TIME FLIES

Time absolutely FLIES by. Like it or not...time will get by you if you don't watch it. That old maxim of...enjoy every minute...couldn't be more correct.

Tomorrow...August 31st...would be my dads 101st birthday. Dad has been gone nearly 25 years. Wow...how did that happen? The time has flown by.

Two days from now...on September 1st...my granddaughter will turn 9 years old. Wow...how did that happen? The time has flown by.

Happy birthday dad. Happy birthday Anna. I will try to enjoy each day...knowing that they are flying by.


Dan

WHO'S UNDER THE BUS THIS TIME?

Most of the news isn't worth reading...let alone commenting on. This article isn't much above that drivel as well, but I saw it...and had to comment on it.

I see that billionaire heiress Paris Hilton has been arrested for cocaine possession. I wonder who she'll throw under the bus this time? Within the last few months...I believe during the soccer championships played in south Africa...she was arrested for marijuana possession. Luckily for her, a young lady Ms. Hilton was with claimed it was hers. My guess is...she was later paid well...or is owed a big favor...for jumping under the bus for Ms. Hilton.

In a recent article, that I commented on in this column, New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, mentioned he was going to give away the bulk of his estimated $17.5 billion fortune. He said it didn't make sense to leave everything to his children, just to have them go through life as members of "the lucky sperm club."

Ms. Hilton is a member of that club. Too bad for her.


Dan

THE FIRST CAMP OUT

The grandkids have been bugging us all week...asking if they could 'camp out'. We tried to impress upon them that they couldn't...because it was on school nights.

Well...now it's Friday night. So the 3 grandkids are going camping...in our back yard. Aunt Joni & uncle Ryan brought their tent over and set it up. Pillows, blankets, sleeping bags and stuffed animals have been making a trek to the tent for the last hour or so. Hopefully...there's room for 'the 3 of them' in there.

The adults are taking bets on what time they'll be back inside...for the night. Too many bugs...too much heat/cold...and too many noises will likely prevent this from being an 'overnight camp out'.

This should be fun.


Dan

BYGONE WORDS

Today I did a test on an 85 year old gentleman. He was a very interesting man...a good Indiana farmer...married for 65 years with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I asked if his kids lived near him and he said...yes...even his granddaugher lives about '60 rod up the fence row'.

Rod...now there's a word you just don't hear anymore. For those of us who need a little educatin'...(I looked it up)...a rod is a unit of length equal to 16.5 feet. Bars of metal, one rod long, were used as standards of length in surveying land in the past.

I remember my dad...and those of his generation...using rod...and other words or phases...during my growing up years...and since his passing...and those of his generation...I just don't hear them anymore.

This man today, and his use of the word 'rod', made me think of a few other phrases that I remember my dad using...that I've not heard again since he's been gone.

They included:
"built like a brick shithouse", someone not having "two nickels they could rub together", something costing "two bits", "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", "cattywampus", "clumsy as a bull in a china shop", "dressed up in his Sunday go-to-meeting clothes", "as honest as the day is long","worthless as tits on a boar hog".

I'm guessing you readers will remember some of your own too...that you grew up listening to...and you just don't hear them much these days.

I sometimes miss those days.


Dan

CINDY FIGHTING FOR MDA

Within the last month, Cindy was suckered (nominated) to raise some funds for MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association). Here's how it went.

Over the last month Cindy had to ask friends and family if they would be willing to sponsor her in the event...meaning...would they donate some money to MDA through Cindy? She was to see if she could raise $1600 by today.

About 9am this morning, a police officer came to her work and 'arrested' her to take her...and her donations...to the Texas Road House where the headquarters had located themselves for the day. After Cindy got in the police car, the officer drove downtown to pick up 'another' nominee. That nominee was a local lawyer.

On the way to Texas Road House, Cindy said the lawyer was bragging that he had rounded up $700. Cindy didn't bother to put him in his place...to tell him that she was turning in $1450 !!

Stupid...greedy...lawyer.

Oops...that's an oxymoron isn't it?


Dan

MORE CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

Last night, Cindy & I met up with some friends in Indy to attend a concert featuring Crosby, Stills & Nash on The Lawn at White River Park. This was our first time at that venue and we can't wait to go back.

Indy has another outdoor theater that seats about 25,000 called Verizon Wireless Music Center. It is actually north of Indy in the 'boonies' outside a town called Noblesville. We have been there a number of times, but I'm not sure we want to go back anytime soon. Parking is a real challenge (to get out of when the concert is over) and it's not the easiest place to get to, to begin with.

The Lawn, is in downtown Indy, an easy drive on the interstate, parking was simple, there are 'other' things to do downtown if you want to get there early, the Lawn provides 'beach chairs' to sit on, it is a much smaller and friendlier venue...maybe 5000 attendance...and overall a terrific environment.

CSN came onstage at 730pm, opening with the song Woodstock. They did about an hour long set...took a 15 minute break and came back and played until 1015pm.

They were funny, entertaining and showed they were still very good musicians. In fact, I didn't realize Steven Stills was the guitar virtuoso that he displayed last night.

During their second set, they did a number of 'cover' songs from other artists...the Beatles...the Who...the Rolling Stones, to name a few. They said that the record studio asked them "what songs do you like...that you didn't record?" So they thought about it...and have been adding a few to their set. They are apparently going to record an album of "other artists songs that CSN likes". They did a very good job and it will be interesting to see if they really do record such an album.

There was a broad spectrum of ages in the audience last night enjoying their music. If you have the opportunity to go hear them sometime, do yourself a favor and go.


Dan

C S N + 40

In about a 1/2 hour, Cindy & I are on our way to Indianapolis to meet up with some friends and go to an outdoor concert featuring Crosby, Stills and Nash. We are looking forward to a good time and some good music from our younger years.

Back in 1970 or so, 4 of us guys got tickets to see Crosby, Stills and Nash in Indianpolis. They were still pretty 'hot' then as they were really discovered at Woodstock in 1969 and had recorded some great songs over the next year.

Byron (Haf) drove the red convertible (forget what the model was...Dodge or Plymouth maybe) with the top down. My first experience in a convertible over a long drive. My hair was so 'ratted' from the wind that I think it took 2 days to comb the rats out.

The other passengers were Mark (Morg) Morgan and Sam Gelb (Morg had to remind me).

After our 2 hour drive to Indianapolis from Vincennes...we pulled up to the Coliseum to read a note on the doors that said the concert was CANCELLED.

Well...40 years later...I'm finally gonna get a chance to see them. I'm looking forward to it.


Dan

THE LAST DAYS

Today represents the last day of freedom for my 3 grandchildren. Tomorrow...they will head down the street to the elementary school 2 blocks from our house to begin another school year.

Friday...we attended the open house to take in their school supplies, find their rooms and meet their teachers. Anna & Mason will be in the 3rd grade...but in different rooms. Owen will be in the 1st grade.

I well remember those years at their age...when I so enjoyed the first day out of school with 'all' of summer ahead of me. Amazingly...those summer days 'flew' by...and before I knew it...it was the last day of freedom for me...and time to head back to school.

But it wasn't 'so' bad. I sure enjoyed my summers...but it was also kinda fun to get back into the groove of school and seeing all my friends I missed over the summer...and finding new ones I'd never met before.

Cindy & I are lucky grandparents...having all 3 grandkids living under the same roof with us. That won't last forever...in fact this may very well be the last year it will happen. Opportunities will eventually come for our children that will allow them to move out of our house...and take the grandchildren with them. If it does...that's okay because that's the way it's supposed to be. If it doesn't...that's okay because we've been really blessed helping the kids and watching our grandchildren grow.

Until that last day comes...we'll enjoy 'the summer feeling' in front of us. It'll end soon enough...probably way too soon.


Dan

ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?

Surgery has been around for a long time. In recent years...laporoscopy surgery has been a big success...allowing patients shorter recovery times since the surgery is done using scopes and instruments passed through smaller holes in the abdomen...rather than big surgery scars from openings made in the body.

More recently...da Vinci surgery is a new thing...where a surgeon uses laporoscopic techniques...but the surgeon uses a remote controlled robot type device to be the hands...that he controls from the corner of the room. Quite amazing.

Well...here's something I've never heard of...surgery using normal 'orifices' that we already have in the body. For example...removing the stomach through the mouth.

It sounds interesting...but I'm pretty sure...the doctor's gonna have to do some serious talking to get me to agree to have anything removed from inside of me...through an existing orifice. There are some things that I just don't want to know...passed through my orifices!!


Dan

36 YEARS OF GROWIN' UP

Thirty-six years ago this evening, Cindy & I got married. August 18, 1974.

Lots of water has gone under the bridge since then...as my dad would say. Three children, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren have blessed us. Our children have developed many friends over the years and many of them feel like they are our kids too.

There have been some sad days...but you would expect that. There have been some great days too. We have cried together...we have laughed together. We've lost loved ones...we've welcomed new ones into the family.

We met in the 7th grade...started dating as seniors...got married after she finished nursing school...and haven't looked back.

She's my best friend. Happy 36th.


Dan

THE NEW GENERATION

This article reminds me that I'm older...and seen lots of different things...that my kids...and especially grandkids...have never seen.

When we go to Cindy's moms house...she still has a rotary dial phone. My grandkids have never NOT known cell phones.

My kids don't know that to turn on the 'brights' in my old car in high school, I stepped on a little button in the upper left floorboard. They think you just always pulled back on the turn signal lever.

My grandkids DO KNOW that not 'every house' has 300 channels on TV. Their papaw still has an antenna...and pulls in about a dozen stations.

Hey...I only have to scroll through 12 channels to find out there's NOTHING on TV. Everybody else...scrolls through 120...and there's STILL NOTHING on TV.


Dan

WHO ISN'T LIVING WITH US?

Cindy & I were at the doctors office this afternoon and I had to fill out several pages of paperwork. One of them was in regards to my next of kin.

Cindy & I had a little laugh together. She then texted our daughter, Joni, to get her address. Joni lives in a nearby apartment in Lafayette that she, and Ryan, moved into this summer...but we didn't know the address.

Joni texted back with the address...and then asked why we were asking.

Cindy texted..."because dad needs to submit the information for next of kin...who are not living with us...and Joni is currently the only one who ISN'T living with us."

We had a giggle.


Dan

WALKIN' THE TRACKS

As a teen...I was never one to have much money...so I had to find 'free' ways to keep entertained...but out of trouble. My buddy Scott was the same way. One of the 'free' ways we found was just down the street from his house...the nearby railroad tracks.

Walking the rails was our challenge to each other...Scott on one rail...me on the other...we'd take off walking to see how far we could walk them...without falling off. We got to be pretty good...walking for blocks without falling. So then...we had to resort to distracting one another with jokes...yelling...feigning a fall...flailing of the arms...whatever it took to distract the opponent to get them to slip off.

The occasional train coming through...was usually the 'main' deterrent to staying on the tracks. We'd just step aside...let them pass...and resume the contest. On one occasion...it was a slow moving train...and we jumped on near the end of the train and rode it across town. The downside? It was a loooooong walk back home.

I see in the attached article...CSX says we were trespassing. We didn't know any difference...we were just having fun.


Dan

A PLEDGE TO HELP OTHERS

I've said for a long time...if I would win the lottery...the fun wouldn't be in the things I could do for me...but for everyone else.

How fun it would be to secretly fly in to San Francisco, drive up to my brothers' front door...tell him to drop everything, cause we're getting on a plane and taking off to some fascinating place he's never been and just have a great time.

Or how fulfilling it would be to drop in at a YMCA or Boys 'n' Girls club and ask the manager..."What do you need?"...and then go buy it...lots of it.

Or to ask the teachers at a local school..."What can I get for you, that you need but can't afford?"...and go get it.

Or to take an ill or elderly family member 'anywhere they want to go'.

Or see a family at a grocery store...knowing they need food for their clan, but not able to get everything they would like...and pull a couple extra carts in front of them and tell them to fill them up with what they need...and pay the cashier to ring it up...on me.

I'm not at the level of Bill Gates or Warren Buffet...but this is somewhat their plan too...just on a much bigger level.

The fun of having it...isn't in keeping it...but seeing who you could help along the way.


Dan

BOWING TO THE PRESSURE

I have finally given in to 2 common factors that befall us all...the value of time management...and the symptoms of aging.

When Cindy & I moved to our current home 18 years ago, I was a younger man. I had a push mower that I used to mow the lawn that first summer. It was about a 90 minute project to mow the lawn...sometimes stretching to two hours.

The next summer...for Mother's Day (actually it wasn't for that day...it was just bad timing on my part)...I bought a riding mower. It cut the mowing time in half...45 minutes to an hour. That old mower cut lots of grass over the years...until about 7 years ago...when the rider finally gave out.

I decided to replace it by buying a self-propelled/push mower. I thought it'd be good exercise...plus it was a lot less money than buying a new rider, and that mower has cut lots of grass for those last years. But this summer began taking a toll on me. It became a routine to take 2 hours to do the job...and I was just exhausted when done. It didn't do any good to ask me to do ANYTHING else afterwards...because I was spent.

The last 2 mowings finally did me in. The first was a hot day and I was just in the early stages of acquiring an infection...that hit me full-bore...the next day. I was down and out for the next week...not that the mowing was responsible...but it didn't help. The last mowing was about 10 days later and again it took everything out of me to finish the job. Part of the problem was again...I still wasn't over my illness and the effort just took too much out of me.

Yesterday...with some extra encouragement from Cindy...I bowed to the pressure of aging...and having better things to do with the 2 hours of time to mow and the 12 hours to recover...and I bought a new riding mower.

This evening...I mowed the hay field that had become our yard...and I have energy remaining.

The expense of buying the mower...will be paid back many times...in other ways over the years. It'll be well worth it.


Dan

THAT DARN CAT

With our cozy little family of 8 living at the house now, there's been a noticeable change in some of the little things.

For example...we go through milk like crazy...the washer and dryer run daily...the cookies I opened that morning...might be gone that night.

The big bathroom tub has had a slow drain for some time, but since 'I' don't use it...I never had it high on the job list to look at and fix. I mentioned something about it to Shawn the other night and thought we'd look at it the next day.

Instead of waiting until the next day...he looked at it later that night. He told me yesterday...that he found our missing cat...he was pretty sure he pulled it out of the bathtub drain...and now the water just flows through there like a running stream.

He's a good son-in-law.


Dan

ENTERTAIN ME

We love to be entertained. It is no secret that I love to watch college basketball...particularly my favorite team...the Boilers. I am entertained watching them when they are at their best. But we enjoyed going when they were at their worst.

I enjoy other sports too...some more than others. I enjoy girls beach volleyball...(what guy wouldn't?). I can watch golf...for awhile...pro sports...for awhile. Heck...I've watched horse shoe pitching...just because it can be entertaining.

We love being entertained. Thousands will watch 10 guys try to eat 60 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Why? I'm not sure. We know it can't be healthy for them...but we watch.

Apparently thousands will watch guys get into a sauna...and see how long they can last in 'amazing' heat conditions. I am amazed at how hot and uncomfortable it can get in these hot, humid summer days in Indiana. When it's 90 degrees outside...and the humidity is equally as high...it is just almost unbearable to 'sit' outside in it...let alone 'work' in it.

In this story...it is apparently a goal of the entrants to stay as long as they can in the sauna...bearing unbelievable temperatures. 100 degrees is hot. 120 is Arizona type heat. 140 is mid-eastern type heat that our soldiers have to endure. But 230 degrees. Are you kidding me? Water boils at 212. Is their blood boiling within their bodies?

Not only are people doing it...people are watching it. I don't get it. That's not entertainment...it's idiotic...it's cruel and inhumane.

Entertain me. But don't give me nightmares.


Dan

12 GUYS...DOIN' NUTTIN'

Cindy & I drove home today after a few days away in Michigan. As occurs in just about any state during the summer...there were several locations of 'road construction' that we had to pass through.

In my line of work...part of my duties is to assist in cardiac stress tests. During those particular exams, the room generally contains 4 people...the patient to run on the treadmill, the cardiologist to oversee the entire test, an EKG technologist to run the treadmill/take blood pressures and me to inject the radioactive tracers at the appropriate time. In an effort to take a little tension out of the situation for the patient, I'll sometimes comment to the patient while they are walking on the treadmill..."this is just like the road crew you see on the highway...one guy working...and three guys watching." The comment usually gets a giggle out of the patient and relaxes things...if only for a few minutes.

Today...as we passed by one site...there were 12 guys watching...and NOBODY working. Now for those of you out there who has done that job before...or knows someone who does...don't take offense. I'm sure it is hard...hot...work...and you have to take breaks to survive. But I'll go out on a limb and say that MOST of the public feels like we ONLY see you during the break times. Thus, we all feel like THAT'S why it takes 'forever' for the road construction to get completed.

Just one guys opinion.


Dan

MORE AT SAUGATUCK

We've had a great day in Saugtuck. We had a great breakfast on the front porch of our Bed & Breakfast. We shopped and napped and relaxed through the day and then headed across the water to Douglas. There...we found a restaurant that served...maybe...the best food we've had in months...many months. With full bellies...we headed to Oval Beach and watched the sun set.

A great day for a little R&R...with my best friend.


Dan

WORDS TO MAKE YOU THINK

Cindy & I have made a trek north for a few days, to Michigan. Specifically...Saugatuck, Michigan. My impression so far...is a quaint little community around the water...with a few blocks of shops and restaurants and pubs and antiques and...

Cindy has found a few things to take back to friends...and we've found some things to get before we leave...for the kids and grandkids. One little shop took about an hour to go through as we just found more and more cool stuff to look at.

One little oddity seemed to catch my eye...some paper weights with little sayings on them. One of them just made me look at it about 1/2 dozen times because I just thought the words were magical.

"What would you attempt to do...if you knew you could not fail?"

I think I need to write those words on my mirror so I see it each morning...and in my car so I see it where ever I'm going.

There's been greater words said...but I sure do like those words and how they challenge me.


Dan

SWIMMING

As I was looking through the local, national and world news today...the article that caught my eye most...was the tragedy of 6 teens drowning in Louisiana. A 7th was rescued.

It appears they may have been wading in shallow water and in a brief instant, one...or all of them...stepped off into a, what was later found to be an 18 foot deep, sinkhole. Probably in an effort to save one another...they instead dragged one another to their deaths.

In a scenario nearly as bad...there were adults nearby...who could not save them...because they didn't know how to swim. To have that image implanted in ones mind for the rest of your life...is equally tragic.

I will guess that few...if any...of the victims...as well as the witnesses...knew how to swim. Even if 1 or 2 of them 'did' know how...in the moments of sheer panic...they were likely overcome by those who couldn't swim.

We are, as a people it seems, intrigued by water. In these days of hot, humid weather...it feels good to romp in the coolness of water. It's refreshing. But I can't imagine being around...or letting my children or grandchildren be around...a large body of water...knowing that they and I...couldn't swim if needed.

Where does our common sense go in these situations?

Now days...there is NO reason for a person...child or adult...to NOT know some basic swimming maneuvers. Many city organizations give swim lessons...and there are other civic organizations that would pay the expense of lessons...for those who can't afford it.

These families involved...probably used the excuse they couldn't afford to teach their children...or themselves...to swim. But they have now paid too high of a price...for not having done it.

If you don't know how...learn to swim. It might one day, save your, or someone else's, life.


Dan

A HERO...NOT A HEEL

Too often...we read a negative story about a sports figure...that leaves us with a sour taste in our mouth about athletes in general.

This story was in our local paper today...about a local boy...who has made good with his life and sports career so far.

Dustin was a classmate of our daughter, Joni, and they remain in contact. In fact, Joni & Ryan met up with some friends last fall in New York...had dinner with Dustin...and attended his football game that Sunday.

He seems to have his priorities in order. He has his money diversified so he's not totally dependent on football...and he is sharing some of it with kids who are less fortunate.

It's good to read about a 'real' sports hero. I know there's more out there...we just don't seem to read as much about them. I guess they're just busy doing the right things...rather than the wrong ones.


Dan