Connie Renda's Blog

I was babysitting last night and I picked out this story to read to my small, sleepy friend.  I received this book as a gift upon graduating from YCHS, you know, a few years ago.  It’s at home in York, PA and I’m pretty sure I know where it is.  I think I only read it once.  I probably tossed it aside thinking I knew everything (I did know everything back then, ask my mom and my sister) saying, “Oh, the places I’ll go! Dr. Seuss has some advice!” Well friends, turns out the Doc knows a thing or two about life and the passage below made me smile last night. This little guy has  his whole life ahead of him.  And so do I.  I’ll meet you where the Boom Bands are playing!

Excerpt from Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

Rendition by: Frank J Renda

I landed on Okinawa as a corporal with the USMC invasion force on April 1, 1945. I armed the Grumman Avengers of VTMB-232 for the entire Okinawa campaign. After the war, I returned to civilian life and became a barber and self-taught artist. One of my goals was to paint a true color rendition of the Flag Raising on Iwo Jima, to honor all Marine veterans. I especially wanted to honor the artistry, sacrifice, and memory of Sgt. William Genaust, the Marine combat photographer who took the color motion pictures of the second flag raising.
I recently had a professional photographer take an 8×10 inch digital color photo of my oil painting. The high-quality digital color print presents a very clear rendering. One can see the true colors of the Marine uniforms that we wore in the Pacific Theatre.

Frank J. Renda
WW2 USMC Veteran, Pacific Theatre
VMTB-232, The Red Devil Squadron

This is my grandfather’s voice. He always inspires me. He is a barber. He is also an artist, an inventor, a poet, a veteran, a father, a grandfather, and a super duper great-grandfather. ALL children and animals love him. He’s a magnet when it comes to these innocent beings. You know people like this, right? They are amazing. He likes to do things himself, especially when you tell him you are on your way over to his house to mow the lawn and help out. I imagine in that instant he stops everything he is doing and rushes to the shed to get out the riding mower. Then he speeds around the lawn like a drag racer and looks like a mad scientist. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone mow a lawn like my grandpa. He tries to get it done before you get there to help him, then you arrive and bust him whipping around trees like a weather vane in a storm. Except its sunny and he is smiling like a mischievous six year old. Grandpa Frank likes to draw flies and bunny rabbits. He pretends his hand is a spider out to get you which can make any child howl with excitement. He has a theme song that he sings to kids when he holds them. I’d sing it to you if this weren’t a blog. He remembers EVERYTHING and loves to share war stories. I cherish listening to every word with great pride and joy. He’s a wonderful storyteller. Which is why I wanted to post this painting on my blog.

My Grandpa Frank is a spectacular artist! This particular painting is such a treasure. It evokes so many emotions and tells the same fervent story we all know and have seen so often. The difference here is the vibrant colors that are so true to life. It was important for my grandfather to paint. I am so proud of him. I am happy to share his painting with you. If you would like a copy, write to me. He has many, many prints available for a very modest price.

“…that’s what I do every morning. I get up and I drink my own Kool-aid, before I drink anybody else’s.”

My friend Deantoni and I had a conversation about following our dreams and ignoring the doubts. You know, the evil voices inside telling you ‘you can’t do it.’ And today, this is my theme. It’s true, right? We have to follow our hearts and trust ourselves. It’s time to recognize and know our own desires before we let ANYONE ELSE say a word. Wake up and say, I CAN DO THIS! Even when, or should I say, especially when that nasty voice in the back of our minds is being contrary. (The negative nellies in our lives apply as well.)

GO DREAMS! AND KOOL-AID, OUR OWN KOOL-AID!!

SIDE NOTE: AMAZING. I just made sure that nellies was the proper spelling and not nelly’s and this is where Google took me: CLICK

My Nanna RoRo’s laughter is one of my favorite sounds on the planet. My mother’s too. Once you get these two going (or actually any of my aunts) ribs and bellies are sure to ache with joy. A day well spent. A moment to look back on for an instant smile. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Allow me to set up the scene. Christmas day. A crazy amount of desserts. No family should have this much dessert. It is a waste. In fact, I’d put down a lot of money that at least half of those desserts are in the freezers of my nanna, my mother and my aunts waiting for the next family gathering. So here we all are talking and laughing about Christmas Dessert.

Isabella overwhelmed at the dessert table. Note: Not all dessert is out yet.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY VIDEO OF “My Nanna”