LFS: The Storyteller

©2008 by LeeZard Two flowers in the desert, Buried in the sand. Two lonely ships at sea, Nowhere near the land. The flowers barely nourished, Managed to survive. The ships, tho’ tossed by storm, Sailed on with the tide. For years the flowers slept, Apart and all alone. The ships sailed separately, No ports to call them home. One day a gentle wind, Blew away the sand. One day a pure white bird, Led the ships to land. Underneath new sunlight, The flowers bloomed and grew. With their ships in port, Wives found their love anew. And, now the flowers drink, The raindrops from the sky, Then they see each other, They’ve always been nearby.

©2008 by LeeZard Here’s a media ethics question: where is the line between news and the invasion of privacy? We all know the cliché about local TV news, “if it bleeds it leads.” But, the issue goes beyond the tube; all branches of the news media trade in personal tragedy, big and small. Murder and mayhem are relatively cheap and easy to cover. Additionally, they appeal to our societal hunger for gossip, which means ratings and readers. Granted, big tragedies – commercial plane crashes, train wrecks, earthquakes, major weather events and the like – are news. What troubles me is when those in the news business go overboard in attempts to “humanize” these major stories or, when they make someone’s individual tragedy – a hit-and-run-accident, an assault or some other crime – “news.” Let me give you a couple of examples – one from my earliest days in broadcasting at a three-station radio network on Long Island and the other from my last posting as a reporter in the late 1990's for KIRO ...

When things get a little crazy, I go to the beach. It calms me. Let's go to the beach! ©2008 by LeeZard To watch the sun, Rise out of the ocean, We awoke before dawn, And stumbled to the beach. We came with a bottle of wine, To toast the new day, A blanket to cover the sand, And a sleeping bag for warmth. We were four new friends, Ready to greet the morning. A gentle blue light, Creeps over the horizon, Darkness retreating in its path. The moon and morning star linger, To join us, To watch the sun, Rise out of the ocean. Our eyes focus east, As orange and pink rays, Dance in the sky. Sunlight frames the clouds, As daytime, Moves closer to the beach. The ocean stirs, From its nighttime rest, As Sandpipers Begin to scurry about Little white, busy birds, Skittering one way then another. A lone seagull, Swoops down to the water, Seeking an early breakfast. It is peaceful, Quiet. The four of us together Alone in our thoughts. A golden edge of sun, Peers over the clouds, Slowly, steadi...

I love this essay - absolutely one of my favorite pieces. I first wrote it in 1992. Every once in awhile I go back and update "the list," most recently this week. ©1995 by LeeZard Most Americans don’t realize it but there’s a lot more to Oklahoma than tornadoes, oil wells, cattle and amber waves of grain. From the eerie white salt flats in the panhandle to its dramatic tall grass prairie, endless wheat fields and rolling green hills, the Sooner State is unique not only for its violent weather and physical qualities but also for its remarkable people. From 1991-1994, I made almost 100 business trips to America’s “Tornado Alley” to help the U.S. Department Of Energy establish a ten year multi-million dollar global warming research program. One of my tasks was to explain the project to people near our central research facility in rural Grant County, Oklahoma, just south of the Kansas State line. Sitting in cafes, general stores and ranch houses of many new found friends, I lea...

©2008 by LeeZard Have you been to a shopping mall lately? I try to avoid it but sometimes it’s unavoidable. I have to tell you; I am absolutely amazed at what I see. I’m talking about pre-pubescent feminine come-hither. I know I'm starting to sound like a curmudgeon but this rant goes back to when I was parenting my kids as teens. It bothered me then and it bothers me now. There are limits, ya know. Now, I’m no prude - far from it - but I am often appalled by the way these young girls – and I mean YOUNG – are dressing. Barely to their teens, they are in tight, belly exposing tank tops. They squeeze into micro-mini skirts or very tight low-riding jeans – riding so low that their thong underwear is exposed when they lean forward to take a bite out of their Big Mac Happy Meals. I have sweatbands that cover more than those thongs do. Then there are all those thumbtacks in their noses, their ears and their bellybuttons. We are talking about our very young daughters dressing li...

©2007 by LeeZard Barack Obama’s presidential campaign scares me but, not for the reasons you might think. In fact, I’ll probably vote for him in Washington State’s caucuses next month. No, what scares me is this awful feeling of Déjà Vu all over again. I’m sure others have thought about it but don’t want to say it for fear that, if they say it, it will happen. But, it has to be said and, we have to look within ourselves to prevent it from happening. “What the hell are you rambling about, Leezard,” you must be asking. So, here it is. Barack Obama is one of those rare people who come along maybe once every generation. He is beyond charismatic. He is inspirational. His speeches are brilliant. Did you hear his victory speech in Iowa? The pundits on CNN immediately labeled it "one of the most important political speeches of the year." He stands to become our nation’s first African American president and, what scares me is that Barack Obama is just the kind of person some whacko wi...

I wanted to write something positive and hopeful and, yet, I kept coming back to our perilous world. Still, I was determined to express hope for the future. Usually, I start out with a phrase in my head and the rest seems to flow quite easily. For some reason, I struggled with this one. In fact, it took several weeks to complete. Today, sadly, it is fantasy, but, I like it; I like its message. I’m walking  on a mountain trail, through valleys thick with maple and oak. The warm sun shares bright blue sky with white cotton pillow clouds. My heart is free, My head is clear, My life is filled with joy.  From oceans blue and mountains green, There is peace upon the land, for every boy & girl, every mom & dad all around the world. Their lives are free, Their futures clear.Their days are filled with joy. It’s just a dream, I know that’s true, But I was born to dream. I dream of hope and pray for peace. No babies born to die of hunger. This dream is free, the vision c...