What a month can do. For one thing...it can fly!!!
On September 28, I put in my last day of work. I spent the next day going through my prep for surgery. September 30, I had a prostectomy to remove my cancerous prostate.
The entire month of October was spent recovering. It is now the last Friday of October. I will spend the remaining weekend visiting Cindy's family in southern Indiana.
Monday will be November...and I will return to work. I'm sure it will take me a little time to get back in the 'groove'. The alarm clock hasn't gone off the entire month. I slept until I got up. I did what I felt like doing. If I needed a nap...I took a nap.
But my surgery was successful. I feel good. It's time to start the next chapter of my life.
I'm pretty sure...they don't allow naps at work.
It could be rough for awhile!
Dan
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
RIGHT FAR
I see in the obits that James MacArthur died today. Now for some people, that name won't ring a bell...until they click on this and see the photo that goes with the story.
Most people will recognize MacArthur as the character 'Danno' (book him Danno) from the original Hawaii Five-0 (there's a new version this season...but I haven't watched it).
I 'do' remember MacArthur from the 'old' Hawaii Five-0 (Hawaii was the 50th state you know...so...5...0...Five-0). Anyway it wasn't Hawaii Five-0 that I liked MacArthur from.
One of my favorite all-time movies is titled...'Spencer's Mountain'. The movie starred Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara as the parents of a brood of children...and MacArthur played the oldest son...Clayboy.
The movie was the basis of a well-loved TV show of the 70's called 'The Waltons'.
The basis of the movie is the dream of the father to build a get-away home up on the old mountain for he and his wife to enjoy...and the dream of Clayboy...to get 'off' that mountain and do something besides what his grandparents and parents and uncles have done all their life.
I still remember the last words of the movie.
As Clayboy takes a seat on the bus that will take him away to college...after just saying a touching goodbye to his parents and siblings...a man that Clayboy sits down beside on the bus asks him...'going far'...and Clayboy responds...'right far'.
A great movie if you haven't seen it.
Dan
Most people will recognize MacArthur as the character 'Danno' (book him Danno) from the original Hawaii Five-0 (there's a new version this season...but I haven't watched it).
I 'do' remember MacArthur from the 'old' Hawaii Five-0 (Hawaii was the 50th state you know...so...5...0...Five-0). Anyway it wasn't Hawaii Five-0 that I liked MacArthur from.
One of my favorite all-time movies is titled...'Spencer's Mountain'. The movie starred Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara as the parents of a brood of children...and MacArthur played the oldest son...Clayboy.
The movie was the basis of a well-loved TV show of the 70's called 'The Waltons'.
The basis of the movie is the dream of the father to build a get-away home up on the old mountain for he and his wife to enjoy...and the dream of Clayboy...to get 'off' that mountain and do something besides what his grandparents and parents and uncles have done all their life.
I still remember the last words of the movie.
As Clayboy takes a seat on the bus that will take him away to college...after just saying a touching goodbye to his parents and siblings...a man that Clayboy sits down beside on the bus asks him...'going far'...and Clayboy responds...'right far'.
A great movie if you haven't seen it.
Dan
Monday, October 25, 2010
SPECIAL DAY
I wrote about this topic on this date 1 year ago...but I'm going to write about it again...because it's about a special person.
Today...would be my big sister's 80th birthday. I say...'would be'...because she's been gone for 16 years. That dreaded disease...cancer...shortened her life.
Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) was a wonderful sister...maybe the nicest person I have ever known. A simple farm wife...who never held any lofty positions...never had a lot of money...but who was a wonderful wife, mom, daughter, sister, grandmother...who loved her family and friends...and was equally, loved in return...by all.
If there is a person who I should emulate...it would be my sister.
What a wonderful privilege it would be...to sit down at the table this evening and sing happy birthday, share some cake and ice cream, and give my sister a big hug and kiss.
Now 'that' would be a great day.
Dan
Today...would be my big sister's 80th birthday. I say...'would be'...because she's been gone for 16 years. That dreaded disease...cancer...shortened her life.
Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) was a wonderful sister...maybe the nicest person I have ever known. A simple farm wife...who never held any lofty positions...never had a lot of money...but who was a wonderful wife, mom, daughter, sister, grandmother...who loved her family and friends...and was equally, loved in return...by all.
If there is a person who I should emulate...it would be my sister.
What a wonderful privilege it would be...to sit down at the table this evening and sing happy birthday, share some cake and ice cream, and give my sister a big hug and kiss.
Now 'that' would be a great day.
Dan
Sunday, October 24, 2010
WORLD SERIES
My brother lives in San Francisco...and his local baseball team...the Giants...will play in this years World Series.
I believe I saw a commercial on TV that said the first game is scheduled for later this week...to begin at 730pm. Why does it start at 730pm? Because that's when the TV people say it will begin!
I assume EVERY game of the World Series...will be played in the evenings...so the TV company that is showing it...can get the largest audience possible.
That's a change from when I was a little guy. I remember the World Series being held in the afternoons...while I was in school. Night games?...we didn't need no stinking night games!!
I recall some of the bigger kids (6th graders) sneaking their transistor radios in to school with an earplug attached...in hopes they could listen to a few innings while they were pretending to study...hoping their teacher wouldn't notice.
My guess is...some of the men teachers...had their own radio tucked in one of their desk drawers...with an earplug attached that 'they' could listen to once in a while...hoping the students wouldn't get rowdy and interrupt the play-by-play.
Those were the days when the game was fun...and I enjoyed following it. Today...like all professional sports (heck...even college sports for that matter)...it's all changed. Teams are 'told' when they will play...and they'll 'like' it.
I'm glad my brothers' local team is playing...but I could personally care less WHO is playing...when they're playing...or on what channel.
In fact...whatever channel they'll be playing on...will be one that I WON'T be watching.
Dan
I believe I saw a commercial on TV that said the first game is scheduled for later this week...to begin at 730pm. Why does it start at 730pm? Because that's when the TV people say it will begin!
I assume EVERY game of the World Series...will be played in the evenings...so the TV company that is showing it...can get the largest audience possible.
That's a change from when I was a little guy. I remember the World Series being held in the afternoons...while I was in school. Night games?...we didn't need no stinking night games!!
I recall some of the bigger kids (6th graders) sneaking their transistor radios in to school with an earplug attached...in hopes they could listen to a few innings while they were pretending to study...hoping their teacher wouldn't notice.
My guess is...some of the men teachers...had their own radio tucked in one of their desk drawers...with an earplug attached that 'they' could listen to once in a while...hoping the students wouldn't get rowdy and interrupt the play-by-play.
Those were the days when the game was fun...and I enjoyed following it. Today...like all professional sports (heck...even college sports for that matter)...it's all changed. Teams are 'told' when they will play...and they'll 'like' it.
I'm glad my brothers' local team is playing...but I could personally care less WHO is playing...when they're playing...or on what channel.
In fact...whatever channel they'll be playing on...will be one that I WON'T be watching.
Dan
Saturday, October 23, 2010
CARNEGIE LIBRARIES
I read a short article today about Andrew Carnegie. The main topic of the article...was regarding the 'public libraries' that were built across the United States thanks to funding from Andrew Carnegie.
Between 1883 and 1929, Carnegie funded the construction of 1679 public libraries in almost every state of the United States...as well as over 650 in Great Britain and Ireland and another 125 in Canada.
In a rags-to-riches manner, the immigrant from Scotland worked his way from messenger boy to a communications executive to business strategist.
Carnegie reportedly spent some $70 million of his money...to build the libraries (this amount would translate into 'billions' in today's dollars).
My little hometown of Owensville...was one of those towns that accepted a grant from Carnegie...to build their library. Located in the center block of the downtown area, (much like court houses in larger towns of the state), it is still standing and still in use. (I hoped to attach a photo of the library here...but couldn't make it work. Good reporting...eh?)(Instead...I settled for a link, showing all the Carnegie libraries in Indiana.)
I remember going into that library as a little boy. Although it's probably been 10 years since I've been in it...I recall the good feeling I had when walking in that great building...in a great little town.
I'm sure there are things that people could find wrong with Andrew Carnegie...but I would have to give him credit for at least doing such a great thing for so many towns across the country.
Dan
Between 1883 and 1929, Carnegie funded the construction of 1679 public libraries in almost every state of the United States...as well as over 650 in Great Britain and Ireland and another 125 in Canada.
In a rags-to-riches manner, the immigrant from Scotland worked his way from messenger boy to a communications executive to business strategist.
Carnegie reportedly spent some $70 million of his money...to build the libraries (this amount would translate into 'billions' in today's dollars).
My little hometown of Owensville...was one of those towns that accepted a grant from Carnegie...to build their library. Located in the center block of the downtown area, (much like court houses in larger towns of the state), it is still standing and still in use. (I hoped to attach a photo of the library here...but couldn't make it work. Good reporting...eh?)(Instead...I settled for a link, showing all the Carnegie libraries in Indiana.)
I remember going into that library as a little boy. Although it's probably been 10 years since I've been in it...I recall the good feeling I had when walking in that great building...in a great little town.
I'm sure there are things that people could find wrong with Andrew Carnegie...but I would have to give him credit for at least doing such a great thing for so many towns across the country.
Dan
Friday, October 22, 2010
STOLEN SILVERWARE
This article jumped out at me as I scanned the paper. It's about restaurant customers stealing things that belong to the restaurant.
The reason it caught my eye...is that the little restaurant/bar that we went to last weekend...had a little blurb from the owner in the corner of their menu.
Basically the little column read..."Do our hamburgers really cost me $4.95? The answer is NO." He then went on to list his monthly expenses...his electric bill, advertising, building rent...etc. He then went on to say something like..."so please don't take my silverware, glassware or salt n pepper shakers."
But since they don't listen to his plea's...he has to charge $4.95 for a hamburger.
I had no idea that this seems to be such a common things for restaurant owners to have to battle.
Geez.
Dan
The reason it caught my eye...is that the little restaurant/bar that we went to last weekend...had a little blurb from the owner in the corner of their menu.
Basically the little column read..."Do our hamburgers really cost me $4.95? The answer is NO." He then went on to list his monthly expenses...his electric bill, advertising, building rent...etc. He then went on to say something like..."so please don't take my silverware, glassware or salt n pepper shakers."
But since they don't listen to his plea's...he has to charge $4.95 for a hamburger.
I had no idea that this seems to be such a common things for restaurant owners to have to battle.
Geez.
Dan
Thursday, October 21, 2010
JET STREAMS
While waiting to pick up Mason after basketball practice, I sat in my car in the school parking lot and enjoyed a nice sunny...but cool...sky. In a matter of a few minutes...a saw '5' jets streaking across the sky...all going in different directions.
As usually happens...my mind drifts off...wandering where those 5 jets are headed...and who might be on those planes...and what they're doing on them.
I'm not a 'frequent' flier...but I've flown more times than I can count. I've flown to meetings held in other states...to my brothers' wedding...to visit friends...to go on vacation with friends or family.
I thought of how each moment of each day...is so different to different people. It might be one persons' best day of their life...it might be someone else's worst. As I mentioned recently...the first Friday of October was my first day without the cancer in my body. That same day...good friend Lisa...found out...cancer was growing in hers.
Someone on one of those jets...may be off to a job interview...that may change their life in unknown ways. Someone may be on their honeymoon. Someone may be off to bury a loving family member.
Our last trip on a jet...was this summer when Cindy & I, our kids and grandkids...all flew down to Disney World for a week. It was an 'even better than expected' time together.
If someone like me...on the day that our jet was flying south...looked up in the sky and saw our jet...and wondered where it was going and what the people on it were doing...well...the 10 of us were on our way to a great adventure that we will likely never forget.
I hope the people in those 5 jets that I saw today...were all on their way...to 'their'...great adventure.
Dan
As usually happens...my mind drifts off...wandering where those 5 jets are headed...and who might be on those planes...and what they're doing on them.
I'm not a 'frequent' flier...but I've flown more times than I can count. I've flown to meetings held in other states...to my brothers' wedding...to visit friends...to go on vacation with friends or family.
I thought of how each moment of each day...is so different to different people. It might be one persons' best day of their life...it might be someone else's worst. As I mentioned recently...the first Friday of October was my first day without the cancer in my body. That same day...good friend Lisa...found out...cancer was growing in hers.
Someone on one of those jets...may be off to a job interview...that may change their life in unknown ways. Someone may be on their honeymoon. Someone may be off to bury a loving family member.
Our last trip on a jet...was this summer when Cindy & I, our kids and grandkids...all flew down to Disney World for a week. It was an 'even better than expected' time together.
If someone like me...on the day that our jet was flying south...looked up in the sky and saw our jet...and wondered where it was going and what the people on it were doing...well...the 10 of us were on our way to a great adventure that we will likely never forget.
I hope the people in those 5 jets that I saw today...were all on their way...to 'their'...great adventure.
Dan
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