I am From the South....But.....

I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and am proud of being from the South.  I am proud of the Southern manners that I was taught as a young child.  Yes Sir, No Sir, Yes Ma'am, No Ma'am.  I love good Southern cuisine...fried chicken, good barbecue, fried green tomatoes, peach cobbler, biscuits and gravy and more.

But, for the life of me, I don't understand the fascination that some Southerners have with the Confederacy, the Confederate Flag, Confederate Generals, Politicians and the other losers of a civil war that took place over 75 years before I was born.  Hell, they were just a bunch of losers that were, in essence, trying to protect their dominance over other human beings.  They were traitors to our Country...why do we glorify them with statues, monuments, carvings and parks?  How do some still embrace those very racist and traitor symbols of a long ago era?

According to The President, it is our "heritage."  Who's heritage?...certainly not mine.  Frankly, if there is one thing I am embarrassed about being a Southerner, it is that I might be tied to those traitors of the 19th century by an accident of my birth.  I assume that those that are holding on tightly to the Confederacy yearn for the days that they can have slaves, and show dominance over others because of the pigmentation of their skin.  I assert that those people have no allegiance to our Country and have no place in our society.

In 1964, I began 8th grade and was part of the first class at Grady High School that was integrated.  Up to that point, I went to an all white elementary school and the only African-Americans that I knew, cleaned my house, cooked my meals and did our yard work.  I heard and laughed at many "black" jokes and am embarrassed today that I participated in such gross and misguided actions.  As I came to find out, my Black friends had the same dreams, same desires and yes, the same insecurities that all teenagers have.  What I didn't realize at the time was that they had many other worries that I, as a white person, could ever imagine.  I never worried about being unfairly judged because of the way I looked, or harassed because of the color of my skin.  I don't pretend to know about the feelings that my black friends have had because of small minded people.

The events of the last few weeks have simply highlighted the struggle that my black friends have endured over the course of my entire lifetime.  It is nothing new....it is just something that has been video'd and otherwise documented.  If my health would allow it, I would be marching to demonstrate my support of the Black Lives Matter Movement....but for the moment I can only use my voice, my writings and my vote to show my support.

Black Lives DO Matter!

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

5 Elements of Responsible Leadership

I have written and expressed my views severely disliking our current President and his modus operandi.  It is not just that I don't agree with 98% of his policies, nor that I don't trust anything he has said or done.  It is a well documented fact that he would rather lie than tell the truth and his hatred for minorities, the poor and anyone not in his social sphere is quite evident in his rambling and incoherent diatribe.  But most importantly, when this Country truly needs a leader, he falls woefully short.

I recently read an article listing 5 elements of Responsible Leadership and if you agree that it is a good roadmap for responsible leaders to follow, then you can't possible think that tRump even remotely approaches the standards set forth in the article.  Let's explore each element....

1. Stakeholder Inclusion: Safeguarding trust and positive impact for all by standing in the shoes of stakeholders when making decisions, and fostering an inclusive environment where diverse individuals have a voice and feel they belong.  The only shoes tRump could possibly claim to stand in are those of the Fox News pundits, and the upper 1%.  And as far as fostering an inclusive environment, his actions are laughable...except for claiming that the Nazi and KKK demonstrators are "Good and fine people,"

1. Emotion & Intuition: Unlocking commitment and creativity by being truly human, showing compassion, humility and openness.  tRump has no ability to show compassion, empathy or anything close to it.  In a recent analysis of his Corona Virus press conferences, exactly 4.5 minute of the over 15 hours of his ramblings were used to express anything resembling compassion to those thousands of families that have lost love ones.  He is on record as saying that the task force members cannot talk to Congress because they are all "TrumpHaters."  So much for openness!

1. Mission & Purpose: Advancing common goals by inspiring a shared vision of sustainable prosperity for the organization and its stakeholders.  In tRump World, it is either his way or no way.  He does not have the ability to listen to others to even develop a shared vision.  Unfortunately, there is no vision for prosperity for this Country.  His financial prosperity "Vision" is based on the often failed principal of trickle down economics...which has been proven over and over again that is not sustainable.

1. Technology & Innovation: Creating new organizational and societal value by innovating responsibly with emerging technology.  tRump's lack of ability to embrace Science has been demonstrated over and over.  He is a Climate denier, committed to fossil fuels.  His push to espouse the use of unproven "remedies" for the current crisis are appalling and dangerous.  the only technology he understands is the power of Twitter, as he uses this platform to whine.

1. Intellect & Insight: Finding ever-improving paths to success by embracing continuous learning and knowledge exchange.  Do I need to even expound on this one?  tRump doesn't even read his daily briefings, listen to the experts or even explore alternative paths to success because his attention span is so short, he can't grasp too much information at one time.  If it is not on Fox News, then it is not a credible source of knowledge.

Out of 5 elements of responsible leadership, tRump fails in all five!  What is even more disconcerting is the there are still so many that support this administration and would like to see him serve another 4 years (or longer!).

It is up to responsible people to make sure that doesn't happen.  Vote Blue and make sure that we overwhelmingly throw him and his Republican Senate out of office!  And it HAS to be overwhelming, because the voter suppression, gerrymandering and other cheating could win for him again.

And The Journey Continues.......

The Best and Worst of Times!

It was the Best of Times and The Worst of Times...the story of the last 12 months of my life.  As I look back on the last year, there are many things to be thankful for....  Healthy and beautiful grandchildren, children and their spouses, my forever partner Connie, my constant companion Jazz and countless friends and family that have been there for me through the best and the worst of times.

Its only been 4 months since I was first diagnosed with the kidney disease that came out of nowhere.  Now, I am at the stage where we are beginning dialysis and searching for a kidney donor.  The main lesson from all of this is that without your health, none of the other stuff really matters.  Often, when we know others that are suffering, it is easy to not fully comprehend how it takes over their life.  Unfortunately, though, it takes precedence over all of your activities, most of your thoughts and a lot of your interactions with others.

But, this post is not a "Woe is me" post.  Actually, as I reflect on the year and the last four months in particular, I am grateful and touched by the outpouring of love, compassion and caring from so many different people.  Whether it is close friends, family, extended family, casual friends, colleagues at FLMTC or just casual acquaintances, a day doesn't go by that I am not surprised by someone reaching out...and that makes the whole ordeal much more bearable.  I also believe that my health problems have made me more aware and much more compassionate about others that are facing challenges.

It was also  "the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity" ... in our country and in the world.  (Most readers of this Blog know that I couldn't go too long without being political!) The amount of hate and vitriol directed by the white supremacists and encouraged by the worthless imposter that sits in the White House is undoubtedly the worst of times.  The recent spate of Anti-Semitic and Anti-Muslim violence is reminiscent of Hitler's Germany and if that doesn't scare you, then something is wrong with you! The lack of any sort of morality coming out of the Washington Republican elite is repugnant and the lies and misinformation abhorrent.   Not to mention the Climate deniers that endanger the future of our planet.   Somehow, we have come to accept the idea that Party and getting re-elected is more important than doing what is right....and that just plain sucks!  Our Country's standing in the World is suffering...we are being laughed at by other countries and the Chinese and Russians are now the true Powers in this World...all because we have an administration that has no concept of World Affairs, except for sucking up to Putin.  There is no substitute for smarts, thoughtful discourse and an Administration that will listen to those more experienced and smarter...unfortunately we will never have that with Trump as President.  I cannot have any respect for Bad people, and Trump and McConnell are at the top of the Bad people list!  And, while I am always open for debate, using FACTS, I have lost all respect for anyone that supports the current administration based solely on their pocketbook.

So, as we head in to a New Year and a New Decade, I will be working hard to fight against those forces that endanger our Country, our World  and the future that I would like for my grandchildren to have.  All the while, I will take it step by step in fighting back to full health.   Those are my only New Year resolutions!

Happy and Healthy New Year wishes for all!

And The Journey Continues.....

The Search for A Kidney

Three months ago I was diagnosed with an unusual kidney disease, PGNMID, and began treatment.  So far, the four chemo treatments have netted no progress and I have now been in the hospital for a week trying to get the swelling throughout my body under control.  My arms look like Popeye’s and my legs and torso resemble the baby Trump balloon!  Unfortunately, my kidney function is continuing to decrease and the doctors have informed me that its time to move on to dialysis and to be put on the transplant lists.

So, that’s the plan....going to have a port put in my abdomen this week and begin home based dialysis and begin the search for a new kidney.  I am told that being on the list means that maybe a match can be found within 12 months.  Although some in my family have already volunteered their kidney, matching still has to be there and I have to be willing to avail myself of their incredible expressions of love.  That is a decision that I will wrestle with at the appropriate time and in due course.

One thing is for sure though....the importance of support from family, friends and colleagues has been a reward in itself. And that’s the purpose of this blog —- to thank everybody for the calls, texts and emails.  The level of love and concern has made the acceptance of this bump in the road a little easier.  I have to be honest - today’s meetings with the doctors have been difficult - Sometimes it is a little hard to stay positive but we are taking it day by day and will kick the hell out of this!

Thanks again for your expressions of love - please be understanding if I don’t immediately answer your notes, texts and emails...we will do our best in keeping you updated.

And the journey continues......

I Am Not Invincible!

At some point, all of us think that we are invincible!  Nothing is going to happen to me..I am strong, I am healthy, I take only calculated risks and generally take care of myself.  We all go along our merry way, not worrying too much nor fretting over our well being.  And then...BOOM!  That all changes in an instance.

I always thought that if anything affected my health, it would be my heart.  After all, cardiac problems run throughout my family..my Mom, Dad and 3 brothers all had cardiac issues.  So, I was diligent in checking up on the ticker and everything has always been good!   And then a couple of weeks ago, I was just not feeling right.  Lethargic, loss of appetite, retention of fluids and just generally feeling punk.  Finally, after much prodding from my family and friends, I relented and went to the doctor to find that my blood pressure was through the roof.  Blood tests revealed that my kidney function was shutting down.

A week in the hospital and I went through a Kidney biopsy, Bone Marrow biopsy, complications from the biopsy...and the diagnosis is an uncommon Kidney Disease...PGNMID...  At this point, we hope it is treatable with chemo, as I have had my first round last week and am scheduled for the second round on Friday, September 27th.  I am told that about a third respond to this treatment and am trying to avoid dialysis and/or transplant.

So, I am at home, but expect to try to go back to work asap...this sitting around doing nothing is not for me!  Unfortunately, I am restricted in travel as the chemo leaves me more susceptible to infections...but keeping the Purel close at hand is not the worse thing in the world.  However, I am going to have to forego my 50th High School Reunion that I was so looking forward to.  To all my classmates, send pictures, I will be with you in spirit.

I have learned a few things during this ordeal.  First, listen to your body...if something isn't feeling right, then it's time to get it checked out.  Second, I have the best support group in my family and my friends.  The outpouring of love and concern has been overwhelming and that is probably the best medicine of all.

No matter what course I have to take to get there, I'LL BE BACK!!  Stay tuned!

And The Journey Continues!

The New Normal?

64% of American voters believe President Trump committed crimes before he became president, while just 24% believe he did not, according to Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday.

Voters are more divided on the question of whether or not Trump committed crimes during his presidency, with 45% responding yes and 43% no. Of those surveyed, 50% said they believe Michael Cohen — who detailed alleged crimes committed by Trump during his testimony last week — more than they believe the president. As he enters the third year of his presidency, 65% of Americans say Trump is not honest, including 25% of Republicans — "his worst grade ever on that character trait," according to Quinnipiac.

                                                                        AXIOS March 5, 2019

This would be very interesting if it really mattered!  It seems we have morphed in to a society that does not care about honesty…not from our politicians and not in our daily lives.  It has become the new normal to “shade the truth, tell little fibs, exaggerate, pontificate and out and out lie!  It has been estimated that, so far in his Presidency, Trump has uttered 7645 false or misleading claims and is averaging over 15 lies a day!

Why doesn’t this matter to the voters?  We already know that most voters are so under-informed about reality, that they will believe anything put in front of them if it fits within their narrow internet world.  Trump’s tax cuts are a great example.  These tax cuts were a fraud on the American taxpayer.  Benefits were only put in to place to benefit the top 1% and Corporations. BUT, Trump had the IRS adjust the withholding tables so that it appeared that working people were receiving a benefit. However, as these people are now finding out, their Taxes actually went up due to the elimination of certain deductions and now those same people are having to come up with funds to pay their taxes.  Not to mention the Trillions that it is adding to our deficit.  Just as he has done in ALL of his business dealings, Trump lied to fit the narrative he wanted the public to believe.

Yes, I believe Michael Cohen over Donald Trump.  Michael Cohen no longer has anything else to gain or lose, so lying does him no good at all. I agree that Trump is a racist, con man and overall bad person.

So, it is extremely hard for me to understand how anybody can defend this less than a man.  What has he accomplished?  A Tax cut?  No, that was a tax fraud on the American worker.  

Great strides in Foreign Policy? No, he is laughed at by every one of our Allies and only embraced by Dictators and Despots…and he embraces them in return over our own Intelligence Agencies.

 A great economy and unemployment numbers?  No, he had nothing to do with that…the previous administration dug us out of the hole and he has only managed to make things more difficult for our farmers and manufacturers with his phony trade wars.  

Immigration Reform?  No, “Build that Wall” is not immigration reform..it is only hate filled rhetoric designed to fire up his base and create an “emergency” over illegal immigration numbers that are at an all time low.  

Drain the Swamp?  No, he has created a Swamp so deep that 34 people and 3 Companies have been indicted from his administration (so far) and the revolving door that has been installed in the White House for his Cabinet and Advisors is moving at warp speed.  

Peace with North Korea…No, that is laughable.  North Korea has increased the pursuit of nuclear weapons and missiles that can reach the United States.  Complete failure!

Healthcare? Respect and belief in Science concerning the environment?  Education reforms?  NO, NO and NO!!!

So, exactly what has he accomplished besides embracing the Neo Nazi’s, the KKK and others that are filled with hate?  Yep, I now believe that Trump can shoot somebody in the middle of 5^thAvenue and his supporters will find that to be okay!

What a terrible thing to have our new normal be one of lies, deception and general dishonesty rather than real accomplishments, truth, civility and inclusion.

And The Journey Continue…………….

Glory, Glory!

Although I can't promise that I will never write another political post, I am so damn tired of the political landscape and the political conversation, that I am just plumb tired, period.  So, while I haven't written a blog post in some time, it is about time that I jump back in and ramble on about something....

When I was growing up, the Sports scene in Atlanta was pretty minor league.  Before the mid 60's, professional sports in Atlanta consisted of the minor league baseball team, The Atlanta Crackers, playing in Ponce de Leon Ballpark...and many fond memories of going to games there still rattle around in my head.  There was not a major league team in any sport until I was about 15 years old...that's when the Braves moved from Milwaukee and the Falcons were born as an expansion NFL team.  A couple of years later, the Hawks moved from St Louis and Atlanta became big time with 3 major league teams.

I fondly remember seeing my first major league regular season game on Opening Day for The Braves on April 12, 1966 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.  It was against the Pittsburgh Pirates and the starting pitcher, Tony Cloninger, pitched a complete 13 inning game, only to endure a 3-2 loss. The Braves featured players Henry Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Joe Torre along with Felipe Alou and other role players like Rico Carty, Frank Bolling and Dennis Menke.  I have won a lot of drinks in bars betting people they can't remember who the opening day 1st baseman was....Lee Thomas.

In that same year, The Atlanta Falcons were born and drafted Tommy Nobis, Linebacker from Texas,  as their first draft choice and had a bonus 1st round pick, Randy Johnson, QB from Texas A&I.  The first exhibition game in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was against the Johnny Unitas led Baltimore Colts and I was at that one too!

It wasn't until 2 years later, 1968, that the NBA arrived in Atlanta when the St Louis Hawks became the Atlanta Hawks.  They played the first 5 years in Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the Ga. Tech campus before moving to the "new" Omni.

So, that's how Atlanta became a "Big-League" city.  But before that, we had College Sports....Football, in particular.  And since the Ga.Tech Yellow Jackets were the "home team", that's who we initially rooted for.  I could even sing all of the words to "I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech!"  That's the only reason I know the obscure fact that Billy Lothridge was the guy that finished 2nd to Roger Staubach in The Heisman Trophy race.  He was the QB, punter and place kicker for The Jackets.  I have fond memories of going to Grant Field to see Bobby Dodd's Tech teams play...both Varsity games and the annual Freshman Game against the Georgia Bulldogs.

I am not sure when I became enlightened and became a Georgia Bulldog fan, but I am sure it was well before I was accepted and went to The University of Georgia.  Since that time, I began to bleed Red and Black and became a devoted fan...as a student in the late 60's and early 70's, as a season ticket holder,  reveling in the Herschel Walker years and The National Championship, mourning the retirement of Vince Dooley, suffering through the tough years, not quite getting to the pinnacle during the Mark Richt years (although there were a couple of SEC Champ years in there) and now reenergized during the beginning of the Kirby Smart years.

What a year 2017 was...winning the SEC Championship,  and The Rose Bowl and taking Alabama into overtime before losing the National Championship...way beyond our pre-season expectations and exciting beyond reason!  Kirby followed that up with great recruiting and great prospects for seasons to come.  It would be terrific if 2018 is a repeat or better, but I really believe we are a year away...there are a lot of stars that have graduated and will be playing in the NFL this year.  Is it too much to expect that those young pups can instantly fill the voids left?

Whether they do it this year or not, I will continue to wear the Red and Black, sing Glory, Glory to Ole Georgia, and teach my grandsons to do the same.  That is a requirement as the opening game on September 1st will be Elie and Zev's first live football game ever and I expect them to be able to sing out loud and clear: Glory, Glory!

And The Journey continues......