Illinois State Song
By thy rivers gently flowing, Illinois, Illinois,
O'er thy prairies verdant growing, Illinois, Illinois,
Comes an echo on the breeze,
Rustling through the leafy trees,
and its mellow tones are these, Illinois, Illinois,
And its mellow tones are these, Illinois.
From a wilderness of prairies, Illinois, Illinois,
Straight thy way and never varies, Illinois, Illinois,
Till upon the inland sea,
Stands thy great commerical tree,
turning all the world to thee, Illinois, Illinois,
Turning all the world to thee, Illinois.
When you heard your country calling, Illinois, Illinois,
Where the shot and shell were falling, Illinois, Illinois,
When the Southern host withdrew,
Pitting Gray against the Blue,
There were none more brave than you, Illinois, Illinois,
There were none more brave than you, Illinois.
Not without thy wondrous story, Illinois, Illinois,
Can be writ the nation's glory, Illinois, Illinois,
On the record of thy years,
Abraham Lincoln's name appears,
Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois, Illinois,
Grant and Logan, and our tears, Illinois.
written by C.H. Chamberlain, composed by Archibald Johnston
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Yesterday, the local news was all about the mandatory furlough (unpaid time off) days imposed by my employer, the state’s largest public university.
Today, the news was all about the seven-year contract and multi-multi-multi-million dollar salary awarded to a professional baseball player.
The mental lava is still spewing from the volcanic explosion in my head so I am unable to verbalize my feelings about the juxtaposition of these two events…but I think you get it.
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This morning, Mary Alice and I were discussing the distressing news that the health department in a neighboring county may be forced to close because the state has not paid the health department the funds due it this fiscal year. The state did, however, offer to LOAN the health department some money at 5% interest. (Flow, mental lava, flow.)
Mary Alice suggested that the Mafia may be running our state. I said, no, the Mafia would do a much better job of it.
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The whole country is in fiscal crisis, true...but I'm told that Illinois ranks above only California in our level of dire-straightedness. Ain't we special.
"...and our tears, Illinois, Illinois."
Gnashing my teeth north of you, too. It makes NO sense!
ReplyDeleteOh, no! That's horrible! I'm really sorry. :(
ReplyDeleteHey Violet, thanks for following my blog! I hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI've been on unpaid "furlough" all week for snow days. I'm ready to go back to work!
Feel free to join the conversation anytime. I always like interacting with other bloggers. See you around!
Oh, you made me snort laugh. Yes, Vito Corleone would be running things much better. ;-) Except for the whole killing thing. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for following my blog. I'm glad to have you.
I used to work for the State. The way things are going I'm glad I no longer do. But, I do work at a Community College, and our payments from the State have been delayed to the point where it's really causing a budget crunch for us.
ReplyDeleteI think we DO need Vito Corleone to send a horse's head to someone over there in Springfield! :-)
Greenie - I was never ashamed to be an Illinoisan before...now I hope my plan to go back to school comes together VERY quickly!
ReplyDeletePissy - I work in a department that focuses on state government so I get the extra-special treat of hearing about this stuff on a daily, if not hourly, basis. ARGH!!
Matt - Snow days are a better excuse for unpaid days off than an idiot legislature and state government! Hope you’re back to work this week. Love your blog – I have such admiration for people who are consistently clever and funny.
GfG - I’m glad I found you – I don’t often comment but your posts always make me think and often bring me a bit closer to God.
Lizzy - You find the horse, I can probably find a messenger. Heh heh heh...
Sometimes it's good to be oblivious. At least, that's what I tell myself when I go to bed each night and decide to watch Friends instead of the news.
ReplyDeleteI really hope things start to get better soon.