For now we see in a mirror,dimly

The above picture was made by a women in Iowa from her front door . The twister touched down and then went right back up....WOW! Just thought I would share for poops and giggles.

So its Saturday night...12:44pm. I am sitting here still trying to wrap my mind around the death yesterday of Tim Russert. I am guessing it will be a few days before I feel better....

I think perhaps one of the main reasons I am upset about him is that it hits so close to home for me ....Many, if not all of you know that my dad died suddenly from a heart attack two years ago and its only been recently that I was diagnosed with some heart problems of my own.

I look in the mirror and see a man who needs badly to lose some weight. To get healthy. It is one of the hardest things I can possibly attempt. Its not something that I take lightly ...trust me.

The United States as a whole is fat. 66% of the nation is overweight or obese. Its a serious public health issue that impacts not only our lives and our families. It also affects our jobs and the overall cost of our health insurance.

Speaking from my own life... I could save $970.00 a year in co-pays and deductibles if I was not taking blood pressure medicines. $970.00!!!!!!

• I mean come on ...That's a round trip plane ticket to just about anywhere in the USA with some left over for car rentals. Even more if you book on Priceline.com



• That's a damn nice flat screen TV.



• That's 6 West Wing Box sets on Amazon.com.



• That's 108 movie tickets to see anything at the Rave.



• That's 24 boxes of brew kits from Williams.com making a total of 1152 beers!



• That's 102 Shrimp and Avocado Salads at Sinclairs.



• That's one tank of Gas. ...Or Liquid Gold....bout the same !!

I think you see my point....My life could be drastically different if I was in better shape. I will never be a "skinny" guy....Not gonna happen.I am a big guy period but could I stand to lose 50lbs ?? Heck yeah!! 75lbs?? FOR SURE....

Does being out of shape and fat equal failure? I dont think so .....I think its a mix of psychological and environmental factors. I eat late at night because I am up most of the night.....I mean really I typically get about 4 -5 hours of sleep a night....I think one feeds into the other. I dont know really but its a huge struggle ...worse than drinking or drugs. For me anyway....Someone told me after lunch Friday that "we gotta get you healthy" AMEN and thanks for the concern. I really do appreciate it....

I recently read an article sent to me by a friend of mine in Pennsylvania. It was about the heart and how its so misunderstood on many levels. Cardiovascular disease and deaths claim nearly 800,000 lives a year. The heart is incredibly strong and resilient but over time just like many things it can wear out from abuse. It beats 100,000 a day and 3,000 people die daily from a heart related illness. My heart is already damaged from the enlargement and my valve not working properly add onto that high blood pressure,overweight and family history.....well you can see my problem. I am scared to death of becoming part of the above statistics .

So what's next ? Start working out regular at a gym is one of the first moves.....losing weight is the second ....I guess they are really more of a combo cant really have one without the other. I just keep telling myself that I have to pace myself and not set unrealistic goals. Being incredibly human I have waited till much later to turn to prayer on this matter ....And while not a huge fan of Paul...I have found something in his letter to the people at Cornith.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12 it says "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known"

John Wesley says that now we see even the things that surround us. A mirror,(ancient mirrors were often made of highly polished metal and would show a reflection through great distortions) which reflects only our imperfect forms, in a dim, faint manner, so that our thoughts about them are puzzling and intricate, and everything is a kind of riddle to us. But then - We shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves. Face to face - Distinctly. Even when God himself reveals things to me, great parts of them is still kept under the veil. But then I shall know even as also I am known - In a clear, full, comprehensive manner; in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees at one glance through my soul and all things. I have prayed and prayed about this and God has placed an answer in my life ....I fully believe that....I could not see the full image in the mirror but now I do . I just had to wait and listen. GAME ON !!

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there ....

PS...Give blood ...the next life it saves might be your own.

We are all on a journey home.......

IF IT'S SUNDAY .....IT'S MEET THE PRESS

Tim Russert died late Friday afternoon in Washington DC. He was 58 years old. I was eating at Jason's Deli and was preparing to leave when I saw the headline on CNN.....I am an emotional person by nature and it was tough to stand there and not get teary eyed.....I have cried tonight watching the memorials to him....
I have had a love affair with news and the political process for a LONG time and I have watched Meet the Press for about as long as Tim Russert was the moderator and host. FOX news likes to say that they are "fair and balanced" but in the whole spectrum of news people and news outlets Tim Russert really was fair and balanced.
I remember in the early 90's deciding that I was interested for the first time in politics and living way out in the country and having no cable I turned to Meet the Press on NBC.
This year marked Tim Russerts 17 year as the host of MTP. It's hard to believe that you can get upset about someone dying that you did not even know. But I have been pretty down all afternoon.
But in many ways we did know him....If you watched NBC news on a regular basis then you were most likely a fan of Mr Russert. He was to me that person in your family that you could sit and talk to all day ....about anything. Sports, politics,religion, life ......
They showed a clip of Tim Russert from 2005 talking about being named to head MTP....He said he called up the founder of the show and asked for a few moments to talk and he went to his apartment and asked this guy what advice he could give him when he takes over in a few weeks.....the founder told him to study everything you could about your guest, his likes , his positions, his favorite color even and then you take the exact opposite opinion and make your guest tell you and the nation why they believe in what they believe.
I hate we will not have Tim Russert here for this years election.... It stinks that he will not be here to help lead us through this years historical election.
My personnal Sunday morning ritual will be changing I am sure......Difficult to think that I will be as engaged with a new host of MTP. MSNBC showed interviews tonight from different folks who knew Tim Russert. They were all filmed today talking about him....One Catholic priest who knew Tim Russert and had arranged a recent meeting with the Pope said that Tim was one of those guys who knew that we are all on a journy home....We will miss you Tim. God Bless

A nickels worth of free advice.......

So here is the deal .....
Do you ever get tired of giving advice ? Its not like I give lots of advice on many topics but I have been known to throw my opinion in there every now and then......But sometimes you give what you think is solid advice and you get crapped on in return.
Perhaps its my ego that took a bruising and that's the cause of all of this but at this point I am pulling back on things ....What can I say ? I'm human.
If asked...I will reserve comment.
It's the best choice right now and for me to have some piece of mind this is the thing to do ....
Lord knows we all have lots on our plates right now and we sometimes suffer gladly....but to be honest I am a little bit tired of everything....

Just for poops and giggles

I dont really know how to upload a Youtube video to Blogger so I just put the link on here for you to go to ....anyone wanna tell me how ??
I am not a fan of the end of the video where they stick all the indicted folks next to Hillary....but the other part does a pretty decent job of showing Barack is not a member of a terrorist group....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTgqQ2_KQkc&eurl=http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/06/06/obama-whitey-video-rumor-is-crap/?icid=1615988631x1203764875x1200410134

Omega 3 Fish Oil.....

So here is the deal .....

I have a few health issues that have to be seen about pretty soon . As I reported in a previous blog I have been diagnosed with an enlarged heart. I was sent by my doctor to have a battery of tests to determine what damage, if any, was done to my heart by the enlargement. Blood work, stress tests, heart ultra sounds ....all were done.

I went back to the doctor today to find out the results ....FINALLY!! My blood work was ok, with the only problem being my cholesterol and my "bad" levels being pretty high ....The tests on my heart showed that I have a valve problem with my left ventricle mitral valve. Nothing that is gonna kill me tomorrow ....but something that has to be addressed and soon.

Many people have valve problems ....some very severe and others not so bad. I am just glad to have an idea as to my problem now and start working towards getting it better.

I have to get in better shape....no question about it. I need to lose about 100lbs, I need to excercise more ...on a more frequent basis, I need to eat better and have better eating habits period.

My doctor wants to see me lose weight ....he said this will go a long way in helping deal with the valve problem. Being overweight like I am puts too much added stress on my heart and dropping pounds will greatly reduce this.....It will not cure my problem but it will make things better. Cutting out cigarettes almost 6 months ago is a great thing... Cutting back my level of stress will also help in the long run....anything I can do to keep my heart from "overworking" will be good....careful not to lift heavy things ...careful not to play basketball for an hour straight (ha ...me playing ball)..I can excercise but at a measured pace....anyway you get the point I think.

Getting my cholesterol down is going to be another issue....DR.S told me that I don't have to cut out everything right now ...just cut back. I will not be on medicine yet but he has told me to start taking four Omega 3 fish oil capsules each day.

I will go back in three months for more tests ....To borrow from the West Wing, I have this heart thing now.

So ...here we are

I wanted to post this blog for everyone who has been curious about things ....I apprecaite yalls prayers and concerns.

Charging for snacks on planes.....

This and That .....
A little history ....I used to really enjoy going to the movies ...I had rules and everything. I still stand by a few of my rules but thanks to my friends I have let many, if not most , go by the wayside. At some point it dawned on me that I was not enjoying going to see movies in the theaters as much .
First ...Movies have became VERY expensive!! It now costs $9.00 dollars to see an evening show at The Rave in Montgomery. To me thats alot ......anyway.
Second...There are too many kids at the theater. LOTS of kids ....young teens. I work with teens and I would rather not be around that at the movies.
Third...I joined Netflix.
I started in 1991 collecting movie stubs.....I have every movie ticket stub since 1991. At some point that morphed into me keeping ANY ticket to anything I went to ....I used to see at least one movie a week. Since January 2008 I have seen four. I have seen three in the last week...and they were all really good movies.
Anyway ....a few movie reviews
IRON MAN
WOW....what can I say about this movie ....It surpassed all my expectations. Hell, I did not even want to see it before I read what Mr Lucas had to say about it.
INDY 4
A very good "last" installment to a wonderful movie franchise. Indy is at his best fighting the bad guys.
SEX IN THE CITY
I have to admit that I have never been a frequent viewer of this show but the times I did watch I really enjoyed it. If you have never seen a single episode on HBO or in reruns then thats ok because the movie does a great job of giving you some background to catch you up some.
THE STRANGERS
If you know me at all then you know that I DONT LIKE A SCARY MOVIE. Ever since this movie tralier started playing I have been wanting to see it. I saw it and WOW it was creepy ...but very enjoyable .

I am currently reading James Frey's latest book, BRIGHT SHINY MORNING. It is a novel set in LA and it is turning into quite the read. I know some of you might say that since he "lied" about his hit book A MILLION LITTLE PIECES. I think he really got the short end of the bad publicity stick on that matter...and then to have Her Highness Oprah eviscerate him on national TV ...BLECH. I mean to be called a liar by Oprah is a big deal ....she said she had a reputation to consider and maintain and that people looked to her as an example....But did she not have President Bush on her show also?? I think its fair to say that he maybe, perhaps, sorta lied also...right ? The presidents lie has cost thousands of lives...both american and iraqis ...I mean James Frey told some lies about his past to pad his story ....David Sederis has done it ....Burroughs has done it ....I am guessing many authors have done it. Anyway , its a good book and I still like A MILLION LITTLE PCS.

AIRLINES
It has been announced over the last few weeks that airlines are changing prices, luggage requirements and even charging for snacks in coach.
On NBC, Brian Williams had the best line in regards to the whole matter after reporting this past week ..." in a related story the airlines have decided to leave the seats on the planes ...for now"!!

A few of my Favorite things .....

So ...I am 34.....And glad of it !!!! Another year has come and gone and this Mr Gregg is now 34 years of age ....

I spent Wednesday working as many of us do on our birthdays ....no big deal there except I had committed the youth group to serving supper at church ....and the choir was also singing a special performance ....add those together and you get 150+ people that I had to prepare food for and then sing in the choir ....

Needless to say it was a long day ...but a good one !!!

My good friend Jason came down from Bham to spend the day and help out and with him he brought one of the greatest birthday gifts I have received so far in my 34 years ....THE COMPLETE SEASON OF THE WEST WING BOX SET!!!! Saying that I was suprised would be an understatement .....WOW man what a gift !!! He also brought me the Biltmore Pinot Noir wine and a youth game me the copy of the new Sinatra remastered CD.....these are for sure a few of my favorite things !!!!

My youth were SOOOO great at working the supper perhaps it was the knowledge that there was a special agent from the state watching over things ...LOL....

Anyway ...I got many many birthday greatings from all my great friends, family and youth and for that I am very grateful. I have a blessed life and I could not imagine walking through it without you all ....

THANKS ...and see YOU NEXT YEAR

It had to be snakes......

In the summer of 1981 my Aunt Pam and Uncle Jim took me to see Raiders of the Lost Ark. They also took my brother and cousin. I will never forget sitting in the Eastdale Mall Cinema 3(yes, there was only 3 at that time) with my aunt covering my eyes during the Well Of the Soul scenes and again at the end when the Ark is opened. Raiders is the first movie I can remember going to see at a theater. My parents took me to see Star Wars in 1977 but at 3 years old I dont recall that movie and I am sure I saw others between 1977 and 1981 but Raiders stands out.....
How many kids around my age went home and relived that movie?? Chased down nazis in our back yards or climbed down into our own Well of Souls.....I know I am a few years older than most of you out there that reads my blog but many of you did just that ...you became Indy.
I know there are one or two of you who went as Indiana Jones for Halloween.

On Wednesday of this week the fourth, and possibly last, installment of the Indiana Jones movies hit theaters across the nation. If you are a fan or just want to see a really good move then I have to recommend this one.
Its got everything you could want from Indy. Great references to past movies....Lots of loose strings are tied up but the main thing is its great to see an older Indy still doing what he does best ....Kick bad guys and girls asses !!!
It's a big jarring to hear Elvis Presley singing in an Indy movie since we are so used to him being in the 1930's but .....Its still a great movie.
Go see it ....Tomorrow ....Today ....Right now maybe ....

Eleanor Roosevelt went flying with Chief Anderson....

So the other day Stephanie wrote a short blog that mentioned Marion Anderson and how she was denied the right to sing at Constitution Hall in DC because it was segregated in the late 1930's. Eleanor Roosevelt arranged for her to sing from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and the world was awed by Mrs Andersons singing ability.

Eleanor Roosevelt was always trying to get her husband,Franklin D Rooselvelt, to be more aggressive towards civil rights. She was in favor of full intergration many many years before most people were comfortable with the idea.....

This brings me to the topic of my blog and Eleanor Roosevelt's weird connection to my family

In the late 1930s it was a common belief among many that blacks could not be taught to fly planes for the military. There were many "Negro Flight Schools" around the country but none gave out credentials that allowed the men to then fly in the military....

Letters were sent out to the White House asking that President Rooselvelt come down to Tuskegee Alabama and see first hand that not only could black men fly ...they could fly like white men . FDR decided against going but sent Eleanor Roosevelt instead...She went and flew with Chief Anderson(no relation to Marion Anderson). After she returned to DC she told her husband that he had to allow these men to fly in the army air corps and as a result the first military school to teach black men to fly fighter planes was established in Tuskegee Alabama .

In 1940 the school opened to its first cadets.

My grandfather was born and raised in rural Watauga County in North Carolina. He went to school in Boone and never had any real drive to move away. Then he needed a job.

He joined the army in the early fall of 1941 and since he had trained to be a pilot with his cousin the sent him into the Army Air Corps.

He was assigned to Macon Field in Tuskegee Alabama and spent the entire time of World War 2 in Tuskegee. He helped train the men who became known as THE BLACK AIRMEN. THE REDTAILS.

In the summer of 1942 he met Maude Godfrey they fell in love and were married in October of 1942. My Dad was born in 1945.

Ok...now bear with me ....but in some weird far out way... I am here today because of The Roosevelts. Eleanor to be exact.....If she had not come to Tuskegee,the flight school might never have happened, my grandad would not have moved here and met my grandmother, my dad would not have been born......etc etc etc ...

Not to mention that ER helped pave the way for future generations of men and women to be in the military.

Pretty cool I think ....

A Shared blueberry bagel........

It has been a nice day .......
First of all Nick and Laura's beautiful twin girls are doing really good and everyone is pleased with where they are right now ....Continue with the prayers ! Laura will be home soon and they can continue to get the house ready for those two little ones in a couple of weeks....

The day started early with breakfast at Panera bread.....I had a chance to have coffee and bagels with Nick, Brian, Stephanie and Asher. Of course I see Nick all the time and keep up with the others through Stephanies blog but it was so nice to actually sit at a table and see them in person. These are people I wish I had a chance to see more of....and a thanks to Stephanie for sharing the blueberry bagel!!

My day continued with me going to buy a new pair of flip flops. Question: Do you call them sandals or flip flops? I have always called them flip flops but others call them sandals....Anyway...
I went to The Shoe Dept and used my 20% off coupon to get a new pair of Rainbow flip flops....I wore them the rest of the day and MAN ARE THEY COMFORTABLE!!

My day continued from there with me getting a quick lunch at ChikFilA and then heading by the church for a little work. After that I went home,took a nap and ended my day by going to see the LAMP baseball team play for the state championship. They lost, but it was two really good games and LAMP will have a great team coming back next year.......and let me add that Paterson Field downtown is a DUMP.....WOW I was really suprised at the condition of the stadium. I was also suprised to see that there are only two bathrooms in the whole place for men!?!?!
Riverwalk Stadium puts this place to shame.....

Two Great Things .....
On Saturday May 17 an elderly member of my church will be travelling to Washington DC to visit the National World War 2 Memorial on the Mall. He is going with about 90 other men from across Alabama. They all fought overseas in WWII ,and for everyone this will be their first chance to see the memorial that was constructed to say THANK YOU for what they did in helping to save the world from oppression. These men are going for free. They have not paid one dime to board the plane and head to DC. The money was raised my school children and civic groups so that these folks could see the memorial. One 5th grade class in Prattville raised $11,000.00 by selling tshirts. I think this is a great thing being done and I wish every one well as they travel to DC.

On Thursday the Supreme Court of California decided that it was ok for two men or two women to get married in the state of California. This is the biggest state by far to decide that people, regardless of who they are, are entitled to equal protection under the law. Is that not what we all want ? To love who we want and have the chance to show that love by standing before family and friends and saying that yes we love each other and now FINALLY its legal. How much longer before the rest of USA gets on board with this.......

I am now off my Liberal soapbox ......Night

2 hours at IKEA ........

I always have a hard time deciding what to name each blog .....I dont think I am in the minority either when it comes to this. Perhaps others out there sit back and try to think of witty titles to place at the top of the page of their newest blogs...perhaps you go back an forth on names.....sometimes the title of our blogs take on a life all to themselves....I dont know but I usually find the title after I get to writing the blog itself.

For the past couple of months I have taken the approach of writing THEN naming my blog. I find a sentance or a phrase and place that at the top. If you are a fan of the West Wing ( if you are not then SHAME ON YOU) you will notice that during the run of the series they would often name each an episode after something said or mentioned during the show itself.

I like this idea ....and I have started doing the same ....anyway on with the show



I am back after a fairly long break from blogging and to be honest I am still not real sure what I want to talk about .....Lots going on in my life and the world but nothing that would warrent a long rambling blog.


Can Obama Win in November?

I would like to sit here and say HECK YES he can win ...no question about it . I really do think he has a great chance to be our next president. My concern is the pattern of how he has won during the primaries. In some states he has won by a HUGE margin and thats great but many of these states have high african-american populations. In other states where there is a huge white majority he has won but he has not carried the states like people would like to see him .

Hillary has made the observation that she has carried the big states like Pennsylvania,New York,California and New Jersey. She has also stated that in many states with higher concentrations of middle class/blue collar voters she has won and won big. Take West Virginia the other night .....she won BIG.

Is it a Black and White thing? I think that it's a part of it .....I was talking to a friend of mine in Georgia last weekend and he said he did not see Obama as a black man ....but I do. This does not make me racist it just makes me human and honest. I also see Hillary as a women and John McCain as an older white guy.

I think many people still see Obama as the black guy running for office and that being black is a good reason NOT to vote for him.
I am not voting for Obama because he is black , I am voting for him because he is the best choice in my eyes. But he is still a black man......and Hillary is a women ....I think you see the point.

Hillary will be the Veep I think .....Obama needs her on the ticket .

Of course I wish the candidates would annouce earlier who they want as a running mate ....

My buddy in Georgia also said that he rememberd hearing Jon Stewart saying something to the effect "he wants a President to be smarter than him ...not be his buddy and his pal" I agree with that ....

Speaking in friends in Georgia .....
I got to spend last weekend in Georgia and had a chance to see a good friend,Ryan. It was nice seeing Ryan and his friend Rick. We talked politics and had dinner then watched a movie.....It was a very realaxing evening.
I then got to go see my Nana on Saturday. To my suprise she is doing pretty damn good.....She is very thin but her mind is sharp and it was really nice to sit and talk.
My Nana is the reason I am a democrat. I used to sit and listen to her talk about politics and as a kid I learned alot about her ....She was happy to hear that I am voting for Obama!!
I then made a stop in Atlanta and spent 2 hours at the IKEA store.....WOW I really dig that store.

Talking Politics
Why is it hard to talk about politics with people? I mean, I can mention certain things around people and you can sense them tense up.....I LOVE talking politics with folks...
Whether you are a Repulican or Democrat....I dig talking. I dont like to argue but I love to talk.....I wish others were like this

Wednesday marked the 10 anniversary of the death of Francis Albert Sinatra. If you know me then you know I am a HUGE fan of Sinatra. He was not the best singer of his time but he was the best at making a song his own.....His phrasing and timing was unmatched. People are still trying to copy him. Michael Buble even has used the same arrangements of certain songs on his recent albums.
Sinatra also had incredible style...he gave millions to folks in need and never once did he ask for anything in return. He has his down side of course but ...Man what a talent!!

If you are one to pray then please keep Nick and Laura in your prayers as they continue to deal with being in the hospital and all the stuff that comes with being there.....I have a huge phobia of hospitals and this prevents me from being a good person about visiting folks who are sick. I went last week to see Laura and I had to leave ....my being nervous was not a good thing for her and the babies. BLECH ....
Also keep Luke and Jackie in your prayers as they travel to England and Wales for a vacation.



Nothing much else from me .....Maybe more tomorrow night

The Sahara is a big place .......

I am a LOST fan ....no denying that fact at all ...I plan my week around LOST. ABC has not done the fans right with moving the show around this year. To me that is the best way for fans to stop watching is to always move something around on ya ....
This past Thursday LOST returned after a month off and I will be honest .....I am one confused fan.
I have no idea anymore where this show is going .....there are new story lines and threads....New people are on the island and main characters are off the island. I mean Ben shows up in the Sahara Desert and then on to Tikrit ........ Its confusing for sure....
Here is the thing.....I am growing a bit weary of it all!! The show has stretched itself so far from where it orginally started I almost dont recognize it . I would love to have some questions answered about LOST. A few. Just to keep me and other fans happy. It has gotten to the point that there is so much to keep up with each week that it makes it almost not worth it.....
Whats a guy to do ?? Stop watching ?? Nah ...I cant do that but some answers had better be coming soon .......

Alicia Keyes....

I promise this post will not be much of a rant ....but instead just a replaying of my visit to the docs office Monday morning. My friends will tell you that I maybe go to the doctor too much...

I get a slight twinge in my shoulder and I head to PriMed. I cough and go to PriMed. I dont think I go too much but others say I do.....

I went today to my regular doctor for my yearly exam. The day started with me getting to the docs office at 8am. There was a note on the door that said "Office Closed on Fridays. We apologize. Please call office on Monday to make appointment"

I walked on in and was the only person in the waiting room. Typically It is packed ...even at this hour but today I was it ....A lady came in right behind me and asked if the office was open. It was . The problem was this ....it appears people were coming to the office and upon noticing the sign ....THEY LEFT !!! It seems that they did not check the door, did not ask anyone at the front desk in the building, did not notice that the sign said CLOSED ON FRIDAYS ?!?!!? ....WOW.

So I sign in and am told that Dr Sargeant is on his way from Jackson Hospital after dealing with an emergency. I am ok with delays ...just let me know .

The waiting room quickly fills up and I am the only white guy in a room full of nice black ladies. Then a 61 year old white guy comes in .....and the fun begins .

He is a talker ....I mean he really really liked to talk ....Thankfully I had taken a copy of DIXIELAND DELIGHT to read and was sitting in a far corner. He sat next to a lady and immediatly started chatting ...ABOUT ANYTHING!! He was of course loud enough to be heard by everyone ....This guy was bad in a waiting room I could not imgaine him on a plane.

He then got to talking about a lady singing on the TODAY show ....she was a popular black lady who sings....he made mention that she reminded him alot of Alicia Keyes and her style ...But Alicia Keyes had her beat....The lady on TV was good but no Alicia Keyes....Anyone out there wanna take a guess as to who was singing on the TODAY SHOW ??????? YUP ...Alicia Keyes!!

He then proceeded to tell a everyone in the room that he loved the Tyler Perry movies.....Diary of a Mad Black Women,Madeas Family Reunion,Madea Goes to Jail...etc. Anyway ....maybe it was just funny to me .....

TV,BOOKS and MORE...

I have become addicted to JOHN AND KATE PLUS 8 on TLC. Such an incredibly good show....If you are not watching then TiVo it and catch it sometime.

I finished the book JOHN ADAMS about two weeks and ago and for me it was a page turner. I could not put it down for the last 200 pages or so....A great read.

And speaking of John Adams ....the HBO miniseries wrapped up last night. It was based on the book I just finished and the show was great.

MY HEALTH

Many people have asked me about my recent health problems and todays checkup revealed that I have an enlarged heart. I have a stress test and an ultrasound image test of my heart next week to determine more about my heart "problem".

To say I am a little concerned about this would be a gross understatement. I will do my best to keep you all informed.

Thats it for now ....headed to the Mielkes to watch this weeks Bachelor .

46 Other States......

Have you ever broken the law ?
I think it would be a safe bet to assume that most of the readers out there have broken a few laws here and there.....I am guessing that we have likely all gone a tad bit over the speed limit. Perhaps you threw trash out once while on a long stretch of quiet deserted highway....maybe you cant help but jaywalk. I dont know what it is that you do but for me its beer. It is illegal in this great state of ours to brew my own beer. I brew my own beer and for that I could go to jail. I could be arrested for buying brewing supplies. It is a Class A misdemeanor with a punishment of up to a year in jail and a $2000.00 fine for each count. I could go to jail for a long time....
Here is the kicker ....What I do is legal in 46 other states. 46 OTHER STATES!!!!!
The law goes back to the era of prohibition. Its a stupid law and should be changed and the great guys at http://www.freethehops.org/ want to see to it that Alabamians can buy good beer.
No Bud Light or Natural light for these guys ...they would rather drink sand than let something like Miller Lite pass over their lips. I know Alabama has bigger fish to fry right now than to worry about passing a law changing the laws regarding beer in this state....but a man can dream.

Something is in the air.......

This is gonna be one of those posts that jumps all around .....Here Goes

Lane mentioned over on his blog that Spring is all around us ....Here in Montgomery all you have to do is look around and you see the evidence of springs beauty.
I love looking at the all the color around in the springtime....but my favorite is the dogwood tree.
It has such a beautiful color that contrasts so nicely with the dark green of the other trees and shrubs.....there is also a variety of dogwood that has pinkish/white blossoms .
Spring this year brings me to a point in my life where I am getting rid of stuff.......I have not gotten rid of any clothes,shoes etc in YEARS.
I got a trash bag and went to work .....tossing this and that and before long my closet and drawers were looking mighty bare. Here is the kicker though ...it felt so incredibly good to get rid of things . I had pajama bottoms that had holes in all THE WRONG places so they had to go ....Tshirts I remember buying but never wearing ....old pants.....shoes I had meant to get rid of at least two years ago . So, I kinda enjoyed this so after I was done with clothing items I turned my attention to my bookcases. I got rid of books. Not a ton but some that I knew I would never read again. It was harder tossing the books than anything else....I love my books. And speaking of books..... I dont understand how people have books but dont display them. I once had someone ask me why i kept all my books ....once they are read you can get rid of them. But to me books are part of who I am and could never imagine getting rid of a copy of Gone With the Wind (i have about 40 copys). Or maybe something by CS LEWIS, FAULKNER,BILL BRYSON...the list goes on. I have a love affair with books .....have for years.
I pulled maybe 15 books off the shelf to donate to the church book sale....but it was a hard 15.
All this tossing or giving away of items had a wonderful effect on me ....felt great to get rid of things....I felt new in many ways. I felt good.

AMERICAN (this show blows) Idol.
Have you seen AI this year ....I was really enjoying it on many different levels. Even though Mr Lucas tried to rain on my parade earlier, I have had a fun time watching and keeping up with my favorites. Well one of my favorites got booted last Thursday. Michael Johns has a really good voice and a great presence on the stage.....but guess what ?!?!? This show once again showed us that its a popularity contest .....Other less talented folks go on to the next week while He wonders WHAT THE FRIG....??? Just what I think anyway ...

Before I forget.... This area is expecting some low temps this week ...lower than we are normally used to at this time of the year. I welcome it ....August is right around the corner!!!!

Night and Happy Sunday

If you were gay.....

it would be ok......
Unless you are my dentist and his little hating helper. If any of you know me you know that for a long time I have been having problems with my teeth. Not just "oh, that tooth needs to be looked at " BUT " OH MY DEAR GOD PLEASE PULL THEM ALL NOW ".
As part of my new process of better tooth care I have decided not to put off getting things fixed...So after $1600.00 dollars in tooth care to repair a broken tooth,get a root canal then have a crown put on...I found myself at my dentist office again on Tuesday morning having two small cavities filled.
As I am sitting there in the chair and Dr. M starts working away and at some point while he was working on my teeth he started talking about gays...homosexuals if you will.
Perhaps something was mentioned on the Today show which was playing on the nice flat screen mounted on the wall. Perhaps it was a commercial about something that seemed "gay" I dont recall what got things going but here is what went down...
Dr M made a very audible grunt and said " I dont know why people cant just stay in their places" His helper chimes in and says "Yup"
For the benefit of not having to type alot the rest will follow in a script fashion ...something like this .......
Dr.M-I mean I am old fashioned and all.... but I get so sick of seeing them everywhere.
Helper-I know ....even in grocery stores!!
Dr. M-You can tell one when you see one .....they way they walk and all.
Tooth Worked on some ....
Dr M-I went to NYC with my Daughter a few years ago and she said "Dad,men work in stores up here selling perfume " Back when i was coming up Men worked mens jobs and women worked womens jobs....
Helper-My husband works with one and he is not like most gays....he is normal.

I will stop here and proceed with my venting .....NOT LIKE MOST GAYS? Dont get me wrong I get uncomfortable around many things ....loud people in restaurants,children crying in restaurants and yes very vocal gay people. or the sterotypical "gay" person ...it is a fault I have and continue to work on but for my dentist and his helper to sit there and talk they way they did without any knowledge as to who I am or what I stand for .....PISSED ME OFF!! Did they know that it makes me sick to see people discriminated based on how they live their lives.....Did they know that it burns me to my core to sit and imagine that someone would be denied something solely based on being WHO THEY ARE??????
They did not know if I have a brother who is gay , or a nephew or a cousin or a sister or an uncle. They dont know if my best friend is gay or if I have great friends living in Atlanta, Birmingham, and St Louis. ....Not to mention Montgomery who might possibly be gay. What if I was gay ?? What if you were gay ? What then ? UGH!!

Being gay does not MAKE these people who they are..... Being willing to drop whatever they are doing to come and be with friends at a moments notice. Sending you a card on the anniversary of your Dads death just to say they are thinking about you ....Working hard,raising families,going to church,taking vacations,spending holidays with family,travelling with friends. Being real people is who they are ...they just happen to be gay also .
People are entitled to their opinions ....I understand that and appreciate it when I can sit and talk to people about the issues that matter.
But to go into a dentist office at 8am on a Tuesday and have to listen to what borders on hate.....
Well ...it just makes me sick.
Not the kind of dentist I will be going back to .....
Anyway ....just my thoughts

Better to be hated for what one is than loved for what one is not .
Andre Gide.

I have nothing ....

I thought had something to say tonight but ....Bleh ...
Maybe tomorrow
but at least I posted !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are all a little bit racist....

The title of this blog comes from a song in the broadway musical Avenue Q. Great music from what I am told is a great show ...

I think if we are being honest then we can all admit that we are all a little bit racist. It is not something we are comfortable with...

I have been thinking alot about race recently . Ever since Rev Wright was raked over the coals a few few weeks back for what he had to say about things in America.

While I was not really happy to hear some of the things he had to say , I do respect his opinion.

I was talking with a friend of mine who said how could I vote for a man (obama) after knowing he "listens and takes advice" from a man like Rev Wright. My friend went on to say that it was so wrong for Rev Wright to say what he did about AIDS being a government tactic to hurt black men. How crazy it was to even suppose that OUR government could do this to people.
My question is this ? Does he take advice on EVERYTHING ? I mean I have close personal friends who I take advice from on lots of subjects but then there are things that I would never take advice from them on. No offense to them ...its just what I do. Its what many people do ....
But he voted for Hillary in the primary so Obama would not have a chance....I have never crossed over to vote in a republican primary ...makes now sense to me ...I guess folks are scared of something ...

And Let me add this ....Our great government is very capable of doing bad things ..... I dont think they created AIDS but let me remind everyone of something called the TUSKEGEE SYPHILLIS STUDY. Hundreds of black men in Macon county were part of a goverment test to see the affects of syphillis on black men. These men were left untreated for years and years so that OUR government could see what would happen. Even after medication became avaliable for treatment the men were left to die.
Never think that YOUR government is not capable of doing things we only thought other governments did.

This brings me back to Race and the recent treatment of Rev Wright. This is a man who served his nation in the Marine Corps. Served a church in Illinois for more than 30 years. Started outreach programs to get young black men off the street and into jobs and stable lives. Started AIDS outreach programs to help battle this terrible disease. He is entitled to his opinion and yet major media outlets TORE him apart. His entire life was reduced to 30 seconds on YouTube.
That sucks . It sucks that major media outlets that are run by white men have this much power to have influence over a national election.
Pat Robertson goes on television and tells that white men have done more for blacks in the last 75 years. If it were not for whites then where would blacks be ??? They have SSI,Government housing,welfare checks,free cheese . He actually said free cheese !!
I bet they are loving all that free cheese ....

When are we going to become the nation that will make everyone proud? When we can stand up and say that we are doing the right things for people. Instead of hurting and tearing people down??
If what all I just said paints me into a corner as being a bed wetting liberal ....when then I am just gonna have to start wearing PullUps at night ....

The Bachelor Party.........

This post might get a rise out of some people ....it might amuse some ...it might PISS some off but here goes ....

On television there is a little show called The Bachelor. For those of you who have been living under a bridge with trolls scarying off billy goats here is the premise : A guy is picked from somewhere in the world(the show went international this year with the Bachlor being British),he is handsome,articulate,has pretty good teeth, is good at sailing and horseback riding,can handle his alcohol, comes from a good stable family and did i mention he is typically flush with cash ! A bevy of women are chosen from different backgrounds from around the USA. They are placed in a very nice house and given the task of making this guy fall in love with them in a matter of weeks. Usually the women determine,within minutes that this is the guy for them,they love him with all their hearts and all that is within their soul . How could they possibly go home to live a life without THEIR Bachelor on their arm.

Excuse me ....BLECH !!!!

I have never, until tonight , watched an entire episode of this show. It could possibly be my last episode .

The Bachelor wines and dines these ladies and then will take one off for a few minutes while the others watch through windows and wonder if he will kiss her. They get pissed when he does kiss one and not another. They sit and wonder what they are doing on the show .....why did they audition ....they say there were not prepared for what is happening!?!?!?!!? WHAT ? This is the 8th or 9th season of this show and you are telling me that they are not prepared for what is going to happen??

In the entire time that this show has been on television only one couple has gone all the way and gotten married,had children and made a family out of what happened on the show.

Last season ended with the guy not picking either of the final two girls......and he was CRUCIFIED for his decision. How could he not pick a girl and tell the world that he loves her on national television,give her a ring that costs that some people make in a year, ask her to get married and then a few months later let ABC release a statement saying that the latest Bachelor and the "love" of his life have parted ways.

He was crushed in the media because he led these women along ....played with their emotions....

But was anything said about him being honest on the matter of asking a women to marry him... that he did not feel strongly enough about either women to commit the rest of life with them ....NO !!

And lets not forget how ABC was on the matter ...they said NOTHING!!

Ellen called him a jerk on her show .....then had him on to let him have his 7 minutes so he could explain himself. He did not need 7 minutes....HE DID NOT LOVE HER !!

This show is a ratings darling. Millions of people turn in each week to watch and see who is going home ...

I know true love can happen ....and it can happen in a very short period of time. My best friends found each other and were engaged within in weeks of meeting...They are happily married now ...I have see it happen with my own eyes....but they did it without the pressure of dozens of other women fighting for attention and sound crews running cables to the sound room down the hall.

Anyway ...

I would rather watch LOST and see what fictional characters get off a fictional island in a fictional world.

Hell ....I would rather watch Gilligan's Island for that matter !!

This ends my rant.

Good night

All grown up....

Today after church my whole family went to my aunts house for lunch and then family downtime in the backyard. It was a beautiful day for being outside...a little cool and windy ...but nice .

I have two cousins...Charles and Ashley. I have other cousins but these are the ones that I grew up with...Charles was born first, then my brother, then me and then Ashley came 11 years later.

As we were sitting outside talking I had this revelation. We are adults.

That might sound like a weird revelation but we used to spend summers in the woods behind my grandparents house. In the creek. Riding three-wheelers. Going to Bama Park up at Lake Martin(if you remember Bama Park then you remember how great it was). We would help Grandaddy in the garden. We built hay forts in the hay loft of the barn. We would stay outside all day long during the summer. No shoes lots of times. Hot,messy sticky ... WOW what fun.

So here we are in 2008 aged 39,37,33 and 23. So far removed from those childhood days in rural Macon county.

I can close my eyes and remember the smell of the woods behind my grandparents house. I can see my grandaddy sitting in his rocking chair on the porch. See us racing to get done with lunch so we could get outside as quick as possible......

This brings me back to where I started.....We are adults now. Sitting around out back of my aunts house talking about things like...Income taxes and earned income tax credits,life insurance, the upcoming presidential election and who we liked or disliked and agreeing to disagree on things, who in the group was responsible for learning how to make Granny's chocolate cake,I can make her dressing and Charles is pretty damn good at Grandaddy's potato soup, but no one can come close to that cake. We discussed our jobs and where we were heading. We talked about rising gas prices and the long term effects of the War On Terror. We discussed new schools in Montgomery and the merits of magnet schools verses private schools and why all public school cant be like the schools in the magnet program. We laughed about stuff that happened 20 or 25 years ago but the reality is this ....we are no where near those people anymore.

We are adults.
Its seems so silly and stupid to say this but its so wonderful to look back on our lives but also realize that we are moving forward. We have all grown into pretty decent folks with good jobs and fantastic families.

It was a really good Easter. I hope yours was also....

At a Crossroads ...........

Forgive me now for what is going to be a VERY random mixture of thoughts and ideas..............

So here I am .....9 years into living in Montgomery Alabama and to borrow a line from The West Wing " Some things are different and some things are exactly the same ."

I have spent the better part of a the last week thinking about things ....Life, family,friends,love,jobs and my place in all that are mentioned.

I am ready for a new start.....something fresh. Outside of Montgomery perhaps or if not that then something new and fun here in Montgomery.

I have never really enjoyed video games ...even as a child. They bored me. I went through a period where I enjoyed Zelda back in the late 80s early 90s?? I guess is the time frame....

WWii is fun though ....
I have always done my own thing ....but more often than not I have always tended to go with the flow ...follow the crowd.

I do have strong opinions about politics and religion. Social issues such as gay rights,a womens right to choose and school vouchers are all things that get my attention.

Would Barack Obama be a better president than Hillary Clinton? John McCain? Who the hell knows ...I still have doubts about that issue.

I wonder if President Obama will fill his cabinet with people like him or with people more closely allied with his former minister.

I believe Sen Obama when he says that he could not cut off his friend and pastor of nearly 20 years.

I dont believe him when he said he knew little or nothing about what his pastor believed in ..I mean come on......I have worked with/for my pastor for over two years now and I have a pretty decent idea as to what he believes in ....

Race is the issue that has divided us more than anything in this nation .....We have managed to survive other big issues but we always seem to return to race.

As Lord John Marbury said on WW" It is our original sin" It all goes back to slavery. Shame that it does but here we are in the year 2008 talking about something that could literally derail Sen Obamas chances of being president.

I am a jerk at times towards other people. I make fun of others too easily and I am ashamed to say that I do that....

I have not smoked a cigarette since December 30,2007. I could sit here right now and smoke a whole friggin pack though....

I have missed Bham these past two weeks....am going Tuesday though.....seeing my british friends.

Do I have the nuts to step out and make a big change ? Move forward with what I think is right with my life?

I have some health issues that have been going on for the past year or so and they are not yet resolved. I see my doctor soon for another checkup after that my next step is to find a doctor in Birmingham at UAB and see what they say .....

I dont sleep late in the morning ..... 8am is about it for me .....I have friends that can sleep all morning and thats great for them but its just not my thing. If I wake up then I am up ....bathroom,coffee,paper.

I like reading a newspaper.....something I can hold in my hand ....turn the pages and get the ink on my fingers. I will from time to time check out something online at a newpapers website but something is missing for me ....

Did I mention that I need a change .....something drastic !!

I find each day that I become more and more my dad.....I am impractical with money sometimes,can drive pretty bad at times,tend to react to quick to things.

I can very moody at times....

Jack Daniels at the Peabody lobby Bar in Memphis tastes better for some reason ...

Anyway ....time for bed I guess .

Love and Understanding

The following article is written by a pretty good reporter from the USA Today and I think its a nice counterpoint to Rep. Kerns position in Oklahoma ....Mr Wilson writes every week for the paper and I have been a fan of his for years ....He wrote this article and it appeared in the Tuesday March 11,2008 edition of the USATODAY

Mission of Matthew Shepard's mother: Stop hate crime
By Craig Wilson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Judy Shepard is having her photo taken in Lafayette Park across from the White House.
A winter wind is blowing down Pennsylvania Avenue, but she does what the photographer asks. She takes off her down vest and sits on a bench, smiling the best she can under the circumstances.
Shepard has been doing the best she can under the circumstances for almost a decade now.
It was in 1998 that Matthew, her 21-year-old son, who was gay, was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die, which he did three days later. It was a hate crime that made headlines around the world.

Shepard's life changed forever. She went from Wyoming housewife and mother to international activist who, with her husband, Dennis, established the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Its mission: to combat hate and bigotry through funding diversity and youth programs.
In the past decade she has traveled tens of thousands of miles, slept in more hotel beds than she cares to remember and has given thousands of speeches to more than a million people. Along the way she has met the rich and famous, as diverse as Hillary Clinton and Elton John.
"Elton has become a friend," Shepard says. "I lost my son, and now I have these other friends. It seems wrong on some level. It's very disconcerting."
Quiet devotion
Shy, retiring, quiet, Judy Shepard is a reluctant crusader. It has become her trademark in a way.
"This sweet, gentle, quiet woman who never wanted anything but anonymity suddenly became the public personification of the desperate desire we all have to end hatred and violence," says Judith Light, the activist and actress who sits on the board of the Matthew Shepard Foundation (MatthewShepard.org). "She doesn't pay attention to what she wants to do; she simply devotes herself to doing what needs to be done."
At times, Shepard says she doesn't quite believe what happened and what her life has become. Matt would be "confounded" by her life and what she has done this past decade. "But he'd be satisfied that the movement is going forward," she says. "He'd be happy that things are progressing."
Not as quickly as Shepard would like, however. Her biggest disappointment is that the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which includes crimes based on sexual orientation, has yet to be enacted into federal law. It would give federal authorities greater leeway to participate in hate-crime investigations and step in if local authorities don't act.
Although passed by the Senate and attached to a defense spending bill, the act was removed because it didn't have enough votes to pass in the House.
Opponents of the hate-crimes proposal says it's not needed because state and federal laws already outlaw violence against individuals.
Joe Glover of the Family Policy Network, a conservative lobbying group, told The New York Times it was "a shameless attempt to push the homosexual agenda on the American people by exploiting American soldiers who are currently in harm's way around the world."
Shepard has heard such talk before and isn't giving up, hoping her voice might still make a difference.
"I thought that if people could see I was doing OK, they'd be OK," Shepard says. "What I used to see in peoples' faces was fear. They were sad for me. Afraid. But now I see determination. I see anger."
She says no two of her speeches are alike. "I never work from notes. I want to talk to the people."
She tells them how her son and other young men and women who are gay face violence just for being who they are.
Shepard also points out what has and what hasn't changed in the 10 years since her son was murdered.
What hasn't is that hate crimes continue. She mentions the recent murder of Lawrence King, a gay 15-year-old junior high student in Oxnard, Calif., who was shot to death by a fellow student.
"This terrible incident underscores the fact that we cannot let hate go unchecked in our schools and communities," Shepard says. "Our young people need our direction and guidance to prevent this type of crime from happening."
What has changed, she says, is that when she was growing up in Wyoming, "no one talked about it" — "it" being homosexuality.
A place she won't go
At 55, Shepard says the past 10 years have been exhausting. Only recently has she begun to dream about Matt, which she looks upon as a good sign.
But she has never gone to the site where he was tied to the fence and left to die.
"That site has nothing to do with Matt," she says. "Matt's not there. And I didn't want that vision in my memory."
She escapes to the family home in Wyoming every summer to rest. (Husband Dennis works in the oil business in the Middle East.)
Shepard says she is the "cash cow" for the foundation, but she hasn't been making enough money of late to cover the foundation's expanding role.
The foundation, whose annual fundraiser is March 29 in Denver, where it is based, has an annual budget of $750,000. It employs five, who Shepard calls "family." Her remaining son, Logan, recently joined the staff.
"We try to educate everyone about everyone," she says. "But hate is still out there."
The foundation has educational, outreach and advocacy programs "to replace hate … with acceptance," Shepard says.
(GLAAD, the gay anti-defamation group, will honor Shepard with its Excellence in Media award Monday in New York. Past recipients include Billy Crystal, Diane Sawyer, Glenn Close, Patti LaBelle and Phil Donahue.)
Shepherd is encouraged by The Laramie Project, the play about Matt's murder that has seen 5,000 productions around the world.
"Ten years ago, can you imagine a high school putting that on?" she asks. "But it's been everywhere."
Keep speaking out
As for the 10th anniversary of her son's death on Oct. 12, Shepard isn't sure what will happen. Elton John has said he wants to give a concert, but no details have been finalized.
Meanwhile, singer Cyndi Lauper, who sits on the foundation board, has been giving out its elastic Erase Hate wristbands at her concerts.
Erase Hate pendants have been designed by jewelry artist Udi Behr; the foundation is marketing and selling the necklace for $60.
For her part, Shepard plans to keep speaking out in Matt's name.
"This all seems such a no-brainer to me. It's a civil rights issue. It has nothing to do with anything else."

OHhhhhhhhhhhhKLAHOMA .............

Where the hate come rushing down the plains ......!!
So many, if not all of you have maybe heard about the comments made by Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern.
Her comments were recorded at a Repulican Party fundraiser and quite frankly they make me sick to my stomach.
She clearly is upset with the "homosexual agenda" in America.....and what it is doing to the nation. She criticized gay people for indoctrinating children and plotting to take over school boards and city councils. She went on to say that gay people pose a "bigger threat, even more so than terrorists or Islam," to the United States.
"As a matter of fact, studies show that no society that has embraced homosexuality has lasted more than a few decades ,It's the death knell of this country."
How can we as citizens elect people that spew such incredible hate?!?!? I am not a tax paying citizen of the Great State of Oklahoma .....but WOW!!
She said that she was just representing her district and thats they way they feel also.....Are there no gays in her district? Perhaps not ....maybe they were all herded onto trains and sent to "work camps " out near Ft. Sills.....
We have seen this type talk before in Nazi Germany in the mid 1930s leading up to the end of WWII
Hitlers henchemen talked about the "morality " question.
In 1936, Himmler created the Reich Central Office for the Combating of Homosexuality and Abortion . The results of these administrative changes is very clear.
...While in 1934 766 males were convicted and imprisoned, in 1936 the figure exceeded 4,000, and in 1938 8,000. Moreover, from 1937 onwards many of those involved were sent to concentration camps after they had served their "regular" prison sentence...
BAD things have happended before and can happen again ....
Its easy to knock the "gay lifestyle" its the poular thing to do today .....because folks get away with it ! It makes me SICK

I am a christian ....have been for a long time and I love the fact that Jesus Christ who died for MY SINS also died for the sins of gays, blacks , hispanics , murderers and yes terrrorists. EVERYONE ....
Jesus loved all .....ALL ...and said that we were to love each other "This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12
I dont understand how we can say such terrible things about each other ....I dont get it

I think it was Dr King who said " We must learn to live as brothers or we will surely perish as fools"
Food for thought !!
I am pissed

Its another SUPER TUESDAY .....

.......For a great haircut !!!

Lets take a brief walk through my day ......First of all, I took off from work today . That in itself was HUGE for me ...Last weekend was what can only be described by some as youth director hell. You see on Friday we had a Lock In at the church. This was a small thank you to the kids for them raising money for famine relief. They raised almost $600.00 dollars and for that I was very proud of them. We stayed up all night ....and by that I mean ALL NIGHT LONG. I slept for 35 minutes total and the next morning at 6am we got up and had our youth yard sale. BLECH it was a long weekend.

I went to a funeral on Monday and then back to work on Monday afternoon....

You are now sitting there wondering ..."What the hell is he talking about"

Anyway.....this afternoon I got a haircut. A good relaxing haircut and I really enjoyed the experience! Not just any haircut but a mountain top haircut experience.

Anyone familier with Montgomery might know about the Eastbook shopping center over in the Dalraida community. Across the street from the shopping center is a small "annex" center and situated there is The Eastbrook Barber Shop.

Walking into this shop is like taking a drastic step back in time ....everything screams the 1950's. It smells like Brylcream....what ever that smells like but I do know that "a little dab will do ya "

I sat down with two other men and waited for my time ....I later found out that the two brothers, The Nobles, have been cutting hair since 1952. In the same area !!

I was finally called back by a loud **NEXT**!! I sat in a chair that strongly resembled Captain Kirk's chair from STAR TREK....

He then cut my hair ...nothing big just a good decent haircut but then he shaved my neck and around my ears .....WOW..He used hot lather from a machine and then sharpend a straight razor and proceded to place the hot foam on my neck ....MY LORD I thought I was going to slide out of the chair , it felt SOOOO good.

He then shaved my neck ....all of this going on while big band sounds were playing on a radio up on a shelf.

I am a geek and love anything old and classic ....Getting a haircut at a laid back place such as this was a treat. I did not have to go to the mall, and that was a blessing. I did not have to sit in a small uncomfortable chair , and that was a blessing. I got to listen to guys talk about sports and politics. Not people in a chain haircutting place complain about their shift or that she only gets an hour for lunch.!!!!

I have found my new barbershop.....and I am happy!

March Madness .......

March is a difficult month for me .....
You see my Grandad died on March 30,1984. My other grandfather died on March 4,1995.
My Dad died on March 21,2006.
Having both grandads and my father die in the same month has been a big deal for me for a long time.....and to make matters worse my Dad died on the first day of spring.
Many folks came to me and said how wonderful was it that at least Daddy died on the first day of March. It was a fitting time for a rebirth. As good as that all sounds I still am not a fan of March and it sucks that they all died in the same month. I am a human being and I still search for the answers ....
Then we get a call early Saturday morning that one of my dads closest friends died early Saturday morning after a brief illness.
We had just been told one week ago that he was sick and I am sorry to say I did not have a chance this past week to go see him.....Never thought it would happen so sudden. I should have known better
This was a guy who went to school with my parents, lived within a few miles of us in Macon county, was a drinking buddy with my Dad before Daddy got sober and was one of the first to call the night Daddy died.
And now Mr. Bob is dead also.....In March .
Thinking about all the times Mr. Bob was in our family business ...sitting at my Dads desk reading the paper.
He was one of my Dads closest friends ......I am sitting here mourning the loss of a dear friend.
Tomorrow I go home to Tuskegee for his funeral .....
For me March stinks ....
Tonight ...I am sad.

Old Four Eyes!!!

So ....

Monday night we had a small gathering for Laura M's birthday ....great friends from Bham were down for the evening just for the party along with the McFees from right here in Montgomery and it really turned out nice and it was so great to have us all together for the evening. We dont all see each other nearly enough and that makes me sad

Laura is a fantastic 26 years old and a fine time was had by all ....Martinis, Jack, Rum and Cokes....Birthday Cake.....VERY off key singing of Happy Birthday and even a few tears after the singing ...

So here is the thing ......I think there is a real chance that I might need reading glasses of some kind....Nothing too strong but I am having some problems seeing things like menus at Sinclairs!!!

Especially when its dark in the restaurant ....I am glad we all had a good laugh at my expense HAHAHA

I have worn glasses since 1984.....so its not a big deal to me to wear them ...always have and most likely always will but Monday night something hit me hard ....the realization that my eyes are getting worse in the other direction ...Farsightedness. I have always been nearsided( not seeing far off ) but things are starting to change....BLECH.

I have also noticed this change at work while writing at my desk or using the keyboard on the computer....I notice it on Sunday mornings while reading something at a worship service....I really notice it at night .

A friend of mine whos father is a doc said that your eyes are tired by the end of the day so of course you will notice it then...

I am 34 in May. Not old by any standard and if you ask any of my friends they will tell you I am proud of my age ....I am 34, so what !

My mother said she started using reading glasses when she was in her mid 30's and so did my dad....maybe this is just the next step, I am not sure

THE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE

Sen.Clinton seemed like a spoiled child tonight at different times during the debate. Sad.

People Who Aren't as Nice as You'd Think They'd Be

This is a reprint from the current March issure of ESQUIRE magazine.....Some of these are dead on!....
Puppeteers,nurses,hippies,clowns,911 operators,comediennes,civil-rights leaders,ice-cream truck guys,God,grown men named Nicky,TV-makeover doyennes,the gays,Alex Trebek,flight attendants,choir directors,white house press secretaries,pastry chefs,belletrists,humanist philosophers,off-duty cops,office-league softball umpires,fathers of female tennis pros,Buddhist monks, Grandma.

HAIL TO THE CHIEF !!

In honor of our national holiday that celebrates all that is Presidential.... here are some weird and somewhat unusual facts about our former Presidents. Hooray for those friends of mine out there that get EVERY STINKING FEDERAL HOLIDAY ....and I cannot prove it yet but I think he also takes off for national holidays in Canada .

1. George Washington had at least four sets of false teeth, which he soaked in port; after being elected President, he had a new pair created from hippopotamus tusk. He also had a fear of premature burial and owned six white horses whose teeth were brushed every morning. He also loved to tell dirty jokes and obscene stories (in the 1920s, J.P. Morgan burned several Washington letters because they were too "smutty").

2. Calvin Coolidge once fell asleep at his desk in the middle of the day. When he awoke, he asked "Is the country still here?". He was also known to have his head rubbed with vaseline while eating breakfast in bed.

3. Franklin Pierce was arrested during his term as President for running over an old lady with his horse, but the charges were later dropped

4. Franklin Roosevelt was so superstitious, that he wouldn't leave town on a Friday and never sat at a table with 13 people.

5. Zachary Taylor refused to violate the Sabbath by taking the oath of office, so under the Succession Act of 1792, Missouri Senator David Atchinson (President Pro Tempore of the Senate) became president of the United States for a day. He appointed his friends to Cabinet positions, had a few drinks, then went to bed.

6. Howard Taft had a pet Holstein named Pauline in a pasture next to the Executive Mansion.

7. Thomas Jefferson is often credited with inventing the coat hanger, the hideaway bed, the calendar clock and the dumbwaiter. However, he wrote his own epitaph without mentioning the fact that he served as President of the United States for two terms.

8. Martin Van Buren refused to mention his wife's name in his autobiography-- on the grounds that a gentleman would not "bandy a lady's name in public."

9. Chester A. Arthur ("Elegant Arthur") owned eighty pairs of trousers and changed clothes several times a day.

10. Ronald Reagan consulted astrologers before making important decisions, including when to invade Grenada and bomb Libya

11. Eight Presidents were born British subjects: Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J. Q. Adams, Jackson, and W. Harrison.

12. George Washington was the only president who did not represent a political party.

And because I am an FDR geek ....here are a few more facts just about him.

--Model shipbuilding and stamp collecting were FDR's favorite hobbies. At his death, the sale of his personal stamp collection brought in more than $200,000.

--The Roosevelts hosted the 1st visit of a reigning British monarch to the U.S. George VI and his wife Elizabeth spent a day and a night at the White House, and were introduced to that great American food, hot dogs, for the 1st time.

--There was an assassination attempt on Roosevelt in February, 1933, while touring Miami Florida. Roosevelt was unharmed, but Anton Cermak, mayor of Chicago, was killed. Presidents were still sworn in in March so FDR was still the President Elect.

--He was the first president to have a presidential aircraft.

Makin a list and checking it twice.......

I never thought this blog would last to see 100 posts I only ever started as a way to talk about my feelings and stuff associated with the death of my Dad ....So anyway, here I am still coasting along ....Thanks for reading !!
I was tagged by Stephanie and the best I can remember I have never been tagged before by anyone ...so here goes . 7 things ........

• I am a huge HUGE fan of the following .....Frank Sinatra, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Gone With the Wind (the Book).
• I once painted a dog smurf blue. I held him down and spray painted him...From nose to tail.
• This is kinda sad ....but I have used AOL since 1997. I dont like changing computer "stuff".
• A source of pride in my life is that my grandad said no to segregation in the early 1960s and lost alot of friends because of it .....I hope I would have the courage to do the same today.
• I carry 3 Sacagawea dollar coins in my pocket. I have had them since March of 2001. Let me go on and say that I also carry a handkerchief in my pocket most days....
• I dont use canned shaving cream. I use a brush and lather up with a cake of soap. Its true what people say about using this method....... It makes for a better shave. Try it. I am now thinking that I am a bit old-fashioned
• and finally ...my favorite quote from FDR-"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward." So true .....

Just to hear myself talk .......

Just a few musings tonight ....nothing too serious
The season of Lent has started and my boycott of Wal Mart is in full swing.
LOST has me scratching my head AGAIN this season .....but its still better than reruns caused by the writers strike.
Obama won Alabama .....We have come a long way since "Segregation Today,Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Forever" .
I am having a root canal on Monday but my tooth has kept me up for several nights and I am actually looking forward to Monday...!!!!
I just re-watched the movie THE COLOR PURPLE.....such a good movie.
Already wanting to head back to Asheville

One last thing....
I was at a store tonight getting something framed. I got in line to check out and thats when the fun started.....This lady and her son were in front of me buying a total of two objects. The lady informed the cashier that she had a coupon for the purchase and she started looking for it ....and looked and looked and looked ....The cashier told her three seperate times that she did not need the coupon she would apply it ...No worries . The customer still looked and looked...then dumped her wallet out on the counter ....the cashier then AGAIN said she did not need the coupon and its at that point that the lady looked up and when "OH"....I should mention that about the time the lady dumped her purse out I had started eating my hand in protest....GAHHHHHH!!!!!
I kid you not when I tell you that I stood in line longer to check out than it took the lady in the back to frame my picture!!!!!! There was no trying to move to another line when the other cashier said "next customer" ....of course I was the next customer but all the soccer moms would have killed me first before they let me in the line before them ....
After the customer had finally paid and was about to leave her son hands her his item...which he never placed on the counter to be rung up.....OH MY DEAR LORD!!! I should stick to online EVERYTHING....banking, buying, etc.
Anyway ...I finally got my FDR for President poster framed......

Fences...........And A Matter Of Being On Them !!

I would like to think that I am a relatively smart guy and that I can handle a good portion of what is thrown my way (except math) and let me add that I have the best friends....they give me great solid advice. I listen to what is said ,take it in ,process the advice and then try to form opinions on my own.

Having said all that here goes my thoughts on presidential politics today....

For the past couple of months I had tried to decide between Democratic hopefuls who were running for the presidency. I had narrowed my decision down to John Edwards and Hillary Clinton and had finally made the leap and placed my feet firmly on the side of Hillary.

I made the comment at the time that I had decided to come off the fence and make a decision.

I was comfortable in my decision and had already started making plans to campaign for Sen. Clinton. She is smart, articulate, well connected, has a brillant husband who has a little knowledge about running the last superpower on the planet. I think she is highly qualified to be President of the United States. George Bush had been Gov of Texas for less than 8 years when he decided to run for the White House.....but I digress.

Then two things happened.....Sen Ted Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy came out in support of Sen Obama and I read Lukes blog.

I have always had a love affair with the "Camelot" era known as the early 1960's and while some of my friends would have you believe that I actually watched the Kennedy/Nixon debates in 1960 , it was a little before my time.

President Kennedy instilled in us a sense of wonder that flowed over into everything people did.... For the first time in a long time this nation had a leader that made them want new and better things. I remember my Dad talking about watching President Kennedy take his oath of office that cold January day and my dad having the feeling that we could go anywhere with Kennedy leading us. Some historians have said that the ideal, all is gonna be great, era of the 1950s did not actually end until around 1pm on November 22,1963.

President Kennedy had his faults....but show me a man (or women) who does not and I will show you some ocean front property in North Dakota.

Sen Obama does the same thing.....He excites people on a level that I have not seen since 1992 when Bill Clinton ran for the office. I did vote in that election and in fact it was my first.....

I hate to say this cause it paints me as kinda dense but I never put much thought into the idea of 24 YEARS of either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House. Hillary has won nothing yet....but the idea of getting a job because you have a certain name is kinda bad. I will say it again---SHE IS SMART but so is Obama . President Roosevelt ran for and was elected to be president 4 times. Some would say two too many ....I am a HUGE fan of FDR and I think that he ran one too many times.....there should be some type of limits on how many times people can be in the Oval Office as our Commander in Chief...Oh wait there is !! Perhaps the Bush and Clinton Families have finally figured out the loophole.

These are the things people have said to me over the last week concerning a black man being elected president.

• Once a muslim always a muslim.


• I am worried that someone might take a shot at him...try to kill him.


• Can you imagine the country we will live in once a darky is elected .


• He has absolutly no experiance.

Sen Obama can lead, I have no doubt about it.....the fact that he is a black man does not concern me in the slightest bit,even if he was a muslim should that matter? Show me in the US Constitutuion where it says " Hey , remember ya gotta be white, own land and attend a protestant church to be president" Some fool might decide to try and kill him for no other reason than he is black ....I am sure Sen Obama has given this some serious thought, has discussed it with his family and they know the risks. Perhaps serving his country is something that warrents those risks in his eyes....He is the first black man to run for president and not make race an issue . He knows it is a very divisive measure and helps no one in the long run. Run on your merits and the rest will take care of itself.

So....back to those fences........

Come November 4, 2008 we will have a new person elected to lead this nation. The president -elect will have some serious uphill battles to contend with...getting more people to work, helping push a lagging economy into first gear, Ending a war in Iraq, affordable heath care for EVERYONE ,restoring our reputation around the world, getting the US to play a bigger role in helping enviromental issues, equal rights for every person in the US,including gays,latinos,immigrants,blacks....You see my point.

Who should I vote for??

Guess I will know Tuesday

THE LONG GOODBYE............

In less than a year this presidency will fade into the history books. Movers will arrive and pack the belongings of the Bush family, the Oval office will be dismantled down to the bare floor, documents will make the trek to the National Archives. Except the ones that have been shredded!
Who will next make that walk into the House chamber ? The first female as president, the first african-american, the oldest man to ever be sworn in????
Its a crap shoot right now but the main thing is this ....It will not be George W Bush. For the time being we have to spend the next year watching him try and save his presidency in the eyes of the world.....
The next year will be a long good bye for those of us who are ready for change.....we have to suffer gladly until November when we vote for change on some level. Its gonna be an exciting year.
Peace

Why Asheville..????

I have had a love affair with Asheville for as long as I can remember ...any of yall know that. This will not be the first blog I have written about Asheville and most likely wont be the last one. I have an idea for a political blog ....but for right now I want to focus on the things of Asheville that I love ..........

• The Grove Park Inn


• Biltmore Estate


• Barleys


• Patton Avenue


• Malaprops Bookstore


• Tupelo Honey Cafe


• Pack Square


• Thomas Wolfe


• Biltmore Village


• The Noodle Shop


• Asheville Museum of Art


• French Broad Brewery


• The Mast General Store


• The great people


• My Family roots


• They put flowers on your food(see picture above)


• The Architecture


• Zambra


• The Shops on Lexington


• Hendersonville,Boone,Blowing Rock,Mt Mitchell,Rafting,Hiking,Lake Lure all within an easy drive of downtown Asheville.


• Fine Arts Theater


• Bele Chere in July


• Winter


• Spring


• Summer


• Fall

And many others.......

The Low Price Leader.............

Lane wrote an amazing blog the other day and I would strongly recommend that you go read his blog before you read my mindless dribble.....Having said that his blog did inspire to write about something near and dear to my heart---The American Experiance known as retail shopping!!

I go to Wal Mart way to much .....Sometimes a couple of times during any given week. I make lists and try to stick to them but often times I find myself going "CRAP" I forgot something...
So I go back again and again and again. Its not because I like Wal Mart. I dont care for the store at all actually. I understand they they have a huge economic impact on the cities in which they have stores. I understand that alot of folks who would normally not have a job find their way to Wal Mart and employment. But there are TONS of negatives that come when Wal Mart announces that its coming to town.
In 1980 Wal Mart had sales of $1.2 Billion a year....That number had grown to well over $200 Billion by 2006. That is considerably more than the gross domestic products of many nations around the globe.
Much of the money spent in Wal Mart was once spent in different businesses in towns that closed due to Wal Mart coming to town.
Smaller businesses cannot in any way compete with the "low price leader".
Consider this-You can go to Wal Mart early on a Saturday Morning and do the following....Get the oil in your car changed and have new tires put on if you like....You can complete your banking.....You can get your eyes checked....You can fill your monthly prescriptions .....You can shop for weekly groceries....Get a gift for anyone, from a kid to an elderly person.....get your hair cut....get paint for that painting project......stock up on stationary supplies or office supplies.....eat at McDonalds or Subway.....have pictures made of the family.......buy any number of flowers or garden supplies.....The point I make is this -Wal Mart Has become the new downtown.

Wal Mart is amazing in how it can move people to them..... sometimes entire communities build up around them ....Wal Mart will follow housing developments or vice versa.
Post offices have even been known to move to follow them....In Livingston Montana, residents discovered that their downtown post office was closing and moving to a zone of malls on the outside of town. No matter that the post office had been in the center of town sine 1914. The postal service informed the town council on a Tuesday and advertised the sale of the property the next day. That sucks

So what do we do ? I have tried boycotting Wal Mart by going to smaller stores but the sad thing here in Montgomery is this ....There just is not that many left. Carl' Hardware in Eastbook Shopping center closed last fall after being in business for nearly 65 years.
Any ideas you folks might have please feel free to send um my way......

Smoking.......
LSMFT....LSMFT....Yes Ladies and Gentleman this is Frank Sinatra and LUCKY STRIKES MEANS FINE TOBACCO!! The coolest smoker of all time!
It would seem that everything I am talking about tonight is based on other folks Blogs. Luke and Jackie have decided to stop smoking and I applaud their decision. I have to say there is a certain flair to smoking....Watch the movie "Good Night and Good Luck", those folks make smoking look COOL ....to me anyway. FDR smoked cigarettes and used a bakelite cigarette holder all the time....My Hero! The click of a Zippo lighter as you light your cigaretter ...ahhhh!!
I told Laura several weeks ago that when she became pregnant I would stop smoking.....well here we are a month after the big revel and I was still smoking .
For me smoking is a nervous habit....I only started after my Dad died last year . I rarely smoked in my house. I NEVER smoked in anyone elses house. I have been going to Bham these past few months for a date and I would not smoke at all going up . I have been off on week long trips and have not smoked ONCE. But you get me home and I know I can do it....then I smoke.
I stopped yesterday. Like Luke said, the main thing is that I will be in better shape in the long run....my health will benefit and I will not stink anymore. I will miss it for a bit and I have issued a request to some to STAY IN MY FACE about this ...but I am done. I wish Luke and Jackie good luck in their journey. I am still gonna carry my Zippo though......
Stay Tuned....

Presidential Politics 2008....
I made this comment Wednesday January 9, 2008. Sen Hillary Clinton will be our next president. I am a supporter.....I had to finally decide between Sen Clinton and John Edwards and while I really do like John Edwards, I had to get off the fence and come down firmly on one side. I made a small contribution to Sen Clintons campaign today and am looking forward to getting more involved ....

The Weekend...
We have a long weekend coming up with the annual Youth Winter Retreat.....maybe some pictures on Monday .

Baby,Its Cold Outside.........

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Let me get this outta the way first and formost ....I am glad its cold.....I am glad that you need to wear a jacket when you run outside to get something. I know there are folks sitting there saying that this aint cold . Well, I dont care where you are from ...when its 17degrees at night and barely 35 during the day ...thats cold.
Remember we had 14 days of 100+ degree weather back in August of 2007. You will NEVER hear me complain of the cold weather .....allow me to please enjoy it while it lasts....Most likely we will be in shorts by the weekend . BLAH

Happy New Year to everyone out there in blogland. The holiday season was VERY busy and while I was not able to see all my great friends,everyone was on my mind and in my prayers.
I really think that 2008 is going to be a banner year for everyone. So many exciting things going on.....my friends have some big things going on in their lives....and I am very excited to be along with them,in a small way , as they head down this fantastic path.
This is election year in our great nationand we will be electing a new President in November. We will also be having mid term elections for many seats in Congress and if things turn out good for us then the Democrats will increase their majority in the US Congress.
If the election were held today and I had to cast a vote I would vote for John Edwards.
Some folks are excited about Ron Paul. I am not . He seems to be all talk. We will see I guess.....

LOST finally returns on January 31. I am so freaking excited for this show to be back.....The writers strike might cut the show short but for now I think the producers have about 10-11 shows in the bag . That is enough for me right now ....SO EXCITED!
I recently read a pretty good book entitled REALITYLAND....Its a behind the scenes look at Walt Disney World. While the writing is not on the same level as Dickens or Hemmingway it does give a pretty cool view of how the parks were bulit in Central Florida. It also is a nice look at how the parks are run on a day to day basis.

As I mentioned before I will be going to Alaska later in the year. I am also going to North Carolina in two weeks for a long weekend. With any luck I will get to go a couple times this year to beautiful Western North Carolina.

Peace and Love to each and everyone of you.