh hell, I forgot it was Monday! Time for the Monday Picture Post.
Reflecting on blues skies
Hi Beth.
Ooh, pretty blue skies, andi. That's one thing about the blue down here - it's a lot lighter. Especially compared to the skies in CO, where you're so much closer to the sky. :-)
Boy, your pictures make me miss forests.
Enjoy your non-Monday Monday!
1. Harry S Truman, because when I was a kid I wrote him a letter and he answered it.
2. Thomas Jefferson, because he planted a willow tree on top a little hill. Even the best gardeners fck up.
3. Barack Obama. Cutest wife contest.
4. Joe Montana.
I'm kind of with Andi - not a fan of Presidents in general.
Sadly, I do have to work today, but hopefully, it will be fairly quiet with many of my clients observing the holiday.
Our weather is back to insane. It's 64 degrees right now! But evidently, we're to expect snow later in the week.
Whatevs...
Good morning Nancy and all.
I go along with Andi, Beth and Maria. I'm not a big fan. Roosevelt (both) have always been pretty big down here though.
I think though I would like to go back to the times when we had a holiday for separate presidents. More time to slack.
Everyone enjoy their day!
Morning, Andi, Beth, Maria, Ghost, Family Man, and anybody I've missed during the typing of this comment. :)
I got interested in George a few years ago and read a bunch o' books about him. I had started out with vaguely negative feelings toward him, but ended up admiring him tremendously. He is a surprisingly interesting figure, and not "wooden" at all, as his stiff reputation might suggest--a person who made simply horrendous errors (his first military campaign, for instance, for which he was too young and inexperienced and which cost many lives), but who took full responsibility for them and painfully learned from them. What a concept, hah. He was both an extremely down-to-earth man and a visionary. I will always love him for essentially turning down the chance to be "king" when it was offered to him. Of course by that time I think he was exhausted and longed to stay "home on the farm," but there aren't many leaders who would turn down the chance to be Emperor, with or without clothes. And he had always "come when called," so to turn it down that time meant he knew how wrong it would be and that it would doom the new country right from its inception.
Now and then there really are giants on the earth, and I can sometimes forget that, because we've had so many midgets. (No offense meant to actual small people!)
Ooo, I just remembered what got me started on my Washington binge. I was doing research for a short story for an anthology called The First Lady Murders. Somehow doing a story about Bess Truman (NOT a charming person!) led to George, because he was the pres that Harry admired most, and Harry was something of an amateur historian.
God, more than you wanted to know!
Makes you wonder how we started out so well, and look what we have now...almost a different species.
Hopefully we'll start returning to that type of president soon.
Thanks for the history lesson, Nancy!
Family Man, I'm with you on wanting to go back to the separate holidays. And so is every school kid.
Ghost, your lists is cute. I'd definitely vote for Joe for Prez if Marcus Allen would be his VP. pssit, fingers crossed on #3.
Beth, I really do marvel at the constellation of people who got us started, no kidding.
You're kind! :)
I hate everything today
Can I have more than one favorite?
George Washington, for starting the tradition of the limited executive (yes, the Constitution puts a lot of limitations on, but it takes restraint to keep it that way… witness current bozo).
FDR, for getting the first big goplet mess cleaned up.
Jimmy Carter, for being consistent and even-handed with his policies, and for creating an intelligent energy policy, even if it cost him politically.
No day off here… suckage is beginning to abate after approaching maximum, but it *is* abating. But I'm forecasting elevated suck levels all week. :-P
Everything, kb? Even chocolate and puppies and fresh-baked bread and hugs and and and....
everything??
:-(
My all time favorite: Lincoln, followed closely by George Washington, for all the reasons Nancy mentioned--we're not taught how human he was in school.
So I guess I should really celebrate today--instead I'm going back to work...
Happy Presidents Day, everyone!
everything (sulking)
Jefferson, despite his many and deep flaws for his share of the drafting of the constitution and for this: "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man," and for his insatiable brilliance and pursuit of knowledge.
Washington and Lincoln tie for second for me and neither is more than a half step behind Jefferson.
big pouty lower lip sticking out
Yep....
Still, I guess if I have to pick on most days, FDR is my favorite president.
I think he's the one that's had the biggest impact on my family. I can't imagine what my Grandmother would have done without Social Security.
I lived in Charlottesville for a while, and spent some time at Monticello. AND worked at UVa, Jefferson's university. Where they toast him at events, leave a chair for him at formal functions, and seriously consider his opinion before making major decisions.
His home is filled with his inventions, books, and souvenirs from his travels - his gardens with a wide variety of exotic flowers - his extensive vegetable gardens feed the considerable staff - it's a place I could happily spend many, many days.
Everyone send kb good vibes and virtual hugs! Hurry!!!
{{Beth}} (sniff) Thank you so much. I feel way better!
{{{kb}}}
far, good reasons for nice choices.
I'm forecasting elevated suck levels all week.
lol and :(, all at the same time.
Sounds as if that weather front has already reached kbird! Katiebird, would coffee make you feel any better?
Conda, you've hit on one of the great surprises of studying GW--his humanness. He had fun when he was young. Who'd have thought it? He loved parties and dances,and playing cards. He was sociable and the ladies loved him. He was extraordinarily loyal to his "men," and they returned that devotion--except for at least one notable exception who broke his heart. when things went wrong, he took them hard and to heart. Etc. I was also surprised by his inventiveness. Yeah, in school we see forbidding paintings of him, and learn he had wooden teeth, and that's about it.
Lincoln, and Jefferson, and Washington, and FDR. . .Oh my. Beth, your story of how seriously they still take Jefferson at UVa is adorable. And wise of them.
I walked through Monticello feeling awe and wonder at his talents. Sometimes I feel comforted by knowing that he, too, was always broke, lol.
((((KB))))
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Hi, Kelly. You have sooo turned me into a tea drinker. You, just you. :)
Andi, I just now looked at your Monday Magnificence. I love this photo. Thanks.
Good morning - uh, afternoon!! everyone. The day has slipped by. This morning I walked out of my house and the sun was shining and the sky was blue. But in the west it looked a bit dark, like maybe the weather would change at some point. I got in my car drove west 2 blocks and turned right. I looked down the street into the distance and thought "huh, is that ... fog? Good thing I'm not driving that far." The next second snow started falling and I was in a whiteout and could see nothing. One of the strangest experiences of my life.
Favorite President - John Adams because he had such a cool wife and because I always fall for smart curmudgeonly assholes.
oh and that might be one of your coolest pictures yet Andi.
I've heard of that happening with rain, Maryb--in fact, I guess I've actually seen it--but never with snow. Amazing experience!
John Adams, of course. What a smartie pants he was. But whoa, just think how curmudgeonly he might have been without her! Even you might not have loved him. :)
lol! Wouldn't you love to have a correspondence as wonderful as John and Abbie's? Of course you have to spend a lot of time apart ...
On GW - I liked him a lot better after I read Fred Anderson's "Crucible of War" about the 7 years war. It is a narrative history and the beginning of the book is about Washington's disastrous encounter with the French. I liked that it showed him as a fallible human being. I liked that he didn't actually cover up what happened so much as simply not go into too much detail about it. If you haven't read it, next time you are at Borders or the library take the time to read the beginning.
Hi, Kelly. You have sooo turned me into a tea drinker. You, just you. :)
My evil plans are reaching fruition, bwa-ha-ha. Uh, I mean, that's lovely. Tea is a wonderous thing.
For some reason I knew Mary was going to say John Adams. And no Mary I never did finish that book. :)
Just had a brother and sil finally get in and they'll probably stay for a week. George has already started his non-stop yapping. As I keep telling them, they're the ones that gave me George when he was a puppy, so they can't say a word about his yapping at them.
Of course you have to spend a lot of time apart ...
The secret of many a successful marriage!
Thanks for the book rec., Mary. I'll go to the library and read that first part.
Kelly, lol, yes, I knew that's what you meant to say. :)
Family Man, you have company while you're still not entirely well? I hope they wait on you hand and foot. Well, you can dream. :)
Hi all. We celebrated the holiday by spending the entire day scraping 19 year old wallpaper. I am rather sore but glad that it's done.
My favorite president? President Edwards. Oh wait...
Aww, b2. That's how I felt about President Dean. Sigh.
I hope today was better than yesterday for you. From what you hinted, it could hardly have been worse.
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