Saturday musings

So I'm waiting patiently at the store today. I need some enchilada fixins . I making a roast tonight and I make some killer beef enchiladas with the leftovers. A young lady is standing right were I need to be. She turns , smiles shyly and says"Oh excuse me " and moves on. That simple act of good manners made my day. She joined a male companion at the end of the aisle. My conservative nature thinks it's her husband,but in this day and age who really cares? That they joined hands and smiled at each other is the most important issue. I grouse about our Wal-Mart society a lot. But if you look and be patient you will see little points of decency here and there. Just as there "will always be an England " there will always be good people. Oh that's a portrait of Myrna Loy. I suppose no relevance,but then again maybe. Don't you think she would have acted the same way 70 years ago as my young lady did today? So maybe, just maybe some young lady will smile at another old man 70 years from now. Lord I hope so.

Talking Points

Relax, I only have two. First off, you may remember from previous episodes that this Ethan. He is the son and heir of my oldest daughter. On Thursdays and Fridays his parent's work schedules require day care. It is my great joy to provide it. Last Friday Ethan went straight to the kitchen and in a very soft voice asked"cookie?" Now go back to the photo and I ask you, could you say no? His Mom was going out the door, so I handed him an Oreo. Now the little rat finds his volume and yells"COOKIE!" Back comes Mom and needless to say I'm busted. "Tell me you didn't give him a cookie at 8 am?!" Well I ignored the obvious retort and explained I brush his teeth at 9 every morning and his meals are healthy and well eaten. She sighs ( she's known me for 30 years after all) and tells me no more cookies in the morning. I reply then you'd better take some place else in the morning! Well I would have except for the fact I knew she needed to get to work and had no time for debate. Yeah that's it. Ethan and I had a long talk on loyalty and conspiracy. Then I gave him a double latte and a puppy before his Dad picked him up.
The second point is I wish to thank Beth at Social Climbers for posting an interview with me.
She has a very well done and popular blog, come to think of it she is very well done and popular as well. I just want to brag about the pretty blonde on my arm in the photo. She's my Baby Becca. Its her wedding day and one of the happiest of my life. Member of The National Honor Society and an All State catcher in fastpitch softball , she was our tomboy( is that PC anymore?Wait I don't care). The man she married took her to a city far away. She calls me almost everyday and that helps.

Stand up when you talk to me ,sir!

Once again this has nothing to do with my post.It's for Dumbwit Tellher.


















I was finally insulted in the blog world! It was on another blog that I follow. I'm not sure if it counts,it was a group insult. The only problem I have is ,what is an "out and out right boob" ? Were you referring to the buffoon, the bird or female anatomy? I know I'll e mail the author and politely ask. Oh whoa cowboy, no can do! It was anonymous. In other words a coward. You have the right to express your opinion, and the responsibility to take ownership of your words. I may be a boob (the buffoon, not the bird or breast) , but have the conviction of your opinion to identify yourself. You ever noticed everyone is a tough guy on the telephone or the internet? But face to face, not so much. When( which isn't often) I wish to insult someone, I want them to know it was me. I didn't want to start a battle of wits with an unarmed man on someone else's blog. So I just posted my opinions here. I think that there is so much out there, go to a site you enjoy. Whats the fun in being negative? I'm not mad or upset about "haters" Actually I'm sort of grateful to this person. He gave me a topic to bore you with!

We ain't got none

This photo has nothing to do with the silly rant below.I just think they were two of the best looking people who ever walked this planet.

















Do you know the deference between imply and infer? Do you care? Should you care? . I'm no wordsmith, but greatly admire those who can sculpt a readable paragraph. To read a wonderfully crafted sentence is like viewing a Monet or listening to Sinatra sing a Johnny Mercer song. It stimulates your senses and jump starts your brain. There isn't a human experience that we can not describe in minute detail. Yet it seems that our spoken vocabulary gets smaller each day. It's not Orwell's "newspeak", I don't think there is a political agenda. It has more to do with people being lazy and having the attention span of a gerbil. It is much easier to say "I wanna" than "May I please have". Do they still diagram sentences in school? I would love to set in on an English class. I am no English professor. I dangle participles, split infinitives and end sentences with prepositions with the best of them. But at least I have heard about these things . Do they still teach these things? Or is it like so many rules we ignore today. Our texting youth and the limit on characters hasn't helped. "2b r not 2b?" Poor Will. My Cum Laude grad says just as we don't speak Shakespeare's English, our current form is changing. Our language is always evolving. May be, but I don't gotta like it!

How I Spent My Friday

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In service day at school today, so I have the "Little Rat Pack" . Honest that bed was made once. Ethan discovered the box of Gabe's old Thomas the train toys. Hog heaven. Busy time, but full of fun as well. As you set and watch their pure joy at life you wonder what the future holds for them. They both have strong male role models in their lives. Also wise and nurturing women to raise them. I can't do much about the world that awaits them. Global warming, financial crisis and big government, these things and worse will come. Heartbreak and grief are part of life, they will come as well. No one is 100% honest or moral,people will be untrue to you. I wish it wasn't so, but this fact will never change. What matters is picking yourself up and getting on with your life. I had a mentor once who always said"pick the hill you're going to die on". Don't be "outraged and offended" because some ad might be offensive to someone, become that way when you see someone abusing someone or suffering that doesn't have to be that way. Then don't stand there making a video for youtube or shouting some slogans. Step up and do something. And do it with out even expecting a simple thank you.The late Peter Hathaway Capstick, professional hunter and author, said he was just a grown man acting like a little boy. The real men got up every day, went to work and came home to their families at night. Remember whether you shot the game winning free throw or paid your bills all you did was your job. It doesn't matter what others say, the only opinion that matters is the one that comes from that face you shave each morning. I want them to realize that loud mouthed showboating is either part of show business( read pro sports) or the true sign of the Great American Moron.At the end of it all you must be able to look at yourself and say" I did my job." Like I said , busy day.

My apologies Toad!

I'd like to expand on a comment I made on Toad's "To the Manor Born" blog. In other words I'm gonna steal a topic! He asks if anyone plays pick up games of baseball any more. I commented that kids play their sport year round now and if you rode your bike alone to a park you might end up on Nancy Grace. I was a high school coach for 15 years. At 3 different schools
both public and private so I could go on and on about pushy parents (helicopter mom and dad, always hovering around making noise!) and coaches who expect year around devotion to their sport. I could, but I won't. I'm sure you all have your own stories. fell free to share. The problem is basically people trying to make something out of their children they never were. It becomes a blood sport. So very sad.However the other end of the spectrum is as bad. The sport activities that promote, well showing up. We really don't keep score (HA!) we don't want them to feel bad so, trophies for everyone! These are mostly aimed at younger children and are fine for wee ones. There reaches a point when this has to stop. This is what has created the entitled generation. I showed up, late again, where's my pay check. Life is a contact sport . Yes it hurts to lose, but it should make you want to try harder. In other words compete. Athletics should teach you skills that go beyond the playing field. Working as a team for a common goal. Winning with grace, losing with dignity.( no mom they didn't cheat, your kid played bad) And the dying art of being a good sport.
What's the answer? Beats me.I tried in my small way, but in the end it wore me down, so I retired and hung up the cleats.
I think of the long ago summer Saturdays. Put your glove on your handle bars and ball in your back pocket.Now you have to peddle standing up. Gotta go Mom the guys are gonna be there at 10! The only instruction back was don't be late for dinner! Miss ya Mom.

Open letter

To the woman I met in the parking lot:

To be more specific you were driving a many colored minivan with the fake wood paneling on only the passenger door.I wish to applaud your dexterity and multi-tasking skills. That you were able to back your car ,talk on the cell phone and suck the life out of that cigarette at the same time was simply amazing! And then you added hand gestures to your performance when I tapped my horn to warn you that you were about to put your van in the backseat of my car. Brava! Here I would like to make one little correction .If, as I believe, you were telling me the Tri-Valley High School somethings ( that window decal was partially blocked by the one of the adorable little boy urinating on a Ford logo) are number one you should have used your index finger. Sounds like a fine institution of learning, as judged by the bumper sticker that proclaims your son beat up my honor student. I wish we could have discussed it further, but I could tell you were in a hurry, since you didn't bother to obey the stop signs as you left the lot. Late for work perhaps? Still I think this is talent that Cirque du Soleil would kill for, if you ever decided to go pro.
p.s.
If this seems that I'm being a supercilious ass about this, let me reply in a term you're familiar with,DUH!

Full heart

In my younger days my weekend thrills were many. The heart thumping wait as you press deeper into the back wall of the blind. The vee of geese turning slowly into the wind like a lumbering flight of B-29s coming in to land. The sweat soaked shirt as you feel through your fishing line the chicken like peck at your Mann's jelly worm. Deep in an Alabama swamp this has to be a world record bass. Later I crewed for a friend as he campaigned a car in a SCCA series. The sound like a giant swarm of hornets as they approached the first turn. Family,job demands and growing older put an end to my hobbies for the most part.
In all my silly pursuits nothing, I mean nothing came close to the thrill I had last weekend. My guys and I built our first snowman together! This is Gabe helping Ethan stay warm. The snowman wasn't much, we couldn't keep Ethan out long, but this moment......My pal ELS made a comment once that my heart must have been full, well E it sure was at this time!
Ethan's head is not that big he had to use one of Aunt Becca's hats! And yes those are Notre Dame mittens. To quote another blogger ADG "shut up"!

They don't make 'em anymore.

(This photo was lifted from The Selvedge Yard blog)

A wonderful photo of Clark Gable.You just have to admire his style, his wit and of course his good looks.I think the thing I like the most was his deep love for Carole Lombard.I don't want to go on about him, just enjoy the photo.

Like I know anything.

I don't make New Year resolutions.There is nothing wrong with them, I just know in my case it is a futile exercise. I am far from perfect and despair of ever getting any closer. But that doesn't stop me from offering some suggestions for others.
Men, let's start with us. Hold that door open, even for other men. What could possibly be in that building that is more important than acting like a gentleman? Get off your hindquarters and pull out her chair. You should have risen when a lady came to your table anyway or entered a room or rose from your table. Good manners show respect for others. I'll come back to you guys in a minute.
Ladies when some one does these things it it doesn't mean they are treating you like an object. It means they are showing you respect, so smile a little. While we're on the subject, women should smile often. Especially at us old guys. One of God's loveliest creations is a smiling woman. Back to the menfolk, a smile and a good morning doesn't mean they want to sleep with you. Its a greeting, get over yourself. A man my age is about as arousing as furniture. unless you're Sir Sean. I'm not and I doubt many are,so act your age. If you are a young man, returning the greeting with sincere respect will impress her more than a "Hey baby thats what I'm talkin' bout" .
I suppose this sounds like Pollyanna and maybe sexist. Its not meant to be either one, it just goes back to my theory of living with style and dignity. Happy 2010!

Profile picture

I guess I should have chosen someone more iconic than Edward Herrmann . There have been a few people who thought it's me.
I chose him because he represents so many virtues I admire. His traditional dress, his classic demeanor and I think I would enjoy listening to him read the telephone book. Oh and the bow ties.
I'm not trying to hide, I thought it was what bloggers do. If the situation warranted I would post a picture of myself.
A very dear friend once gave me a great piece of advice. She told me that you really couldn't relate to others until you learned to like yourself. I'm getting to the late innings and I have to admit I'm pretty content with myself. No overly impressed, but content. They say a good man knows his limitations and I certainly know mine. As that great philosopher Popeye the Sailor said" I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam"

I have no shame

Is it too late to exploit my guys one last time for the holidays?
Ethan doesn't like the hat and is about two seconds away from throwing it across the room. Humbug! The Gabe photo is obviously staged, his mother couldn't get him to stop smiling. Like the old saying goes, if I had known grandchildren were so much fun I'd have had them first. Happy New Year!