Lincoln and his Generals

I am reading the book "Lincoln and His Generals" (actually published in 1959) in my continuing quest to learn about Lincoln.

I was fascinated by his Generals, who were characterized by inaction and continuing requests for "more, more, more". It was also interesting to see how Lincoln grew in office, as he gradually learned what a made a good General. (He put it simply-a good General takes action and wins battles!).

In a much smaller way (but just as important to our residents!), I can see parallels to Department Heads who delay action and continually want more resources and they they'll take care of a problem. I can hear it now "just one more (name it) and THAT will be all I need".

TEAM OF RIVALS-A super read!

I just finished reading “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It was a fascinating story of Lincoln, his election, selection of his cabinet (including many of his rivals for President). It included the civil war period and his assassination.

At the end, she described the impact of the assassination on his wife, family, cabinet and colleagues and especially the nation in such a moving way I even had tears come to my eyes.

I heard her speak at an International City Managers Association meeting a few years ago and was intrigued by her knowledge and her way of describing history. I read all of her books (Wait Till Next Year, a story about her love of baseball and how her father taught her to love the game; No Ordinary Time, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II; The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys (which covered the history of the families up to when JFK became President) and Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream.

They are all fascinating, informative books regardless of your political beliefs about the persons involved!

At the conference, she had just finished Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream and she mentioned her book on Lincoln, so I was anxiously awaiting the book.

If you have any interest at all, read Team of Rivals.

I am starting next on “Lincoln and His Generals”. Lincoln was such an amazing man, decided I was going to always be reading something about him. I am also starting Walter Isaacson's book, Einsteen.

I am looking forward to seeing Doris Kearns Goodwin at the ICMA Conference this year. I am hoping I can get her to sign all of my books!

Memorial Day

I always especially remember Memorial Day, probably because when I was a kid, we always went what (to me) was a relatively long trip to the cemetery to visit our ancestors and deceased family members.

The small town where the cemetery was located (Soldier, Kansas) always had a big Memorial Day dinner for the persons visiting the cemetery. They also provided the lunch etc. for funeral services.

My parents both rest at the Soldier, Kansas Cemetery and the residents of Soldier provided the lunch at their funeral services and I still enjoy their Memorial Day lunches when we visit on Memorial Day.

I am still impressed by the dedication of the residents of Soldier, Kansas over all these years where they still provide such a service to visitors.

I think one of the reasons I enjoy being a City Manager so much is that I have some strong memories of the small towns I visited when I was a child and I realize the impact of city services and facilities. In addition to the Memorial Day visits being one of my earliest memories, we were heavy users of the Holton, Kansas library, parks and recreational facilities when we came to town on weekly shopping visits. I still remember how well they were maintained and the true dedication of the librarians and park workers and I hope we leave similar memories for our residents and visitors.

Also, Memorial Day always seemed to have some special events. When I was a child, I loved to LISTEN to the Indy 500. I'd go outside and listen to the entire race and I always had hopes of attending the race sometime. (I did visit the race track several years ago, but I have no desire to watch the race.)

Also, maybe because it was right after school, I always have memories of events around this time. When I was a freshman in college (between my Freshman and Sophomore year), I went to Denver, Colorado to work at Samsonite Corporation making suitcases as a summer job. I didn't have the slightest idea what I was getting into, but it was an enjoyable and educational Summer. I didn't have any idea how to get around in a big City (my Mom actually wrote me a check to use as money until I got my first paycheck-of course, not one would cash it and I ended up sleeping in the streets and bus station for several days) but I learned and it was a fascinating experience.

It was also where I learned to like Tamales. I worked "swing shift" and the on street corners vendors would be selling tamales. On weekend nights, I'd wonder around downtown Denver and eat tamales and watch what I considered the wondrous "big city" life go by.

Memphis and Nashville on-airport parking-HORRIBLE!

This is an excerpt from my previous blog. I really want to emphasize the failure of the Memphis and Nashville Airports to provide decent "on-airport" parking. Of course, "off-airport" parking owners are getting rich off of their inadequate service.

We flew out of Nashville, (To Albuquerque) so we could use some unused funds from Southwest. (Memphis is a nice airport, but can be excessively expensive to fly from. Frequently we fly Southwest from Little Rock or Nashville, usually Little Rock.) The schedule to Albuquerque-I finally learned how to spell that!-from Nashville was so much better that it was worth the extra drive.

We did find the parking at the Nashville Airport is just as bad (or worse) than the “on airport” parking at the Memphis Airport. At both airports, they use the “bus stop” method, with large, mostly empty buses.

In Nashville, the “shuttle” (actually a very inefficient large “city bus” size) drivers were extremely rude and unhelpful. I don’t see how they stay in business. When we were returning, a lady was getting on the bus and the bus driver pulled out and almost caused her to fall. How do they ever stay in business?

In the future, we’ll do as we do in Memphis-use off-airport parking!

Memphis actually charges $11.00 per day and we parked them only one time! Not only are they expensive and use inefficient buses, but it is inconvenient and almost impossible to haul heavy bags to the excessively large “shuttle” bus.

I don’t see how either airport parking transportation meets the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act.

In Memphis we found a very nice off-airport parking with a courteous shuttle bus driver (who normally actually jumps out and helps you load/unload luggage) who drives to your car to pick you up and to your car to drop you off! The price is just over 50% of on-airport parking!

Both Little Rock and Oklahoma City airports have small shuttle buses with courteous drivers who pick you up at your car and drop you off at your car. I wonder why Memphis and Nashville can’t see the light and provide decent on-airport parking.

Other than the rude, inefficient on-airport parking in Nashville, we had a wonderful and enjoyable trip. As usual, it was nice to get back to Lakeland, but we enjoyed New Mexico.

Sudden it's Summer

Suddenly, it’s Summer and I don’t need to dress warm in the morning when I walk or when I bicycle. The flowers bloom without fear of freezing.

Last weekend, we visited New Mexico on a “real” vacation. We went to “Old Town” in Albuquerque, and rode the Tram up the mountains. We went to Santa Fe and then Taos, We visited friends in a rural area south of Taos and north of Las Vegas, New Mexico. We visited Angel Fire and saw the Viet Nam Memorial. We drove and shopped, ate and drove. Touristy stuff, but interesting.

The first day, we just drove to the Continental Divide west of Grants, New Mexico. An interesting drive.

We noticed the colorful New Mexico license plates and I wondered again why Tennessee has such plain, ugly, regional plates. Tennessee is a beautiful state, and the license plates don’t do it any justice whatsoever. Talk about a lost PR opportunity!

I wish I had my bicycle, (although we flew to Albuquerque, so it would have been difficult). New Mexico has a lot of bicycling opportunities.

We enjoyed New Mexico and are already planning our next visit, probably to stay several days in Santa Fe this time.

We flew out of Nashville, so we could use some unused funds from Southwest. (Memphis is a nice airport, but can be excessively expensive to fly from. Frequently we fly Southwest from Little Rock or Nashville, usually Little Rock. The schedule to Albuquerque-I finally learned how to spell that!-from Nashville was so much better that it was worth the extra drive.

We did find the parking at the Nashville Airport is just as bad (or worse) than the “on airport” parking at the Memphis Airport. At both airports, they use the “bus stop” method, with large, mostly empty buses.

In Nashville, the “shuttle” (actually a very inefficient large “city bus” size) drivers were extremely rude and unhelpful. I don’t see how they stay in business. When we were returning, a lady was getting on the bus and the bus driver pulled out and almost caused her to fall. How do they ever stay in business?

In the future, we’ll do as we do in Memphis-use off-airport parking!

Memphis actually charges $11.00 per day and we parked them only one time! Not only are they expensive and use inefficient buses, but it is inconvenient and almost impossible to haul heavy bags to the excessively large “shuttle” bus.

I don’t see how either airport parking transportation meets the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act.

In Memphis we found a very nice off-airport parking with a courteous shuttle bus driver (who normally actually jumps out and helps you load/unload luggage) who drives to your car to pick you up and to your car to drop you off! The price is just over 50% of on-airport parking!

Both Little Rock and Oklahoma City airports have small shuttle buses with courteous drivers who pick you up at your car and drop you off at your car. I wonder why Memphis and Nashville can’t see the light and provide decent on-airport parking.

Other than the rude, inefficient on-airport parking in Nashville, we had a wonderful and enjoyable trip. As usual, it was nice to get back to Lakeland, but we enjoyed New Mexico.

Two things we missed we want to see if White Sands and Los Alamos.