Happy New Year!

This is it. The last Hurrah, stick a fork in it, it's done! Vaya Con Dios 2009!

Thank Goodness that is over. For many, this year has been a bust, and we can finally put a bra on it and constrain it! We can look at it and say, "Nice!" or we can glance it and put our heads down and go on. Whatever it was to you is what it was.

I am so excited about getting the New Year started. My first act will be to go to California and get companion for my daughter's dog, Akkadian. Debi has decided that one is not enough, and two can live as cheaply. The more the merrier, cheaper by the dozen? I don't know about all that; all I do know is that "The K" is going to get someone to play with and whom he can talk to. I wonder if he will teach the other dog to rub his butt like I do?

When Debi first got Akkadian, he was so small he could fit in the palm of her hand. Now, he barely fits on the couch! He is a 90 lb lapdog and he thinks that he should have my attention and everyone else's attention 24/7. Boy, is he in for a rude awakening. But if we get the right dog, he and his companion will continue to give us a great deal of love and twice as many laughs.

Going on this trip with Debi is kind of symbolic of the new year, too. We have an inkling of where we are going, but we are not sure, and the outcome of the journey is not assured either. Will K like his new friend? Will his new friend like us? Will Dorothy find the new friend as funny and grow to like it as she has Akkadian? We are jumping into this with both feet, flying forward on a highway that is the unknown and the unknowable, hurtling towards God knows what.

That is what makes the New Year and the new Decade exciting. Adventurous. People can get a new start and reshape themselves and recreate a direction. The past is definitely in the Past. Heck, the Cubs could win a World Series this year! The Bears could go-all-the-way! And my book could be best seller! Could, could Could.

Can you feel it? The excitement, the tension, the glass is full expectations.

Or, maybe that's just gas....

Happy New Year!
Doughnut

2009 Finally Ends

And so, it has arrived; the end of the year 2009. Put a fork in her, she's done. Our first full year in the 'Zona is complete. And what a year it has been! After leaving teaching in the summer of 2008, we have had quite a ride through the trying times of adjustment to retirement. There have been some very exciting things for us (maybe not you).

The year started with the kids in the house. Jim and Deb lived here as did our grand dog Akkadian. We had plenty of room, we got along and the laughs were constant. When the housing market out here and everywhere was in the pot, Debi looked into buying a house and found one about a mile from us. She asked her brother to move in (and pay rent), and so they moved in the summer. The downside is, they took my grand dog who is now relegated to visits and Grandpa dogcare while Deb is at work. I'll take what I can get!

I started off the year in a position with Westwood One Radio as a newswriter, editor. I was working overnights writing stories for the East coast. It was a good job, but rather stressful and I was not happy doing it overnight. Had I been doing it during the day, I probably would have stayed. But, I left to work on a book which I should finish soon, and play homemaker.

Dorothy changed positions with her school, and is happier now. We have taken many side day trips to the area surrounding Phoenix, but our favoritie is Laughlin, NV, where we go out into the reaches of the desert and into the mountains to see various sights and ghost towns.

The Cubs disappointed me again. So did the Bears. The Diamondbacks were not much better than the Cubs, but they were not a tease. They started off bad, and stayed there. The Cardinals (football Cardinals) have given us many good Sundays and Jim and I now get together on Monday evenings for "Victory Pizza". Papa John's offers a cheese pizza with a topping for each TD the Cards score and doubles it if they WIN! Fat guys love this offer!

Another great thing about this year... I have started playing golf regularly. Don't be concerned though, I am still awful. It does give me something to do weekly and gets me out of the house. Golf here is not expensive in the summer, especially when you play in the middle of the day in the 110 degree heat. Jim and I have no one on the course to bother us, and we need the space, believe me! I get to see the entire course on some days, and on some days I actually play the middle. I have become friends with some of the people in the houses that rim the course.

As the year ends, I always try to put out new ideas for the next year. I hate to call them resolutions, because that means I have to try and keep them. But "ideas" are things that could be out there, if I so choose. So, here goes:

1.) I will lose weight. (notice I did not say how much.)
2.) I will finish the book and get it published. (By end of spring, I hope.)
3.) I will get a tan. (No problem with this one.)
4.) I will try and find a part time job. (I am running out of beer money.)
5.) I will exercise regularly. (Walking to the refrigerator will not count.)
6.) I will read my Bible more often. (Something everyone should do.)
7.) I will keep in better contact with friends. (They, in turn, will be better at contacting me.)
8.) I will love my wife more. (Is this possible?)
9.) I will cuss less.....(Allright, this is just a hope, but if I do #6, it might happen.)
10.) I will write my blog more. ( Meaning in a regular pattern.)

One final thing. I put out a call on Facebook for my friends to tell me what resolutions I should adopt. The one mentioned the most is, "Be nicer, especially to former students." Would you guys really want that? I mean, if I was any nicer, you'd think there was something wrong!

Love to all of you, and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Doughnut

Christmas Wish

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you have had a wonderful day filled with joy and laughter and family. This has been a good day for us, but we also have had an unusual day.

My kids came over early today and we opened a few presents and had breakfast together. Jim went to work around 11, but Debi did not have to go in as she had planned. She and I went to the new Sherlock Holmes movie while Mom spent the afternoon basking in the sun. Later, Dorothy's brother Jim is coming over with some friends and then we will have an informal meal of Sloppy Joes and potato salad. We will open some more presents when Jim gets off work, and then they will stay the night before returning to Prescott tomorrow. Not our usual Christmas Day.

Last night, Dorothy and I went to candlelight service at North Hills Church where we attend. The service started off in an unusual way. Instead of the old standby carols, we sang "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and a few other secular standards before getting to the more religious standards. By the time we got to these, everyone was in a singing mood, and the place resounded with joy. When we came home, Dorothy and I got into the hot tub, and watched the stars and wondered about their placement in the universe. All in all a fantastic evening.

My wife gave me a wonderful gift this year---a new Bible. I have long lost track of the Bible I had as a youth, and the one I had in college for religion classes. This was the best gift I received. it is not just a Bible, but it also has a study guide and historical notes, and helps with ways I can apply the message into my daily life.

Next up is New Year's. The time we make resolutions (do we ever keep them?) and get a new beginning. I know that Debi and I are going to get her another doberman that day so Akkadian can have a friend. And I am also promising myself that by the end of the year, I will be a mere shadow of this year's doughnut. Which means I may have to give up doughnuts!

One thing I would ask of you for the coming year... Make an effort to have every day be a Christmas day. Wear the joy and tranquility you feel today on your sleeve and put a smile on your face and Peace in your heart.

Doughnut

The Meaning of Santa

Simply by writing this blog today, I am putting myself at great personal risk. If Santa finds out (and he surely will) about this, I could get nothing but coal in my stockings. Or, he may just bypass my house altogether. But, since I promised to tell of a few Christmas origins, I must press on, and I am sure he will approve. So, "laying my finger aside my nose, "....

The Jolly Old Man that is preparing his sleigh for the big trip tomorrow has his beginnings in actually in a real man. Born in about the fouth century in Europe, Nicholas as a baby showed that he was endowed with abilities far beyond those of mortal men. According to legend, he could help the sick and lame, and even raise dead sailors. He became a bishop of Lucia and upon his death was cannonized and became.... St. Nick. He was also renowned for helping those in need by giving them presents and even throwing them money.

St. Nicholas went on as a Saint in the Catholic Church until the Protestant Reformation, when those goofy Protestants renamed hims Santa Claus. They did not want to recognized him as a Saint, but the traditions were deeply entrenched in society by that time, so the protestants dropped the "ST". The real Nicolas died, by the way in December, see the similarities?

Through the years, we have come to know him as Kris Kringle and Father Christmas. We did not acknowledge his toymaking abilities until the mid-19th Century, though. And the idea we get of how he looks originated in a painting by Thomas Nast called, "Santa Claus and His Works."

But we can thank the Coca Cola Company for their contribution to the picture we of him in the present day. In 1931, the company ran an advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post that gave the world a new picture of Santa as he took of his hat, "To the Pause that Refreshes.'
Coke inundated America with pictures in magazines, newspapers, and cutouts in stores which imprinted the image into our society. For the whole story, click here to go to the Coca Cola Website.

You've probably heard the phrase, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." That comes from an editorial in the New York Sun written in response to eight-year-old Virginia Hanlon's letter asking if there was a Santa Claus. The editor of the Sun, Francis Pharcellus Church, assured Virginia in a philosophical answer, " ...Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and he exists as certainly love, devotion and generosity exist...."

And so, whle people decry the materialization of Santa, he exists to symbolize hope for us. He brings us to a place where we give ourselves and open our hearts to people. And, like the Magi, he brings gifts to children, our most precious comodity, in hopes that their hearts will be open and they will go forth into the world and help the less fortunate, the downtrodden, the sick, the poor.

Tomorrow night at our house, we will, as we always have since I was a kid, put out doughnuts and milk for Santa. We will leave a carrot or two for the reindeer, and we will thank him for the presents which he is trying to give to us. Trying, you say? Yes, he is trying to give us the greatest gift we can get...

An understanding and a relationship to that first Christmas, when we rejoiced in the birth of the Christ Child and heard from angels on high, "Peace, Good Will Towards Men!"

HO-HO-HO...MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Doughnut

Happy Birthday to My Pal

Happy Belated Birthday to my old buddy Rudie! You all know Rudie, the 70 year old reindeer that will glide across the sky on Christmas Eve leading Santa on his journey? Rudolph has become one the big symbols of Christmas since his appearance in a Montgomery Ward's coloring book back in 1939. If you have one of those, you will be a very happy and financially stable person for this Christmas.

Now, I am not a young man, although some would think me sophmoric in my humor. I really had no idea where Rudolph originated, nor where the idea of eight tiny reindeer came from. But, being the wise English teacher and purveyor of knowledge that I am, I did some reading on the subject. I found myself totally immersed in the story. Thanks to several different websites (which I will cite at the end of this blog) I learned something new, thereby proving that an old dog can still learn new things.

The idea of eight reindeer probably orginated with the Norwegians who believed that Odin, king of the gods, rode around and delivered gifts in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. The names of the reindeer were, according to Clement Moore in "A Visit from Old Saint Nick" (Twas the Night Before Christmas): Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen. Now, some folks, including Mr. Robert May who wrote Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for Wards, say that the name was Donner, not Donder. But Moore, according to Donder.com , wrote in a note that the name of the reindeer was DONDER.

My friend, Rudie, was discovered by Santa when the Jolly Old Elf delivered items to Rudolph's family on a snowy evening that had severe sight distance problems. Santa apparently asked Rudolph to help him out because of the bright nose, and the rest in history.

Montgomery Wards had asked May to write a Christmas story for a coloring book, and he used a comglomeration of stories and his own personal experiences to create the character of Rudolph. It is not known if Mr. May had a large red nose, though. When the story became popular, May's brother in law Johnny Marks, wrote the song. Gene Autry recorded it after many had refused to do so, and his copy of the song has sold over 12 milion records. 500 others have recorded the song selling over 160 million copies! Autry's version is second only to "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby.

Click on Rudolph Red the Nosed Reindeer to go to a website and hear Autry singing the song on his show in 1949.

Rudolph first appeared on December 18, 1939. And seems to never age! We all should be this lucky. I hope this has you singing the song all day!

Merry Christmas,
Doughnut

Here are the links for your viewing pleasure;

Holiday Traditions
Donder.com
Happy Birthday Rudolph!
Holiday Fires

Mistletoe

As Cbristmas draws nearer, people will gather and celebrate with parties and making merry. One of the traditions in the western world is for two people to meet under the mistletoe and kiss, thereby sealing their friendship and love for each other.

When I was young, I had no idea about this unique tradition. At least no girls ever said, that I can remember, "Doughnut! Get over here under the mistletoe with me!" In college, I vaguely remember being mistletoed, but I was under the influence of eggnogg at the time, and could even venture a guess at who she was. Since I have been married for all these years, there really has been no need for mistletoe, as Dorothy and I practice the custom everyday without it!

The idea of kissing under the mistletoe began with the druids almost 200 years before Christ. These pagans used the plant (which is a parasite by the way) in their fertility rites at the end of the winter solstice to hopefully bring them a good crop of youngsters later in the spring. They apparently did not know where babies come from, and used this highly poisonous plant as a symbol to get the gods to help them beget children. The plant has no roots, and remains green during winter, so they thought that it had magical powers.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, they believed that two enemies who met under the plant would drop their weapons and become friends. Thus, the idea of the mistletoe being a plant of peace came into being. According to legend, when Christ was cruicified, the tree they cut into his cross was the mistletoe tree, and when this happened, God made the plant shrivel down into a vine.

There are over 200 species of mistletoe and all are considered ok to kiss under. Should the kiss lead to more affectation, then one might want to find an oak, or something rather leafy to cover the act from children.

One last thing to consider...the word mistletoe is of Germanic origin. The word "mist" in ancient Germanic languages meant "Dung" (pooh) and the word "Tang" is branch. The two words together mean "Dung branch" because the seed is carried from place to place in Bird Dooh and sprouts right out of the side of a tree that has been defecated upon by a bird. Although unproven, the idea that two people kissing under the plant and getting involved in a relationship that sprouts and grows, is probably dung.

Have a good Christmas, and when you kiss someone under the mistletoe, you should consider if your intentions are true, or if you are just trying to make Mary.

Doughnut

The Feeling of Christmas Every Day

Today was a great day! I am really in the holiday spirit. This is the second Christmas without snow, but I don't seem to miss it at all. There is something about sitting by the pool with a holiday eggnogg in my shorts that just helps me with peace, goodwill towards men. We have established new Christmas traditions out here, and the family is settling in.

One thing the kids (I say this because they are my children, but they are 28 and 30) have done that I am pretty proud of is that they are working on Christmas day so those with families do not have to. They both have jobs that require someone to be on duty, so they have taken it on themselves to work for those who have kids, or want to be at home. What a great gift to co-workers, and shows a bit of selflessness.

I have been doing some research about Christmas and how people spend it. Fifty percent of all people in this survey say they will spend the day at home with family. Twenty-five percent say they will be with their parents. Three percent of the people will spend it with in-laws, and five percent will be with friends. But on a sad note, seven percent will be alone or on the streets.

Can you feel the anticipation and the love during this next few weeks? It permeates the air and fills everyone with hope and joy. People walk down the street with smiles on their faces and say hello to perfect strangers. It is wonderful to feel this way, but disturbing when we wonder why we feel this way now, but not the rest of the year? Why now do we extend greetings. compassion, and hope for peace to our fellow man, yet during the rest of the year, we are oblivious to the problems we see.

This year, I will make a valiant effort to treat others better and to see the love and joy that is offered me. I hope you can feel the spirit of Christmas in all your days, also. Look for that star every night, that child of hope in everyone and let your heart be filled with joy each day.

Felice Navidad.

Doughnut

Holiday Preparations

I usually start my ramblings with a weather report that is somewhat a kick in the teeth to my friends in the Midwest who follow my blog. I let them know, in no-uncertain-terms, that I live in a vertible paradise where snow and wind and rain does not exist and everything is comfy cosy and I eat fruit from my orange trees and get cottage cheese and dairy from the cottage cheese plant we grow in the opulent backyard. Today, however, is different!

Today, it is cold here! While the rest of you dig out, I had to put on the heat for an hour here. It was almost 31 degrees when I woke up this morning; and when we went to the hot tub last night, there was frost on the top. Seems I am destined to be cold in the winter.

Scrooge McShields seems to live in my house, so the neighbors say. We do not put up outside decorations, despite the fact that most of our neighbors do. We have a simple tree that stands in the front window and is lit in the evenings for all to see. That is about it. No ostentatious displays, just a simple celebration of the season, unlike our area which seems to be blowup Christmas decoration heaven. Everyone has at least one, maybe two blowups on their lawns or their houses. One house about a mile from us, has so many decorations on it, they open their lawn at night so people can go out into their backyard and see all they have. During the day, it looks like a perpetual garage sale. But if their display helps them "Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards men" then so be it. We each find celebration in our own way.

In the next few episodes of the Doughnut Hole 503, we will take a look at Christmas celebrations and stories. If you would like to share one of your stories with me. feel free to send your story to coachn3@gmail.com I will read each one and hopefully be able to answer any questions you might have, or at least share your stories with the world.

Until then, stay warm and bundle up out there.

Doughnut

ps... Our family suffered a loss last week with the death of Colonel Jim Sawyer, USMC (retired). Jim was the brother-in-law to my Dorothy's Aunt Dorothy. She and Jim were the last two Oldies of our family, leaving only Aunt Dorothy as the elder of the family. Our prayers go out to Jim's immediate family. Go to a better rest, old soldier.

A Rockin' Weekend

Woke up this morning looking for that beautiful orb that hangs in the sky over my house, and found clouds! Talking about putting a damper on things! I had big plans, but now I must be relegated to the movie theatre this afternoon. Bah, humbug! I moved here to have sunshine,What the heck is this? Oh, I am told that it is one of the 40 days a year that we don't have sunshine and I should get over it.

After further thought on the subject, I am decided that my wife is right for this once... (just once, lest this a habit be.) I could be like my friends in Flagstaff and have to worry about snow that is 1-2 FEET deep! They are under blizzard warnings for today and tomorrow, so i am glad I am not them. Just goes to show you there is always a valuable lining to that grey cloud.

I went to a concert last night with Dorothy. She bought me tickets to Trans-Siberian Orchestra's (TSO) Christmas show out in Glendale. I have not been to a rock concert in about 40 years, so I was really excited. TSO is a group that takes classical music and updates it into rock, adds a light show and fireworks. They put one one whale of an event. I was amazed and astounded at how Bach and Beethoven sound as rock music! What must these masters think from their graves? I imagine they would surely be appreciative.

During the show, I noticed my wife just sitting and watching, but not really reacting with the same enthusiasm she had had when we had gone to see Joel Osteen just a couple nights before. But, I was enjoying it, and afterall, it was my gift. I had never had the masters come alive like that! The explosions the lights, the vibrations of Beethoven's Fifth and Bach's Toccata and Fugue resonated through my body. It was exhilarating.

As we were walking out, I asked her how she liked the Christmas music at the beginning of the show; they had played almost an hour of carols in the hard rock style they use. She said that she did not recognize any of the music, but she said she had fun watching the light show and the look on my face as I listened. She said I was like a kid in a candy store, trying to take it all in, but having some oozing out the sides of my smile.

To my former band teachers and chorus teachers, I say thank you. Thanks for opening up my mind to the music of the ages, for teaching me about the masters and their sounds. Tschkovsky, Brahms, Warner, as well as the other two "Bs" all make the heart race and the imagination run wild, especially when they are updated with the sounds, rhythms, and instruments of today. This makes them truly timeless classics.

Thanks to my lovely wife for a great weekend. From Friday with Joel, to Saturday afternoon with Ellyn, to church with you on Sunday Morning, to Sunday night at TSO...the whole weekend ROCKED!

Doughnut

Early Morning Thoughts

I don't know if anyone has noticed or not, but the days are shorter right now. That means that the sun rises later and sets earlier. I found this out this morning when I got up at 6AM to take one of my many trips to the bathroom that I take overnight. I thought the time was around four, but it was six! And suddenly I found myself wide awake. There were things to do, people to see, money to spend.

I had been thinking that my internal clock was off. For 55 years I had turned to the clock back in fall; but this winter I did not. Now, I am constantly on Central time while the rest of AZ is on some time other than that. I don't know what time zone I am in. I gets dark earlier and that throws me off. I can see why old people come out here, they think they are getting more sleep because they go to Sizzler when it gets dark for dinner, then off to bed! What they don't realize is that it is only 5:30. (Ok, it just took me five tries to find the shift key, I kept hitting the Enter key. Damn darkness.)

When I looked out the window, I saw the most beautiful full moon so early in the day. It was so bright, I could have worked in the yard at that time. In defference to my neighbors, though, I refrained and intead, sat down to pound out this. (Which I am doing by the light of the screen, because I don't want to wake up my wife. She is the bread winner now!)

The overnight temperature here in the Valley reached a low of 37. That is pretty cold, but the desert does strange things. Last year, we had our pipes freeze for the first time in our marriage. (I am referring to our water pipes, not my pipes) It was really goofy. I mean, I have lived where the temps got down to below freezing many times, and NEVER have the pipes in my house frozen! But they did last winter. I should probably move back to the midwest.

The golden orb of day will rise soon, and I have rocks to rake and a spa to put in. I bought my wife a hot tub for Christmas. I feel better about her using one during winter out here than I did back when we lived in Illinois. She was constantly out in that hot tub every night. Even when it snowed. But now, I feel better about it. I don't have to shovel the snow!

I hope you all have a great day. Remember---Where you are at, is where you are!

Doughnut

A Simple Idea

I try to keep out of politics and political conversations. My mom and dad taught me that there were three things you did not discuss with friends: politics, religion and sex. We all know that guys discuss the latter, as do women. I have few views on religion, and keep my politics close to my vest. I like to listen to the pundits and really watch what I say.

I find all of them, both progressive (read here Liberal and Democrat) and conservative (ditto,Republican and the right) to all have an agenda and all the comments are meant to be one big debate. A bunch of nerds discussing philosophy and trying to tie it all to reality. We are actually listening to people that we would ignore in high school because of the tape on their glasses and pocket protector for their pens. But now, because they have a microphone and talk REAL LOUD ON RADIO and have the wherewithal to demean anyone who disagrees with them, we listen and raise their ideas to position of having more meaning than our on thoughts.

Talk about Global Warming! If we could turn all the radio stations, AM and FM to music then we would be better off. TV should show just reruns of Andy Griffith or NCIS, and our heroes could be Andy, Barney, Aunt Bea, Opie, Gibbs, McGee, Abby, Diva and Tony as well as Ducky. We could all banter endlessly about nothing and remain oblivious to the world while solving intricate problems within an hour. And our problems would all make us laugh or at least give us a Gibbsian smirk.

Many of our radio "experts" have little background in their topic and really have no better grasp of what is going on than the rest of us. What they do have is people who research their side and feed them info through little headsets that they can use. Those people are not guarding the president with those things in their ears, believe me.

My proposal is simple. For one month, we do away with all broadcasting and telecasting. Limit newspapers to what is happening within a 100 mile radius of their home base. All other news must come to us through word of mouth. If it does, then we should surely get the truth. Stories will be repeated over and over; and surely no one will add or delete important information that we need to be informed. No one will exaggerate or falsify ideas or stats to enhance their story.

Then we will finally get the true story of what happened to Tiger.

Doughnut

The Most Happiest Season of All

'Tis the holiday season! Those of you who are back in the Midwest and East know this because you are beginning to have SNOW! That four letter word that gets dirtier the longer it hangs around. I hate snow, especially when it has been around for a while and it turns black from exhaust and blowing dust. But, it does highlight the season and it is pretty when it first falls.

My last winter in Illinois was one I will never forget. We lived at Lake Iroquois near Loda, Il. We did not live ON the lake, but rather BY the lake. This distinction was necessary when we went to sell the house. A house On the lake gets about 100 thousand dollars more than one by or near the lake. Anyway, it snowed so much one night, that we could not find the cars in the driveway of our house the next day. Everytime the snow would melt, another storm would come through.

One time my son and I went out and shoveled the pure white stuff off our driveway which was about 50 feet long and 25 feet wide. As we were nearing the end of the job at the bottom of the driveway, the snow plow came through and covered it back in! So, we spent another 20 minutes digging out what we had just thrown out. If i find the pictures of my attire, I will post them here. The temperature was in the low single digits, so I was dressed for warmth, not fashion.

Those types of days all my life drove me finally out of Illinois where I lived for 50 some odd years. (There were 3 glorious years in Southeastern Iowa.) Now I have to wonder not when we will get snow (We Won't!) but rather what pair of shorts and sandles to put on. This isn't hard, though, I only have two pairs of sandles, but a shitload of shorts and t-shirts. I think you can guess what is on my Christmas list...

Houses here do not have to worry about the snow, but they do have to worry about if someone is going to steal their blowup lawn decorations. Arizona must be the blow-up lawn decorations capital of world! People put these inflatable things on their roofs, their lawns, and I even saw one on a car the other day! Imagine my surprise when I was sitting at the stoplight and Rudolph went by on top of a car! His nose lit and everything! Folks put out Halloween blowups, Christmas blowups, Fourth of July Blowups... I'm waiting to see the blowup of Christ on Cross at Easter! Or, maybe they will have an empty cave!

One thing I have always said about living out here when people ask why I moved. "It's hard to shovel sunshine."

Doughnut

Getting back in the groove

Ok, so I'm a slacker. I have not written in about a week. From the last post, one would think that I might have been taken over by aliens, or maybe spirited off to places unknown to live a life in captivity. But that is not the case.



I have been slacking due a lack of energy. The Thanksgiving holidays dragged the stuffing out of me, literally. I must be the only person in America that lost 2.5 lbs on Thanksgiving week! I will spare you the details, but just leave it said that my Turkey and trimmings made no stops. My blood pressure was a woeful 91/61 and I had a little trouble standing. When I did, I could see all the stars I wanted, right there in my own head. A little disconcerting, but it gave me the reason to stay on the couch. I did not go shopping. Heaven forbid! Black Friday could really have been that had I tried.

Black Friday came and went, and my pocket book stayed green. Well, not really. I did take the time to go out with my lovely wife and buy her a Christmas present. When we lived in Illinois, our house had a hot tub on the deck. She would go out in all kinds of weather (including the dead of winter, the heat of summer, windstorms, rain, sleet, you name it she was in it) and sit for hours in the spa. She would make either my son or myself dig out snowdrifts so she could go out and sit. We left that beacon of relaxation back on that deck, so I went out and bought her a new one. She does not need the relaxation since we retired, but she did miss it, and I want her to be happy.


With the season of the year turning to gift giving, we all need to stop and think about doing things for people. Not just buying gifts, but making them happy. On ThanksGIVNG day, we went to North Hills Church here in Phoenix and celebrated by helping to serve lunch to the homeless and the indigent. What an experience that was! We were able to brighten the day for a few people who had little or nothing. Getting a smile off a small child or a person that was down on their luck really made me feel good. I was able to forget my struggles for a while and focus on others.

As we head into the next month and the coming years, we should remember what we are truly blessed with and pass on to others the gifts of joy we feel. A smile, a laugh, a used coat, a cup of coffee all help others to live their lives just a bit better, if not for only one day.

Look to tomorrow with a light heart, for there true happiness lies.


Doughnut

Hannity Enlightens Me!

I have had an epiphany. You know, a sudden sense of clarity about something. And, I have to thank Sean Hannity for it. Believe it or not, he really opened my eyes today during his diatribe on the radio. He is a true American... the rest of us are just posers.

I listened to him go on for about fifteen minutes, I could not turn it off, I was mesmerized by his voice. He has made our country what it is. Only he tells the truth...We should all thank him becaue he is exposing to us the realities of the problems of government. He knows everything, just ask him.

This Thanksgiving, I really want to thank him and Rush, Glenn, and Fox News for exposing for us the ills of our society and the terrible path we are headed down. If only Jesus had these guys second guessing him! Can you imagine what the times might have been like had Sean gone about revealing the truth about Christ? The Master did not feed all those people with loaves and fishes, he did not raise Lazarus from the dead. Those were tricks that He pulled to fool us into thinking there was an afterlife, that there was something better in loving our neighbor. Christ, after all, had ulterior motives.

As I listened to the Rev Hannity, I suddenly realized that he probably had a broken arm from patting himself on the back so much. Never have I heard the first person pronoun used so much by someone with so little to give. But, he got me, I listened. And the more I listened to him, the more I realized that I have to listen to him. I cannot stop.

If I stop listening to him, I won't be informed, because he has read the ENTIRE healthcare bill and quote it line by line and tell his listeners what page his facts are on. I have to listen to I know what is being said about how my life and the lives of other Americans are going to be ruined by this President, but have not been hurt by the previous one.

Hannity is like a combination of the little boy who did not get what he wanted and the bully that tries to take over the block. On one side, his candidate did not win, so he never finds anything positive about the winner. On the other end, he YELLS at you and derides you by telling you how low you are and he beats you up psychologically instead of physically.

My eyes were opened today. And for that I am thankful. Amen.

Doughnut

Oprah's Out...Shields In?

I was thoroughly surprised today when I learned that the big O--Oprah-- is bowing out of her show after 25 years. I did not even realize that she had been around that long! I have always liked her and the way she talks to people. She has a way of being respectful and still able to ask the hard questions. For a girl with humble beginnings, she became the most powerful woman in entertainment, and possibly the US. President Obama definitely gained a great deal when she endorsed him.

Oprah has long championed the underdog. She looks for the best in people and is always an optimist. She has been a leader in civil rights and women's rights, and she shared her struggle with us on her weight loss. We love Oprah because she is one of us. She is an icon, but she relates and gives back.

With her leaving the talk show circuit, there comes an opening for someone else. There are plenty of women on daytime talks...Bonnie Hunt, Ellen, and Tyra all fill the void for women. Dr. Oz and The Doctors have healthcare covered. Dr. Phil helps with problems. It is time that someone filled the empty spot. What empty spot you might ask?

The Baby Boomer Generation does not have anyone. Regis can hardly fill that when he has that cute little honey next to him. I propose that CBS let Don Shields try and fill the void. I have the experience, the knowledge, the ability to talk that could bring people to the TV set during the day. I am more than willing to travel for the job and we can talk about compensation later. But think of it.... I grew up in a small town, worked all kinds of dirty jobs, went to the college of Presidents (EUREKA COLLEGE) taught school, coached many different types of sports at different levels, was a broadcaster, newswriter, author, carpenter, landscaper, housekeeper, nanny; I have bought and sold over 25 cars, eaten at a wide variety of restaurants, worn many different styles of clothes; I have black friends, white friends, friends from foreign countries; I have a long marriage with two well adjusted kids; I laugh easily, cry often, and can talk to just about anyone.

I don't have those model good looks. My head is bald, my stomach round. I am short and not a great dresser. I am not a caricature or a stereotype. But I am an Everyman. I am your kindly old uncle type who can listen, ask you questions, give you advice, be your champion, and have fun all at the same time.

So, Oprah, as you get ready to say goodbye, let's talk. Together we can keep the candle lit. I even promise to try and help Chicago get the Olympics.

Doughnut

And So it Begins...

Yesterday was great. About a 10 on a scale of 1-10. The only thing that kept it from being totally a 10 was the fact that I had to throw on sweat pants early in the day to keep warm. Why the high rating? Well, for one, I got not one, but three new computers! The Best Buy Homemakeover deal was tremendous. And, since my laptop crashed with my book on it and the other computer in the house is approaching a five year life, my wife took pity on me and gave me an early Christmas present. Bless her heart. We will put off the hot tub until spring or at least new years....But don't tell her.

The other reason that yesterday was so great was the start of basketball season. ESPN is having 24 hours of non stop basketball! Talk about a basketball junkie's heaven! I even put off watching the Big Bang Theory until later. Thank God for DVR.

My former team, the PBL Lady Panthers basketball opened up with a win in a tourney last night. That excites me to no end. The team has a lot of seniors and Taylor Rubarts is someone that the major college coaches are missing out on. This young lady is somekind of basketball player, but since she is from a small town, no one notices her. Someone show this to a major program and get her a scholarship,will you?

The best part of yesterday, though, was talking ot my cousin, Sharon Watson in Rossville, Illinois. Sharon and I are only two years apart in age, and were close growing up . But I lost track of her when she got married and moved away. We re-engaged on Facebook and then talked yesterday for the first time in decades. She sounds great and her voice took me back. We vowed to talk often and visit soon.

One thing we found out about each other... We know our parents are watching over us. For her, she sees the number 842 almost every day somewhere. This was her parent's house number on Orange Street in Hoopeston. For me the number is 503, my first telephone number.

Weird,huh? More on that at another time.

But today, it's time to turn to hoops. Good luck to all, even Thad Matta, fellow Hoopestonite and coach at The Ohio State.

Doughnut

Today begins anew...

The days of despair are over.

I have had some issues lately with my computer which culminated in my Gateway laptop crashing down around my ankles last weeek. I lost all contact with the blog world and most of the rest of my reality. My book was temporarily lost, my pictures were gone. My life as I know it came to a screeching halt in a moment.

I never knew how much I depended on my computer. it was my life blood to Papa John's, my connection to Facebook, and the heart of my communications with friends. What did I ever do without it?

Thanks to a fine young man at Arizona Computers on 35th Av and Union Hills, all was repaired. And Best Buy had a great sale on, I now have a complete computer overhaul.

Dorothy is waiting patiently for her spa. So as soon as i get the book finished and sell my first million copies, she can get one... (Hint here, subliminal suggestion.... "Buy the Book!") Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat....

Love to all my readers who missed me. I will be more punctual from now on because all of my excuses are now gone.

Doughnut

Time to Weigh in

I bet many of you thought this would be an update on my weightloss. Ok, here is the good news. As of today (Monday, Nov 9, 2008) I am down to a sveldt 238 lbs. Net loss, 12 so far. More to go.

Now, for the real reason for this mundane, yet important rant. Healthcare. I don't often engage in political rantings and ravings, but at this juncture, I think I may as well have my two cents. Not that it will sway anyone, especially those who listen to the talk radio people. But here goes...

The President and Congress is going about this whole thing wrong. Yes, we need reform, but they need do only one little thing to make healthcare affordable. Get rid of healthcare's protection under the anti trust act of 1945. If insurance companies can be charged with fixing prices (and we all know they are), then prices for care may fall as they all must COMPETE for our business. Also, hospitals and doctors should have to justify their bills. They also need tort reform to help return them to the days when they really had to screw up. (Like the guy that operated on the wrong finger of patients TWICE out east.)

For instance, I told you last week about my son, James and his surgery for a retina detachment. And the cost of the follow up care (see blog of 10/21/09). He received the first round of bills the other day for the surgery center of Scottsdale Healthcare Surgery Center on Osborn. This was the place referred by his doctor, with 80% of the cost paid by his Aetna Insurance policy. The bill was for drugs that were administered to him. The price tag? $2000! Jim is, of course, asking for an itemized bill. We want to see what the individual cost was. We still have not seen the total cost for the use of the surgery room (one hour), the recovery room (4 hours here) and the services of a consult for diabetes which Jim did not ask for. We suspect that Jim will have to pay roughly $3000 dollars, or 20 percent of 15,000! Looks like he will be staying with his sister for while...

The health insurance industry and the doctors and hospitals have people over a barrel.. We can't live without them, and we can't afford them. The proverbial "Catch 22". They know it.

Most of you do not remember the days when the doctor was also a family friend. When going to the hospital was a necessity, not a first idea to avoid law suits. Doctors's have technology to help them make diagnosis, but the patient pays an astonomical fee to use this technology. When is the MRI Machine or CT Scan Machine paid off? At three or four hundred dollars a pop, it should be paid off within a year! But we still pay the high price for it! Maybe they should SAVE and then buy a new machine, not go out and get a new one every two years.

Insurance companies need to be realistic. They help set the "usual and customary" prices. They need to stand up to doctors and tell them that $25 dollars for a 10cent Tylenol is too much, $300 dollars for an office visit that lasts less than 5 minutes is outrageous. Instead, the industry just fuels the fire and then gives lobby money to Senators who are cornered into coming out against real change.

Select Senate members like Kent Conrad, Max Baucus and John Kerry take millions from the healthcare lobby for their campaigns (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-lovinger/its-the-health-insurance_b_269761.html) And the Senate now says it will not even consider the bill passed by the House last weekend! No wonder, huh?

Republican senators say the proposed healthcare will doom the industry and raise prices. Let them come up with a plan, then. They have not. This group wants more freedom and competition. Then take the protections off the insurance industry and make them play by the same rules as other industries. Investigate why costs are so high, don't just sit there and take it. The President is trying to do something to help out, why are they not doing it?

Wednesday, something light hearted.

Doughnut

The Slow Life

The weather out in Az today is FANTASTIC! No clouds, temps in the low 80s and no breeze. Perfect day to clean the yard.

At the hacienda here in the Grand Canyon State, I have no grass to mow, but I do have bushes to trim, and leaves to blow, and dirt to rake. I find it funny that I have many leaves in my yard, but only two trees on my property. Everyone else has trees that give me leaves, so I have to do some yard work. They must feel sorry for me or something. After I did the blowey thing and picked up the debris and did a round of pooh picking (We're dogsitting with Akkadian, my "grand dog" while Debi is putting in grass.) I finally sat down to enjoy the fruits of my labors.

The pool was a little cold (60 degrees), so I dangled my feet in it, fearing that anything else I put in could have dire consequences for parts of my body. And, I was able to drink a tall glass of agua, the lifeblood of the desert. My best friend AK and I sat and contemplated the meaning of the universe and discussed how I seem to be leading a dog's life.

Being retired is pretty close to being a dog. I sit around all day, eat whenever I want, and occasionally have someone scratch my belly. My food is prepared and served to me and I pretty much get the run of the house, even getting to sit on whatever couch I want to sit on in the family room. Every once in a while, someone will play with me and talk kindly to me. I get to go for walks and bathing is an option.

But I do miss certain things. Mowing is one. I miss being on my lawn tractor going up and down the yard making pretty patterns and listening to loud rock music on my Ipod. I do get to rake my rocks in patterns, but it just is not the same. Garage nights are another thing I miss. We used to have nights where we sat out in our garage and friends would stop by or we would have them over and sit in the garage and drink and discuss things rain or shine. People out here remodel their garages into complete family rooms with big screen TVs and pool tables. It just is not the same.

Tonight we will go to a Fall league baseball game, come home and light a fire in the outdoor fireplace and sit around it until we fall asleep. We will watch the stars, listen to crickets as they try to avoid scorpions, and delve into the problems of the universe. Sounds like a swell time, huh?

It is.

Doughnut

Pickle Ball

I am so excited that I can hardly contain myself today. The National Pickleball Tournament is starting this week in Sun City! People from all over the US are coming here to participate in this little known sport and I find that I am somewhat intrigued.

Pickle Ball? It is the fastest growing lawn sport there is. People are putting aside their lawn darts and taking up this game. Old people, young people, fat people, thin people; anysize people can play. And apparently, there are professional Pickle Ball people.

For the unenlightened, pickle ball is played on a badminton court with paddles and a whiffle ball. The paddles are just a slight bit bigger than ping pong paddles, and the rules are basically the same as badminton.

I turned up my nose at this sport when it was in its infancy in 1984. But now, I find myself amazed at the deftness with which old people play it. Shuffleboard had better look out, or it will be relegated to a corner in the retirement communities while the pickle takes over. There are over 45 pickle ball courts in Arizona alone, and more are coming, especially with the stimulus package that is offered to people who want to build one in their backyard. I am sure that someplace in the great money giveaway people can sign up for pickle ball money and get at least a court and fries with it.

Personally, I have not yet played this game. I have a strained hammy, which would go good with some mayo and little pickle ball. But I am going to road trip out to Buckeye this weekend and see for myself the joy of the national tourney. I can't wait to get my souvenir T-shirt. Will it be green with an animated cucumber on it? Or maybe a slogan like, "Pickle ballers do it with relish!"?

For those of you who want to get involved and maybe get your pickle on, go to the official website of Pickle Ball www.usapa.org. There you can learn all about it!

Doughnut

The First Monday in November

Awwww, the first Monday of November! By now most schools are through the first quarter of school, or at least half way through the semester. Time to sit back, reflect, and see where to go from here. The NFL is beginning its downside, and college football teams are lining up bowl bids. The World Series is almost done, and the NBA and college basketball are both in full swing. And, let's not forget hockey, even the national pickleball tournament is underway here in AZ. What a time this is! So many sports to choose from, so many channels to watch. I think I am getting carpal tunnel and thumb lock from using the remote.

At this time of year, most animals coats get thicker. Here in Arizona, a phenonmenon happens--people put on long pants, sweaters, and even mittens and down jackets! What is that all about? I live in AZ, where people come in the winter to stay warm and get away from cold, harsh weather.

The other day, I was filling up my car with petrol (gasoline for you midwesterners). I was in a shirt, shorts and flip flops. The guy watching the station at the Sam's Club was outfitted in a parka, a stocking cap, gloves, and a muffler! He looked at me and said, "You are new here, aren't you?" I was dumbfounded. How could he know that I have lived in the Valley for just a year? "Your attire gave it away..." I guess that once I live here for a while, my blood will thin out and I, too, will require winter attire.

I guess people who live out here full time do need winter clothes. Think about it. In the summer, the highs are around 120, while in the midwest, the highs may get into the upper 80s, lower 90s. Then in the winter, these folks experience temps in the 60s-70s for highs, while their Eastern and Midwestern brethren shiver in highs of 40-50. Both experience drops of about 50-60 degrees, so once you think about it, Arizonians do need winter clothing to keep their bodies warm. Having come here from the land of mist and snow, I am still having a great time wearing shorts all the day long. We fired up the furnace for about two hours total last winter. The rest of the time, we had the doors open. I must say, though, that my pipes did freeze out here last winter once. Our piping runs on the outside of our house over the top of the roof ( A story for another blog) and it froze until our solar energy kicked in about 9AM.

All of America changed time last weekend. Not us. We remain constant throughout the year like our sister states Hawaii and Puerto Rico. It just goes to show that Arizona is the center of the world and everything evolves around us. For my friends in California, this means we are now an hour ahead of you, while our Midwest friends are only one hour behind. Those of you on the East Coast are still two hours behind, instead of three. This lends itself to interesting math during sports weekends. Next weekend, the NFL games are earlier than normal to accomodate the troops who are watching overseas, here in AZ we will see the Bears at around 9 AM! The question is will I wake up to a nightmare or a beautiful dream? NFL pregame shows start at 7AM. I am going to have to go to bed early on Saturday just to be able to see the game.

I need my beauty sleep.

Doughnut

My Grand Dog

My daughter's dog is a hoot! We have been dogsitting this week as Debi has seeded her lawn and is awaiting the arrival of new grass. To keep her doberman, Akkadian, from rolling around in the mud and muck, Dorothy and I took him in for the next two weeks. I have to say that this dog is a wonder. Named after an ancient culture, he has all the traits of greatness.

We often think that dogs do not understand what we say. They do. And through Pavlovian conditioning, we have taught him a number of habits good and bad. And through his own initiative, he has come up with his own.

Since this dog was a pup, he has been a character. When Debi first got him and brought him home, he chewed everything in sight and pooed everywhere, like all pups will. When he finally got his bodilly functions undercontrol, we really started having fun. He would go around the house following anyone who would pay attention to him or just look his way. This often made for some funny instances when we would plan to walk around the house, passing each other. AK would start with one person, then in mid step follow another, then another, until he finally would sit down because he was confused as to who he should follow.

We have a big pool and a nice sized yard. "DingDong" as I call him, will not go near the pool on a dead run, but does like to sneak up on the dog in the pool and bark at him. At four years of age, I am not sure if he realizes that he is barking at his own reflection! He does not like the pool, or water for bathing or sprinklers. Probably due to his incident falling into the pool when he was only about 5 months old, and I had to rescue him because he could not swim.

He does have some tricks which Dorothy (his "grandmother") says are cruel. He loves to play "Dead Dog" and "Undead Dog" but we are working on "Dead Dog" and "Zombie Dog". He also sits, lies, puts his head down, and waits, but is struggling with walk and fetch. He rarely gets out of the yard, so walk is foreign to him. He does take me for a drag around the block, though. Fetch is really foreign to him. He likes to get the toy, but won't give it up and prefers to get close and tease, then run away. He knows how to give sad eyes for part of my lunch and he puts his nose on my chair when he wants my attention. When it is time for us to leave to go somewhere, he goes outside and waits for his treat through the doggie door. But the funniest thing is when he eats off a fork and gently takes the morsel and puts it in his mouth. One night, we had the TV on and were sitting on the couch. We realized that each night, we did not watch the TV, but watched him wrestle with himself and his toys! Who needs Cable when you have a dog?

When he first arrived, Dorothy would not have anything to do with him. She did not want him. Now, she talks to him, pets him, shares breakfast with him, and even put a sleeping area in our room so he could sleep next to our bed. She hates to leave him alone at anytime and often will leave the TV on for company and if we are out at night, will turn lights on in the garage and house so he can see.

And talk about a great watchdog! Dobermans are known for keen hearing. He can hear the neighbors get into their car with windows and doors shut. He can hear and respond to the garage door opening. Open up a bag of potato chips in the pantry with door closed, and he will be there when you open the door up, be sitting, and have sad face on.

I don't have grandchildren. I have a grand dog. And that he is.

Doughnut

My Lot in Life

It is a beautiful, sunny day in Arizona. Really, this place could be the one stop on my journey that is eternal. I think most Shields' that have pursue Horace Greeley's advice have gone through here. Some went on up into the mountains of Oregon, others went back home to the Midwest. The Valley of the Sun, though, seems to be perfect for me and mine.

I wanted to go out west in the early 70s. I made a stop in Roswell, New Mexico at a broadcasting school there, but had to return to Illinois when my mom became sick. And there I remained for about 40 years. I got married, had kids, a career, but I never lost my hankering for the Great Southwest. When Dorothy's mother moved out here for a while, we visited on occasion. Now, it seems we were conducting scouting missions to see if it was the right place. Our missions took many years before we had the guts to make the move permanent.

But here we are. And I have, in the past, raved about the weather and the people. I wanted everyone to know what I had here, hoping to have them move out, or at least visit. But now, I take it all back.

Arizona is a vile place full of scorpions, snakes and heat. It sucks the life out of a person and leaves them to be covered up by one of the holes in the desert. There is unemployment, poverty, crime, and lawlessness. We have a sherriff who thinks that he must "clean up this town" and constantly arrests politicians and investigates those that do not agree with him. Our schools are in shambles and cannot meet federal guidelines and the homeless situation is out of control. During the summer, we boil every day and get no respite at night in this island of heat and concrete. In winter, we have shortened days and cool temps that barely reach 80 during the day and sometimes freeze our pipes at night. Those palm trees swaying in the breeze lull us into thinking we are living in Paradise as they undulate gently in rhythm of the valley.

I have made my bed. This is why I came here. I must suffer here so my readers and those in the cold frozen North can be warned against this place. They must not move here; they must not visit for their own good. Once here, the temptation will be too great to stay and soak in this din of iniquity.

It is my lot in life to warn you. Stay at home in winter in front of the fire, safe from this so-called "Valley of the Sun."

Doughnut

My Eyes Are Opened on Healthcare

I think I understand healthcare issue now. My son, James, had surgery on Monday to correct a detached retina. He has no idea how it happened, but it happened, according to the doctor, because he is severely nearsighted. The optometrist spotted the problem and referred him to an ophthalmologist. This specialist then did surgery to correct the problem. He blew a gas bubble into Jim’s eye and then told him to lie face down on my couch for a week. This is not much different than what Jim did during his teenage years, so I agreed.

Before the surgery, Jim’s blood was drawn and he was diagnosed as being a diabetic. Now he has to go to an internist to have the problem addressed. It’s hell getting old, or so I am told.

Luckily, Jim has insurance. But, if he did not, he would have been paying for this for a long time. When we returned on Tuesday to the doctor for the “post op checkup,” Jim saw another doctor (not his surgeon, who was supposedly off doing more surgery type things). We went into the waiting room which was set up in a theatre like atmosphere with the patients facing away from the reception, but towards a 50 inch LED TV which was playing “The Lake House”. Oddly enough, next to the window where patients check in is a sign that says, “Expect to be here 1-3 hours” (At least they warn you, other doctors don’t.) Jim was called back immediately because he was priority patient.

Once inside the magic door from the waiting room, we were led through a maze of hallways into another waiting room where there were more people. (It began to feel like the stages of purgatory, or a Disney waiting line.) Jim was taken into a room where an assistant checked him out, undressed the surgical eye, and did some preliminary things. After this, he was taken again around a corner, down a hall, and into…ANOTHER WAITING ROOM! Luckily, because of his “priority patient” status, he was put into an examining room. The doctor came in (at least I think he was a doctor, he did not have on the official doctor coat, nor the heart listening thingy). He looked in Jim’s eye, said, “Keep following your doctor’s orders.” And left. Jim saw the Doctor a grand total of two (2) minutes!

When Jim went to leave, he was given a copy of the bill for services had he not been insured. The grand total for the two minute visit and the ride through Doctorland, was $268.00! Or, about 134 dollars a minute. We tried doing math on the intake of this particular doctor’s office. IF he and the other doctors saw only 30 patients each that day (There were more waiting to see him and the five other doctor’s in the practice. Jim had an early appointment.) the office would have pulled in close to $48,240 that day! For the week, it would have been 241,200 and over a year period, $12,060,000, assuming that they take two weeks off for vacation. Now, I know there are overhead costs, but …

Jim has not gotten the bill for the surgery center yet. But he was in there for about 6 hours. They called in another doctor for the diabetes who may or may not be covered under his insurance, even though Jim did not ask for the consult. That bill will be interesting.
Total cost for the eye surgery? My bet is on about $20,000.

How do people that have no insurance afford health care? Those that would oppose changes and even a public option are probably those who can afford it. But, we have to ask ourselves, if the government is to “promote the general welfare” as it promises in the Preamble to the Constitution, is it not its duty to be sure all citizens can be treated?

Next time you go for a doctor’s appointment, ask what the “usual and customary” charges would be for the services provided had you not had insurance. Could you have afforded it?
Food for thought.

Doughnut

Travel!

I am so glad that some of my loyal followers were concerned last week when I did not write all week after Monday. I have been trying to write on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but last week my wife and I took off and went someplace where there was no internet access---Laughlin.

You are thinking why would anyone want to have internet access when there is so much to do in the small sin city? I have become so used to checking email and doing other things daily, that it was somewhat of a bother to not have it. Also, I find it interesting that hotels charge these enormous prices for room rental in these vacation places, but supply no internet, but the hotels that charge $29.95 a night charge nothing.

The trip was relaxing, but not very profitable. After all, when one goes to a casino, one cannot really expect to win. Break even, maybe, but overall the odds are against you. Even the buffet’s are extravagant in price, and a person ends up eating their weight in one meal. I did, however, persevere there and did not eat at but one buffet, then I stuck to the vegetables and little meat. Overall, the week cost me about one pound on my diet. Not bad.

During the day, we often drove around the countryside to small towns via backroads. There are some really beautiful sights once the road less travelled is taken. Oatman, Arizona, Needles, California, and Searchlight Nevada are small towns with a great deal of character. My favorite place on the trip, though, was the small bump in the road called Nothing, Arizona. There is nothing in Nothing. There used to be something, but now there is nothing. The name enthralled me. Imagine telling people that you went to Nothing on your trip. “What did you see?” they might ask you. You could reply, “Nothing.” And you would not be lying. Nothing used to have a population, but the gas station burned down, and the people moved, now the census is…you guessed it… nothing.

How many times have you explored the countryside near where you live? I mean just gone out and decided to turn right or left on a whim and seen where that took you? My brother and his wife once took their entire vacation that way. They traveled the back roads between their house in New Salem, Illinois, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Quite an adventure. That, my friend, is living.

No ideas, or preconceived notions about the people or the places. Just the people and the places to heighten your senses of the humanity. See how the other half lives. Or, to paraphrase Gene Roddenberry, “Explore strange new worlds, seek out new places, boldly go where you have never gone before.”

Happy Trails.
Doughnut

p.s. As I write this, I have learned of the death of a friend, Dr. Bob Basler. Bob, who was born in the early part of the 20th Century, about the same time as my parents. He lived through Germany in WWII, serving in the Luftwaffe and then came to the US where he served his knew homeland in Korea. He was quite a fascinating character who truly wanted to help his fellow man. Bob saw many things all over the world in his 90+ years and he was on of the most learned men I have known. I lost touch him over the years, but I never forgot his sense of humor and his laugh. My condolences to Renee and Chris and Cari and the rest of the Basler family.

You Think We Have An Immigration Problem?

“Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in fourteen hundred and ninety-two.”
Every kid growing up knew that little diddy. It certainly helped me get through the second grade.

And so, today, October 12, we in America celebrate this little known Italian sailor whose own king would not finance him, so he went to Queen Isabella of Spain and schmoozed her into giving him three ships which he named: The Nina, The Pinta, and the Santa Maria. And he muddled his way across the Atlantic and ran into an island, thinking he had found a way around the world. Magellan laughed at him.

All three vessels were small ocean going ships that were good for exploring, but not much else, especially crossing the ocean. Columbus probably got them at the used ship market as they were known by other names. The smallest of the ships, the Pinta, got its name from the mottled color. Pinta is a form of a disease that causes the skin to be discolored, so the ship may well have had many different colors in the wood. But, it was the fastest of the three. The original name was “Los Angeles” but the city in California did not like that such a small ship was named after it, so the crew called it the Pinta, probably after the main staple of the sailors, Pinto Beans. When the ship would get into calm waters, the cook would fix large pots of these beans, feed them to the crew, and then the crew would provide their own propulsion.

The Nina was also a small ship, but only by five feet. That is like saying that your wife is older than you are, but only by a month. You never put in the addendum, you just say, “I married an older and extremely more experienced woman.” Like her sister, the Pinta, she was originally named The Santa Clara. But the sailors on this ship had all known a woman named Clara and she was no saint, although she did take them to Paradise, and they decided that they would not call their ship after such a loose woman out of fear that the boards would not hold together across the ocean. The name Nina is a form of ANNA from the Russian word spoken in French derived from Spanish. It means, “Girl.” And these sailors all felt comfortable riding this girl for long periods of time.

The largest of the ships and Columbus’ flagship was the Santa Maria. Actually, the full name of the ship was “Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción” but the sign painter had trouble not only fitting the entire name on the boat, but also spelling it. So, he shortened it to Santa Maria. Columbus actually rented the ship from another man who turned out to know America Vespucci, after which the continent was named. The man owed Vespucci some money, so in return, he made Columbus name his discovery after America Vespucci, so we would all remember not to borrow money from guys that made payday loans. The Santa Maria was originally called the La Gallega, but this did not work into the diddy, or any other song, so Santa Maria it was. Being the excellent sailor that he was, Columbus ran Santa Maria aground on Christmas Day in 1492. He ordered the ship dismantled and the wood used for a church in Haiti. He came back to this spot three more times, but managed to not lose a ship. He did, however, collect a myriad of shrunken heads from natives.


These three ships crossed the Atlantic amid terrible conditions. They had live livestock for food (imagine the smell), water and rum to drink (and you wonder why the wandered the ocean blue), but no toilet facilities. We probably can rightfully claim that these people polluted the waters on their way over, thereby starting the whole global warming situation.

Columbus’ arrival in the New World became an official holiday in the US in 1934, although the forethinking state of Colorado made it a state holiday in 1905. With the help of Italian lobbyists and the Knights of Columbus, FDR signed a bill making it a Federal Holiday. So now, all federal institutions are taking the day off (the slackers). Many schools do not recognize this day anymore as a holiday, but rather celebrate it in the school cafeteria with spaghetti or pizza.

So, if you are one of the hard working federal employees enjoying the day off, congratulations. If you are one of them working today, enjoy the time-and-a-half. But remember this:

Columbus did not really “discover” America, it was already here, and its Native populations are all wondering how they could have stopped the immigration.

Doughnut

Advice to the Social Network People

My Facebook account has quite a few “Friends,“ most are former students. I do have a few from my high school days, or those from college, but most of my group is from students I had while at Paxton, then PBL High School. I use the program to see what the kids are up to, how their lives are changing and how they are maturing. I really enjoy it, and keeps me up to date.

But all the picture posting has me wondering what my friends and I would have done with all this technology when we were teens. I mean, now, kids don’t seem to have any issues that are not private. They go out on the town, get drunk, their friends take their pictures, and these end up on any of the social networking pages or YOU TUBE. Nothing is sacred anymore.
Kids have no sense of pride for either themselves, or their parents. Girls don’t find it embarrassing to get their picture taken kissing other girls; nor do they blush at finding themselves in various stages of undress. They need to stop and think WWMPT (What Would My Parents Think?) Also, if they would not appear before their parents and put a double lip lock on their best girl friend, it probably should not happen for future employers to see.

Same with guys. If they would not appear falling down drunk in front of the ‘Rents, then they probably should think twice about posing for that picture of them upside down on a keg at an underage party.

We did some unusual things, I’m sure. But what we did not do, is brag about it to the ENTIRE globe! We did not immediately call someone and show them the picture phone picture of us surfing down Main Street on top of a car. The lack of technology actually saved many of us from embarrassment and allowed us to continue on to college without our parents or the school knowing what we were up to. If we took pictures, we had to go to the local drug store to send them in. This stopped us from taking those provocative pictures because we knew that Mabel at the store would call Mom and Dad and let them know the pictures were in!

My advice to people who take and post pictures from parties, or dates, or private moments is this….DON’T. Especially if you don’t want your parents and friends to know how stupid you really are. Take a step back just before you pose or snap that lens and think…WWMPT?

Doughnut

Roll Over and Hit the Snooze

Baseball season is over for Cubs fans like myself. It really has been since the August slide, but I have hung in there with hope until they were mathematically eliminated. The Miracle Mets of 1969 came to mind, and so I thought there was some possibility. How wrong can one man be?

Good things are beginning to happen, though. This morning, around 4AM, I was awakened to a sound which I had not heard in quite some time….rain on the roof! We had a downpour which lasted for about two hours. That may not be news where you live, but here in the desert, we cherish that sound like no other. It is amazing what a little thing like rain can be taken for granted.

People out here go crazy when it rains. One would think that 30 inches of snow was about to fall. The TV stations go crazy with weather and traffic updates, there are live reports as if this phenomenon occurs once in a blue moon. And, it does.

The rain this morning was the first we have had in our part of the valley for over a month. Imagine that, 30 days without rain falling from the sky. (We get rain, and the Dakotas and parts of Wyoming get snow already.) Many people out here were running around like Chicken Little. My neighbor was out in it washing his car! Our street floods sometimes, so some kids were readying their rafts to go floating down the street BEFORE SCHOOL!

Arizona has what is named, “The Stupid Motorists Law.” No joke, that is the name of the law. It goes something like this: If you drive your car into an area that is marked, “Do no enter when flooded” and you get caught and the police and fire departments have to rescue you, then you pay the bill for those services work, AND you get a big fine.

Imagine, my friends back in the Midwest, if the stupid motorists law applied to you during a snow storm. It certainly would cut down on people needing to be pulled out of snowdrifts on the Interstate, wouldn’t it? You pay for the tow, and you get a fine for being out when you were told travel was hazardous. “Boss, sorry, I can’t come in today. The risk of being caught in the storm is too great.”

A little advice, if you please. When trying to decide what the weather is going to be like in the Midwest during the winter, watch the Southwest. Our rain patterns eventually cross over into Colorado, Northern Texas and Oklahoma, then make a beeline for the Midwest. Where we have rain, you will soon have snow once the temperatures drop. And, according to the Almanac, we are in for the wettest winter. I guess you can see what that means for you.

On those cold, snowy mornings, you can do what I did today; roll over and hit the snooze.

Doughnut

Routines?

I talked yesterday with friend in Illinois who is still in the rat race of education. He was telling me how full his schedule was this past week with homecoming and everything. When he asked me how I was doing, I replied, “Oh, nothing new out here. My schedule is not as full as yours is.”

After we finished and I folded my phone (no one hangs up anymore.), I began to think about my statement. Nothing new? How about turning off the airconditioning? Losing weight? Starting a walking regimen? House work daily? The book? Oh, No! I have nothing new! It's the same old routine.

I mean, it does not stack up with the excitement of grading papers, planning and teaching lessons, filling out endless meaningless piles of paperwork, dealing with uncooperative and unappreciative students and parents and administrators who are clueless. But retirement is somewhat stressful. I mean, do I use a nine iron or a wedge? That alone stresses me considerably because I don’t hit either very well. Do I eat lunch at Subway or McDonald’s? Both offer senior discounts and apparently I pass for someone over 60.

Then there is the endless housework. I have a new appreciation for women that are stay at home mom’s or even for those that work and keep a good house. I try to get the dishes done early in the day, then do floors, make beds and clean toilets. On non-golfing days, this is done by 9AM, on golfing days, it goes by the wayside. I do windows once a month and the yard weekly. How the idea of the woman sitting around all day eating bonbons got started, I will never know. I mean, this is hectic, hard work. I never have time to bake a peach pie or whip up a batch of cookies, let alone sit and watch Oprah or Dr. Phil!

My walking regimen is just getting started. By the time the housework is done, I put on my Nikes, plug in my IPod and go for a twenty minute walk through the neighborhood. All the other mothers and retirees are beginning to look for me, and we exchange greetings. I just do not have the time to stop and gossip; although I am sure I will someday.

The creative non-fiction book about my youth is stumbling. I had hoped to get it done by the end of September, but that went by. Now, I am hoping to get it finished by Christmas. Hopefully, it will be out by late next spring. I was having trouble deciding which stories to include, because there are so many stories of my youth, and the old memory is fading as I get older. That is why it is partly fiction! I can use basic events, and then enhance them. It is strange that as I reread the story, there are no villains. No villains, you ask? Nope, you’ll just have to buy it to see if you are in it!

So, the day is off to a good start. And, since it is Monday, I am off to the golf course to see how many balls I can lose. I hope your routine is well established. And remember the line from the old TV show, “Hill Street Blues” “Do it to them, before they do it to you.”

Doughnut

Music Lives

This is not a Michael Jackson memoir, nor is it a remembrance of any particular group. But it is a statement about memories.

I am at the age where I can say, “Back in my day…” or “Back in THE day…” I can really talk out of experience about having to walk to school through snow in the coldest of winters, or not having air conditioning in the summer. Heck I could even talk with pride about not having a dial telephone, a computer, a TV, or even flush toilets!

My generation (baby boomers) had some real musicians in it: Sinatra, Martin, Cole, Armstrong, Ross, and even Barry Manilow to name just a few. We actually listened to the music these people made, had no trouble understanding the lyrics, and even can recall most of the tunes even now. These people made music.

When Chuck Berry, the Big Bopper, Little Richard, Elvis, and the Beatles came on the scene, we had no trouble being inspired by them. The radio waves filled the air with the sound of harmonies and well thought out songs which had an impact on society and awakened people to the problems it faced. They also spurred our hearts to fall in love.

We had sock-hops at lunch time during junior high. All the kids raced back to gym, threw off our shoes and we went out on the gym floor and mingled and danced until it was time to go back to class. Couples had “their song,” usually a slow song where they would hold each other close and shuffle around the gym in the full view of everyone else because the lights in the gym were on. Many a relationship was born at those sockhops, and many egos were bruised by rejection.

In high school, we had weekly dances out at the pavilion in McFerren Park. The Shades of Blue, Shadows of Night, the One-Eyed Jacks, and a new band from Champaign called REO Speedwagon played regularly for us. The sound became big, but the songs were memorable and still allowed us to sing along with melodies that moved us. All we needed was a beat to “free our soul.” The music spoke to us about war, our lives, loves, hopes and, in some cases, our failures. Badfinger, Hall and Oates, Steely Dan, Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Credence Clearwater Revival, and other groups were musicians who raised our social consciousness

When I listen to today’s music, I have a little difficulty. For one thing, I cannot understand most of the lyrics. New songs do not speak to me. When I ask youngsters to explain the song to me and what it means, they have difficulty enumerating the theme and idea of the music. I get rap…I don’t understand most of it, but I get it. Pop songs are the ones that floor me. Maybe I don’t listen well, but is seems like there is more screaming than singing. Where is the rise and fall of emotion we heard from Bing, or Natalie Cole and her father? Where is the build, the crescendo?
Will kids remember the song they were listening to when the planes crashed into the towers, like I remember the song on the radio when President Kennedy’s death was announced? (Dominique by the Singing Nun). For them, what will be the “Day the Music Died?”

Crosby, Still, Nash and Young recorded a song called “Teach your children” that pretty much tells us that we must pass things on. Our love for music, the world, and each other. We will reap what we sow. I put a link at the end, so you can go to it and read the lyrics.

Have a great day, and remember, your yesterday can help determine your offspring’s tomorrow. Sing a little each day. Teach your children, well.

Doughnut

http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/c/crosbystillsnashyoung6061/teachyourchildren237794.html

Where every you are, that is where you are at.

What a great day! I have been perusing Facebook this morning, checking in on my peeps back in Illinois. I even called back to the local power company to check on a piece of mail and was able to talk to Mrs. Brown back there. She and the others told me that the cold, windy, rainy, snowy, truly miserable season is beginning back there. I paused for a second, gave thanks, and then smiled from ear to ear.

I know, I tend to gloat over the fact that I am rarely cold anymore. We have our air conditioning on until the temperature drops to below 90, which is usually near mid-October. Heat? We seem to store it up. Last year, we had our heat on in the house a total of one day. We use it in 10-15 minute spurts to take the chill out, then once the sun comes up, it goes off for the rest of the day. Sleeping is fantastic.

I made a comment a few blogs ago about how bad I felt for those who live in Denver, CO. Denver got SNOW on the next to last day of SUMMER. I am sorry, that is just not right. Justin Kingston emailed me and told that he would take the weather, the views, and the people of Denver any day of the year, and it was worth doing some shoveling. Denver averages sixty-one inches of snow, and that is a great deal of shoveling. Me? I feel it is easy to shovel sunshine.

Sure, Denver has snow-capped mountains, but there is nothing better than the Sonoran Desert at sunset with its majestic Saguaro Cactus opening its arms to the sky surrounded by a background of mountains. Did I mention that we get sunshine? Arizona, not Florida, is the true Sunshine State. With over 300 days of the golden rays, the state is a winter refuge for many snowbirds.

I have begun to get a glow, not a tan. It is kind of like that doughnut that is in the hot grease, gets that perfect color, and is still soft on the inside. Out here, I have a tough time sleeping. Not because I have some sleep disorder, but because I am excited to awaken and see the sun come up.

Where ever you are, though, is where you’re at. And that place is the current place for you. Enjoy.

Doughnut

The Day of Reckoning

I started a new diet today. I know what you are thinking, “He does this all the time.” But this time, I mean it! After going to the doctor yesterday and getting on the scales and then having him tell me that I should go to the local gravel pit so they can weigh me, I decided that it was time to get the excess off.

We discussed the possibility of some kind of surgery to help out; lap band, gastric bypass, sewing my mouth shut, all of those new ideas. But he said they were really for younger people and not for me. NOT FOR ME? Does this mean that I have lost my youth? Am I suddenly old, do I get to be charged less when I go to the movie? Halleluiah! Finally, I have made it! But this does not account for the backhanded jab. I mean this guy had old written all over him. Long, 60s hair, glasses down on his nose; I mean, if I am old, this doctor was ancient. And on top of that, he was 15 minutes late. (There was probably a crowd at the Golden Corral Lunch buffet down the street!)

So, I am relegated to cutting back. 1500 calories a day, he said. Hey! I have that in one pizza at night! 1500 calories? My God, meatloaf has more than that in the bread crumbs. Doughnuts are a “NO”; Whoppers are definitely out; the BIG BEEF BURRITO SUPREME will have to wait at the border. What is a fat guy to do?

I spent my “Last Supper” with my favorite friends, pizza and cheetos. I washed them down with a Diet Coke while watching my Monday night line-up on CBS. I never knew there were so many fast food commercials on TV! Everything looked so scrumptious, I was like my daughter’s dog, Akkadian, drooling all over the place and wanting a cookie.

So here I sit at the computer after having a hearty breakfast of 12 grain bread (It still had oat seeds in it), one egg, and two pieces of turkey. All that for a grand total of 190 calories. Quite filling actually and with the no calorie “Can’t Believe It’s not Butter” on the toast, I never missed the butter. Another thing I never really realized…How much my life revolved around planning my next meal. Now, it is my life!

1500 calories a day. Now I have to find a way to expend more than 1500 calories, if I want to lose weight. I may have to revert to exercise. (EEEEWWWW!)

Doughnut

T-Shirt Police Strike At Second Grader

As our kids grew, we allowed them to watch Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street on Public TV. Turns out that we have unknowingly scarred out kids for life. A school in Arizona near me last year made a 2nd grader turn his Sesame Street T-shirt inside out, deeming it offensive. The lovable characters who neighborhood helped our kids learn to read, write and sing had an ulterior motive to which we were blind.

This youngster wore this shirt to school as many of you allowed your kids to do. It had Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch on it. These subversive characters were recognized by mugshots on posters all over. The principal of the school immediately took action and made the perpetrator turn his shirt so he would not infect the other children and bring about the end to society or at the least incite a riot on the playground.

The characters represent, according to the principal, the worst of human characteristics and offend many in our culture either openly or subliminally. If you look at them closely, you can see that she is right on the mark and we should do away with all these characters and with anything might be different or inspire differentiation. The world would be a better place if we did not know how to get to Sesame Street.

Cookie Monster is the largest and most obnoxious of the characters. He is focused on only one thing, cookies. He will steal to get them, connive to obtain them, and because of this, he represents obesity. How many of us have Cookie Monsters in our family? These gluttons just want one thing to get more dough and sugar into their system so they can make our family’s lives unbearable. Never mind that he can count cookies, he is dangerous and subversive to our way of life.

Oscar the Grouch lives in a trash can. A character with a big heart, he is constantly saying negative things. When he learns he is wrong, his character softens and he gets along with others. Do we really want our kids to know that speaking out for themselves and ideas is wrong? Oscar promotes dissension with his constant grousing, and we want kids who are docile, go along with the status quo, and don’t think or express ideas. After all, those that create problems and rock the boat should be ostracized.

Bert and Ernie represent a questionable relationship. Who is questioning it? Suddenly two guys who live together and share bills and a house and a bed have a questionable relationship? Maybe this is all they can afford. Who cares? They offer the kids ideas on getting along. When I was growing up, my brother and I slept in the same room. We should be happy that these two have survived.

This school also will not allow any shirts that have liquor or religious symbols on them. The liquor I can understand, but religious symbols? Teachers are also forbidden from wearing jewelry in plain sight that depicts anything religious, and no jeans. These female teachers are now working with kids and are expected to get down on the floor with them, move around and get up again? Some kids, I imagine, will get quite an education!

I wonder if Mr. Rogers is ok? After all, he often went to the Land of Make Believe.

Doughnut

Whacky

I am definitely out of whack.

This morning, I was in my office catching up on email and Face book (I do not do Farmville, though) and the TV was playing in my office. Just noise, but it is good to every now and then catch up on what it happening in the world (Just in case someone tries to send me one of those forwarded emails that are supposed to wake me up to what is happening in the world by giving me a false story about something…)

Just as I got up from my chair to go get more coffee from the kitchen, (God, it is good to commute to work inside my own house!) a story about get-a-ways to Sedona was ending on the TV in my office. As I rounded the corner into the kitchen, the story ended again. DÉJÀ VU? No, my two TV’s seem to be separated by a delay of about ten seconds! This really astounded me… I mean, how can one signal to two TV’s be separated by such a large amount of time?

What if there was a break in the space-time contiuum and I actually was able to move through time backwards ten seconds? I mean, I could take back stupid things I say or do before I say or do them! Arguments with my wife would be narrowed down to nothing. Or, I could do other things over and over until I get them right.

If I developed quickness (at this stage of life, that is doubtful), could make bets with my kids after I know the outcome. Or I could go to Laughlin and make a killing! The possibilites are endless.

Television and movies lead us to believe that if we change the past, we change the present or the future. But, if the past is changed, then the present and future never know anything else, so there is really no change.

But would I really change the past? No, all my great friends, experiences are a part of me. To change them would be to change me. And I am about as lovable as one fat guy can get.

If I could change something, though, I would not let that wagon tongue-thing drop on my head at an early age….

Doughnut

When Did We Get Like This?

I feel bad for the people of Denver and Boulder, CO. They never got to have fall. They went right from summer to winter.

Today is the first day of Fall, the autumnal equinox has occurred and we are now moving towards the cold days of winter. Denver did not get to even experience Fall as its residents woke up to snow on Monday. They missed it completely.

What else have they missed? Raking? Leaves blowing all over? Indian Summer? Did, they wake, like Brigadoon, one hundred years later and now are totally confused by the world?

Let’s face it, the world is going a little crazy. Iran says Israel should be annihilated, Israel says they have to nuke Iran so Ahmadinajad will shut up. Michael Jackson is killed in some bizarre mishap. People are already beginning the “End of the World” chant for December of 2012...

When did our world get so paranoid? Probably when 9-11 occurred and the rock of the Free World was attacked and did not turn the other cheek, but went blindly off to right the wrong. Things began to spin a little faster then, and we became suspicious of everyone and little happening.

It could have been when CNN was created and we suddenly had access to news 24-7-365. CNN “embedded” reporters in war zones. I remember when the US first attacked Saddam. Just before a basketball game I was coaching started, we stopped and had a moment of silence for the soldiers involved in the invasion. Playing a game did not seem appropriate, but we did, to show that no one can disrupt our lifestyle. After the game, though, we all went home and huddled around the TV until the wee hours of the morning watching as the bombs fell.

Life has never been the same since. Our lifestyles have changed. We are now searched before flights, before entering stadiums, before going on trains. We have not missed it; all this has occurred while we had our eyes open and were fully awake.

The only thing we missed was the Cubs fading in the fall. That happened in mid-August.

Denver is covered in snow, has a winter storm watch out for tonight. Time for them to put on their wooly underwear and build a fire. They can brew the hot chocolate, wrap up in a Snuggie, and settle in.

Can spring be far behind?

Doughnut

Reality of Today

Is Reality TV real? I admit readily that I refuse to watch the so-called “reality” shows like “Survivor” or “Big Brother” or any of those other shows like “Clean House”, or “Hell’s Kitchen”. But my family seems to be enamored with them. Where in the world is there any reality at all in them?

My wife and kids gather in the living room on just about any late night and watch RECORDED versions of the “Hell’s Kitchen,” “ Project Runway,” “Ace of Cakes,” “Food Network Challenge” and a verisimilitude of others. They laugh, discuss happenings and berate the players. I cannot watch these. I guess it is against my better judgment as to what good television is and what is not. Where is the plot? How are these people not following a script? I know that if the guy on Hell’s Kitchen got in my face while I was preparing a flambeau, he might have hot stuff on him. This is not “Reality”; no one would take that abuse. Matter of fact, most of these people who are screaming and yelling and demeaning people would be opening themselves up for a number of lawsuits. This is not reality, because it is not live; not REAL, All these shows are taped, and all the participants must sign non-disclosure clauses. By the time we see these shows, they have been over for months and have been edited. Not exactly reality, is it?

Sports programming is live, dramatic, and one never knows the outcome until the end. That is reality! How do people deal with adversity, communicate, resolve conflict? Even the weather becomes a factor in those sports that are done outdoors! I am not talking about the entertainment of wrestling, I am talking football, basketball, golf, volleyball, even extreme sports! Like the ABC Wide World of sports always said at the beginning, “The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.” That is what reality is, not whether the execs of CBS decide Johnny is off Survivor because his ratings are not high enough.

Reality is creating expectations and living up to them. As a coach for over 30 years and parent for a little longer, I have had my instances of defeat and I have had them victory. I yelled at my players and my kids when they stepped out of line, or did not live up to the expectations I set for them and myself. No one was harder on me than me.

Recently I know of a coaching friend who was suspended from coaching for yelling at a player who had thrown his helmet and cussed at a coach. The player stepped out of line and my friend admonished the kid strongly in no uncertain terms. But was athlete punished for his behavior? NO… my coach friend was, though. His head coach did not even stand up for him. The head coach did not discipline the athlete, either. The administration listened to the players, the parents, but not to the coach.

Now, that is the reality of today!

Doughnut