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The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

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Tipping

The New American Digest Posted on July 15, 2025 by DTJuly 15, 2025

Story from Fox News

Some guy was on a date at an unspecified restaurant. He thought the service was less than it should be but left a 10% tip anyway:

The waitress allegedly “lost” his drink twice, brought him and his girlfriend the wrong appetizer and “vanished for what seemed like an eternity” when they wanted to order dessert. He paid and left a 10% cash tip, which he felt was “reasonable given the circumstances,” he said.

“We were just standing up to leave when [the waitress] came over, took the cash and said, ‘Seriously? This is it?'” he continued. “She had said it audibly.
[apparently, the entire restaurant heard her comment]
“Then she added, ‘You know, servers can’t pay their rent because of people like you … If you can’t tip properly, don’t dine out.’“

He went back to the table, pocketed his cash tip and “left without another word.”

Some people thought he was wrong.

I don’t disagree with his action.

Waitress: You don’t work for me, I don’t sign your paycheck – you work for the restaurant. It is not my job to pay your salary; a tip is a gift, a reward/incentive for good (or exceptional) service. If you don’t make enough to pay your rent, talk to your employer, not your employer’s customers. Or find another job. If you don’t get tips, perhaps your customers aren’t satisfied with your service.

If you had acted like that towards me, not only would you have lost a tip, your employer would have lost a customer.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply

Tunes For Tuesday – Gregory Alan Isakov “The Stable Song”

The New American Digest Posted on July 15, 2025 by DTJuly 13, 2025

A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today’s selection: Gregory Alan Isakov “The Stable Song” 2007

Born in South Africa (1979), raised in Philadelphia, living in Boulder, he is the owner and operator of Starling Farm in Boulder County, Colorado, described as “a six-acre farm focused on small-scale, bio-intensive market gardening”. Many of his works are available on Utube.

“The Stable Song” is one of Isakov’s most popular works.

remember when our songs were just like prayers
like gospel hymns that you called in the air
come down come down sweet reverence,
unto my simple house and ring…

Posted in tunes, Uncategorized | 4 Replies

Those Who Ignore History Are Doomed

The New American Digest Posted on July 14, 2025 by DTJuly 14, 2025

to repeat it.

“German defense minister says troops ready to kill Russians“

If at first you don’t succeed …

Someone really wants a war but doesn’t want to take the blame for starting it. It’s like a hockey game: it’s not the instigator that takes the fall, it’s the responder.

Damn.

I feel like I’m watching a fuse burn when I can’t do anything to put it out.
I need to stop reading the news … but then, I need to get some warning of when it all comes down.

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Replies

Twice In Twenty Years…

The New American Digest Posted on July 14, 2025 by JeanJuly 13, 2025

Published by Jean August 30, 2007

It isn’t about the flowers. Or any other gift.
It’s about the effort.
It’s about letting her know you value her.

Slow dance with her… in the kitchen, on the porch.
Even if you can’t dance you can hold her tenderly
and sway with the music. Then tell her she smells nice.
Even if she isn’t wearing perfume.

Tell her she’s pretty when she isn’t dressed up.

Leave a note on her pillow. Write, “I love you.”

Bring her a flower when there is no special occasion.

Don’t take it for granted that she knows how you feel
just because you’re still around.
She wants to hear it. She wants to see it.

Do you like her laugh, her eyes, her hair, her legs?
Tell her.

If you don’t love her enough to keep letting her know it…
leave.
Break her heart once, not every day for the rest of her life.

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Replies

Something Wicked This Way Comes

The New American Digest Posted on July 13, 2025 by DTJuly 13, 2025

or is it just the same ol’, same ol’?
I tend to think both … but “comes” implies future tense; “is here” may be better words.

A sign from … somewhere

Epstein

It could have been Harobama instead of Trump … Frying pan or fire?

It’s just my opinion – worth what you pay for it …
But I’m thinking it may be a good time to “take profits” from your savings or stock plans and if nothing else, leave it as cash in the account.

Better yet, I’m also suggesting it may be time to make a significant deposit to the Bank of Mattress.

’cause everyone knows the govt would never shut the banks down.

And I could be just talking through my hat …

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Replies

Sunday Contemplation

The New American Digest Posted on July 13, 2025 by DTJuly 12, 2025
Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

Istanbul Suburb

The New American Digest Posted on July 12, 2025 by DTJuly 9, 2025
Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Replies

Dinner

The New American Digest Posted on July 11, 2025 by DTJuly 10, 2025
Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Replies

Inspiration

The New American Digest Posted on July 10, 2025 by DTJuly 9, 2025

came from a comment by reader SK this time.

A comment on yesterday’s post mentioned cowboys and included a link to a Dave Stamey song … which reminded me of another Dave Stamey song … “Tonopah” … which brought back memories.

Tonopah – Mizpah Headframe

Doesn’t everything these days? I wasn’t carrying a saddle though.

Dave Stamey – Tonopah

Oo oo, oh the night is fallin’
Oo oo, oh hear Nevada callin’
Hot dry and wind blown country callin’ me
Out where those shadows run so tall
Hot dry and wind blown country I can hear you callin’ me
Callin’ me back to Tonopah

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

On A Kinder Note

The New American Digest Posted on July 9, 2025 by DTJuly 8, 2025

Someplace pleasant … Colorado I think.
Doesn’t really matter where though, does it?

A pleasant hike on a pleasant summer day
Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Replies

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Rules

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


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Most Recent Comments

  1. ghostsniper on Tunes For Tuesday – Gregory Alan Isakov “The Stable Song”July 15, 2025

    There's sumfink rong with that thing, I could only tolerate a minute. The tone is way off and muffled, and…

  2. ghostsniper on Those Who Ignore History Are DoomedJuly 15, 2025

    Does anyone remember who was the person to first announce that there was a "list"? So much time has passed…

  3. ghostsniper on TippingJuly 15, 2025

    Something ain't right here: "...[the waitress] came over, took the cash..." then "He went back to the table, pocketed his…

  4. ghostsniper on Something Wicked This Way ComesJuly 15, 2025

    That $100 bag of groceries would cost $2.50 and that new $40k truck would cost $1,000., etc., etc. If all…

  5. jd on Tunes For Tuesday – Gregory Alan Isakov “The Stable Song”July 15, 2025

    Lovely, gentle song, DT, which even caused a few goose bumps. Glad you posted some of the beautiful words because…


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Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

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