tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226568232024-03-07T22:00:28.599-05:00My year of living RangerouslyAn online journal of Mannie Gentile, a National Park Service Park Ranger working on the National Mall in our nation's capital.
DISCLAIMER: please note that this blog represents only my views and not those of the National Park Service.
Feel free to email me at: museumofamerica@myactv.netMannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.comBlogger788125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-57932066870521589772023-05-20T15:11:00.001-04:002023-05-20T15:11:19.526-04:00I did that thing I said I was going to do<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnozwYNiWmOgS2dl6SEfwtFGJTCGoS00FyxYrKJ6HYrYxiDNMY3zKXcOpMVwzP7I8JOrc4G2kgu1v8pw7TJCWkpwM2SimoyZfP3OrvSfpj9_kMxA_NighZbVWeCttNePJwaBG/s1024/Me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnozwYNiWmOgS2dl6SEfwtFGJTCGoS00FyxYrKJ6HYrYxiDNMY3zKXcOpMVwzP7I8JOrc4G2kgu1v8pw7TJCWkpwM2SimoyZfP3OrvSfpj9_kMxA_NighZbVWeCttNePJwaBG/w476-h358/Me.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Two years ago, I posted that I was returning to college</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7CbG3_i5DE6hlQxqDGVvS2V9iUqIN5-zXiJnc4_49SGOrQ7SC2RbC6LfP9UTN-IEjPH0753yE3p8EPfiqiQ9kWGlM-sVQ4wsKxdc3xs2H2h-a86tZPuPP_1FngFMUxSCXvM8scDp4GXEHv39wxbbt8lrqtXqTa5EvUBloWStA5jFbIbYa-Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7CbG3_i5DE6hlQxqDGVvS2V9iUqIN5-zXiJnc4_49SGOrQ7SC2RbC6LfP9UTN-IEjPH0753yE3p8EPfiqiQ9kWGlM-sVQ4wsKxdc3xs2H2h-a86tZPuPP_1FngFMUxSCXvM8scDp4GXEHv39wxbbt8lrqtXqTa5EvUBloWStA5jFbIbYa-Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today I graduated.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Gaudeamus Igitur, baby.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Retired Ranger Mannie</span><br /><br /></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-37483326126144835832023-03-02T11:41:00.000-05:002023-03-03T09:19:58.092-05:00How to become a Park Ranger<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Career advice from retired Ranger Mannie.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrxgJBkgbN590tLk3yotGWIC4G05vGo-I1yUXqrvODsZQ2i3eycTbjMG9k8lRrUbS9P22u5PgVl7vQBPFnG717QBwK7r_KQ0W3E58SNA7O_NU31XLI3RS0atapsPfln9Agw-x5dRYMOuu6n8t95ussbU_AMO5ZK5aLf7fSwzRe6iCCtLndA/s604/Ranger%20Mannie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="453" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrxgJBkgbN590tLk3yotGWIC4G05vGo-I1yUXqrvODsZQ2i3eycTbjMG9k8lRrUbS9P22u5PgVl7vQBPFnG717QBwK7r_KQ0W3E58SNA7O_NU31XLI3RS0atapsPfln9Agw-x5dRYMOuu6n8t95ussbU_AMO5ZK5aLf7fSwzRe6iCCtLndA/w480-h640/Ranger%20Mannie.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The two most commonly asked questions that I'd get asked by visitors were:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1. <i>Where is the bathroom?</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">and...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2. <i>How can I get a job as a Park Ranger?</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Throughout my career I was very aware of the fact that people have a perception of Park Rangers that has made the profession iconic...as a result, it's a dream for many people - not just young people- to become a Ranger for the National Park Service.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I would get asked all the time for advice on how to get into the "green and gray."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And here is what I would tell them, and what I am telling you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">------</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you want to be a Ranger, prepare yourself. Get an applicable degree in history, English, natural resources and conservation, biology, recreation management...stuff like that.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are able, go to the nearest National Park and apply to be a volunteer. Most of the Rangers I know, including me, started as volunteers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Check USAjobs.gov weekly. search for National Park Service jobs. All federal jobs are posted on USA.jobs, it is the only point of entry for all positions below executive level.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An honorable discharge from the military will give you a five or ten-point preference in the hiring process, which is a real advantage...the thanks of a grateful nation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Add to all of that a large amount of patience and just know that it is difficult to get a job that hundreds of others are applying for. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As a supervisor, I was involved in four hiring cycles. For a seasonal job, it goes like this:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">-----</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The park determines the needs for the upcoming season, seasonal terms are no more than six months.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When the park determines how many seasonals it needs for the upcoming year the process begins and before too long the jobs are announced on USAjobs.gov.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hopefuls start applying for those jobs. The application packet is pretty typical - the application, resume, references, cover letter (optional). The application includes a questionnaire to determine your competencies. The answers to each question are 1 through five. 1 being "I have no experience on this subject" and 5 being "I am considered to be an expert on this subject."</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">Caution: dirty little secret follows</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyone, ANYONE, who has been involved in this process, either the applicant, or the reviewing officer will tell you to answer every (every) question with a 5. No, it is not honest, but generally, any response other than a 5 will cause the application to be automatically rejected on the very first pass. Nuts, isn't it? But that's just the way it is.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Once you submit your electronic application, the process is out of your hands.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When the application period closes then the sorting begins.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now suppose that for the ten (or so) positions that the park has advertised, there have been 300 applications...it is very competitive). A computer makes the first sort, if applications are filled out incorrectly or if questionnaire questions have been missed or responded to with a 4 or below, the computer rejects them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now suppose 200 applications make it through the first sort, now a long list is generated of the qualified candidates with the veterans at the top. At this point actual humans, like me, start sorting through the list and weight each candidate. First, I'd look for people I knew, either volunteers or previous seasonals, if they were super people they would go on my list of finalists. Now say, I have ten veterans and six people that I know and am confident in; now I start going through the rest of the list, reading resumes, and winnowing out the less qualified until I'm left with 40 people. So now there are 10 veterans, six "knowns" and 80 others...total of 96. Now, those 96 applications are divvied up between a team of five or so supervisors. Each supervisor will the call references and conduct telephone interviews with their candidates. Don't be discouraged because there are many veterans ahead of you on the list...in my experience, eight out of ten of those individuals will decline the position, simply because something else has come along, or there are other conflicts. Sometimes a person will have a stellar resume but their interview doesn't go well. Sometimes someone will interview well but there references tell us that they weren't a good employee. All the while, each of the supervisors is giving a numerical score to each person that they interview.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, the five supervisors sit down together with their lists and come up with the ten people that they will be offering the jobs to. They'll also have a list of alternates.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now they call the top ten and offer them a job. Usually, they happily accept, but frequently they decline the position; that's when we turn to our list of alternates. Sometimes we would have to really "dig-deep" and actually go below our list of alternates. Eventually all ten positions are filled.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">That's how it works for both seasonal as well as permanent positions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">-----</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Seasonal jobs open regularly, and are the "easiest" to get. But do know that seasonal is not an automatic step to permanent. Seasonal and Permanent are two separate gene-pools, however, a seasonal who has proven her or himself, will be in a very good position if a permanent position opens up at the park at which they are serving.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As I mentioned, on the occasions that I had a permanent position to fill on the National Mall, I would always turn first to the applications from seasonals that had already worked for me and had demonstrated that they are fabulous employees, they would move to the top of the list, just below the veterans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is counter-intuitive, but the Park Service wants to see LONG resumes. Pack it with every thing you've done. For each job provide bulleted items..lots of details...make it easy for the reviewing officer to make sense of it all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is a difficult process and requires great patience and perseverance. Countless people want the career, but few actually get the brass ring. I was one of the lucky ones, though, even with a veteran's preference, it still took me eight and a half years to get a permanent position with the NPS...like I said, you have to be very patient...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLhfq6Llw5kSCZZB8WWvcdRGFAQDKbkOhvqGlXutTXr2tQXShr9a7aE4fDR-jwnW-PvnGAG3tHbJz0o3a_DJO3gwz213o5bRwRbC253ewDgi9T6FPAp5RwtYTfGz3ymKogbHc/s959/99010935_10216974888100210_3882833993896296448_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLhfq6Llw5kSCZZB8WWvcdRGFAQDKbkOhvqGlXutTXr2tQXShr9a7aE4fDR-jwnW-PvnGAG3tHbJz0o3a_DJO3gwz213o5bRwRbC253ewDgi9T6FPAp5RwtYTfGz3ymKogbHc/w429-h640/99010935_10216974888100210_3882833993896296448_n.jpg" width="429" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It's worth it.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-30072730955107456602023-01-19T11:52:00.002-05:002023-01-19T12:07:51.415-05:00My, how time does fly!<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span style="color: red;">(note: </span><span>for those who are looking for my post on how to get a job as a</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>park ranger,</b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">that is the post just previous to this one</span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Oh my gosh! I'll be graduating with a visual arts degree in May. When one is having the time of one's life, it seems that the time just blows by.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgriHOZ2uLIrwfmz4Gu79i47_aOvsG22_bEuDvjAEUUfI5fmUQg9rjUYPhGP5pTSgqHuIKvsyH7K6kN-tFTsv2lnkuMkqDU-xO-5u5FlcEbBcXpmV-vHd0us0b7MSb3u4V3r1mJeWiRmthW9qF18MSwuR2GVI5vXMmUTvy4SjJmLaiuMjBgxA/s1024/20221008_132959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgriHOZ2uLIrwfmz4Gu79i47_aOvsG22_bEuDvjAEUUfI5fmUQg9rjUYPhGP5pTSgqHuIKvsyH7K6kN-tFTsv2lnkuMkqDU-xO-5u5FlcEbBcXpmV-vHd0us0b7MSb3u4V3r1mJeWiRmthW9qF18MSwuR2GVI5vXMmUTvy4SjJmLaiuMjBgxA/w480-h640/20221008_132959.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'll be doing the actual cap-and-gown thing in the spring, and then it's on to an English degree, and then history, and then psychology...and on, and, on and on.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've made a lot of art over the past year and a half, and it is pretty good art at that, I've also made lots of friends among staff, faculty, and students. I'm having such a fulfilling time in retirement, and my wife retires in just two days. Life is good.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I thought that I'd miss being a park ranger, and despite the fact that it was great and worthy work, I haven't looked back. Isn't that something? That being said, I really enjoy it when kids ask me how to get a job with the Park Service. The thought of these bright and enthusiastic young people as rangers, makes me feel that our parks will be in good hands for a long, long time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Stay groovy, stay warm, and keep in touch.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Retired Ranger Mannie</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-56687749965393737542022-05-19T14:09:00.004-04:002022-05-19T14:10:06.581-04:00Visiting Gettysburg<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> For the past two Mondays I've visitied Gettysburg...I live about fifty miles from the battlefield; this is something that I think I'll be doing regularly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Happily, I no longer approach the place as a Park Ranger, but as the nine-year-old who traveled there with my father in 1962. It's a lot more fun that way.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I stopped by the visitor center and found my good friend and old rangering buddy, John Hoptak, in the midst of swearing-in a new Junior Ranger.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdQUfaiTV6Unj7bO8gZADU4yWBY3Lb71rMeebMpzhQPopbgzpiAS-9tH9QcUE9rv1M0VfqHggqHB6OoA822WP156liJB0LSlsHFZFrvQRJRFDayI3S-deTjR9yphZGo-WaXZSwsTTxGaxNFU3o4qKUC5SDwsIeOonIlZoyP--ymPY2wU5WQ/s1024/john.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdQUfaiTV6Unj7bO8gZADU4yWBY3Lb71rMeebMpzhQPopbgzpiAS-9tH9QcUE9rv1M0VfqHggqHB6OoA822WP156liJB0LSlsHFZFrvQRJRFDayI3S-deTjR9yphZGo-WaXZSwsTTxGaxNFU3o4qKUC5SDwsIeOonIlZoyP--ymPY2wU5WQ/w480-h640/john.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">John and I had a swell visit, and I was gratified that it wasn't all "remember when" stuff, but rather, reports and reflections on fatherhood, family, and other threads of real life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">John is a great guy, a fine historian, and a peerless Ranger (now that I'm retired, that is).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Maybe you and I will bump into each other on the battlefield, stop me and say hello - that'd be nice.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">(retired) Ranger Mannie</span></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-34136172199335983502022-05-19T13:59:00.000-04:002022-05-19T13:59:19.387-04:00Pomp and Circumstance<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> (cue the music)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Saturday was graduation day at Hagerstown Community College, and out of over 400 graduates, nearly 250 opted to "walk" as they say.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0Kp0M4Q73OZuBbLTtlUhlcSlvFsH-Gmmg3CkEDSADCzavJSO3ZDShgP5zy8z-WHhkUTcEqZgcEOPeIS-axH1llK33Kpy9anAuvz-SYiUTEiUR3NaokWAa2ict1xOW0nHqDhDr-W1ElMzezu1eF_H0BzeLApg1PH3s9kxXF83MFysfKefww/s1024/G3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1024" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0Kp0M4Q73OZuBbLTtlUhlcSlvFsH-Gmmg3CkEDSADCzavJSO3ZDShgP5zy8z-WHhkUTcEqZgcEOPeIS-axH1llK33Kpy9anAuvz-SYiUTEiUR3NaokWAa2ict1xOW0nHqDhDr-W1ElMzezu1eF_H0BzeLApg1PH3s9kxXF83MFysfKefww/w400-h285/G3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I volunteered to help out, and my job was to pass out gowns and mortarboards to the Johnny-cum-latelys (see what I did there?) who hadn't ordered ahead.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was a wonderful event, and I must say that I got goosebumps when the faculty, in all of their differing and colorful, academic regalia, marched in. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz-y-6Eco3icQDoF-HR4SyHGDRxGvongxnpGRu-uVege0arOPQXix3fPFMWs9C1bzSOeJ98TgkXexSh2lrVlVvQUHUF013K1VSqcRWRlS7LPg0l9W9p8YjwjnchYw3C3X5P3vN7bPa-TLH67X6D4SFBYhNPMDh73f3ktz8m1f4Cb83zrI4g/s1024/G1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1024" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz-y-6Eco3icQDoF-HR4SyHGDRxGvongxnpGRu-uVege0arOPQXix3fPFMWs9C1bzSOeJ98TgkXexSh2lrVlVvQUHUF013K1VSqcRWRlS7LPg0l9W9p8YjwjnchYw3C3X5P3vN7bPa-TLH67X6D4SFBYhNPMDh73f3ktz8m1f4Cb83zrI4g/w400-h293/G1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">To the strains of Pomp and Circumstance (unfortunately, rendered on bagpipes) the grads made their procession. It was very exciting. </span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bOGPX5U6BNi3X5tsnN0sGGs_zSLw_0hV52R--NQYjmnFoqpBxysH8a6vY-nkWfb9seu5HrXCmZ9yZRX6SsesVzF61G4pgiVar42nMbMDrSy2rJgFHQhuKFsd0MmiX140POgE-xeTZNQq6kxMzs4gwLIMjiy6giUQyS8a5Nvu5_rwDof-sg/s1024/20220514_092934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="1024" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bOGPX5U6BNi3X5tsnN0sGGs_zSLw_0hV52R--NQYjmnFoqpBxysH8a6vY-nkWfb9seu5HrXCmZ9yZRX6SsesVzF61G4pgiVar42nMbMDrSy2rJgFHQhuKFsd0MmiX140POgE-xeTZNQq6kxMzs4gwLIMjiy6giUQyS8a5Nvu5_rwDof-sg/w640-h288/20220514_092934.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The applause at the end nearly brought down the fiieldhouse.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It was a perfect day, among many, many perfect days...these days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Go Hawks!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">(retired) Ranger Mannie</span></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-57040675981967742212022-03-22T10:24:00.002-04:002022-03-22T10:26:28.509-04:00It's just like riding a bicycle<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> Last week I gave a tour of Antietam to a group of kids from HCC, a couple of them are classmates, so I enjoyed them seeing something else that I do.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPI2qLZhLplul9dGjlkbdqTma923D0bmt-qN_jkijGFeeZGzSa1n7hP59uQcbb1tG_ibr7sXn5ohgiCBLCi8WoLnw2xIUnnHui03pXl8kHGkSoi2PGwGTQ5L3aaNzmm1rNxbsCQHaSyDbP2uzEbjszGZZf4yXWmT-tnjMSNxKWrYMJyD3og/s720/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPI2qLZhLplul9dGjlkbdqTma923D0bmt-qN_jkijGFeeZGzSa1n7hP59uQcbb1tG_ibr7sXn5ohgiCBLCi8WoLnw2xIUnnHui03pXl8kHGkSoi2PGwGTQ5L3aaNzmm1rNxbsCQHaSyDbP2uzEbjszGZZf4yXWmT-tnjMSNxKWrYMJyD3og/w400-h300/1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The weather was perfect and the kids were really engaged. I was a little apprehensive as it has been ten years since I left the battlefield, but I must tell you, it all came back. I loved it, and so did they...</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96YztaxChDM_c6f-52MzU_Bd60D6Mqfsev1ySxwyEhhSfKk8_KTALzcTzZf9QrhgSCmKGTJgd82EtEzLnpdK2kFGrkTNHeUulSJhApvnwYjJ_q6H5jaH8EGR-EiNoxaD73-mcMDJZ3KFi1UcaQRowdnW4ykPH8yPzG8P50AnZiagRnMSWKQ/s4032/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96YztaxChDM_c6f-52MzU_Bd60D6Mqfsev1ySxwyEhhSfKk8_KTALzcTzZf9QrhgSCmKGTJgd82EtEzLnpdK2kFGrkTNHeUulSJhApvnwYjJ_q6H5jaH8EGR-EiNoxaD73-mcMDJZ3KFi1UcaQRowdnW4ykPH8yPzG8P50AnZiagRnMSWKQ/w400-h195/2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">just like in the days of yore.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs35511Ww5VRFhOUGlDbrQIIRbcYd5luGiQtxLzrUhQ3ZH_imb5SQoZoN6W_6EvP9QU_SJB8HCduK916KXP5kCF58ml_lZe7GDlwLxTgTJt6x_yMct8KXDmX_i6yy1RFRte4PWYisV2pe7nZ9bmZnFYsepIlYkxLFCYgoPydas2IUk1UdzQ/s720/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs35511Ww5VRFhOUGlDbrQIIRbcYd5luGiQtxLzrUhQ3ZH_imb5SQoZoN6W_6EvP9QU_SJB8HCduK916KXP5kCF58ml_lZe7GDlwLxTgTJt6x_yMct8KXDmX_i6yy1RFRte4PWYisV2pe7nZ9bmZnFYsepIlYkxLFCYgoPydas2IUk1UdzQ/w300-h400/3.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">See you next time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">(retured ranger) Mannie</span></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-14367408755272048282022-03-21T18:29:00.000-04:002022-03-21T18:29:56.245-04:00School Days, some stuff I've been working on<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> I'm having a great semester at Hagerstown Community College. I'm taking Drawing II and Sculpture I.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is some of my work:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQUKFcl85kFqf3byRb3zCjrgO8fiSh3FvAlNpICq9aWrAO9pryYYi8IY5I8XRt1u2jiWJ0LOvJXvod21dwVae2FUa_2cjotALVIav1ZnLq97yxJ6wcI2qPtqido5CIGp9PWmiYqocTW7fpW2FVZpB9udv8s-cosZ8CdH_Dmp4XHxV9L-WHg/s1024/Jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1024" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQUKFcl85kFqf3byRb3zCjrgO8fiSh3FvAlNpICq9aWrAO9pryYYi8IY5I8XRt1u2jiWJ0LOvJXvod21dwVae2FUa_2cjotALVIav1ZnLq97yxJ6wcI2qPtqido5CIGp9PWmiYqocTW7fpW2FVZpB9udv8s-cosZ8CdH_Dmp4XHxV9L-WHg/w400-h316/Jane.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Calamity Jane</i>, pencil</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7q6k7Hd109XeYlEs2sPXf6xqq6XWfHKGaHVKFCiwUYC2y7xi6w7edgudfNq4emFH4EjB058o5ddvdoFyLfH0LRl_3luwxdAZDTXLpuJ7fZ_VIMO44MhLBAsz3lQwDMAqEt6_dmLSmVEBn7iBEM9xhiTHY_YtD3fkhdImBe2nihauuziC_w/s1977/bed%20spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="1977" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7q6k7Hd109XeYlEs2sPXf6xqq6XWfHKGaHVKFCiwUYC2y7xi6w7edgudfNq4emFH4EjB058o5ddvdoFyLfH0LRl_3luwxdAZDTXLpuJ7fZ_VIMO44MhLBAsz3lQwDMAqEt6_dmLSmVEBn7iBEM9xhiTHY_YtD3fkhdImBe2nihauuziC_w/w400-h295/bed%20spread.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>The Best of Intentions</i>, pencil.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPfN3t3HYTA5eFC_jdKB1CPbqBb4e3M1ydOOoRvBJnj7UqhXPouh9fdUqbA62ztOktGRqUhV7qvxGLfuob-KXT31m3QhoWoqsfahZ9ReS2Yy5GXYxHLzyIQuSI3rEqgNUH4ksM3DH3jQj1oJ6Ml8AjjYBTDcv0yeEtqr3XGazzoAUDkeTJQ/s1024/slava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPfN3t3HYTA5eFC_jdKB1CPbqBb4e3M1ydOOoRvBJnj7UqhXPouh9fdUqbA62ztOktGRqUhV7qvxGLfuob-KXT31m3QhoWoqsfahZ9ReS2Yy5GXYxHLzyIQuSI3rEqgNUH4ksM3DH3jQj1oJ6Ml8AjjYBTDcv0yeEtqr3XGazzoAUDkeTJQ/w300-h400/slava.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Slava Ukraini,</i> plaster, silk, watercolor.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I continue to have the time of my life.</span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">(retired ranger) Mannie</span></div><p></p></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-85356387759317031812022-03-04T14:12:00.002-05:002022-03-15T13:56:09.824-04:00The Dream Team<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A snowflake on a warming day.</span></span></p><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #050505; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4mB8AVf3zp4J8phcNX_w1j1fP1EkQzdPHgqImaPNtMDGItHh-4bPG-JgUaaN4T1TzMG2-JRCWSOkHEDXxQeEyy0K4ojVoakKy3yW_RD9uOzo9tVEXTtjLU6Is6uFKDCReS0bIurc09j4211acY0Uz6HwWWVyJzacmczXB-CShUWfs-w-PPQ=s720" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4mB8AVf3zp4J8phcNX_w1j1fP1EkQzdPHgqImaPNtMDGItHh-4bPG-JgUaaN4T1TzMG2-JRCWSOkHEDXxQeEyy0K4ojVoakKy3yW_RD9uOzo9tVEXTtjLU6Is6uFKDCReS0bIurc09j4211acY0Uz6HwWWVyJzacmczXB-CShUWfs-w-PPQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #050505;"><br /></span><span style="color: #d9ead3;">The perfect "work group" is a rare and precious thing...not just people who work well together, but friends who empathize and commiserate with each other, who encourage and console each other, who boost each other to excellence and savor each others successes. </span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">When I worked at The Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, I was a part of that type of rare tribe. We were actually friends, rather than merely co-workers, and the sum of us was greater than the parts. </span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">We were the ones who started the Park Service efforts at what was then, the newest of the National Monuments. We invented the idea out of whole cloth...together.</span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">When I retired, I did so in the vacuum of quarantine - all of us were working from our homes and only meeting via zoom. My retirement send-off was done, the only way it could be, remotely on a computer screen. Sadly, there were no opportunities for hugs, handshakes, and private words with these wonderful people. </span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;"> I planned on going back for a visit after things opened back up and it was safe to travel, but, by then, all of my friends had scattered to the winds of the Park Service, and "The House" is closed for a multi-year renovation.</span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">And that perfect snowflake, just melted away.</span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #d9ead3;">We should all be so lucky, in our working lives, to have the opportunity to find such perfection, even if only for a moment.</span></div></div>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-51596022012613925282022-02-03T09:52:00.002-05:002022-02-03T09:55:39.058-05:00OMOC (old man on campus)<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I retired from the Park Service (coming up on two years ago) my plan was to take a year to totally goof-off, and then to find some sort of "old-guy retirement job."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I ended up in clover. I have two student jobs at HCC one in the Student Activities office, and the other at the visitor desk (just like half my time in the NPS). </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZNnODgILLmAh0uhexJbB_509Dml3MopRgmFhkY2_CM2zNqfx_8SWFrtxYf_NvVA2GvA_VExHwGpKfQOKTsjJEwIK4CKU8n-Odasu3h3jsbOVCp2w5vssbzRLesinw0RGHyIAAmORfmOs5uC3CvgJOrHqwhkLb84knqxOmTQV0dYFXnpCgJQ=s701" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZNnODgILLmAh0uhexJbB_509Dml3MopRgmFhkY2_CM2zNqfx_8SWFrtxYf_NvVA2GvA_VExHwGpKfQOKTsjJEwIK4CKU8n-Odasu3h3jsbOVCp2w5vssbzRLesinw0RGHyIAAmORfmOs5uC3CvgJOrHqwhkLb84knqxOmTQV0dYFXnpCgJQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Both jobs are easy, fun, and at $12.50 per hour they pay twice as much as my federal pension (which tells you a lot about federal pensions since they did away with Civil Service).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Student Center is a beautiful building and it is where both of my jobs are. I'm having a blast.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Retired ranger Mannie.</span></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-66275514976318734602022-01-15T13:39:00.003-05:002022-01-15T13:40:49.317-05:00You never know where the road will lead you<p><span style="font-family: arial;">In 1962 my father took my brother and I </span><span style="font-family: arial;">to Gettysburg. Living in Michigan, and my parents being of very modest means, this was a major event, and one that I still marvel that my parents were able to </span><span style="font-family: arial;">pull </span><span style="font-family: arial;">off. financially.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The trip thrilled me, Gettysburg and the Civil War enthralled me, and I remain keenly interested in the American Civil War.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">That trip led in a direct (though dotted) line to the career that I retired from, and the one that I found most worthy. My parents would have been so proud of me.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD-Kuy2_LH4Lq7pY1s8GHWyIOrykPVoOfkUvKVoT7lqP6ocu2clgnVHxcRmb82R4GQGaV97LihxEyN_Nuv7r8b2HfoD54GduI8BJEjWkXMvx_hR1TNdNG5iGzZBUFqxL9cit28ijsNKzwXS7LnaFTVCiOzjdbcA12XqBzgwhXstV4H-Gil7Q=s738" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="738" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD-Kuy2_LH4Lq7pY1s8GHWyIOrykPVoOfkUvKVoT7lqP6ocu2clgnVHxcRmb82R4GQGaV97LihxEyN_Nuv7r8b2HfoD54GduI8BJEjWkXMvx_hR1TNdNG5iGzZBUFqxL9cit28ijsNKzwXS7LnaFTVCiOzjdbcA12XqBzgwhXstV4H-Gil7Q=w400-h378" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Take your boys and girls to historic places...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">you never know were the road will lead them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Retired Ranger Mannie</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-51936571829965615042021-05-26T15:06:00.013-04:002021-05-26T22:29:53.261-04:00"A new chapter" is a pretty over-used phrase, nonetheless...<p><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One year later...</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Gosh...has it been a year already? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been enjoying every (every) moment of this thing called retirement. I'm healthier, happier, and younger than I was a year ago. It's been a tonic.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In Fall I start at nearby Hagerstown Community College, to get an associates degree in visual arts. How 'bout them apples?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnozwYNiWmOgS2dl6SEfwtFGJTCGoS00FyxYrKJ6HYrYxiDNMY3zKXcOpMVwzP7I8JOrc4G2kgu1v8pw7TJCWkpwM2SimoyZfP3OrvSfpj9_kMxA_NighZbVWeCttNePJwaBG/s1024/Me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnozwYNiWmOgS2dl6SEfwtFGJTCGoS00FyxYrKJ6HYrYxiDNMY3zKXcOpMVwzP7I8JOrc4G2kgu1v8pw7TJCWkpwM2SimoyZfP3OrvSfpj9_kMxA_NighZbVWeCttNePJwaBG/w476-h358/Me.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Me at HCC</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've always been an artist (even posting some of my work on this blog as the years went by) but an entirely untrained one. I'm going down this new path because I want the history, the rigor, and the training that a formal, academic, studio and classroom setting can bring.<span> Plus, I expect it to be really fun.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYFhj0wfGkS5aTYYIu8SoYRUZeTXEYRyV0OffBkkavdXQC67_87g8B-bDLDsN1XNRGWx9f2vzkkL8xMlgQz7RCXGDpSnnQSiNbPU3th-KRafPJ6cU64IvNe3upIAYzWX1PRU2/s1024/keppler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="1024" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYFhj0wfGkS5aTYYIu8SoYRUZeTXEYRyV0OffBkkavdXQC67_87g8B-bDLDsN1XNRGWx9f2vzkkL8xMlgQz7RCXGDpSnnQSiNbPU3th-KRafPJ6cU64IvNe3upIAYzWX1PRU2/w520-h247/keppler.jpg" width="520" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is the Kepler Performing and Visual Arts Center; it's one of the newest buildings on campus. This is where I will be spending all of my classroom and studio-time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm immensely looking forward to this experience, and I'm very excited to start on August 15, with Art (appreciation) 101 and Drawing 102.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'll keep you posted as things develop; until then... </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">gaudeamus igitur, baby!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Mannie</span><p></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-84905117269303114602021-03-26T11:44:00.001-04:002021-03-26T12:10:18.306-04:00Old retired ranger Mannie would love to hear from you.<p> Hi gang,</p><p>Though my rangering days are over, I'd be happy to talk with you about the parks I've worked at, or just rangering in general. museumofamerica@myactv.net</p><p><br /></p><p>Happy trails,</p><p>Mannie</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IDcbtoTZmA1YyZ5rzdaWNjLdDXilJj8mG8kitQJbxwqwKfcoWOh93eNSWS0JCdAfXb0-7k1sA0NeQSFNU7QWxQF4kom0IZLfRzirrO_n3D8b4M4c7DTzfKObL-xzHe4dW3tI/s1024/patch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IDcbtoTZmA1YyZ5rzdaWNjLdDXilJj8mG8kitQJbxwqwKfcoWOh93eNSWS0JCdAfXb0-7k1sA0NeQSFNU7QWxQF4kom0IZLfRzirrO_n3D8b4M4c7DTzfKObL-xzHe4dW3tI/w400-h400/patch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGFYeqf-01C2ao8z1TBghib82ORHMBTG0uoluB10XCBUPumsq9WN95XxZkq5DMWRUvfI5ZkrBQCSNT79Pg1tFWtKAOCT_1YvtuS6p7H7j7cNzqE_lhU45Zst0V2Zr-YhCwdAA/s1600/antietam+days+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGFYeqf-01C2ao8z1TBghib82ORHMBTG0uoluB10XCBUPumsq9WN95XxZkq5DMWRUvfI5ZkrBQCSNT79Pg1tFWtKAOCT_1YvtuS6p7H7j7cNzqE_lhU45Zst0V2Zr-YhCwdAA/w400-h300/antietam+days+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-80731422199374781212020-05-31T20:49:00.001-04:002020-05-31T21:03:37.919-04:00Trail's end<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">And here we are 777 posts later,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and My Year of Living Rangerously has come to a close. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today I retire from the National Park Service.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So here's an interesting thing: This afternoon I was lounging around the house, just running-down the clock until my 5:00 pm retirement from the Park Service. On the Mall we've all been teleworking because of covid and I've been working from home for the past two and a half months. Retiring in this vacuum was pretty anticlimactic...and a little bit sad.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Suddenly, a lightbulb went off over my head.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Before I knew it, I was walking out the door, in uniform (with facemark and anti-spit goggles) and making a bee-line to nearby Antietam National Battlefield, where I spent so many happy years.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wasn't exactly sure what my plan was.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got out of the car at the visitor center and spotted a family sitting on the steps of the New York monument, which overlooks much of the battlefield. I headed toward them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The day was perfect - 73 degrees, mostly sunny, a crystal-blue sky with puffy clouds, and my beautiful South Mountain looking down at us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What followed was an impromptu 15-minute Q&A program. They were enthusiastic and asked some great questions, and I was really bringing down the interpretive thunder, we were having a ball.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The dad was one of those people who think that the Battle of Antietam ended in a draw...by the time that I was done with him, he was convinced that it was a decisive Union victory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I went out on my terms, and it was great to be a Ranger that these nice people will remember.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Thanks for staying with me as this blog progressed through 14 years of rangering. Some years I was posting like fury, and there were also a few years were the blog lay almost dormant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The ebb and flow of my entries was directly related to my enthusiasm for the places that I was working. Antietam was responsible for hundreds of posts. Those were happy days for me, as was my recent 60-day detail at Monocacy National Battlefield which was responsible for the wealth of posts and videos from January and February of this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">These past six years in Washington DC on the National Mall were a different story altogether. The daily five-hour commute would color any experience...and the bottom line is - I'm a "cannonball ranger", battlefields are where I belong, and where I am happiest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">"Power of place" is what works best for me as an interpretive Park Ranger; to be able to point to a spot on the ground and say "Here is where the 16th Connecticut was rolled up by A.P. Hill's division, or, here is the spot where McCausland was surprised by veterans Union soldiers when he was expecting only militia. The immediacy of the place is exciting for me, and exciting for the visitor...there is just no substitute for that experience, and you just don't get that on the National Mall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">So, my career had its ups and downs, but nonetheless, through it all, I got to be a US Park Ranger...an actual American icon. Putting on that uniform every morning was a transformative experience, and the responsibility that went with it was palpable...as was the joy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Being a Park Ranger for the National Park Service was, professionally, the thing of which I am most proud, and what I think was, next to my military service, my most important contribution.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">It was worthy work, and I gave it my very best. The greatest thrill, and the thing that I thought was of the most significance, were the times that I was able to fire the imagination of a child. A trip to Gettysburg when I was nine started me on this journey, and I was glad to start other boys and girls on theirs. An active interest in our history can inspire an active interest in citizenship, and that's the job of all of us adults - to inspire children to be the best citizens that they can be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I've enjoyed the job, and the reporting of it in this blog, and I hope that you enjoyed those reports.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I keep other blogs which you may find interesting:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.combathelmets.blogspot.com/">combat helmets.blogspot.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://toysoldiersforever.blogspot.com/">toysoldiersforever.blogspot.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">as well as some others. Tune in, you may enjoy them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Very best wishes to all of you, and thanks for your company as we side by side, hiked the Civil War trail together.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHcup5NN_aQcY__dJpYY5103SXK_Kyk7AA8mYaWjj1dcq6sM3DLhWILYLRRBLS7GtPaci8Sjol7OseRcb17Mdxjg9KUkGqRTAu01zTAatDg-UV22HyW9CCsU88sNcaHizHbBD/s1600/sly+ranger+mannie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="417" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHcup5NN_aQcY__dJpYY5103SXK_Kyk7AA8mYaWjj1dcq6sM3DLhWILYLRRBLS7GtPaci8Sjol7OseRcb17Mdxjg9KUkGqRTAu01zTAatDg-UV22HyW9CCsU88sNcaHizHbBD/s640/sly+ranger+mannie.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Your pal,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mannie Gentile</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Park Ranger (ret.)</span><br />
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<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-89578205212405367872020-05-19T23:47:00.003-04:002021-02-07T14:11:50.142-05:00Looking back over fourteen years of Rangering.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">On May 28, I will have been with the Park Service for Fourteen years. Here's some photos.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60DwADYBKoKFNq1QV80oM0AS-p2_T1m-bdoQeYro5WCT3p8f79NYRzyVqO-M0FqZWHidcrDL1fTNaTVIO-LgnI3fVzQtMDM15WIC3_503D6L-P6mtzWJ84txTZF2hKSa7FNkm/s1600/18851_1216216961353_6227962_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="604" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60DwADYBKoKFNq1QV80oM0AS-p2_T1m-bdoQeYro5WCT3p8f79NYRzyVqO-M0FqZWHidcrDL1fTNaTVIO-LgnI3fVzQtMDM15WIC3_503D6L-P6mtzWJ84txTZF2hKSa7FNkm/s400/18851_1216216961353_6227962_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ranger Alann Schmidt and I during the transfer ceremony of the remains of a New York soldier that were found in the Cornfield at Antietam.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZujnuNO4XT4eFK9cVOj70zB1_Nq-nURO8FGxktegcVSHkq_-HOCB_LtRbaeDiLwiv-FnNFqZyT5Ggfx_zMKEB0PmPfWMIRwb6IOH3VypsnFw4w44J92RsPavOQi3MjoLx2KR/s1600/35810_128736303830449_3524527_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="720" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZujnuNO4XT4eFK9cVOj70zB1_Nq-nURO8FGxktegcVSHkq_-HOCB_LtRbaeDiLwiv-FnNFqZyT5Ggfx_zMKEB0PmPfWMIRwb6IOH3VypsnFw4w44J92RsPavOQi3MjoLx2KR/s400/35810_128736303830449_3524527_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">One of my favorite things was giving the orientation talk at Antietam.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGkLmXid07_TlqGFryARXqyzAMfbu86yotHFoJ2o8_EfGjjRx1u9VKLWNeIjTGLVUfczIVwQ6I4ZFZDxf8lN8LfHct_eVo95j3ruTbqdeFQ_Kwv1jYTkg-QsdquxBnFRdGnpD/s1600/53563_610926526666_337747_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGkLmXid07_TlqGFryARXqyzAMfbu86yotHFoJ2o8_EfGjjRx1u9VKLWNeIjTGLVUfczIVwQ6I4ZFZDxf8lN8LfHct_eVo95j3ruTbqdeFQ_Kwv1jYTkg-QsdquxBnFRdGnpD/s400/53563_610926526666_337747_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The best day. Marrying my sweetheart in Dunker Church.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADEBvRTdCskazIWO-E_Mup9bqv7uNiPlNyyXpUUF8H_MJMYY2vPMADOOoccKq8T58WkMnHx5gDCUPR-o7FfubFoFsn0Cjql52JtnzXSjxC1pVrez_ldv5WKeXNUGmaThyphenhyphenfOgS/s1600/59245_602065933366_4489529_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADEBvRTdCskazIWO-E_Mup9bqv7uNiPlNyyXpUUF8H_MJMYY2vPMADOOoccKq8T58WkMnHx5gDCUPR-o7FfubFoFsn0Cjql52JtnzXSjxC1pVrez_ldv5WKeXNUGmaThyphenhyphenfOgS/s400/59245_602065933366_4489529_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Talking artillery on an Antietam hike.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCf42jtuYT8AtymQEggOJLdDTeYj_-uKbydqKy_sp72uEyFmtevcy8vwePWNox8GuPqDSIL8H2iwxtswhHl-AdtPGUyYypVVJOvgsjkzE7AD6-Dy2-n2pRsAxS0hG4RO38iF9w/s1600/63458_1520426886411_1954233_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCf42jtuYT8AtymQEggOJLdDTeYj_-uKbydqKy_sp72uEyFmtevcy8vwePWNox8GuPqDSIL8H2iwxtswhHl-AdtPGUyYypVVJOvgsjkzE7AD6-Dy2-n2pRsAxS0hG4RO38iF9w/s400/63458_1520426886411_1954233_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wrapping up the two-hour driving tour above Burnside Bridge...always my big finish.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdn8U7h2ZYSjjmRBB0ZltkLnIVRksMWkcHFjUbv1GTm5YBBgMBGgs_VjYyJUtdyZ3gozVRG3Ykya13Coan9uAsU1Dh7u7XJNyWTTzprBuw-wp82Eug2_cbhN_3zCl_f1qTofK/s1600/67150_1520420966263_7698335_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdn8U7h2ZYSjjmRBB0ZltkLnIVRksMWkcHFjUbv1GTm5YBBgMBGgs_VjYyJUtdyZ3gozVRG3Ykya13Coan9uAsU1Dh7u7XJNyWTTzprBuw-wp82Eug2_cbhN_3zCl_f1qTofK/s400/67150_1520420966263_7698335_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ranger Mannie...finder of lost children.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhtLN9X3OHyshouYT22eXZ4K_QLCh8VGZ_cseCAZWshE71pWvK3m4vYRm18uR7mn6PSq6rj_Bd6QPik1QctFEnhzerusFq83I0AT9qhJ7j0RuBt3aQjeRoH2qhWjqPRYYHUgJ/s1600/68253_1520424886361_46440_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhtLN9X3OHyshouYT22eXZ4K_QLCh8VGZ_cseCAZWshE71pWvK3m4vYRm18uR7mn6PSq6rj_Bd6QPik1QctFEnhzerusFq83I0AT9qhJ7j0RuBt3aQjeRoH2qhWjqPRYYHUgJ/s400/68253_1520424886361_46440_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Making a video about wildland firefighting at Antietam.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyc8VcDCo6i7SEQUKUC5Co0pIRsCDXhsANkdAK_81u9B7k3XWxso555nKQneosAiFNi-4jjnHCcrCtrYKZ7I0ZODeWpQZKAZZqbjtcVAqRscgFbe_1QOn4PyNttnsaHrqmJ_Az/s1600/69699_1520419966238_5858393_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyc8VcDCo6i7SEQUKUC5Co0pIRsCDXhsANkdAK_81u9B7k3XWxso555nKQneosAiFNi-4jjnHCcrCtrYKZ7I0ZODeWpQZKAZZqbjtcVAqRscgFbe_1QOn4PyNttnsaHrqmJ_Az/s400/69699_1520419966238_5858393_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">When I was at Antietam, we had a lot of leeway in uniform...here I'm in cargo pants, the Park Service barn coat, and my trusty ball cap.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Fag51PpMKtU8X9Lhs609_ZVLwSf41w3m-j8XwA6i9LsU6reV_YRdGAJhcS-HfaUMhkcigTuUBE61oBSYnZ4WdFOthD7jUwJD2Px0cpZMGzqo5xXs7AB0ozqCFcovVvwiq7He/s1600/69759_1520424566353_3246733_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Fag51PpMKtU8X9Lhs609_ZVLwSf41w3m-j8XwA6i9LsU6reV_YRdGAJhcS-HfaUMhkcigTuUBE61oBSYnZ4WdFOthD7jUwJD2Px0cpZMGzqo5xXs7AB0ozqCFcovVvwiq7He/s400/69759_1520424566353_3246733_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Beer on tap made tours run long (kidding).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbgijZm25B-8aUUmzCxdpLjCwxu-Rs9ZjslEEjo9NMt7dk1KK6oTlih1YkgoG5QSys_iI3z4sTWsxPt8AwaM3JfSbwOTdlKKj0QdvFBnZUAZr6usYvdLlRyqUCpV24efdIcrq/s1600/154291_1520423686331_7394780_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbgijZm25B-8aUUmzCxdpLjCwxu-Rs9ZjslEEjo9NMt7dk1KK6oTlih1YkgoG5QSys_iI3z4sTWsxPt8AwaM3JfSbwOTdlKKj0QdvFBnZUAZr6usYvdLlRyqUCpV24efdIcrq/s400/154291_1520423686331_7394780_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Class A uniform for my wedding and talking to long-time Antietam volunteer Bob Murphy.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_cRUdd13aGzIdCU8Bzs7CTjQPRP8z_iQUHi46cVRDnne4ZIGDhJQURfXm1Tn_Orv0FCgHeOEHYoccTTOUO3ZED9S2eks_fm5wljigg2quAil0ms1OS7EjaOOXpg2MBeuaruk/s1600/155529_1520426966413_2528741_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_cRUdd13aGzIdCU8Bzs7CTjQPRP8z_iQUHi46cVRDnne4ZIGDhJQURfXm1Tn_Orv0FCgHeOEHYoccTTOUO3ZED9S2eks_fm5wljigg2quAil0ms1OS7EjaOOXpg2MBeuaruk/s400/155529_1520426966413_2528741_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Freezing my tail off at the 2009 presidential inauguration.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JfnwrJ2sjMsGZcYsmF0PcPPyX_8cBmUtcY60HQ0UCjRZsdgp7tysEe0afmADS5fO-meeqNuZWn0W72EvFGd91Q3uKGndtdRZxxAqeJqOrml-Nc3sDPAeU8fxM3BSRnKBXV6J/s1600/157062_1520427926437_71317_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JfnwrJ2sjMsGZcYsmF0PcPPyX_8cBmUtcY60HQ0UCjRZsdgp7tysEe0afmADS5fO-meeqNuZWn0W72EvFGd91Q3uKGndtdRZxxAqeJqOrml-Nc3sDPAeU8fxM3BSRnKBXV6J/s400/157062_1520427926437_71317_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Freezing my tail off at Antietam.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ranger Mannie in black and white.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Three interpretive legends: John Hoptak, Matt Atkinson, and yours truly. All three of us could really "bring the interpretive thunder."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnM1Qto_1m-LGI2ShD9wtG3rJCjWsMuIxn4UZMnzP-wNwOmIeTFoyfoYd0LouLMAwM8RxyHuyWU2T4abo6VK03WJoRVoA9C6eeR5ohNkNDwTO3VsiRLh945tZiLPhCalTuoLnh/s1600/330690_3642986949086_395238046_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="1600" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnM1Qto_1m-LGI2ShD9wtG3rJCjWsMuIxn4UZMnzP-wNwOmIeTFoyfoYd0LouLMAwM8RxyHuyWU2T4abo6VK03WJoRVoA9C6eeR5ohNkNDwTO3VsiRLh945tZiLPhCalTuoLnh/s400/330690_3642986949086_395238046_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Posing in front of the mural I painted for the Antietam 150th.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4M5_XlTFZSL4zzsBJkowxmf-kQ-VS3n4VxYsizROw5HdDmwaoIyXIwpAi48xF4a_wVSjHxgOxaRt5zJ2MEYLwsEUNNCNzvrTlpfRuFErkKhru_FxQRLYj2XEnhYzOqtQueXu/s1600/11794640_10204783431361411_6472861092590446024_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4M5_XlTFZSL4zzsBJkowxmf-kQ-VS3n4VxYsizROw5HdDmwaoIyXIwpAi48xF4a_wVSjHxgOxaRt5zJ2MEYLwsEUNNCNzvrTlpfRuFErkKhru_FxQRLYj2XEnhYzOqtQueXu/s400/11794640_10204783431361411_6472861092590446024_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. I commute five hours a day because I work in Washington DC.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyUdcSkFIOUN_Ki0dHYMUaeBFpR12DCAaqs9Tcsv6OD7Rj402aw5a2IFXOce4KC59BOX9fhygj_Ya5tBlJJmitEaDy-CXpMVBfuq_t3JCgLKYioGPx7RFAaxGpoFt0jmU1So4/s1600/12108972_10205166191210168_3173461160357809897_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyUdcSkFIOUN_Ki0dHYMUaeBFpR12DCAaqs9Tcsv6OD7Rj402aw5a2IFXOce4KC59BOX9fhygj_Ya5tBlJJmitEaDy-CXpMVBfuq_t3JCgLKYioGPx7RFAaxGpoFt0jmU1So4/s400/12108972_10205166191210168_3173461160357809897_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Having a good crew when working the Washington monument made all the difference, and this was one of the best: me, the supervisor Mary Collins, the legendary Mike Townsend, rockstar Jason Barna, and the incomparable Ed Flemming.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GUzYOlZdGfn0h8dDItvH0iiM5DWqJ1jPLLQ6edhPg7-s1Q-7Y9AQ5NRHNN5AvwgvZKBq23hJyJBaJq28AUJnxjV5MynAsXLH7kSaq9yoAMffARLlhliJa3CpFeLGKuCWp36q/s1600/14114839_1251859011501448_3542288802555327469_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GUzYOlZdGfn0h8dDItvH0iiM5DWqJ1jPLLQ6edhPg7-s1Q-7Y9AQ5NRHNN5AvwgvZKBq23hJyJBaJq28AUJnxjV5MynAsXLH7kSaq9yoAMffARLlhliJa3CpFeLGKuCWp36q/s400/14114839_1251859011501448_3542288802555327469_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The social media crew for the Gettysburg 150th. NPS director John Jarvis is at center.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Artillery projectiles were my thing at Antietam.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxGsG5mcEBX8x00R9gUPD3N-v6qQHJ2VCN7Rd-BV-TYYvCqhJKUpw9q6-JAjFXv7vXw609VE4auHMXsmz6uJ7BzAeKmk2dGnjWkCrEVnBR26ZSoFj4Zuq2AhAOrEKxdxJkP6N/s1600/26167003_10115847209357304_4668069285708792249_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxGsG5mcEBX8x00R9gUPD3N-v6qQHJ2VCN7Rd-BV-TYYvCqhJKUpw9q6-JAjFXv7vXw609VE4auHMXsmz6uJ7BzAeKmk2dGnjWkCrEVnBR26ZSoFj4Zuq2AhAOrEKxdxJkP6N/s400/26167003_10115847209357304_4668069285708792249_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Swearing in two new Junior Rangers at Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSV9UStJf4Vub51Su_9IYRSTYix2kV12cX8B9vfTZcgv2FPrpPOtefmWx6tV2lzzZ0RMgyVoliLnh_hDe4qDmEaZ50Z6SxCtXYj2k9SdlpHAZ7sCZR9b0BVyUcAdBdi46awCzf/s1600/26733608_10211547457537838_3255646003034828737_n-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="528" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSV9UStJf4Vub51Su_9IYRSTYix2kV12cX8B9vfTZcgv2FPrpPOtefmWx6tV2lzzZ0RMgyVoliLnh_hDe4qDmEaZ50Z6SxCtXYj2k9SdlpHAZ7sCZR9b0BVyUcAdBdi46awCzf/s400/26733608_10211547457537838_3255646003034828737_n-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Park Rangers are always good role models regarding proper nutrition.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfifOZsu8QcjW6yA0oiP73F5-R7OrHgDr8m6M0190SVjQi1qVqmMtpFvgPQRcSaCvmMmJeF2E6a7DzIjb4S2kOAnQO6b8GlONL_8HUKyYFu-151-UCz7JnOuBRxU__C5dUKVM/s1600/28616782_10211343807566716_4031256041630246145_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="205" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfifOZsu8QcjW6yA0oiP73F5-R7OrHgDr8m6M0190SVjQi1qVqmMtpFvgPQRcSaCvmMmJeF2E6a7DzIjb4S2kOAnQO6b8GlONL_8HUKyYFu-151-UCz7JnOuBRxU__C5dUKVM/s400/28616782_10211343807566716_4031256041630246145_o.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Me and my minions at the Gettysburg 150th</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGafTmatIkPU6lNYiJCh6olSgqGarR-zN7vnBm6P4WyALvOaq-bmjxoo4v6m4271v9a4MrJ0glbyEd5G2sT2wGVhseorC6Ovmi0nP36ppbKGPvSK50MAu7NUjQ4OpJAH6xrW2/s1600/86631256_10216159586918190_1497629382145998848_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1440" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGafTmatIkPU6lNYiJCh6olSgqGarR-zN7vnBm6P4WyALvOaq-bmjxoo4v6m4271v9a4MrJ0glbyEd5G2sT2wGVhseorC6Ovmi0nP36ppbKGPvSK50MAu7NUjQ4OpJAH6xrW2/s400/86631256_10216159586918190_1497629382145998848_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Painting murals at Monocacy National Battlefield; a fabulous experience.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimBQQCP9tgLKMxtMa2GQTTpHfNAT37CtCHsgj3TjME2cX2dctXscWQcqRjBoIlN4E6lOhmVGCJ8buAYZy44mKebu_IslfUCjGMBqePu7oVgwkB-AOinIeS35fMSoQcMA50Uxi/s1600/87339948_10216216584303089_3879057970318802944_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="522" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimBQQCP9tgLKMxtMa2GQTTpHfNAT37CtCHsgj3TjME2cX2dctXscWQcqRjBoIlN4E6lOhmVGCJ8buAYZy44mKebu_IslfUCjGMBqePu7oVgwkB-AOinIeS35fMSoQcMA50Uxi/s400/87339948_10216216584303089_3879057970318802944_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Leading a toy soldier-painting workshop at Monocacy National Battlefield.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdgxbmE_WJeSccObG7h9L3TTmkXmRasK-1cksWYDvUSe0RjXsaghIAWzmbjwL3QgH2naKgIbQeLw052W_bT35vuP_Mdsc8eaNdc1Uy7actaC6Cel9C-SaAPpIVLFfE6OReOFp/s1600/87951736_10216241181718009_7285970417716559872_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdgxbmE_WJeSccObG7h9L3TTmkXmRasK-1cksWYDvUSe0RjXsaghIAWzmbjwL3QgH2naKgIbQeLw052W_bT35vuP_Mdsc8eaNdc1Uy7actaC6Cel9C-SaAPpIVLFfE6OReOFp/s400/87951736_10216241181718009_7285970417716559872_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">For as much as I loved Antietam, my two-month detail at Monocacy was the most affirming experience of my adult working life.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">In quarantine, in Boonsboro Maryland</span></div>
<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-31611889643350999972020-05-06T15:54:00.003-04:002020-05-06T16:07:24.438-04:00VOTES FOR WOMEN! for 100 years. (blog post 771)<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Twenty-five days and a wake-up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your favorite short-timer is racing to get a couple more videos made before retirement day on May 31st.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> At Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument we are working from our homes and one of the projects the Rangers are working on is "Suffrage in Sixty Seconds." We're each making super-short videos on topics related to the centennial of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This one talks about the invention of picketing the Whitehouse by suffragist Alice Paul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-38171820038810939652020-05-06T15:49:00.002-04:002020-05-06T15:49:51.783-04:00Tennessee and votes for women<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's pretty late in the game gang; ol' Ranger Mannie only has 25 days left, so I'm tying up loose ends and trying to get out a little more historic interpretation before my career with the Park Service come to a close at the end of this month. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> At Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument we are working from our homes and one of the projects the Rangers are working on is "Suffrage in Sixty Seconds." We're each making super-short videos on topics related to the centennial of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.</span><br />
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<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-24639546171532689402020-04-30T15:41:00.000-04:002020-04-30T15:41:03.449-04:00The Old Ranger<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well loyal readers, this morning I pushed the button;</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've put in my retirement papers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My last day of rangering will be June 30</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is, as they say bittersweet.</span><br />
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<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-13529026405723087932020-02-27T22:40:00.004-05:002020-02-27T22:40:55.280-05:00Without historic preservation...history disappears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A note about historic preservation on my final day at Monocacy.</span></div>
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<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-30237432564394768852020-02-26T22:08:00.003-05:002020-02-26T22:09:43.239-05:00Farewell Monocacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All good things must come to an end, and it's back to my regular job on the National Mall on Tuesday, but it was great to be reminded that I am first, last, and always, a cannonball ranger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This past two months was the most satisfying and affirming experience of my Park Service career.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">See you out on the Civil War trail gang.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ranger Mannie</span></div>
<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-80232386761578361292020-02-26T15:30:00.002-05:002020-02-26T15:30:59.543-05:00Mannie's Monocacy Murals<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finished, with one day to spare.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4vay5nRtjMx1W6_S5TGymEs3b_VRLkd7Zc2ferRDmHrmY4m8hu3lrhqZ2HSssUsFE8DcOAWEkKyVWKNb3U85F2ia4-8sDm7iEY1pP5ToR1cZXgRJeDcgvV2xj84yNZX9zILW/s1600/mural+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4vay5nRtjMx1W6_S5TGymEs3b_VRLkd7Zc2ferRDmHrmY4m8hu3lrhqZ2HSssUsFE8DcOAWEkKyVWKNb3U85F2ia4-8sDm7iEY1pP5ToR1cZXgRJeDcgvV2xj84yNZX9zILW/s400/mural+small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It feels very good to be able to leave something behind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow's my last day at Monocacy National Battlefield...sounds like some shenanigans are planned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-1401693794087044792020-02-25T08:03:00.000-05:002020-02-26T15:27:10.210-05:00Junior Rangers at Monocacy<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Junior Ranger program is one of the best ideas that the Park Service ever had. It's a great, and fun, way to get kids engaged in their park, and it makes their tax-paying parents really appreciate the parks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I swore these four fun-lovers in as Monocacy Jr. Rangers last weekend...boy, were they in to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ranger Mannie</span></div>
<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-42521659221829240382020-02-21T18:19:00.003-05:002020-02-21T18:19:56.236-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The clock is ticking on the murals, I'm about seventy percent done and I have exactly four and a half days to complete them, fortunately, ranger Anthony has been a great apprentice in this project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't believe how fast the time has flown; I've enjoyed this detail so much. This sixty-day detail to Monocacy National Battlefield was the most satisfying and affirming experience of my fourteen-year career in the National Park Service.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ranger Mannie</span>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-78036394388308591042020-02-16T22:32:00.002-05:002020-02-21T18:16:01.610-05:00Monocacy murals progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I finished the line work today and tomorrow I start applying the<span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">c</span><span style="background-color: white; color: yellow;">o</span><span style="color: lime;">l</span><span style="color: blue;">o</span><span style="color: magenta;">r</span>.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk35faXjn5URaV88T5Y3G5Oed4sPuyl9ua8L9Yq8ba4AFZ8k9GVFBhBe0vzy28Ll8JTKFTdVWaa9h_-edOGk-FHzTtIkDqK3KOCBxI8S0PFNL5SOwjOMWhyphenhyphenbAp88Aaabz-ruC/s1600/big+mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="960" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk35faXjn5URaV88T5Y3G5Oed4sPuyl9ua8L9Yq8ba4AFZ8k9GVFBhBe0vzy28Ll8JTKFTdVWaa9h_-edOGk-FHzTtIkDqK3KOCBxI8S0PFNL5SOwjOMWhyphenhyphenbAp88Aaabz-ruC/s400/big+mural.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesMHIuHTqRvPJDtXU-fEQAXxhE0UP3bO-W5WlJLO1jEoBmOLl3DeczD2oFOLrXE-N32Tal6lr0asI3iZLFrRVxf2wchtmsDTP9KonNWkAU1rrasWp30W_OIu3v0PggwrwoNHP/s1600/mural+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="714" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesMHIuHTqRvPJDtXU-fEQAXxhE0UP3bO-W5WlJLO1jEoBmOLl3DeczD2oFOLrXE-N32Tal6lr0asI3iZLFrRVxf2wchtmsDTP9KonNWkAU1rrasWp30W_OIu3v0PggwrwoNHP/s400/mural+painting.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two more weeks left in this adventure at Monocacy... what a great experience this has been.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ranger Mannie</span>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-46945387923761013202020-02-13T20:05:00.001-05:002020-02-13T20:05:51.076-05:00Making a mural<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today the work began in earnest on the children's corner mural. This will be the larger of the two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll post pictures as it progresses.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE31TNgHodlTb0Mpi2sC7tOmWzZ38zprOF6aWFHqmiPaYczuaUWlBml2-wXulq3I4TJOgPfeTTRk1asGNCvX8f9grBclgVnybQkh5_GuS4Qyqv6HrZzxXuzv92zdxNhtuAnbMD/s1600/mural.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE31TNgHodlTb0Mpi2sC7tOmWzZ38zprOF6aWFHqmiPaYczuaUWlBml2-wXulq3I4TJOgPfeTTRk1asGNCvX8f9grBclgVnybQkh5_GuS4Qyqv6HrZzxXuzv92zdxNhtuAnbMD/s400/mural.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22656823.post-69237297705038480572020-02-07T18:47:00.000-05:002020-02-07T18:47:20.160-05:00Behind the scenes in the historic Worthington House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Wednesday a group of historic structures conservation students from the NPS came to check out the Worthington house. I was supposed to open the door for them. In the telephone meeting beforehand, I asked their fearless leader how long he wanted my program to be. He responded that there would be no program but they were there to just check out the house. At that I informed him the the program will be fifteen minutes in length, as it was...and I had their complete and enthusiastic attention as I told the story of Lew Wallace at Monocacy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was incredibly satisfying for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I opened the door and let them prowl around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know much about the house, so I lifted the following from the Historic Structures Report that was written in the late '90s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[The Worthington house is a] <i>two-story five-bay brick dwelling with an ell extension in the rear. Considered influenced from Greek Revival and Italiante styles from the third quarter of the 19th century. Built between 1847 and 1852.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Served as a hospital after the battle. Was the seen of action in the late morning and early afternoon phase of the battle. </i></span></div>
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H<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ere's a little hand-held video I did for this post, touring the first floor. I'll let this video provide the bulk of this post's narrative.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kitchen is a post-war addition to the house. This stove remains from the 1960s when the building was used to house cannery workers...much to the detriment of the house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A colleague told me that seven layers of linoleum have been uncovered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now down to the cellar and a visit with little Glenn Worthington...eyewitness to "The Battle that Saved Washington."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KT6LpZTTAUTXrF850lGejSb9RjAzntDCvnzgGhiSdIURA25QExv8s6ELlo1eBjbmzZkOlLEqG4qhbjQ30YsD52V01kKkLekHOBwL0MqRJWqnhDhKKlb_TDZSHoEtRvAjN1CG/s1600/20200130_140953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KT6LpZTTAUTXrF850lGejSb9RjAzntDCvnzgGhiSdIURA25QExv8s6ELlo1eBjbmzZkOlLEqG4qhbjQ30YsD52V01kKkLekHOBwL0MqRJWqnhDhKKlb_TDZSHoEtRvAjN1CG/s400/20200130_140953.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are pieces of the original porch..off the ground and out of the damp, awaiting better days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The far window on the left is the one from which Glenn watched the progress of the battle. While his family and their enslaved servants shuddered in fear, Glenn was thrilled with the spectacle of war.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glenn's window</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyzxQPFaX3Hyd_NmUG-wxcoVN9Vu9En1pcSI21z03Q2B88hxq1L0bcIuLBBS8KufvowjuYIonvj5NTL7tjlU9ZPBd2mQuSTnMeBW6ILI05VWdGOe9BK-gUTIFSOwN7bUscnKV/s1600/20200130_141201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyzxQPFaX3Hyd_NmUG-wxcoVN9Vu9En1pcSI21z03Q2B88hxq1L0bcIuLBBS8KufvowjuYIonvj5NTL7tjlU9ZPBd2mQuSTnMeBW6ILI05VWdGOe9BK-gUTIFSOwN7bUscnKV/s400/20200130_141201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glenn's view.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, a short video that leaves much to be desired (better luck next time).</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W4cXtc_t7RI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W4cXtc_t7RI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguExIr9-5kESv3kerKHLPPmEWRUYT0RCv1V7ACKkFoAbm41Hb5IzX-YHU9RMJUq7eKldRtJYQrAicX1ID2R84NRwWLE9WRQJoFtLee0dMLrhB2eeqyNqqvFcclBsY6yYql2dAw/s1600/20200130_142112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguExIr9-5kESv3kerKHLPPmEWRUYT0RCv1V7ACKkFoAbm41Hb5IzX-YHU9RMJUq7eKldRtJYQrAicX1ID2R84NRwWLE9WRQJoFtLee0dMLrhB2eeqyNqqvFcclBsY6yYql2dAw/s400/20200130_142112.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there you have it...a whirlwind tour. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> only have three weeks remaining at Monocacy, and I'm going to relish every minute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you next time with more cool Monocacy stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ranger Mannie</span></div>
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<br />Mannie Gentilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06225923971073419275noreply@blogger.com0