But will do instead a bit on our ever exuberant Executive Editor and her additional if not primary duty as Cheer Leader of somewhere/ something?
Yes, we have them at every level of Government and Local Media/ Business in the MOV. Some are up and waving pom poms as one would expect at a Friday Night Football Game, while they bounce all over their daily stage whatever and wherever that may be? Others are second/ third and so on tier to be sent out as needed. For Vienna, Ms. Myer would be the second tier behind our local version, the also ever effervescent Ms. Kerns.
I don't think anyone could really say that the MOV is a bad place? I have not seen that in my limited travels/ trips? For reasons I will not go into, I am not as mobile as I once was and have to be in certain places at a certain moment. This no matter where I might want to be, but such is life as one gets past 50.
For me, as a pragmatist, a for sure logical person in many ways that does not allow me to see the Shangri La that is portrayed by our uncountable cheerleaders when I am walking through a layer of Bull S**t several inches deep. I will admit I am pleased when I see something that is an improvement for the area as a whole or just in a given locale.
One recent example were the Test Scores for the urchins that showed improvement for so many in the various levels of the Wood Schools. Short term, that was a good thing. But being the pragmatist/ realist that I am, I remembered in the day when passing was at the very least a 70. Below that, one failed, called an F in the simple jargon of A-F grading. Now a days, I realize we have gotten to the point that "They Attended" is all there is? We need to get the urchins up to a 70.01 as a minimum.
Now, it is again very apparent there is a lot going on here. BUT and I repeat BUT, not everyone has the time or more importantly money to attend all the activities. Sure some are low cost and others "free". Still nothing is truly "Free", someone has to pay for whatever? And even when in Vienna the City Department Heads are saying "it will cost you nothing, the City will pay for it", a little light should go off and one thinks "really"?
With 53% of the folks on some type of Public Dole here, it very quickly does seem to them that everything is "Free". Even with the Tax Dollars they have to pay for Booze, Cigs, Snacks and other necessary items, it does not register that those dollars go somewhere for something?
And even the events put on by various groups in a Charitable mode, someone is paying for the plays, musical events, parades and so on; there is a cost to be borne so folks can enjoy them.
What many of us know is that those living from paycheck to paycheck or on the Dole or a fixed Pension (My Lord, I am talking about the 47% / Deplorables?), having the time or even the few dollars for an event that would be mind opening like a good play or live entertainment of one sort or another is beyond their means.
I listened a few months back as our very own Mr. Rapp talked about a young guy who walked for several miles to and from work as he did not have private/ public transportation to use. A lack of money for a vehicle and the MOV bus schedule did not work for him was a free time breaker. Sure, he may have been able to see or attend some events if they ran for several days, but a one or two day event at any distance was beyond him. Not to mention what he had to decide to do with his very low paying job money?
What needs to be faced even if I seem a "naysayer", a gloom and doom" guy is the need to get a way for folks to get ahead in Education, Life Experience and a decent job. We sadly cannot seem to get there with a measured path to a successful conclusion for many?
Sure, if one is lucky enough to have a Relative to help them get a good job or they get really lucky and marry someone with the right connections, the road can get very rosy. But only so many rich/ powerful families to be born into and the ugly ducklings to turn into the beautiful Swans are few and far between too.
So, if one understands that 99% of the Cheer Leaders are paid to Cheer Lead and it is not really from the bottoms of their hearts or the Truth in their heads, we will be okay. It is important to find some humor each day and those folks for sure give us a chance.
So listen and chuckle at the talking heads, but look for that chance to get ahead so YOU can enjoy those wonderful events that we do have here. "nuff said".