8 Blogs In 8 Weeks Finale

 Ringing the Bell!

    Ring this bell three times well to celebrate this day.  This course is run, my treatment done, now I am on my way.

Today I rang the bell signifying the completion of my current course of treatment for my kidney disease.  While it is a significant point in my treatment, we won’t know its effects or results until further testing is done over the next month.  Nonetheless, it also marks the end of 8 Blogs in 8 Weeks.!

Over the course of time, “Ringing the Bell” has meant different things to different people.  As a high school football player, I had my bell rung a few times….getting hit hard.  At the University of Georgia, there is a custom of ringing the chapel bell after every football victory.  Freshmen had the responsibility to keep the bell ringing until midnight after the game and throughout the night when we beat Georgia Tech.  Many churches ring their bells to signify the beginning or ending of church services.  Ringing the bell seems to always mark a beginning, an end or to mark a significant event.  That is why many oncologists have continued the tradition after a patient completes their treatments.

I am not sure how many of you have actually read my ramblings over the last 9 weeks, but thanks for indulging me by being a part of this journey.  Writing these made the time spent "hooked up" more bearable. I will continue to blog from time to time…as I have done over the last 12 years…but will no longer be sending it out on emails.  If you want to continue to read, then follow me on the website or find me on Facebook.  As always, my observations, opinions and ramblings are mine alone and you are welcome to agree, not agree or not even care!

I want to thank the nurses who cared for me, my family for supporting me and all of you for being a part of this.  As we enter the New Year, think about doing random acts of kindness...it can go a long way in healing this fractured world.   

Wishing all a Happy New Year and more importantly Good Health and Happiness as we venture in to  2023!  GO DAWGS!

And The Journey continues……

8 Blogs in 8 Weeks #8

 Music is the soundtrack of my life.

I grew up with music.  My Mom, an accomplished pianist and lover of music always had music playing in the house,  Whether she was playing the piano or had an album on the turntable, or was driving in the car, she seemed to always be listening to music.  I am sure that I got my love of music from her.  In fact, my interest in The Great American Soundbook, Jazz, and Broadway tunes was directly influenced by her musical taste.

Growing up, when others were thrilled with The Beatles, The Stones or later, The Who or heavy metal, I was more interested in Sinatra, Bennett, Streisand, Nat King Cole, or Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk.  That’s not to say that I didn’t ever listen to current tunes but my preference has always leaned to Jazz.  In fact the majority of the more than 8000 tracks downloaded to my phone are in the Jazz genre.  However, there are still Beatles albums, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, Carol King and a bunch of Motown tunes as well as other genres there also.  I also love to find artists that are little known, but have a unique take on music.  One of my favorites always has been Ray Charles with his mix of Soul, Blues and even Country.  But if you listen carefully, his piano and organ solos are heavily influenced by Jazz and somewhat improvisational. 

Last night, I listened as my 8 year old granddaughter, Mara, practiced her piano recital pieces on the very piano that was my Mother’s and that my brother, Jan, and I learned to play piano.  I actually could read music before I learned to read writing.  I started to play around the age of 5 and started to take lessons shortly thereafter.  You would think that my Mom was the one who taught me, but although she did teach piano to a number of neighborhood kids for a while, she sent me and Jan to others for instruction.

Listening to Mara practice last night and again this morning reminded me of the important role music has played in my life.  It was through playing the piano that I met my wife Connie.  When I was 15 years old, I was asked by some girls I knew to be the accompanist for their Chorale group that was preparing to travel to Washington DC and Baltimore for a performance.  Of course, the prospect of being the only guy traveling with 26 teenage girls was appealing to this 15 year old, so I agreed.  It was on that trip that I met Connie and we started dating shortly thereafter!

There are certain songs that evoke memories.  One can hear a tune and be transported to a different time and place…sometimes memories of a person you haven’t seen in a while or an event in your life.  Our first dance song at our wedding was an old Carpenter’s song, We’ve Only Just Begun.  If Eye of The Tiger, the Rocky theme song is played, my son instantly comes to mind. Whenever I hear the song, My Girl, I think of my daughter.  When my daughter was a young child I used to play and sing (albeit off key), Daddy’s Little Girl, to her and, in fact, was cajoled to do that again last night.  It made me realize how long it had been since I sat down at the keyboard and promised myself to play again.

Music stirs emotion.  As kids, if we came home from school and my Mom was at the piano playing heavy duty Classical music, that was our signal to leave her alone.  At family gatherings we frequently could be found sitting around the piano while one of us was playing.  If you really want to understand how music affects emotion, try watching a movie without the background music score…it is just not the same!

I hope there is lots of music in your life and it can become your soundtrack too!

Only one more infusion to go!

And The Journey continues……

8 Blogs In 8 Weeks #7

As I mentioned in a previous Blog, I watch too much television.  It seems like a television is always on somewhere in the house.  The Today Show for news in the mornings as we get dressed, the Nightly News, ESPN or MSNBC at various times..And we record a lot of shows for future watching.  I think most people have a “guilty pleasure” that they watch and might not want to admit.  Michelle Obama recently said that her guilty pleasure is the Real Housewives,  

Well, I have to admit, I have a guilty pleasure that I have watched for 43 Seasons….yep, the reality show “Survivor” is one that I record every week and watch faithfully.  For those that have never seen the show, the producers assemble a group of people from various backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, etc and dumps them on an island beach with no supplies, no food and no shelter and they spend 25 or so days creating their own shelter, forging for food and playing a game of outwit, outplay and outlast each other.  They endure physical, mental and emotional challenges along the way that force the players to choose between risk and reward while still navigating the complex social game and attempt to forge alliances that will allow them to last another day.

There are both physical and emotional challenge games along the way that culminate in one player getting voted off each week.  Finally, there  are ultimately 3 players left to plead their case before a jury of players that have been voted off earlier.  I guess I revel in the social part of the game more than the challenges as there are those that lie, steal and do whatever they can to manipulate their friends and opponents as the game progresses.

In last night’s finale for season 43, it came down to the oldest player, a young woman and a 30 something young man.  Spoiler alert…. the winner was the “old guy” who played the game more honestly than any other player I have seen in 43 seasons.  But what struck me and millions of other Survivor fans is that he announced that the prize he won of one million dollars was going to be donated in its entirety to a charity for wounded veterans. He was not keeping a single dollar for himself!  The other contestants were stunned and their jaws dropped as he dedicated the donation to his Father, a former Green Beret.

It made me think of what I would do if I won a lot of money in the Lottery or had a massive windfall all at once.  Of course, I buy a lottery ticket every once in a while although I know the odds of winning the many millions is minuscule….but somebody has to win and you can’t win if you don’t play. 

We have all read about some lottery winners that mishandle the winnings and are broke a few years later.  I think the way to handle the winnings of a massive windfall is to first take care of your family and close friends and then take a larger portion and give back to the community through a charitable trust.  If you are lucky enough to win over $500 Million dollars, as someone recently did in Powerball, why would you not use a portion of that to help others in need?

I don't pretend that I should tell others how to spend their money, but when people like Elon Musk would rather lose Billions of dollars feeding his ego rather than helping others, I can only shake my head.  In this Season of Giving let's be like the winner of Survivor and all not forget those less fortunate than us.

Happy Holidays!

And The Journey continues......

8 Blogs in 8 Weeks #6

 As I pass the halfway point in my journey through the 8 infusions that will hopefully bring my kidney disease under control, I have been thinking a lot about Friendships and how really good friends are made and continue through thick and thin.

Rabbi Merle Singer recently wrote a Blog (wordswithmerle.blogspot.com) about friendships in which he said:

    "I firmly believe the molecules of friendship are commitment, compassion, being there for another in the good and challenging moments, being a helping hand, the supportive voice, and offering consistency in kindness.  I would be foolhardy to state that friendships do not have their own battles and mishaps, but it is how we address those situations with a tender and forgiving heart that define the person we are or aspire to be."

I have had a lot of friends in my lifetime. But, outside of family, I can count on one hand those friends that are truly "Best Friends."  An old joke says that a friend is one that will always bail you out of jail as a result of you doing something crazy or stupid.  A Best Friend, though, will be sitting next to you in jail saying, "Well, that sure was a lot of fun!"

During my latest journey, I have had many old friends reach out to me.  Friends from  my childhood, high school, college and earlier times in my life.  Some I haven't talked to or heard from for a number of years and it has been great reconnecting, reflecting and catching up.  I am grateful for their friendship and have enjoyed those snippets of conversation, texts and even the Facebook messages.

My wife is truly my Best Friend and ultimately the one person I can always count on no matter my grouchiness, my good and bad moods or my emotional swings  My 3 brothers count not only as my siblings but have always been among my best friends.  And I am so happy that both of my adult kids and spouses are my friends beyond the parent-child dynamic.  My couple of other "Best Friends" know who they are and I know they will go to the end of the earth for me and vice-versa.

Being a friend and being friendly are two totally different things.  We should all be friendly, but being a friend take a commitment beyond just smiling and being nice.  There is a give and take in friendship and you should be willing to give MORE that take in order to be a good friend.  A true friend gives support without judgement, comes through in a crisis and usually knows just what to say when it matter most. Friendships are an essential ingredient in a happy life, so we should all give them the attention and care they deserve.

Friendship is when someone knows ALL about you but likes you anyway, as a true friend accepts who you are, but also help you become who you should be.

I will end with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

    The only way to have a friend is to be one."

And The Journey continues........

8 Blogs in 8 Weeks #5

Although this is Blog #5 in the 8 Blog series, today is actually only the 4th infusion treatment.  I wrote #4 while in the hospital and didn’t have an infusion that week.  So 8 Blogs in 8 Weeks will actually become 9.  For those that actually read my ramblings, I hope you have enjoyed the variety of subjects as I have chosen subjects at random from the world of news, politics and just general interest.  With the College football Conference championships, Bowl Games and Playoffs coming up, you can bet one of these blogs will be football focused…but not today!

This week,  I read about one of the most ridiculous lawsuits that I have ever heard.  It seems that a woman has sued Kraft Foods because the box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese had a label that says  “Ready in 31/2 minutes and it took her slightly longer to prepare her Macaroni and Cheese.  While the Company does market its Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese Shells as “Ready in 31/2 Minutes,” a Florida woman (of course, she is a Florida Woman!) claims it actually takes more time since she has to open the package, pour the contents in to a cup, add water before she puts it in the microwave for 31/2 minutes and then lets it thicken!  And since she paid $10.99 for 8 cups, she is seeking $5 Million from Kraft.

Now, this would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.  Sad, that she might actually think that she has been harmed and sad that there is a lawyer that would actually file this case in our overworked courts.  Our Court system is constantly abused and the backlog of actual legitimate lawsuits have to wait months and sometimes years to even get on the docket.  Not to even mention the costs incurred by me and you as taxpayers and the cost that insurance companies and these companies incur.  Who do you think actually ends up paying for all of this?  You and me, through higher insurance premiums, and costs of products and services…somebody has to cover those costs!

After reading about this absurdity, I did a little research into some of the most ridiculous lawsuits filed in the last few years.  Check out some of these!

Man sues Budweiser for NOT helping him attract beautiful women!  Man sues Michael Jordan for having a similar face as his.  A Judge sues a dry cleaner for $67 Million for losing a pair of pants to a suit, after they offered to replace or pay for a new suit.  A man sues himself because his split-personality caused him to commit a crime and wants the State to pay him $5 million since he is a ward of the State.  A kidnapper sued his hostages for escaping and costing him the ransom.  A student sued a teacher and the school because he was awakened from his sleep in class.  And, my favorite, which was actually won by the Plaintiff:  A man sued his wife for birthing an ugly baby…which is actually his own biological child!  It seems that his wife never told him that she had multiple plastic surgeries and treatments and in reality did not look like he thought she looked.  The baby’s appearance more closely reflected her original genes, and they were evidently not very attractive.  This idiot was actually awarded $120,000. 

Of course there are legitimate reasons to file a lawsuit and that is why we have a court system.  However, when it is abused over and over again, it affects all of us.  The Former Guy filed 62 lawsuits concerning the 2020 election and lost 61 of them.  By the way, the one that was ruled in his favor was insignificant anyway.  Overall, it is estimated that he has filed over 3500 lawsuits against individuals, companies, institutions, governments and just about anything or anybody that doesn’t agree with him about anything.  

I have a lot of respect for Lawyers…and I mean intelligent and ethical attorneys.  As the saying goes, “some of my best friends” are lawyers….in fact, my brother is one of those!  But, every time you sue a Company or their insurance company over bogus claims, it ultimately costs all of us in higher insurance premiums, higher product costs and even our tax money used to support the courts.

We continue to ultimately be our own worse enemy!

Till next time….

And The Journey continues……

8 Blogs In 8 Weeks #4

“7 Dead in Shooting at Walmart,” “Club Q LGBTQ+ Shooting,” “4th of July Shooting in Highland Park.”. “Robb Elementary School in Ulvade Shooting.” “University of Virginia Shooting,” “Parkland MSD High School Shooting,” “Topps Supermaket in Buffalo Supermarket Shooting.”

 

It seems that every morning, we wake up to these headlines.  Shootings, shootings, shootings….death, destruction, mayhem, and lives of those that survived, decimated…by shooting!  And all we can say is “how sad,” We are praying for them,” or “what a pity.”or “my heart goes out to them.” Well, damnit, when are we going to to do something about it?  When are we going to quit blaming mental illness, or misfits or grudges or bad childhoods or Mother’s Fetal alcohol syndrome or whatever else bullshit reason these things happen and start telling the truth and then actually start doing something about it?

 

There are a lot of problems in this country, (An obvious understatement), and I won’t even attempt to list them here.  In my mind the three  most important issues to take on are HATE, ANGER and GUNS!

 

Hate grows because of anger. The rhetoric spewed by our politicians, talking heads on TV, right wing groups, left wing groups, extremist, Twitter, Facebook, other social media and reported on by the media in general further fuels this anger that drives Hate.  Daily, we listen to angry people expounding their hatred to their followers.  After hearing this hate speech over and over and over again, some believe that they must act.  

 

Recently, I read the short story below. It illustrates the effect on a recipient of anger.

 

There once was a young boy with a very bad temper. The boy’s father wanted to teach him a lesson, so he gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper he must hammer a nail into their wooden fence.

 

On the first day of this lesson, the little boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. He was really mad!

 

Over the course of the next few weeks, the little boy began to control his temper, so the number of nails that were hammered into the fence dramatically decreased.

It wasn’t long before the little boy discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

 

Then, the day finally came when the little boy didn’t lose his temper even once, and he became so proud of himself, he couldn’t wait to tell his father.

Pleased, his father suggested that he now pull out one nail for each day that he could hold his temper.

 

Several weeks went by and the day finally came when the young boy was able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

“You have done very well, my son,” he smiled, “but look at the holes in the fence. The          fence will never be the same.”

 

“When you say or do things in anger, they leave permanent scars just like these. And no matter how many times you say you’re sorry, the wounds will still be there.

 

 And that anger becomes hate.  

 

Hate is defined by our friends at Miriam Webster as “intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury.” “extreme dislike or disgust.” Hate is a crime in itself because of what it causes a person to do.  Very self-centered people hate since they feel that only THEIR way of life or THEIR belief system or THEIR race, color religion or creed is the only one that should exist.   Whether it is the hatred of Blacks, Jewish people, Muslims, LGBTQ , immigrants, poor ,impoverished people or even rich folks, this hatred is derived from jealousy, fear, or the inability to grasp that people are people that have different opinions and should be free to express them and have their own belief system. 

 

But what about the 1^st Amendment?  It protects Free Speech! The First Amendment allows us to speak our mind and stand up for what we believe in. However, the limits on free speech are rooted in the principle that we're not allowed to harm others to get what we want.  Some Scholars say that hate speech is protected…others don’t.  But if crimes committed out of hate are unlawful and prosecuted as hate crimes, then it makes sense to me that the same should apply to hate speech!

 

ANGER becomes HATE and is acted out by the act of SHOOTING.  And the common element of Shooting is GUNS!  We as voters are responsible for the mass shootings in this country.  We continue to elect people who don’t believe that sensible gun laws are necessary to help ensure the safety of our people.  Until we refuse to elect anybody to Congress, State Legislatures, County, City and Local offices that doesn't believe that sensible gun laws should be put into place , we will continue to have daily shootings.

 

I am not suggesting taking away your friggin’ guns!  Sportsmen, Hunters, Target shooters, handguns for personal protection should be allowed, but controlled.  Age limits, licensing, background checks, education and insurance requirements should all be required in order to buy a gun.  We require most of those things just to be able to drive a car!  If you buy a car, you have to be able to show a driver’s license and insurance before you can drive it off the lot.  In a lot of places it is harder to get a license to fish then it is to buy a gun!

 

There is no need for anybody to have an assault weapon that fires multiple rounds of ammunition unless they are in the military fighting a war.  At one time, we had a ban on assault rifles and statistics show that we had far less mass shootings events then the daily occurrences we have now.  But we elected people that let that ban expire!!  Why?  Because the gun lobby poured billions of dollars into the campaigns of those that would let it expire.  Pure greed by the gun industry and thirst for power by those that want to be in office.  These people do not serve our country.  They only serve themselves. 

 

The NRA – National Rifle Association - is the biggest Terrorist Group in our Country!  

(Besides being corrupt!)

 

2nd Amendnent advocates will scream and holler that they have a right to own any gun they want.  I have read the 2^ndAmendment and I can’t find that right outside of a well regulated Militia.  The Supreme Court ruled that citizens may keep a handgun at home for self-defense in District of Columbia v. Heller, and courts across the country have reaffirmed that gun safety laws are constitutional and not in conflict with Second Amendment rights.  More than 1,400 Second Amendment challenges have been decided since District of Columbia v. Heller, the landmark 2008 case in which the Supreme Court established an individual right to keep a handgun at home but also emphasized that the right is subject to various forms of regulation.  Yet, our lawmakers refuse to take action and pass those regulations

 

Stop the madness and refuse to elect ANYBODY that will not support sensible, safe Gun Laws.

 

 

And The Journey Continues………

 

8 Blogs In 8 Weeks #3

TV is the thing this year.

This fun song was performed by the great Dinah Washington, originally written by Phil Medley and Bill Danford and released in 1953.

Well if you wanna have fun, come home with me

You can stay all night and play with my TV

TV is the thing this year
This year, TV is the thing this year
Radio was great, but now it's outta date

TV is the thing this year            

If you want to hear the song:

https://youtu.be/2xiRp9UntPs

Although most people think that Television wasn’t invented until around that time (1953), Television as we know it began to take shape in the 1920s. Vladimir K. Zworykin was born in Russia and became a pioneer of television technology with the development of a kinescope, which recorded images on motion picture film. In 1926, John Logie Baird gave a public demonstration of a television system in London; two years later, the first television stations launched.

However, it wasn’t until The World’s Fair in Queens, New York in 1939 that Americans got their first look at what television broadcast looked like, thanks to RCA and a speech given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  NBC began nightly broadcasts shortly thereafter.

As a 50’s and 60’s kid, I loved television for just the pure entertainment.  Saturday morning cartoons and TV shows like Circus Boy, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Sky King, Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear, The Lone Ranger, Howdy Doody, Fury and many more kept us enthralled.

In 1952, The Today Show debuted on NBC and changed morning TV.  It was in the 50’s that “must see TV” came around.  It seemed that everybody made sure that they watched certain shows like I Love Lucy and The Ed Sullivan Show. I remember Elvis’ first appearance on Ed Sullivan…..most of our parents were All Shook Up!  And of course, SPORTS.  We got The Game of The Week in baseball and a single college football game each week and if your city had a team, you could watch an NFL game occasionally.  No ESPN and no around the clock programming as the three networks signed off at midnight with The National Anthem.

My most vivid memory of television in the 60’s surrounded the assassination of JFK, the live shooting of his assassin and the funeral.  This is when, I believe, that newspapers really began to be replaced by television…instant news!  There have been many significant news events broadcast in real time in the last 60+ years.  Certainly there are too many to list here but you can’t leave out the assassinations of MLK and RFK, MLK’s I Have A Dream speech, the first moon landing, The Challenger, many Presidential debates, the Vietnam War and even horrendous acts like the Capital Insurrection of January 6, 2021.  The advent of CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews(?), CNBC, Bloomberg, PBS and even CSPAN changed news reporting forever.

And then, in the 70’s and 80’s television exploded. UHF! SuperStations! Cable! HBO! Multiple new channels, new networks, themed stations, music networks, Sports networks and 24 hour a day television.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention PBS and Sesame Street that has helped educate generations of kids or ESPN and their multiple Sports networks that has informed and entertained Sports enthusiasts. Nothing ever signs off the air and television runs around the clock.  If you have a hobby or particular interest, chances are you can find a program or channel to satisfy.  

Now, I am not saying this a bad thing…in fact, I LOVE TELEVISION!  I like the ability to always find a game to watch, find some no-brainer sit-com to help mentally escape and an occasional news worthy show or history show to expand the mind and learn something new.  I even like some of the soap-operish type shows like the ancient Dallas or Knott’s Landing or today’s The Good Doctor or Grey’s Anatomy.

By the way - for a little bit of trivia, the longest running continuous show still on the air is Meet The Press originally aired in 1947 and like it or not, still on the air every week. This is followed by CBS Evening News and The Today Show.  Interestingly there are several Christian Evangelical shows that are close behind.  The NFL on CBS has been on longer than any other regularly scheduled Sports Show.  The longest running scripted shows include The Simpsons, Law and Order SVU, Law and Order, Family Guy, Gunsmoke, NCIS, Lassie and Grey’s Anatomy.  The longest running daytime shows after the Today Show are Guiding Light, Jeopardy, and Days of Our Lives. (My lists only includes US shows.)

During these Covid years, we quit going to the movie theatre and because of streaming services and plenty of networks, have been content in our visual entertainment choices.  Some of the movies and limited series have been well written, acted and enjoyed.  It has been fun sharing our recommendations with our friends, family and neighbors and playing the “have you seen?” game.  Yes, television has changed….no more limited choices…..maybe even too many choices?

So, I started thinking about my favorite shows over the years.  I am not even going to list things like news shows, or sports events (The University of Georgia National Championship Game of last year that I rewatch about once a month) or situation comedies like Cheers, or All In The Family or Friends or Dick Van Dyke….those are just pure, shake it out and laugh fun….on my list.  My Top 5 List only includes those shows that have compelling writing, were well acted, with interesting cinematography and direction.  However, the  dialogue written by talented writers is most important to me.  

My TOP  5 (in no particular order) are:

The West Wing

The Americans

The Sopranos 

Ozark

Yellowstone

Now you know why I chose this subject to write about this week.  Last night we watched the first 2 new episodes of Yellowstone of the new season.  And in spite of the overuse of really foul language, I was riveted by the writing, the superb acting and the gorgeous cinematography of the Montana landscape and the way they chose to show it.  If you haven’t watched this series, take the free first month of Paramount + and watch the past episodes and then catch up to the current season on The Paramount Channel.  I think you will really enjoy it.

What you like is purely subjective….not everybody likes the same thing.  What are your Top 5??  It will be fun for all if you comment below and share your favorites with everybody.  Maybe somebody will find a new guilty pleasure.  Happy viewing!

Also, if you are so compelled, feel free to add yourself to those that follow this blog by adding yourself to the followers on the right of the blog page.  Which brings up an interesting question:  If I am a Blogger, are you a Bloggee?

And The Journey continues……

 

8 Blogs In 8 Weeks #2

 A Public Service Announcement:

If you don’t own a recent Apple Watch or similar Smart Watch, stop what you are doing right now and go buy one.  Don’t even think about it, just do it.  Tuesday night, I was watching TV and in a flash had trouble breathing and felt ill….checking my heart monitor on my watch I found my heart rate out of sight.  I then used the Ekg function for 30 seconds and it informed me that I was in Atrial Fibrillation and should seek help immediately.  We all have the tendency to ignore our body’s symptoms but this confirmed that this wasn’t just some ordinary event…and the doctors in the emergency room confirmed so.  I am okay now after 4 rollercoaster days in the hospital, and some really good doctors,  but can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I had waited.  These things are not gimmicks.  In fact, after falling on my bike a few weeks ago, the watch detected it and started the 60 second countdown to calling 911 until I turned it off at 30 seconds mark. This stuff works!

Now, back to the originally scheduled Blog!

Have you noticed that hardly anybody talks to each other anymore?  We text, we tweet, we facebook, we email, we Instagram, wechat, and we do all other sorts of tech programs to communicate.  But it seems to me that we are avoiding talking to each other.   Yep, I LIKE to talk.  There is something about having a good conversation, verbally sharing thoughts, ideas, news, laughter and even tears that is so much more satisfying than writing a 15 word text or email.  Besides, a quick phone call is much more efficient than typing out an email, sending it, waiting for the other person to read it and waiting for them to get around to answering your simple question that could have been taken care of in far less time.  

Verbal communication requires that you not only talk, but that you actively listen to what the other person is saying.  Too many time we all spend far too much time thinking about what we are going to say next rather than listening and responding to what the other person is sharing.  And that’s what talking is….sharing in the other person’s life.

Here is the way it use to happen:  Phone call:  “Hey Joe, want to meet outside in 15 minutes and play catch?”  Joe answers: “Sure, see you at the field.”  End of call.

Today’s way its done:  Take out Iphone:  Type text..”Wanna play catch?” If Joe has looked at his phone at that moment:  types back..”sure, when and where?” Back and forth until time and place are determined.  And that is only if Joe happened to look at his phone…he might not notice that message for some time and miss out on a good game of catch.

I know that sounds absurd, but the same thing happens in both adult social and business communication and besides being inefficient, it exposes all of us to some just how little attention a lot us pay to the crazy variations and weirdness of the English language!  One of my pet peeves is the misuse of certain words, phrases and spellings of certain words.  When speaking, you can’t tell the difference in some of those words (even with my southern accent). 

Test yourself and see if you know the difference in the meaning of these words.  One thing is certain.  They sound alike but mean something totally different.  If you speak these words, you never make a mistake…if you only write them, I can guarantee your 5th grade English teacher would be horrified by what you have written!

There, their, they’re…..To, too, two….you’re, your, yore….right,write…wear,where….waist,waste….tail,tale….steel,steal…stationary, stationery…role,roll….real,reel….rain,reign,rein…peak, peek, pique…hole,whole…it’s, its….site, sight, cite…insight,incite….creak, creek…bolder, boulder…baring, bearing….bear, bare…canon,cannon….sole, soul…eight, ate…by, buy, bye…cell, sell…due, do, dew…I, eye…four, for, fore…here, hear….hour, our…no, know….night, knight…mail, male….marry, merry….meat, meet…pair, pear….mail, male…son, sun…one, won…wait, weight…. AND there are many, many more!

Hope you have fun with these words.  Yore? your? you’re? welcome…….For goodness sakes people, it is YOU’RE WELCOME not your welcome!!

Let’s Talk….Give me a call sometime!

And The Journey continues……

8 Blogs In 8 Weeks #1

 Over the last 12 years, I have written 75 Blogs!  Politics, grandchildren, observations, opinions (guided and misguided!), stories (and boy do I have stories) and even “The Real Story.  If you are interested in seeing those Blogs, they are listed on the right side of this Blog site..

Fo the next 8 weeks, I am going to be sitting in an infusion center for most of every Thursday, so I have decided to use the time for my most important therapeutic activity…writing.  Being the frustrated writer that I am, I will be using this opportunity to write about a lot of different subjects.

First though, a couple of housekeeping items.  I will be sending this out to my friends and family as well as posting it on Facebook,  I understand if you have zero interest in what I have to say, and respect your privacy,  If you would like to be removed from the list, please private email me back and I will remove you from the list.  If you are getting this through Facebook, and want to be put on the email list, please send me your email address.  If you don't want to see it on Facebook, please feel free to block me!  

Second, I love discourse.  If you disagree with me, that is totally okay.  You can either ignore me, delete the email or even write me back with your comments..just please reply to the email to me ONLY, so we don’t inundate others with responses. Or you can leave comments at the bottom of the Blog Posts.

I thought about what to call this series of Blogs…Considered  “Thursdays with Roy” as a nod to one of my favorite writers, Mitch Album, but I am not dying anytime soon, so I threw that one out and settled for the more mundane, “8 Blogs in 8 Weeks.”.  Oh, and one last thing….If you have a subject you would like me to write about, please let me know and I will do my best to inform, entertain and hopefully get everybody thinking,

So, without further ado, here is the first installment of “8 Blogs In 8 Weeks.”

With Election Day, 2022, rapidly approaching, it is a good time to talk about elections, why we should vote and what makes up the decision to vote for a certain candidate, party or, god forbid, a cause you are passionate about.

This week, I had a disturbing encounter with a young 20 something gentleman as I was purchasing the not so winnable Powerball ticket for this week’s drawing.  He asked if I was going to share the winnings.  Assuring him that my plan was to do exactly that and he could count on a fat envelope of $100 bills from me, I reminded him that we have to pay taxes on the winnings….and that  is when the conversation went South!  “The government is corrupt!”. “Nancy Pelosi is a crook and doing insider trading..” Nancy Pelosi is everything wrong with everything.”. I calmly asked where he is getting his information, how did he arrive at his conclusions and most importantly, DOES HE VOTE??  His only answer was he just “KNEW IT,” And although he has voted before, has no plans to vote and is not interested.  I then told him that if he didn’t vote, that in my view, he gives up the right to complain about the government.

And that, is the crux of the problems in this country today.  First, voting turnout is abysmal.  Second, most people don’t know what they are voting for.  If you are really engaged or want to be engaged and really want to have your vote count for YOU, then I think a logical way to make decisions is take the pure emotion out of the equation and places it squarely on the shoulders of your belief systems, your ideas, your ideals and ultimately what exactly is important to you.

There are many factors that influence your thought, including friends, family, race, socio-economic class and even public media and talking heads…BUT, what really, really matters is what is important to you.  The Brookings Institute lists 5 issues that are important to today’s voters.  I think there are several more, so I am going to list all of them that are important to me and you can gauge how you feel about each one.  Once you take 5 minute to think about each issue, look at facts rather than fairytales, decide what is most important to YOU and compare it to what the candidate actually says about that subject, and then the voting booth becomes very simple!

The Economy!!  It’s the economy stupid!!!!  Inflation, taxes, spendings, GDP, unemployment and job availability, cost of living….my rent or mortgage and cost of borrowing and even the return I am getting on the money or investments I hold.  It is a lot to think about and I never want to minimize the overall effect it has on your life.  However, is it the only factor to consider?  Is the size of your bank account the only factor in deciding your quality of life, your beliefs and your ideals?   If so, then find the candidates that truly focus on those things that you think will help the economy.  BUT…be honest with yourself.  Does trickle-down economics REALLY work..or has it ever really worked?  If you look at the last 50 years of this country, the economy has flourished under democratic control in terms of growth, deficit control, spending.  Look it up from reputable sources and quit listening to Fox News, obliviated politicians and talk radio shock jocks.

Abortion!  With the over-turn of Roe v Wade, many, many people are upset, crazed and distraught that we are going backwards  to the 1950’s and beyond in terms of women’s rights, body autonomy, severe government overreach and the overall right to choose.  And rightfully so!  A person should not be forced to do anything when it comes to their own body.  You can’t take my blood, my organs, force a procedure, cut off a limb, make me take medicine or do anything else with my body, so why should you be able to force me to have a baby I don’t want, and won't care for?  If our religion says that life begins at conception (Although SCIENCE will disagree with you’’)…then that’s YOUR religion and it doesn’t have any sway over the personal decisions I make about my PRIVATE being.  The government has no right to decide my personal beliefs, and ultimate fate.   Forcing 10 year olds to have a baby, endangering the lives of people with misdirected edicts and turning a callous head away from sensible decisions is absurd.  Calling people baby killers solves nothing but the urge to try to intimidate the vulnerable to your way of thinking.  Give it up already!

Climate!!  Yes, Global warming and climate change are really a real thing!   Permitting reform can can enable the clean energy revolution.  Certainly, it feeds in to energy independence and we need to be as energy independent as possible.  But, we are killing the planet.  I have grandchildren that need to grow up in an environment that is healthy.  Clean air, clean water, rising seas, natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods are all part of the climate equation.  To deny that this is an issue is sticking your head in the sand.  Climate deniers are the same type of people that never wanted to give up their horses for cars, their manual labor for automation and ignore the technological advances of todays information revolution and internet culture.  Move into the present century!

HealthCare!  This is an important one!  The United States is the only advavanced modern world country that really does not provide adequate healthcare for its citizens.  And sick people make up a sick society.  There is not an easy answer.  The Affordable Care Act, MIGHT have helped a little but it is truly too little, too late.  But all of the great minds in government haven’t come up with a better plan…although we have been promised one “next week” for a long time now.  I know a lot of people are very leary of having government control healthcare, but I am not suggesting total control.  I am proposing a logical system of checks and balances that puts the patient first, costs a fair amount and pays an equitable rate to those dedicated providers.  Medicare is a decent system to build this program on and those that are trying to eliminate Medicare, which we have all paid in to over the years is a good starting point.  But let’s do it for EVERYBOODY!   We need our Doctors, our nurses, our therapists and all of our healthcare providers to rise up and demand these reforms along with anyone else that believes that the very foundation of your health is the key to fulfillment. 

And while I am on it, stop the nonsense that Social Security is an entitlement.  I have been paying in to Social Security for over 55 years and that is my money that should have grown exponentially over the years.  Quit stealing from the Social Security Trust to pay for other things or give me my money back.  It is not an entitlement.  It is my right, my money and my investment.

Education!  Wow….when we were kids, I think we took education for granted.  Most kids I grew up with went to public schools,  We learned, we studied, we did our homework we played sports and occasionally even got in a little trouble.  Parents backed the teachers…we respected the teachers, they respected us and everybody worked together.  I am all for parents being totally involved in their children's lives.  But, let's let them live...let's give them some space, let's quit hovering.  Part of growing up is making mistakes...that's how we learn.  Little Johnnie and Sally will be just find if we guide rather than control.  

Was some of what we were taught in school a lot of whitewash?  Of course it was!  No matter what the deniers say, slavery was prevalent in the founding of this country. and we are still suffering the consequences of that horrendous fact.  Contrary to what the Declaration of independence and the Constitiution says, we were NOT founded on the principle of “All Men (and Women)  Are Created Equal” and to say so is folly.    And yes, The Holocaust really did happen.  Plus,  I have a little secret for you….Columbus did not discover America!  America didn’t need to be “discovered.”  There were already indigenous people living here for many many centuries before the Europeans and Asians figured out there were societies here.  To deny that we stole their lands and territories is not history.  And we have a Governor in Florida that flat out says that never happened.  Sheesh!   Those that don't study and recognize history are doomed to repeat the mistakes we have already made!

Equal Rights  and LGBTQ….(I hope I didn’t leave anybody out)  Such a hot button.  “Don’t Say Gay.”  “Quit indoctrinating my babies.”  “All Democrats are blood sucking demon pedophiles that belong to a Satanist cult.”  “Pizzagate.”  You are turning my baby gay.”  News Flash!  Nobody is trying to make your kids gay, trans, queer, bi or anything else.  The simple fact is there are ALL kinds of people that LOVE the way they want to love.  And they want to be left alone.  There are Mom and Dad families, Dad and Dad Mom and Mom, Mom only, Dad only...and none of them are wrong!  Kids are curious and much more intelligent than we give them credit for.  They can handle differences...it is our own prejudices that influence them, not the mere fact there are differences.  Why should you care if there are gay marriages, inter-racial marriages, no marriages or lots of different kinds marriage?  Why should your very fabric of being be threatened by something other people do in their lives?  Which brings us to.......

Racism, Anti-Semitisim, Anti-Asian,  Anti-Far Eastern and yes, even ANTIFA.  There is a growing subset of people(?) that believe that all of their problems are because of somebody that is not exactly like their skin color, their accents, their customs, their culture, their religion and that these "Different" people are the root of all the world's problems.  In this Country, with the exception of the indigenous people of the land, we are ALL immigrants or are descended from immigrants.  We are a melting pot and that is what gives us strength.  Draw from that strength, nurture the differences.  There were not good people on both sides during the demonstrations in Charlottesville, VA.  Our leaders need to condemn ALL acts of discrimination and denounce those that continue to display these destroying acts of gross prejudice.  And I, for one, will not vote foe ANY candidate that remains silent as they are complicit in the hate and the violence!

I can go on with this list forever, but am going to close with what I think is the most important part of the decision making matrix....The Crazies, The Election Deniers, The Truth Benders, and The Liars and The Threats to our Democracy!  To quote the former guy from one of his books..."If you repeat a lie often enough, everyone will eventually believe you."  This has been, is, and will continue to be his and his follower's guiding light.  Last time I am going to say this...The election was NOT stolen.  It has been counted, verified, audited, 100's of lawsuits, no evidence, no coverup, no cheating machines.  To tell me that they found 4 cases of over voting in Arizona proves there is overall fraud is like telling me its raining when you are pissing on my boots.  What a scary state we are in when the candidate for Governor in Arizona publicly says that once the Republicans win Arizona, they will make sure that a Democrat will never win another vote in THEIR State...we will just elect people to the state legislature that won't pay attention to the vote of the people and fix it however we want.  Or in Georgia, where if we don't like the results of the election, we will just let the legislature decide to cast Electoral votes how these select few want.  Back these people and Democracy is dead.  And no, ANTIFA (not really an organization but a movement simply meaning Anti-Fascism!), did not storm the Capital on January 6th.  It was the DJT crazies following his instructions to disrupt the government and begin an insurrection for his infantile ego.    What a world we live in when a carnival barking con-man can get the number of followers to believe in his lies, his conspiracies and his extreme self-serving hate for anybody that doesn't massage his fragile ego.

Finally, please, please, consider intellect when choosing your candidate..Being a great football player, Coach, Fake Snake Oil Salesman Doctor, Conspriacy theorist, non-thinking Neanderthal does not qualify anyone to lead.  It takes, intelligence, compassion, thoughtful, clear-headed people to take us into the next few decades.

That's my list for today...of course there are many other factors in deciding how to vote.  Please don't just choose one and run with it...consider all sides.  I will leave you with a quote from one of my favorite people, Tony Kornheiser, of PTI  and ESPN and The Tony Kornheiser Show podcast (Shout out to all of The Littles) who said that if he ran for office his slogan would be a very simple one:  

"WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS!"

And The Journey Continues........

The Journey, Continued!

 In Decemtber, 2020, I wrote a post entitled, “The Journey” in which I told the story of my kidney disease, transplant and folllow-up.  This is the continuation and update to that post.

It has been 2 years since my transplant.  At the time of the operation, Doctors told us that there was a 50-80% chance that this insipid disease could return and attack the new Kidney.  Although it usually reoccurs within 7 months if it comes back, I was a little luckier that’s most.  It took 2 years!

A few weeks ago, I was feeling “off” and lab test numbers started going in the wrong direction.  After some prodding, I was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital last Monday for further tests including an invasive biopsy.  The first news came back that I was in a moderate Kidney rejection stage…possibly treatable.  The next day it was discovered through further tests that the PGNMID -Progressive Glomerulonephritis with Monoclonal Deposits - had also returned.  Although I always tried to discount the possibility that the disease would return and look at the situation from a positive point of view, I was not destined to be the lucky one…you would think that since I can seem to never get a winning ticket in the Powerball lottery, I might be able to get one in the lottery of life!

So, after spending the week in the hospital receiving 2 initial infusion treatments for the rejection, we are back in Miami this morning receiving the 3rd infusion at the out patient clinic.  Each infusion takes 6-7 hours to complete.  Other than some nausea, my body seems to be taking it okay.  However,  The additional meds I am taking are a different matter.  Lots of steroids, no sleep, muscle weakness, shakes etc are no fun, but something to endure while, hopefully, the high intensity doses of anti-rejection drugs try to do their job.

Next on the docket is to figure out how to treat the PGNMID.  With my nephrologist, Marc Richards, the team of Doctors at Jackson Memorial/Miami Transplant Institute and advice from Dr. Nelson Yeung at Mayo Clinic, ideas on how to proceed are being formulated.  Unfortunately there is very little known about this rare disease and no set protocol on how to treat it. To answer the obvious question, given this disease, I’ve been told that a return to the transplant list is a no go.  I had my one shot and am not eligible for another kidney.

In all honesty, it is hard to stay optimistic when the odds seem to be stacked the other way.  However, I’ve been known to draw an inside straight and have the winning ticket on the long shot at the right time. (too many gambling metaphors?).  Maybe I can get lucky again!?!

So, getting well again is my only priority now.  With the help of my family (especially Connie!), the encouragement of my friends and colleagues, the smiling voices of our children and grandchildren and a lot of determination, we carry forward.  I will keep you posted as things progress, but don’t be afraid to reach out…if I am not feeling like talking and am behaving too much like a curmudgeon, I just don’t answer!

I am NOT looking for sympathy.  To say, “I’m sorry” is not needed.  However, if you are so inclined, prayers, good wishes and hopefulness are always welcome.

You are ALL a part of Roy’s Journey and I am so happy to have you along for the trip!

And The Journey continues………..

Back To Politics

It has been well over a year since I have written a “political” blog.  I have written about baseball, football, prejudices, turning 70 & my kidney transplant.  In fact, it was October 2020 when I wrote my “last words on DJT.”  

But…I can’t hold out any longer…so (with a wink to Keith Olberman)…here goes!

 

This week, The Department of Justice got a search warrant to search Mar-A-Lago, the “home” of tRump for missing Presidential documents including classified documents.  It has now come out that there is a mole in the tRump universe who tipped off the investigators that there were significant documents stored in tRump’s personal home, including in his safe, after he purportedly turned over all of those documents as a result of prior requests.  The FBI executed an unannounced, legal search and Republican world went bananas.

 

“I’ve seen enough,” Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, wrote in a statement that he posted online. “The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization.”

 

Ric Grenell, who served as Mr. Trump’s acting director of national intelligence, said that if the former president were to be re-elected, he must “clean out the FBI and DOJ.”

 

“If they can do it to a former President, imagine what they can do to you,” the Twitter account for the House Republican caucus wrote.

 

"At a minimum, Garland must resign or be impeached," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote. "The search warrant must be published. Christoper Wray [sic] must be removed. And the FBI reformed top to bottom."

 

“This is what happens in Third World countries. Not the United States,” said the House Judiciary GOP. A Fox News commentator repeatedly called the search “third-world [expletive]” in a viral clip. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) likened it to what happens in a banana republic. 

 

Marco Rubio warned we were on track to become like Nicaragua and added, “Using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships. But never before in America.”

 

Trump, overwhelmed with apparent self-pity, rambled in his 340 word statement, whining about the United States becoming a “third-world” country, pretending his other scandals weren’t real, complaining about Hillary Clinton, and marveling at the fact that FBI agents, looking for documents, even “broke into” his safe.

 

But, do you know what NONE of them, including tRump, said?  No one said he was innocent or not guilty.

 

No one tried to explain why the former guy had those documents in his possession.  It was tRump himself who signed into law  18 USC Code 207 so he could go after Hillary Clinton:

 

Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document, or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

(b)

Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States. As used in this subsection, the term “office” does not include the office held by any person as a retired officer of the Armed Forces of the United States.

 

So, to all of those supporters that are calling for war, demonstrating ad nauseum, and are indignant over the search warrant, I ask:

 

Does the law not apply to EVERYONE?  Is their lord and savior, Donald Trump, ABOVE the law.  “Republicans are the party of law and order” makes me laugh out loud.  Why did he not turn over those 12 or 15 boxes of documents that belong in the National Archives when he was asked to do so? It is rumored that the missing documents concerned nuclear weapons!  Was he going to monetize them for his own benefit? Was he going to give them to our enemies?  What, possibly, could be the excuse for not turning them over after it was found out that he didn’t follow the law to begin with?  The last traitors that stole top secret nuclear documents were executed in this country.

 

And, now, tRump is spreading the conspiracy theory that the FBI has planted evidence.  This seems to imply that tRump knows that he should not have those documents and is trying to shift the blame to the FBI.

 

And as long as I am writing about limitless hypocrisy, the former guy’s past quotes included:

 

“You see the mob takes the Fifth,” he said. “If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”

Another time, he said, “Fifth Amendment. Fifth Amendment. Fifth Amendment. Horrible.”

 

Yesterday, in a civil trial deposition he took the 5^th Amendment over 440 times!  

 

I can understand when people support the Republican Party conservatism…even when I don’t agree with any of their positions.  What I don’t understand is how anybody can support this racist, misogynistic, Hitler loving, liar, cheat, crook, piece of garbage.

 

And The Journey continues…..

Glory, Glory!

 Glory, Glory to Ole Georgia!

 

It has now been a month since my beloved Georgia Bulldogs claimed the Football National Championship over the Alabama Crimson Tide.  For the first time in over 40 years, Georgia fans rejoiced in FINALLY reaching the holy grail.

 

Now, that’s not to say that Georgia football has not had success since the glory days of Herschel Walker, Buck Belue and Lindsay Scott.  The Dawgs have had multiple SEC Titles, many more winning seasons than losing ones, many bowl victories and countless Top 5 finishes.  BUT, the National title always seemed to be elusive.  Even in the fantastic 2017 season, the Title seemed to be in hand until the final minutes, when Alabama inserted Freshman Tua Tagovailoa into the game to throw the winning touchdown…breaking the collective hearts of thousands and thousands Bulldog faithful.

 

It was hard to believe that Coach Kirby Smart could continue to recruit Top 5 recruiting classes year after year and we couldn’t get over the hump.  Finally, in this 2021 Season, the Dawgs went undefeated in the regular season, only to lose to the Evil Empire in the SEC championship.  However, after vanquishing the upstart Michigan Wolverines in the Orange Bowl and Alabama beating Cincinnati in the other semi-final, the rematch was all set.

 

Most of the pundits said it couldn’t be done.  The first half was a defensive struggle as Alabama took a 9-6 lead into the locker room.  But the 2nd half was a different story.  While the Georgia defense still reigned supreme, Georgia’s offense relied on the big plays…Cook’s 60+ yard run, a long pass from The Mailman to AD Mitchell, Freshman of the year, Brock Bowers touchdown.  While it was touch and go for most of the fourth quarter the pick 6 heard throughout the land, by Keele Ringo capped the win!

 

Enough can’t be said about the Georgia Defense.  Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker continuously hassling Bryce Young, a run defense that was impenetrable, the field goal block by Jalen Carter and ultimately the highest-graded defense against an Alabama team since 2014.

 

I can try to convince you that I was calm and collective throughout the game, but that would be a lie.  I was yelling so much at the television, our dog ran in to the other room.  When Ringo intercepted the ball, I ran the entire length of the field with him.  Yes, I will admit, that tears of joy were streaming down my face.

 

The word fan is derived from the word fanatic.  I am a proud University of Georgia Alumni, a lifelong fan and some might say, slightly fanatical about the Dawgs.

 

And the Journey continues….