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FReeper Canteen - Tunes For Our Troops - 18 Aug 2012
Our Troops Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!
| The Canteen DJ's
Posted on 08/17/2012 6:01:22 PM PDT by AZamericonnie
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; military; troopsupport
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To: AZamericonnie; All
101
posted on
08/17/2012 7:21:05 PM PDT
by
Drumbo
("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats." - Jubal Harshaw [Robert A. Heinlein])
To: LUV W; Kathy in Alaska; laurenmarlowe; BIGLOOK; alfa6; EsmeraldaA; SandRat; mylife; TMSuchman; ...
Welcome To All Who Enter This Canteen, To Our Serving Military, To Our Veterans, To All Military Families, To Our FRiends and To Our Allies!
Missing Man Setting
The Empty Chair
By Captain Carroll Lex Lefon, USN (ret), on December 21st, 2004
In the wardroom onboard the aircraft carrier from which I recently debarked was a small, round table, with single chair. No one ever sat there, and the reasons, both for the table being there, and for the fact that the chair was always empty, will tell the reader a little bit about who we are as a culture.The wardroom, of course, is where the officers will dine; morning, noon and evening. It is not only a place to eat it is also a kind of oasis from the sometimes dreary, often difficult exigencies of the service. A place of social discourse, of momentary relief from the burdens of the day. The only things explicitly forbidden by inviolable tradition in the wardroom are the wearing of a cover or sword by an officer not actually on watch, or conversation which touches upon politics or religion. But aboard ships which observe the custom, another implicit taboo concerns the empty chair: No matter how crowded the room, no matter who is waiting to be seated, that chair is never moved, never taken.
The table is by the main entrance to the wardroom. You will see it when you enter, and you will see it when you leave. It draws your eyes because it is meant to. And because it draws your eyes it draws your thoughts. And though it will be there every day for as long as you are at sea, you will look at it every time and your eyes will momentarily grow distant as you think for a moment. As you quietly give thanks.
AS YOU REMEMBER.
The small, round table is covered with a white linen tablecloth. A single place setting rests there, of fine bone china. A wineglass stands upon the table, inverted, empty. On the dinner plate is a pinch of salt. On the bread plate is a slice of lemon. Besides the plate lies a bible. There is a small vase with a single red rose upon the table. Around the vase is wound a yellow ribbon. There is the empty chair.
We will remember because over the course of our careers, we will have had the opportunity to enjoy many a formal evening of dinner and dancing in the fine company of those with whom we have the honor to serve, and their lovely ladies. And as the night wears on, our faces will in time become flushed with pleasure of each others company, with the exertions on the dance floor, with the effects of our libations. But while the feast is still at its best, order will be called to the room we will be asked to raise our glasses to the empty table, and we will be asked to remember:
The table is round to show our everlasting concern for those who are missing. The single setting reminds us that every one of them went to their fates alone, that every life was unique.
The tablecloth is white symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answered the call to duty.
The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones who kept the faith.
The yellow ribbon around the vase symbolizes our continued determination to remember them.
The slice of lemon reminds us of the bitterness of their fate. The salt symbolizes the tears shed by those who loved them. The bible represents the faith that sustained them. The glass is inverted they cannot share in the toast. The chair is empty they are not here. They are missing.
And we will remember, and we will raise our glasses to those who went before us, and who gave all that they had for us. And a part of the flush in our faces will pale as we remember that nothing worth having ever came without a cost. We will remember that many of our brothers and sisters have paid that cost in blood. We will remember that the reckoning is not over.
We many of us will settle with our families into our holiday season, our Christmas season for those who celebrate it, content in our fortune and prosperity. We will meet old friends with smiles and laughter. We will meet our members of our family with hugs. We will eat well, and exchange gifts and raise our glasses to the year passed in gratitude, and to the year to come with hope. We will sleep the sleep of the protected, secure in our homes, secure in our homeland.
But for many families, there will be an empty chair at the table this year. A place that is not filled.
WE SHOULD REMEMBER.
Thanks To Alfa6 For Finding The Narrative Of The Empty Chair.
Robert Schumann Traumerei (Click)
Never Forget Those Who Sacrificed All That We Could Live In Freedom!!
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Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)
102
posted on
08/17/2012 7:23:43 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel defend us in Battle!)
To: AZamericonnie
103
posted on
08/17/2012 7:23:51 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
To: AZamericonnie; All
104
posted on
08/17/2012 7:24:05 PM PDT
by
Drumbo
("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats." - Jubal Harshaw [Robert A. Heinlein])
To: Drumbo
Holding on here Drumbo!:)
Hope you've lots of coffee on hand & sounds like a fun day tomorrow!
To: Publius
That will be very cool to watch! I envy pianists! :)
106
posted on
08/17/2012 7:27:27 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Debating the foolish brings no benefit.)
To: 2LT Radix jr; Mr. LUV; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; ...
IN MEMORY OF THE KING...
ELVIS PRESLEY~Burning Love
Use the links at the top of the thread
to purchase music of the artists.
FReepmail or ping any DJ with your requests.
107
posted on
08/17/2012 7:28:40 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Debating the foolish brings no benefit.)
To: LUV W
When I saw the pianists play at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, I was always filled with pianist envy.
(ducking)
108
posted on
08/17/2012 7:29:14 PM PDT
by
Publius
(Leadershiup starts with getting off the couch.)
To: AZamericonnie
LOL - I recken’ I’ll be sleeping through the fun.
109
posted on
08/17/2012 7:29:14 PM PDT
by
Drumbo
("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats." - Jubal Harshaw [Robert A. Heinlein])
To: AZamericonnie; All
110
posted on
08/17/2012 7:29:31 PM PDT
by
Drumbo
("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats." - Jubal Harshaw [Robert A. Heinlein])
To: All
111
posted on
08/17/2012 7:29:34 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
To: ConorMacNessa
....till they all come home (like that baby’s daddy!).....
112
posted on
08/17/2012 7:29:34 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Debating the foolish brings no benefit.)
To: AZamericonnie; All
113
posted on
08/17/2012 7:31:14 PM PDT
by
Drumbo
("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats." - Jubal Harshaw [Robert A. Heinlein])
To: 2LT Radix jr; Mr. LUV; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; ...
IN MEMORY OF THE KING...
ELVIS PRESLEY~Don't Be Cruel
Use the links at the top of the thread
to purchase music of the artists.
FReepmail or ping any DJ with your requests.
114
posted on
08/17/2012 7:32:00 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Debating the foolish brings no benefit.)
To: AZamericonnie; All
115
posted on
08/17/2012 7:32:41 PM PDT
by
Drumbo
("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats." - Jubal Harshaw [Robert A. Heinlein])
To: Publius
LOL! I’m a French horn player...and yet, not very good, so any time I hear their haunting notes by one that can really play, I have much envy, too! :)
116
posted on
08/17/2012 7:32:41 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Debating the foolish brings no benefit.)
To: AZamericonnie; ConorMacNessa; Kathy in Alaska; MS.BEHAVIN; LUV W
One of the lesser known pieces by
Frederic Chopin from 1832 is this little rondo, but its still quite good. Each time he returns to the principal theme, it becomes more elaborate. Its a good example of the
bel canto approach to piano.
Chopin: Rondo in E-flat, Op. 16
117
posted on
08/17/2012 7:32:50 PM PDT
by
Publius
(Leadershiup starts with getting off the couch.)
To: LUV W
I should dig up some horn concertos one of these nights. I hope you enjoyed the Brahms Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano that I posted several months ago.
118
posted on
08/17/2012 7:34:17 PM PDT
by
Publius
(Leadershiup starts with getting off the couch.)
To: All
119
posted on
08/17/2012 7:35:38 PM PDT
by
mylife
(The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
To: 2LT Radix jr; Mr. LUV; acad1228; AirForceMom; Colonel_Flagg; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; ...
IN MEMORY OF THE KING...
ELVIS PRESLEY~Hard Headed Woman
Use the links at the top of the thread
to purchase music of the artists.
FReepmail or ping any DJ with your requests.
120
posted on
08/17/2012 7:36:01 PM PDT
by
luvie
(Debating the foolish brings no benefit.)
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