48 HOURS TO THE LAST BLOG

Alright...maybe that's a little dramatic. It's sorta right...but not totally. Let me fill in some blanks.

Last year, our family decided it would be an opportune time to have the family go to Disney World. Cindy & the girls haven't been in over 10 years. I haven't been in nearly 15. Ryan (Joni's husband) hasn't been in over 20. Shawn (Jaime's husband) has never been. Our 3 grand babies can't even imagine what we're trying to describe they will see. Their ages are almost 9 (2 of them) and almost 7. The perfect ages, in our opinion, for them to go.

The decision was made. The summer of 2010...we'll ALL go to Disney World.

As Christmas approached...Cindy & I decided we'd give all of them a special gift. The trip would be on us. (Well...flight, hotel and park tickets anyway.) Anything they find to spend money on down there...will be on them.

So we made calendars for the 3 grand kids...and I created a running calendar on my computer screen. The countdown was on...

100 days to Disney

It seemed like a long way away...then. Now...we're approaching the final 48 Hours

The grand babies will go to school Monday & Tuesday. Jaime & I will go to work Monday & Tuesday. We will go to Mason's baseball game Monday night. We will go to Owen's baseball game Tuesday night. Then we'll pack the vehicles and head to Indianapolis to spend the night at a nearby Indy hotel.

At 5:30 Wednesday morning, we will board a shuttle at the hotel to be driven to the airport. Our flight is to take off at 7:00am and land in Orlando at 9:12. We'll travel to our Disney hotel...check our bags, pick up our park tickets, and head to the Magic Kingdom.

I look forward to seeing the faces of those grand babies at 7am when that jet takes off down that runway. And I look forward again to seeing them...when we walk down Main Street of the Magic Kingdom, towards Cinderella's Castle.

I have a feeling...those are looks I will never, and don't want to ever...forget.

We'll spend 8 days going to all 4 parks, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. We'll get on every ride and see every show that we want to...and likely go back again to the ones we really like. We'll eat...we'll swim...we'll run ourselves to exhaustion...go to bed...and do it all over again. We'll have a blast.

The computer is not going. It's a vacation. This may be the last blog...until I get back. Oh...I have a feeling I'll have plenty to tell when I return!

I am looking forward to it.

Dan

THE NEW KATRINA

In August 2005, hurricane Katrina hit the US coast and created one of the...if not the...worst natural disasters in history involving the United States.

The blame for the ensuing disaster response (or lack of one) was laid at the feet of the government and President George Bush. Both took a lot of heat for their lack of addressing the issue quickly. Millions of people were (and many still are) affected.

Today, there's a new Katrina. The 2010 disaster, in the same region, is the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It is undoubtedly going to become the worst non-natural disaster in history involving the United States.

The blame for the ensuing disaster response (or lack of one) is being shared by British Petroleum, the government and President Barack Obama. Millions are going to be affected, maybe for generations...maybe forever.

Are there lessons to be learned here...or are there some disasters that we just can't even 'begin' to prepare ourselves for, even though we try to 'on paper' ?

Is there any way...really...to prepare for a major earthquake that will surely involve our country at some point? It seems inevitable that it will happen.

Is there any way...really...to prepare for a major terrorism attack on our own soil? It seems inevitable that it will happen.

Who will we blame then? The government? The president of the day?

It's just a scary thought...that none of us wants to imagine happening. As it is, we've already got too much on our plate...trying to fight 2 wars, rescue Haiti and stop a seemingly unstoppable oil flow 1 mile beneath the ocean.

It's enough to make a person cry.


Dan

OLD WORDS...NEW MEANING

In my recent 'rummaging' through papers in search of something...I found an old article from 1987. I guess I thought they were interesting words then and I've kept it hidden away all these years.

I was 33 years old when I found them. My dad had died from cancer the year before, and I guess the words touched me in some way. That was nearly 25 years ago.

The article came from Leo Buscaglia. Leo was a very entertaining article writer. I had seen him on TV talk shows back in those days and I thought he was a gifted writer and story teller. He could relate a story in a way that could make you laugh...and cry...in a matter of a few words.

This writing from Leo starts like this..."I found this story in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology. It was written by an 85-year old man, who learned he was dying. Here's what the man wrote..."

If I had my life to live over again, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I wouldn't try to be so perfect. We all have perfection fetishes. What difference does it make if you let people know you are imperfect? They can identify with you then. Nobody can identify with perfection.

I would relax more. I'd limber up. I'd be sillier than I've been on this trip. In fact, I know very few things that I would take so seriously. I'd be crazier. I'd be less hygienic.

I'd take more chances. I'd take more trips. I'd climb more mountains. I'd swim more rivers. I'd watch more sunsets. I'd go more places I've never been to. I'd eat more ice cream and fewer beans. We really revel in denying ourselves. It seems to be a self-punishment kind of thing. Certainly we can't do everything we want to, but occasionally we need to do something wild.

I'd have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. Ninety percent of what we worry about never happens anyway, yet we go right on worrying about everything. That's why insurance companies in America are the wealthiest companies of all. They insure us against everything.

You see, I was one of those people who live prophylactically and sensibly and sanely hour after hour and day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments and if I had it to do all over again, I'd have more of those moments. In fact, I'd try to have nothing but beautiful moments...moment by moment by moment. In case you don't know it, that's the stuff that life is made of. Only moments. Don't miss the now.

I've been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had it to do all over again, I'd travel lighter next time.

If I had it to do all over again, I'd start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I'd ride more merry-go-rounds. I'd watch more sunrises, and I'd play with more children, if I had my life to live over again.

But you see, I don't.

Neither you nor I know what is beyond, but we do know what is here. This is Gods gift to you and how you use it is your gift to God.

I thought Leo...and the gentleman to whom he referenced...had some interesting words to share. Now that I'm a little older than I was when I first read these words...I'm finding more truth in them.


Dan

THE BMV...NEED I SAY MORE?

Some weeks ago, I made a trip to the Social Security Office. Check my blog of that day if you need a recap. In it, I mentioned I would need to be making a trip to the BMV. Today...I did it.

The purpose for the trip to the BMV is to get Mason a 'state issued' photo ID. He needs that, to complete the documentation to get him a replacement social security card.

Our state now has a new program through the BMV called 'Secure ID'. We will ALL need to someday have one, but I don't yet. In getting Mason set up to get his photo ID I had to have...his birth certificate...and his social security card...[which I didn't have because this is where this whole issue started]. As a substitute, they took the notarized paper from the Social Security Office that Mason has an SS number, just not a card.

For 'me' to get the process started, I needed 'my' birth certificate...my social security card...2 bill statements proving address and my drivers licence.

I handed the lady at the desk, all the above. She said since I was 'paying' to get Mason's Secure ID, I would get a 'free' one for me, since I had all the proper documents.

Free.

I should have known things were going to go downhill from there...and they did.

After photocopying everything, and taking my picture for my new card, she began to enter all the data in the computer. Everything has to match...exactly...as she later would tell me. She looked...and looked...stepped away to talk to a few ladies on the other end of the room...and came back and said..."did you know your birth certificate has your name misspelled?"

Duh...no. Sure enough she shows it to me. My last name has been typed CALRK. I show her that on the line beneath it...is my parents name...spelled correctly. That doesn't matter...it 'doesn't match EXACTLY'.

She goes off to check with a few more ladies. Later she comes back and says, "do you have your passport with you?" As a matter of fact, I did. She says "we're in luck", we will use 'that' instead of your birth certificate. Then she says, with a perplexed look, that the 'passport people' gave me my passport after having had to look at that same birth certificate with the misspelled last name...but alas...she's gonna take it anyway.

Whew...we're almost there. But no...the social security card I gave her is not 'the social security card'. It is the stub that the social security card was attached to. It has my name...AND my number...but it is not 'THE' card. [I have no idea where the real card is. Probably still in the wallet I had when I was 17...wherever that is.]

So after all of that...I'm denied my Secure ID.

Fortunately...we got Masons...which is why we went there to begin with. Now I can take his ID and paperwork to the Social Security Office and get his replacement social security card.

And while I'm there...I guess I'll apply for 'my' replacement card too. I sure hope they don't ask for my birth certificate as a document of proof for who I am.

Then...if and when I'm lucky enough to get my replacement social security card...I guess I'll begin the process of getting hold of the Gibson County Clerk...and seeing if I can get a new birth certificate.

Things just can't be simple I guess.


Dan

JUST GET IT OUT OF THE MACHINE

I had to laugh to myself when I read this headline. No...I'm not insensitive...the funny part wasn't the death of this inventor.

But I had to giggle about the ATM part. It reminded me when the girls were little.

We were all in the car...and the conversation turned to one or more of the girls desiring that we go somewhere and buy something. When our reply was that we didn't have any money...one of them responded with...just "go to the money machine and get some out of that".

The concept of needing to have money 'in' those machines...so you could take it back out...hadn't been understood by them yet.

Doesn't money just grow on trees...and inside ATM's ?


Dan

LOOKIN' FOR SOME GOOD NEWS

How much bad news can we report? This site is about some of 'my' daily events or things I read in the news that I want to comment on. Seems lately, it's nothin' but bad news.

Oil spill in the gulf...how big is it gonna get? What's the long term effect?
The wavering of the stock market. Gain 150 points...lose 100...gain 10...lose 140. Can we ever get it to stabilize?
Daily casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Daily bashing of the President.
GM & Chrysler
Job losses.
Tea Party.
Palin.

I get tired of it all. I try to find something funny...or uplifting to write about...but can't seem to find it in the news.

In 1 week...our family of 10 heads to Disney World for 8 days. We are so ready to go and have some fun...and leave all the worlds negative issues behind.

I did enjoy reading a few comments from a former Disney employee. Hope you find it a little funny too.


Dan

IT'S COMPLICATED

After getting up early...making a quick (?) drive to Chicago...meeting up with some of Joni & Ryan's friends and his parents...we all loaded up J & R in a U-Haul...headed back to Lafayette...and with Shawn's help...unloaded the U-Haul into J & R's 3rd floor apartment...we all met back at our house...ordered pizzas/strombolis/salads from Arni's...and watched a funny movie that made us all laugh...It's Complicated.

And that was our Saturday. How was your day?

Our house is full...J & R are back in town...life is good.

It's Complicated...but not that complicated.


Dan

BACK TO SMALL'ER' TOWN LIVING

It's no secret...I'm not a 'big city' fan. I'm a little better than I used to be (see prior blogs) but I really have no use for them. A good place to visit...but never want to live there.

Tomorrow...Cindy & I head to Chicago to help move Joni & Ryan back to Lafayette. After 3 years (4 for Ryan) of Chicago lifestyle...they head back to the small town...well...small'er' anyway.

Here...they will consider a traffic jam consisting of sitting through a stop light for 2 cycles. Here...people don't park bumper-to-bumper in front of your house...for blocks and blocks. Here...they can probably leave the car unlocked and the keys in the ignition...although I wouldn't suggest it. They could leave the house unlocked...but again wouldn't suggest it.

I know Joni & Ryan will miss the positives of what Chicago brings. But they can drive up there anytime they wish to get their 'Chicago fix'.

Here...mom and dad will be within 5 minutes. Good food will be home-cooked. Sisters will be in the same town. Nieces and nephews will love having them come watch them swim, ride horses, play ballgames, have school functions...and just need someone new to be with.

They'll miss some things of Chicago...but they'll 'love' what they're getting by moving back home.


Dan

BITE YOUR TONGUE

Ever bite your tongue? Most of us should do it every day...you know...shut our mouth when we want to blurt out something...and then think later..."wish I wouldn't have said that".

But no...I mean 'literally' bite your tongue. A few days ago, I must have been very hungry and thought my tongue was part of my food and chomped down on it. OUCH! I bit the side of my tongue.

Today...on the third day...it still hurts. It seems a little swollen so even now, when I bite down my tongue still gets in the way occasionally.

It seems to feed upon itself. Tongue hurts...don't bite down...bite down anyway...bite tongue again...tongue hurts...repeat.

Now it seems to even be affecting my speech...I can't seem to get that big fat tongue out of the way to form the words on that side.

There's lots of times I 'need' to bite my tongue. Just not this way.


Dan

THE LAST LAUGH

Purdue football is 'not' one of Cindy & mine's interest. Oh...it's okay. We've been to a few games over the years and have tickets to go to at least one of the games this fall. But we're not 'locked in' to football like we are our basketball. Still...even without our support...Purdue football has had some good teams over our 35 years here and some very, very good football players.

One story I'm following somewhat closely is that of the Denver Broncos. Here's why. Their current quarterback, Kyle Orton, is a Purdue Alumnus. Kyle wasn't a 'great' quarterback while at Purdue...but was a very good one. Out of college, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears and played there several years. He was successful there...moreso than the quarterback that was there before him...as well as the quarterback who is there after him.

But the quarterback who played at Denver, felt he was getting no respect from the Bronco team and fans, so he cried for a change and the management of the Broncos obliged...and sent him to the Bears...in exchange for Kyle Orton. Since arriving in Denver, Kyle again has been good...not great...but at least more successful than the player who just left.

Kyle just isn't 'flashy' so the fans haven't been drawn to him...and management has seen that. So, earlier this year...management brought in a young quarterback hopeful from another team. Kyle was told, "don't worry, he'll just be the backup. You're still our man."

Then just a few weeks ago, Denver drafted another potential top quarterback. Again, Kyle has been told, "don't worry, you're still our man."

But Kyle's no fool, and any outsider should see...he's doomed for that team. Any wrong move...and the fans will be chanting for one of the 'new kids' to be given their chance...and Kyle will be relegated to the bench.

Kyle needs to 'get out of Dodge' (Denver) as soon as he can.

This story intrigues me because it is very similar to another story. The quarterback who was at Purdue before Kyle...was a young guy named...Drew Brees. Drew was drafted by the San Diego Chargers...and was successful there. But for some reason the management and the fans never fell in love with Drew. So they brought in a new young quarterback but told Drew, "don't worry, you're still the man." Well, before Drew knew it...he wasn't.

So Drew went shopping for a new team...and fell in love with the city of New Orleans...a city trying to recover from a devastating hurricane. He loved the new coach, his new team, and the people of New Orleans. And because of that...they fell in love with him.

Lo and behold...a few years later...this past football season...Drew led the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl...and won it...and won the MVP trophy in the process.

Drew has too much character to look back at his old team and say..."nah nah nah!" But he could have.

Hopefully, a similar situation will happen for Kyle Orton. I hope he finds a team that he likes and that likes him. I hope he will have the success that his predecessor at Purdue had...and win a championship. And then he too...would have the chance to look in the eye of the other teams who didn't give him the chance and say...nah nah nah!

And he too...can have the last laugh.


Dan

THE 5K SURVIVOR

Daughter Jaime and I just got back from Indianapolis to run the Indy 500 Festival 5K Run. We thought the mini-marathon (13.1 miles) was a little too much so we chose the 5K which is 3.1 miles.

We survived.

May is a busy month in Indy with the Indy 500 race as the main wrap up. The city has events every weekend leading to the race...parades...concerts...and the largest mini-marathon in the country. There were 35,000 participants in it...Jaime and I were part of the 4000 that ran the 5K.

It was a chilly morning but once we got running we didn't notice. Now...we're back in town...and we have to help Jaime & Shawn get moved out of their house and into ours.

I'm sure to wake up sore in the morning. It may be from the race...it may be from the move.

I may not be able to get out of bed in the morning. If I do...it may be just a slow walk to the couch.


Dan

WHICH ONE OF THESE THINGS...DOESN'T BELONG?

The headline is sung to the tune of some children's shows of yesteryear...maybe Sesame Street...Mr. Rogers...or a similar program. I don't remember exactly where I heard it.

"Which one of these things...doesn't belong?"

Here's the items:
Comedy Central
cartoon program
Jesus

Two of them go together, but not all three.

I'm guessing someone with some 'reasoning skills' will come up with the same answer.


Dan

THERE AREN'T ENOUGH HOURS...

Life at our house...is about to get...CRAZIER !

As it is...grandson Mason lives with us...daughter Julie lives with us...and at the end of next week...daughter Jaime...her husband Shawn...and our other 2 grandkids move in with us.

WHY?

Well...after a year of trying...they've finally sold their house. Their goal now is to build the house that they want...but like so many others...they needed to sell the existing one. So while they're building...they are moving in with us to: 1] have a place to stay and 2] save a little money.

Will it be interesting? Will we like each other? Will I be more stressed? Will I get less sleep?

I'm sure I'll answer Yes and No depending on what day you ask.

I'm also pretty sure that during my final days of life...I won't look back and say...IT WAS BORING!


Dan

DEATH TO HACKERS

I'm a pretty forgiving guy most of the time. But when people do things...intentionally...for evil purposes...I'm not very forgiving.

Last summer, Cindy bought me a laptop computer because I was working on a family project and spending all my free time in the computer room on our desktop computer. By having a laptop, she felt I could at least join the family in a room besides the computer room.

Well, since that time, the desktop computer is used less and less. Cindy gets on it in the evening to check her email and Facebook...and that's about it. Well...except when the grandkids all get together and get on it to play some Webkinz games...or watch some music videos.

It seems like it runs slower and slower and watching those videos seems to load a bunch of 'junk' on there that I have to have my McAfee clear off.

Well...here's where my death threat comes in. Last night, the computer was locked up so I did a restart...and I got all kinds of error messages...and things not connecting. I ran a 'quick' MalWare check and found 17 Trojan viruses. They were supposedly quarantined away but when it did a restart afterwards, the same messages appeared. At the suggestion of a 'geek' friend I called...I did a 'full' MalWare check and 127 Trojan viruses were found after the 2 hour scan. Once again after a reboot...the messages returned.

It seemed the viruses knew what would happen next and plan accordingly. I finally shut it off and my 'geek' friend is gonna check it tomorrow to see if he can fix it.

I don't want to think of the files that are on there that I 'really' need. Not to mention the outlay of another computer...if that's what we decide will be 'cheaper' than fixing the old one.

I 'HATE HACKERS'. I hope I have the opportunity someday to perform a test on one. I will use the largest IV needle I can find, and...

Well, I don't want to give all my secrets away. Let's just say, I'll find a way to get even with them!


Dan

REPLACE A NEGATIVE...WITH A POSITIVE

I just read an article in the Chicago Sun-Times that had my 'insides' turning and my mind racing. Two young college girls were out celebrating and on their way home...when they were attacked by a 'baseball bat' wielding thug. Those girls are alive...but they will never be the same. With much promise for their future...that future now may be under the care of a family member or a professional caretaker...if they survive at all.

They have captured the culprit. A thug...and his girlfriend. I can't say 'a man'...because he isn't. There's just not a word that can describe a person who could do that. Well...a few words I could use to describe 'him' shouldn't be used in print that other people might read.

As a father of girls...and grandfather of a beautiful granddaughter...my mind races. My mind thinks that...if I'm the father...I'd ask for the culprit, an empty room, and a baseball bat...from the police...and about 10 minutes alone.

But then...I'd fall into 'his' category. I might feel better...but it wouldn't be right...and it wouldn't help my daughter.

So what do you do?

Well, I'm going to think of something more positive. I'm replacing the negative thinking...with positive.

I'm going to think about the article in the Lafayette paper...about the 100 year old woman who had a surprise birthday party given for her yesterday at a local restaurant. In attendance with her...was her 98 year old and 91 year old sisters.

Now 'that'...brings a smile to my face!


Dan

THE CIRCLE

The city of Indianapolis has had an interesting history for me.

Through the teen years of life, the thought of going to Indianapolis was frightening. Having lived in Owensville, (population 1000)...and Vincennes, (population 18,000)...the thought of going to a city of 'hundreds of thousands' was too overwhelming.

I was thinking on the negative aspect...and not the positive. I was thinking of getting lost in a place I knew nothing about...instead of the adventure of a place with so much excitement, things to do and places to go.

As Cindy & I moved to Lafayette (population 60,000) the gradual change to bigger and bigger cities became less frightening. Eventually, Cindy was the instigator for me getting to Indianapolis. It has, over the years with her, become a fun place to visit and one of my favorite cities. Over those same years, Indianapolis has progressed greatly. A revitalized downtown has brought excitement to the area. A new zoo (we still remember going to the old one), a new baseball stadium (we visited the old one too), a new football stadium (been in the old one too), new basketball arena (been to the old one too), new mall, museums, IMAX theater, great restaurants, and on and on.

The center...literally...of downtown Indianapolis is the Soldiers and Sailor's Monument. Around it is a circle drive with 'spokes' (streets if you will) leading out to the rest of the city. During the Christmas season, it is a pretty drive to see the decorations in the circle.

Indy leaders want to consider turning that central region into a pedestrian area...to remove the vehicle traffic around the 'circle'. Later this summer, they will try a one month trial with no vehicles allowed. As with anything new...there will be complainers...and there will be those that think it is a great change.

I think...it will be great. I won't even mind going there to see it in person.

Mom and dad's little boy has grown up!


Dan