Jewells of Thought

What does this word mean and what kind of word is it?

Let’s start with what kind of word it is first. While looking at the Merriam-Webster Dictionary it states that it is not just a noun but also a verb. Which means it is a thing, place, idea, person, animal, action or quality. Plus it is an action. A talk is happening and an exchange of ideas information is being discussed in relation to a job or someone’s account of what has happened to them.

An interview happens so quickly sometimes without much thought even perhaps even between friends. However, there are differences in interviews for jobs and for those in politics. The stakes are much higher for both individuals one way or another. The interviewee in how to answer questions with a keen intellect and with grace and perhaps a tiny bit of chemistry with the camera or the person doing the interview. Then the interviewer needs questions answered that is the purpose of the interview, right? If the interviewee is too cunning or simply unable to craftily piece their message together it could be detrimental for those who would want to hear such a possibly intriguing video clip between the two speaking.

Okay so today is the interview for V. P. Harris and surprisingly her selected V. P. for her ticket. Many are surprised she is not doing this alone. A lot of comments have been made on both sides of the aisle about this interesting decision. She has been in this position for 3 and a half years why can’t she do it alone? Former Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley is also an Indian and American Woman and she held countless jobs and faced reporters fiercely. What is the difference? It is her views that need to be heard not her V. P. Tim Walz’s views. Plus they are trying to say he doesn’t know what her policies are to speak on the stump alone himself.

Grandpa Freddy and Uncle Horace Handsome in their Navy Uniforms

The summer after I graduated from high school was a big year for me. I had no idea it would be the year before even bigger changes would come. Losses that would be tragic. The more time goes by I see these events in an awesome way that brought me to a much different place than I could ever have imagined without this one big step.

Goodness I was nervous that afternoon. Grandpa Freddy knew I was given a recorder from a teacher on our last day of the school year for us graduates. It was an amazing gift that kept on giving. I remember Papaw telling me to bring that gift with me and he had set up an interview for me. It was the summer of 2003 and I didn’t know exactly what was going on for certain. We had had conversations about Grandpa Leo and his service time and he knew I was very interested in knowing the stories of my family Veterans. Still I was not ready for this at all.

When I talk about this I still refer to it as Grandpa throwing me in the deep end of the water. His big brother Horace and Margaret his wife were up visiting with her sister Irene. Her husband had been gone for a while at that time, but Margaret and Horace were never far away from her or my Grandparent’s. They kept themselves busy going from Newburgh, Carlisle and to Dugger. You can probably throw in Fort Branch as well as Chicago. We had Alsman Family reunions in Chicago at least one I remember fairly well. It was the year Princess Diana died.

No notepad no pencil or pen, but I had my trusty recorder for the nearly 20 minute interview we had. Grandpa even had him bring his service photos and his discharge papers; all copies of the originals for me. Somewhere in the middle of him talking I got a little less nervous, I honestly don’t remember if I actually asked him questions or he just started talking about his service from memory. He had been asked a lot by this time. He was interviewed when the LST was brought to Evansville right before he died, because of his own experiences on his vessel during World War II. He was on several ships. Grandpa told me early on don’t talk to a Navy man and say boat when referring to a ship, it’s an insult, he said. I would have to listen to our recording again or look at my transcript to see if I did ask a question. It’s only been literally 20 years.

Uncle Horace died in about a year give or take from the time we had our interview. I will never forget how scary, amazing and poignant listening to a Veteran speak about his service time could be and how it affected me. It was an incredible experience I have now done some by myself and some with my Mom or Grandma Rosie around. I had to learn how to come up with some on the spot follow-up questions and go down different tangents based on where I interviewed the men and their wives when I could have their wives with them. Sometimes they were talking to Mom and Grandma.

Honestly this article took on a different tone than I thought it would. delving through memory lane can be good for the soul, I suppose. Still Harris disappoints me in that she’s supposed to be the candidate to break these barriers. As a woman what is she telling us after the career she has had that she can’t face a reporter for her best food forward and stand on her own two feet and make the camera work for her and her message the way she should be able to by now? Again I watched Haley’s speech at the RNC that was magic for the Republican message and that wasn’t even her being asked by reporters. She threw her political weight around to her advantage. Even young Kai Trump had more skills as a novice getting her message across and she is around somewhere between graduating high school and starting college soon.

Whether interviewing or giving a speech the messaging has to be flowing and on target. I didn’t know what I was doing that first time, but Uncle Horace and Grandpa set me up for a 3 point shot interview. I am certain I got sea-legs somewhere in the middle and my curiosity allowed me to overcome the nervousness. I got so excited that I had been able to do that and get nearly 20 plus minutes I think it propelled me to the next interview and the next and the next one. So why does Harris hide from interviews and reporters!

When you end up resorting to pilfering from another’s policies it’s hard to give adequate thought into something you didn’t come up with yourself! Again what is this saying to women and young girls about moral clarity in our society when it’s coming from our second person in the White House right now!