Busted Predictions for New Year

Recently, I posted a blog listing my 2018 New Year's Resolutions, which I have every intention to break. I feel compelled to make some New Year predictions and why not?
Lots of people make predictions all the time and many annual prognosticators give their crystal ball preview at a New Year's start. Here goes mine:

 1.  I predict once again the world will NOT end.
 2.  President Trump's recent tax cuts for corporations will not cause a 'trickle down.' The only trickle  
      down from Trump will be caused by an enlarged prostate.
 3.  The Cubs will win the National League Central Division but not the Pennant. Cards finish 3rd.
 4.  Justin Beiber will get arrested.
 5.  Donald Trump will not be President Labor Day.
 6.  There will be another documentary about JonBenet Ramsey's Murder Case.
 7.  America's stupidity and gullibility rate will grow faster than the National Debt.
 8.  Wolf Blitzer will surpass Larry King's record for most hours ever logged in front of a television
       camera.
 9.  The GOP will once again (while in power) not attempt to repeal Roe v. Wade.
10.  In mid-November, Donald Trump will announce his return to television as a Late Show host;
       this time on Russian television.

Ps. Likely none of the above will come to pass and things will stay much the same as in 2017...Trump will NOT show his taxes but will continue to show his ass while the richer get richer and the poor get poorer and I refuse to buy a Polo shirt at Von Maur for $133.00.
(Touch)Don't Hold Your Breath Prediction

Old Weakness Comes on Strong!

This past Thursday, I left Decatur at 7:40AM and traveled 2-hours & 20-minutes to the Columbia Holiday Tournament in Columbia, Illinois. My son, Steve's Dupo team was playing at 10:00AM. Steve had decided last year to leave high school coaching after 31-years and assist at Lewis & Clark JC. A good friend, who is an administrator at Dupo high school called Steve to ask if Steve could step into Dupo's head basketball position one week before the start of the season when their coach suddenly resigned. Dupo is young, inexperienced...that's right, they are 0-12. Recalling thirty-seven seasons at the helm, myself, I have been on mountain tops and in deep valleys. I showed up last Thursday to support a group struggling in a valley.

As I left the gymnasium, I was stopped by an old timer from the Metro-East area. He had followed my teams back in the day and simply wanted to say hello; well, he did have a question: "Coach Roustio, he began, "do you miss coaching?" I gave my pat answer, which always seems to suffice: "I don't miss those school bus rides in cold weather and those Holiday practices."

During my return trip home, I re-visited that question: "Do you miss coaching?" First, let me say, I've been off that coaching bench since 2001, which is sixteen seasons. I shall be honest...I miss having a team. I miss the challenge of bringing teen boys together from different persuasions, cultures and ethic experiences and meshing their passions and skills into a team commitment. I miss the coaching fraternity. I miss preparation-practices. I miss the challenge of  helping parents and fans to understand perspectives.

True...I don't miss bus rides in this bitter cold and another thing I don't miss is waking up at 2:30 AM after playing and immediately trying to recall, 'did we win or lose?' I hated that; especially if we had lost!

So...there you have it...I miss coaching much more than I wish to admit...and I surely wish I could do it all over again. You know what?... I need to stay away from those gymnasiums.
(Touch)Love of the Game

Laws Don't Change Attitudes

In early American history (1600's) only white male landowners twenty-one years old were allowed to vote. Finally, in 1856 landless males twenty-one years old got the right to vote...but they still must be White males. Of course, we all remember our high school American history class that explained about women gaining voting rights in 1920 and after the Passage of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, the 1965 voter protection law was passed... A person of color could now vote in his/her own nation...holy crap, shall we all stand a recite the Pledge of Allegiance...especially that part>"and justice for all?"

Don't kid yourself, we still have a helluva lot of efforts to suppress the non-white voters. I choose not to go into all of the schemes but only a bigot refuses to 'see' these efforts of voter suppression. And then there's the alleged mall predator, Roy Moore who refused to concede in defeat the Alabama
U. S. Senate seat to the winner by 20,000 votes, Doug Jones. Instead, Moore claims massive voter fraud, which means 'those dadgumit black folks cheated us white folks again.'

I do declare, it appears 'America Ain't Never Gunna Be Great Again!'
(Touch)Make America Great Again

I Am Resolved!

It's that time! End of the year time. We are reminded of the year past as newspapers, magazines and television reports give us images in photo and stories of what transpired the last year. That has us reflecting on the year we are leaving while anticipating life in a coming New Year. Naturally, many people feel compelled to 'make resolutions' for this New calendar beginning. I always make resolutions for a new year and I break each one. That said, you may ask, 'If you intend to break every new year's resolution then why make them?' Answer: I love to make lists.

My 2018 New Year's Resolutions, which I will break:

 1.  Stop watching 'fake news' on CNN and begin watching 'Fair & Balanced' news on Fox News.
 2.  Stop yelling and cussing St. Louis Cardinals' manager, Mike Matheny during Cardinals'
      televised games.
 3.  Stop yelling and cussing St. Louis Cardinals broadcasters during Cardinals televised games.
 4.  Start watching Hallmark Movie Channel when I find myself yelling and cussing at St. Louis
      Cardinals' manager and broadcasters.
 5.  When watching pro basketball pretend there are no rules and when watching high school
       basketball pretend the officials watch too much televised pro basketball.
  6.  I plan to find a group of retired men and have coffee with them every morning.
  7.  Fight urges to get another puppy.
  8.  Stop paying $270.00 per year for special lawn care applications.
  9.  Stop taking breakfast to my wife in bed each morning.
 10. Place this 2018 New Year's Resolution list on my refrigerator door and reference each morning.
(Touch)In The New Year I Am Resolved

Fun-Blessings

Whew! What a Christmas Day family gathering! About 1:30PM, twenty-seven folks bowed their heads, acknowledged Baby Jesus as the 'first' and greatest Christmas gift and then attacked Italian beef, rigatoni, ham, salad, Italian bread, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, red velvet cake, pecan pie and an endless assortment of decorated 'show' cookies as if they had not eaten since last Christmas Day.

 My wife and I passed out monetary gifts because one size fits all and there's no need to 'save' a receipt. The kids out did themselves 'giving' to the old folks...the grand finale Gift was a 55-inch VIZIO television that does everything but take out my trash. Afterward it was game time and the participation ran the gamut from intense to falling down hilarious...mostly the latter.

I suppose it's the same at all homes at the Holidays, lots of picture-taking. Our daughters and granddaughters never see a moment that's not worthy of a snap-shot photo preservation and it seems like my wife and I are required to be in every photo opt. I know, I know what they're thinking; they're thinking...'you NEVER KNOW.' The highlight photo was when Grandson, Caleb Howell's fiancee, Morgan handed our great granddaughter, Juniper a gift box, which held a special invitation for the three year old to be their flower girl at their October 27, 2018 wedding. Juniper was very excited but not as excited as  Juniper's mother, granddaughter Amanda and her Nana, Gerry. A few minutes later another picture  taking request was made and as the group was told by the picture-taker, "Okay, Smile.." ...angelic, curly blonde-headed, Juniper added,  "Everybody say, Hot farts!" Hey, what ever makes you laugh.

Finally, with the departure of each family an empty-anxious feeling begins to build in the pit of my stomach. That wondering doubt laced with fear that 'things' might not be the same next year. Those thoughts find fertile ground in the weakness of flesh and a misconception that I deserve that which I have and enjoy. As I enter the house to face a reality of clean up, I quickly come to my senses.  I AM BLESSED and I shall trust God for my tomorrow.
(Touch)The Most Wonderful TimeWonderful,Time

Merry Christmas...'Friends.'

I suppose it could be said about Facebook that which is said about many things at man's disposal: 'It can be an instrument for goodness or a instrument for evil.'

I was blessed with many friends long before the Facebook phenomenon gripped our lives. Today, my IPad tells me that I have hundreds of friends with whom I'm connected each time I open Facebook.
At a given moment, I learn of someones birthday and my chance to wish them 'returns.' I see photos of a recent wedding or somebodies new puppy. I'm entertained by a proud parent's video clip of their child's performance. Another FB friend reaches out asking prayer for a sick love one. I learn of the heartache, which enters lives because of loss. My Facebook inter-action permits me to debate or argue differing views on an endless list of issues. I often times feel the envelope being pushed when debates become heated or frustration comes into our discourse.

Oh, indeed Facebook can be a tool for promoting goodness or a tool for turning friends into enemies.

And then there are some, as I, foolish enough to write a daily blog, which inevitably invites comments, which may come in the form of kudos or angry reactions in the form of disagreement or verbal attack.

In any event, at day's end you are my friends and in this season, which is set aside by Christians worldwide to commemorate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, it is in His name that I express my love and good wishes for all my friends with whom I share this journey. Merry Christmas.
(Touch)Why can't it remain...all through the year?

Reality Check makes My Head Swim

I never heard a Medical Doctor's confirmation but I do think that my maternal grandmother 'Mammy' Bennett suffered from low blood pressure. Once in awhile, I'd hear her say, "Oh my, I best sit a spell, my head's taken to swimming." I suspect she was likely feeling dizzy or faint. Well, I take meds for high blood pressure and recently my head's 'taken' to swimming.

This coming Saturday, I was planning to attend my dear friend's Ken Bracey's visitation in Morton, Illinois. Ken died December 4th and will be buried in his beloved home town, Mason City, Illinois. Well, those plans had to be scrapped after news came two days ago that my East St. Louis high school teammate in both basketball and baseball died suddenly of a heart condition. Some East St. Louis classmates will assemble Saturday in Collinsville, Illinois for John 'Yonko' Basarich's visitation at the same time as Bracey's...makes my 'head swim!'

My faithful blog readers will recall that I shared with them back in mid-October the stark realization that three of my dearest high school buddies had passed within two years and another was trapped in that dark hole called Alzheimer's. On the heels of that bitter-sweet 60th high school Class Reunion, I now must decide, to which part of the State shall I travel to bid farewell to a dear friend.

And surely, when I tell my kids that I get out of bed each morning between 4:30 & 5::30, they say in a surprised tone, "Why do you get up so early?"...REALLY?
(Touch)
Slip Slidin' Away