How many of you have ever seen the movie Forrest Gump? I have. I can recite most of the movie by heart, it is among my short list of all time greats. Right up there with Gone With the Wind and Clint Eastwood's The Unforgiven.

My favorite line of the movie comes right after Forrest is leaving the television station when being on with John Lennon, "Well, it's easy if you try, Dick". Lieutenant Dan is waiting outside of the back door and he delivers, what will, after Friday's events, become one of the biggest lines in movie history, along with Chief Brody's, "We're gonna need a bigger boat." Rhett Butler's, "Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn." and Darth Vader's, "No, I am your father."

The exchange goes like this:

Lt. Dan: They gave you the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Forrest: Now that's Lieutenant Dan. Lieutenant Dan!
Lt. Dan: They gave you the Congressional Medal of Honor!
Forrest: Yes sir, they sure did.
Lt. Dan: They gave you an imbecile, a moron who goes on television and makes a fool out himself in front of the whole damn country, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Forrest: Yes, sir.

For some reason, Friday I was saying this in my mind over and over... and over. Late last night I became curious about some Things That Make Me Take Pause, and wanted to look at lists of great and really deserving winners.

All Quiet on the Western Front
Mutiny on The Bounty
Gone With The Wind
Ben Hur
The Godfather Part II
Rain Man
Forrest Gump
Katharine Hepburn
Spencer Tracy
Clark Gable
James Stewart
Frank Sinatra
John Wayne
Robert DiNero
Micheal Jackson
Madonna
Paul McCartney
Duke Ellington
Elvis
David Auburn
Jonathan Larson
Tennessee Williams
Leonard Pitts Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Mother Theresa
Barrack Obama
Elie Wiesel
Otto Hahn
William Faulkner

That's some list. Ok enough of that listing thing, I could go on and on, as my regular followers already can testify, I get long winded at times. My goal is not really that devious, and rather obvious. I noticed that one award was given for commentary. I am one hell of a commentator, let me tell ya. If there is ever a comittee that wants to award me an award for blogging, sign me up please?

On my way from work today I had a song stuck in my head... does anyone remember this one? "Three of these things belong together, one of these things just doesn't belong. Three of these things belong together, can you pick which one before I end this song?"

I am really not saying anything, no hidden messages for those who may believe me to be a conspiracy theorist, nothing at all. Oh, I want to, golly how I want to. I am not going to say it.

I have won awards before.. I have even had a story I wrote published when I was 11. I turned the same work into a college professor for a Theme. Talk about an easy 'A'. Don't tell her ok? It made her cry. I mean awards that mean something, awards that make you think, "Wow, someone thought so much of my achievement they gave me an award." I have never won the everyone deserves a prize awards however. In my opinion... I think the no kid left behind, and everyone deserves praise era may be most of what's wrong with America today.

I think recent events have shown that this rule is not limited to America's Schools either. Awards are being passed out to anyone and everyone. This year is not an exception, however, while creating my list I came across other names in categories and deeds that made me take pause. Maybe the larger point is to devalue awards altogther. Like Kanye West did at the VMA's.

A short note today, I hope you enjoyed it as I did creating it. My tongue in cheek approach to awards. Let's leave on the final quote:

Lt. Dan: Well, then, that's just perfect! Yeah, well I just got one thing to say to that. Goddamn bless America.

That's all I have to say about that.