Why Must I Get Sick Now?

It just goes to reason that if you say you are not sick...Whamo! You get sick. That's what has happened to me. I woke up this morning feeling bad and it never improved with a 3 hour nap and I even started to run a low-grade fever. (Luke was napping too, and Amanda was gone.)

Well, the good news is it is not West Nile, Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever, N1H1, Bird Flu, Cat Flu, Mongoose Flu, or Strep. It's just viral crap. I think that was the cute doctor's diagnosis. (It was a female doctor - just to clarify! I don't want to mistakenly be thought of as gay... like my supervisor was! That's what Richard gets for wearing a "corn-something blue" shirt!)

But this sickness is occurring during my favorite time of the year. I love warm weather. I love summer. I love warm nights and star gazing. My favorite memories are from summers at the lake, trips to the zoo, baseball games all over Southern Illinois, cruising with the radio up and windows down, fireworks (legal and illegal) and outdoor concerts in St. Louis.

I am adding a special time tomorrow to remember what this holiday is all about. It seems that what was fought for... independence from an overly repressive central government...is under attack again. I don't know what's going to happen here in America - "universal" healthcare, energy/banking/automotive mandates, much higher taxes, and weakening of the greatest fighting force in the history of the world - but it seems to me that any of these would NOT be what our founding fathers signed up to get.

I found the following paragraphs in a Glenn Beck letter to America posted today... I want to share a short page from it. It's what got me to thinking about tomorrow. Please read it despite what you think of that goofball Glenn. (I have an affection for guys who are goofballs!)

Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned to the ground. Two lost sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, and two more had sons captured. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War.

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, and nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were well educated, smart enough to know that by signing the Declaration of Independence, they were signing their own death warrants. They did it anyway, and God bless them for it.

As we enjoy our liberty on this 4th of July, or any day of any month, we must never take that liberty for granted. Too many have given too much. In the words of the Signers themselves, "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

~Glenn Beck

Have a Happy Independence Day! Now let's go to Reeve's Boomland!

Too Much Celebrity Info!

So much that's going on in life right now (irresponsible congress, pitbull attacks, continual heat wave, increasing gas prices, clueless clients, etc) have gotten my goat so much lately I just had to write a light-hearted blog before I blew my brains out. I am doing very well lately.... it's just been too hectic to write.


I am glad I am not a celebrity.

I have been in a couple of "celebrity" events but my level of celebrity-ness was actually quite lame. I once played on the TV3 softball team because I was a weather-watcher for them before they moved to Crainville and the weatherman offered his at bat to me. This was pre-Jim Rasor. My second round of celebritocity (I like making up words) was playing on a celebrity basketball team in a fund-raiser. It was during my WGGH radio days and I am sure I was the least known player on the "celebrity" team. (Like I said... pretty lame.)

I did get a certain "following" of senior citizens and home schoolers during my radio career but they were mostly well-behaved when I was out doing a remote broadcast or concert appearance. There was a time when I was backed into a corner by a lady in a walker, but I think that was purely accidental!

I can't imagine the lack of privacy stars of today have to deal with, but then again, they make enough money to jettison to a location where they are unknown. Or, they can hole up in one of their houses behind the large gate guarded by a guy named "Tiny".

Then your family has to deal with the speculation of your possible sordid hidden life once you die. I know more about Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, Farrah Faucet, and now the Oxyclean guy than I ever thought possible. And I am not even trying to find out the dirt. (I leave that stuff to my 8-4 job!)

Although, I have to admit, the limelight is kinda fun.... even if that light is dim.

What's the Score, Dad?

Aren't doctor offices great? I used to always get sick after going to my doctor for a checkup. That really makes you want to go! Recently, I thought I had kicked that pattern, but guess what? I had my yearly checkup in St. Louis with my kidney doctor yesterday. Everything is where it is supposed to be number-wise with my blood work. But the downside of the trip was that I came back sick. UGH!!! There should be a "never sick in summer" rule. Even Amanda said that you can't get a cold in the summer. She said it - so now it's a rule. Luckily this "non-cold" has only a low grade fever, runny nose, watery eyes, aches... you know, typical Swine Flu stuff. Just kidding. Just sick enough to not go to work, but not too sick to have to be in bed all day. I am never going to the doctor when I am well again! Only kidding.

Amanda's softball playing is improving with each game. I am helping to coach her team. I have resigned myself to the fact that she won't take instructions from me on the field. And that is ok. She actually caught (let roll into her glove correctly) three balls that were hit to her in her last game. You really can't call them games, though. In my mind, games have winner/losers, runs, outs, and a certain amount of competition. This is coach pitch/tee ball. Everyone bats, everyone plays the field, everyone gets to run all the bases, there are no outs, and no strikeouts. I'm old school... you play to win... at all ages.

The upside is that there's no yelling/fighting by the parents!

I Can Hear You Now

First I want to clarify. Verizon is now giving a break to those of us who lost phone service after the May 8th storm. My land line phone service was restored on May 28th. My neighbor called and after punching through several prompts was able to speak with a live, human being who worked for Verizon customer relations. Their first question was "did you call in the outage?" Are you kidding me? He said to Verizon "We kind of had a big storm go though, so I thought you were aware of our problems."

He said his "break" amounts to $8. Wow... that's like what - $ .40 per day? Yeah, that's fair.


Our church celebrated its 50th Anniversary today. I love my church. I wish I could do more for it.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Ok, here’s a quick wrap up on what’s been going on at my house.

I finally got my landline phone back to working yesterday. Verizon replaced about 10 poles and probably a quarter mile of line to get my neighborhood back in phone service which had been out since the big storm earlier this month. I also learned today that Verizon is not going to cut us a break by pro-rating our phone bills for the time we did not have service. I also learned that Verizon has been bought out and we will soon be getting a new phone company. Kind of explains their slow response after the storm, not giving us a break on our bills and not upgrading the local phone lines to allow highspeed internet! (I miss GTE!!!)

Work has been crazy. I am not sure if it’s possible and I don’t believe in that wacky "aura" stuff but I swear that ever since that storm (whatever it was) went through, Southern Illinois and its residents - including me - have been altered about 15 degrees. Now, you have to know that people in Southern Illinois are already about 15 degrees off plumb, so now we are really cockeyed! (Maybe it’s the influx of tree trimmers from every corner of the country or the generator fumes we all inhaled for 6 days or that everyone was eating questionably safe food out of coolers in the aftermath of the storm.) Whatever the cause... and I am not alone in this assessment... things are just different.

Oh, and the cat got sick shortly after the power returned. We don’t have a cat carrier so I wrapped up the cat in one of Luke’s blankets and the four of us headed to the vet’s office across town after dropping Luke at a friend’s home. $275 later and a Rx for some medicine which I ended up squirting on my shirt in a feeble attempt at shooting it down Ally’s throat, I learned that she just had a UTI and that I needed to change her cat food. The Vet actually sent me home with "special" litter in order to collect urine from Cindy’s (!) cat. I have my limits and waiting for a cat to pee is where I draw the line!!! (I hope Ally enjoyed her last trip ever to the vet!)

True story: One Sunday afternoon I was reading the paper and checking out the coupons to see if there were any that we really couldn't pass up. I told Cindy, "Does Ally need cat food? Puppy Chow is on sale." She said, "Puppy Chow is on sale?" I said, "YES! Puppy Chow is on sale." She said, "Puppy Chow???" I said, "What don't you understand? PUPPY CHOW IS ON SALE." She said, "PUPPY chow??? WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!? WE HAVE A CAT!!!" I'm really not as smart as everyone thinks.

To answer another question that had come up in a previous blog entry - yes, I am dating someone. She is a wonderful, understanding woman who has helped smooth out my life, adores my kids and makes me happy.

‘nough said.

Hurricane Saluki/MCV (Mesocyclonic Vortex)

I know it's been a while since I wrote on this blog.... and there's a good reason. Hurricane Saluki. Actually we have learned that we didnt have an actual hurricane come through Southern Illinois, but rather something else. Whatever it was, it was bad.

As a result, I was without power from Friday (two weeks ago) until this past Friday. I am still without landline service which they are promising to have repaired by May 23rd. (Apparently they are unaware of the large phone wire that is laying on the ground about 2 blocks away. Boy is that repairman going to be surprised.)

Anyway, the worse storm to ever hit Southern Illinois since the Great Tornado is history but the devastation and clean up remains.

I will write you more after my phone service is restored... I am using my girlfriend's wireless laptop to get this one to you.

Did I forget to mention something previously???? Oh, look at the time...more later.

Random Musings and Rants

Ok. Enough with the rain already!!!!

If Texas secedes from the Union, would the Texans and Cowboys have to secede from the National Football League?

Favorite new quote: "Failure is only success in finding out what doesn’t work."

People have an opinion on everything... just ask ‘em!

Why are we not driving flying cars yet?

Why am I sticking with the Padres as my favorite baseball team when I can’t name more than 2 players on the team this year? Oh yeah... because I still hate the Cubs and Cardinals!

Why am I so tired?

I like doing nothing. But doing something is more rewarding.

Friends who don’t like something, but understand why you are doing it are the best.

I find those who have to "one up" your story to be very annoying and will avoid them at all cost.

I am so proud of people who are willing to quit their current job to return to school and change the course of their lives. (Like quitting a Probation Officer job to go to law school to become a lawyer.... or something.)

My dream job would entail talking before large groups of people... I love speaking in public. My toast last week at my brother’s wedding reception was off the top of my head with little preparation. I should Utube it.

I hope the Republicans can get someone young and articulate to step up to the plate by 2012. (JC Watts?)

Some people just don’t know when to keep their mouths closed!

I really feel "stimulus-"ed. I am still loving this "change!"