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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

Home→Published 2025 → July → 15

Daily Archives: July 15, 2025

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.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

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…

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Posted in tunes, Uncategorized | 7 Replies

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


July 2025
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Most Recent Comments

  1. DT on GrandpaDecember 14, 2025

    I'm reminded of a Christmas card cartoon showing some guy in Arizona, leaning on his lawnmower enjoying a cold beer.…

  2. jean on GrandpaDecember 14, 2025

    Your house is beautiful, gs!

  3. ghostsniper on GrandpaDecember 14, 2025

    72, you lucky dawg. Over time that has proven to be my perfect number. More than a usual amount of…

  4. azlibertarian on GrandpaDecember 14, 2025

    I am at my best when in my role as a grandfather. I'd have been happy to have been left…

  5. Joe on Gerard’s PoetryDecember 14, 2025

    I am looking forward to it.


Blogroll
The New Neo
Jean's Blog

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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