Welcome to the 3/5/97 edition of the Online Murphy Times where we chronicle the continuing adventures of that intrepid Murphy Family as they rise to any occasion.
As always, please E-Mail us here at kevinmurfy@aol.com. Remember, all such E-Mail will become the sole property of the Murphy Family and will not be returned, even if you say "please". It will, however, be replied to -- so don't say I didn't warn you.
In this edition (3/5/97) we find the Murphy Fearless Leader contemplating Art, the Other Murphy Fearless Leader thinking warm thoughts, and the Fruit of the Murphy Loins celebrating in style.
After much thought, our editorial board has decided to take outside submissions for this newsletter. You can email us with your article or other submission. We are also considering maintaining an email directory of family and friends, so if you would like to be included, please email us with your address - even if we already have it, so we know its okay to include it.
It is with sadness that we note the passing of Kevin's step-grandmother, Elizabeth Murphy. She died February 24 at the age of 91 from what in an earlier era would have been termed "old age."
Schindler's List was on last Sunday night and I hope you were able to see it. Denise and I rented and watched it this past New Years Eve and took 5 minutes out to celebrate midnight and then switched right back to the movie for the last hour. Why can't Hollywood make more movies like this -- filled with violence and nudity. Oops, I mean a movie that does not play with history "to make a better story" or "fulfill a director's vision," that takes an unblinking look at depravity while showing the difference that a single person can make, and that trandscends realistic and arrives at truthful. How many truthful movies have ever been made in Hollywood? Let's hope we learn it's many lessons and not fixate on Jews and Germans. Hitler didn't murder only Jews, and Jews are not the only group who have been singled out for extermination. Frankly, when we stop looking at any group of people as fellow humans but as somehow "inferior" or "not really human", we're heading for trouble. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Which do you think is more tempting -- everybody knows what you're doing but no one can stop you from doing anything, or nobody knows what you're doing and so you can do anything.
P.S. The next column won't be so serious. I promise. It's just not in me.
Let the celebrations begin. Erin turned six this month and the parties have been worthy of The Donald in number and scope. First was the tea party. For those of you without a little girl it might be hard to imagine that there are firms (note the plural) that specialize in throwing tea parties complete with fancy dress and china. Dresses, hats, feather boa's, jewelry, and lipstick are part of the service. We had 9 little girls prancing around in fine style, playing telephone (the hit of the party), drinking kool aid from china cups while pointing their pinkies, and otherwise having a grand time playing grown up and just being elegant. The cost per head was worthy of the Donald as well.
Then came the family party the next day. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, and just plain old friends. It wasn't quite as formal as the tea party, what with the women skipping the boa's (although they did wear lipstick.) Kevin was able to rest at work the next day, but Denise had to stay home. And then came the day of the actual birthday, and another celebration. This time it was strictly nuclear. Whew. Erin down, Kyle to go. After hearing day after day that it was Erin's birthday, and seeing the pile of loot she collected, Kyle is ready for his turn. I just hope he doesn't want to wear a feather boa.
