A Place For Everything; Everything in Its Place

My wife and I have fifteen grandchildren, therefore one can just imagine the number of youth activities we attended over the years. I have seen my fair share of little league baseball, basketball, football, cross-country, volleyball and soccer contests. I have sat through tumbling, dance and cheer competition not to forget theater plays and piano recitals.  Most of the competitive sports activities will find me sitting by myself rather than next to family. My wife recently asked why I sit alone. Before I could answer the question, she was distracted by a passerby and she did not bring the issue to me again but she will. That said, I thought I'd run my reasoning by you readers first.


There are basically two reasons for this conscientious choice to be off by self at grandkids' sporting events. May I disclose the most logical reason without fanfare. I am a man of opinion and most often people (especially my adult children) prefer that I keep my opinions to myself. This is best accomplished if I am 'away-by-myself.'


The second force of separation from the 'gang 'at the old ball park is a bit more involved but let me give-it-a-go. Remember this Mark Twain quote? "When I was fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the 'old-man' around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the 'old-man' had learned in seven years." Now, make no mistake, my adult children do not think that their old man is ignorant but they often do find me overbearing and sometimes I sense they are anxious thinking that I will say something in-front of their friends that could embarrass them or offend others.


Life comes full circle in this regards. When my children were very young, I sometimes feared that 'out-of-the-mouths' of babes etc. Today, the shoe is on the other foot. The seventy-five year old father has tossed candy-ass patronizing language to the wind; after-all, I must be expeditiously direct: I don't know how much time I have to make my point. My children may love me but I am easier loved from a distance.


...and my adult children are like most parents...they sure the hell don't wish to hear any critical comment about their kids.

Union Meetings @ The Student Union

As the late New York 'Yankees' announcer, Mel Allen use to say, "How about that?" The national news is all over the story coming out of Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois) where a Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board granted Northwestern University athletes the 'right' for form a union.
It was a slam dunk that such a union organization-effort move would either happen in Illinois or New Jersey; bet your 'Final Four' tickets Wisconsin and any State with a high Hispanic population will not have union sports' teams.


I see both an 'upside' and 'downside' to this college sports' union thing. On the positive side, there can now be counter leverage against the unbridled power of the greedy, pompous and phony organization known as the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Perhaps now the rights of a student-athlete would be protected. For example: When a coach recruits an athlete out of high school for his program and then leaves THAT university for another coaching job, the student-athlete should be free to leave for another university (without penalty) also. This is a simple 'goose-gander' story.
The possible 'downside' to college athletes' union is real-- You do know that all State and Federal contracted jobs require specific quotas. This means that any and all colleges and universities receiving tax monies must have a certain number of athletes on all teams representing specific percentages of all minorities including gender equality playing opportunities. We will need an additional chair at the scorers' table to keep THAT record book. Furthermore, this union-stuff, just like many sports rules will trickle-down from the college ranks to high schools. This will open 'Pandora's Box.' Parent organizations and high schools sports' unions will have permanent tents and picket lines at School Board meetings. Native Americans will now expect all high school cafeteria's to offer casino-style gambling machines expecting those profits for the right to use an Indian mascot.


Wake me when the high school athletes have union reps and they get in a standoff with college athletes' union reps over the possibility of the NCAA NOT televising college sports on Friday nights thus allowing high school turnstiles to get some share of the entertainment money. I wish to attend that debate and offer a few comments I have tape recorded with the late Hall of Fame basketball coach, Al McGuire. McGuire told me that if the NCAA does not give the high schools Friday Nights those high school community-supported programs will go the way of the buffalo nickel and Indian head dime.




Finally, anyone out there wish to make wager on how this issue will fall along political lines???

Get a Clue or Expect a Bomb

More often than not, I find myself wishing that was a smarter fella. Take for example this National Security Agency issue. Even former President, Jimmy Carter believes that Americans' privacy rights have been compromised since 9 / 11. I simply don't know how far this 'snooping' by the government should be tolerated. On the one hand I want to feel safe and be secure; if snooping insures those desires then I say, 'Snoop.' On the other hand I don't want to be the 'ONE' spied upon. 'You all can trust me; it's my neighbor of whom you should be leery.'


I suppose that my growing up years in my parents' home kinda set the mentality regarding snooping and privacy rights. At that house during those adolescent and teen years, I can affirm that I felt love, secure and comfortable. However, I never thought about having any 'privacy' rights. I recently broached this subject with some friends and I was surprised at the mixed bag reactions. Most parents seem to embrace the philosophy that their kids / grandkids have privacy rights and adults should NOT snoop around their kids things/stuff.


I must confess that I used my parents 'blueprint' on this issue...I snooped and spied on my kids. My kids will even tell you this day that when asked if I trusted them, I said, "No but it has nothing to do with loving you."


With no apologies, reservations or regrets, I believe teenagers are not to be trusted... too much pressure on this underdeveloped mind and thinking process.


On the issue of National Security...you cannot have safety in a free America without extensive snooping and spying; therefore bullshit your friends with your gobbledygook but don't bullshit me

Shall I Define 'Cute' & 'Rude?'

I recently overheard two grandmothers chatting and comparing photos and stories about their grandkids. They both did a convincing job with pretending interest in the other's protégé. I am sure that such conversations are shared thousands of times daily in every given city and town.
Finally the chit-chat took a tone turn. One matriarch said that recently her young nine year old granddaughter corrected her spoken English. Now make sure that you HEARD that...the kid corrected the adult. The old gal hearing this 'report' said that her ten year old grandkid does that 'correcting' thing on HER frequently and she finds it 'cute.' Holy crap, I thought I was experiencing a nightmare!!


This kinda shit literally floors me! My parents preached to me from the first moment I could decipher the spoken word: "Listen boy, YOU are to be seen and not heard around adult company!" "If an adult ask you a question, you answer the question and say yes sir no sir; yes mam and no mam along with the appropriate thank you." In fact, I was told as a kid that I was to be scarce when adults came to our house. "You are not to hang around listening to adult conversations," my parents explained.


Since overhearing that granny-talk, I have given thought to this language correction thing. I recall, as an adult, a superior of mine in the work place told me that I was using a word incorrectly. I truly appreciated him taking the moment to do that correcting; it served me well. The key element is he corrected me in private. He did not embarrass me in public. That stated, I believe it is never okay for a child to correct an adult; privately or publicly and I hold parents responsible for insisting on that guideline.

Here We Go Loop De Loop

I miss the yesteryear barbershops. Those barbershops had only men cutting hair and only men as customers. Today's haircut places are barber/beauty shop combinations or the shop has women cutting guys' hair. Dadgumit, I miss those all-male gatherings when getting my ears 'set-out.' I don't think barbershops back-in-the-day were laced with a lot of vulgar language but it was a place that a fella could tell a tad bit raw-joke and no one was terribly offended. I notice the magazines in today's beauty shops are all about cooking, beauty products and landscaping. I miss the sports' magazines and those "Playboys." Of course, I never paid much attention to those  Playboy centerfolds, I was like most men; I enjoyed the articles. Come to think, I don't believe those Playboys of the 1950's were as nasty as the prime time sitcoms of 2014.
 I notice that most women have a strong opinion on 'how' they wish their hair to be cut and styled. I have listened to my wife communicate to her beautician the desires of the hair fixin' experience...the directions can be mind-boggling. When I climb into the barber's chair, I usually tell the guy or gal, "Start cutting and stop when you get tried." I'll admit this is not always a good method. Most barbers and beauticians 'GET TIRED' in about seven minutes...this computes to an hourly wage of approximately $120.00, which is about $119.37 more per hour than I made 'coaching.'


I must stop now, I have to take breakfast up to my wife and go get a haircut. I have no idea which barbershop I will patronize today...in Decatur it is strictly eenie meenie miney mo.'

The Age Factor

Those whining 'old-farts' who are always complaining about things are full of crap. Do you know that we oldsters are constantly getting a 'pass' on this age issue thing? The young people seldom get any age-break. Young folks must be sixteen to get a driver's license and then they are limited on the number of people they can have in their auto while keeping an eye on the curfew time. Young boys must register for the military at eighteen years old but they cannot drink alcohol until they are twenty-one; go figure... they can GET SHOT but they cannot buy a SHOT.


A  smart thirty-two year old person cannot 'run' for the office of President until they are thirty-five but old goats like me and John McCain can hold office forever. Come NOW...Studies indicate that when a person reaches age 65, they are too damn old to hold public office. It is proven that the sixty-five and older crowd don't think too good after 8:30 P.M. and we are best served with afternoon naps instead of meetings!


 I should have my driver's license revoked in ten more years when I hit # 85; hell, I'm already bored with 'turning around' when backing up. Revoking driver's licenses of 'seniors' would be a good policy because it would reduce the number of handicap spots needed outside Target and Walmart.


I must stop now....  I always take breakfast up to my wife in the morning....This activity has no age requirement or restriction; just good policy. Afterwards, I'll go to McDonald's for my .64 cents 'senior' coffee.

Real News / Rumored News

Several days ago, a Malaysian Jet Liner mysteriously disappeared. The ensuing days have found world-wide media outlets filling the airways with endless speculations, possibilities and quasi experts' opinions. Sadly, the eventual findings will likely be confirmation of a heartbreaking tragedy. My prayer petitions for those lost and others who keep a vigil continues.


I find myself, at these disaster-moment, watching more CNN News than any other broadcasts. Of course, MSNBC preaches my political philosophy but too often those MSNBC folks behave like the 'brainwashing' clowns on Fox News; thus CNN is the middle of the road choice when one seeks 'NEWS.' My only pet peeve with CNN is the constant posted 'BREAKING NEWS" tag at the bottom of the screen. That Breaking News tag is always there and damn if the people on air are not re-hashing old crap; there's nothing 'BREAKING.'


I have heard a viable rumor that could become CNN breaking news  if proven factual. It is rumored that one CNN investigative reporter is following this unconfirmed story: In the spring of 1948, a new born baby was supposedly left on the steps of the building next door to CNN. The child was never claimed or identified...having no home the baby boy stayed on site...a nearby neighbor began calling the boy "Wolf." ...AND NOW you know the REST of the Story!