Be a fountain....

(Editor's note: A preachment dear friends you're about to receive on John Barleycorn, nicotine and the temptations of Eve.. to me, for me, welcome to tag along, and thanks - if you do so)..

Boss's boss took me to the Royal's game the other day. A very nifty thing, and I - extremely thankful... We walk into Kauffman Stadium near the outfield... come upon "Fast Beer" place.. damndest thing I'd ever seen. They had like three 'burner looking things'... they take a plastic cup, lower it onto the burner-looking-thing, somehow - a hole the size of a nickel is made in the bottom of the cup... the beer shoots UP, like a fountain... fills in a millisec.. and a magnet, the size of a poker chip drops down to stop the liquid from escaping. Like I said (I HATE when people say 'like I said', but) like I said, the damndest thing I ever saw.

But there I was.. I was taken to a place... no - wait.. that's a different song.. this one is beer fountain, not spill the wine...

Made a 180 degree turn toward the field, and nuttin' tween us and the playing field except some magnificent fountains. Kansas City is the city of fountains, and the Kauffmans captured that perfectly in their design of the stadium. Winds blew a much needed mist on us fans this hot, sultry day..

Fountains = uplift. I am extremely happy to report I've had three of the most wonderful compliments in my entire lifetime this past week. IF THEY ONLY KNEW. Fountains. I wanna 'pay it forward' and hopefully uplift another soon. Daily. Whenever I can.

Rex Hudler. He's presently the 'color man' on the Royal's TV broadcasts.. Much like any change, many don't like his antics. They're used to Frank White, Splitorff. Hudler is different. Upbeat. Occasionally zany. I don't get to hear him often, so I can't really address his talent, or lack thereof, but I can tell you I like him, his persona, his life.

Rex Hudler was a journeyman minor leaguer who finally made it to the bigs. A 14 year career saw him travel to 7 different teams, and 3 different countries. He always resurfaced when told "not good enough". Upbeat. Fountain.

He once took a june bug off his ballcap, and on a dare by his Cardinal teammate, ate it for $800.

You can knock Rex Hudler down. Witness the Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles, the Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cards, Yukolt Swallows, California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies.. and again by the Angels, this time fired as a broadcaster. Knocked down, he continues to smile, be upbeat, enjoy life. He's a fountain.

Rex Hudler and his wife have a child with a chromosomal abnormality. He and his wife started "Team Up For Down Syndrome", have raised thousands for public awareness, housing, education, job training, family counseling and health care for those living with Down Syndrome. He gives his time in every city he travels to. A fountain.

Rex grew up poor. His mother raised him. Her lifetime recommendation to him: Be a fountain, not a drain.

In spite of the blows life has placed on Rex, he chooses to be a fountain. He gets knocked down, but he gets up again. (Sorry Tubthumping, but I soooo like your song.) He smiles. He continues to be upbeat. He is a fountain, his mother should be proud.

Victor, be a fountain, not a drain. I'll try. Love, Victurd

Dave.....

Long, long ago... overhand softball.. onea the nicest teammates I've ever had: Dave. You could tell from Dave's build, athletic looks, he'd "been there" (ie, skilled, at one time).. but this was the dawn of his career.. routine fly balls became blooper reels.. swings that usedta SMACK, now whiffed. Racing toward a base now became very awkward, interrupted, jumbled, stumbled.

I wondered, to myself, WHY... why does he keep playing? No one ever said a terse word -and when good did happen, he was maybe verbally overcompensated....

Now.. I completely understand. Elvis, and any athletic skills I've ever had, have left the building.

"You'll never get that GD (gosh darn) glove off my hand! My skills will come back" I lie to myself. I HATE the bleachers, the bench, watching from beyond the fence in right field. I've had way, way, WAY too much fun in this endeavor.

Please Dandy Don... DON'T sing it! "Turn out the lights... the party's over."

I have a torn calf muscle. To walk more than a city block, I'm in writhing pain. I am blessed in that I can read the newspaper- and see the words without extending my arms, backing up toward Excelsior Springs - or wearing onea the many $1 readers I usedta own. I now see dang near perfectly. Ceptin', having eye lens implants where one eye is for close up, the other for long distance - plays hell on trying to judge a fly ball, catching a line drive whistling at your noggin a hunnerd MPH off an illegal bat. And (our secret) I'm old.

I wanna put my glove on my bike's handlebars, ride to the City Park and play Indian ball with Clay, Mouse & Sanford. I wanna go the Franklin and hear Dump Weston holler one more time "Strrrriiikkeee THREE... UR OUTTA THERE!".. Run across the street after the game to Mugs Up for an ice cold root beer. Coach is buying. I wanna go swimming after the game at the Balsinger's pool.

I wanna go play American Legion ball again in farm towns - where the stands are fulla townfolk, and the lights beam thru scadillions of flying bugs. I wanna wear metal cleats.. I want to remember what it's like to slide headfirst and get baseball chalk up my nostrils.

I wanna argue with an ump... hit a line drive... see someone making a great catch and get to run in from the outfield to slap a high five on them.. I wanna be a part of another walk off..

I wanna go where the women watch in their summertime attire. VICTOR! Sorry... kinda.

I wanna go back to overhand fastpitch, where we, and Philadelphia were the only cities in the US playing. I wanna, just one more time, play for the City Championship. Ok, so it was B Division, who cares!

I wanna travel to places with my slowpitch cohorts, lifelong friends. Play two games, have a three hour break, and the break was just as damn fun (if not more) than the games. I wanna sit in lawnchair and talk, for 6 hours about the 3 hours we just played.

I wanna yell out nicknames again.. Delbert... Gibby.. Tork.. Bass Arm.. Barney... Mose.. Toad.. Spike.. Rat... Mack.. Bones...

I wanna go to Macken.. Mid-America.. so many fields, hell I've forgotten their names and prolly couldn't even drive to 'em..

I wanna fly with my Eastern Airline coworkers to play in Airline Tourneys in Atlanta, Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas - again.

Now, however, I am Dave. Base'aballs been berry berry good to me.

I wonder how much a golf membership is at Cardinal Hill? Love, Daveturd.

Doors

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out alone
Riders on the storm

I love the opening musical prelude on this. And true, in life, we're riders on the storm. Doors. Interesting topic, to me at least.

You walk into a store. People coming, people going. Folks you've never met in ur whole life. Who takes the time, or gives up their time - in opening/holding door for you, and vise versa.

I've got my own opine on this, and you know I have a big mouth (ie, type freely.). The ones that stop, hold the door for you, they "get it".. life.. Nice wins. Nice rocks. Recognition "I'm not in so bigga damn hurry in life, that I can't take this respite, hopefully draw a smile, or a 'thanks' ".. and an albeit feel good. Nice rocks.

Conversely, (mebbe), those that don't hold the doors - never learned 'nice' at home. Perhaps a few, self indulgent. Mebbe some with blinders - too many paths/plans/hurries in life - they ain't got the time, or "can't" take the time.. too busy.. to stop and smell the roses, garner a smile... a thanks... a feel good.. Hurry, must.

Then.. .there's the "late holders".. u walk in after someone, they open the door for themselves, go thru... the door is closing, then they remember the parental kindness lesson - they reach back awkwardly - hold the door for you... another feel good, reciprically.

There's a killer on the road
His brain is squirmin' like a toad
Take a long holiday
Let your children play
If ya give this man a ride
Sweet memory will die
Killer on the road, yeah

Doors. At work. Called into Boss's office. "Close the door please." Bugs the hell outta me. We're a team. Shouldn't be anything said within, that another member can't hear. But, I like getting paid, so I do.

Doors - in life. Opportunity. And yes, when one closes, another opens. Sometimes it really sucks waiting for that pefect door opening, but patience lends true. Some make the perfect choice, turn.. others open many (wrong?) doors, after some have been closed.

Girl ya gotta love your man
Girl ya gotta love your man
Take him by the hand
Make him understand
The world on you depends
Our life will never end
Gotta love your man, yeah

Relationship doors. Woah. Initially, of course, they start out "lock that please".. followed by yum, yum, oh baby oh baby... then can lead to "don't the the door hit you in the ass"... or.. departure one day to never return... and yes, many, many make it through an entire lifetime in very good "door shape." Kudos, to those that have.

Yeah!

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out alone
Riders on the storm

Monty Hall. Work. Spouse. Career path. Parenting. Timing. Economically. Mental healthwise.. Happiness-wise.. Lanes, avenues, roads.. paths.. Have we all made the perfect choice for "The Deal of the Day" behind door #1, #2, #3? Prolly not, but some certainly have.

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm

Doors give us privacy. Doors give us warmth from the exterior. Doors give us protection. Doors give us choices, new avenues... Doors give us opportunity to make a new friend, be nice.

The Doors give us a reminder, life is fleeting. Some in life exit the door way too damn early. We're left with fading reminders.

Did't mean to leave the door ajar. May your door experiences be happy. Riders on the storm. Love, Victurd.

Moms.. this and that..

Having kids may make you smarter...

Diaper Changes: 7,300 by baby's 2nd birthday....
4.3 babies are born each second...

Kids: Modern moms average 2 kids (1950s: 3.5 kids; 1700s: 7-10 kids)...
2 billion moms in the World (82.5 million in the U.S.)..

July, most popular birth month... Tuesday, most frequent birth day..

Most Kids: Mrs. Vassilyev of Russia gave birth to 69 children between 1725 and 1765
Oldest Mom: Rosanna Dalla Corte gave birth to a baby boy when she was 63 years old in Italy in 1994
Heaviest Newborn: Signora Carmelina Fedele gave birth to a 22 lb 8 oz boy in Italy in 1955..

30 Pounds: Average weight gain during pregnancy
Baby Gender Gap: 105 boys born for every 100 girls..

Research suggests that moms who give birth later in life, live longer.

In the vast majority of the world's languages, the word for "mother" begins with the letter M.

80% of moms: The percentage of moms who are happy when back-to-school time rolls around,

TV moms... 58% The percentage of people who chose Clair Huxtable of The Cosby Show as one of the top five best TV moms in a survey conducted by TiVo. Rounding out the group: Marion Cunningham from Happy Days, Carol Brady of The Brady Bunch, June Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver and Marge Simpson of The Simpsons.

Fun mom quotes:
"The happiest families are those in which the children are properly spaced...about 10 feet apart. "
"Raising a teenager is like nailing Jell-O to the wall."
"Mommy brain: when your grey matter turns into grey hair..."
"Cleaning up with children around is like shoveling during a blizzard"
"Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky."
"It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it."
"Most children threaten at times to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going."

Animal Moms:

A mother giraffe often gives birth while standing, so the newborn's first experience outside the womb is a 1.8-meter (6-foot) drop.

Just like people, mother chimpanzees often develop lifelong relationships with their offspring.

Kittens are born both blind and deaf, but the vibration of their mother's purring is a physical signal that the kittens can feel - it acts like a homing device, signaling them to nurse.

Elephants have the longest pregnancy in the animal kingdom at 22 months..

Possums have one of the shortest pregnancies at 16 days..

A female oyster produces 100 million young in her lifetime, the typical hen lays 19 dozen eggs a year, and it is possible for one female cat to be responsible for the birth of 20,736 kittens in four years.

Huh? Male seahorses can actually give birth to offspring. While this is normally impossible for human beings, Thomas Beatie, who had his gender legally changed from female to male, is currently the world's first pregnant man.

NOT SO MUCH: Harp Seals:
Mothers of these precious little ones are highly dedicated for the first twelve days. In fact, they do not eat at all during that period. Unfortunately, once the feeding is over, that’s it for mother-child bonding—she’s out of there, ready to mate again.
Unlike many other species with such abrupt weaning periods, the harp seal pup can’t go on to survive on its own yet. Instead it is left stranded on the ice for the next month and a half, leaving it incredibly vulnerable to predators. The babies will lose half of their body weight during this lengthy fasting period. Finally, when they are about eight weeks old, they are ready to swim and are finally able to start hunting for their own food. With a childhood like this, it’s no wonder that at least 30% of all pups die during their first year.

Bird infedelity: House Sparrows: While most women would be furious if their husband cheated on them, few would choose to take it out on any offspring that resulted from the infidelity. But that’s just what the house sparrow does — she seeks out nests of other females that mated with her partner and kills the resulting chicks. This way, her baby’s daddy will spend his time fathering her own youngsters. Just imagine finding out your mom killed your half-brother so your dad would spend more time with you.

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Being a father - I have no way to walk in the shoes of a mother. Being a son though, has allowed me a wonderful peek into that special world of "mom." I was fortunate to be among those who use the verbiage "The Best".. For many, many years - it was bedtime ritual for our family to announce "Good night mom, you're the best mom in the whole world".. and of course it was followed by dad, sister, brother.. but mom was always the first one said.

The world would literally end if it were not for mothers - not only numberwise - but what would a world be without nurture, care, heartfelt concern? If the shoe fits, and you as well think "The Best" of your mom, and she's still here - please tell her so.. If she's not still here, then do as I plan to do tonight at bedtime... inwardly saying "Good night mom, you're the best mom in the whole world." Love, Victurd.

Ok, I'll try harder... or....

50 ways to please your mother (since it's almost that day.)

I don't like incrimination. And, in keeping with the 'in' words, no inference intended, not my intent.

Someone once stated the sentence below.. and again, insteada ratting, I'll just use multiple choice... It was either:

a) My 8th grade football coach.
b) Some guy I met for first time yesterday in aisle 5 at Sutherlands.
c) perhaps an ex
d) the preacher at the 2nd Baptist Church..

What'd they say Victor? Something to effect (affect?) of "You always have to be the good guy, even though that's not always the way it is."

So... as a reminder to me of that, I do hereby list some things into the future I'm gonna TRY to do, so I no slippy up again.

Open the door for someone.

Help someone whose car is brokedown.

Help someone for free.

Help a child learn.

Pay for someone behind you in line.

Make a new friend today.

If there's someone who made a difference in their life, let 'em now somehow.

Tell someone you hang with all the time how much you appreciate that.

Someone get an 'atta boy'? Add to it, recognize it, let them know "way to go!"..

Leave a generous tip.

Say "Good Morning"

Bring your coworkers a special treat.

Be kind to someone you dislike. MUST I? Yes Victor, it was on that lista crap you researched.. It said something like "Getting to know and understand him or her better might help you appreciate your differences. Before you know it you might actually have a new friend!" Remember "it's not always the way it is".. OK OK OK.. I'll try. Sup Howard?

Sing at a Nursing Home.

Touch. Not "that" kinda touch you perv... I mean like walking by a friend and extending your arm.. or walking by their desk and touching their shoulder. Victor, that sounds like one of your stupid ideas. Bite me. Must I do another multiple choice question?

Tell your boss he/she does a good job. MUST I? VICTOR -DAMNIT!

Renew an old friendship.

LOL.

Slip a $20 bill to a person who you know is having financial difficulty.

Let someone know when they "run past your brain." A simple "Hey, you ran past my brain, so I wanted to say "Hey".. "Hey"

Check on someone you know is alone. (Editorializing "Good one (nice Googling).. this is HUGE!")..

The problem is all inside your head, so said once or twice
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be nice
There must be fifty ways to please your mother.

She said it's really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
(You and your nice "even though that's not always the way it is.")

So I repeat myself, at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to please your mother,
Fifty ways to please your mother.

Happy random acts of kindness. Happy Mother's Day. Forgive me Father for
I mighta (slipped) sinned. Promise to work on 50 ways to please your mother.

Love, Victurd.