BLIP ON THE RADAR

Beauty and the Beast

2011-01-10T14:14:00.002-04:00

Beauty...

Beast = the roads and having to work from home in my jammies.

The Girl of my Dreams

2011-01-05T22:59:00.000-04:00

It all began with an arranged meeting at a mutual friend's New Year's Eve party. Even though I acted like a jerk, the shy red hair beauty gave me another chance with a date a week later. A year later we were married and on our way to our new lives together.

We've shared lots of fun times making lots of great memories, along with a pretty great family.

I sure hope we have many more adventures together.

I love you, Mrs. P.

Happy Anniversary!

Christmas with the Nelsons sans Ozzie and Harriett

2010-12-31T13:30:00.000-04:00

Christmas 2010. Cold, blustery and even a little snow.
First there's food...

Then there's Dirty Santa fun...

Winner of the family White Elephant.

And plenty of games.

Family and friends

HOW ABOUT THOSE MONKEYS?

2010-12-31T12:13:00.001-04:00

We had a few lazy days around the house when Missy, Dr. Neilio and Peeper came to visit. Peeper takes after his Poppop and loves rocks. So we spent some time in the yard while Pumpkin Eater worked on his throwing style utilizing the never ending supply of rocks from the pool surround.

We played puzzles, cars, blocks...

the pups and even gave them some chew treats.

We watched some videos

Ate some eggs and great jelly biscuits

Peeper had lunch with mom, mims and great grandma

Then we had a terrific time seeing the animals at the zoo.

We saw wolves, tigers and bears...oh my!

The zoo was a big place where Peeper could explore and stretch his legs.

All that walking and running makes you thirsty and a bit tired.

All in all, I'd say we had a fun day.

THREE TURKEYS AND A HAM!

2010-12-01T15:43:00.000-04:00

We had a blast Thanksgiving (despite the Tornado Watch and heavy rains). It was great fun to see and visit with everyone. We were sorry that Seth took ill and they couldn't make it in from PA. Maybe next year. Here is a little of the fun.

Karen & Keith, sister & brother, sharin the love.

The gathering storml Unk Cotton, Tine, Aunts Patty & Diane

What was that "Age before beauty" thing? Mom rules!

The Next Generation.

Grandpa Geno & Baby Payton

The Red Room, Tine & Joe

The Red Room, looking good Aunt Terri

Front Rroom Cuzin Chow Down

More Red Room, Unk Marcus & Aunt Di

How about a text and a smile Chrissy?

Aunti Leeza, looking good, withering away.

Nelson eldest, Cuzin Abby

Nelson youngest, Cuzin, Laura

BFF, Clario & Hilario, home from school for the holidays.

The Mrs, Chuckie, organizer, decorator, cook.

Unk Cotton, dishing out the sweets.

Never to late for Cheesy Roni! Missy and Peeper finally here.

And then someone broke out the Wii Dance game....

Fun? Yes. Easy? No.

What was that "teaching an old dog a new trick"? Look out youngsters!

This is good entertainment and a wonderful way to work off that Thanksgiving dinner.

Sorry if you were one of those that didn't make the post, some of you were camera shy or evasive (you know who you are). Next time for sure.

Thanks for everyone's contributions. The food was fabulous. I am very thankful and greatful for all our family and friends. We are very blessed.
Love to all.

Come together

2010-11-15T11:49:00.004-04:00

As we enter into the holiday season, I have had a time of reflection. The August birth of a great niece, a memorable October vacation to California where we visited the Lindeman family and most recently, the joyous late October wedding of one of my seven nieces, I find that this is truly what life is all about, family.

Fathers, mother, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles and even cousins shape our lives, our core beliefs and how we see the world at large. I am thankful to have a close and loving family, one where members deeply care for each other, and for the most part enjoy each other’s company. Is there drama? Sometime. Has there been tragedy? Some, as most families experience, especially the passing of loved ones. However, I have untold memories of great joy, happiness and great satisfaction.

I am fortunate, even at this writing, to have a wonderful wife, inspiring mother, influential uncle, all six of my dear siblings, all four of my precious daughters and an energetic grandson in my life, not to mention all the in-laws and out-laws. I look forward to our Thanksgiving gathering where we will share each other’s company, eat way too much, smile, grin and laugh equally as much.

I think back to our family members who fought through struggle and strife to overcome unimaginable hardships, establish our traditions, beliefs and strong family values. I share the following, so that you too may appreciate our heritage as well. They are my father's family.

Grandfather's Family
(L to R) standing = Grt. Aunt Gertrude w/Wilbur, Grt. Uncle Sam, Grt. Aunt Anna, Grt. Uncle Coley, Grt. Aunt Ellen w/Modina, Grt. Uncle Dee
Sitting = Grandmother Liddie w/Aunt Vastine, Grandfather Tom, Grt. Uncle Herbert, Gladas (standing)Grt. Aunt Lee , Grt. Grandfather Tom holding Grt. Aunt LaVerle & Cecil, Grt. Grandmother w/Delmar
Kneeling = Grt. Uncles Henry & Roy

Grandmother's family (Grandma's Paternal & Maternal)

Gandmother's immediate family

Grt. Grandfather Newt w/Grandmother Liddie Love, Grt. Aunt Alfa, Grt. Uncle Charlie, Grt. Grandmother Tula w/Grt. Uncle Bill

Grandmother Liddie Love (15) and Grandfather Hugh William Thomas (20) on their wedding day.
The wedding dress was handmade by Grandma.

These relatives are but one small part of our heritage. They had nothing, yet gave us everything. God bless them.

Montgomery Magic

2010-10-31T11:09:00.001-04:00

It was a lovely day for a wedding. Anxiousness gave way to great splendor and a day of celebration.

The Bridesmaid Cousin

The walk, Father and Bride

The Ceremony

You may kiss the bride

Let the party begin!

Festive Wedding cake

The First Dance

Father and Bride

Mother and Groom

Parents of the bride

The family of dancing women

Mom and Grandmother of the bride

Happy Cousins

Groovin to the music Aunt V and Steverino

Super snazy

Uncle Me, Bride & Groom

One day all this will be mine!

Stairway shuffle

Happy moment

And away we go, Mr and Mrs Montgomery

The Beginning

Congratulations Anna and Richard. Wishing you many years of wedded bliss.

Not your usual romp in the woods

2010-10-25T17:10:00.002-04:00

Northward across the bridge

Directly under the tower. Cool huh?

Just north of San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge, lies Muir Woods National Park, home of the Giant Redwoods.

A stroll in the Primordial Forrest.

Mims among the Wizard of Oz Trees

300 foot cathedral

Trees? What trees? Watch me chunk a rock in that neato stream.

Heap Big Tree, I almost feel petite! (NOT!)

Thousands of years in the making.

Mims hangin out with Deer friends.

Just something awesome about being around the oldest living things on earth!

More Birthday Indulgence

2010-10-20T17:18:00.001-04:00

Puddle Jumping Peter.

What if today was my birthday?

2010-10-20T14:22:00.009-04:00

Well it is. My 53rd to be exact.
A lot of occasions, events, incidents and accidents have happened along the way, momentous and tragic. Too many to recall (see archive posts).
I would like to share one of the most recent major events in my life with you.

As most of you know my kind and loving wife, Mims and I have four wonderful daughters. All unique, bright and beautiful. And they are special.

But I now have experienced grandfatherdom. It is really cool. Nothing like it. It is hard to explain the joy grandchildren bring to our lives.
So on my day, I want to share some Peter the Great pics.
Enjoy the cuteness.

Techno Toddler

Baby Genius studying videos (his shows) on Neil's Ipad.

The new E-Trade baby rep

It's all about the park

Lovin the BIG kids slide

Some Purple dinosaurs are awesome, others not so much

Water. Hmmmmm

Ridin the bear at Yosemite

Me and Dad, cruisin

Peter and Missy

Mims, Peter and Poppop

More water. Hmmmmm

Peter and Mims

Whatchu lookin at Willis?

Lovin on some chocolate Croissant

Baby Blue Eyes

ONE GREAT ROCK COLLECTION!

2010-10-19T14:42:00.012-04:00

We've had this trip to San Francisco and subsequently Yosemite National Park planned since early June. It seemed so far away at the time and as always, it was here and gone before we knew it.

Me, Peter the Great and Dr. Prof. Neilio

View from our front porch at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

I was so hoping to see the full night sky with the brilliance of a bazillion stars, the milky way and enjoy the sounds of the cool night.

Sunset illuminates the cliff face

It wasn't to be as the rain set in. I have never seen such an awesome display of mother nature's raw power as the lightening arced across the sky and ended up somewhere in the valley producing cannon blast roars of thunder which echoed for minutes.

Guide Bill Fontana

We were told by our guide and driver, Bill, as we toured the valley in the comfort of a grand tour bus, that the rain was great for us because it cleansed the air and brought out the color of the valley.
He was right. Not only did we witness the grandure of the granite cliff faces, but too the green and fall colors of the valley.

The rain abated early enough in the day that we were able to shed our ponchos which allowed us to stay dry during our frequent stops for pictures. I know these do not do justice to the wonderment of Yosemite, but I hope you enjoy them nonetheless.

Missy, Peter & Neilio @ The Brothers

The Gang at Yosemite Falls

Mims, Knucklehead & Poppop overlooking Yosemite Valley

Bridal Vail Falls

El Capitan

Climbers on the face (two specs near top)

Falls behind the Lodge

Yosemite National Park overlook.

We made some great memories at Yosemite and hope it won't be our last visit.

3 generations. Poppop, Missy and the Pumpkin Eater

A Lovely October Vacation in San Francisco

2010-10-17T20:17:00.002-04:00


7 AM - Good-bye Memphis

It was a very nice Saturday morning for a flight to San Fran. The wake up call was early, but with a 7 AM departure, we were in California for lunch.

Missy and Peter the Great

Missy picked us up and took us straight way to her apartment where the rest of the family was waiting. We had a great visit, looking over the new place.

After the quick tour, it was off for a wonderful Chipolte burrito.
The neighborhood was beautiful with it's manicured homes on sloping streets.

Stair step houses

Long uphill street

Great view at the top. SF airport and the bay in the distance

Unexpected Magnolia trees

Early night for tomorrow its off to Yosemite!

Stick A Fork In It!

2010-09-27T21:09:00.000-04:00

Summer is officially over...
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Rebels on Parade

2010-09-26T20:55:00.000-04:00

We were able to attend this past weekend's football game at Ole Miss in Oxford. Hillario had a few minutes to share with us before the game.

A quick check of the dorm room.

Pregame in the Grove

How's about a little "Dixie"

Can you find the happiest band member (hint: she's waving at us!)?

Pregame band performance

Fun was had by all. Ole Miss 55 - Fresno St 38

Neverending Summer

2010-09-26T20:08:00.002-04:00

It is the last week of September and our daytime high temperature today finally dropped into the 70s. We had five straight days of record high temps, mostly upper 90s, but one day it hit 100. And too boot, no rain in a month or so.

September?! Give me a break.

There is one positive side, our flowers have continued to bloom. More floral for your viewing pleasure (all in the back yard).

The Last Teen Year

2010-08-17T15:16:00.000-04:00

Birthday Girl.

It is definitely hard to believe, our little Pookie has grown up so fast. We just celebrated her 19th birthday last week and then shoved her back off to college for her sophomore year.

The Bartlett family at Mac Grill

Just what I wanted. How did you know?

Nothin like Sisters!

Surprise!

Great Friends!

Thanks Clairio. You're the best.

On to university...

New year, new dorm room.

Can't wait for new knowledge....gimme, gimme, gimme!

The house is more quiet already. I hate the silence. We are proud of you and love you very much.

Have fun. Get lots of brain power. Make lots of memories.

New Sprout on the Family Tree

2010-08-06T14:37:00.000-04:00

Payton Ann was born to my Niece, Wednesday, August 04 at 8:27 PM. She is the first baby for my niece and the first grandchild for my sister. Now my grandson, Peter the Great, has a cousin (at some level) from the same generation. It is so cool to see the family tree grow right before our very eyes.
They say pictures are worth a thousand words. Here are a few thousand…

Payton Ann, born 8/04 at 8:27 PM, 8 lbs 6 oz, 21.25"

Grandma, Momma and Baby P

Happy Papa

Grandma & Grandpa D

Grandma D

Cuz Brooke and Baby P

Freshly Minted.

A day to remember

Omission...opps

2010-08-01T21:46:00.000-04:00

For those of you Jenny P Jones followers, here are some pics I failed to post. Must have been my recovery grogginess from the 13 hours of sleep last night, as my catch up for the 4 in 36 hours previously.

Jenny's Louisiana abode

Kelly, roommate and good friend

"Gabby"

Gabrielle, Kelly's daughter.

JPJ took me on the grand tour of the city to see the namesake lake.

There were so many people wishing JPJ good luck with her surgery that the phone almost never stopped ringing. It sure is nice to know your daughter is loved and cared for that much.

All went well with the surgery and Jenny P will be home Monday, 8/02.

Coon-ass Cajun?

2010-08-01T18:36:00.003-04:00

While in the state of Louisiana for Jenny P Jones's surgery, I stayed with her Beau friend, Damien (Coon Ass for short)

View from the green across the street

He has a wonderful, picturesque home on the river.

green across street, his property.

Some homestead, huh?

view from screened-in poarch

Master Chef CA cooked a teriffic cajun supper.

Complete with grilled pork steaks, spicy mashed potatoes, cajun corn and southern style green beans.

It couldn't have been better.

The house is the family home, remodeled by CA and it is gorgeous (very well done).

We met Heidi the dog

Crazy Jeff, ex-casino manager

Ron, the teeth maker

and some friends

I had a wonderful time. Maybe the next visit will be long enough to see the gators in the river

and not be so HOT!

Bevy O' Bayou Bridges

2010-08-01T17:27:00.001-04:00

I made a quick trip to Louisiana over the past few days. I have been there before, but had only flown in to New Orleans.
There is one thing I learned while driving from northern LA to southern LA and then across the state to the western side, Minnesota and it's "10,000 lakes" has nothing on the million miles of bridges I crossed.

I could not believe some of the bridges were almost 20 miles long. They seemed to go on for ever. While driving, the recent phrase, "bridge to no where" came to mind. It seemed fitting because they went on forever, or so it seemed.

I suddenly found myself in the Dr. Suess land of bridges.

Long ones,

Short ones.

Lots over water,

More over swamps.

High ones,

Roller coater bridge, very high and scary.

And higher ones still.

Ground level looking back at the roller coaster bridge.

A very different country. Intimidating and exciting at the same time.

No place for the spineless.

Gator's got your Granny.

Chomp! Chomp!

ROCKS IN MY HEAD?

2010-07-26T00:07:00.000-04:00

I have found that over the years I have become a collector. Starting with baseball cards as a kid and progressing to sports memorabilia, more specifically anything St. Louis Cardinals baseball.
My Man Cave

There is another passion I have developed, rocks.
I started collecting rocks as a young adult as souvenirs of my travels. It may be that I associate rocks with enjoyable times that celebrate my "outdoor" life. Especially the grandeur of the mountains. I love the mountains.

Here are some of the tokens of my travel.

Grandma's house on the Farmington River

Vacation while taking Missy to BYU.

Colorado red rock

Southern Utah

Rendezvous Mountain,
Grand Tetons, WY

Yellowstone National Park
Wyoming

Muir Woods, California

This coming October, while visiting my daughter's family, we have planned a trip to Yosemite National Park.

I wonder what treasure awaits me there to be the next addition to my memory collection. Can't wait.

GONE TO THE DOGS!

2010-07-17T23:36:00.000-04:00

I am an animal lover. Wild and domestic. I find them interesting and loveable.

We have multiple bird feeders and a bird bath in our back yard and love to watch the varieties of birds and our newewst edition, Squirrely.

Growing up we had several dogs, Candy, Bogie, Bertha, usually one at a time. After I was grown and on my own I didn't really feel the need for animal companionship, too many responsibilities came with them. So I didn't have any.

Then several years back, after much pressure from the wife and chibs, I finally gave in.

Teddy Boy (left) and ZuZu or Zudie (right)

from "It's A Wonderful Life".

Now that my daughters are grown, I have gone from not wanting any animals, to having two dogs sleeping in bed with me every night.

I must admit, I love them like chibs.They love me and follow me everywhere.

I am Pack Leader!

Week in Review.

2010-07-17T22:31:00.003-04:00

Storms had just come through a couple of days earlier

with drenching rain and high winds, splitting and downing the tree in the backyard nearest the pool, when another round came through.

This time lightening struck the main transformer at work, knocking out power to the plant. For two days we worked from home with limited access to our accounts, as local servers were also without power.

It was just weird that these storms were so severe in July. We are just use to the late afternoon "pop up" showers from the heat of the day.
This was different.

Today my sister and my niece came over to visit and take a dip.

Great fun.

We are so excited that my niece is expecting her first baby in a few weeks.

This will also be my sister's first grandbaby, so lots of anticipation.

And lastly,
my crop is coming in.

There was some debate on whether we should pick and eat our yellow squash or let it grow to become a large gourd, being that it was the only one to grow so far this year.

Even though there have been allot of beautiful yellow flowers.

We elected to eat it. Home grown veggies are awesome.

Yummmmmm.

Just Heavenly!

2010-07-13T17:56:00.001-04:00

It's may seem odd, but I have always loved the skies. Just relaxing, looking up into an azure blue sky and watching the billowing clouds float by.

Yet there are times when the skies grow angry.

Even though impressive skies may be bright or threatening, Mother Nature has her way of showing us who is in charge.So I found out this morning.

There goes the shady side of the pool.

3 Fs

2010-07-10T14:32:00.007-04:00

Aside from being Friday morning of my vacation week, the day was pretty routine, I got out and completed my yard work before the oppressive heat of the day arrived. After cleaning up, it was off to Dr. Mom's for a visit.

Pleasantries exchanged, we headed out to a new eatery Dr. Mom had been to a time before.

And boy was it!

I generally try to stay away from the "All you can eat" buffets because I take that literally, wanting to get my monies worth. This was a daunting task.

I struggled a bit, but I think I maintained control nicely. My one and only plate. Chinese.

Dr. Mom on the other hand, not so much.

Both stuffed to the gills, we enjoyed our afternoon visit and after good-byes, I headed to my Unk's house where he was working on a project and needed a little help.

Project completed, we headed off to one of Unk's favorite local pub/eateries. This place was kind of the local Cheers where everyone knows your name. We had a terrific dinner...

Crab cake and corn/black bean salsa. Yummy,

Fried artichoke hearts and wonderful sauces.

Excellent

At the end of the day, I accomplished the "3 F" objective...

Unk & Jim

Friends, Food and Fun.

Silver Screen Magic

2010-07-10T12:26:00.016-04:00

I love movies, all kinds of movies. Most genres depending on the mood. I have listed some of my favorite movies from my video library.
Every one should own these classics.

10. Great romantic musical. Good clean fun. Lots of knights in shining armour.

9. Inspirational sports story, overcoming prejudice

8. Funny. Laugh out loud funny. "It's alive, it's alive".

7. Bad guys you'll love. Great American western story. Lots of great characters.

6. Every man's story. The innocent gets duped again. Great American Depression story.

5. Quirkiness from the Land Down Under. Excellent comedy with lots of dry humor. Love it, love it, love it.

4. Best CGI animation that has a lovely story which will pull on your heart strings. It has suspense, danger and triumph. You'll forget you're not watching real people. Great fun.

3. E.T. phone home brings new meaning to Close Encounters. Excellent Sci-Fi. Plus I love Jodi Foster....

2. If you can't get into this "fun for all" musical, you must have a tin ear. A staple of every home video library. Nice WWII backdrop movie with great scenery.

1. My favorite of all time. I change my mind occasionally, but this is my good ole stand by number 1. Some corny dialogue, some great effects and cool aliens.

Others to fill your library...

Best trilogy. I usually don't like the sequel movies, but this is really a continuing story. I love the visuals and landscapes.

Best childhood memory making film. Great music. Timeless.. Good versus evil. Love those munchkins too.

Best super hero movie and sequel. I saw the second one first and loved it, then viewed the first and may love it more. Not hokey for a hero movie

Best remake. Not usually a fan of a do over, but the CGI are so realistic. Very cool.

You want an epic with grit, blood and sweat? This one is for you. Excellent depiction of the brutality of the time. Nobility and peasants clash. Long movie that will be over before you know it, you just get sucked in.

There are many, many more that I love and could list as "must see" movies. These are a few that really rise above the others. Tomorrow I may have a different take on things.
Enjoy the popcorn.

Mii Generation

2010-07-08T14:02:00.002-04:00

Although I was born in the 50s, I grew up in the 60s and reached young adulthood in the 70s. This span allowed me to appreciate the America that was still good and kind and somewhat innocent. Then came the late 60s and early 70s which ushered in the "Me" generation. One in which it was all about the individual, where anything went, as long as it didn't hurt anyone else.

Along with the attitude of "Me" came the element of self esteem, self importance and self relevance. Skip forward 40 years and we are still in the me generation, although it is now the "Mii" generation.

Fun, games and entertainment brought a whole new level to family competition. Our family has become our Wii family. With every event comes another chance to prove your skill, prowess and hopefully domination!
Oh to become Champion.
While great fun, I believe Mii-self is suffering from low self esteem.

My wife now routinely quashes most of my archery, golf, Frisbee and tennis dreams.
I dare not face off for a game of 3 on 3 basketball, or I'll get a smack down.

My youngest daughter scoffs my lack of sky diving ability. She also wipes me out on any Mario race games. Not to mention the beating I take every time we venture in to the ring, whether its boxing or sword fighting.
Oh yeah, she now holds the records for wake boarding and archery.

My next to youngest daughter has yet to dominate me in any sport or game. Ha! So there. Oh did I mention we haven"t had a chance to compete?

Never meander near the players or chance a black eye. Pretty fierce competition.

Lucky for me there is still the great American past time of Baseball where I haven't fallen from my pedestal yet. Yet!

I need a shot of Mii-esteem.

Bring it on!

Thumping Heart and Goose Bumps

2010-07-07T21:39:00.006-04:00

Being raised in a military home, I have always been patriotic. Like most Americans there are times when I am outwardly more patriotic than others, like the days, weeks and months following 9/11. I feel that extra sense of country now as do many, as is witnessed by the TEA Party movement. The American flag flies everyday of the year at our home, rain or shine, bright sun or dark and dreary.

This flag is located in the entry hall atrium window.

Independence day only heightens that sense of pride of country. We do a little more for this holiday.

Then there is the city celebration with the heart pounding patriotic music and tons of brilliant fireworks. They were awesome.

We were so happy to be there to experience one of the freedoms that make this country so wonderful.

God bless the United States of America!

What the????

2010-07-07T12:33:00.003-04:00

I left my new camera lying around the house. Just like house keys, it isn't always in the same place twice. Hard to believe, huh? After finding it and taking a few snaps, I went to review my pics. Low and behold. To my amazement, goofy faces met me. My youngest, Hilario and her best friend, Clairio, both home from school for the summer, decided to leave me a surprise.
Enjoy the goofyiness...

These young women are actually quite an attractive pair (BFFs even work together at Cracker Barrel). Of course we love them dearly. Both. Clairio even has her own bedroom in our home.

However, they just might want to remember if you put your mugs out there, especially on a camera that belongs to someone else, like your Pop, you might just find yourselves before the world (and everyone else).

Thanks for the laughs.

He he he!

YO HO HO, GREEN SKEWEDVIEW

2010-07-07T01:04:00.002-04:00

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed gardening. Growing things. Mostly flowers. This year one of the ladies at work told me about her tub garden. Her husband is a cattle farmer and gets cow feed in large plastic tubs. It sounded interesting. So when she offered free tubs, I jumped at the chance. I carefully cleaned and drilled holes in the tubs. Prepared the soil mixture and then planted. Three tubs consisting of three pepper plants (one green, one yellow and one red), one yellow squash, one zucchini and one tomato plant. I was a little late getting started, but with careful tending, watering and fertilizing, they are happy and healthy.

I can hardly wait for the first veggies of the season. It is great fun to see nature at work.

Mostly my back yard is adorned with flowers, not fruit or veggies. Here are a few of the pleasant sights and fragrances we enjoy from Spring to Fall.

Its almost like these plants are a part of our family. We enjoy their beauty and they rely on us for care and nurturing.

One day I hope to have a lush yard that will be referred to as the Skewedview Park. Yeah, that would be nice.

Cool in the pool (ahhhhh)

2010-07-06T10:34:00.003-04:00

This is the summer of sizzle. It was unbelievably hot early in June and the pool got opened and used almost immediately. We have already had to run the fountain/aerator to cool the water down from 90 degrees back to a refreshing 84-85.

The summers in west Tennessee have always been brutal. For as long as I can remember, just going outside in the midday sun results in profuse sweating. The air is thick, steaming and stifling. I have never been a "Summer" person, preferring the cool of the air conditioned inside, unless it meant a trip to the river or lake and cooler air.

A few years ago we got a pool and a whole new outlook on summer activity. Even yard work seems less daunting, just knowing a cool reviving dip is waiting at arm's length.

Another perk is having family gatherings almost every weekend. We get to enjoy each other more. Sharing the latest goings-on, playing pool games and lots of laughing. Even the quiet relaxing floating sunning times are fun. Then there's the great cookout feasts, an added bonus.

There are times when I drift around the pool on my float, eyes closed, feeling the light breeze, listening to the oldies music playing on the radio and the chatter of my peeps, that I hearken back to my childhood days laying spread out on my beach towel at the Navy base Olympic swimming pool. Those are good memories. Hopefully we are making those same kind of memories for our family.

Yes, it is cool in our pool.

Happy Summer!

Back By Popular Demand...

2010-07-02T15:24:00.008-04:00

Okay, so it’s been a while since my last posting, Nov 01, 2007.
I’ve been busy.
I’ve been indisposed, brain-dead, disenchanted, fed up, disinterested, worn out and just plain lazy.

Here’s the Reader’s Digest version, in no particular order…
·Had a couple of great Thanksgivings, Christmases and birthdays
·Had a few great New Years, Wedding Anniversaries, Presidents Days, Ground Hog Days, Valentines Days, Easters, Memorial Days, Fathers Days, Independence Days, Labor Days and vacations.
·Lost 40 pounds and 55 pounds. Unfortunately gained back 45 pounds and 45 pounds.
·Overjoyed as we welcomed our first grandbaby to the family. Peter, August 08.
·Felt much sadness at the unexpected passing of a wonderful teenage niece, two dear aunts and one groovy uncle.
·Celebrated the happy wedding of a sweet niece while gaining an excellent nephew in-law.
·Filled with pride as my youngest daughter graduated high school.
·Worried all the while my youngest daughter successfully completed her freshman year of college away from home and out of state.
·Trashed my 18 year old 36”tube television and got a new HD, flat, widescreen television.
·Prayed our way through doctors’ visits, endless tests, prognosis, time waiting, successful surgery and recovery for my wife’s 5 pound ovarian tumor, thought to be cancerous. Witnessed a miracle, thanks be to God, it was benign. A true miracle!
·Experienced two and half months of kidney stones and associated illness requiring multiple doctor office visits and trips to the hospital for x-rays, MRIs, Cat scans, lab work, procedures and surgery (lost 40 pounds).
·Had my second successful back surgery and a month away from work.
·Surpassed 140,000 miles on my 2005 Saturn Ion. Still running like a sewing machine (knock on wood).
·Broke a toe accidently stubbing it on the side of the concrete patio.
·Moved all stocks into secure investments just before the BIG loss on the NY Stock Exchange.
·Remodeled eat-in kitchen, complete with new color, lighting, ceiling fan/fixtures, countertops, table and chairs AND a trip to Home Depot everyday for a week.
·Entered the Techno age with Wi-Fi and a laptop.
·Attended, supported and prayed for Mom and Unk’s major surgeries (two separate events).
·Been a disappointed St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan.
·Recently liquidated all financial holdings while the markets are so volatile.
·Experienced the changing of the guard at work with the transfer of the department manager and the appointment of a new one.
·Experienced the continued changing of the guard at work as the VP/Division Director transferred to another division. No replacement yet….
·Saw the historic election of the first black president of the United States of America, but was disturbed at how our country could elect someone with a secret, sealed and shadowy past.
·Continue to witness firsthand the dismantling of our Constitutional Representative form of government by the radical leftist administration.
·Witnessed the growth of and participated in the TEA Party movement to return our nation to the founding principles of our Constitution.
·Read more books in the past two years than in the entire previous years of my life combined, including the 600+ page book, The Real George Washington. I highly recommend it.
·Got addicted to Lost after my eldest daughter gave me the first season on DVD for Christmas, then proceeded to have a Lost marathon, consuming the first three seasons in the span of one week. I was disappointed in the final season’s ending. Too many unanswered questions, although I don’t imagine there will be another series so epic for many years to come.
·Purchased a WII gaming system, complete with WII Fit (that’s still in the box after three weeks), but I am a mean 3 point basketball shooter!
·Marveled at my dearest mother’s persistence and commitment to excellence as she became Doctor Super Mom, after retirement no less.
·Surprised our youngest with a new Nissan Versa upon her return from the church choir tour, complete with balloons and signage.

And many more. More to come. Now all I have to do is remember how to work this crazy thing. I'll brush up and tinker with things a bit and who knows, maybe I'll become somewhat proficient.

Yo-Yo my fat friend

2007-11-01T14:32:00.000-04:00

I had to visit my doctor the week before last to have lab work done before my meds would be refilled. I hate to go. Not that I dislike my doc, he is really a nice guy, one I wouldn’t mind hanging out with watching sports and having a beer. But that’s not gonna happen. That white coat makes him an authority figure and the enforcer. I guess I am transferring my guilt to him because I have not followed his advice for some time now.
Loose weight. Get exercise. Watch diet. I really want to, I do, but just not enough to get off my big lazy butt and get in gear. My doc and I have had this discussion before, “I am the typical yo-yo dieter”. Loose 30 pounds, gain back 35. Loose 50 pounds, gain back 75.

I got my voicemail from the office that my lab results were in and to call the Lab Tree. I was given a PIN before I left the Dr office, so I knew exactly what to do. Well, let’s just say my kidneys and liver enzymes were normal, everything else was high. Yes, I did go there fasting, so wipe that excuse off the board. So while listening to the recorded results the last thing on the recording was, “Out of Control!” So it is back to loose weight, get exercise, watch diet.

This is today’s lunch.
Looks really good, doesn’t it? Actually it was pretty good, but I do have a gripe. Look closely at the picture… got it? How many ravioli do you see? I see at least seven. Okay six, if you count the two split open as the two halves of one. I had a robust four in my dish. No wonder folks loose weight eating Weight Watchers.

Now look at the calorie information. 250 calories and 45 of those are fat calories. I’m wondering what I could trade those 250 calories in for?

The Doc told me about an easy diet a farmer patient of his prescribes to, the 10 bite diet. Eat anything you want, but only eat ten bites a meal. If I were to follow this plan, at least I could eat 2 ½ WW Ravioli Florentine dinners for lunch.. Hey only 10 bites.

I’m hungry already.
Must be time for a new doctor.

Rice-a-roni

2007-10-17T18:13:00.000-04:00

I had forgotten how great San Fran was. I had been there before, years ago, but when Marcy invited us out, it was hard to pass up, especially since the airfare was such at deal.

My youngest had never been there, so Marcy planned a first class tour covering as many high points as could be stuffed into three days. Great job Marcy.

We were fortunate that school Fall break coincided with Fleet Week in SF, where we were wowed by one of the best air shows ever.
Beside the Professor’s gourmet meals, we were taken to some of the finer local eating establishments (at least we don't have them in our neck of the woods). In and Out Burgers, mmmm. Chipotle, mmmmm. Krispy Krème Doughnuts, mmmmmm. Nick’s Seafood Restaurant, mmmmmmmmmm.

Anyway, here’s a short list of the fun stuff.

1. Twin Peaks, one of the greatest views of SF, evva.

2. Pier 39 Wharf, the bay breezes, the Sea Lions, the sunset, the people

3. Muir Woods, the awe-inspiring beauty of the Redwoods

4. Chipotle, the greatest “Subway” style burrito restaurant

5. Golden Gate Bridge from every angle imaginable

6. Wading in the ice cold Pacific Ocean and finding Sand Dollars.

7. Watching the pea soup Fog roll into the city and then driving in it.

8. Cruising from one end of town to the other via the Cable Cars.

9. Running the gauntlet on Lombard Street

10. Hot out of the fryer Krispy Kremes.

11. Ghirardelli ice cream.

12. The Weather. Perfect. That is all I can say about it. Perfect. Just the way October should be.
13. Eating killer homemade sausage and biscuits made by Neil.
14. Eating killer homemade chocolate chip pancakes made by Neil.
15. Eating killer Italian Sausage Pasta dinner made by Neil.
16. Sharing one bathroom between the four of us, just like the old days.
17. Chowing down on exceptional clam chowder, followed by delish crab cakes at Nick’s Seafood Restaurant.
18. Piling in the sleeper couch bed to view the day’s pics on the laptop.
19. Seeing the architecture of the city built on 45 degree streets.
20. Being with DADDY's girls.

Thank you Neil and Marcy for the grand time!

Misspent Youth

2007-10-03T13:52:00.000-04:00

I remember thinking, in my youth, what it was going to be like in the year 2000. Back in the 60s and early 70s, the turn of the century seemed like a lifetime away. We had a high profile space program along with television shows like “Get Smart”, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”, “My Favorite Martian”, “The Avengers”, “The Jetsons”, “Space Ghost”, “Johnny Quest” and “Batman from which to make assumptions about the development of technology.

The years have flown by and the modern conveniences and gadgets today far exceed anything anyone could have imagined back then.

One area with magical progress is medicine. When we stop and consider what we deem routine, just a few years ago was unheard of. Despite our effort to hurry our demise through our diets and lack of exercise, the medical community finds ways to enable us to live longer with a greater quality of life. Amazing.

Now that we are well into the 21st century, I find myself well into my “middle age” years. Scary. I never really stopped to think of myself as middle age. How did I get there? Is this some place you wake up one morning and find yourself? Now that I’ve had a moment to ponder, there were signs, the creaking of joints, the exhaled sighs when plopping down in to an oversized comfortable chair, even more so when prying myself up and out of it.

Other signs…

Finding ingenious ways to pick up items without having to bend over.

Going to dinner parties and finding the topic of conversation always ends up comparing ailments.

Definitely becoming a tight wad (frugal if you like) as you purchase items and remember prices when you were younger (Gas $0.30/gal. Cigarettes $0.25/pack, Burgers $0.15/each).

You are amazed when the physician enters your examination room, thinking, “This guy can't be any older than my children!”

My family has a history of longevity. I have plenty of relatives that lived well into their 90s. Even so today, I have many very active 80-something family members. So does that mean you begin middle age at 35? 40? 45? 50?

What about those “Golden” years? Do they sneak up on you too? I am not sure I can handle all this.

Second thought, given my lack of maturity and my childish ways, I am not sure I have even reached middle age and am not sure I will ever get there.
That’s the way I like it.

Picking Bones.

2007-09-21T13:18:00.000-04:00

Please tell me that I am over reacting. That it is just me.

My youngest daughter is now a junior in high school and she is very bright. She takes all honors (AP) classes and I don't mean basket weaving. We've been blessed with wonderfully intelligent and gifted young ladies (4 of them). Anyway, along with her academic prowess, she is also in the band and on the yearbook staff. In addition to school stuff, she is very active with her youth group at church. Needless to say, she is busy.

Here's my gripe.

Last week, the yearbook staff went on a SCHOOL field trip to a yearbook convention for training. They missed most of the classes that day and none of the absences were excused by the other teachers. Oh I don't mean she got reprimanded for not attending class, but they did not cut her any slack either, having to do all the class work at home, plus the regularly assigned homework. Some thing's wrong with this picture to me.

Now she and I are going to San Fran to visit Marcy (BIG sis) and Neil over the Fall break, which means we leave here Friday afternoon. Thus requiring that she miss the football game that night. OMG, the end of the world. Pookie was so intimidated by the band leader/instructor/teacher, that she wanted me to change our flight to later. I did not. I happen to believe that travels to other parts of the country or world are very educational, more so than a high school football game. I understand the need to have strict adherence to the attendance policy so evey one isn't "willy-nilly" missing them, but give me a break, why the intimidation? I sent an email message to the director, ex planing the situation and also reminding him that in the three years she has participated in band, she has not missed any practices, games, competitions or functions involving the band. That was several days ago, still no reply. Yesterday, he finally talked to her and expressed his displeasure, but that she was not to worry about it and they would work something out. It still would reflect on her grade somehow unless she did extra work.

We have yet to get to the subject of homework. Oh boy, blow my stack! Do these teachers not think that their students have a life outside of class? Pookie stays up past midnight most nights getting homework because, between after school band practices a few days a week, church activities and formal music lessons, she doesn't get to start on her work until 6-6:30 PM. Then there's dinner to consider. A chib has got to eat sometime. AND don't get me started on the 50 pounds of books in her backpack!

So now that I have vented, doesn't it seem to you that students, like my extremely intelligent and well rounded daughter, are penalized for participating in the very programs and activities the school encourages? These same chibs have had it drilled into their heads since junior high that they must build an impressive school resume to qualify for the best scholarships.

Sorry I just don't get it. In order to be successful they are supposed to walk through their high school years as zombies? We can count on Saturday being a sleep catch up day, where breakfast is 1 or 2 PM. Unless of course, there is a competition some where. This is craziness...

Do we have a renegade daughter who is playing us like a fiddle or do any of you have the same concerns?

"I could wile away the hours..."

2007-09-17T11:08:00.000-04:00

When you are having a great day, feeling chipper with a skip in your step, considering the moment in your happy zone, are you a singer, whistler or a hummer? Come on now, most everyone does something. Just sit back sometime and listen to the folks around you. They can be waiting for the elevator, walking down the hall, printing copies, washing their hands in the lavatory or most any menial task, most everyone is rocking in their stance, tapping their foot and whistling, singing or humming, even if it is slightly audible.
Although I do whistle, and even sing from time to time, I am mainly a hummer.
I usually hum popular songs or pieces of songs, multiple songs blended together, which if sung, the lyrics would make absolutely no sense at all.

On the other hand my boss is a bold whistler, in the vein of Bing Crosby. We have come to know his presence in the office by his constant melody. He too has been known to verbalize an oldie or two from time to time, although not with the same vigor as his whistle. My wife, Chuckie and my youngest, Pookie are singers. They will walk around the house, oblivious to their surroundings, singing the lyrics to one of their favorite songs at the time, or the last song they heard on the radio, but barely at a decibel level detected by humans, as they are shy singer.

So how about you? What’s your game?

Frantic

2007-08-21T13:41:00.000-04:00

Imagine yourself, alone, in the dark, standing outside your car fumbling for the keys, only to discover they are locked inside. Your heart beats faster and harder within your chest as you glance around, looking for help, but also taking in your surroundings in case of stalkers, muggers or anyone who may wish to do you bodily harm.

Forget it, didn’t happen, but it feels the same to me trying to log into any internet program that requires security that has not been used in some time.
Who in the heck can remember all these logins and passwords? I had to make a cheat sheet and hide it so I can refer to it later. Isn't that like carrying around your ATM card AND your PIN number?
Luckily most of my accounts are work programs and it’s not that big a deal to me to have the logins available at my desk. In fact, when gone for a period of time, for like vacation or something, I leave them with my associates in case they have to access my workstation.

This morning I got a popup reminder to change my password. Oh No! And I just got this one from Corp because I couldn’t remember my last one. Let’s see, it has to be something I can remember, yet long enough and be alpha-numeric. Yikes! It literally took me ten minutes to come up with something. It had to be catchy. It had to be related to the account, Reimbursement Expense account. Even so I wrote it down as not to take any chances. How does “Moneyman” sound? I will skip the numeric part just in case there are some secret hacker-spies out there. I see promise with this theme…”TheBanker”, “LoanShark”, “CoinCollector”…and so on, you get the drift.

It is hard coming up with this stuff as my company gives us restrictions, no family names, no birth dates, nothing obvious (not sure what that entails), do not repeat words (I’ve gotten by this one just by changing the numeric part). I have to be careful not to stretch the rules for fear the login police will get me. Kind of like the email police when you forward unauthorized emails under the threat of dismissal. Ever heard of anyone being fired because they sent Uncle Tim or Aunt Sue a joke, prayer or funny story (complete with cute pictures)? Me neither.

I will be so glad when the day comes that the general public can utilize the finger print or eye retina scanner for access to any secure site or program. Then you only have to worry about getting a blister or a stick in the eye and Bada-Bing, you’re locked out again.

Until then, I am thinking about getting a biker wallet on a chain to carry with me to protect my logins, much like the guy who jingles by you with a ring of a zillion keys. He must be somebody to have all that much stuff locked up!
Be safe out there, you never know who is waiting to take advantage of you just at that moment of indecision brought on by memory loss.

Sweet Pea Girl Can You Come Out Tonight?

2007-08-13T09:32:00.000-04:00

If I can indulge for a moment,

August 12th was my youngest daughter’s birthday.
She’s the last one at home of four daughters. This Birthday is the big 1-6… sweet sixteen.Yeah, yeah, almost grown, at least she thinks she is.

Truth be known, she almost is.

Of course, just like most every other 16 year old, the pressure is on for us to get her to a car. I really don’t know if I’m ready for that yet. Not that I don’t trust her behind the wheel, you have to remember I drive a minimum of 110 miles a day and I see all the crazies! It’s them I worry about.

The other night we went to Red Robin for dinner, where they sang their birthday song to her. If her best friend wasn’t with us, I’m almost positive she would have been embarrassed, but not so this time. I think she is kind of relishing in the whole 16 thing.

Our “Pookie” has the sweetest smile, especially since she got her braces off a couple of months ago. That’s what comes to my mind’s eye whenever I think of her, the smile, along with her beautiful eyes.

Even from the earliest years, as a toddler, after her bath she would run naked like a wild child through the house, grinning from ear to ear, giggling all the way.

From her first day, she has been a “Daddy’s girl”. She was the only one I was able to be in the room for her birth. It was very special (especially after she was cleaned up).

I don’t know if that is what made the impact on me for which I have always doted over her, or if it was because I was just older. Maybe a little of both. I know as she has grown up, the older chibs accused me of acting more like a grandpa instead of a dad toward her.

Pookie was a bottle baby, which allowed me to have my time with her during those waking hours of the night. Even at the time I remember thinking how special the time was. In the darkness of the night, rocking gently, humming lullabies (I could not sing) while feeding her and continuing right on through until she was sound asleep again. I rocked and hummed to her enough that as she grew into a toddler, with passie in mouth, she would take her Pink Baby (terrycloth doll friends gave her), hold her under her little nose and start to hum whenever she got tired.

One of our best holiday family movies is “It’s A Wonderful Life”. I modified a song from the scene where George is walking Mary home from Peter’s prom and I would sing it to her as she laid still on her bed. “Sweetpea Girl can you come out tonight? Come out tonight? Come out tonight?”. She loved it and often times asked me to sing the sweetpea song.

She has always been fun loving and loved attention. Nothing like a game of hide-n-seek.

She was a helper from early on.

This kid has loved arts and crafts since she was able to pick up a crayon. Also there to coach everyone else through their projects too.

Even on our travels she was right there with her dad. Or dad was right their with her (wrapped around her finger).

We are fortunate that as the daughters grew up they also grew together. To this day they are very close sisters.

Not only is Pookie very busy being section leader of the HS marching band, where she plays flute. She is also on the staff of the yearbook and yet, she is an honor student carrying all AP classes. I don’t remember the last “B” we’ve seen on any of her report cards. She is very driven academically. Pookie has also been asked to participate in the Bridge Builders two year program, a diversity group that teaches teamwork and self worth for a select group of junior and seniors.

In addition to school, she is very active in church and all the youth programs. She is in the youth choir and the smaller special choir “Joyful Noise”, which requires additional commitment. Along with music, she participates in the service projects as well. This summer she went to NE Kentucky with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) group to help physical and spiritual needs in this depressed region of the country.

Pookie is definitely not the perfect chib. She can throw that teenage attitude at you, but then again she can be loving and caring. The Mrs and I have always been proud of our baby girl and will continue to be as she makes her way into young adulthood and finds her own way in life.

Happy Birthday Sweetpea Girl!

All’s well that ends well

2007-08-08T16:26:00.000-04:00

Now we come to a hard topic, Healthcare. With the progress made in the 20th and 21st centuries in the fields of medicine and healthcare comes a two-edge sword. The longer we live, the more we are burdened by medical expenses. Remarkable discoveries in all aspects of medical technology give doctors the tools to perform life saving surgeries that would have never even been dreamed of just a few decades ago. Even maladies such as broken bones, torn cartilage or muscles are remedied with less invasive procedures insuring speedy recovery, yet these come at a price. Our aches and pains, our depression and phobias, our blood pressure and cholesterol, our insomnia and indigestion and almost every other bothersome ailment known to man is now treated chemically with one form of medicine or another. Again at a price.

Americans demand and receive the best medical treatment in the world. Our capitalistic society promotes study, research, ingenuity and long periods of trial and error. It rewards achievement and success with notoriety, fame and money. Lots of money. The question? What price is to be paid?

To compound the skyrocketing costs of medical technology is the added complexity of our Healthcare Insurers and the services and providers they cover. What type of plan do you have? HMO? PPO? Conventional 80/20? Managed Healthcare? Maybe yours is a hybrid combining two or more options. I don’t know about you, but sometime I think the Insurance companies make it so difficult to understand so we will get frustrated dealing with our designated healthcare agent that we pay more than our share, if not the entire charge. Just the other day I heard a report where a family carried a hereditary defective gene. It is passed down from generation to generation. The gene was recently detected in one of the family’s small daughters for whom the insurance company denied all related medical claims, stating this was classified as a “pre-existing condition”.

What a joke. Is this not cause for our frustration and anger as the companies expand their lists of what is covered and what is not? On top of limiting coverage for ailments or maladies, they also dictate which medical group or healthcare providers we can see (or be charged exorbitant rates for out of network).

Now we have a dilemma. Some may look at it as a moral dilemma, I am not sure about moral, but certainly emotional. How do we provide adequate medical care to all U.S. citizens and pay for it? Indigent care is a huge issue in this country with an outward sign of Hospitals closing down emergency rooms. With the edict that emergency rooms can turn no one away for lack of insurance or ability to pay, these facilities are a drain on the hospital and are being shut down, forcing patients to go elsewhere. They are not able to discriminate against illegal immigrants either which compounds their woes more so.

How do we fix it? I am not really sure, but if something is not done before too long, I can see a revolt in the not-to-distant future. Personally, I believe the day that all these private companies/entities went “public” and posted themselves to the NY Stock Exchange, their main objective from that point forward became profits and favorable results for the stock holders. That subject is a post unto itself and will be addressed later.

Step 1. The President needs to gather together key leaders in the areas of medicine, insurance, pharmaceuticals and other governmental departments responsible for social assistance programs. Have them roundtable ideas for a “shared-responsibility” approach to Healthcare. Discuss how all Americans can be insured at reasonable/affordable rates and the Insurance companies still operate in the black, the medical professionals compensated so they have motivation to practice and the government agencies subsidizing medical assistance operate with reasonable budgets.

Step 2. While the think tank members are brainstorming, assemble another team of crackerjack financial leaders, with no vested interest, to review or audit the public records relating to operating expenses and profits in each the different areas associated with the healthcare issue. Determine excesses and reasonable postings. Research the influence large Pharmaceutical Companies have on the FDA and how to better reduce, eliminate and oversee these actions.

Step 3. Have these groups share their findings before a specially called congressional hearing, afterward sponsors from either body of congress may sponsor reform legislation to be voted on by both houses, if not, as a national referendum.

All parties are going to have to be willing to compromise and settle for smaller gains or profits in the best interest of the country. I do not want to propose anything like a “National Health Care Plan” because once the government gets control over a monstrous system, the private sector has little incentive to be innovative or ingenious. Medical care becomes shoddy as it becomes a game of numbers, how many can you heard through the clinic in a day? The government will have insufficient oversight and fraud will flourish and even more of the population will suffer poor care.

We must come together as Americans for the best interest of the country and our medical care before it is too late to turn things around.

United We Stand

2007-08-07T18:20:00.000-04:00

My dad was a career sailor as were allot of my uncles and even some aunts. Both sides of the family had members who served in the military, even if it was for a brief stint. I remember seeing the worldly tattoos on the fore arms and biceps of relatives who served. I thought they were cool and my uncles tough.

Growing up in a military home, thinking about life as a civilian was odd. So as I prepared for my senior year of high school (mid 70s), I found myself taking the military service aptitude examination. As luck would have it, I did quite well and was recruited by almost all the branches of the military. I knew going into this decision, I would either enlist in the Navy or the Air Force. No infantry for me. During that time there was an all-volunteer service, much as it is today, only coming off the Vietnam War, folks weren’t coming in droves to join up.
With my dad being career Navy, his superior officer was able to get me a commission to Annapolis. With that in mind, choosing between the Navy and Air Force was a hard decision, however, one of my friends from high school and I decided we would join the Air Force taking advantage of the “Buddy Program”. This was where you and a friend could enlist, stay together through boot camp and training school. I have no idea if that program is still around. So there I am going through the induction process, passing every test and interview with flying colors until, the last interview was reviewing your medical history. You know, “Ever had…No, Ever had….No”, yada, yada, yada. The question that stopped the doctor in his tracks was, “take regular medication?”, “yep”.

See I had developed a seizure disorder in my mid-teens. Even though it was controlled with medication, it was a no go. I was disheartened. No Air Force. No Navy, No Coast Guard, No Marines, No Army, No Reserve. I was destined to live the life of a civilian.

So knowing that, I will tell you, I have the greatest respect for the men and women of the military, all branches. Especially during times of military engagement to have young men and women sign up is admirable. However today’s question is, should we have an all-volunteer military or reinstate the draft?

I have mixed feelings on the subject.

Draft em!
Part of me says that it should be the duty of all males to serve their country for a mandatory period of at least two years. Countries such as Israel, Sweden and South Korea have required military service. It may be a cultural difference in today’s society.
I do think there are many young men who could benefit from a couple of years in the service. The military certainly matures individuals and makes them more responsible. It teaches respect for authority, if not a healthy understanding that it exists and is an undeniable part of getting through life. In my opinion the streets would have fewer criminals given the military would provide a way out of the continual cycle of poverty and government assistance. If I supported a mandatory draft it would be only for males. In my heart I believe that woman are made to be put on pedestals, protected and defended, not that they are any lesser individuals. The sanctity of womanhood should be protected.

Uncle Sam wants you!
There is just something about getting in to a situation with people who don’t want to be there. I can’t imagine training for war, being deployed and finding myself in a situation that the brothers of my platoon didn’t care anything about joining the military and were forced to do so. Not very comforting.
Secondly, I wonder what the wash out rate would be? How many would cause more problems than they were worth? That’s not to say there wouldn’t be as many young men in military stockades awaiting court martial as are in public prisons on felony charges awaiting trial.
No, if I am serving in the military, I want everyone else around me wanting to be there too. Even though allot of recruits may come from disadvantaged homes and may be lesser educated, they know they can be successful in life by completing the training offered them.

One of the biggest hurdles to attracting more qualified individuals into the service is definitely pay. It seems to me with the billions being spent on Defense, a decent living wage could be paid to all members of the military, not just senior officers who have re-enlisted time and time again.
Another downside to being military these days is the degrading the service is given, even by some of the highest levels of public office. The military is educated and trained to provide defense to our country, that is an accepted fact. Yet members of our Government continue to publicly second-guess our military leaders. Portraying them as unable or incompetent to strategize, carry out sufficient plans to achieve a swift end to hostilities and bring our troops home without casualties.

How can we ask our soldiers to go to battle, tie their hands with absurd rules of engagement and then prosecute them for war atrocities during a time of war? For more of my sentiments on the subject of War click here.

To summarize, No draft, Yes volunteer military.

God bless the dedicated men and women of our armed services where ever they are stationed around the world. They do us proud every day.

WAR is HELL

2007-08-06T16:10:00.000-04:00

War, huh, what is it good for?

As far as I am concerned, this is an easy one too (like illegal immigration). When ever there is a conflict that escalates to a full blown war, the President should make a declaration of war with the congress ratifying the measure, then the politicians should get out of the way and let the military do their job. The Joint Chiefs of Staff should plan the war strategy and execute the war with the final say coming from the Commander and Chief.
No political agenda should ever enter into war. That is not to say there can never be any discussion regarding the progression of the war, but any dissention by our elected officials should be done in private chambers and not in public.

Once preparation is made and the war plan goes into effect, all war correspondents would not be allowed to the front lines. Daily briefings would be given to the press, just as was done in the first Gulf war by General Schwarzkopf. Any media interviews with the enemy, their leaders or sympathizers should be grounds for treason and those reporters held by military security until trial and their networks fined.

If bogged down in a war, like we are in Iraq, I would paper the country with leaflets explaining that the area was going to be bombarded and the people should go to designated US and Allied check points to verify there allegiance, then sent onto a guarded safe area. After sufficient time, I would bomb the intended targets to smithereens. Once the areas are bombed out, secured by allied troops, the areas would be rebuilt with aid from the allies and the civilians reoccupied. One by one the sectors of the country would be handled like this. Would there be civilian casualties? You bet. Would US soldiers die? Yes, but not nearly as many as continuing a war with political criteria, scrutinized by the media. It will still not be a swift war, but there will be decisive battles. If the occupying government is fighting along side of us to thwart off an overthrow, then the US military will consult with the local government, but has the ultimate word on how the war is to be fought and won.

Occupying Force or Peacekeepers? You probably have judged from my stance on the issues covered in the past few posts that I am no fan of the United Nations. I believe we have come to a time in history when the United States sovereignty is being challenged by the countries of the world. They want to band together to pressure world opinion against us. We just need to rely on our allies, as with NATO and throw the UN out of the US.
The UN is irrelevant in today’s society. It has no recognizable authority, nor does it carry any power to enforce its rulings or might to carry out its judgments. So when a war is officially over, it is in the best interest of the US to maintain a presence in the war torn country until at least the fledgling government can raise an army, establish self rule and provide security for its citizens. Once the country has been stabilized, it should be weaned off American military involvement.

If you would like to take issue with any or all of these thoughts, I welcome it. I am open to listen to any dialog, however, I am firm to my principles and will not compromise them.

A Dark Place

2007-08-03T12:01:00.000-04:00

The American people have such a short-term memory.
Time gives way to a very forgiving people, yet the years erode our resolve.

This post will draw from Preisdent Bush's stirring address given to the nation before a combined session of Congress on September 20, 2001, just 9 days after the unspeakable, cowardice attack on New York City’s World Trade Center Towers.

Terrorism is one of the most upfront topics in our daily lives. We are constantly reminded of it. It leads off every national news broadcast. We are told the death count. We are shown the carnage and destruction. We are appalled, feel helpless and fear for our loved ones. What of our future? What of generations to come?

Make no mistake, these reported incidents are but skirmishes, isolated battles in an epic war of cultures. Our civilized nation has never experienced the cowardice of a terror-tactical war. The undermanned murderers (by any other name, murderers just the same) know that they cannot survive against the world’s most powerful military, so they resort to terror to try to sway public opinion to speak out against military action. And now we see the results of our attempt to eliminate our enemies by military means. As casualties are reported, the pacifist element of this country cries out, "Enough is enough, bring our soldiers home".

"Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.”

It is apparent to me that we need to heed the wise council given to us by our President and have stern discussions with the leaders of the world, one on one, to gage their position. I am well aware that there needs to diplomacy, but where our national security exists, those who support terror can NOT be an ally. So we must rally our allies, emphasizing our common cause and restoring our resolve.

“Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success. We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism”

We must understand those who seek to destroy us and the western civilization way of life cannot be reasoned with. They do not see the world as we do. They do not have our values and morals. They only understand one thing…force. The mighty will prevail. They are patient and they are resolute in their cause. A great demand has been placed on this generation. We must be the heroes of our day and save the world from this evil aggression.

So double the effort. Line up the allies and cull out those who stand against us.
If ultimatums need to be proposed, then so be it. Secure our nations borders. Secure the ports and coastlines. Secure our air space. Sure up immigration laws. The one founding principle of our Constitution that must be maintained is to "provide for the common defense". If the government Department of Homeland Security needs to profile or tap phones or review financial records to achieve this goal, then so be it. If you have nothing to hide then it should not be a problem for the average American citizen. Raise the next generation to be mindful of the responsibility freedom and liberty bring. Constantly remind ourselves of those who have gone before us, who were vigilant, who were faithful to God and country.

The King's Immigration Policy

2007-08-02T11:44:00.000-04:00

This is an easy one.
If you are not here Legally, then you must go. We have laws that determine how immigrants are allowed to enter into our country and until they are changed, they must be enforced.
As I see it, this is more of a security issue than anything, with a close second being the drain on the country’s social services.

I do not think my view to be callus, but expedient for the future solvency of the USA.

My action plan would start out with securing the borders. Our borders have become so porous that we have no idea how many illegal aliens are in our country. They come like ants, armies of them, trailing behind one another as thieves in the night, determined to take their share of the American Dream. We may discover and halt their progress, but only for a limited time as they regroup, reroute and press on, or should I say, “press in”. These invaders not only include the Mexican persuasion but even that radical element of society who seeks to destroy us and the American way of life.

First, erect a 20 foot electric fence, topped off by razor wire on the actual border. Post huge signs in English and Spanish warning of the danger that exists.

Second, erect a second 20 foot electric fence, topped off by razor wire 50 yards into American jurisdiction, complete with sentinel cameras every 100 yards. These could be monitored from strategically placed bunkers that house the adequately armed and authorized border guards. Electronic tunnel monitoring devices would also be strategically placed at intervals to alarm guards. Post huge signs in English and Spanish warning of the danger that exists.

Third, in the 50 yards between the fences, plant land mines. Again, refer to the warning signs posted on both fences. This should surely be a deterrent. It is not like the world has not witnessed this type of security before, only before it was used to keep its citizens in and not the illegal immigrants out.

Policy. There is no reason in this day and age why the application process couldn’t be streamlined and speeded up. People applying for entry should be able to visit a national website and apply long in advance of their planned entry. There would be specific qualifications for entry, which must be verifiable. Secondly, for those whose are applying for full time citizenship, an American citizen must sponsor them. The sponsor must take responsibility for assimilating them into our country and our culture. Making a way whereby they can become productive citizens and not just another social pariah.

Next, there is no automatic citizenship if you are born in this country. One or both parents must be legal citizens. If neither is legal, the entire family will be deported back to their country of origin. No rights of American citizenship will be afforded. No rights will be recognized.

As far as the underground economy goes, if any Company, Business, Farmer, or other entity, public or private wants or needs to employ immigrant workers, they must be responsible for them while they are in this country. They must be documented. They must be treated as American workers, paying taxes and contributing to Social Security. These workers will be allowed in the country for a specific stated period of time. If at anytime the requirements are not met, the workers will be deported and the companies severely fined.

This program comes under the heading of “Defense”. As such, would fall under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense, thus the borders may be defended by the National Guard with full authority to protect and defend this nation.

The King's Taxes

2007-07-31T16:32:00.000-04:00

I have no idea how much I pay in taxes every year. I know how much I pay into the government for income tax, but there are many, many more taxes assessed on us other than income tax. There are also local and state taxes beyond the national taxes we pay. There is almost nothing we buy, consume, own, rent, eat, drink, smoke or save that isn’t taxed in some form or fashion. The US Tax Code is so overwhelming, most Americans, including our elected officials do not understand it. We rely on tax lawyers to interpret the laws and even so, most of them specialize in one aspect of the code. The tax code has become so cumbersome that it cannot possibly be enforced. Even with the volume of tax code we have, there are always special interest groups or savvy individuals and their tax lawyers who discover loopholes in the laws to keep from paying their fair share.

Corporations are often given incentives of tax relief to locate in certain areas of the country. While the small local stores and shops struggle to survive. Non-profit organizations are also given preferable treatment when it comes to taxes and I am certainly skeptical of the qualifications of many of these.
The wealthy citizens find ways to minimize their tax burden by ways of deferrals, trusts or out of country accounts. The impoverished often pay little or nothing to the coffers. This leaves the vast majority of Americans, the middle class, to carry the overwhelming burden of funding the government. The system is broken.

The whole system needs to be scrapped. We need to look at an alternative method of funding the government and all its social programs. If I were King for the day, this is what I would do:

Eliminate all taxes everywhere on everything.
Eliminate special interest groups and lobbyist. All interested parties seeking funding from the Federal, State or Local governments would have guidelines to follow and a system of review implemented so the applications can be presented before the House of Representative. “Pork” bills will be presented apart from the bills pertaining to running the nation and will not be allowed to be attached.
Institute a Flat Tax at a rate of 15% for all citizens and 10% for all business and Corporations. With a Gross National Product of ten trillion dollars, the tax revenue would be one trillion from the business sector alone. There would be a poverty line established at $25,000 income per year. The working poor, not on any government-subsidized programs would pay zero taxes. If participating in a government program, then the 15% rate would apply. Retired senior citizens will not pay taxes on any income or gains up to $50,000 per year. They have earned a retirement and should not be penalized for any success they may have earned in life.

Income tax collected from each working individual will be divided up, 5% to the local government, 5% to the state government and 5% to the Federal government. This will enable the local and state governments to be more responsible for their citizens and the Federal government to focus on its core responsibilities (defense and governing).

Property taxes will not be assessed annually, but only at the time a deeded property changes hands. That tax will be a local tax.
There will be no hidden taxes or fees or any other euphemisms on any goods or service. If a company needs to charge “$X” to make a profit and stay in business, then that is what will be charged. If a person buys a new car, then the price of the car and options is all that has to be considered, not all the extra hidden fees and taxes.

Some services may be reduced. That is the plan. A government social program should be limited. It should be a help through rough times, it should not be an existence. Those less fortunate will be cared for but must meet certain criteria and that will be the responsibility of the local and state governments to manage and oversee.

As programs are administered more locally, the residents of a community, city or state will have more accessibility to their representative to voice their opinions, to hold them more accountable and to make changes as necessary.

I am sure there are many intelligent people in this country that could be brought together and recommend a new system.

King For A Day, the intro

2007-07-31T13:47:00.000-04:00

If you’re like me, you are so tired of hearing about, dealing with, watching on television or constantly being bombarded by the never ending depressing news reported concerning all of the challenges that face our country. Most politicians are two-face when it comes to speaking out regarding the issues and then voting quite the opposite in congress. Lobbyist and special interest groups pressure our lawmakers to vote for legislation in their favor and not necessarily for the good of the country. Not a bill can get through the congress without millions (if not billions) of dollars attached for special programs in specific congressional districts. Most big corporations are only concerned about profits, regardless of the results on employees or the general welfare of our society. And by the way, how close do you really need to know all the goings-on of the Hollywood scene?

I have come to the conclusion that “Money makes the world go around” at the expense of common sense, common decency or regard for the existance of the least among us.
Therefore, for the next few posts I will attempt to straighten out this mess and address specific issues threatening or challenging our civilized nation. These will be the measures I would implement were I appointed “King”.

Some of the topics open for discussion will be:

Taxes
Immigration
Terrorist threats
War
Role of Peace Keeper in the world
All volunteer military
Healthcare
Welfare
Social Security
Redefining “Free” speech
Debasing society
Corporate America and International Companies
Guns

And most any other subject you feel needs to be brought out into the open for some frank discussion. Watch in the coming days for the latest in the series.
Please feel free to share.

Dockers Do It.

2007-07-30T17:45:00.000-04:00

I was walking down the hall today at work and noticed a couple of my associates in front of me about 15 feet or so traveling in the same direction. They both were wearing polo shirts and khaki pants. Same as me. Huh.
Then I noticed several of the other men in the department wearing khakis too. Maybe I am just dense, or maybe everyone hasn’t worn khakis the same day, but it certainly struck me today as odd. Don’t get me wrong, I love the casual-work dress code. We went to it several many years ago from shirt, ties and dress pants. We even get a Friday casual day the last Friday of the month when we are allowed to wear jeans and tee shirts.

Back to the subject of Khakis. What makes them so popular?

The clean appearance and the neutral color that goes with most any color shirt, plain or patterned?
The comfortable fit?
Good with polo, button down or shirt, tie and blue blazer?.
Casual shoes are just nifty with them?
Most are now wash and wear, no ironing?
Multiple color and style choices?
Hidden elastic expandable waist band?
Target ads?.

Khakis have become so popular that the city school system here has made them part of the dress code for boys and girls. In addition, the girls can even wear khaki skirts.
I have come to embrace the idea of khaki shorts too. There is almost nothing cooler in the hot summer heat than khaki shorts and a loose fitting floral print shirt (untucked) and a pair of sandals.

I suppose it struck me funny how many men were wearing the khaki color pants today opposed to some blue, some green, some brown, some black. Nope all khaki.
Must be the summer rule, light colors only.

Whatever the reason, I give a hardy “thanks” to Mr. Dockers.

Lest We Forget

2007-07-19T13:23:00.000-04:00

I'm on a mission.
In my adventures through Blogdom, I came across the movie trailer from ...
"Elizabeth, The Golden Age". It looks like an amazing movie (coming out this Fall). After reviewing it. I was hooked. I must see it.

However, there was something more to it, I had to find the first movie, “Elisabeth”, about the Queen of England with Cate Blanchett, released in 1998. For some reason, it just didn't appeal to me at the time, nor has it since, until now. So the hunt was on and as luck would have it, our local Blockbuster had a copy. That very night my wife and I watched it.
Except for the beginning where characters were established for us like oils painted to a canvas, it was exceptionally intriguing. Aspirations, deceit, courage, murder, shadowy figures, it was all there. I was amazed by it all and realized I had forgotten most of what I had learned in school regarding the class system in English society, with Nobles and peasants and the working poor. Not to mention the religious indifference and how protestants were burned alive for their beliefs. To be so high minded and affluent, the nobles were quite savage and brutal.
After wetting my whistle on the movie, I have now begun to read about the Elizabethan era and the Queen's reign.
I am very much the romantic and I love that period in history, as long as we can keep it somewhat sterile. No need for the innermost workings of the underbelly of society. Although with today's technology in the art of films, most everything is fair game, graphic and in your face raunchy.
I think it a shame that today's school students have only a brief brush over historical events. How can someone come to love history if it is all taught superficially? Political correctness has also rewritten some of the history we studied. I know when I studied it, for the most part, I hated it, mainly because of all the dates we were made to memorize. Now, as an adult I have come to appreciate the history of the world and the USA for the interesting stories it places before us. It gives us a connection with the past.
Now in this age of self indulgence and immediate gratification, history is being left behind in the dust. Few are fans and more could care less about the past. I hope shows like Elisabeth I, although not a financial blockbuster, will inspire this generation to delve into the past and learn, so they can lead into the future with a firm foundation and a good grip on the reigns.

Sons of our Fathers

2007-06-15T13:18:00.000-04:00

Now that Father's Day is upon us once more, we have time to reflect on our Dads, Grandpas and ourselves as fathers. My Dad is not with us any longer, but I am truly thankful for the time he was here. There was no question growing up that he was the Patriarch of our family as he guided us through our formative years and well into adulthood, he still offered sage advice. He is missed. Although he is not with us, we still hold a special place in our hearts for Dad and we will always love him.
So Happy Father's Day Dad, we love and miss you.
Happy Father's Day too Brother Tim.

Proud Month

2007-06-01T14:14:00.000-04:00

It has been an extremely busy month, or was an extremely busy month of May. With school winding down, the outside chores winding up, my wife preparing for her last day of work on the 31st and her early retirement.

We attended the high school awards banquet and spring band concert for my youngest daughter, which always makes me proud as a parent can be. The awards were plentiful and she was given the most improved student for the second year in a row. As we listened to the band perform, it was hard to imagine that an adult orchestra could perform any better. It was amazing.

Then there was the church youth choir "Coffee House" which had a theme of TV, movies and Broadway music that was also awesome. In this day of sensationalism for the dark or perverse side of society by the media, it is so nice to see the achievements in excellence of the next generation.

Yesterday was my wife's last day of work at the company where she has worked for over 20 years. I was so proud of her at the retirement party the office gave her as most all of her associates related stories or heaped praise upon her. She is so well thought of by all the people with whom she worked. I know she has mixed feelings about leaving, but the early retirement package was too good an offer to pass up. Plus I think she is looking forward with some anxiety and anticipation to a new career, new associates and new surroundings.

May was a good month. A busy month, but one that brought home to me how lucky I am to be a part of such a great family

The mushroom cloud cometh...

2007-05-10T19:24:00.000-04:00

One of my new favorite television shows from this past season is "Jericho". I wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised with the depth of the show. It is very intriguing, yet mysterious. It also is very thought provoking.

I don't suppose many of us have stopped to consider how our lives would drastically change if terrorism and war came to our nation. It is scary to think how vulnerable we are as individuals and how our rights could be compromised in a major conflict. Not to mention our inability to function as a "High Tec" society once the electricity, cell phones and other essential services are rendered useless.

Scarier still is the fact that very few of us know our neighbors. I mean really know our neighbors. How will people react when pushed into a corner? What will be the breaking point? When will lawlessness take over and our civilized society collapse? The precursor to such things can be witnessed at every turn. Check out the reality shows and how they sensationalize human suffering or encourage devious behavior, all for a sum of money. It is sad that the integrity and ethics of the American people have sunk to the point that anything is accepted and that any means justifies the end.
This degradation of society is making us ripe for disaster.

How would you react? What do you think your neighborhoods would or could do to support its residents? Your local government? The national government?

Teetering on the edge

2007-05-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

This morning on the way to work, while stopped at a traffic light, I noticed the scrolling marquee sign of the corner Walgreens. At first I couldn't make out what it was saying, then I realized it was in Spanish. Welcome to the Mid south of America.

Not long after coming around the interstate loop which by-passes our city, I noticed one of those billboards posted high above the horizon. It was a new, hi-tech board that changed images about every 10 seconds. After the first two advertisements, the third was in Spanish. Again...Welcome to the Mid south of America.

My mom sent this clip to me and we are not sure where it originated, but it does raise some interesting points.

How Long Do We Have?

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government."

"A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."

"From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."

"The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years."

"During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. from bondage to spiritual faith;

2. from spiritual faith to great courage;

3. from courage to liberty;

4. from liberty to abundance;

5. from abundance to complacency;

6. from complacency to apathy;

7. from apathy to dependence;

8. From dependence back into bondage"

Groovy Baby...

2007-04-24T12:13:00.000-04:00

Okay, if you could only listen to one singer/band/group all day long, one song after another, day after day, who would it be?
I would choose a timeless one.

Say…The Beatles.

They have it all, from the early days of acoustic guitar melodies to the later years of psychedelic rock and everything in between. They had terrific individual voices and an even better harmony. How about their endless string of hits? You don’t even have to listen to their chart toppers to hear really good music. Ever listen to the lyrics? Some are quite shallow and superficial and others have depth and thought provoking prose.

One day last week I was tired of the piped in music carried throughout the offices and I went to the Internet. I have several stations earmarked for this very reason. However, that day I wanted something different, so I went to the all-knowing Google and wound up at

http://www.beatlesarama.com

This site is great for Beatle lovers. It plays all Beatles all the time. There are dialog excerpt of the individual members of the band, relatives, news clips and other events of the times. They do play “Beatle-esque” songs, which sound very much like they could be Beatle songs. There are also Beatle songs sung by other artists.
Anyway, it is all about the Lads from Liverpool.

Listen and groove.

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark...

2007-04-19T13:37:00.000-04:00

The woodpeckers might just have to go.

One : Don't miss the boat.

Two : Remember that we are all in the same boat.

Three : Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

Four : Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

Five : Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

Six : Build your future on high ground.

Seven : For safety sake, travel in pairs.

Eight : Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

Nine : When you're stressed, float a while.

Ten : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting..

Ah, Affirmation!

2007-04-18T12:48:00.000-04:00

BASIC QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT DIET AND EXERCISE PROGRAMS!

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good !

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! ... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO . Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways...
- Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up,
totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride"

IMUS 'TA MISSED SOMETHING?

2007-04-13T13:49:00.000-04:00

Did I miss something?
Since when is it against the law to voice an opinion contrary to that of the majority of society?
This Imus stir has come to the point of absurdity. Okay, so the guy is a jerk. Personally I don’t listen to him, either on the radio or on the teley. But isn’t the purpose of his show to voice his opinion about current events or topics? The national and local media have talked about nothing for the past week, except for how grave his comments were and how he should be reprimanded severely. I suppose one of the downsides of being in the national spotlight is the scrutiny by which you are judged, fairly or not. Of course I agree if you put yourself out there, you must be willing to accept the consequences.

I just think the demeaning comments Imus made regarding the Rutgers Women’s basketball team were inappropriate and certainly uncalled for, but what has our society come to with our sensitivity to all things. We MUST be respected or we are offended.
What happened to “they’re only words”? or “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will NEVER hurt me”? Would this truly have been as big an issue had the media not blown it out of proportion? If they had not made it the lead story on every news and sports show? I imagine if left to die on the vine, Imus’s comments may have been repeated or even had exception taken by Rutgers, but something that could have been handled between the parties and not the entire nation.

We have gone way to far in this country to appease the minority, only because they usually raise the most or loudest ruckus. If we are not careful we will find a select group of people in this country deciding what can or can’t be aired on the radio and television. I am afraid those chosen few will not be of the conservative bent. Say good-bye Rush. Say good-bye Hannity and Combs. Why not say good-bye to church services on the tube?

There are so many issues in the nation that need to be addressed, especially by these self-appointed watchdogs. Yet they seem to jump on any cause that will bring them more exposure and more acclaim. Heaven for bid their cause is ultimately found to be wrong or their facts inaccurate, we never hear an apology. The subject usually just gets swept under the proverbial rug. If we are not politically correct, then we are not allowed to have an opinion. At least one that could be voiced.

I am not sure Imus got his just due. I only know that this is another case where a precedent has been set and now opens the door for who knows what in the future. Just don’t be surprised.

Salute to Little Debbie

2007-04-11T17:02:00.000-04:00

How did we get along without her? Remember when mom had to bake everything, even Nestlé’s Toll House cookies? You had to wait until a special occasion to have cakes, or pies or most any kind of treat. I don’t mean an Oreo, those things, although good, have been around for ages.
As I stand and gaze upon the snack cake display at the end of the grocery aisle, it is hard to choose, so I just load up with something(s) for everyone.

Hear are my favorite Little Debbie snacks (cakes, cookies and bars).

1. Nutty Bars
2. Oatmeal Crème Pies
3. Boston Crème Rolls
4. Coconut Crème Rolls
5. Swiss Cake Rolls
6. Crème filled Chocolate Cup Cakes
7. Strawberry Short Cake Rolls
8. Devil Crème Cakes
9. Fudge Rounds
10. Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

So I raise my glass o’milk to the Sultress of Snack.
Yehaw.

Spicy side of life

2007-03-29T18:19:00.000-04:00

A man and woman were having dinner in a fine restaurant. Their waitress, taking another order at a table a few steps away, suddenly noticed that the man was slowly sliding down his chair and under the table, but the woman acted unconcerned. The waitress watched as the man slid all the way down his chair and out of sight under the table. Still, the woman appeared calm and unruffled, apparently unaware that her dining companion had disappeared.

The waitress went over to the table and said to the woman, "Pardon me, ma'am, but I think your husband just slid under the table." The woman calmly looked up at her and said, "No he didn't. He just walked in the door".

Bodda Bing! Bodda Bang!...

A guy goes to the supermarket and notices a beautiful blond woman wave at him and say hello.
He's rather taken aback, because he can't place where he knows her from.
So he says, "Do you Know me?
To which she replies, "I think you're the father of one of my kids."

Now his mind travels back to the only time he has ever been unfaithful to his wife and says, "My Gosh, are you the stripper from my bachelor party that I made love to on the pool table with all my buddies watching, while your partner whipped my butt with wet celery???"

She looks into his eyes and calmly says, "No, I'm your son's math teacher."

Thinking out loud...

2007-03-28T13:58:00.000-04:00

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.

Garden Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.

Life is sexually transmitted.

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

Have you noticed since everyone has a camera-phone these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?

Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Cranial Warming

2007-03-22T09:36:00.000-04:00

Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to find my attention span is not what it used to be. Is it because with age, our brains, like our physical bodies, tire quicker? I find my self channel surfing in the car as I listen to the radio, almost never listening to a commercial, sometime even changing the station before the song has ended, just to see what was playing on another channel. Like I might miss something good.
As the “Man of the House”, I am the TV Master and thus I control the remote control. With this power, it is my prerogative to surf, to view the channel guide, to flip-flop between multiple channels and to watch more than one show at a time. There are times when I drift off into a restful snooze only to wake with the remote still in my iron-clad grasp. Can you get Carpel Tunnel from the remote? If so, I think I may have it.
I must admit I have always been a fairly shallow thinker, most of the time taking things for face value as they come along. Oh there are times when I may ponder an issue, particularly a topic that bombards us daily, like taxes, the war, American Idol…
Same thing for reading, I can usually stick it out to the end if I am reading a magazine or newspaper article, but a to finish off a book, it has to be really, really good and engaging. It is just that while reading, I find my mind wandering. How will this end? Who donnit? Or, wondering what’s on TV?
In this day and age of immediate gratification, I am no different than the average video game junkie, in that I need more stimulation, sooner, quicker than in the past. I attribute some of this to our modern conveniences like the cell phone, instant messaging, internet sites (including blogs), digital cameras, ipods and the like, all of which bring us instant pleasure.

There are times, when I really want to enrich my intellect and then I find complex ideas or material hard to grasp, more so than I used too. It is almost like the language or concepts are a speeding asteroid coming straight for earth and then, instead of making an impact, it bounces off the atmosphere and back into the depths of the universe, with little more than a glowing contrail left across the sky.
I am amazed at people like my wife, who is a voracious reader. She consumes 2, 3 maybe 4 books in the course of a week. And what does she do with all that new found knowledge? Conquers the crossword puzzle. As a computer technician, she is more of a techie than me and I am sure her day to day activities help her expand her mind.
Well I must rap this up, I am starting to get bored with this whole idea.
How’s your brain power these days?

And the winner is...

2007-03-08T14:35:00.000-04:00

So this is the last night of rejection to narrow down the field to the twelve finalist for this year's AI winner. As I stated in an earlier post, I have been a pretty good judge of talent and I think this year it is obvious again. To be fair, I am going to choose my two finalist of the men and women and then the ultimate champion. Let's see how well I do this year.

Blake Lewis - he has a really good voice and the coolness to go with it. I think he will appeal to more of today's viewers because of his choice of current music genre.

Chris Sligh - probably the most likable personality. He's got wit and uses his humor to his advantage. Not to mention his unique vocals.

Lakisha Jones - another in the line of big voice women. She has the cutest demeanor and looks almost pouty when she listens to the judges. I think she is the sentimental favorite as the single mom, struggling to survive and win to provide a better life for her daughter.

Melinda Doolittle - I think by now it is obvious she is the judges favorite. Oh she's good alright and with her laughing eyes and winning smile, win or not, she'll go places.

In my opinion these are the top two contestants for each gender. There does seem to be a better field of contestants among the women. Having said that, it will not surprise me if the guys get shutout from the final two, three or even four. I do think that this season's American Idol winner will be...

LAKISHA!

Fallen From Grace

2007-03-06T12:59:00.000-04:00

I’ve been thinking, what makes people want to go in to politics? I am sure some do it out of civic duty and the desire to serve, but I really think most people do for selfish reasons. In a public position, most have power and privilege, most have very nice benefit packages and in some cases, a term or two in office and you’re set for life.

It is very depressing to live in a major urban city where there are always reports of elected public officials in compromising situations, either conflict of interest, immoral or unethical behavior or just flat out taking bribes for influential favors.

We have one particular “Family of Politics” in our city that seems to think they have a birthright to a place of position and power. There has been generation after generation of family members elected to the same state and local positions, even in the face of public outcry concerning their actions. I am constantly amazed that they seem to be unaffected by such publicity. Why do their constituents continue to reelect them? Most elections are now contested due to voter fraud.

We have a mayor who is as arrogant as they come. He continues to make comments that alienate large segments of the city, yet he continues to be elected time after time. We do not have term limits and it looks as if he will be the mayor until he decides to step down. Local media have dubbed him “King Willie” because of his open defiance and his unwillingness to listen to others who serve with him.

Our city and state officials have been exposed to the point that the FBI has multiple investigations going on at the same time. Undercover operations have shown many state leaders taking money in shady hotel rooms, this was known as the “Tennessee Waltz”. Our most recent uncovered debacle was concerning a city councilman who has had his utility bill unpaid so long that it now totaled $16,000+. There appears to be a list maintained by the utility company of prominent people who are not to have their utilities cut off no matter what they owe.

I am not naive enough to think that the bottom line isn’t all about money. Sad to say, isn’t every thing about the money? When you boil it down, it IS all about the money. Just turn on the television, see what people will do for money, almost anything. It doesn’t matter what actions they have to take, what deceit they have to participate in or what raunchy food they have to eat, it just doesn’t matter. This is a powerful message we send to our youth, "the means justifies the end".

I am afraid for our future as a civilized society. What must the following generations endure? My take on things? This is the culture we have developed by debasing our values from a God-fearing people, who knew we would ultimately have to answer to a higher power for our actions on earth, to a Godless people, whose sole purpose in life is self-gratification and to attain as much wealth, no matter the cost of dignity, character, family name, collateral damage or eternal consequence.

My heart aches for the “Let it To Beaver” days when children freely roamed through the neighborhoods without fear of abduction. Where a society with moral values raised men of character and honor, instead of spineless minions who either abuse their spouses or left them to raise a family on their own. A day when good men and women had a strong sense of pride and a work ethic that would not allow them to accept “charity” from others, instead of those who now only know a hand out as a way of life.

Where are the leaders who will save our society? Where are the leaders who will make our streets safe to walk again? Where are the selfless leaders dedicated to the preservation of life? Where are the leaders who will lead by example? I am well aware that we have ecumenical leaders that give us strength, encouragement and counsel for our daily lives and our eternal salvation, but our nation will not survive without some of these fine leaders’ influence and direction. We must return to a nation of people of faith committed to returning this nation back over to God.

Eat, sleep and be merry

2007-02-12T14:35:00.000-04:00

Talk about a wasted weekend. That is just what mine was. We have been running around like headless chickens for so long, seems like before the Christmas holidays. This weekend finally came around and there was nothing to motivate us to get going on anything, especially chores.

It all started Friday night. Chuckie had just come off of her "on call" duty where she was out very late or had to get up very early to trouble shoot problems at customer sites. So after a long week, I called before leaving work to see what was going on. After a brief conversation, we decided on Chinese for dinner. There is a very good restaurant on my way home, so in I went. Here is the list of goods I made it home with for the three of us.

Beef and Broccoli with white rice
Sweet and sour pork with white rice
Combination fried rice (everything including the kitchen sink)
Egg drop soup
6 egg rolls
2 spring rolls
wantans
fortune cookies

For any of you that frequent any kind of oriental restaurant you know every order is enough to feed a small family of four. Needless to say we had leftovers galore even after we ate again for Saturday lunch.

After consuming my meager two pound lunch I settled in for an afternoon of lounging on the couch and some college basketball. That little stint lasted me for about a three hour nap. The kind you wake up from and you stay in a daze for an hour.

Saturday night, my daughter had a babysitting appointment at the church for one of the adult Sunday school classes. They earned service time and we're fed as well. With her gone, Chuckie and I decided to run down to the local Side Porch restaurant for a steak. They have the best. I wish I knew what they marinated them in because they are so tender and tasty. The meal consisted of:

Fresh tossed salad, complete with homemade croutons and homemade ranch dressing.
14 ounce Rib-eye, cooked medium
Large baked potato with butter and sour cream
homemade rolls
Large mason jar of refreshing iced tea

Sunday morning a quick bowl of Cocoa Rice Krispies to hold down the grumblies until we could get thru early morning church service where my daughter was singing in the youth choir. Afterward, I headed off to the grocery store while Chuckie and Pookie attended Sunday school. About an hour and a half later, I caught up with the family at home and unloaded $210 worth of food and drinks (no paper products, no cleaning supplies, no misc). I get a bad rap for buying anything and everything I see as I peruse down the aisle. I will say one thing, when I go shopping, there is definitely food in the house.

Sunday late morning and a lunch consisting of leftover spaghetti and some leftover meatballs (from the Superbowl bonanza) mixed together for a very meaty saucy lunch. Then on to the couch for another respite and two hour nap.

Sunday evening and the pain of having to eat again swept over the household. Lucky for us, someone loaded up the food stuff that very day. Chuckie cooked a marvelous meal where the aroma drove me crazy most all afternoon, yes even as I slept. The meal?

Succulent Chuck roast slow cooked with delish mushroom gray. Of course the roast wouldn't be a roast without the golden potatoes (literally gold)and baby carrots cooked with the roast. And to top that off, a nice helping of Glory brand lima beans and Mrs Shubert yeast rolls.

The meal was so satisfying that I had to get my clothes laid out for Monday morning, get ready for bed (all the hygiene stuff) then popped into bed to finish watching "ABC's Extreme Makeover" show. I was out like a light by the closing credits.

Man, what a weekend.

OLD TIMER ROCK N ROLL

2007-02-09T14:44:00.000-04:00

One of my dear friends called not too long ago and invited my wife and I to the Bob Seger concert playing in our town. We readily accepted. I have never been a true fan of Bob, although I think he has some cool old songs.
Funny thing, I turned on the television the weekend before the concert and on "CBS Sunday Morning" they had a segment on Bob Seger and his current tour. I watched intently as he gave the account of his life and how he got to where he was today. It was interesting to see someone of his musical stature be as "down home" as he is. He dropped out of sight about ten years ago to stay home in Michigan and spend more time with his chibs.

Admirable.

Now he was ready to go back on the road, so he gathered the members of the Silver Bullet Band and off they went. On the road again.

As the night of the concert draw near, I was actually excited and looking forward to some old time rock-n-roll. The concert was played in the local arena called the Pyramid. For years it was the home of the basketball Tiger of Memphis University. Now they have moved to the FedEx Forum (with the NBA Grizzlies) and the Pyramid has been left to become the new home of Bass Pro Shop. It will be coming soon. Anyway, this was the last concert at the Pyramid. So I was apart of history in the making.

As I trudged up the bazillionth stair to our seats high atop the Andie's, I remembered why I didn't particularly care for the Pyramid. Oh the sight lines are great, but it seems you are sitting at a vertical angle steep enough to slide out of your chair and plummet 15 - 20 rows down before ever hitting anyone. Plus, the rows of seats are so close together that anyone of any size has to turn their feet at an angle just to sit, almost like straddling the seat in front of you.

The front band was already playing as we entered the arena. Steve Azar. Never heard of him. I think he's a country cross over. By the time Bob came on stage, there was a thick cloud of smoke hovering in the air, filling all the upper atmosphere in the building. Lucky for us the air conditioner was running, occasionally bringing us a slight breeze. You would think in this day and age of information a plenty, smokers would be a thing of the past. Even though this building was a smoke free environment, inconsiderate people everywhere were lighting up. As the concert went on, a stronger pungent smokey smell could also be detected along with the heavy haze.

The music was great. Bob came out for three encores, even though we were well on our way out to the main concourse before the third started.

Bob Seger is on tour at 61, a dozen years my senior. And yet as we pryed our stiff and hobbled bodies from the stadium seats, gimped down the bazillion stairs and out to the main concourse, where we could finally gasp down a breath of fresh air, rubbing our red and burning smoke-filled eyes, I couldn't help but think, "I'm too old for this". Not, Bob's to old for this. Me.

It has been a while since my last concert and it will probably be a while before I go to another. Beside the large obnoxious crowds attending, you almost have to take out a small loan to purchase tickets. Our mountain top seats were $65 a piece. Had we wanted respectable, real fan seats? $250 each. Ridiculous. Thinking back in my teenage years when I saw a number of top notch bands (Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Elton John, you get the idea) for around $10-15. Adjusted for inflation, still no where near $250. So unless it is someone I really like, like INXS,I'll pass, because the whole time I'm there I am calculating in my head how many CDs I could have purchased for the price of admission. So it must be an experience for the ages, because unless it is, more than likely I am not going to remember it by next year.

A lovely bunch of cocoanuts…

2007-02-01T15:05:00.000-04:00

My family is just as smitten with American Idol as the next American family. It’s the morning water cooler talk every day after and speculation abounds once the competition really begins.
This year for some reason we are not as enthralled with the first round of selection shows. It seems all they are showing are the American Idiots. No way these people really, really think they have talent. No way. After 6 or 7 years of watching past competitons, you’d think these contestants were well schooled by now, but WRONG!

I’m not talking about the obvious losers who are trying to be as outrageous as they can just to get on national TV. I mean the people, mostly teenagers, encouraged by family members, who have had voice training and singing lessons, only to sound like a nanny goat caught in a barbed wire fence.
And what’s with the convulsive flops that are suppose to pass as dance moves? Give me a break.

I am hoping that when the actual competition begins there will be some talent. I have been a terrific judge of talent and picked most every winner, excepting Rueben, after the first couple of weeks. I even picked JD on the “Rockstar” show. Seems I’ve missed my calling. Watch in the coming weeks for my prediction and then see how far I go in the competition.

Wonka World

2006-11-01T19:59:00.000-04:00

In homage to last eve’s festivities, I give you my list of the best candy bars available for consumption, in my opinion, by average Joe and Jane America. The kind of candy that makes your eyes open a little wider and the grin get a little bigger when they come rolling across the floor as the little tricksters dump their haul on the living room floor. Feel free to chime in. My list is not set in stone and I am very much inclined to shuffle things up a bit should an enticing confectionary be brought forth.

Tada…

10. 3 Musketeers. A light and fluffy favorite.

9. Zero Bar. A different taste when you’re not looking for chocolate

8. Skor. The chocolate wrapped toffee bar that is especially wonderful as a cake topping.

7. Almond Joy. Sometimes you feel like a nut.

6. KitKat. A lovely cookie crunch center drenched in chocolate.

5. Twix. Basically the same as KitKat. I’ll take either.

4. Chunky. I don’t remember the last time I had one. The little square block of chocolate, loaded with raisins and peanuts wrapped in the shiny silver wrapper.

3. Cadbury Egg. I know it isn’t a candy bar, but I just couldn’t help myself. They’re so good and I can only have them at Easter. A special treat.

2. Mounds. Dark chocolate and cocoanut. It must be a sin.

1. Reese Peanut Butter Cups. “Hey you got your peanut butter on my chocolate…”. How can you top the taste? It is a delightful treat for the senses. I can eat them as minis, regular or the ginormous triple pack. Yummy.

Fashion Statement

2006-10-27T13:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I was alone driving to work the other morning, laughing my head off. During my hour commute I regularly listen to the ESPN guys, “ Mike and Mike in the Morning”. I only wish I could stay home long enough in the morning to see the simulcast of the show on ESPN2. For anyone who watches or listens to the show is familiar with one of the segments, “Man-Up”. I suppose this started because Mike “Greenie” is a typical Metro guy and Mike Golic is a retired NFL player and a guy’s guy. Anyway, people send in questions for them to give advise about how they should handle different situations that involve manliness or the lack thereof.

On this show, a fellow asked their opinion about how he should feel being married to a woman who was a bigger sports fanatic than him. She was more interested in watching or attending sporting events or games and most definitely knew more sports related information like players, teams, rules, trivia, yada, yada, yada…you get the picture.
They both said he should be as happy as a kid at Christmas.

Then as they bantied the subject back an forth, Golic says hey wait a minute, what if your wife came down the stairs and you started critiquing her outfit? How would she feel? Would she take you seriously? Would she feel insecure? Would she think her womanhood had been challenged?

As married guys, we have all had this done to us. You know what I ‘m talking about…we enter the room, dressed to go out and you give us that stare, the one with the scrunched eyebrows as you cowl your entire face, as to say, “You’re not really going to wear that are you?”. This is what I found so funny, because all men can relate to it. I tell you, my wife and I are at the point in our relationship where I can get the “look” and just turn around and go back to find something else to wear. Most of the time we ask permission before actually changing clothes. Although every now and then I still have to put up a resistance…giving the “look” back, with a resounding “What?” (including the up-turned hands-shoulder shrug while giving yourself the once over).

It doesn’t matter what you knew in a former life, like majoring in Commercial Art, once you reach wedded bliss, you no longer can tell complimentary colors any longer. Really I’m not so bad yet that I wear Bermuda shorts with black socks and dress shoes.

It’s a good thing I work in a business casual environment and can wear kakis because most all of the shirts I own are suitable to them