Bring it

Made it.  Stayed up past midnight.  Heard the gunshots, but there were fewer this year.  I wonder what that means. 

Oh well.  I am pledging once again - never give up - to improve my physical health.  Translation: eat better and not as much.  Exercise regularly.  Get more sleep.  At least 2 out of 3 this year.

Trips for 2012 already are planned: Rhode Island in May and Montana in June or July. 

Work should be a positive challenge as I settle into a job that really is no longer a "new" job.  It takes at least 6 months to get the feel for a job and that will happen in January.  THIS month. 

The kids and grandkids will hit a million milestones this year, I am sure.  Can't predict those.  Just when you think you've got all their lives straight, they take a different turn.

Paulie.  He's gonna have some adventures for sure.  I will join in on some and opt out on others - likely those involving the motorcycle. 

Yep.  The family is in pretty good shape. Collectively, I believe we are ready for what's about to come. Bring it, 2012.

Happy Hanukkah

Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown.  It lasts 8 days.  Candles are lit each night to represent the miracle oil that lasted 8 days, even though there was only a one-day supply, as the story goes.  This allowed Jewish troops to purify the temple they were protecting.  

I was at an elementary school the other week.  The principal there said, "Merry Christmas... we're not afraid to say that here." Sigh, as if he's standing up to some kind of religious persecution.  I wanted to say, "Oh, get over yourself!"  Instead, I just said "Merry Christmas." I, too, am not afraid.

I also am not afraid to say Happy Hanukkah.  Happy Ramadan.  Happy Easter.  Happy Passover.  Maybe not all are so happy, but you get the idea.

I don't believe it's religious persecution to be challenged about the appropriateness of all-out Christian displays at public funded institutions when that public is not 100 percent Christian.  Yada, yada. Tired of the fakeness and pettiness of the argument. 

We American are babies when it comes to persecution.  Maybe 300 years ago claiming religious persecution was a righteous declaration. But now? When was the last time an American principal was murdered for his or her Christian beliefs? 

Enough said about that.

By the way... today is a very important day in our family's history.  My son John was born 26 years ago!!

Happy Birthday, son!

So long 57...

Hello 58.  Almost.  About 2 1/2 hours left of my 57th year of life.  Tomorrow is my birthday. 

I kinda like the idea of being 58.  I understand it's that much closer to 60, but it's still an even number.  For some reason I like even number years better.  Why?  No idea.  Just seems better.

I would like to pledge I will take risks and be brave and have fun during my 58th year on the planet.

Yep. Number 58 is gonna be a good year!

When is snoring cute?

As I write this, my Baxter the beagle (in pic with border collie Mika) has her snore on.  I think she's funny when she snores.  It got me thinking: why do I think a snoring Baxter is cute and a snoring Paul is not so cute?

Have you ever laughed at a sleeping dog that obviously is in the middle of a dream, paws running, skin surrounding mouth inflating and deflating with every whimper.  Adorable with a capital A.

How about a human lying next to you doing the same?  Less adorable. 

Snoring dogs are cute. That's a scientific fact.  Humans snoring are not cute.  Double standard?  Yep.

Now, I don't want to hurt Paul's feelings.  There are plenty of times he, too, is adorable.  Just not when he's sawing logs. I am sure if I snored, it wouldn't be cute, either.

Awwww.  Baxter just made a deep choking sound.  Disturbingly precious.

Reality television event of the year!!!!!!

Dec. 27th is the date.  I don't know what time, though.  I'll find out.  I know it's a Tuesday night.  I will be there ready to watch, maybe popcorn, maybe a diet coke.  I hope Paul will be there.  Oh, and DVR for sure.  Maybe throw a watch party.  Invite my granddaughter because she has the BEST sense of humor.

Now that Cochran is off Survivor, this event, for me, is all I have to look forward to, reality TV wise.  That, and Top Chef: Texas.

Knock me over with a feather.  In a million years, I could not have imagined there would be such a spectacle on TV. 

What's happening?

Donald Trump moderating a GOP debate between, so far, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.  It promises to be historical, not so much in the class of a Lincoln-Douglas or even Kennedy-Nixon debate.  But more in a class of its own.  You might even say it is promising to be a classless debate. 

Classless, yet entertaining.  The perfect formula for reality TV!

People of their word

"Life can be a challenge, life can seem impossible, but it's never easy when there's so much on the line."

This apparently comes from a Pokemon movie The Power of One.  It also apparently is Herman Cain's favorite quote.  He used it when he bowed out of the presidential race, giving credit to Pokemon during the speech.  Apparently he has used this quote multiple times before, but this was the first time he gave credit to Pokemon.  Sigh.

Let's agree that the quote is a good one.  But usually, when trying to inspire people, quotes need to have a legit context for it to be legitimately inspiring.  For example:

Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.   Who would have said this?  My Little Pony?  No.  The late Barbara Jordon of Texas.  A civil rights leader, she has so many firsts, among them, the first African American elected to the Texas Senate.  These kinds of messages from Barbara Jordon, a Democrat, carried a punch. When she spoke, we listened and learned something about ourselves. 

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.  Former Republican Senator from Wyoming Alan Simpson said this.  Although I did not always agree with his politics, he was someone, is someone, people admire for his integrity, including me.  Mr. Simpson most recently called out Grover Nordquist for his phony tax pledge.

These are people of their word.  Living and speaking their values.  Leaders and role models worth holding up to your children and grandchildren.  We need more people like them.  Not like Herman Cain.

Use your words, people

It seems like we just survived the hottest summer on record and we're already into cold weather.  REALLY??

I hate it when people use REALLY? as a way of judgmental punctuation.  It's becoming a pet peeve.  Just say what you think with the judgment added. 

So, when I say, "It seems like we just survived the hottest summer on record and we're already into cold weather."  Instead of adding the annoying REALLY?? why not simply add, "It doesn't seem fair, does it?"

I know that the use of the annoying REALLY?? is most often in reference to a person's perceived bad behavior, or at least I think that's the purpose.  To insult, really, someone else's behavior.  OK.  Why not in some cases, limit the insults.  Or, again, use your words to express what it is that you object to about a person's behavior.  Hmmmm.  That might be asking too much of a lot of people, especially the kind of person who never really matured beyond high school levels.

Such as parents of high school kids who act more like THEY are the teenager.  Something happens they don't like and they're all over Facebook with the REALLY??  I mean, WHO DOES THAT??

Next post: why I hate the over-used expression, "WHO DOES THAT??"