"Christmas without a tree"

(Editor's Note: This is my first posting in over a month. Why?? Well, I really don't know. Usually, I have a lot of things to share but for some reason I lost the desire until yesterday when we spent Christmas with my grandchildren and I suddenly found reasons to write again. I hope you'll enjoy this story.)

This is the first Christmas without the fresh smell of pine wafting through our home. Actually, the smell of pine exited some years ago when we replaced the traditional fresh-cut conifer with a more practical and less expensive artificial tree. But, nonetheless, we were without "the tree" this holiday season.

We haven't been any more rushed or busier than we have been over the years but our lives have changed and our kids have grown up and now their kids are old enough such that Christmas and Santa has changed locations.

Pattye, as usual, did all of the shopping and wrapping and cooking and tagging....and I did all my suggesting and kibitzing.

I asked a couple of weeks ago if there was anything she needed and was relieved when she commented that she had it under control.

When I asked, "what about the tree and outside decorations" she said, "if you want to put up the tree, go ahead, but since no one is coming to our house this year we might as well not go to the trouble".  

Mixed emotions including disappointment and relief passed over me and then I realized that a new chapter of our lives had taken place. The torch had passed and instead of being participants we had now become spectators. And you know what? It was great.

I think for the first time since my kids were 4 and 5 years old , I had the chance to really see the glow and excitement of Christmas. For too many years, I have been more concerned with having enough presents, spending the most amount of money and having the decorations all in the right place and forgetting the innocence of children at Christmas.

Although we live in a time when ex-husbands and ex-wives and double grandparents and extended families have called for detailed planning so as not to create any conflicts as to whom is at whom's house and who gets to spend Christmas Day and Christmas Eve together and who gets along and who doesn't, it's still about the faces of children when they open the presents that Santa or Grandpa or Grandma has delivered with all of the bright shiny paper and colorful bows.

Yesterday, we spent Christmas, or rather Christmas Eve, with two of my children and their children.

Caleb, who is 4, had all of the stories that have been passed down for ages etched in his mind.

He explained in detail how Santa would leave from the North Pole with his giant bag packed full of toys and gifts for all of the "good" boys and girls around the world. The idea of how this impossible task could be achieved never once entered his mind.

He told me how the reindeers would land on the roof and how Santa would plunge down the chimney and fill the stockings and place all of the presents under the tree.

Santa then would eat the cookies that Caleb would leave for him and take some extra snacks for Rudolph and the other reindeer.

When I felt like I had to interject the religious significance of Christmas and whose birthday we were celebrating, Caleb knew the right answers, but moments later he said, "Grandpa, let's talk about Santa some more".

I laughed like the jolly old man himself and saw the joy and innocence in his face.

He made my Christmas one I'll remember for a long time even though it was the first experience we had in our home without our tree it was truly a Norman Rockwell moment.

I realized then what being a Grandpa was all about during this holiday season, and that a tree, even artificial was just a tree.

Merry Christmas!!

"The Dance"

The few remnants of Fall are desperately trying to survive as the leaves hang on for one last gasp while Canadian Winds howl through Dallas at 50 mph this morning. Mixed with a smattering of rain it is one of the few days of the year that I find I can't venture out, or at least choose not to, in order to conduct business.
That being said, I've decided to open the Devil's Workshop with my idle hands and muse about things on my cluttered mind.
As Dancing With the Stars comes to its conclusion tonight after a way too long season I have to make a confession.
Although the demographics indicate that the dancing reality show is most watched by women, I will admit I am a fan. Not so much for the "B" list of celebrities that strut across the floor but because I like dancing.
The person who promised to love, honor and twinkle my toes and I spent the first couple of years of our marriage spending at least one night a week cruising the dance scene and showing off our stuff. As a matter of fact, our first encounter almost 21 years ago happened when I asked her to dance.
But like everything that once glittered it eventually fades, we now only have a chance to twirl and dip at an occasional wedding.
I guess it's partly lack of time, partly too tired and partly we find ourselves in a little funk at the end of the day and settle in to either watch a movie or get caught up in a stupid sitcom.
But boy, I miss dancing.
Recently, I have called or stopped by one of the many dance studios that suddenly are appearing all over town to inquire about lessons.
Even though Pattye and I make great partners and have some good moves, both of us would like to learn new dances such as the Salsa and the Swing and a perfect Waltz.
And what better time to start dancing again now with its great resurgence.
As I gaze out the window and watch the leaves dance their final dance as they twirl round and round in the wind trying to break free from their branches, I feel young again and am eager to spin my mate across the floor.
I think I might pass on the green shoes that Emmitt wore last night but a tux with tails might not be out of the picture.
Shall we dance?

"The Winds of Change.....or is it just Wind""

The votes have been cast...the results are in. The Democrats have taken over the Senate and the House and a new Secretary of Defense has been put in place. All in one day.
Incumbents are licking their wounds, the newly elected are frothing at the bit to get a piece of the action.
Winds of change??
I doubt it.
I not cynical because my candidates lost. In fact, I really didn't have any candidates.
I simply voted for the least offensive.
And, for the first time in my voting life, I strayed from voting a straight ticket. Part in protest, but probably because I am beginning to see the light.
I'm not embarrassed to tell you that I even voted for a candidate here in Texas, who in fact received the least amount of votes in a 4 candidate race for Governor.
Why?.....Well, actually he made a lot of sense. He pretty much told it like it is. It was almost like a continuation of his long running standup comedy routine.
I grew up in conservative atmosphere, a home where working hard and doing the "right" thing meant good things would eventually come to you. My mother volunteered for years for the Republican Party. The party for those, at least I thought at the time, was for the business people, the doers.
I can remember as a student at a Catholic elementary school as being one of only a handful who didn't support JFK in a straw vote held in class. My God, the nuns stared at me as if I would go to hell for not supporting a catholic president.
But, that's how I was raised.
My daddy drove a Ford. His daddy drove a Ford and his daddy's daddy drove a Ford. It was just a tradition.
But does it really matter what Party these people represent?
I don't think so any more.
This government will continue to stay gridlocked for the next two years, and then the next two years and then the next two years and so on.
Oh, we'll eventually get out of Iraq. We'll do it the same way we did in Vietnam by simply declaring victory one day and bringing our troops home. Long after many have died or left maimed.
The economy will go up and down, each political side claiming victory when things are good, and each side blaming the other when things are bad.
So will things change? I doubt it.
"The Wind of Change is simply Wind.....or better yet, simply Gas!

Time-Warner Cable.....Good People, Tough Circumstances

Cable customers around Texas or maybe even around the country I guess, are having to endure a transition of power (no pun intended) from the previous owner, Comcast, to the new owner Time-Warner.
I've been through this once before when ATT Broadband sold to Comcast and for the most part there were few snags except for eventually having to change my e-mail address. But since we live in a mobile society changing addresses has now become part of the American way and in reality it kind of gives you a fresh start.
But not this time.
Due to what is now a catch-all for things that can go wrong, a glitch occurred, or rather several glitches.
On Wednesday, people in North Texas were sent e-mails fromTime-Warner explaining the process of changing over to the new system and how to set their PC's accordingly. But unfortunately, you couldn't receive your e-mail to read your e-mail, nor could you send any. Hmmmmm.
However, if you were smart like me, you knew you could log onto your server and retrieve your e-mail without going through your e-mail program.
Confused?
Well, so were most of the people around here as well.
Being the good blogger that I am, I e-mailed D Magazine's Front Burner blog, and they were kind enough to post my searing comments, only to find there were other people going through the same frustrating scenario.
Front Burner is well known for getting the attention of practically anyone in authority, from congressmen, senators, mayors, you name it.
Gary Underwood, Director of Communications for the North Texas area, responded to the blog and explained what had happened and thanked Front Burner, which meant me, for bringing their attention to the problem.
Problem solved. Er'... not just yet.
So Thursday morning I log on and now we have no internet access at all. I went through all of the steps, re-booting, turning off the modem, cussing, ....you know the procedure....and I was able to determine there was no signal coming from Time-Warner.
I stayed on hold for about an hour, (I am one determined SOB) and reported the problem and was told, as I expected, "there were service problems in the area".
As I was leaving for work, I saw no less than 8 Time Warner trucks in a two block area and I knew we were in for a long day without the Internet.
Stopping one of the drivers, he told me they were upgrading the service in the area, and it would be restored around 2 or 3 PM.
I could live with that but I was a little peeved that no one had taken the time to send me any kind of an e-mail stating such.
At 4:00, we still had no access.
I called Adam McGill at D magazine, he was the person who had posted my comments, and asked him if by any chance he had a phone number for Gary Underwood. Adam passed it on to me, and after calming a little bit, but not much, I called Mr. Underwood and told him of my problem including the fact that I had thousands (a slight embellishment) of people who read my blog and they would hear about this.
It wasn't too much longer that I had Jeff Ferrell, a very experienced technician, show up who began trouble shooting my problem. Later, Ty Gibson, another technician pulled up in his truck and along with Abe Robinson, their supervisor who remained in constant contact on the phone, they finally solved the "glitch" at 7:00 in the evening.
Also, Gary Underwood made several calls during that time to check on the progress.
We discussed the whole event and did find out that residents were supposed to have been notified by mail and even a door tag that this upgrade work would be taking place.
Perhaps I missed the mailings, but I definitely didn't receive the door tag and there is some suspicion that neither did many of our neighbors.
So, by the mere fact that you can read my blog today, I am back on line. Back in the groove.
And once again, I've learned it's not what you know but who you know.
I wish all of the good people at Time-Warner success in the coming challenges and I hope they don't encounter anyone else like me......or maybe I do......it does build character.

"Just when you think you have seen it all"

After raising 5 kids, and now have 3 grandkids, I felt like I had just about seen it all......Nope.
What Pattye and I saw at the grocery store Sunday morning tops it all. Here was this lady, young mother actually, who had two kids, probably ages 2 and 3 with about a half basket of groceries, some fresh fruit and vegetables and the rest canned goods and paper items.
She had made a direct line over to the service desk and was having a somewhat animated conversation with the Service Manager. She had one child, a boy, in one arm and a little girl standing next to her with her shoes off and holding them in her hand. It was a little chilly that morning and I was a little surprised to see the little girl holding her shoes.
I heard the Service Manager make a comment "that's OK, things happen. Don't worry about it."
I figured one of the kids must have broken something and it had gotten all over the food and probably on the little girl's footwear.
We continued to checkout when out of the corner of my eye, I saw the woman head for the parking lot in a pretty hurried fashion.
And then, I noticed the cause of all of the commotion.
Apparently the little girl was riding in the seat in the basket and she decided to relieve herself all over her pants and all over the fruit, vegetables, and other items.
It was too late to offer any assistance, thank God, as she made her way out of the store.
Pattye and I realized what had happened just about the same time and we both agreed that was one that had never happened to either of us.
Yep, just about when you think you have seen it all, something new pops up.

"I'm a laugher ????"

I don't know what that really means though. But that's what I am. And, it seems like it keeps getting worse...or better.
It's not that there is a whole lot to laugh about these days, but when I see or hear something funny, I really laugh...a lot.
I used to think that when I heard sound tracks on TV or heard a particular voice in a live audience, that it was a "plant", someone who had been placed there to help inspire an audience.
But now I have become that guy. The laugher.
I guess it's OK though, except when I sense something really funny and then look around and no one else is guffawing like me. Either they didn't get the joke or maybe I read more into it than they did.
The worst occurrence is when I am driving by myself and happen to hear something funny on the radio and begin banging on my steering wheel in an uncontrollable fit, only to look outside the window at the car next to me and get some kind of weird stare.
Are things that funny?
Probably not, but I like to laugh.
I think some of the wittiest "stuff" still can be found in newspaper comics.
Each morning, my day is starts by running through the 5 pages of the Dallas Morning News comics section.
Get Fuzzy ranks at the top of the list, even though I sometimes don't even understand it. And of course there is Pearls before Swine, again, one that makes me laugh, but also occasionally confused.
I grew up listening to comedy albums. Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby, Cheech and Chong and Redd Foxx were all on my list.
Just thinking of the exchange in the Cheech album about the "Dave, Dave's not here, man" brings a smile to my face. (You'll have to do a little research to learn more about this routine).
And as a kid growing up in the 50's. What excitement when a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis movie came out. I couldn't wait to get to the Saturday morning showing.
Abbott and Costello's great routine of "Who's on first" can still make me laugh today.
And what about Groucho and his crazy brothers. And the Three Stooges.
Sometimes late at night, or rather early morning, I'll scan through the cable network hoping to find old clips of "The Little Rascals".
I guess I could probably do a little self diagnosis and find out why I seem to be laughing louder and longer these days. I'm sure some expert will say I am seeking attention to myself and am really sad on the inside and am crying out for help. Who cares.... not me.
Actually, some experts say that laughter prevents heart disease .
If that's the case, then good. I'll live to a ripe old age.

"I'm sick and tired of idiots"

I'm so mad, I could spit!
Why??
This is why. This story out of Massachusetts, pretty much sums up what it happening in the world.

ATTLEBORO, Massachusetts (AP) -- Tag, you're out!
Officials at an elementary school south of Boston have banned kids from playing tag, touch football and any other unsupervised chase game during recess for fear they'll get hurt and hold the school liable.
Recess is "a time when accidents can happen," said Willett Elementary School Principal Gaylene Heppe, who approved the ban.
While there is no districtwide ban on contact sports during recess, local rules have been cropping up. Several school administrators around Attleboro, a city of about 45,000 residents, took aim at dodgeball a few years ago, saying it was exclusionary and dangerous.

Now don't get me wrong. I am in favor of protecting our children, but come on people. It's bad enough we have pedophiles in our Congress preying on kids. Sex offenders being released from prison after only serving a few months of their sentences (personally, I know how to solve that problem and it involves a sharp knife, or maybe better a dull knife), but not allowing kids to play at recess because they might get hurt, give me a break (no pun intended).
We wonder why our kids are obese. We wonder why are kids sit in the house all day playing on the computer. We wonder why our kids grow up and go to college and Mommy and Daddy have to call their professors and try to intimidate them to get a better grade.
You've read the stories. You've seen it on the news.
What in the hell have we become.
There were no better days in the Summer, or after school when we would go to the park and play baseball late into the evening. We could go on bike rides without any fear of being assaulted.
We would swim in lakes, walk in rivers, and share each other's Cokes.
Someone recently sent me an e-mail, I wish I still had it, listing all of the things we did as kids AND WE SURVIVED.
I am sick and tired of the people who enact laws and regulations that are not allowing kids to be kids.
It's time we started acting like parents, and let kids be like kids and take control back over our lives.
I'm sick of idiot school administrators, lying politicians, dumb-ass parents, .....etc.
I'm sick, sick, sick and pissed off.

"Abducted by Aliens"

Few people know the story of me being abducted by aliens. For obvious reasons I rarely share the story but perhaps it's time to bring the facts to a broader public.
About ten years ago I suddenly awoke from what seemed like a deep sleep. The surroundings hadn't changed. As a matter of fact I will still sitting on the bed getting dressed as I always did. Alternating days from putting one sock on and then one shoe, from the routine of the previous morning of putting each sock on and then each shoe. I do little things like this just to keep some variety in my life.
But this particular morning, I remember looking at my watch and noticed it was exactly 5:40 AM. Ten minutes later I found myself in the same position, one sock in my hand, getting ready to put it over my foot!!
Ten minutes. Ten full minutes had dropped out of my life and I couldn't account for any of the time.
Now I know everyone thinks there is a simple explanation for this. From simply reading my watch incorrectly, to simply being a little groggy. And yes, I will admit this was back in the days of my alcohol consumption.
But this was real or rather surreal.
I truly believe I had some kind of out of body experience.
I don't remember anything that transpired during this time. I don't remember hovering over the room. I don't remember any little green men probing me and inserting rods into places that should never be explored other than by trained medical professionals. I don't remember anything that happened at all.
The only thing I do remember is that ten minutes had come and gone and I couldn't account for it.
The only plausible answer is that I was abducted by aliens.
And now, now it has happened again.
Three weeks have passed and I can't account for much of what has happened to me other than a few hazy images of getting up every morning, going to work. Installing a new hard drive and reinstalling tons of software into Pattye's computer. Replacing a monitor on my machine. Watching the Texas/OU game and becoming very depressed. Watching the Dallas/Philadelphia game and becoming very depressed. Writing four blogs that still remain in draft form. And a few other odds and ends.
It has to be the aliens. There is no other answer.
Where o' where does the time go?
It's like I can hear every tick of the the clock these days.
Three weeks have come and gone and I am still trying to put that sock over my foot again.
Have I forgotten to stop and smell the roses? Yes.
Have I forgotten to stop and spend time doing what I really take pleasure in doing , like writing a blog? Yes.
Have I forgotten to take time and enjoy the love and friendship of those around me? Yes.
Have I been abducted by aliens?, Well, maybe.
Life really, really is too short.
I still have my list of things I want to see and do before it is too late.
See a whale.
See a shuttle launch.
See the Grand Canyon.
I'm not getting any closer to any of these dreams than I was ten years ago.
Today starts a new T.K.
I'm refocusing.
I will savor each minute like it was my last.
I'll.......oops just remembered I said I would help them out at the store today.
O.K.
Tomorrow I'll refocus.
Tomorrow I will savor each minute.
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

"Confidence"

"There is nothing that saps one's confidence as the knowing how to do a thing."

I wish I had said this, well, actually I just did, but I mean I guess I wish I had said it first. But I have to give credit to my old hero Mark Twain.
There's a whole lot of things I know how to do, some good and some real good. Writing this blog falls into the latter category. I usually know what I want to say, and certainly know how to do it, but sometimes lacking the confidence to put it on "paperless" paper is another thing. I want it to be funny, inspirational, and most of all witty. "Paperless" paper is witty.
The person who promised to love, honor and buttress me (oh puulease....that means support, I could see those perverted images you had in your mind) is just about ready to pull out her hair because of my moping around the house with very little spunk these days. I don't know what causes spunk, or lack thereof, but spunk is important. Without spunk, you sit at a keyboard daydreaming, checking your e-mail every five seconds. Without spunk you tend to drag yourself slowly out of bed wishing the day was ending rather than beginning and worst of all.... you eat. Yep, I got spunkitis. Yep, I can tell. All I have to do is look at my belly and tell I have had spunkitis for the last couple of weeks.
I think spunkitis usually happens around this time of year and we used to call it Dog Days of Summer.
We've been brutalized with record hot temperatures. We've thirsted for rain as we have watched our reservoirs dry up leaving shorelines stretching halfway into the lakes. And now the humidity sets in as the tropical storms begin to gather on our coasts. So now we wait for September to finally allow us a chance to shut off that electricity-devouring monster, air conditioning and open the house up to a cool breeze but then we get...... spunkitis.
Oh yeah, there is one other factor causing this funk..... waiting on the new fall season of shows to start on TV.
One good thing has happened though during these doldrum days. I have become an aficionado of The History Channel. Over the last couple of weeks, I have learned about how chocolate is made, how the carvings on Easter Island were transported, how Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and much much more.
So I guess it hasn't been a complete loss.
And maybe it isn't a lack of confidence. It's just a little melancholy and soon the Autumn winds will sweep away this misery and put that little bounce in my step that I so dearly miss.
Oh yeah, and then there's football, and the State Fair of Texas and Texas-OU weekend, and raking up leaves and cleaning the garage and getting ready for a garage sale and cleaning off my desk and washing the cars and planting trees and, and , and.......Hmmmm, maybe the Dog Days weren't so bad after all??

"Last post sucked"

Pattye and I agreed that the last post SUCKED, so I took it down. Will try again later today!!

"A time to plant....A time to reap"

From the Book of Ecclesiastes, although probably better known from Pete Seeger's music and performed by the The Byrds .....I have been "planting" the last couple of days so I can "reap" next month and pay bills. Be back tomorrow.
........To everything - turn, turn, turn..... I hope this song doesn't stay in your head all day long!!

"I've finally met my match"

OK, I give up. I have finally met my match. I put up a good fight but I know when it is time to quit.
As I had mentioned in my last blog my cell phone cratered and had to be replaced.
Now I'm a gadget kind-of-guy. If a revolutionary electronic piece of equipment comes out, I am one of the first ones on my block to buy it. The last 4 or 5 computers Pattye and I have purchased over the last 10 years, I have built from scratch. I know about stuff.
But either things are changing a little too fast for me, or maybe I just don't want to fight the fight anymore.
I'm talkin' about using all of the features on my cell phone.
Heck, I don't even think it should be called a phone anymore. It should be called a communications appliance.
I realize it is hard to find a comfort zone, and, after going through a learning curve people like to settle in where life becomes enjoyable.
My old phone, may it rest in peace, and I were in a comfort zone. It worked great, well...fine.
Oh, it would drop a call every now and then. Occasionally I would have to play the "can you hear me now" game. But, it did what it was supposed to do. I called people and they called me.
But this new machine. ....Wow.
Trouble is, I don't know how to use it.
I got "tired-head" after only a few minutes of reading the 532 page instruction book.
It took me 15 minutes to find out how to turn the thing on!
It takes pictures, send pictures, does IM, (for those of you that aren't up-to-date is instant-messaging or what really is taking 10 minutes to type a message that you could have verbally told someone in five seconds). It has a ticker with a headline banner of breaking news across the screen, which by the way a screen that can have any kind of wallpaper that you want. It grooms the dog, it makes a souffle etc., etc., etc..
And I'm scared that it might be able to do the one thing, the only thing that Pattye still keeps me around for.......... it might be able to cut the grass.
But it really doesn't matter to me that it does all of these neat things. I just want it to make calls and get calls.
Yesterday, while I was checking to see if I had any calls, cause' I keep it stuffed in my jeans and normally have the radio blaring and can't hear it if it rings, (I can get over 10,000,000 different ring tones) I saw that I had missed 2 calls.
But I was stumped. How do I find out who called me?
As I was fiddlin with it, while sitting on the tail gate of my truck sweating in 100 degree weather, a non-English speaking housekeeper saw the confusion on my face.
She had a similar type phone and through hand gestures and my Spanglish we were able to find the correct menu to see who the last callers were that were trying to reach me.
She even showed me how to put the callers into my address book, that I'm not sure I could find again if I had to.
But it works. It does exactly what I want it to do. I can call people and they can call me.
Oh, by the way, I even have a unique ring tone. One that nobody else has. One that I could always discern if my phone rang while with a group of people.
I use the one that comes already with every new phone, and I am sure everyone but me has changed to something different.
So call me, but don't send pictures or IM's, because I wouldn't know how to find them.

"I am impotent....er....was"

It came on gradually. I started seeing signs a few days ago. Something was wrong but I just didn't want to face reality. I didn't want to tell Pattye, but obviously knew she would find out sooner or later.
And then yesterday it happened.
It seemed to just go limp in my closed fist.
Panic rushed in. I made a quick prayer. The kind where you ask God to just give you one more chance. Just once and you'll promise never to abuse it again.
And then suddenly it came back to life.
I could almost feel its strength begin to take shape and I silently screamed, "Yes!!".
And then nothing.
I was impotent.
No longer the person I was just only days ago.
I felt like I had no power.
No ability to perform the way I was supposed to perform.
I didn't feel complete. I felt in a sense like less than a man.
Had it been overuse? Had it been the result of neglect? Or did I just play with it too much.
Whatever the reason, here I was, alone, impotent and unable to use the one thing that I have come to reply on in times of need.
After I came to my senses I immediately decided to take action. I would not accept defeat. I began searching for an expert in this field.
It took about an hour to find a specialist.
He wanted to see what it looked like. I pulled it out and the look on his face told me what I feared most.
"This thing is really old and probably used up, but it looks like you got a lot of play out of it."
I sheepishly smiled and thought of the times where I had used it. Sometimes late at night by myself. Sometimes with others in a group. I even played with it in a movie theater when the lights had gone down low.
I had always heard "use it or lose it" but now I wasn't so sure.
We talked for awhile about my dilemma. He felt like he had an answer.
I called Pattye and told her I had a problem and explained that I would go into further detail as soon as I got home. She said to "do whatever was necessary, regardless of the cost, just be sure I had it "working" when I got home. Whatever we have to do to give you satisfaction, we'll do".... A true wife. A true friend. I knew I could count on her.
After what seemed like hours of waiting and discussions and instructions of how to properly take care of what has become very important to me, I left for home. A new man. Powerful once again.
I rushed in the door and pulled it out and showed it to Pattye.
I was no longer cut off from the world. I could perform all of the duties that she has come to expect from me.
I even brought one for her, even though she didn't expect it.
Yes, I had a new cell phone. I was back on top again.

"I could have been a rocket scientist"

I don't want to diminish such a highly respected profession, but I guess a rocket scientist is the bench mark we use in distinguishing levels of intelligence.
Although my GPA in high school and college did not attest to any hope for me in becoming anything more than a Journalist or entrepreneur. I always felt like I had the capacity to learn, think and then apply my findings. My problem always seemed to be that "my rememberer kind of got plugged up". Even more so today when I try to recall what I just read 10 minutes ago.
But I really think if I had the resources that exist today, mainly the computer and the Internet, I could have excelled in a scientific field.
I have an insatiable appetite for knowledge. I love information. I love to gather information. And what easier way than the Internet.
Just yesterday, after watching "Bounty", a remake of the original "Mutiny on the Bounty", there was a scene in which the ship's navigator was using a sextant to plot his location. I expressed to the one who promised to love, honor and keep me on course, that I would like to learn how to read a sextant. Surprisingly, Pattye commented that she knew how to read this ancient GPS locator. At first I was a little shocked, but then knowing her and that she can do just about anything I wasn't surprised, but impressed.
Years ago, it would have taken a trip to the library or at the least a search through a set of encyclopedias, if your family was fortunate enough to have a set, (Hmmm.....I wonder if there are still encyclopedia salesmen out there since the Internet) to research and learn about a sextant.
But today, in just a matter of minutes, I had learned the basics of finding out not only where I am, but could even figure out where I am heading.
And then the other day, after we were watching some low budget film about an Indian who is captured by traders and whisked off to England in the late 1600's and sees his first horse, I make a dumb comment, "wait a second, I thought all Indians rode horses."
Once again, my partner corrected me by stating that the Spaniards introduced the horse in what is now New Mexico in the late 1600's and the Indians on the East Coast wouldn't have been exposed to such an animal. So, I get on the Net' and sure enough everything I wanted to learn about horses in America was right at my fingertips.
And then this morning, after what has been another scorching day in Texas, I decide to see what some of the hottest places around the world have been in the last week, thinking that surely Africa and Australia have to be in the 200's and 300's if Texas is in the three digit range. Nope, an immediate search shows me that Texas is one of the hottest places, except for Iraq.
Who'd a thunk it?
What would it have been like in the 1960's and 70's if I would have had the immediate access to all of this information. Would I have been joining the teams at NASA in planning for the first trip to outer space. Would I have been doing research to find a cure for some catastrophic disease. Would I have been reading temperature tables from around the globe to maybe change my beliefs about global warming.
Nah, I probably would have been blogging, and just gathering the information to pass onto everyone else.
I guess it is just my destiny.

"A Gift Close to My Heart"

Only a wife of almost 20 years knows what to give her spouse, someone who has it all, for his birthday.
Against her better judgment for my health's sake, the person who promised to love, honor and not necessarily keep me porcine, gave me a birthday present only someone in Texas could really appreciate.
Yes, Pattye spent hours in the kitchen creating a gift that is close to my heart. Not so much in the sentimental way, but more in the cholesterol way.
She presented me with her signature meal.....The Chicken Fried Steak.
As I said earlier, you have to live in Texas or maybe a border state to really appreciate this delicacy.
Oh, I know we are chastised by the elite critics from the NorthEast who question our taste in fine dining, but until you have savored this bonne bouche please refrain from judging our cuisine.
And certainly, don't disparage Pattye.
She is an excellent cook. Her list of recipes is endless. Several years ago, she published a cookbook, a compilation of her family's recipes from over 5 generations that sustained her ancestors as they settled in Central Texas, many of them living into their 90's. And yes, the chicken fried steak appeared numerous times in the cookbook as a favorite meal second only to ribs and brisket.
The chicken fried steak appears on the menu of many of our fine restaurants. Oh, it might be disguised as a breaded veal cutlet or some such nonsense but a Google search of the carnivore's dream brings up over 6 million hits.
Many displaced Texans upon return to the Lone Star State clamor for this thin slice of beef steak, double-dipped in an egg batter and bathed in a secret mixture of flour and spices. And after pan fried in hot oil at the exact temperature so that the coating sticks to the meat this steaming feast is covered in home-made country gravy served with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans.
Yes, it was a delightful birthday. One that I can relive again tonight with leftovers.
In a sense I guess you could call it a gift that keeps on giving.

"Why we don't go to the movies"

Oh, we watch movies. In fact, we watch one almost everyday. As long-time subscribers to Neflix, we receive new and old releases regularly in the mail. But we don't go to the movie theater.
With yet another 100 degree plus day scheduled for our already burned and parched city and having a few hours of free time on our hands, we decided to take in the latest blockbuster at the local movie house, a place that advertises "refrigerated air".
I grew up going to the movies like every other kid in the 50's. Saturdays were always special. That chance to fantasize in the world of Western heroes, science fiction serials and an occasional love story. As a matter of fact, Pattye can attest to the fact, that "West Side Story", is still one of my all time favorites.
We decided to catch a late-afternoon showing of Pirates of the Caribbean. With the schools already in session, we figured we could avoid a packed house of noisy little urchins and relax and have dinner, (popcorn and cokes) all in one sitting.
Johnny Depp is high on my list of gifted actors, and who could deny that Keira Knightley is one of the hottest stars on the screen. The action was great. The suspense was intriguing and the cinematography was brilliant.
But the sound, or better yet, the noise was absolutely unbearable.
It was only a few minutes into the previews, that I was reminded why, we don't go to the movies.
The decibel level must range somewhere between the sound of commercial jets on the tarmac at DFW airport and 105 mm Howitzers firing in the Iraqi desert.
My ears literally are still ringing this morning.
For the life of me I just can't understand it.
Is it just me? Have I become such a curmudgeon that the simple act of going to the movies has now become another item on my list of complaints of what is wrong with the world.
I'm not an old fart.
I have a MP3 player. Actually, I have had one for several years and it is loaded with such great hits as 16 minutes of the "Iron Butterfly's" In a Godda da Vida" and Jimi Hendrix's incredible riffs on his Fender Stratoblaster. And I am sure at one time this music was just considered loud noise.
So what is the problem?
I guess maybe it's the volume.
Maybe the theaters should offer a plug-in for your own "ear buds" or better yet, rent head phones and add to their exhorbrant profits that they make on popcorn and candy.
Hmmmm. Not a bad idea.
Regardless, I highly recommend "Pirates" but you might take a little cotton to muffle the sound.
Or, you might just wait for the release of the DVD and enjoy the movie in the luxury of you own setting.

"Roomin with P.J."

O.K. I promise this is the last reunion story...well not promise.... but probably, er... maybe.
I have had a request or two for a synopses of Fairview's Class of 1966's Reunion.
I know I would bore most of you with a story about seeing friends that I haven't seen in 40 years, or how some perfectly sane people would get tattoos at this stage in their life or how grown adults would laugh about getting thrown out of high school for "mooning". So, I'll just talk about what it is like to get to sleep with P.J.....well, not really sleep with P.J.....but room with P.J.
I must mention that it is only a rumor that we were voted "Best Couple" at the Reunion.
Surprisingly, we have only seen each other, I think, 4 times in the last 40 years. The first time was a short visit in Lake Tahoe, back in the late 80's. I guess it had been almost 20 years since our paths had crossed. Pattye and I had gotten diverted to Sacramento on our way to Lake Tahoe and P.J. and his wife Patty (notice any similarity there, one note also...he and my wife, my two best friends share the same birthday) picked us up at the airport and drove 3 hours to take us to our destination. The next time or two were simply a short visit when he was changing planes in Dallas. And then we finally got to spend some time at the 35th Reunion, although we didn't room together.
The last time P.J. and I stayed in a hotel together was in 1966 when we, along with about 50 some of our classmates went to New York City for a week. Probably one of the greatest times in high school. Funny though, how no NYC stories came up at the Reunion.
I wasn't planning to make it to the 40th but as I had posted in an earlier blog, I had been encouraged by friends and family to make the journey.
P.J. was one of them.
Here is a guy that might call you anytime during a 24 hour day. Say about 4 sentences and hang up and leave me laughing for hours. My wife thinks it's pretty silly, but she allows me a lot of silly things.
So, I decide to go and P.J. and I decide to room together.
From the time he arrived, about 5 hours late, P.J. was non-stop talking. And I loved it. I have no idea what we talked about. No idea what he or I said. I know we packed 40 years into 72 hours and by the time we left my chest actually hurt from laughing.
Both nights, we didn't get to bed until 3 or 4 in the morning. One night was after a meal of ham and cheese omelets seated amongst every convicted felon on parole in Dayton at the only Waffle House open at that time. And served by a waitress who was going to California the following week to appear on the Judge Brown TV show to discuss her suit with a former girlfriend. Now, that makes me laugh. Typical stuff he and I seemed to always run into.
He is high maintenance though.
Even with only a few hours sleep , I was getting up at around 7:00 A.M.
Now I am just kind of a coffee guy and maybe a pastry if there is one around.
But not P.J.
No, I had to go and find a bottle of chocolate milk and a bottle of Gatoraide, not just Gatoraide, but Rain Gatoraide.
Now I know this really all sounds pretty stupid and actually I wish I hadn't even written about it.
And I am sure there is much more to this story, like how we were talking and I had asked him a question and next thing I heard was snoring.......pretty funny, huh.
Well, maybe not, but it was funny to me and it makes me laugh. Just like when he calls me and says a few words, hangs up and leaves me with tears in my eyes from laughing.
Pattye thinks it's silly. I think it's silly. But, that's P.J.
That's my boy!!

"I'm staying with the reunion theme a little while longer"

Actually, I think it is pretty good stuff....the reunion stories that is. My biggest problem though is determining whether I write for your enjoyment or do I write for mine.....whatever....anyway here goes.
While in Dayton, I had a chance to visit my brothers Rick and Dave. Rick, who lives in Oakwood which is "clear across town", about 5 miles, (I make that comment because in Texas or specifically Dallas, it's not unusual to have to drive 15-20 miles to get to wherever you are going for even the rudimentary item) suggested we have lunch at his house.
Among a number of things I miss about Dayton are 1.) White Castle hamburgers and 2.) Marion's pizza. We chose pizza.
After devouring more than my share and even consuming more than my 23-year old nephew Andrew who was just rising at 1:00 in the afternoon, I began to make some inquiries about former friends and classmates.
It's difficult to ask about friends of the opposite sex without raising some suspicion either to family or spouse, who reads my blogs, about what my ulterior motives might be..... THEY'RE JUST FRIENDS, honey.
Anyway, Rick, who has lived in Dayton all of his life, usually has the latest information on the whereabouts of most of my former coterie. One name came up, Penny, who, although was a year younger and went to Meadowdale High School, was a good friend and someone I hadn't talked with in over 40 years.
Rick sees her occasionally and said she worked at a nearby high fashion clothing store and said he would call her.
With some hesitation I spoke with her, asking about her life and what has transpired in the last almost half a century,....... God, that's a long time!!, and she gave me a lifetime recap in just a few minutes.
In return, I gave her a rundown of my travels and journeys concluding with my present employment by a noted celebrity in Dallas.
She outdid me though.
Her younger brother, Steve, is a hot soap opera star and has been on "Days of our Lives" and "General Hospital", two of my favorites.
As the conversation began to find its uncomfortable pauses, I sensed it was time to conclude the chat with some banal comment like, "Well, if you are in Dallas, call me".
I left my brother's house a little later with two of my favorite things in life. Remembrances of good food and good friends.

"Everyone has a story to tell"

For those who have found themselves at this site in search of 2006 Reunion pictures , you have come to the right place. Just click on the above link and you'll be there, but please come back for more of my intuitive ramblings.


Years ago when I edited a bi-weekly newspaper, we would sit around during planning sessions and discuss stories for coming editions. At times we would throw our hands in the air and proclaim "there are no more stories to write". Everything had been written about. I guess maybe our creative juices were just plugged up.
After my recent return from my 40th High School Reunion and talking with so many old and new friends, I again realized everyone has a story or stories to tell. I could fill pages with just my own escapades that still continue to this day, but I am saving them for my forthcoming novel.
Take for example, one of my former classmates, Bob.
While sneaking a smoke outside during the Saturday night dinner, he and I had a chance to share a few stories of times passed. Bob described his high school days as somewhat low-key and suggested that perhaps I didn't know him.
I remembered him as I remembered most of my classmates although my memory occasionally needed a little jump start.
After high school, Bob graduated from a theological college . And soon after, he, like many of us at the time, enlisted in the Armed Forces and a short time later found himself in the trenches of Vietnam with the 101st Airborne. This was the real thing. This is where one second you were talking with friends, the next moment you were being zipped up in a body bag.
Bob served his tour of duty and eventually returned to the U.S. where he decided to join the Army reserves and accept a commission as a Chaplain and go back to the 101st as their link to God, so to speak.
After 20 years in the service and travels around the world, Bob found himself back in Ohio and now serves the inmate population at one of Ohio's prison.
Speaking in his low-key narration, much like he probably spoke in high school, he described what he thought was just a simple life. But to me, it was more. It was a chance to see someone who breathed the same air I breathed all these years. Suffered the same heartache and pain that all of us go through. And fought in a war that left many of us scarred in many different ways.
And now Bob was here. Here at the 40th Reunion. Catching a smoke during the festivities and meeting someone he had met before but wasn't sure if I remembered him.
I knew him then and I know him now.
And I am thankful for both encounters.

"Kismet, Karma or Kender"

Before I begin today's therapy session, for those who have found themselves at this site in search of 2006 Reunion pictures , you have come to the right place. Just click on the above link and you'll be there, but please come back for more of my drivel.

As I was saying, is it Kismet, Karma or just plain ole me (or you) that makes things happen?

During a weekend of frivolity at my high school reunion, I noticed one individual, and for the sake of anonymity, I'll just call her Barbara, seemed to be holding court with many of my fellow reunionites. I'll admit that there were several faces there that I didn't recognize but I figured they might have been spouses of some of my former classmates.
But this individual was different. She seemed to captivate her audience including P.J., my high school best friend and reunion room-mate, who normally flits from woman to woman spreading his exhilarating warmth, laughter and bulls***.
Anyway, my turn came to expound some kind of witty remark and strike up a conversation.
I had been tipped off the she was quite opinionated, with a liberal twist, so I figured I would choose my words cautiously. So, I said, "I hear you are a real liberal". Boy, that was witty!
She didn't glare, didn't flinch, actually, really didn't pay me much time.
Suddenly I felt the urge to flee or fight. I chose fight.
We sparred back and forth as I tried to extract some information that might indicate who this person was that had obviously been one of my fellow classmates but I just couldn't place.
Now I pride myself on having quite an exciting background and a host of stories, most embellished, that have made me who I am today. Up until this chance meeting, I would gloat that I have never voted for a Democrat in my entire life. It's just who I am.
During our conversation, I noted I probably started this one-ticket journey as a result of a chance encounter (see I'm finally getting to the Kismet, Karma thing) as a R.O.T.C. cadet at the University of Oklahoma during the Kent State shootings and after being spat upon by fellow students I decided at that time, I would be an ultra-conservative.
Barbara on the other hand told of a story that shaped her life, when as an elementary student, she walked out of class as a protest to a picture of Gamel Abdel Nassar that had been placed on a bulletin board.
So here we are 40 some odd years later, she becoming an activist with an agenda that proclaimed the rights of people to live in the world with freedom and me with, well let's just say I guess I did what I thought sounded like the "American" way to do things.
The night continued with me asking questions of how I could better understand the liberal point of view, how could I have missed knowing her through high school and whether or not we could find a Waffle House open at 2:00 in the morning.
We shared stories of volatile times in the 70's, chance meetings of high profile people both left and right and perhaps how maybe I might find a new political party.
As I have told others since this past weekend of reuniting with old classmates, it was a time of seeing old friends and new friends all with a common background yet diverse today.
Now I'm not sure I'll change my voting habits, but I know I have found a new friend.
Was it kismet that our paths crossed? Was it karma for my willingness to see new ideas or was it just me who likes to meet interesting and thought provoking people?
Regardless, it was what reunions should really be about.

"Yikes.....I'm so far behind!!!!

Trying to catch up after this weekend's great reunion. In the meantime catch all of the latest pics at this web site . And of course if you have nothing else to do you can go shopping here .
Will have plenty to write about the reunion tomorrow including tattoos, rooming with PJ and how a liberal and conservative have found some middle ground.

"I had a Premature Promulgation"

Not to be confused with another type of premature problem; but, after posting to my blog about Not going to my reunion I received a great amount of encouragement from the person who promised to love, honor and make me appreciate that life is way too short and to get my butt to Dayton.
Also, with some encouragement from former classmates, friends, relatives as well as my best friend through high school, P.J. Shank I have reconsidered and am now scheduled to arrive in the other Big "D", Dayton, Ohio, on Friday.
It is more than just a reunion though. The only remaining blood family that I have are in Dayton and I really don't get to see them very often.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to drop about 50 lbs. that I swore I would lose before I went to my next reunion, but I still have my hair and my own teeth.
So it is off to Dayton I go.
I'll even be sharing a room with P.J., something we did every weekend for over a year in high school.
I guess I may have to change my schedule of going to bed at 8:00 though, cause looking at the list of events, they don't start until around that time.
Will be back Monday with plenty of pics.

"To go or not to go" .....That is the question

With my apologies to Shakespeare, I feel like Hamlet as he contemplated his dilemma in what is perhaps the greatest soliloquy in literature.
Although I certainly am not considering the same fate as the Prince of Denmark, I do find myself struggling with a decision to attend my 40th high school reunion.
Every five years I find myself in the same situation...."To go or not to go".
Thirty five years passed before I made my first trip, in 2001, to attend Fairview High School's class of 1966 reunion. I found then that it truly is the journey, not the destination that is the reward. The planning. The memories of cruising the Parkmoor drive-in. The faces of friends that remained etched in my mind.
It is with the same trepidation that I now must decide as the time nears to confront the truth......the truth of my mortality. My 40th Reunion
My hair has turned grayer, my body no longer is that of a young gladiator, (not that it ever was....but allow me the prose!!) and my mind seems to wander more these days.
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps into this petty place from day to day" as I am resigned to accept the futility of life. Yes, I am getting older, much older.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players". My life's journey has been written by a power greater than me. My decision is final. I shant go.....at least not this year.

"I have much ado to know myself. "

Why do you have to go hundreds of miles from home to call it a vacation?

Help me on this...pleeeease! Why can't you just go up the street to a motel and call it a vacation. Or better yet, why does a "vacation home" have to be hours and hours away from your domicile in order for it to be your "home away from home"?
For the last several weeks, whenever I get some time off, I plead, well not actually plead, Pattye would do anything I ask, but I suggest to Pattye if we could make a day-trip to one of the numerous lakes in our area.
I've recently gottin an itch that I can't seem to scratch and it concerns finding this little lake house where I can just go and sit. That's it, sit.
Now I have never been one to just sit. I'm really not sure I actually know how.
Sittin, I think, takes years of practice, and it probably takes the right kind of person. But I think I might like to try it.
We didn't take many vacations when I was young but I do remember this little lake just over the Ohio border outside Sturgis, Michigan. Klinger Lake it was called. Nothin fancy, just Klinger Lake.
We stayed in this 10 or 12 unit motel that had a pier out front. A kind of like little bayou, although in Michigan I am sure it wasn't called a bayou, ran behind the motel and was full of frogs and turtles.
I guess we may have gone up there 3 or 4 times and probably only stayed for the weekend.
After my older brother Rick and I got settled in (David never went for some reason) we ran to the lake and spent the day floating on rubber tubes and digging in the 2-foot wide beach and Mom and Dad just sat.
It's the only time I can remember Mom and Dad just sittin.
I don't think they liked sittin, but that was all there was to do . Just sit.
And that's what I'm looking for now. A good sittin place.
We have tried to keep our search within about 2 hours from home. Anything more would be a vacation and we don't have time for that. But if we could get there maybe after work and just go and sit for a couple hours, I think that would do right well for me.
Pattye and several friends don't think I could sit for probably more than an hour. I bet I could prove them wrong.
I bet if I put my mind to it, I could even sit and maybe do some whittlin.
Yep, I can see me now, just sittin and whittlin.
We even have 3 lakes within an hour from here and I have considered trying to find my little dream lake house at these locations but for some reason you have to make it a trip in order to get away from it all.
I wonder where the people come from who make the drive to the lakes near me in order to just come and sit. I guess they figure they have to make it at least a trip in order to sit.
Well, we have a few lakes left on our list before we either have to expand our search or I am going to have to find comfort in my own backyard.
Yep, just sittin. That's what I dream about.

3:30 A.M.....Nothing changes except the date

It's been almost a year now since my awakening hour was supposed to change from 1:00 AM to what is considered normal, maybe 6:00 or 7:00 AM. No such luck. Old habits are hard to break. Regardless, I do enjoy the early morning hours. I have a chance to scan the headlines across the country and report all of the overnight news to the one who "promised to love, honor and drowsily begin posting to her Ebay store " before the sun begins to blister our drought ridden north Texas area.
After about an hour of catching up on all of the news from Dallas to Dayton and Kabul to Kenneport and 4 or 5 cigs and two cups of coffee I start to make my blog post for the day. Ah...but it's too late. I have to begin my ritual to prepare for the day's work schedule.
Saturday to Tuesday, it's managing Fountainhead Pools. Wednesday's, it's a full day of maintaining Blue Sky Pool customers. Thursday is installation of salt water conversion systems for my latest venture in the Pool Industry and Friday is an all day assault of the challenges given me as a problem solver for a local celebrity who has hired me to maintain his property. Actually that position is starting to evolve into a several day a week job which puts 9 days into a 7-day week......Hmmmm, and you were wondering where my new blog posts were.
Well, today is the nation's birthday, or more correctly, celebration of said day. Perhaps a day off for me? Nah....not so.
Pattye has opened a new store in Denton, north of Dallas, and today is the grand opening.
Well, at least I made a post for today. It's now only 4:30 AM so I do have a couple of hours to myself. What shall I do?
As my dear departed mother used to say, "if I had my druthers", .....If I had my druthers, I would sit here and write and sit here and write and, smoke a few more cigs, start eating some junk food, have a couple more cups of java and reflect on the news from Dallas to Dayton and Kabul to Kenneport and share my crazed thoughts.
Oops.... I can hear the mockingbird signaling the start of a new day. The frogs (see my previous frogposting ) have started to slow their mating calls and life begins anew.
As Scarlet announced at the end of the great classic, Gone With The Wind, ...."Tomorrow is another day".
Ciao!

"An endless night...."

We have a beautiful little creek and a couple of waterfalls and catch basins with spectacular fish that runs along the outside walls of our bedroom and past a patio. In the Spring and Fall we leave our windows open so we can hear the sound of the water flowing down the stream. Even during the summer with the windows closed, we can hear the muffled splash of water as it cascades over the rocks. But last night, it was different.....much different.
Apparently, we have been invaded by a plethora of croaking frogs that sang all night and I'm guessing courted each other with their almost screeching sound.
At first, it was kind of intriguing, knowing that we have created a nice little eco-system right in our own side yard, but enough is ENOUGH........... If it happens again tonight, it looks like it will be frog legs for dinner.
The person who promised to love and honor and feed our fish, and I spent half the night tossing and turning and occasionally laughing at what we had gotten ourselves into. This morning, Pattye was even spending time on the Net trying to identify the species of amphibian that had robbed us of our sleep.
Recently, I have been thinking about getting away for a couple of days....maybe rent a nice lake house where we could spend of a couple of days just relaxing and getting away from the sights and sounds of the big city......after last night of hearing Mother Nature in all of her glory.......we might just have to trade that idea in on a nice hotel room with only the sound of a humming AC and the background noise of cable TV.
Oh, the dilemma.

Another Place...Another Time.....It's never too late

American Idol..........And the winner is..........

By the time most of you get around to reading this, the winner will have already been chosen. Still, when I toss and turn all night with dreams of "Taylor" (not sexual) and "Kat" (maybe sexual....just kidding) then I guess I need to put my thoughts on paper, er....cyberspace.
This is actually my first season to get caught up in "Idol" or for that matter any of the competitive, reality shows. Wow, what a show. I know it is trite but each one is a winner.
As usual though, it's scenes like this that always take me back to my high school years.
I have few regrets in my life and few things that I would like to have a "King's X" or do-over, but one of them was spending my time trying to be "cool" , which I really wasn't, rather than being involved in Drama Club and participating in high school plays and talent shows.
Oh, I don't really have any artsy skills, but I love the stage. I love the magic that occurs when all of the forces come together, when set construction crews, lighting technicians, directors, actors, everyone connected with any performance wait in anticipation as the curtain opens for the opening scene or set.
I can remember my first time on stage, when as a second grader I sang a medley of patriotic songs for the school. Just being behind the curtain, ten feet higher than the audience gave me such an exhilarating feeling. And the applause....that was the icing. Being on stage was enough, but hearing applause....that was great.
Fast forward to high school......Here was a chance to maybe make my mark......did I tryout for any of the plays or shows?.......did I offer my services to work back stage?.........did I even go to the productions? No, no and yes. I guess I followed my peers in making the stupid cracks about Drama Club, but I always made sure I went to the performances.....each time wishing I had been part of it.
In my senior year, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to New York City and see the real thing. Our week-long adventure took us to the Great White Way where we saw "Man from La Mancha, "Fiddler on the Roof" and the forever remembered off-Broadway hit "The Fantasticks". Whenever I start to sing, "Try to Remember" I picture myself on-stage bringing tears to the eyes of the audience as they roar in approval.
Oh well, another chapter gone by. Another missed chance.
Regrets? Sure. But now I can relive those moments with "Idol".

Promises, promises, promises.....

Almost two months have passed and not one word....not one....has graced this blog. Oh, they've been written....I have several drafts that remain frozen and not yet posted....Why, why do I sit here and write and rewrite words and thoughts that will remain locked up and probably not be shared???
Here I am at 57, I think, and still face the demons of insecurity. I was on a roll for awhile. The thoughts, the fears, the dreams, all rolling off of my fingers for the whole world, well my little world, to examine, judge, scoff, question and criticize. I didn't care. I was writing again after so many years.
It wasn't as if I didn't have anything to say. My oral diarrhea flowed like the next day after a bad meal at a cheap Tex-Mex restaurant. I have blamed a lack of time, a lack of ideas, a lack of inspiration for what is actually a lack of guts. I write because I write. I do it for my pleasure and no one else's.........that's a lie.....I write for approval. I write because I like to entertain.
Is any of this any good?... Maybe. But does it really matter. Hell, I don't know. But what is it about one's psyche that makes him want to act on a stage only to throw up right before he enters the scene?
We all know the stories of shy, demure actors and actresses who hate the spotlight but can never get enough of it......That's me. I crave the attention and then regret it when it comes my way.
I had been fortunate enough to have my blog listed as "one to read" by a larger well-respected blog. The honor seemed like enough just to be mentioned. But I stopped posting and now have dropped off of the list. I had a chance to write some musings for a local neighborhood supplement and let it fall by the wayside. I blamed everyone but myself.
I have a novel I dream about writing and can't get past the first couple of pages.
Years ago as an editor for a bi-monthly newspaper I found myself working until the last few minutes scrambling to have the finished paste-up sent to the presses. The deadline had to be met. No excuses. I always made it, but why did I suffer the anxiety of waiting till the last minute. Why couldn't I just write the words, accept them for what they were and begin working on the next edition. Fear of acceptance, I guess.
I guess it's my manic/depressed mind that controls what I do.
I love it when I have 3 or 4 cigarettes burning in the ashtray at the same time. Two separate cups of coffee going stale as I pound out the words still only using one finger at a time. I love it and I hate it. Ah yes, the wonderful crazy world of a writer.....okay, not a writer......damn it...yes, I am......well, maybe...........jeez, am I screwed up or what??

Here We Come Again... ooh-a-ooh

So as I was saying.......................Three months have passed, I'm managing a retail store with some of the more affluent clientele in Dallas asking my advice, buying my products and several of THEM, not me, soliciting my services........ So why am I frustrated?
I guess it is the ole', "Once they've seen the Lights of Paris, how are you going to keep 'em on the farm?"
It's tough if you have owned your own business for years. Made decisions, right or wrong. Invested your own money. Worked 60-70 hours a week. Only to now be relegated to producing profits for someone other than yourself.
I guess many would jump at the opportunity that I have been given. At 57, many people start to put it in cruise control and would be happy to ride the remaining years in the middle lane, driving a sedan..........but no, not me. Not Pattye and me.
So, here we go again.
The Ebay queen has dilligently been placing items in her successful Ebay store, Gathering-Eggs , with over 200 items posted now and she continues to receive unprecedented comments from buyers. She has also found time to launch a second Ebay store, Blue Sky Pools , which will feature items that I am familiar with, Pool Products. On top of everything else she also contracted to complete a beautiful water fountain pictured above for one of my high profile, high maintenance, star of TV and screen, local celebrity pool customers.
Today I gave notice to the great people at Fountainhead that I will be leaving them. My high-profile celebrity pool customer and I are working on a deal to work for them on a part-time basis and I have taken my many years in the Pool business and have resurrected Blue Sky Pools and brought it into the 21st century by specializing in Salt Water Systems for home pools. In addition, I have been making contact with other pool-related companies to provide start-up operations for new and remodeled pools.
It has been a great ride this past year for both Pattye and me. She has gained a wealth of experience in buying and selling on E-bay as well as at her store. She showed me her numbers for this month and I was quite impressed.
And me ? Well it has been a good six months as well. I have learned a hell of a lot about the retail business but most importantly I have learned that we didn't have all of the success in our past experiences by working for the other guy.
For some reason, maybe all I just needed was a little break from the past year's fiasco with you know who and wanted to just take it a little bit easy and let the other guy make the decisions.
Well, vacation time is over. I'm back in the saddle again, callin' the shots and determining when, where, how and why I do things.
Annnnnnnndddddd.................. I HAVE MISSED BLOGGING.........SO THERE..........YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH ME AGAIN!!

"Don't Go Near the Water" (unless it is clean!)

There was a funny movie during the 50' Don't Go Near the Water starring Glenn Ford, which doesn't have anything to do with this blog other than the title.
I just got back from a seminar in Arlington, TX where I spent two days learning about pools and spas and the chemicals needed to properly maintain these proliferating sources of income for the business that I manage.
Although I have been in the Pool business for over 16 years professionally as well as a couple of summers in between semesters in college, I have never really had the biochemistry instruction to really appreciate the science involved in keeping swimming pools clean and clear.
Like most people in my industry I occasionally have fallen victim to the same belief that homeowners experience....."if it looks clear, it is probably safe".......No, no, no.
Now I am a big proponent of the swimming pool and spa. Geez, it's how I make my living. Pools and Spas are a great source for relaxation, fun and enjoyment. BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM!! Let me give you a couple of facts I learned last week.
Four people in a spa or hot tub is the equivalent of 120 people in a pool. There are over a 1000 diseases that can exist in a pool or spa. If it looks clear it does not mean it is safe.
E. coli, Giardia, Salmonellosis, Legionnaire's disease, diarrhea, ear infections, are only a few of the many diseases and illnesses that can originate from that breeding ground in your backyard.
RWI's (Recreational Water Illnesses) can occur from swimming in pools, spas, lakes, the ocean you name it.
Here are a few Q and A's you might be interested in reading:

What kinds of illnesses can people get from swimming?

Diarrheal illness
Skin rashes
Ear infections
Eye infections
Respiratory infections


Can people get a recreational water illness (RWI) from swimming in the ocean?

Yes.
Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) have been associated with swimming at ocean beaches. Some common germs can live for long periods of time in salt water. Swimmers should always avoid swallowing the water that they and others swim in.

Can people get a recreational water illness (RWI) from swimming in fresh water lakes and rivers?

Yes.
Lakes and rivers can become contaminated with germs from sewage, animal waste, water runoff, as well as direct human contamination from fecal accidents and germs rinsed off the bottoms of swimmers. Avoid swimming in areas that have been identified as unsafe by health departments. Contact your state/local health department about germ-testing results for local recreational water.

Can people get a recreational water illness (RWI) from using hot tubs and spas?

Yes.
Skin infections are the most common RWI spread through hot tubs and spas. Given that hot tubs and spas have warmer water than pools, chlorine or other disinfectant levels evaporate faster. For that reason, it is important that chlorine or disinfectant levels in hot tubs and spas are checked even more regularly than in swimming pools.


I don't want to discourage anyone from buying or using your pool or spa but just keep in mind that it is important you KEEP IT SAFE. And, of course, it you need a professional, you can always call me.

So, now that I have given my one public service announcement for the year I can get back to rat-killing, er... blogging.

See ya soon.

Confusion over hiatus

Not to be confused with "Moon over Miami" (great movie BTW with Don Ameche and Betty Grable) but the confusion over my "Hiatus" blog obviously needs a little bit more tweeking.
The person who promised to love, honor and have me carry her bags, and I just returned from a beautiful trip around the world.
We had a chance to see and visit such great places including Mayan temples in South America and rain forests in Borneo. Although, I considered myself to be in pretty good shape, I must admit that I did tire a little easily after making that trek up all of those teeny, tiny steps.
It was beautiful and we were able to purchase little stone souvenirs for all of our friends. Trouble was the weight exceeded our limits so we had to leave them behind.
Next on our world-wide tour was a trip to the South Pole. As you can see in the picture I have grayed a little bit during the past year. I had a chance to plant a flag at the furthest southern point of the earth (all part of the package deal which included Mai Tai's with umbrellas, although we ordered the non-alcoholic version).


From the South Pole, we took an excrutiating flight to Australia. Here we had a chance to play with some Koala bears and feed the kangaroos. For $10.00 you could get in the ring and box one of these lively fellows.

Needless to say, I took up the offer and actually did quite well.
The little "buggers" do offer quite a scrap though and I had to give up a visit to the Great Barrier Reef to nurse a black eye that I received when the marsupial snuck one in on me when I wasn't looking.
We decided to take a trip "Outback" and we ate lunch with a couple of Aborigine's. We dined on fried alligator, I thought it tasted quite like chicken and Pattye spent the night playing the digereedoo. Her years of playing the piano came in quite handy allowing her to master the instrument in record time.
Next on the trip was a walk down the "Great Wall of China".


The entire wall or rather the walkway was covered with a blanket of snow and those little fellows would get out each morning with their little hand-made brooms and sweep the walkway from one end to another. We dined on some roasted meat that we were not able to fully understand the Chinese translation let alone read the menu. It tasted like chicken to me. I did get a French name for it though in case anyone has the time to look it up. In French they call it chien.
Well, seeing that I have drug you this far into our vacation. I guess I am getting probably as bored as you are and I guess it is time to say goodbye at least for now. I'll probably post some pictures later on so you can see where I stopped and talked with the Pope in Italy and actually had a visit with Queen Mum over in England.
I did have a chance to meet a fellow American along the way. His name was Walter Mitty and he sends his regards to those who can remember him.

Au revoir for now!!

Oh yeah, I hope this explains my blog about the Hiatus and how I left some of you confused. Anyway, I (we) are back now and I will continue to keep blogging and I hope you enjoy my misguided trip through life!

The Natural Alternative to Lithium

(An update to an update!! Did you ever go on vacation only to find out after you returned that no one even noticed that you were gone!!. Well, that seems to be happening with the latest below (below the update) blog. I haven't posted anything in the last couple of weeks only to find out that no one noticed! That's OK. I still love all of you anyway. This has been an enlightenment for me, or rather my ego. But then again maybe the entire world (except for me) was captured by aliens and you all didn't realize that time has actually passed on.


(An update to the below blog. After having the person who promised to love, honor and read my blogs and a couple of friends who took the time to read the below as well, all seemed to come away confused about my latest musings. That's good. That means that my explanation that I have started to write a blog again which could have been accomplished in just a couple of sentences ended up causing people to say, Huh? I like that. I like confusion, chaos and drama. Geez, it feels so good to be crazy again!!)



No Blogs. No creative ideas. No instant genius. No flying off the handle. No dramatic increase in blood pressure. No life.
Yes, I think I have found a natural alternative to Lithium. And, it is one that has been around for many, many decades.
The answer?
A 9-5 job!!!!
I guess it has been over 30 years since I worked a schedule that most Americans seem to have adapted to without any complications. But for me, this new life style has made a dramatic change in my personality. Oh, I'm still the light-hearted guy I always was before, but on the inside I'm crying out for the manic side that used to drive me to such genius ideas as GPS locators on children's wrist watches, a free obituary on-line, a service that reminds you of upcoming important dates on your schedule, even a supposed novel, and many more that are still in the deep recesses of my cranium.
No, no, no. I'm not complaining. I thoroughly enjoy what I am doing and I have a position that many people would love to experience. The pay is pretty good. But sheesh. I have so much more to offer.
Did you know I actually sleep 8 hours STRAIGHT a day now!
And, I have even cut DOWN to only a pack of "cigs" a day.
Blogging has become difficult though. I just can't seem to get the creative juices flowing again. Or maybe, I just feel like nobody wants to hear my rants and raves, or maybe I don't want to hear my rants and raves.
The ebb and flow just seems to have settled down to a simple ripple in the pond.
Have I lost it? I hope not.
Maybe I just needed a little break to regroup and put things back in perspective.
By God. That's it.......................................It's back.
I'm back. I can feel the swing actually taking place as I type these words.
Whew, that was scary. Okay, I'm a 9-5'er, but I'm not giving up.
Look out world, here I come. Again!!

"On Hiatus"........Will return soon

Everything is really doing great but Pattye and I have a couple of puzzle pieces we need to add to complete our "picture". We will back very soon!!