Win A Restored Historic Home

2011-12-14T07:18:00.001-08:00

2011-12-14T07:13:00.003-08:00

2011-12-14T07:05:00.001-08:00

2011-12-14T06:58:00.001-08:00

From You Know What Mama...

"https://picasaweb.google.com/109732431293045866773/YouKnowWhatMama02?authkey=Gv1sRgCKil3uOY_tTpVQ#5685960437718336674.jpg"/>

2011-12-14T05:02:00.001-08:00

2011-12-14T04:52:00.001-08:00

http://youknowwhatmama.blogspot.com/

2011-12-14T04:41:00.001-08:00

2011-12-14T04:37:00.001-08:00

2011-12-14T03:47:00.001-08:00

2011-12-13T18:21:00.001-08:00

The Contest Ends

2008-12-21T07:15:00.000-08:00

The Contest Ends

So, the contest has ended and without success. I’m very sorry to all of you who had high hopes. Every entrant obviously worked diligently on each essay. Most of them were amazing reflections of the greatness of this nation. We enjoyed reading them all. I may, if time ever permits, post some or parts of some here for your enjoyment. They came from all over the country and one from as far as China (one I especially liked because it pointed out that the author’s work there with habitat for humanity was incomprehensible to the Chinese because, whereas charitable acts for the benefit of a stranger are part of our national fabric, they are inconceivable to the Chinese). I’m almost relieved that we don’t have to make the decision as to whom would be awarded our house -- so many of them were so worthy. I’ve just finished getting all of the refunds in addressed envelopes and will be taking them to the post office when it opens tomorrow. (For those of you who sent personal checks, most of them we did not cash and will send them voided back to you. For those of you who sent cash, money orders or checks that we did deposit, we’ll be sending you checks.)

I’d like to take a few moments here to talk a little about this contest and our own thoughts on American greatness. For those of you not reading on, I’ll leave you with the thought that great opportunities come from the unexpected. Great luck to you all.

The Contest

We think that this contest itself reflects the greatness of America. Here in America, we can individually own property --as much as our own hardwork and ingenuity permits us. Here in America, we can, without the permission or much involvement of the government, transfer our property to whomever we decide, in, just about, any method we choose. This is all taken for granted by most Americans -- it’s our right.

Ross and I are Americans. We wanted to transfer our house and move on. We listed it with a realtor. After a couple of short months, we were tired of this traditional, yet wonderful (see above) method. So, as Americans do, we thought “outside of the box.” We wanted “something” and tried to figure out how to get it. This is the American way. We used our American ingenuity and stickwithitness, creating and implementing this essay idea; advertised it in our free press; used our right to freedom of assembly (both physically and electronically); used our right to free speech and plastered our cars with big signs; used other great American marketplaces born of creativity and capitalism (eBay). I’m sure there are other exceptional American rights, principles and ideals that we benefited from that we even take for granted.

Although this contest was not ultimately successful, many people entered. Why? If you take this

contest out of the context of American ideals and principles, there should not have been one entry. How do any of you know that the prize exists? You don’t. We could have put up pictures of some house somewhere. This could all have been a scam. Assuming that you, without any real evidence of its existence, still believed it existed and still believed that we would give it to someone for 100 bucks and an essay, why would you want it? You’ve never been here. It could be a dump surrounded by a sewage plant. It could be a burned out shell infested with rats and bats. Assuming that we’d give it away to someone for 100 bucks and an essay and that it’s as gorgeous as it is, surrounded by the majestic views that it is, why would you want to live here? There were a few entries from people nearby in Santa Fe. However, the majority came from the far reaches of this country --people from Washington DC, New York, Cape Cod, California, Florida, Montana… -- places far removed and very different from here. Why would you want to move to a place that you probably have never been to, and if so, most probably spent a week or two as tourists in? That’s crazy talk.

Let me tell you why this worked. We’re Americans. We believe in the impossible. We are eternally optimistic. We are trusting. We believe in our dreams. We believe that everything works out in the end. We especially believe in fate provided opportunity. You trusted us because we trust in our dreams coming true. You were willing to move to a house in a place that most of you have never even been to -- giving up your friends, homes, jobs, security, comfort…in the places where you are now-- because you’re American. You are optimistic that you can move to an unknown place and find happiness. You believe that moving to another place can bring you happiness. You believe in the inestimable value of adventure. We are a “what the hell!” people and we “just do it.” Only in America would this contest get an entry.

American greatness is also evidenced by the fact that we chose any topic we wanted. Any topic. We could have chosen to have people freely express their ideas of why eugenics was the only way to save the world, why all puppies should be drowned, why all children should be locked in a closet until they turn 18. Most importantly, we could have chosen the topic “The Suckiness of America.” We could have requested essays on the hatred of America and you could have expressed your hatred of America and no one would have ended up in the goulag or a re-education camp.

I think most people are aware of this right, but, although aware, still take it for granted and do so by their thoughtlessness in how and on what bases they dissent. Many people dissent against America -- many with relative little thought on America and without any responsibility in the ways they go about it -- but although by principle rights come with responsibilities, rights are not taken away from the irresponsible who ignore this principle. This is America.

Our Ideas on American Greatness

I would like to take a moment to write a bit about our beliefs in American greatness. Ross and I could write tomes on all of the things that coalesce to make our nation the greatest in the world. I wish I had started writing this to you all at the beginning of this contest. Alas, I did not and now I only have the time at this moment to write a pitifully incomplete statement of our beliefs in the greatness of this nation. I think that our very brief statement of all of the greatness of this country as reflected by the mere existence of this contest does a good job in briefly speaking to some of the very important greatnesses of America. I’d like to take a moment to speak to just two ideas that are not so readily known. First, the systemic greatness of our country. Second, the exceptional and extraordinary compassion of Americans.

I choose the first idea because, unlike principles and ideologies, facets of the American legal system and the opportunities they protect are objective and inarguable. This is an opportunity to point out those things about the American system of laws that many people are unaware of and many others are so accustomed to that they take for granted; not recognizing them as the great gifts that being American provides. I also hope that those Americans who despise America (more on them later) reading this will start to question the assumptions and idea systems they hold; the ideas presented here may be the first time in a long time that they are being exposed to ideas counter to the "America sucks" philosophies and ideas they speak and listen to from their friends and comrades.

Within the system of American laws and regulations, there are a number which have been created in order to protect the greatest thing about America -- the American Dream. All Americans have dreams and for each American there is a different American dream. But all American dreams are based on the same foundation -- American Opportunity. The American legal system provides numerous protections of opportunity.

The American Dream is the liberty and freedom to accomplish anything a person creates from their own hard work and ingenuity. Every American is assured a “fair shake” or a “fair deal”. Americans are protected from being unfairly held back from attaining their dream. While happiness is not guaranteed, the pursuit of happiness is. Our system of education and the legal protections surrounding employment are but two facets that protect every American’s right to American Opportunity.

The Education Opportunity

There is no “secret to success.” For all but the most adventurous entrepreneurial souls, success comes from education.

Every American is guaranteed a primary education -- provided completely free of charge regardless of birth, i.e., the sex, class or race you are born into. Many are so accustomed to this they don’t think about the gift that it is. Many people do not realize that there are many countries around the world that do not provide this.

Furthermore, every person is guaranteed the opportunity to go to college. Every person is guaranteed a right to have their college application reviewed on merit, not on birth. Additionally, “state” colleges and community colleges have very low standards of admission. Further, for those people who cannot meet these minimal requirements, they have “probationary” admittance. In other words, even the people who have shown no merit before applying for college admission can be admitted, given “another chance” -- this is the American Way. And if you have the desire to go to college, every person can afford college. Yes, you read that right. Every American can afford to go to college because every American, regardless of birth, can secure a student loan (when I was going to college, you could borrow up to 18,500.00 a year to further your education through tuition and living expense loans). Every person can borrow a student loan, regardless of past performance. Every person is given the chance, now as an adult, to move forward, onward and upward.

I am still paying off my student loans and I do not begrudge America this. I am willing to pay for the valuable education I got. I am so thankful that the opportunity to go to college was there. People who say that the American people should pay for each and every person to go to college, that it’s “unfair” otherwise and that Americans have the “right” to go to college free of charge, do not realize that every person should be willing to pay for something that is of value to them. College isn’t free, but it is available to those who want to pay for something valuable; in affordable monthly payments that start after you’ve received the benefit of the education to secure a professional job.

The Employment Opportunity

Every American’s opportunity to work is systemically protected.

The 1965 Civil Rights Amendment, in the context of employment, protects against race discrimination in hiring, promotion and retention. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission protects racial minorities and women from discrimination in hiring, retention, promotion and workplace harassment. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects against the same from anyone with a disability -- and disability is very broadly defined, including things like alcoholism. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects people from the same based on age over 40 years. The Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees the right both to paternity and maternity leave for birth or adoption. The FMLA also protects an employee’s position when they need to take an employment leave of absence for their own or a family member’s care during illness. OSHA guarantees a safe work environment and Workers’ Compensation provides job security, continued benefits, and medical payment for injuries sustained at work, regardless of fault of the employee. The Fair Labor Standards Act provides numerous protections for the worker, including a minimum wage. There are further protections beyond these provided in many states and municipalities--primarily for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees.

What people need to achieve any dream is for people not to stand in their way. The American system insures that the path is cleared for those who want to succeed. You go to school for free. You apply to college knowing, at worst, that your application is judged on merit alone. You made mistakes in high school or in life before college and don’t have the exhibited merit, you start out at community college or gain probationary admittance at a 4 year college. You don’t have any money? You borrow it from the federal government and pay it off, at incredibly low interest over decades, after you’ve gotten the benefit of the education. In America, you can get a job, regardless of birth. You can keep your job, regardless of birth. You can be promoted, regardless of birth. You can work in a place that’s safe. Your job is protected for most situations beyond your control. You aren’t thrown out in the snow if you’re injured at work. The only thing a person needs to attain their dream is to be allowed to pursue it. The American system has put into place innumerable safeguards so that your birth does not define your life.

I am so grateful to reap these benefits. And I do believe that these systems, based on American ideals of opportunity and fairness, are vital to American greatness. However, if I had to choose one and only one Great thing about America and Americans, it would be our compassion for humanity at large.

American Compassion

Americans give an average of 2.2% of their personal income to direct private charity. (Now, remember what “average” means. I hate the “averaging” method; it hides the fact that so many Americans are very generous to those who have less than they do. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, gives 90% of his income to charity. Our family gives 10% of our income to charity. The Obamas give less than 1%. But, we’re stuck with the general picture if we want “numbers.”) Here are some more telling numbers for you.

Americans give $295 billion dollars a year to charity.

$245.8 billion being from individuals like me and you, not from corporations or foundations.

65% of American households with income less than $100,000 make charitable contributions.

We give 122.8 billion dollars to foreign aid, 95.5 billion dollars coming from private individuals. 61 million Americans volunteer their time and labor .

These figures are from 2006, an “average“ year. They do not account for years like 2005 when we gave much more because of the tsunamis in Asia, the earthquake in Pakistan, and the hurricanes Katrina and Rita. How many Americans even knew where Myanmar was? Yet, we, as individual Americans, sent, of our own free will, our hard earned money to help.

These figures also reflect that this level of charitable giving is exceptional the world over. The UK based Charities Aid Foundation (see cafonline.org) did, to my knowledge the first, international statistical analysis of individual (not governmental) charitable giving. Along with other methodological safeguards, CAF used the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of each country as the baseline; thus, accounting for the size and wealth of each country. CAF surveyed 12 countries that constitute 53% of the world’s wealth. Here is the list. Percentages are the percentage of each countries GDP:

UK: .73%
Canada: .72%
Australia: .69%
S. Africa: .64%
Ireland: .47%
Netherlands: .45%
Singapore: .29%
New Zealand: .29%
Turkey: .23%
Germany: .22%
France: .14%

The French give .14%. There is a great gap between the French (last) and the English (2nd) -- the English give more than 5 times as much as the French. And where does America fit in? At the top, of course. We give 1.7% of our GDP. We give 12 times as much as the French, and more than double what the English give. We are the most charitable people in the world.

All of these figures are cold hard facts. These facts do reflect the generosity of America. But the compassion of Americans is not sincerely reflected by percentages and dollar figures, even those in the billions. The greatest poets with the rest of time could not express the compassion of America. I will write but a little in a woefully inadequate attempt to express some of this American compassion.

Some time ago, I watched the Ken Burns PBS documentary “The War.” (I highly recommend it as the only WWII documentary that does not completely romanticize that time.) There were many stories told in the documentary that evidenced American compassion; two stories are particularly illustrative.

After American forces finally secured, I believe it was, Saipan, the Japanese soldiers killed as many of the Japanese civilians as they could before committing suicide. The Japanese soldiers killed their fellow Japanese based on a Japanese foundational ideology of the paramount importance of honor and the mutual exclusivity of honor and surrender. “Honor” placed above human life. Most of the civilians left hiding killed themselves when American forces neared: terrified of American soldiers because they had been told by the Japanese government that American soldiers were cannibals. Women jumped from cliffs with their babes in their arms. The American soldiers desperately tried to save them, to assure them but could not. American soldiers cried for these peoples from their enemy nation. American soldiers vomited at the horror. A lifetime later, they are still wrought with the horror. These American soldiers held the American belief in the value of innocent life. The Americans mourned the deaths of those killed --the people that their own countrymen saw as valueless. Americans value life of the innocent, innocents from any country, even an enemy country.

Another story from the documentary that struck me with the compassion and self sacrifice of Americans was also from the Pacific Theater. (I’ve tried and tried to recall the name of the island; not because it’s important to the story, but because I thought you all might like to look into it. Alas, I cannot remember. Get the documentary and you’ll be able to find out.)

There was a group of American soldiers on a pacific island who were totally overwhelmed by Japanese soldiers. There was a convoy of American battleships far off the coast. The Americans on shore needed air support. The American pilots flew to their rescue. They did this, even though it was most probable that none of them had enough fuel to get to the island and back to the ship. The pilots went; knowing that they faced near certain death, because they knew that without their help the Americans on the island would most certainly perish. Night fell and the pilots had not returned. Everyone in the convoy knew that the pilots had probably died in the depths of the ocean between the island and the convoy. However, there was that infinitesimal chance that someone had enough fuel and that they would return. But even if they did, they would never be able to find the convoy in the pitch darkness. So, what did the American convoy decide, unanimously, to do? Turn on their lights. The hundreds of Americans on the convoy ships knew that this was near suicide--they would become illuminated sitting ducks for the Japanese air command. But every light was turned on. Every life on each ship of the convoy was willingly put on the line in the vein hope that even one person would be saved. The pilots undertook near certain death to save the soldiers on land. Every American in the convoy undertook enormous risk for a handful of pilots, whom most probably would not return. This is the American heart.

The compassion of Americans is reflected by the tears in our eyes when we see people unknown to us in tragedy; when we leave our homes to go to some other place and help people rebuild their homes and their lives after everything has been washed away; when we buy someone down on their luck a hot meal and sit with them while they eat; when we buy children we’ve never met toys and bikes and clothes from the “Giving Tree” at our local mall because we all want every child to have “something under the tree”. The compassion of the American heart is reflected when a total stranger behind a Starbucks counter offers her kidney to her regular customer. When a person runs into a burning building to save a child they’ve never met. This is not truly reflected by billions of dollars on a chart or percentages of our GDP.

The Topic and American Patriots

Many have wondered why we chose this topic. Our decision was complicated and multifaceted. We are unapologetic patriots. We love this country, this nation, its people, its history, its ideals, and its acts. We are disheartened by, what someone else has coined, the American Hatriot -- those people who hate this country, who we are, what we do, and everything about us (while most usually claiming to love America). I’ll leave the hatriots behind for now; my theories of why they are the way they are, many based on my own experiences in the American leftist movement, are too numerous and not completely relevant at this moment. Suffice it to say for the purposes of explaining why we chose this topic that we are patriots, and hatriots alternately enrage and dishearten us. Why we chose the topic, “ The Greatness of America“, centers around this divide between the patriots and the hatriots.

In today’s culture, American patriots are seen as, at best, ignorant, uneducated, provincial and hickish; at worst American patriots are xenophobic, small minded, classicist, racist, sexist, homophobic and evil. Being American patriots who are none of the above, this is, let’s say for the sake of brevity, irritating. In today’s culture, American hatriots are proposed as open minded, educated, compassionate, worldly, sophisticated, and progressive. This is, let’s say for the sake of brevity, irritating.

We chose the topic, firstly, to be uplifted from the cesspool of pervasive and legitimized American hatriotism by reading essays from people who still believe in the greatness of this nation. Secondly, to give American patriots the opportunity to express ideas that have now become taboo. Lastly, we hoped that hatriots who wanted to live in this gorgeous house would have some motivation to look around at the reality of America and step away from the hatriot choir chanting slogans and jargon of “…ism”, “military industrial complex”, “terror nation”, “corporate greed” , etc., etc., etc.. Our first two goals were fulfilled. I’m unsure if our last goal was accomplished. I hope so.

I hope that these ideas here motivate everyone to really look at and think about America. To think about and investigate the myriad of things that make this nation great. Everyday each American is bombarded by the idea that “America sucks.” A good friend of mine said to me that seeing people display the American flag irks her because “no one could be proud of what we’re doing.” This is the kind of idea that pervades America today and continues to ignore and hide the heart of America. I’m proud to be an American. More importantly, as someone ended their essay with, I’m grateful to be an American.

I’m not sure exactly when, but in the near future we will be starting a blog on American thinking that will be located at thinkfreeamerica.wordpress.com. We so named it because of my own experience being brainwashed at a leftist university. I was a hatriot, schooled by hatriots. I now think free, no longer under the oppression of Leftist politics and ideologies that purportedly work toward the freedom and liberation of all people. I hope that you’ll all check it out and contribute to the proliferation of the truth of American greatness and the liberty which only foundational American ideals can provide.

The Contest and The Prize

2008-09-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

We're the Wainwrights, Amy and Ross. We have spent the past two years restoring our beautiful historic home in Northern New Mexico and now, alas, we have to move. We've listed the house traditionally with a realtor, but think that an essay contest would be fun and expedient!

Below, you will find a full explanation of the essay contest logistics and rules. In summary, you write an essay up to 750 word essay and send a 100.00 entry fee before December 15th and you're entered in the essay contest. If we don't receive enough entries, your fee will be returned.

(A Technical Note: In order to post comments on the blog you have to go to the top right hand corner and "sign in". Blogspot recommended we add this filter so that "anonymous" people couldn't spam our blog.)

NEW DEADLINE

DECEMBER 15, 2008

We had originally wanted to run the contest until Dec.15, but couldn't because of a logistical issue with Ross' job. However, that's changed and now we can run it for the full time!

Our Home

You can read all about our home, see multiple pictures and take a virtual tour by going to realtor.com
http://www.realtor.com/search/listingdetail.aspx?zp=87511&typ=7&sid=64544dfb50aa465781c37b2d7023c6f6&lid=1100444604&lsn=10&srcnt=14#Detail
(If you have a problem with the link, Search realtor.com with our MLS # 803795)

Here are some of the great things you can look forward to if you win our dream adobe:

Come and hunt ancient pottery throughout 2.43 rolling acres atop a ridge surrounded by unobstructable views of 2 mountain ranges, Black Mesa, and the Rio Grande cottonwoods. Retire to nearly 3000 square feet of fully restored and remodeled living space in your passive solar adobe pueblo. The room which is now the expansive kitchen and dining room is said to have been built by Spanish colonialists and the rest of our sprawling home has been built over the ages.

The perfect home for entertaining, your guests will enter the dramatic 42’ traditional galleria; filled with the light of floor to ceiling newer windows. Guide them down the galleria into the expansive 16 X 30 great room with high timbered cove ceilings and new sealed brick floors. Or take them for dinner into the 15 X 30 dining room and chef’s kitchen with custom solid wood southwestern cabinetry, coved viga ceilings, all new stainless topline appliances, and new top grade laminate floors. After dinner, retire to the 15 X 19 library to show your collection housed in a wall of custom built-ins and relax on the freshly upholstered sleeping bancos.

Are you in search of solitude? Sit in the utter quiet of the park like back yard, under a mature shade cottonwood in the lush grass, secure behind your adobe wall and looking out over the Jemez mountains. Sit in the 11 X 13/ 3rd bedroom/meditation room flooded with Northeastern light, a kiva fireplace and new saltillo tile floors. Or soak in the clawfoot bathtub in the newly remodeled bathroom--including saltillo tile floors and talavera sink set in a Mexican primitivo table.

All of this a very easy 40 minutes from Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Taos, 1/4 mile from gorgeous BLM land and steps from the entry gates of Historic Los Luceros; a 140 acre river front Cottonwood glen and orchard with restored 1800s hacienda recently purchased by the state of New Mexico for future public uses. There is so much to enjoy in this pueblo on the hilltop with the Northern New Mexico charms of vigas, nichos, coved ceilings, arched doorways and viga architectural accents throughout with all new paint inspired by the traditions of this beautiful region. The quiet and vistas of the country only 40 easy minutes to the hustle and bustle of Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Taos.

The Contest Rules and Logistics:

Write a 500 word essay on "The Greatness of America"

The essay can be written in any style and will be judged on content, ie. you do not have to be a world class writer. Take the topic in any direction that suits your sensibilities: fiction, political objective, autobiographical, etc. The only requirement is that your essay reflects "The Greatness of America."

Send a $100.00 entrance fee made out to Amy Wainwright

Mail it to:
Amy Wainwright
PO Box 1127
Alcalde, NM 87511

Format of Submissions:

Handwritten essays are welcomed. Typewritten are appreciated.

The "Fair and Square" Method:
We want to make sure everyone feels that everything is fair and square. To this end, we've come up with a few things entrants can do to maintain as much anonymity as possible.

Make two copies of your essay.
One copy is a "blind copy", the other has all of your personal and contact information on it.
The Blind Copy: create a letter/number combination, e.g. Wainwright123. Write this number on the top of your "blind copy". Please also include your phone number in the unlikely event that we need to call "finalists" for any reason.
The Second Copy: On your second copy, include your name, address, email, phone number, and created letter/number combination. Put this second copy in a sealed envelope and staple it to your "blind copy". On the outside of the envelope, write your letter/number combination and phone number.
Please, do not put your fee into the sealed envelope with all of your information. Attach your blind copy and check to the sealed envelope.

When we choose the winner, we'll go to a notary and open the sealed envelope that is attached to the essay.

How the Winner is Chosen:
If you've been following the comments to this blog, you'll see that this has been changed a couple of times in our desire to make sure that everyone is comfortable with the fair and square aspect of the contest. First, we were going to choose the winner--one person had a problem with this. Next, we were going to have a poll where everyone here got to choose--several people had a problem with this because of the electronic nature/bloggers/hackers possible problems. The third, and final, method is as follows:
Ross and I are going to choose the top two essays. We're going to physically give the essays to three people we know. Whichever essay gets two of the three votes, wins!
I hope that everyone is comfortable now (:

Your Acknowledgment:

Please include the statement "I have read and agree to all of the rules and procedures for this contest as defined through winthishistorichome.blogspot.com on November 7, 2008."

Include this acknowledgment on your blind copy, signing it with your phone number and letter/number combination. Include this acknowledgment on your personal copy, signing it with your name.

Contest Deadline: Postmark by Dec. 15, 2008, Received by Dec. 18, 2008.--If we don't receive enough entries to make this contest worthwhile to us, we'll send back all entrance fees by postmark January 10, 2008. If we sell our house before the end of the contest, we will send back all entrance fees at that time. We will return 100.00 minus 1.60 (covers the cost of a stamp, certificate of mailing, and the envelope).

What happens if you win?
We will contact you by phone, snail mail, and email by Dec. 26, 2008. You will have three days to respond. If chosen winner does not respond, we will contact runner up. Closing will begin immediately. The house comes as is without warranty of any kind.

Checklist for Your Entry:
1. Blind copy of essay with your letter/number combination and phone number and your acknowledgment

2. Staple your sealed envelope to your blind copy. In the sealed envelope:

a. letter/number combination and phone number written on outside of sealed envelope
b. copy of essay with your letter/number combination, name, phone number, snail mail and email addresses in the envelope and your signed acknowledgment

3. 100.00 check or money order made out to Amy Wainwright