John Adams... (part 2)

So, I have now completed the extraordinary 7 part HBO miniseries - John Adams. This is part 2 from an earlier blog I wrote about 10 things I didn't know about John Adams...... Here are 10 more things I learned about our Founding Fathers.

• John was an ambassador to England at the same time the Constitution was being written. This was one of the lowest times in Mr. Adams life.

• Jefferson and Adams had a huge falling out of their friendship while bitterly campaigning against each other for President.

• The White House was a decrepit place when the Adams moved in....roof leaks, no walkways from the outside mud.

• Adams kept all of President Washington's Cabinet members for the unity of the states.

• Adams hated Jefferson so much....he skipped Jefferson's Inaugural

• Abigail died peacefully in John's arms a few years before he died

• John Adams got to see his son, John Quincy Adams become the 6th President of the US.

• John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were both asked to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. Both declined for health reasons to attend. Both died on July 4th, 1826.......50 years after they wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence.

• John Adams thought he died before Jefferson...so his last words were, "Jefferson Survives". Little did he know, he outlasted Jefferson by several hours.

• Out of all the Founding Father's of our country, John Adams still has no monument, nor has he been put on any currency, or statue in our capital. John Adams is one of the reasons this country exists......and he's been utterly forgotten, until now

If you missed this wonderful event, HBO has just announced the release of the 3-disk DVD on June 30.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/John-Adams-DVDs-Announced/9243

Take me out to the .......Gerald Ford Museum??

(Lee, Greg, Brian)

Today I had a great day with my best friend, Lee Harris, and another great college friend, Brian Gill. They are the conductor/pianist and the trumpeter for the touring production of Little Women and have stopped in Grand Rapids, MI this weekend.

http://www.littlewomenonbroadway.com/

Since Grand Rapids, Michigan is only about 3 hrs from me, I decided to come see the show.



Having the afternoon off, Lee and Brian asked, "What can we do today in Grand Rapids?" The only thing I had remembered about GR was AMWAY and Gerald Ford. Nothing about AMWAY came to my mind, so I said, " We could go the FORD MUSEUM" (thinking they would call my bluff and laugh it off).


"That sounds good", they both eagerly agreed.


I mean, I was sorta joking....because it was the only thing I knew to suggest... nevertheless, we went.


My wife asked me this morning, 'What kind of trouble are you boys gonna get into?" I replied, 'We're going to the Gerald Ford Museum?"

"You guys are dorks", she said..... or was it nerds or dweebs?... I can't remember. Anyway, she called me a name and I agreed with her.


The wonderful thing is I LOVED IT......of course, I knew I would, being the History buff I am. It was well organized and spaced out beautifully. I had only been to Clinton's "trailer park" museum before.....I liked it ok......I wasn't thinking to much about liking Ford's.......but I did


To get in only takes 7 bucks (thanks Brian for picking up the tab)......it showcased a cabinet room, an oval office, and the grave site, along with many artifacts, clothes, stories, etc... It sits on the side of the River that flows through GR, and has a very serene fountain in front.


I've much more respect for President Ford now that I've actually devoted a few hours to his eventful , if not, providential life.


I'm now off to see my friend's show, but thanks Gerald Ford for bringing this country through a crazy era without too much residual damage. You were a lot of Elmers Glue when we needed it.

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr.
(1913 - 2006)

John Adams...(part 1)

Okay.... so I've only just seen the first half of the wonderfully insightful HBO mini-series John Adams, but I love it immensely. Here are 10 things I didn't know about one of our Founding Fathers, the remarkable John Adams.

• John Adams, being a man of law and who felt deeply this new country must abide by the law to be a sovereign country, successfully defended 8 British soldiers, whom accidentally killed 5 Bostonians. (This was before Independence)

• It was John Adams who persuaded General George Washington to help Massachusetts's cause and fight the British soldiers, which later propelled Washington to become our first President.

• Adams was separated from his wife, Abigail, for half of their first 14 years of marriage. (Due to their farm being in Massachusetts and he being needed in the Congress)

• Abigail raised 4 children alone, on a Massachusetts farm with no slaves....only a few hired hands aided her.

• John Adams and his son, John Quincy, went to France right after Independence Day to beg for more NAVAL assistance to help fight the British. He, along with Benjamin Franklin, was our first Ambassador. (This was after the 14 years of marriage)

• John Adams sent his son, John Quincy, at the age of 14 to be a secretary for a diplomat in St. Petersburg, Russia. JQA stayed in Russia until he was ready to go to Harvard at 17.

• While John was away, Abigail made her and her children take a vaccination of small pox. They had to put the blood of a pox victim into their own bloodstream; which gave them the pox, but they could control it better and not die.

• John Adams was fired by Congress as the Ambassador of France, and later became the Ambassador of England (thankless job, indeed)....all while the Constitution was being written and enacted.

• Adams got deathly ill in Europe and almost died....Abigail would soon join him in France, leaving her children to someone else.

• John Adams had a crazy bad temper and was solidly stubborn; however, Abigail, knew just how to tame him. He responded very well to her in an age where men thought women of little worth.

After viewing the next half of the mini-series,
I'll see if there are 10 more things
I didn't know about Mr. John Adams and continue this game.
This mini-series was based on the acclaimed biography,
John Adams, by David McCullough