And Yet Another Old Friend Dies.

If you knew Gus, you know this is true

We met at the Morton Building in Charlottesville when PVCC was being planned. He was the chair of Humanities and Social Sciences and I was the chair of Everything else. Two chairmen to start with. He planned courses and curricula, space and technology and of course faculty and staff for his area and I did the same for mine. Except mine was bigger and way more complex. I had Math and Science and a few other things. We were moving into a brand new purpose built building, and Gus and I were the real architects of the academic spaces. Of course there was a librarian and a dean of students for that area, but we ruled the campus from conception to execution. And beyond.

We were chalk and cheese in some ways: Science vs Humanities. But Gus was interested in science and I was interested in everything, so we fit. Both named Richard too. We spent years developing the camaraderie of quietness that only comes from friends who know each other well. We worked hard together and played harder together. Both with families and by our selves. We  were hell raisers on trips, but we got the job done.

The Gus and Woody stories are numerous and some legendary, but they mostly die with me. No one needs to be reminded what we did, where, when and how if they were a part of it. No one needs to know details if they weren’t. We both eventually left PVCC for other institutions and we both retired Emeritus. We lost touch over the years, but never lost connection or memories.

He died on April 10^th at age 74. I am 75. I have only one friend I have known longer, and he is still going. I hope.

The world will miss old Gus. His infectious laugh, his political insights, his brilliant teaching and his quiet friendship. Rest easy old friend. You won’t be alone too much longer. The poker crowd is catching up, and maybe we will get a good game going with Me, You, Forest, Ed, and sometimes Chick and Peter and a few others. Remember Peter and the Keys? Remember Deep Throat? Oh yes, we do too. Good days are ahead. Hang in there. And rest easy. Your legacy is well secured. Oh yeah. His name was Richard Carl Gossweiler Jr. Probably the least important to know about old Gus.

Image: https://yifof.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/d19310c18de3dbdcf37087115b5722ab.jpg

Political Season Opens with a BANG!!!

Politics. It never ends does it? Now we are well into the pre-2016 election season and the woodwork had yielded up many critters. Some obviously flawed some ridiculous and a few probably worthy of consideration.

In the next few months the candidates will begin the winnowing process, and then when the primaries come around the “people” will have a say. Well, some people. Most voters won’t bother to vote in the primaries so the ideologues on all sides will really determine who gets to run and who stays home. Both major parties have candidates and no doubt a few third party people will crop up to screw things up.

You don’t think third party candidates don’t make a difference? Ralph Nader gave the election to the Bush/Cheney ticket. He got the exact opposite of what he stood for. And we all got, well, you know what we got. The third party candidates usually siphon off liberal votes and make it harder for Democrats to win elections. Not so much for Republicans. They have a much tighter process once the bloodletting is over.

So this election cycle we will all be standing on the side watching the parties and candidate try to differentiate themselves from the rest, and try to convince voters to get out and vote. There will be time later for dissecting the actual nominees so for now I am just going to relax and enjoy the spectacle of the Republicans eating their young. But don’t think that whoever wins their process won’t be a formidable candidate. The Democrats will have their hands full, and the Republicans will be fighting a tough challenger. And who knows what moronic third parties will crop up to throw sand in the gears of the electoral process. And who knows what laws will be passed to interferewith voting.  And who knows how much money will be poured into the election by foreign powers and superrich oligarchs. A lot.

Image: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/images/i/000/002/481/i02/democrat-republican.jpg?1339609323

An Old Woodpecker Finds Help and Peace

Squirrel  and Possum were moping around in an old hollow log one rainy afternoon. “Possum, I am bored. Let’s go out in the rain and have some fun. Let’s explore!!” “Well, I was just going to try a nap, but OK, I’m with you.”

Off they went in the rain down a path that eventually took them to a small stream. After having a long drink, they decided to climb an old dead tree nearby and see what they could see from the top. About half way up, they found a dark hole and decided to explore inside the tree. Squirrel went first since he was the smallest and by far the most inquisitive. They poked around for a bit, and then were startled and frightened when a voice called “Help! Help me please” and the voice got weaker. They cautiously looked into a cavity and there was an old woodpecker, weak from starvation and no water, and nearly  blind. “Oh” cried possum! “You frightened us. Can we help?”

Well, the woodpecker was surprised that the furry ones would even think of helping her, but felt a spark of hope. “I am thirsty and very hungry, and can’t seem to fly to find food or water. I don’t think you can really help me, but at least I can die with someone with me.”. “Die? We won’t let you die. We will get some water and food and take care of you.” And so their work began. First the friends had to find something to bring in some water, and then find some food. There was plenty of water outside the tree because it was raining, but nothing to collect it in. Then, Squirrel spotted a large acorn. He chewed the nut out and left a perfect cup where the nut had been. Carefully, the friends filled the cup with water and climbed the tree. It spilled out. Then they took the nut cup up to the hole and filled it with rain running down the trunk. IT WORKED!. Now, they carefully carried the water to the back of the hollow where the woodpecker had her first drink in days.  “Oh thank you children” she said, and fell into a deep sleep.

The friends then went out and found seeds and some grubs. Squirrel packed the seeds into his cheeks, while possum made a pouch from a leaf and loaded it with grubs.

When they got back to the hollow, the woodpecker was awake, and as she ate for the first time in many days she thanked them again. “I never thought furries would help an old bird like me. In fact, I have never even had a furry friend. I am so lucky.” “And you don’t have to worry. Every day we will bring more food and water for you until you get well enough to go out on your own.” Woodpecker thought “But I am blind, and may never be able to fly again.” But she didn’t say anything. After the boys left, she crept to the opening in the tree and realized she could still see shadows and smell the woods around her. She flew away to a distant tree, and there rested until she was strong enough to hunt for her own food. Old age and weakness caught her, though, and she died peacefully in her sleep a week later.

When the friends got back to the tree the next afternoon, they found the hollow empty and wondered where the woodpecker went. “Do you suppose she is alright Squirrel?” said Possum. “Yes, she has probably has found her family and is at peace.”

And one week later she was.

Image: http://images.paraorkut.com/img/wallpapers/1024x768/p/possum_-1341.jpg

Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Eastern_Grey_Squirrel.jpg