These are great days, indeed

Magnet #1208 - Churchill quote

If there's one epoch my sisters and I are well familiar with, it's World War II - on both sides of the Atlantic.

Between books, movies, television, work, our father, yeah, I would argue that it might be the time period we know best. (Or, at least enough to possibly get us through a couple of Jeopardy! or Trivial Pursuit rounds, anyway.)

Which is why I so love this Churchill quote that my friend gave me.

Actually, if I'm honest, I just love the big guy himself as one of my fave historical figures, but this quote, taken from this speech given to Harrow School students is just so indicative of the indomitable spirit of England and her leader at the time.

Figured I'd use this magnet as we all head off this evening for a few great days ourselves in Merry Olde England.

Just a very short holiday, we'll be back before we've had a proper visit. My original intent was just to fly in for David Tennant's performance and fly back, over a weekend. But then everyone started piling on to the trip, adding people, days and things to see, until it became not quite a full-blown vacation, but not quite a fly-in/fly-out trip, either.

Whatever. We're still gonna have a blast.

The non-itinerary's as done as it's gonna get, and I've decided if we see it, great. If we don't, then there's always post-Olympics 2013.

Unless David decides to do another play in the meantime, and then we'll have to talk.



*Note: This is the first trip in several years where I'm opting not to bring along my laptop. The very thought of it, makes me feel superduperunconnected to the world. I'm actually a little uncomfortable at how much I already miss her, and I haven't even left yet.

But her absence by my side (sniffle), means I will likely not do any joymagnetism updates until my return, unless I just get industrious while away.

Mind you, I've totally opted for international coverage on my Droid, so dammit, my TweetDeck had better work!

I don't want to live in a totally unplugged world!

**eta:
Having now re-read and posted this magnet, there's a part of me that just wants to pack up the laptop and bring it with me anyway. I mean...what will I do at the airport? How will I cope?

*hyperventilates*

"Never in the field of human conflict..."

Magnet #938 - Churchill Quote

"...was so much owed by so many to so few."

- Prime Minister Winston Churchill

I must have started this magnetpost a few times, on a couple different days, but since @stephenfry (#ff, if you don't already) Tweeted about the 1940 Chronicle, I figured this particular magnet works for any day this week.

Forty years ago around this time, the London Blitz was in full swing, and I honestly can't even imagine how that felt. Imagine, every night, going to bed, knowing that the Luftwaffe was headed your way, and being powerless to stop it.

The chronicle keeps you up to date with what happened forty years ago each day, related to readers as newsreports from correspondents and diaries. Such a great idea, because it gives today's audiences a better context to learn history.

Despite the fears of the people, they must have felt a little better knowing the Royal Air Force was bravely defending the skies and warding off the Germans. Mind you, this four-month Battle of Britain (celebrating its 70th anniversary), fought mostly in the air, is considered one of the turning points of the war. The RAF successfully defended the UK from German invasion.

Which brings us to the point of the 1940 Chronicle. Without being terribly salesy about it, the site is actually part of the very clever digital fundraising campaign for the RAF Benevolent Fund.

They have a fundraising spot featuring Winston Churchill, (sloooowly) talking about the speech he gave to the House of Commons, regarding progress of the Battle of Britain - which included the quote on this magnet.

There's also a second microsite, where you can leave your Heartfelt Thanks to those in the RAF. Oh, it makes me sniffle!

Seriously, I love this campaign. It's just well-done, all around. Of course, my first instinct was to check out who produced it - a digital agency called reading room. What a terrific project for that digital team to work on.

It's not often that you're privileged to do great work for even greater causes, so cherish that.

We're not in Kansas anymore - GAR Day #5

Magnet #88 - Winston Churchill

So, today would have been Harry Truman's birthplace of Independence, the Hallmark tour, and Kansas City. Plus Wichita and Topeka. Yep, it was a very, very long day. What? We were only gonna see the Brown vs. Board of Ed sign, that's all. Heheheh.

And, somewhere along the way, a planned little stopover at the Winston Churchill Memorial and Library, in Fulton, MO.

No, I haven't been there...my sisters picked this one up at the Churchill Museum in London. Everywhere I go, I seem to be one step behind Winston,

• Blenheim Palace, where he was born during a party.
• London, obvi.
• Top Cottage, in Hyde Park, NY, where he and FDR sat on the porch and decided the fate of the world.

Oh, my. I'm stalking a dead world leader.


GAR Track of the Day: You Give Love a Bad Name