From: frkenn@comcast.net
Subject: Contact!!
Date: December 26, 2009 6:22:56 PM MST
To: ivenvik@gmail.com
Hello Inga and Ola!
I am so glad to have made contact with you again after so long! Thank you so much for the family news. I know you must be delighted to have family with you during the holidays. I don't have family here with me this Christmas but am hoping we can get together here next summer.
My oldest, Randy (Ralph, lll) and his wife (Linda) and adopted family are in Connecticut. Bert, the second son is in Connecticut and is doing quite well in a nice home with several others who also are mildly schizophrenic but take care of themselves comfortably. He is with Randy and Linda frequently, like right now at Christmas. Incidentally, Linda had two teen age children when she and Randy were married. They are Heather and Richard, married to Jorge and Terry, and now have seven children between them whom I now consider to be my great grandchildren. My third son Nathan, has never married and lives in Denver. The economic downturn left him without a job for several months but he is employed once again, thankfully. My daughter Leigh, who also has never married seems to be happy with her employment in Palo Alto,California. She is not too far from Thaniel (her mother and my ex-wife), who lives in Santa Barbara, California.
It has been several years since Eiril was a model in London and Hilde was studying physics at Delph!! Where have all the years gone? They sound wonderful!
After Fran died of lung cancer five hears ago I didn't do much of value for a year or so but then finally started what has become my "elder mission". I have completed about seventy-five or so visual or live autobiographies of friends. This project started out with a group of retired US Navy Captains from WWll. So they were all fairly old as am I. Their children and grandchildren have truly appreciated hearing in person their whole life stories (war experiences but a small part) that I have recorded with my simple camcorder and then put on DVD's for more permanent record.
More recently I have been recording these autobiographies of local people here in Park City who mostly came from somewhere else (I think of us all as immigrants) but chose this outdoor life style, put their roots down,and with passion, greatly contributed to the rebirth of Park City from an old ghost mining town into a well-recognized world ski resort center. Our local Museum and Historical Center is accumulating these DVD's for study. Somebody seems to think there must be something a bit different about these folks that I have characterized as "Extraordinarily Ordinary Passionate People of Park City with Imagination, Initiative and Perseverance". It surely keeps me busy! Among these wonderful people is
Stein Erickson, of course (whom I have not yet interviewed), but also a good friend, Tom Cammermeyer, who has founded the Norwegian Outdoor Exploration Center that teaches the value of out door life experience to many young people in this area. He trained with someone in Norway whose name I can't remember, but Tom always uses the following expression that I believe must be related: "In the spirit of FRILUFTSLIV".
I will be careful with any political comments in the future to make sure my position (If I have one!) is clear (whether right or wrong). There is so much confusion and division in the US currently that it is not surprising that other countries are concerned about our involvement and what is happening. Maybe I should totally keep quiet but that is difficult when I see and hear things that cause me great concern over our future. My voice is just one of many to be heard but that is probably part of the strength of our system. We have come through many trying times pretty successfully, though not perfect, and I believe we will in the future. Of course we old guys are colored by WWll experiences and there is more to life than just that.
I am definitely a constructive optimist but am fearful of impractical idealism.
One small summary -- I did not vote for Obama because I felt his economic philosophy would be detrimental to the future of our representative, capitalistic system of government. I was not concerned over his pronouncements regarding international affairs as I was confident he would change his positions if he became President and had to develop an independent vision of protecting our country.
On the economic side, our system of checks and balances would give our congress final control over major changes that he might promote. This is happening right now in the healthcare brouhaha. We will have care for everyone but how it is to be done is not yet settled.
When Obama was running for office he told the people that he would immediately withdraw our military form Iraq and elsewhere and close down the retention center in Cuba, known as "Gitmo". This gained him election from the majority of the people who were, like all of us, against war in principle But we have to elect representatives who will thoroughly examine everything involved in protecting us. When Obama was finally elected he took on a responsibility beyond political campaign promises that required a vision beyond just being elected. I cannot even imagine the pressure of such world responsibility! After election, he obviously carefully studied all the information made available to him, severed his intimate connection with either political party, and decided our involvement in the world and protection of the US, did not permit withdrawing our military or closing Gitmo.
I believe that he has embarked on a more conciliatory approach to other countries and has a chance of getting the support he feels is necessary. It is a mantle of responsibility that he has accepted and I pray he is on the right track. I think he is but realize many would disagree.
I would greatly appreciate seeing commentary from Norwegian editorials.
In the meantime pray for peace in 2010!!
With love and respect, Buddy
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