24 December 2010 by Published in: Blogging 8 comments

As tonight is Christmas Eve, I thought I would share a few holiday wishes, in no particular order:

To the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission: The wisdom to continue to make the correct decision and to again deny a casino license to LeVan and his crew in Gettysburg.

To the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association: Twenty pieces of silver, the price for selling your collective souls to the devil. Oh, wait. I forgot…you already are getting $250,000 per year from Dave LeVan for selling your souls by supporting the battlefield casino and have entirely abandoned any pretense of being a legitimate battlefield preservation and advocacy organization. Never mind.

To Civil War Sesquicentennial Commissions around the United States: Sufficient funding to do the job correctly and a rebirth of interest in the Civil War triggered by the events of the Sesquicentennial.

To Ed Bearss: Many more years of your amazing stamina and knowledge. You are an inspiration to me, and I cherish every chance I get to share a battlefield with you.

To the burgeoning neo-Confederate, nullification, and secessionist movements in this country: The ability and wisdom to understand that George Santayana was absolutely correct when he wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

To Kevin Levin: Keep fighting the good fight, Kevin.

To the Civil War Preservation Trust: Keep fighting the good fight, my friends. Nobody does it better than you do. It’s my honor and privilege to be associated with your efforts.

To the Brandy Station Foundation and the Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation: Keep fighting the good fight.

To all of my fellow authors in the Civil War history community: LOTS of book sales in 2011.

To Ted Savas: Nobody does a better job of publishing and marketing high-quality Civil War books than you do, Ted. May 2011 be filled with many more (including one of mine).

To my friends in the National Park Service: That you continue to do a great job of shepherding, preserving, and interpreting our battlefields in the face of ever-shrinking budgets.

To Mike Peters: More bookshelves.

To me: More bookshelves.

To Susan Wittenberg: The patience to continue to put up with me all of these many years later.

To Michael Aubrecht: A healthy 2011 and seeing your signature on a publishing contract for You Stink!.

For Headless Billy: A new head and a new hand in 2011.

To Drew Wagenhoffer: Lots more of your excellent book reviews in 2011.

To Brooks Simpson: Nothing but success with your already excellent new blog.

To Bomber: A quick and complete recovery and many more years of happy battlefield romping.

To Dan Mallock: A chance to finally write that novel of yours and a job you love.

To Keith and Jill Toney: Health and the opportunity to spend more time in Gettysburg.

To Stan and Beverly O’Donnell: A good job in Gettysburg for Bev.

To Rick Allen and Christina Moon: Many years of happiness together.

To Mike Noirot, Tom Clemens, John Hoptak, Greg Biggs, Dan Mallock, Chris Stowe, Mike Peters, Brad Snyder, and John Benintendi: Lots more fun battlefield stomping together.

To Mark Snell: That 2011 is the year you finally take the plunge….you know what I mean….

To Ted Alexander: Having you get healthy and for you to be around for a lot more years, old friend.

To Mannie and Susan Gentile: Many years of wedded bliss.

To my brother J. D. Petruzzi: Healthy hands and wrists and many more years of productive collaboration.

And to all of you, my readers: I wish for you the knowledge of how much our irregular interactions mean to me, and how much I enjoy meeting you when the opportunity to do so presents itself. And I also wish each and every one of you a joyous Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2011.

Scridb filter

Comments

  1. Tom Clemens
    Fri 24th Dec 2010 at 12:05 pm

    Thank you Eric. Bomber is so special to so many people. Hope 2011 is full of joy and prosperity for you and Susan.

  2. Mike Peters
    Fri 24th Dec 2010 at 1:28 pm

    Eric,

    May you and Susan have a wonderful & most propersous New Year!

    Looking forward to doing the Valley in the Fall!

    Respectfully,

    Mike Peters

  3. Brad Snyder
    Fri 24th Dec 2010 at 6:35 pm

    Eric,

    Best wishes to you and Susan for a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

    Also looking forward to doing the Valley with you, Mike and Johnny “Longhair” Ringo.

    Brad

  4. Scott Stemler
    Sat 25th Dec 2010 at 8:30 am

    Eric,
    Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season. Hope you have a wonderful New Year!

    Scott

  5. Sun 26th Dec 2010 at 9:54 am

    Would love your take on my just published historical fiction, “The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War,” which features John Pelham, the most popular man in the West Point Class of 1861 before he resigned for the Confederacy and left this world at Kelly’s Ford. Rich Adams, West Point Class of 1967, blog site: http//theparting’sblog.wordpress.com.

  6. Johnny "Big Hair" Ringo
    Sun 26th Dec 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Eric, sorry this is after Christmas but I sincerely hope that you and your wife had a great Christmas. Also, may the New Year bring you much joy, happiness and good health.

    To Mike “Judge Chamberlain Haller” Peters – I trust you had a great Christmas and I wish you nothing but the joy and good health in the New Year.

    To Brad “Bruce” Snyder – I have already wished you a Merry Christmas and I trust it was a good one. I also wish you much happiness, success and good health to you and your family in the New Year. However, you must remember that my name is “Big Hair” not “Longhair” but I have no problem with Johnny “Big Longhair” Ringo. If you don’t like that, it will not be a good year for you for no one insults Johnny Ringo and does not see the end of his .44.

    I so look forward to the Valley with you guys. I even received “From Winchester to Cedar Creek” by Jeffry D. Wert for X-Mas. I will read it so that I am not totally ignorant when the time comes to take the trip. Lastly, just you three remember that I am driving which means nothing but “The Big 80s” – Yeah, Baby! Hours upon hours of 80s tunes. Paybacks are Hell! My New Year will be great for revenge is a dish best served cold………….

    Seriously though, I wish you three all the best in the New Year!

    Johnny “Big Longhair” Ringo.

  7. Ted
    Mon 27th Dec 2010 at 8:57 pm

    Hi Eric

    Many thanks for the kind words. I appreciated them very much.

  8. Wed 29th Dec 2010 at 10:51 pm

    Thank you, Eric. Best wishes to you as well!

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