The Ocean State

Today, I made it to little Rhody. I stopped this morning in Lexington and Concord. Being a student of language, I love hearing the New England accent. The park ranger on the trail had an exquisite example. Hearing him discuss the Nomah trade (which apparently, they're still talking about) was like music to my ears.
Anyways, New Englanders are hyper patriotic. Gosh, there is red, white, and blue everywhere. In fact, the center lines of the town I'm in are red, white, and blue stripes, no double yellow for them. Apparently, Kiwi tells me, this town has the oldest 4th of July parade in the nation (possibly the world--his joke, not mine) and is quite proud of it.
Also, on the expressways in MA and RI, there are American flags, and divisional symbols for military groups in Iraq. Also, you know how there are bums in most places who have little signs saying, "Vietnam Vet, please help." Well, I haven't seen any of these in New England, but I have seen two indigent Veteran's homes. Apparently liberals treat soldiers with more respect than some others do.
Lexington and Concord are a great example of myth. I tell my students that history are stories that are reported to be actual occurrences, whereas myths are stories that have a meaning for the hearer or reader. Following these definitions, myth and history are alive and well here in New England. I heard several recordings waxing eloquent about the "American Revolution" and "liberty." Liberty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, but apparently is well represented here in monumental format.
From Boston, I proceeded to Providence, where I visited the Museum of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD, pronounced RIZ-dee). The Museum is extremely well-curated, especially its pre-modern art collections, and presented in a thoughtful artistic and historical manner. The Museum begged the question, "How would you as a viewer artistically respond to these works?" Anyways, I was terribly impressed.
Thence I went to the RI state house, which was quite majestic, and I headed over to Sue and Kiwi's, on whose computer I am typing this.
Sue and Kiwi are great. We had a few drinks and then headed out to a bah, wheh we had mah drinks and some good pub food. I had some great chowdah, but the poht pie was not prepared correctly, so the waitress offered me anotheh choice. I had an Irish burgeh instead. Anyways, Sue and Kiwi are great, and I'm about ready to crash for tonight.
It's the Big Apple tomorrow!

The Cradle of Liberty

So last night in Schenectady was great. I spent time with Ryan, his sister Caroline, and his wife Susan, all friends of Ann. They were delightful people and took me down to downtown Schenectady and a tasty Indian restaurant. We shared the bottle of Chardonnay-Viognier I brought from the Jefferson Vineyards. I very much enjoyed them, and I hope I get to see them again in October.
Today, I am with Bill and Donna, Alaina's parents in Windham, NH, outside of Boston. Bill was kind enough to explore the area today. We drove down through MIT and Harvard together. I was struck by how much Cambridge is a part of the urban center of Boston. I always thought of those campuses as being spacious and broad, but they are actually quite compacted in the middle of the city.
Then we started on the Freedom Trail though downtown Boston. I am always amazed how people can create a definition of "American," which completely ignores others who have a slightly different of what patriotism or freedom means. The freedom trail was a delightful reminder that Northeastern liberals can be just as patriotic and freedom loving as much as any Southern Baptist.
Highlights of the Trail...
The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial. Seen Glory?
I actually saw Senator Ted Kennedy walking to his car surrounded by assistants near the State House (someone pointed him out to us).
The tomb of Crispus Attucks and the site of the Boston Massacre, visited by Queen Elizabeth the deuce in 1976.
Faneuil Hall, where our tour guide was quite possibly one of the most capable National Park employees I have ever met. What a tour, it made me proud to be an American again.
After that we went up to the Bunker Hill monument on Breed's Hill, but it had just closed so we didn't get to go to the top, but we did go to a tavern that had been continuously operating since 1780, where, it is claimed on the menu, both Paul Revere and George Washington did imbibe.
Now I am back in New Hampshire, and I have to try and recreate my Gettysburg post, because it was lost to the either of the internet.

On to Schenectady

I hope I spelled that right. Well, I spent most of the day driving. It is quite a ways from Gettysburg, PA to Cooperstown, NY. However, the drive was an absolute magnificent one, through rolling countryside, broken by historic farmhouses and buildings. Like Gettysburg, Cooperstown is quite the tourist trap, full of shops hawking baseball themed items. The Hall of Fame wasn't quite as impressive as I hoped, but, I did rub Ernie Bank's nose, and I enjoyed the walk through the last 150 years of history (or last 4000, if you include the picture of the Egyptian pharaoh playing some sort of game with a ball).
My theory is this, capitilism ruined baseball the same way it ruined America. If you look at the oldest plaques for the inductees, they only played for one team, and they played their hearts out. Now, inductees have three, four, five, sometimes even six team names below theirs. Of course baseball is a peculiar institution, because it is one of the few government sanctioned monopolies in the United States. However, as the Museum pointed out, it has adopted a basic capilist model of owners, labor, and consumers. Well, it used to be the game was played for enjoyment of the players and their community, now it is played to raise money for multi-millionaires. I mean, I used to love Sammy Sosa, I love the Cubs. Now Sammy is playing for the Orioles. I just don't know whom to root for anymore. Anyways, since the idea of public community space is dying in 21st century America, it is no suprise that so is Baseball, but it is sad to watch it go.
Right now I am at a public library (Guildford? Public Library) somewhere outside of Albany. The apparently let anyone use the computers. God bless, and there is more forthcoming.

Gettysburg, PA

This is a recreation of the post I wrote yesterday, but seems to have been lost forever in the ether of the internet.
Today I visited Gettysburg, and it was a dreary rainy day, which seems fitting for visiting a place that is the bloodiest patch of soil in North America. The somber mood was appropriate, but that meant that I was very soggy by the end of my "3-hour" car tour.
Some observations--
Gettysburg is a perfect example of why the South lost the Civil War. Although Robert E. Lee is clearly a tactical (battlefield) genius, he did not have the strategic vision that George Washington had. In this regard Lee was North America's Hannibal or Napoleon. Washington himself never won a battle (unless you count the raid on Princeton) until Yorktown. However, he understood the political nature of the conflict, he had to outlast the British.
Lee saw the Civil War in very simplistic terms, he saw it as a military conflict, to be won or lost on the battlefield. However, this meant that a loss on the battlefield, unlike the Romans at Cannae (who lost more men in one day at that battle than Lee ever did), was devastating to Southern fortunes. In fact, I have read a book pointing out that the real drain on southern manpower was not the devastating hammering they were taking at the hands of U.S. Grant, but the tens of thousands of letters from desperate housewives, begging their husbands to return home, a la Cold Mountain.
These men wouldn't have skeddadled on home if they believed victory was just around the corner, however, this is the real key to the battle of Gettysburg, as you see the various exhibits and monuments, one get's a real sense that it was the Colonels and Lieutenants, the Middle Management if you will, of the Union Army that won the battle. In fact, there were numerous cases of imminent disaster for the North staved off by the brave action of this junior officer or that Regimental Commander. It was the brave Union defense and fortification of Cemetary Ridge, Big and Little Round Top, Culp's Hill, etc... that really gave the victory to the Union. Not that Meade was a bad commander, although, somewhat unimaginative, but that the Union was able to survive some serious bungling on the top of its high Command (General Sickles), and still win the battle.
However, when Lee made mistakes (the so-called "so-called Pickett's Charge"), the Southern cause was doomed, however, when Sickles stepped out into the Wheat Field it was a tragic mistake that did not really effect the outcome of the battle. This is really due to the two different theories of society, the North embracing the ideals of Democratic capitilism, and the South the idea of a landed aristocracy.
Other observations--
The Eternal Peace Memorial set up in the farther Northwest corner of the battlefield is surrounded by cannons which are pointing out, ready to defend the Peace Memorial against all comers. Contrast this with the Peace Memorial I saw in a TV show about El Salvador, where tanks and AK-47s had been covered by cement so that they could never be used again.
Okay, so where is it that you can see the flag of an armed rebellion against an elected, legitimate, and current government of a country displayed on a t-shirt with the slogan "Never Tear Me Down." All this for sale in the section of souvenir store entitled, in large letters for all to see, "All Things Patriotic." Keep in mind that this flag stands for racial apartheid and slavery.
The Gettysburg Museum is a treasure trove of Civil War artifacts, particularly weaponry, and I remember as a child, visiting and being overawed by the exhibits. As an adult, I was duly impressed, but equally aware of the somewhat decrepit state of the building. In fact, Eisenhower himself probably visited the Museum in its current state.
This brings me to my last point. The Eisenhower home near Gettysburg is a wonderful Cold War Era site, where you can see a modern home used by a president. On display are gifts from all sorts of countries, including vodka from Nikita Kruschev. The tour guide, who was good if not eccentric, made great mention of the Suez Crisis. Isn't it amazing to think about a Republican president who asked England and France not to get involved in a war in the Middle East?

Get Out the Map

I'm ready to roll. I installed in my car a brand new CD/Radio this morning I purchased from the Crutchfield outlet here in town. I did this without breaking anything important, much to my suprise and delight. I hurried through my homework for my exciting (euphemistic sarcasm) Software Development class at PVCC. It may not be right, but its done, and I know that sometimes the former is far better than the latter.
I'm going to be driving up 29N to 15N right into Gettysburg. That was what the guy at the AAA suggested. I'm taking my camera with me, so pictures will be forthcoming.

Getting Ready To Go

Well, I'm very excited about my trip. I still have not heard back from anyone in New York, so I'm checking my options, but I have a place to stay every night except in NYC and Gettysburg. I'm sure I'll find a hotel in Gettysburg, I'm going to swing by AAA today and get some materials for my trip. If anyone knows anyone in NYC that can find a place for me to crash Friday night, please let me know. This is going to be a great trip!

An Itinerary Change

It looks like Matt’s Magical Mystery Tour may need to be rerouted. Here’s plan B.

Monday, March 28--Gettysburg, PA
I cried when I read a book about this battle in middle school. It's the only time I've been reduced to tears by any medium. Alaina may also have some help for me here, too.
Tuesday, March 29--Cooperstown, NY
I'm going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and maybe a winery?
Wednesday and Thursday, March 30 and 31--Providence, RI and Boston, MA
I have no specific agenda, but I'm going to check out the history. Alaina may have some help for me here.
Friday, April 1--NYC
Peter Bratt, can I stay at your flat?
Saturday, April 2--Washington, D.C.
Janna and I are going to stay together at a swanky hotel thanks to the hospitality of Team Ryskamp. Any friends in the D.C. area, Ryan and Rebecca, et al., are welcome to come join us in the hot tub.
Sunday, April 3--Charlottesville, VA
Take a nice nap

The concept

I am a big nerd who enjoys visiting historical sites. I am also a teacher, with a spring break coming up. Here is my bold and daring plan. I plan to travel the Northeast of the United States, and stay with old friends I haven't seen in a while, or friends of friends who are interesting people. I would like your help. Please let me know if you know anyone along my planned route who could host me for 1 night. The following is my planned itinerary.
Saturday, March 26--Washington, D.C.
Janna and I are going to stay together at a swanky hotel thanks to the hospitality of Team Ryskamp. Any friends in the D.C. area, Ryan and Rebecca, et al., are welcome to come join us in the hot tub.
Easter Sunday, March 27--NYC
Janna is going to take the train or bus south, and I am going to head on to NYC. Any takers?
Monday and Tuesday, March 28 and 29--Providence, RI and Boston, MA
I have no specific agenda, but I'm going to check out the history. Alaina may have some help for me here.
Wednesday, March 30--Cooperstown, NY
I'm going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and maybe a winery?
Thursday, March 31--Gettysburg, PA
I cried when I read a book about this battle in middle school. It's the only time I've been reduced to tears by any medium. Alaina may also have some help for me here, too.
Friday, April 1--Charlottesville, VA
Home again, home again, jiggety jog. I plan to make entries as I can when I visit each of these places, and I will eventually post pictures of my travels on this website.