You’re Getting’ Old Sparky!!!

27 April 2012 

Just some random thoughts this morning. No real message here today. Almost 2 weeks ago, my wife had broke her wrist while roller skating. She’s doing better but still having some pain of course. That happened while we were roller skating. That’s not an activity we do every day. In fact, it was the first time I had gone skating since I was with her in high school!! It had been about 15 years or so for her. Anyway, she’s doing fine and is now finally starting to crochet again which makes her feel a lot better.

Two days ago I had to go to the podiatrist and he excised four ingrown toenails. They did it in the surgery clinic so that I could relax and not kick anybody when they went to jab needles in my feet and toes. I am personally “OK” with any procedure they want to do on me after they send me to Lah-Lah land. Anyway, it was a simple procedure and I am back to “normal” now. I use the word “normal” in association to me in the loosest form possible.

I learned this morning that the fiber product Metamucil is nothing like Benefiber. You cannot mix two teaspoons of Metamucil into your morning hot coffee and drink it at your leisure. The directions on the Metamucil call for 1 rounded teaspoon in an 8 ounce glass of water. The directions also mention a warning of possible choking which I thought was curious. This morning I learned that putting 2 teaspoons of Metamucil in your morning hot coffee turns that coffee into some form of a gelatinous goo. Kind of like cold gravy.  Anyway, I got a fresh cup of coffee and Gut Gawd do I miss my Benefiber!

So as I saunter around this beautiful Texas morning feeling and hearing my bones pop and crack with every move, double checking the supply of pain killers and other meds, my gaze wanders to the morning sun peaking over the horizon. It really is going to be a beautiful day. The sunshine’s first furtive caresses on the dew soaked landscape gives me cause for pause. I find myself reflecting that while I have seen more purty mornings than I have left, I seem to appreciate them ever more so than before. Anyway, Skynyrd is cranking and I’m feeling fine.

Have a Blessed Day Ya’ll!

Today’s “Did Ya Know?” It is National Morse Code Day!!!! It’s a great day to send someone a nice message and do it in Morse code!!! Dits and dahs! Many of my friends will relate to this day as we did a lot of that “dittyboppin” during our days in the service. All those countless hours spent in our youth and now we can take a moment and thank old Samuel B for his contribution to our grand society!!! Ditty dit, dit, dit, dah dit dah dah, dit dah, ditty dit, dah dah dah, dah dit!!!!

 Related Links:

Good article on Morse code:

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/morsecode.htm

The Alphabet in Morse code:

http://www.maiolo.org/2nd_Grade/Word_Work_files/Morse_Code.pdf

The NFL Draft

26 April 2012

Today’s post is going to be pretty boring to people that don’t like or follow pro football, aren’t fans of the Miami Dolphins and don’t really care too much for the draft. I myself don’t typically follow the draft but I am doing so this year. I feel that for my team, the Miami Dolphins, this is a pivotal year. This is a “do or die” season and the front offices selections are largely going to determine how the next few seasons are going to go for this team. This year’s draft picks are either going to confirm my feelings that owner Stephen Ross and in particular, GM Jeff Ireland are complete idiots or that they do possess the foresight and wisdom to build a contending team.

 We get the 8^th overall pick this year. A lot of speculation persists on our picking Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill and I am of the feeling that if he is available, it probably would do us very well to take him. He has limited experience as a starting QB, I think his first start was in his sophomore year? But he has the skills to be a top flite, possibly even an elite QB and our Offensive Coordinator Mike Sherman has coached him. Additionally Coach Joe Philbin can develop him into a quality QB. I have said that we don’t need a QB and that is true but we will need one and getting a good one now while we are in position to do so is wise. So, if he is available, then take him.

 If we don’t take him then we should concentrate on our other spots we need attention. We need a quality pass rusher and I think Melvin Ingram, a Defensive End (DE) from South Carolina would fit that bill. He is aggressive and very quick on his feet. He has the moves and can get in the backfield much the same way our now retired Jason Taylor could in his prime. We also need a good WR and I am not impressed with the available choices this year but Michael Floyd out of Notre Dame would be my pick. He is fast and can shake defenders. I think he is a better pick than current top rated receiver Justin Blackmon out of Oklahoma State. I don’t see a lot of choices in defensive secondary players. Morris Claiborne, a Cornerback out of LSU,  is highly spoken of but I’m also hearing some negative press on him as well and I question his dedication. 

 

If these players are off the board, we should concentrate on our offensive line in the later rounds of the draft. We need to build the right line especially and Center. My picks for offensive linemen and Center are David DeCastro, Offensive Guard (OG) from Stanford and Cordy Glenn, OG from Georgia. I think either of these two would be great 1^st round picks. For Center, my picks would be Peter Konz from Wisconsin. This guy is an animal and William Vlachos from Alabama. Both of these players anchor their lines and possess great strength, speed and agility. 

 

What we don’t need are running backs, possession or slot receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles. We definitely do not need kickers or punters. So to wrap it up this year, unless we are shopping all of our picks to grab a single top 3 overall draft pick, then I hope these players get drafted by the Dolphins staff this year. At a minimum I hope that my suggestions compare to how they actually draft this year.

Have a Blessed Day Ya’ll!

Today’s “Did Ya Know?” The draft starts tonight at 8 PM EST but it is also National “Richter Scale” Day!!! A great day to shake things up and now thanks to the Richter scale, we know how badly we shook them things up!!!!! It’s also National “Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work” Day!! Bring the kiddies to the jobsite!!! Let them file some papers, make the coffee and do some office chores!! Great idea if you got one or two kids but what if you’re the Octomom? Of course, I don’t think she has a job does she?

 

Related Links:

NFL.com Draft site

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2012

Official website for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day organization:

http://www.daughtersandsonstowork.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=936

Why I Don’t Like Mitt Romney

24 April 2012

A while back I posted my reasons for why I disliked our president, Barrack Obama. I think it’s only fair that I post my reasons for my dislike of Mitt Romney. He will be the Republican candidate for the Presidential election so I need to offer my displeasure in the interest of fairness to all candidates. Because seriously, I don’t like none of ‘em!!!! Not a dang one!!!

First of all, I don’t know jack about Mitt Romney. I have absolutely no idea who he is other than being a former Governor of Massachusetts. Usually when someone runs for president, you have some idea of who the candidate is and you get some idea of what they stand for. Not so with Mr. Romney. It just seems like he showed up on the scene says “Hey I’m handsome and I want to be president”. He is too picturesque for me. He looks too slick, too well-kept. Not a hair out of place, too manicured. When I see video of him, I don’t hear him speaking. I have never heard him talk. I hear the commentators talking about what he’s saying. Looking at him on video or news reports, it’s like I am looking at a hologram. I see him there but he doesn’t seem real to me. I do not trust what does not seem real.

 

Holding an exclusive $50,000 dollar a plate fund raising dinner behind closed doors with no press allowed totally rubs me the wrong way. Why not make it an open affair? Why not allow the press to report on the attendees and get an idea of what’s being discussed, what promises are being made to the upper crust of our society. What influence is being peddled there? Which brings another point to me. This country does not need another rich man for its president and Mitt Romney is a rich man. He makes no bones about it either, not that there is a need to. I’m all for the idea of being rich, But just as I do not believe that the socialist agenda of wealth sharing is what this country needs, I also do not believe that having the country run by the rich upper class for the upper class is the answer either.  We are not all about the money. We are not Japan.

I have been disenchanted with the Republican Party for a long time now. I don’t think they are in touch with the spirit of this country anymore. I am for a strong small federal government and I like a strong defense but that’s about as far as I go with the Republican agenda. I hear a lot about Republican shrinking of government and I agree this is the way to go but what they offer up in the form of budgets or government reform pales to what is really needed. Republican budgets still operate in deficit mode and that is not going to do anything but expand our debt. 

 

For me the key issues are energy, environment, education, fiscal and governmental reforms, drugs and lastly though definitely not leastly, immigration. I want to see more efforts to provide new and alternative energy sources and technologies without drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR). I want to see our government forge new technologies through education and research and development here in this country, not China. I want us to follow the model set by the Brazilians who are largely off of foreign oil themselves. I want to see the implementation of a new flat tax system with no refunds for anyone. I want to see Social Security, government reformed so as to reduce costs and therefore spending. I want to see marijuana legalized and seriously studied as a medicinal resource. I want to see our borders secured and immigration reformed to allow people to come to our country, work if they want to and be free to return to their families. From what I see Mitt Romney isn’t about any of that. President Obama said he was but has so far proved otherwise and I do not want to give him another chance.

So as I see it, a vote for Mitt Romney is a vote for special interests, a vote for the rich and a promise of more of the same we pretty much have now. I see voting for Romney and Obama as not much difference. Our country is in dire need of change, real change. We need somebody to get in there and shake things up and I don’t see that person in Mitt Romney at all.

Have a Blessed Day Ya’ll!

Today’s “Did Ya Know?” Today is National “Teach Your Kids How to Save” Day!!! I really like this idea and wish that I had parents that instilled that in me when I was young. Saving money is hard and if you can make it a habit when they’re young, it’s much more likely to stick with them throughout their lives! Saving is just a great way to teach them about money and how to handle it wisely. It’s also National “Pig in a Blanket” Day!! Ya like bite sized hot dogs wrapped in a biscuit? Then today is for you! Here’s a great idea, whip up a batch of pigs in a blanket and sit down with the young’uns and teach them about money and saving a buck or two!!! Sounds like a recipe for a day well spent!

Related Links:

Fact site on Romney’s stance on some issues:

http://www.ontheissues.org/mitt_romney.htm

The official Mitt Romney website:

http://www.mittromney.com/

The official GOP website:

http://www.gop.com/getconnected/getconnected.htm

The official website for Money Saving Generation organization:

http://www.msgen.com/assembled/teach_to_save.html

Simple Things

23 April 2012

I love the simple things in life. It doesn’t take much to make me happy. I can always find something that makes me feel good, brings a smile on my face or brings me peace.

I love a good morning. I like to wake up before the sun rises. I love starting off a day and watching the sky transform from darkest night to light of day. I love it better when it’s warm outside. Then I can open the patio door and feel the coolness of the morning and hear the quite of night. I love hearing the birds wake up and start their day. It always starts with a few birds chirping a little here and there and before long they are in a full blown symphony of sound and music. I love the morning dew of spring. It’s always cool, always life giving and I appreciate the feeling of it on my toes and feet. I love the colors of the sky as they change with the rising sun. I love how the temperature goes down a little when the sun rises and then starts its work warming the earth. I get this vision of God coming back and forth from his living room to where the thermostat is. I imagine God has his thermostat in the hall.

I love a cloudy morning too or a foggy morning. Doesn’t matter, Its morning. Peaceful mornings are always good. I love the smell of a good fog and how it seems to coat everything in quiet and coolness. I love how it can play tricks on your eyes. A cloudy morning is a good morning too. Especially if there’s a little rain or drizzle. You have to look for the good things in a cloudy morning. The first thing I think of is thankfulness. I thank God for the rain as it gives life to our flowers and vegetables if I am growing a garden. I am thankful for how that rain gives life and benefit to all of us living on this planet regardless of where we are in the food chain. I love the sound of a light rain in the morning. Even a little thunder rumble now and again. It tends to mellow me out.

I love the smell of mornings and how when I take a deep breath, it fills my body and my mind with a sense of wakefulness and rejuvenation. The one thing I love about my mornings is the ritual of making the coffee. I grind my beans almost every morning and brew the coffee fresh with filtered water. The smell of the brewing coffee satisfies me greatly. The rich aromas help to waken the slumber from my head and helps to bring my taste buds alive once again. While the coffee brews, the door is opened, the birds start their concert and the atmosphere nudges my being into consciousness. I begin every morning with music. Sometimes I’m feeling a bit rowdy and crank out the rock-n-roll, some mornings its bluegrass or country, sometimes I play the Native American or “World” music I enjoy. Sometimes, I forget to put the music on and just listen to the quiet serenity of the morning. There is nothing sweeter than the sound of peace and morning calm.

Have A Blessed Monday Ya’ll!

 

Today’s “Did Ya Know?” Today is National Picnic Day!!!! Time to load up the old pic-a-nic basket with some goodies and go commune with Momma Nature!!! Bring someone special and enjoy the beautiful weather of springtime. Hopefully it’s nice where you are living at today. Picnics are always good fun and romantic too. Bring a little wine and some good lunchtime fare, maybe tune some music into your smartphone or simply enjoy the sounds of nature and the one you are with!  But the weather is warming and after a long winter, it’s time to get back outside and enjoy it!!!

Hero Check!!!!

19 April 2012

Our society has always been enamored with celebrities. Movie stars and sports figures have always been held in the highest esteem. Politicians sometimes captivated us but few in a real lasting way. We focus a lot of our attention on celebrities and we devote a lot of time reading about them. We shower them with attention and money when we listen to their music, watch their movies, follow their movements. We are quick to praise them and quicker still to pummel them when they falter as they often times do, in their human ways. When a celebrity passes away we are quick to label them as “pioneers”, “trend setters” “heroes.”

When I was growing up I had heroes. I looked up to people like my Grandfather, Vernon Devine, a man that worked very hard for hearth and home. I also looked onto Martin Luther King Jr, Robert Kennedy and George Washington. All very brave men who stood their ground and changed the world around them. Their impact is definite, to this day. I looked onto Muhammad Ali and Miami Dolphin Running Back Larry Csonka, Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose and Johnny Bench for their strength and for their ability to win. Later in life I looked onto Ronald Reagan for his wisdom and inner strength. He galvanized our country and made us whole once again. I also looked onto Jesus Christ because surely, there is no greater example of the good qualities all, men and women, should aspire to. I still look onto all these men as my heroes. These men have served and still serve as my role models and my inspiration.

 

I feel sorry for today’s young and today’s society. We worship celebrity and treat them with the highest reverence. It’s a viral, multi-media world today and celebrity activity is tracked, discussed and analyzed as near to the minute it happens as humanly possible. Often times, instead of acting responsible we hear “I am not a role model.” You betcha, you are not. Celebrities and politicians today do not realize or maybe just do not accept that they are role models and that the impressionable among us, our children, look up to them and do as they do. Many times children of today do not have the focus and guidance of their parents and so base a lot of their actions, thoughts, opinions and decisions based on what they perceive their role models would be.

But where are the heroes today? They’re here. We even hear about them from time to time. Our heroes today are those that look over us and watch us, protect us from harm and come to our aid when we need them, they teach us every day, things about the past and they prepare us for the future. They do not wear brightly colored tights, masks and capes. They are our firemen, soldiers, policemen and teachers. They are our community leaders and if you are lucky, your parents and grandparents. I believe that we have heroes touch us every day. We just have to learn to look for them in plain sight instead of plain type and video newsflashes. We need to learn their lessons and follow their example.

Have a Blessed Day Ya’ll!!!

Today’s “Did Ya Know?” Its “National Garlic Day!” I love garlic! I eat it in just about everything and I even take it as a heart healthy supplement! No matter how you prepare it, it is good and good for you. Today I celebrate garlic day with a batch of homemade spaghetti and garlic bread. Eat well and live well!!!

Time For a Break?

18 April 2012

Not much going on lately. My wife had broken her right wrist over the weekend when we had gone skating so looking after her has occupied a lot of my time. When things like this happen it presents a good opportunity to kind of gain a perspective on things. For me, it highlights how much I care for her and how much I love her. I feel bad when she is not feeling good and unable to do the things she wants to do. It underscores her importance to me and it reminds me how much she does for me. It also tells me how much I appreciate the things she does for me and gives cause for me to show her my appreciation.

For her, it gives her an opportunity to see how important she is to me. It also shows her how ready I am to take good care of her for a change! That I am very capable of doing everything needed to look after her. Her injury has left her right arm in a cast and pretty much knocks a lot of her activity out or otherwise makes it really hard to do. Like crocheting. This injury is a major hindrance for her right now! But her determination and her persistence will enable her to adapt and conquer the road block of a cast over her arm and hand. After two days she managed to get in some work on a project and I’m sure that makes her feel much better. Yesterday we did the laundry. We almost always do it together anyway and this time she realized the limitations an injury such as this presents and by the time this is all over, she’ll be much the wiser and maybe more careful. Well, maybe not. She’s already planning on another skating trip when she’s done healing. That’s my Baby!

 

Have a Blessed Day Ya’ll!

Todays “Did Ya Know?” It’s National “Wear Your Pajamas to Work” Day!!!! Better make sure you have a very cool boss before you participate in today’s observance!!!! I would love this holiday if I was still working. Which jammies would I wear?? I think I’d have to go with Superman jammies and I’d have to bring my pillow too or rather my “piller” as I call it. What kind of jammies would you wear to work? What would you do if you worked at Victoria Secrets?? I think I’d like some of those “feety” jammies, you know the one-piece ones. Whatever you do, if your boss is cool with it, make sure he doesn’t sleep in the buff!!!

Related Links:

The Official Website for “National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day”:

http://www.nationalwearyourpajamastoworkday.com/