Old Rough and Ready

Magnet #1307 - Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)

Our 12th president, Zachary Taylor, had no political experience when he was elected. He was basically elected for being a war hero, having served in the military for 40 years, in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War, and the Mexican-American War.

But here's something. Ya'll know how I love my American presidents, and that every once in a while, I can whip out a little-known fact or two. (Millard Fillmore being the 13th president is not one.)

So, I dunno how I'm just now finding out that Taylor, the 40-year warhorse known as Old Rough and Ready, served only a 16-month term, because he was supposedly felled by cholera...

Contracted from eating a bowl of cherries and drinking a pitcher of iced milk.

Those are some biiiiig shoes...

Magnet #1267 - John Quincy Adams

Our sixth president had a lot of living up to, to do, methinks. I mean, when your pops is like the 2nd president ever, of the United States, yeah, those are some big shoes to fill.

But, John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) did it, serving as the 8th U.S. Secretary of State, US Ambassador to the UK, Russia, Prussia and the Netherlands, US House Representative from 3 different districts, and as US Senator from Massachusetts.

Whew.

Meanwhile, I just picked this magnet because the other day, I saw an @PeterSokolowski video that finally explains (at least for me) why we Americans have our own spellings that differ from the original English spellings.

Turns out it was Noah Webster of Merriam-Webster who gave America our own language. I won't lie, even after having spent a few years editing and converting British spelling to American spelling in romance and science-fiction books, I hadn't a clue about Webster's contribution.

Take a look:


Why the tie back to JQ? Only because it was at the Adamses library that I saw one of the original first editions of Merriam-Webster, and man I would have loved to rifle through that tome.

Yes. I'm a dork at heart. What? You couldn't tell after 1,267 magnets?

You can tell a lot about a man and his...beans

Magnet #1199 - Ronald Reagan Forever Stamp

Today in 2004, Ronald Reagan passed away at the age of 93, and seven years later, 2011 marks a year-long centennial celebration, with various events and concerts, tributes and galas, and educational events set up across the US, and abroad.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library is totally on my list of things to do on my next California trip. A friend went out there earlier this year and brought back this superdupercool magnet for me.

It's Ronnie's Forever stamp, to commemorate his centennial - done in watercolor by Bart Forbes and issued back in February.

I just love this magnet because he looks pretty dashing as a former movie star, turned president.

What? Yes, I might have a small thing for Ronald Reagan. Oh, you can't tell me you're surprised. After all, I already said he was the president during my formative years!

Plus, really. A president who kept Jelly Bellys on his desk, just like I used to? How could he and I not get along famously.

Supposedly, he used to say you could tell a lot about people by whether or not they grab a handful of Jelly Bellys, or if they just go for certain colors. And it's true.

At my old job, I used to keep a pretty full dispenser of Jelly Bellys, filled with as many different flavor packs as possible - regulars, sours, sodas, tropicals, ice creams, etc.

I used to have so much fun watching coworkers navigate getting those beans.

The adventurous ones used to turn the knob, and have all the beans spill into their hands and just start eating them. They were the ones who loved discussing what flavors they were eating, and who never minded if they got a random peanut butter or popcorn or coffee. (Well, except for the one chick allergic to peanuts who freaked out and ran for her epi pen - oops. She's ok, but she never ate another Jelly Belly from me again.)

The less adventurous ones would cover the hole, hear the beans fall into the catcher, and reach their fingers into the tiny space to pick out the flavors they wanted. No discussion necessary, because they found the ones they wanted, said thanks, and moved along about their business.

Of course, this was after I bought the cast-iron dispenser, folks. It was even worse when I had the pop-top ones, where they could actually open the top and make lots of noise turning the dispenser round and round (and round and round), so they could reach in for their favorites. Oiy.

As for me, I'd rather just go to the candy store, and buy bags of my favorite flavors, so that I could mix and match and not get any bad beans.

That's not indicative of my OCD and/or control freak self at all.

Nope. Not at all.

Smoke and Ike

Magnet #1194 - Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953 - 1961)

I've smoked maybe five cigarettes in my entire life - and not even whole ones. The first couple were in Europe, with the president of the Tri-Delts trying to teach me and failing miserably. The rest were in some smoky bars in North Carolina and New York. And all were in my 20s.

Scarily, it was the fault of those smoky bars (and probably a few beers) that actually had me craving the last of them. But overall, I just never could get the hang of it, really. Plus, I look funny with a cigarette, methinks. (What?)

My grandfather was a heavy smoker, who died at 56 from lung cancer. In this day and age, I feel like everyone in the world knows a smoker who died from cancer. Apparently, tobacco kills more than six million people every year - the World Health Organization (WHO) actually calls it the tobacco epidemic.

To be honest, I don't really care if others do it, it's their body and health. And while I'm superhappy I don't go to bars and come out reeking of cigarette smoke anymore, I find myself on the fence about the recent NYC ban on smoking in public parks and plazas. It just feels like the outdoors shouldn't be as regulated given that people can move about freely to get away from the offending smoke. I know, just saying that sparks several arguments right there.

Anyway, today is World No Tobacco Day, and WHO is using today to help promote the “WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control," a public health treaty whose mission is to make countries protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke, ban tobacco advertising and sales to minors and put health warnings on tobacco packaging.

So how does that tie back to our 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower? According to Fitness, Ike was a heavy smoker (four packs a day!), who was urged to cut back. He couldn't take counting out his allowed cigarettes and so he quit. Just like that. Never had another cigarette in his life.

I totally have reservations as to whether or not it was that easy for him to just quit, especially because he said that he just put smoking out of his mind.

Really? Just doesn't feel like it could be so, but hey, he did it!

Yay for Ike!

"The nicest person you've ever met..."

Magnet #1172 - George Herbert Walker Bush

Is it weird that I kinda believe PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem when he calls Bush the First that? I mean, honestly, in this presidential portrait, the dude actually looks like the nicest person ever.

So, tonight, along with Frank Chirkinian, Ernie Els, Doug Ford, Jock Hutchison, and Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki, the World Golf Hall of Fame inducted George Herbert Walker Bush (1989-1993).

Here's why.

What?

I know my limitations - and going on about golf is certainly not one of them! Though the write-up is actually an interesting read - I had no idea he was so involved in the game. I mean, I have a vague recollection of Bush on a golf course, but I feel like that's every U.S. President ever. Isn't it like a requirement or something?

Anyway, I'm just happy to have found something apolitical to magnetblog about for a more recent president! I feel like from Bush on, it's almost impossible not to get into their politics when talking about them, and honestly, I don't have the heart for any Dem/Rep debate.

It's a magnetblog, after all!

Shut UP! It's Oreo Fudge Cremes!

Magnet #1155 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The beauty of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945) being one of my fave presidents is that I've done a boatload of magnetposts on him - which means I can use this magnet for absolutely nothing but...Oreos.

That's right.

Oreos.

I've been streaming the heck out of FOX, Hulu and yes, CW lately, in a desperate attempt to keep up with my shows, and it looks like Nabisco's done a pretty extensive buy with FOX because I keep seeing the same commercial all over again.

Not even joking, every break for the last several eps I've watched of Fringe and now Bones, it's the same. tv. ad.

Luckily, the Oreo Fudge Creme spot is actually watchable and re-watchable. And watchable again. At least for me.

The spot's way below, but it basically features a family expounding on the indescribably delicious fudgey goodness of the cookies, each member using today's catchphrases. Like, for reals. Seriously.

It's a great spot mainly because as each phrase comes up, you totes think of the last time that you yourself used it...and if you're me, it was probably like five minutes ago. Get out, I know you're surprised. No way! I know, right?

The funny thing is that I can totally see the copywriters in some conference room arguing with the clients over which phrases to keep and use. Especially because there are totally a couple of phrases I haven't heard anyone use like Hello Sir and Mahjong. Whoa, really?

My favorite is Mom busting out with Shut the front door, because I keep getting dinged for telling everyone and everything to Shut up. (It's not bad manners, dammit, I swear, for me, it's a term of endearment! Work with me, yo!)

So. The question is, will I buy it next time I'm roaming Food Lion aisles? I dunno. The packaging's pretty, I'm sure the price point's fine, and I've seen the ad more than the supposed seven times to make me buy it. And did I say the packaging's pretty?

One thing's for sure, if or when I do try Oreo Fudge Cremes? I will totally yell out Franklin Delano!

I mean, what?

Handsome Frank

Magnet #1095 - Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

What? That was his nickname! I'm not fangurling over our 14th president!

Although, it should be said that Franklin Pierce was about 5'10", somewhat vain, and pretty good looking, with wavy black hair and gray eyes. A total romance hero color combination.

I know, I probably should have used a George Washington magnet, since it's really the federal holiday that started out honoring his birthday, rather than just the generic Presidents Day of now. But, honestly, not very many people know Pierce.

His term of office started out with relative peacefulness, but it wasn't long before the slavery issue of the western states started to undermine his office. He made it through his one term, the Democrats had already moved on to supporting the next president (Buchanan), leaving Pierce to head back to New Hampshire to drink out his days in relative obscurity.

Wheatland

Magnet #1074 - James Buchanan's Wheatland

Ok. I dunno how I've managed to visit Pennsylvania a zillion times, and most of that through Lancaster County, and I've never been to James Buchanan's house? How?

My sisters and BIL brought this back for me from Wheatland, though you know, at some point, I have to go visit it for myself. This is the three-cent postage stamp the USPS issued in 1956, commemorating the centennial of Buchanan's election as our 15th president.

Besides being the last guy to serve before Lincoln and his Civil war, Buchanan held several civil servant positions - five times to the House, 10 years in the Senate. A stint as a Minister to Russia, Secretary of State and even Minister to Britain. That's a lot of years to dedicate to public service.

He never married, either - the only bachelor president, he usually had his niece Harriet Lane, host all of his functions and pretty much serve as nominal First Lady. "Hal" had been orphaned at eleven years old, and grew up with Buchanan as her guardian. She always plays his hostess, and it turns out she was a social favorite on both sides of the Atlantic. How cool is it that Queen Victoria gave "dear Miss Lane" the rank of ambassador's wife? Pretty cool, for a chick in her 20s.

Anyway, looks like once I've visited Wheatland, that will knock off the only presidential house in PA - Buchanan was the only president from Pennsylvania.

Hmmm, I wonder if he's related to the Buchanans on One Life to Live. I mean, I know they hail from Texas, but honestly, Llanview, Lancaster, what's the difference?

For time and the world do not stand still.*

Magnet #1004 - John F. Kennedy

Where were you forty-seven years ago today?

It's definitely one of those days that a few generations can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news about John F. Kennedy being shot in Dallas.

It would be a good decade before I was born, so all I have is the legacy of his presidency and the tragic story of his assassination. And several magnets...including this one, from Pomegranate.

It looks like some folks are planning on educating a whole new generation about the JFK legacy, with a January 2011 launch of JFK50 - currently a launch page announcing an innovative community website dedicated to celebrating the 50th anniversary of his presidency.

I'm not gonna lie, the hopeful tone of the video and the content just made me all teary - especially within the context of today's turbulent times, and how far (or how little) we've come in the last 50 years.

Nice job, JFK50.


*For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.

- John F. Kennedy

Who's buried in Grant's Tomb?

Magnet #979 - Ulysses S. Grant (1869 - 1877)

Can't remember if I've used Grant before, and he's not showing up in any joy magnetism searches, so fingers crossed!

Anyway - I picked Ulysses S. Grant, our 18th president, for today, because this afternoon @Newyorkology reTweeted an @GrantsTombNPS Tweet about having an evening haunted tour this evening. I've lived about 30 blocks away from the General Grant National Memorial for 15 years, so I figured tonight was as good as any.

When I got there, I totally met a guy, waiting for the tour. Of course, he was old enough to be my grandfather, but he was the sweetest guy ever, and he shared his pix of his Germany vacation with me.

And? Because he volunteers at the Conference House and Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, I totally got a superinteresting history lesson, too. (For some reason, it totally escaped me that there was an actual peace talk between the colonists and the Brits before the American Revolution. On Staten Island, no less!) Must go visit those two sites soon!

When we all gathered for the tour, I immediately recognized the tour guide. In fact, he was the same guy that I dedicated this Zion National Park magnetpost to back in 2008! Holy smokes, this island's getting small! I told him why I recognized him, and about the trip we never went on. He asked why we didn't go and I reminded him of the $4/gal gas prices, which he pooh-poohed.

Anyway, so he began his Ranger talk, and then led us into a lantern-lit Grant's Tomb, which is the largest mausoleum in the Western Hemisphere. At the mention of that, I could feel the goosebumps pop up. Look. I don't know why I didn't associate Grant's Tomb with an actual, you know, tomb, but there you go.

So when I peered down at the crypt, at the giant red granite coffins of Grant and his wife, Julia, I was already a little freaked out. Dudes. I don't do crypts. Nope. No. Way. I totally backed away from the hole, as far as I could, without, you know, running screaming from the darkened room.

We had a couple of ghostly guests visit, to let us pay our respects to the general and his wife, and they made us throw flowers down at the coffins. Then, then!, the ranger walked us down. Into. The. Crypt. In the dark! The dark!

And left us alone, to roam the building, where he finally relented and turned on some of the lights. I made one quick trip around the crypt lined with busts of Grant's generals, and hightailed my butt back up the stairs. I couldn't move fast enough.

All in all, the memorial's a really cool tribute to a guy who likely wouldn't have wanted such pomp and circumstance for little old him. But, a million people viewed the funeral procession that took five hours to pass, and apparently, 90,000 people donated $600,000 to help build it.

It's a pretty impressive building, and a good tour, one that's worth the trek up the Upper West Side to visit. In daylight, if you're a fraidy cat.

His Accidency

Magnet #936 - John Tyler (1841-1845)

Ok. Here's weird. Check out this magnet. And compare it with this John Tyler image. What up with that?

Yesterday, I did a flipbook commemorating our BFF trip to Presidents Park, and I had to go through and caption all of the presidents and the years of their administrations. Which was when I realized the 1841 saw three presidents sit in office.

It was an election year, so out went Martin Van Buren.

A month after his superoverlong inauguration speech, William Henry Harrison caught his death of cold and pneumonia, which then left "Tyler, too" holding the bag.

What a busy year for America. I wonder how it affected the American public. I mean, I can't imagine if that happened in modern times, it would create such a feeling of uncertainty, I'm sure. Plus, imagine all the business cards they'd have to throw out.

Wait. Does the president have business cards?

Knock on wood

Magnet #913 - Adams National Historical Park

The whole point of the roadtrip was for my dad's eye surgery in Boston, and so here I sit in the car in a torrential downpour, waiting to go into the small waiting room, magnetblogging away.

True to form, my parents and I managed to find some fun along the way here - and even more true to form, presidential fun, no less, with the Adams National Historical Park being one of our stops.

Such a great way to spend a couple of hours. It starts out at their nice visitors center - truly our tax dollars at work - with screenings of the History/Discovery channel videos of Adams (x2), and then you get a fun, if slide-y, trolley ride to the two sites.

First, you get a house tour of John Adams' house when he was born (that's the house on the right), and then the house on the right, where his son, John Quincy Adams, lived growing up. Then the trolley takes you down to where John and Abigail lived during their time in the White House. Called Peacefield, it was really considered the summer White House, a really cool house museum, where the majority of the collection is authentic to the Adams family.

Which is crazy, cuz when you walk through the house, it's as though you've stepped back in time to the late 1700s, with wallpaper you're not supposed to touch, artifacts and paintings you're not supposed to touch, and furniture...you're not supposed to touch. Mind you, the Adams descendants are free to roam about the house like it's theirs (I mean, technically, it is, right?), which sounds pretty damn cool.

Though, I'd love to roam around the standalone library built off to the side of the house. It's two stories, with shelves and shelves and shelves of books. And on his giant table (which was supposedly brought down to the White House and back), there were several Bibles, including one presented to John Quincy Adams by the Mendi people, the folks he defended over L'Amistad.

But, that's what I find cool about Massachusetts, between this park, Bunker Hill, and Minuteman Park - it makes the birth of our nation come alive. It puts our history into context, and it gives us a sense of what those rabblerousing colonists were up to.

Speaking of rabblerousing...remember that no touching rule? I nearly smacked my dad's hand when he started lightly knocking on a couple of the wooden bureaus in the house. It's what he does. Anywhere. And everywhere. He knocks on wood. I mean - wood beams, joints, furniture, casings - everything. Being a pretty good carpenter himself, he admires the handiwork, and I think, there's a part of him that connects with history whenever he does it. So sorry, NPS.

Mind you, I'll confess to having taken a picture or four in the library. I was just hiding from the tour guide to surreptitiously take pictures for a librarian friend of mine. But, from what I heard from the guide, that Bible from the Mendi? It was stolen several years ago...leaving them to install security cameras. Ummmm, oops? No, really, so sorry, NPS.

But, dudes, the Adamses had a Webster's Dictionary. Volumes ONE. And TWO!!! Whoa!

Wanderlust

Magnet #794 - Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)

I've been thinking a lot about travel lately, and this guy, Millard Fillmore, our 13th president best represents that thinking.

He's the guy that started it all, really. One weekend roadtrip, we went to Niagara Falls and on the way back we saw a sign for Millard Fillmore's house.

I yelped, Millard Fillmore's house! We have to go!

And my road trip buddies were like, Who???

So yeah. We stopped, so we could take pictures of the building...and thus begun a long history of roadtrips and roadside attractions.

Of course, my penchant for roadtrips was ingrained by the time we saw Millard's house, with immigrant parents who loved exploring what this country has to offer. But the need to start itinerary-planning blossomed shortly thereafter.

I do so love traveling. I hate the spending money. I hate the packing, but I adore the planning (once I finally settle into it) and of course, the actual travel.

And it doesn't matter, the conveyance. By preference: car, rail, then air. (Oh wait, but not by sea. You'll never catch me on a cruise, unless I'm in a black and white movie.)

So the concept of not wanting to travel to places is totally foreign to me. How can you not want to see what's in other countries? Their history, their culture, their people?

On the other hand, sometimes it's easier and safer and certainly cheaper to stay home. Which I totally understand. Totally.

Except when I've got wanderlust. And boy, have I got it bad.

James K. Polk, Silent Sam, and what was your name again?

Magnet #767 - James K. Polk (1845 - 1849)

Even though I officially refuse to acknowledge the existence of post-season college basketball this year, I do find myself thinking about my alma mater in recent days, as we've hired a junior account person from Carolina, and I've interviewed another candidate who lives like 30 minutes away from where I grew up.

So, James K. Polk, our 11th president, it is, then.

He was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and I've been to his birthplace. Sorta. I've been down the very, very dark road that leads to his birthplace, but didn't actually get to see anything (see very, very dark). Ok. Permaybehaps, it doesn't count.

I can however, as a former student tour guide for UNC, guide you to Polk Place, the quad named for him.

I can also take you past Silent Sam, a Civil War monument for the 321 Carolina alumni who died during the war, and those who joined the Confederate Army. Sam's silent because he only fires his rifle when a virgin passes by. (Ok. Fine. I've later learned that he's silent because he doesn't have one of those cartridge boxes for his ammunition.)

Oh, yes, on a campus as big as Carolina's, I've got a million little stories. The Davie Poplar. The Old Well. Sitting on the loveseat at McCorkle Place. The Morehead-Patterson Belltower dunce cap over Wilson Library (remember that one for later, peeps).

There was this big crush I had during summer session, and he asked me to give him a private tour (of the campus, you gutter-dweller). Of course, I eeeee'd quietly, and we started on our merry way.

As we passed by Morehead Planetarium (which used to be where astronauts trained!), I was explaining all about the Morehead family (how alum John Motley Morehead III started Union Carbide, and how they award the biggest scholarship on campus, and they were totally one of the founding families at Carolina, etc.). Crush was totally listening, but he was nodding way too much during the family part of it, and I looked at him, and he was like, yeah, I know all about the Moreheads.

And I said, "Really, how? Wait. What was your last name again?"

Crush: "Morehead."

End tour.

Sigh.

Tunnel vision*

Magnet #735 - Lyndon B. Johnson (1963 - 1969)

Oops. I was picking magnets and was like, I thought I already did Nixon. Sad. Especially given the mantle Lyndon B. Johnson had to take up after Kennedy's assassination.

I can't even imagine - how do you step into those shoes?

I tend to get to know some presidents better than others, for obvious reasons. Mostly, I get to know the cold facts - when they served, major events, random info, etc. But for my favorites, I end up learning who the man was behind the office. Their personality, sense of humor, their family lives, etc.

I'll be honest, I don't know all that much more about LBJ, other than remembering him in that iconic Air Force One inauguration image with Jackie O. Though, apparently, his biographer might shed some light on him here.

I also know that he was a Texan, that he served in WWII and reported to MacArthur in Australia at some point, and was part of those Chicken War between France and Germany. Oh, and that he had three Beagles, Him, Her and Edgar.

That last tidbit leads me to believe that he must have had a sense of humor, no?

*The real reason I picked number 36 today, is because I was looking up LBJ quotes, and he won me over with the below. Even though he's (sadly) referring to Vietnam, I'm snaking it for here, because it's so apropos for the current work crazy.

“Light at the end of the tunnel? We don't even have a tunnel; we don't even know where the tunnel is.”

- Lyndon B. Johnson

Morning in America

Magnet #698 - Ronald Reagan (1981 - 1989)

Noooo, I'm not trying to make any sort of political statement about yesterday's elections in Massachusetts. I know better than that, given the reactions in various Tweets and FB statuses. Besides, hello, magnetblog.

Today in 1981, Ronald Reagan at 69 years, 349 days old, became the oldest president to assume office, and there he stayed for the next two terms. I think that's why Reagan's one of my favorites, because he was president during my formative years from grade school to high school.

It's the big things from his presidency that I remember, obviously. And whether or not I understood them what was happening at the time, most of those memories are tied in to school somehow.

The Columbia landing was the cover of my second grade yearbook. We found out about Challenger in seventh grade English class. I came home from school to hear about Libya being bombed. One teacher tried hard to explain Reaganomics to me. The Cold War and Afghanistan were discussed in our Weekly Readers. I found out that Reagan was an actor(!) in fourth grade, through one of the books Mrs. Honbarrier made me read. And lord knows, I'm totally a product of Nancy's Just Say No generation.

Sigh. It's amazing the things you remember growing up, and the context in which you remember them.

"The fruits of accomplishment"*

Magnet #606 - Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

Poor Herbert Hoover. He was president during the 1929 stock market crash and the start of the Great Depression.

Whether you're Hoover or Roosevelt, or you're Bush or Obama, sometimes I feel world leaders often take the rap for more than they should - good and bad. After all, they're surrounded by dozens of people (elected and appointed) helping make the decisions that land us in various places and situations in history. And only history will be able to tell the full story.

So, I kinda feel bad for Hoover, who is more often than not, remembered for Hoovervilles, and all the negative stuff about his presidency, even though his fairly nonpartisan .gov write-up said he "brought to the Presidency an unparalleled reputation for public service as an engineer, administrator, and humanitarian."

Even the Smithsonian, who has this portrait of him, said that he seemed to be the "the ultimate problem-solver" and goes on to say that he's the only president that didn't make the cover of TIME while in office. That makes me sad for him.

Especially because he had to live another 30 years knowing it! That's why I picked him for today - today in 1964, he passed away here in NYC, at the age of 90. I will say that this presidential portrait reminds me of a much more debonair Dick Van Patten (as seen here from My Kind of New York) in Eight is Enough.


*From Hoover's inaugural speech:

Ours is a land rich in resources; stimulating in its glorious beauty; filled with millions of happy homes; blessed with comfort and opportunity. In no nation are the institutions of progress more advanced. In no nation are the fruits of accomplishment more secure. In no nation is the government more worthy of respect. No country is more loved by its people. I have an abiding faith in their capacity, integrity and high purpose. I have no fears for the future of our country. It is bright with hope.

The Gentleman Boss

Magnet #576 - Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)

Chester Arthur was sworn in as the 21st U.S. president today, following the death of James Garfield, who was shot two months earlier.

So after reading a couple of articles about "Chet," here's my favorite, even if I can't find a second source for it.

His wife passed away before he took office. She was the love of his life, and in her honor, he had a stained glass window installed at St. John's Episcopal Church.

At night, they would light up the window, so he could see it from his office. It's apparently still there to this day.

Sniffle.

The advance agent of prosperity

Magnet #562 - William McKinley (1897-1901)

There's a book I read in fourth grade that I've seriously been trying to track down forever - a little mass-market called The Last Cow on the White House Lawn, and Other Little-Known Facts about the Presidency. Of course, now Amazon has it listed. Of course.

I know it's out of date now, but I must have read that thing cover to cover a few times, because half of the presidential factoids and half-a-facts (/tm David Tennant) in my head come from that book, or others just like it.

One story I've always remembered is the one about William McKinley, our 25th president, who was shot twice today, in 1901. Several days later, he became one of our four assassinated presidents. (Lincoln, Garfield, and Kennedy - in case you were trying to remember.)

Elected as the "advance agent of prosperity," his administration was credited with helping get America out of a recession. Shortly into his second term, McKinley was at the Pan-American Exposition up in Buffalo (a world's fair type deal), in for just a couple of receptions and a military review. Supposedly, his secretary was worried about the security risks, and totally didn't want the president out and about. But Mac was like, nu-uh, who's gonna get me.

Anarchist Leon Czolgosz, that's who.

But that's not what I remember about McKinley's assassination - and it's odd that none of the wikis mention the below but if you dig deeper, it pops up in most every other write-up, including first-hand remarks:

It's said that McKinley he used to always wear a flower on his lapel, supposedly for good luck. At the Pan, there was a little girl who had been in line to meet him. Apparently, she was supersweet, and asked for something to remember him by, and the president removed his good luck charm from his lapel and pinned it on her shirt.

Not two people after her was the shooter, Czolgosz, hiding his gun in his handkerchief, waiting his turn to greet the president.

It's weird what the mind retains, because while I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, in my head, I can totally picture the accompanying illustration of the president leaning down to give the little girl his pink carnation, with the guy waiting in line, hiding the gun. Freaky.

Openness is the essence*

Magnet #553 - John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Last night, Save the World Sister asked me why I'm not blogging on Ted Kennedy.

My response is two-fold. First and foremost, because it's a magnetblog, and I always feel weird blogging on someone's death. Second, I'm trying to keep from the trending topics on Twitscoop. It's weird, I know, but that's what I'm trying to do.

In the end, I can't deny a birthday request, especially for one who so very much would like to play football with the boys at A Kennedy Thanksgiving. So happy birthday, STWsis, with a birthday compromise.

This magnet is what it says - the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, where Senator Edward M. Kennedy is lying in repose through Saturday. I'm sure he's in that grand, nine-story atrium overlooking the water. And with stormy weather on the horizon, I bet it's simply awe-inspiring.

That's actually what I thought of I.M. Pei's building when I saw it. A little imposing, a little boxy, but still a little awesome. Oddly, it feels like it's marooned out in the middle of nowhere - when you drive up, you see the big black glass box popping up. And then when you're inside, it's even cooler.

I should have known Jackie Kennedy was part of the design process - of course, she'd lean toward Pei's sophisticated, somehow modern yet somehow classic work! I love that when they spoke early on in the process, the man tried to manage her expectations, saying that he'd not done a huge monumental work yet. I love even more that she took a chance on him. And what a result!

You really must visit this museum when you're in Boston. With your ticket, you get JFK campaign stickers! I mean, really, if that's not reason enough, I dunno what is.

Your first stop is a small exhibition space for people to get their Kennedy feet wet - really, it's a crowd-holding space before the Kennedy short film that will probably make you teary. Or, sleep, if you're a tired sister. Heh.

After that, the doors open, and you begin the journey through Kennedy history. It's fabulous. I love museums that create mini-experiences for the visitors. And here, it's section after section, with each major era or decision or crisis or aspect of Jack and Jackie, and a lot of the rest of the family on display for the world to learn.

It's weird just how much you're swept away by the terrific story, even when you know there's a tragic ending. By the time you finish at the very somber end, you're a little down and sad, just in time to exit the double-doors into openness and light...

...to walk into a quiet expanse surrounded by glass, allowing an open vista across the water to JFK's Boston. The room is empty, save for a few artifacts here and there. Pei intended the space as an area of hope, a place for quiet reflection - upon the man, his accomplishments, and what we still have left to do.

Quite powerful, really. Befitting of the man. And his brothers.

*- I.M. Pei, dedication program