Paths........

Perty nifty term. We all have paths in life...

My 19 month old granddaughter, her path is erratic. Flitting about, around the coffee table.. walking/stepping over her g'pa's outstretched legs as he lays low to the ground reminded "get down on her level." She makes a trek down the path to pickup the empty plastic Piggly Wiggly sack, and presents it to him as if it were a trophy.. Cool. Then she flits about and finds a fourth of a graham cracker she'd just devoured 3/4's of, takes a nibble, and again, hands it as a trophy to grandpa. The best.

Many paths in our lives. The Facebook Timeline is about as popular as Rex Hudler from an avid Royal's fan's view, Obama, from a conservative's view.. and Michael Vick, from a PETA person's view.. yet... it is a compilation.. it is a cumulative review, of life.

Had we had FB timeline from day 1, we'd all be saying "no frigging way I've taken this path". Sorry. Way.

Eons ago, before roads.. cars would traverse from here to there.. light bulbs clicked (That doesn't make sense Victor, there were no lightbulbs then).. .. OK, dudes observed, decided to fill in the tire trek paths with gravel. This, is how roads began. I made that up, but you might check Snopes, it could be true.

Base paths.. we mostly all remember Willie Wilson hitting one in the gap, legging out three... The Mick, flitting an infield single, sprinting down the path.. Lou Brock, whom the St. Louie Cardinals obtained and canned my all-time favorite left-fielder Charlie James in a trade for Ernie Broglio - and his many, many treks down the paths. I remember umpiring years ago. 9 year old lad "hit by pitch in arm". Limped, down the path to first base. Gotta love paths.

We remember the email about Jesus, the sand... four footprints for awhile... then two footprints in the path to the destination. When questioned, "I was carrying you."

On the eve of 60, divorced, mixed feelings about going down the handheld path again. Path of least resistance, "ride it on out, you'll be fine".. or, "Get all absorbed, and risk having one wonder off the path again." This is about the point where all you lucky ones who have been on the joint path forever and ever ask "yeah, but what if I woulda turned the other way at the fork in the road?"..

Bullhockey, the grass is greener on the other side 'cause there's likely more manure laid, the water bill to get it that green is ridiculous, and No the grass is always greener because you can't get to it. Everybody wants what they can't have until they get it then they don't want it. Kudos to your coupledom longevity, scoff the idea.

Work paths. Made a few wrong turns there - but damn, met a lotta nice folks, had some wonderful experiences.

Don't look back? With advance apologies to my Uncle Don and Aunt Louise who occasionally swing by here.. I'm of the age, singledom, if I see a 'looker' crossing my path, damn straight I'll look back once she's passed!

Looking at the path of tomorrow? Who knows? Some have planned well. Some, not so much. If you're like me, being 20-something, 30-something, I was "why worry about fitty, sixty-something.. that's forever from now?" Well, forever from now is here.

I very much enjoy the path I go down daily. If I drink 5 total cups of coffee at Habib's BP and get my card punched, I get a free one. My car gets 26 MPG. I now have AM radio (long story) and I love my Sport's talk (cepting Monday mornings when 101 the Fox gives an auto to a deserving vet, and I sob on the path into work. ) My 168,000+ car is a convertible, a friend suggested I was now a real 'chick magnet', har har, I'm closer to a walker for my path than being a chick magnet.

I like paved paths thru the woods. I like the less traveled paths. I take the path from home to Wally World via Pleasant Valley, and avoid the congested path. I see folks on life's path, and I wonder whatinthehell they're thinking. Conversely, they may be looking at me, and thinking the same dadgum thing.

Paths are fun. Paths can be coupled. Ran. Jogged. Walked. With canine. In good weather and bad. At one's own pace, direction.

Happy fork in the road to you. If you feel you mighta taken the wrong turn... forkget it.. Happy paths, the resta the way out, Love, Victurd

The pooch.....

I have a pooch....

I ain't proud of it, but, I ain't ashamed of it either.

When I keel, I wouldn't mind it if the service went something like this:

That Victurd.. he kinda lived life with trade-offs... He knew that eating, sampling, devouring, yummmy delectable's might give way to a pooch, but he figured "eh, not a bad trade off... "

He dreamed of JackStack pulled pork...... He pushed to the fronta the line at Arthur Bryants.. He regularly stopped by the "it's so-and-so's birthday at work, here, come eat all this crap" ten to twelve times a working day.

A hot Lamar's donut at 6am. That steamy cappuccino.. Apple pie, a huge breast at Strouds.. peanut butter cookies..

He didn't mind his belly. In fact, he worried when skinny folks passed that they chose not to experience, devour, yum, be selfish upon occasion.

Not Victurd. He never pushed away from the table. If it was "all you can eat", by God, he did that. McDonalds Big Breakfast with hotcakes - "might I get an extra syrup?".. a Frosty.. a Butterfinger... Zingers, yum, zingers.

What are you gonna do today Victurd? "Eh, it's free sample day at the Piggly Wiggly, then I ain't decided what, after."

Pecan pie - is this heaven? Brownies.. French fries.. Onion Rings.. Chili dogs.. Brats.. SAUSAGE.. CHEESE.. fried potatoes.. Did I say Butterfinger?.. Salted peanuts..... pecans.. CASHEWS when I had the extra fitty cents to buy insteada the salted peanuts - nuttin' personal salted peanuts, u pleased me many a day on the drive into work.

A good, yummy steak. A disgustingly fat tenderloin. BBQ ribs (enter cuisine orgasm here).

A la carte, appetizing, Au gratin, blanched, braised, buttery, caramelized, chilled, chocolaty, chopped, crispy, deviled, divine, dripping, fragrant, fried, heavenly, inviting, kosher, laced, moist, mouthwatering, nuked, piquant (Victor, that doesn't fit you.. bite me, I liked the word).. rare, scrumptious, seasoned, simmering, sliced, sugarcoated, tasty, titillating, yummy, zestful.

Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible. Jk. Let's just say, Victurd lived life watching what he ate, in his own kinda way.

He thrived on "yum"... "too much"... "where's the Rolaids"... "why not?"

Once upon a time, he had a flatbelly - but the older he got, he didn't give a rats. Trade off. Pooch/delectable. Yum.

Time to go. Gotta swing by the fridge en route to bed. See what my fork can find. If only I had someone to spoon with. Victor, you're weird. Don't care. Kiss my pooch. Love, Victurd

People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

Black and white TV. Biked everywhere. Going to school, actually fun, looked forward to it. "Who's in my class?". "Mom, we gotta go to Mattingly's to get supplies"..

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

The greatest musical era ever, hands down. You can find 12 local radio stations today still playing music from our time. Many remakes, sorry, just ain't the same. Fun too, to observe a young'n, listening to music from our era, bouncing a bit. The best era. WHB. 40 Star survey.

Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

Brown eggs from granny's chicken coop. Brownies. Brown can. Brown spots....

Weekly Reader. Library. Books online. Whereinthehell are my readers, by God, I've got seven $1 pairs?

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Being taken care of as a child. Having, taking care of children. Doting, spoiling, grandchildren. Taking care of parents who for so very many years took care of us. Swallowing pride, getting help from our children.

Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to d-dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

Cloth diapers. Wash rags. Disposables. Wipes. Depends.

"Smooching".. hormone crazed. "The one." "Not now, the kids are awake." Tri-weekly. Tubal ligation/vasectomy. Try weakly. Blue pills. (VICTOR! Speak for yourself!).. Ahm.. I was.

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Goals. First job. Composing a resume. Struggling thru the 'this'll get me there' positions. Bottom of the totem pole. Asprirations, intentions, destinations. Ho hum.
Damn, the alarm went off.. is it really Monday?.. Finally reaching that point, I will never frigging prepare a resume again.

People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we g-g-get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

Beggs. Breipohl. Woodys. Trails Inn. Safeway. Kroger. Schoellers. The Kuu Kuu. Hallisey's. Bedingers. Brants. Eisens (sp?). Mace. Co-op. Duncan Oil. Phil's.. . Chief's training camp. Bud's pool hall. Shelby's. TG&Y. Freverts. Kramers. Boggess. Then, big change.

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

I know I've written this before, but, if you've noticed, I repeat myself. Yes, I repeat my self. To me, one of the niftiest, strangest, coolest, weirdest, most bizarre things is - if someone had sat you down back in high school, and related (perfectly) "now here is exacly how the next 40-some years of your life are going to go" I very much woulda protested, refused to believe, been in disbelief.

Class of 1970 (and, I think I can safely invite anyone that hang with our group from that era)... 7pm.. October 6th.. 1404 Canterbury​ Lane (Home of Betty/Denny (Reppert) Anderson. We'll gather and talk about this generation. A generic 60th birthday party. Come one, come all.

People try to put us down.... I've blabbed. I'm still playing softball, which is fancy for: bat in the lineup, catch one inning every two games. A few weeks back, we had plenty of players - so, I sat out, watched both games from our little "nest" beyond the right field fence. Young man, teammate, 24-ish.. had hurt his back.. sitting out too.. as he got up once, he spouted "Damn, I walk like a 60 year old man." Yes, I wanted to smack him, but I said nothing, and giggled internally.

People try to put us down. Talkin' bout my generation.

Hope to see you 10/6/2012. Victurd.

Earle Hagen...

Who is Earle Hagen?.. He is responsible for co writing, AND whistling, "The Fishin' Hole", the theme to the Andy Griffith Show.

The Andy Griffith Show ran from October '60 thru April '68, but it seems like it ran forever. Americana. A better day. Family. A simpler time. A world with no evil. Moral. Friendly. Laid back. Simple.

I remember.

I remember the family gathering to watch. I remember the era.

Whiffle ball. Mom's and a 5 cent pack of Kool-aid/sugar/pitcher/neighbor kids - what better? "First one to see the street lights on!"..."Owe me a coke!"

Hide and seek. Kick the can. Give up? "Allleee alleeee in free!" Mood rings. The Beatles. Ed Sullivan. Johnny Carson. Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Laugh In, NASA, the Peace Symbol. Chinese Fire Drills. Gum wrapper chains. Finding 4 leaf clovers. Bond, James Bond.

Honesty. Yes sir. Yes ma'am. No sir. No ma'am.

Enter Earle Hagen's whistling theme here...........

Polaroids. Black and white, with no conception, exception of color. (FYI seasons 1 - 5 B/W, 6-8 in color.) Very coincidentally, a transition of same in real life - and thankfully, we were too young to be "handed down" discrimination.)

Baseball cards with a clothespin on your bike to make cool noises as they hit your spokes as u rode. Iron on patches for holes in the knees of our jeans. No Game Boys, Play Stations, Nintendo, Leapfrog, cell phones, etc.... we had a hose and sprinkler.. two tin cans and a long string.. a slip and slide.. water balloons. roller skates..slinkies.. . roller skates nailed onto a sheet of plywood for a 'skateboard'... Chalk/sidewalk. Twister. Ouija boards. Superballs.

Chores. Worry upon Parent-Teacher conferences results thereof.. Respect.. If you got in trouble, word got around town "faster'n Facebook". If there was a ne'er do well around- word got out quick, and you avoided this person.

Little League - one game a week, the excitement was crazy (versus three games during the week, and tourneys on weekends, no idea who your opponents are)...

If the "twice the size" school bully slid off the teeter-totter in it's down position, there were no lawsuits. An older brother usually took care of it. Just the fact of even having teeter totters, yes, the era.

Town gatherings on Holidays. The Square. We had our Floyd. We had our Howard. We had our Snoozy putting gas in our car. We had town characters, just as Mayberry did. We managed to drive across town ok with just Stop Signs.

We waived at every other car. Girls played with dolls, guys played with marbles. Innocent. Teachers, coaches, were role models like Andy Griffith.

Who out there cannot smile, look back with good feel when you hear Earle Hagen whistle that?

I don't suggest, "we're better" (our age).. I don't suggest kids nowadays aren't special. OH MY THEY ARE!... I don't suggest "our time" was a better time than now. I am not saying kids don't have wonderful opportunities, role models today.

I will say, I couldn't have picked a better time/era to grow up in... and Mr. Andy Griffith, a piece of you will always live on within those of us from this era. You were our Grundy Newton, our China Slaughter.. our Mabel Weakley... Our Chief Collins.. Our guidance.

Enter Earle Hagen whistling here.

Love, Victurd.

For closure....... Dirty Laundry....

I make my living off the Evening News
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

For closure. E style. I get on the Internet, yes FB in particular, and I see/read tirades by fellow friends about fellow friends without naming names and I think to myself "geesh, that's so stupid, and very ridiculous"... THEN, I get on here and blog doing the same GD (gosh darn) thing! Victor you're an idiot!

Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear
Give us dirty laundry

Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em all around

Very recently, I got ridda all things needed in a house.. lawnmower.. washer/dryer.. weed eater.. edger.. a bigass ladder... whatever is was that I needed to dump in a move from a 4 bedroom house, to a one bedroom apartment... but.. I got ridda even more than that...

We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
Comes on at five
She can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam
In her eye
It's interesting when people die-
Give us dirty laundry

For way too many years, I lived in a house I never shoulda kept. Admitted depression (NO VICTOR.. NO dirty laundry) [sorry, if the truth hurts - bugoff! ] ahem, depression contributed to the "Oh.. the roof is leaking? Oh well.. the AC is out? Who cares..the hot water heater is inop.. ah, it's all good".. There usedta be four in that house... then three.. then two.. and for way too many years: one.


Is the head dead yet?
You know, the boys in the newsroom got a
Running bet
Get the widow on the set!
We need dirty laundry

You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone
Just leave well enough love
Eat your dirty laundry

Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down

Kick 'em when they're up
Kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're stiff
Kick 'em all around

A dumpster. I was excited to rent a 20 cuft dumpster. A house, with sheetrock falling due to leaks in three rooms (My cousin is my insurance man.. roof was old, not weather damaged.. I COULDN'T turn it it.. - I couldn't wait to get out. I filled that dumpster up with things from 'yesteryear' I'd been tripping over, rediscovering, been reminded of - that many a time I was on the edge with "I'VE GOTTA GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" followed by more and more time, sitting, not doing anything.. I filled that sucker (the 20 cuft dumpster)to the very top - and whilst you can't leggo'a regret, I found I could toss 'nifty little trinkets and ahm "____ picked that out give it a good toss into the dumpster" - and I did. Cleansing. For closure, E style.

Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody's pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry

I'm in an apartment now. I now spend $600 less per month to live. I likes my apartment. It's me, who I am, what I be, today/tomorrow. So now maybe, anyone that traverses this goofy website - can mebbe better comprende the "write positive stuff to yourself Victor 'cause life IS really good" need, checkenginelight.blogspot.com happens/exists.

We can do "The Innuendo"
We can dance and sing
When it's said and done we haven't told you a thing
We all know that Crap is King
Give us dirty laundry!

I am refreshed. Rejuvenated. Selfishly, my new place is "all about me." Time. Way past time. Objects in the rear view mirror may be closer than they appear - but that's ok baby, I'm headed in the other direction. Dirty laundry, sorry, kinda, not really. I have AC now. My roof is intact. I can take a hot bath (yeah, sad eh?)..Hell, I might even have guests over now. I talk too much.. I type too much.. Dirty laundry.

The last exit from that driveway that day - a S-eatin' grin was plastered on my face. I'll be fine and dandy. Dirty laundry.. for closure.. E style.

Happy day.. if you see someone without a smile - ask 'em "whatinthehell is wrong with you?"... Seeya later 305 Lee Drive. I will/do remember the good times. It was time. Past time: for closure. Love, Dirty Laundry Victurd.

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.

Weather or not......

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Blue birds singin' a song
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

Contrary to Willie, or Irving Berlin, or Ella Fitzgerald, or whoeverinthehell wrote this - nuh uh. The weather ain't always chirpy. Correlate, neither are we...

I never saw the sun shinin' so bright,
never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by, when you're in love, my how they fly by
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

Mebbe there are some miraculous folks out there who always see sunshine (including those in love),
I prefer to think most endure all the temps, and TRY to think sunshine.

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see Blue days,
all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

Today, a dreary day here in the Midwest. Boomers perhaps remind us of a greater power, a better place. Sometimes though, life, and/or weather - make me wanna dive headlong into bed, throw a sheet, a blanket and two comforters over me, hence, stating "go to hell for a bit world, I just wanna be alone, I don't wanna whistle, smile, yap, email, text, answer the phone - whatever, I just wanna snooze and hopefully awaken to blue skies (and perfection - ha!)"

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

Snow happens. Frigid occurs. Wind slows the path, or knocks you over. Caught in rain sends chills, a miserable feeling shortly after.. (Just ask my granddaughter.. her good intentions g-pa took her for a spin the other day in the convertible... "oh crap, I din't see that rain cloud".. followed by "you deserve this screaming at the toppa my lungs g-pa" until I could pullover and get the top back up.)...

Heat. Very hot. Fan can't spin fast enough. AC can't keep up. Can be immobile and still sweat. Drenched happens.

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

Life, attitudes, traffic, work, people, sports, politics, luck, lack thereof - liken the weather. Unless your butt is parked in San Diego - it ain't never perfect. Yes, I'm aware that's a double negative, but sometimes weather (and life) propels doubly negative. Blog general intentions are to boost, cheer up, look for the positive. Sometimes, there ain't any overcoming cloudy, dreary, sleepy.

Wait a minute, it stopped hailing,
Guys are swimming, guys are sailing,
Playing baseball, gee that's better,
Muddah Fadduh kindly disregard this letter.

You tell 'em ya little snotnosed Annie! Love, Victurd

April musings....

Hope. We KC folks, every year, hope springs eternal. Baseball Ray, baseball. This year, even more hype, hope. "Our time." Eight losses in a row - sometimes, likens life. Down, down, down, down happens - inspitea which, you gotta remember simply how much fun it is to stand and sing "Take.. me out to the ballgame.. take.. me out to the crowd."

Conversation... friends.. "What's been your favorite 'decade' of your life? 0-10? Teens? 20's? 30's? 40's? 50's?".. After some seemingly deep thought, the general consensus was '20's'.. Makes sense I spose. The newfoud adulthood, coupled with the still attached childhood invigorism, topped off by "no parental responsibilities yet" (not to mention raging hormones).

Annuder conversation: I highly recommend this experiment with a group of friends, no matta how well (or not) you know them: "Tell us something we don't know about you?". Fun the stuff you learn. 'Twas even funner when all the chicks got up to go to the restroom and we gents sank the conversation to hilarious, fun, lows.

The mole game at Chucky Cheese. I know I've mentioned this one before, don't care. You remember the game.. ya stand there with a mallet, and every time a mole pops up, you try to smack it down. Likens life too, and sometimes difficulties wading through, being a happy mole. I knew this feller, he told me he had a REALLY crappy week at work. I asked why.. He said "I ain't real sure why some folks are put in management positions.. the ones I've noticed, GREAT business savvy, no leadership skills. It's never "Catch 'em doing good" - it's always "tromp on them when you (seek and) find that mistake." I warned this feller to use caution, "cause I've heard of lawsuits, terminations from stuff put on the web." He told me "I don't give a rats, I tire of being their mole." I told him he was either brave or stupid.

Uplifting. April is pretty decent for uplifting. Ya drive around town, ya see activity. Thoughts turn from "it's cold.. let's get home.. eat dinner.. watch TV.. observe the gas meter dial racing"... to "whatinthehell can we go do now?".. (Excitedly) "whereinthehell can we go now?".. "Let's thinka some new places, things to do.".. "I'll go grab my shorts/T-shirt/sandals." "Top down?".. "SURE!"..

April is kinda a new beginning. Change. Again, hope. Excitement. Invigorism. "Can't wait!".. Planning. Doing. Going. Interaction. Alive.

April is a great reflection time for us old turds. We see the kids go/do, and it kinda-sorta brings back our childhood. For certain, our smiles. Our "I remember when I could do that." A pep in the step. An excitement to awakening daily. Happy folks. April is contagious.

Got abouta third left of April. May you go/do/have fun until May - and continue throughout the course of the summer. I'm sure gonna try. Love, Moleturd.

Coincidence?

Attended the "Celebration of life" of one taken from us much too soon yesterday. A beautiful service. Into the car after... now the hard part starts for the family.. or was the 'service' over?

Started car, radio comes on, first thing I hear is "Angels"... Baseball game, Angels versus Yankees... switched to FM...... "Stairway to Heaven."

Angels Stairway to Heaven. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Hoppy Easter......... Eggciting!

In spite of my eggspanding waistline, I drove past the gym where I eggsercise (it's closed for Easter, my eggscuse) and did the Mickey D thing, Big Breakfast, hot cakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, all the eggstra's.. and "may I have an eggstra thing of syrup?".....

Drove to see granddaughter, took the normal eggsit, gotta see her eggscitement eggspressed with a grin from ear to ear as she dug into her candy basket - full of suckers, jelly beans, and of course Easter eggs... Eggstatic she was. My eggswife even had a pillow puppy for her, matches her bedsheets eggzactly. Her eggzuberance eggsceeded my eggspectations. Eggzactly what this old man needed.

I eggzceeded my stay, drove home... thought to myself "today is quiet.. nothing really to do now, nowhere to go.. mebbe I should blog..".. Struggled in doing this, nothing really to eggspound. Hard to eggspress my feelings.

Could talk about the pleasure of simply eggzisting, and how one should be eggstremely happy just for that simple fact, but I've done that one.. already eggsplained that I am eggstatic daily when I awaken.

Looked around house. Eggstreme makeover? Nah, not motivated to that eggstent, sorry eggspectations.

So just what do I wanna eggspress... how can I eggspound on that... (no eggspletives Victor, you do too much of that shit.) yeah, ur eggsactly right.

You could eggstol praise upon coworkers, at your job where you eggsport Military members household goods. Nah, that might come off as if I was trying to eggzude to the eggzecs that I was begging for eggstra pay. Besides, some of 'em prolly don't even know I eggsist.

It is eggstremely eggzasperating to sit here (at monitor) and stare at a blank page where no words eggsist. Eggshale. My brain is about to eggsplode. (Like walking on eggshells here)...

Victor, this ain't an eggzam, just eggspress what you feel... eggsert some energy. Sorry Charlie, hard to eggstract thoughts. My brain is old... almost eggstinct.

EGGSTRICATE Victor, EGGSTRICATE! Be an eggztrovert. Eggzhort!

Wow... this is becoming like an eggzam. Trouble eggspressing thoughts. I'll be eggstatic to get the hell outta this one.

Time has eggspired. Eggzodus time I think. Sorry I wasn't eggciting. Eggstremely apologetic. Ineggscusable. Some eggzample I set eh?

It's ok Victor. Today (and today only) we'll make an eggception. No egg on your face. We won't eggzecute ya.

Whew, thanks... I can't eggzpress that enough... You're no bunny until some bunny loves you - and I feel the love. I am gonna get the heck outta here... Qouting Snagglepuss - eggzit, stage left...

Hoppy Easter - may it find u all eggstatic. Love Eggturd.
(Ya shoulda seen spellcheck on that one!)

Radiators... life.......7/3/2005

I just took off my shoes... used my toes and fingers to determine, this is the 1,168th blog I've ever written.

The very first was written on July 3rd, 2005, which oddly, is my only child's birthday.

Thus far, I'm up to 3 'followers', which translates to - by the time I'm 80, at three every six years, I should have 13.5 readers. And, when you think of being age 80-something, it very much makes the .5 all that more understandable.

Radiators? Symbolic, to me, of life and how we handle, go through. You can go down I-435 at 70 MPH, run like the wind, but, if you overheat, have too much pressure, you're suddenly on the side of the road... cussing, frustrated, that 'something' an inch and a half thick could play such a large role in your transit...

I liken radiators to crying. (NO Victor, not another blog on crying! Many already think you're one'a the wimpiest here already, and if you keep it up, they may even accuse you of being a Fiji insteada a Sigma Nu!)...

Sorry... it's me.

Our radiator, we never think of, until there are problems. We don't think much about problems, until we cry.

Most radiators, there's a release valve. Same thing in life. Our person. Occasionally, we haveta pull that car over to the side'a the road, open the hood, lift the release valve... relieve the pressure.

Life, when 'weird' things happen... self pity... things not going exactly as ur damn daily horoscope indicated it would... tail tucked between legs due to something offensive/hurtful said about you by one.. a loved one, speaking prior to thinking about what they were about to say...

We overheat. We blow a gasket. We spew. We sit on the side of the road not knowing whereinthehell to turn next.

We go through a visitation line.. we meet up with the 80-something year old father of one'a your best friends, who's just lost his spouse of 60+ years - the thermostat gauge is going nutso, you try not to allow the radiator cap to blow - you get past... walk a bit.. and then you spew... u basically lose it.

That's feel. And feel is/can be a very good hurt/feel good thing.

Of course, there's also the very good cry, and about all I can correlate that to a radiator is having the damned thermostat finally kick in to spread warmth allover you, the interior of the car.

Simple looms large on this. Could be simply watching your grand kid. Could be watching your kid watch your grand kid. Could be seeing a friend in a proud moment. Could be listening to the radio when they give a Military member in need a free car. (Damnit Victor, you sap.. I've seen you crying twelve times driving down Highway 71 this past year listening to that radio station as they do that.)

Could be a moment... where you simply stop and think about nuclear family, or extended family.. they're now gone... and, you well up, not so much in self-pity, but more - thankfully - that you've got these great memories embedded in your brain - you wanna shout/share, but simply when these mems surface to the forefront of your brain - it's a well up kinda thing. It's ok radiator, we've got more coolant for replacement.

Crying is feeling, and can be an appreciation for 'what once was'.. Victor, you've said that before. I don't care. You can't steal my past. You can't alter my past. You can't make me think differently about my past. My past is my present - and if that occasionally means having the radiator overheat - so be it.

Pressure. Life puts us into moments of pressure. We each react differently. I could give a rat's ass if anyone knew, upon occasion, I was lead to tears. I would also love to relate (and i promise to try into the future to do so) when I see happy, good, OMG, that makes me well up - and want to relate that to the ones making me elated.

I've rambled, sorry. Gauge past mid-point of cold to hot. I get on FB, read some of the things people write, sometimes think "Why? Whyinthehell do you air your dirty laundry here?"..........

Then, I blog, and probably do the damn same myself. I reckon don't care tonight. Have keyboard, will type.

Check ur fluids often. Keep a fitty-fitty mix. Know, "hey, sometimes overheat happens." I personally hope you are able to cry in good times and bad. In good, triumphantly, and in bad, hopefully remembering to simply 'feel' can be a very good, therapeutic thing.

Finger on the release valve, love, Victurd

Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again,

Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain,
Still remains, within the sound of silence.

"Paul Simon took 6 months to write the lyrics, which are about man's lack of communication with his fellow man. He averaged one line a day." This past year, I lost two friends, whom, I truly believe, had I, or anyone, known the pain they were going through - they'd still be here today.

In restless dreams I walked alone, Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night, and touched the sound of silence.

Smaller scale of silence, yet LARGE nonetheless: Marriage, friendships, employee/employer, related family members: sometime silence plays a huge role in misunderstanding... and it becomes SEEMINGLY much easier to 'wash our hands' of the relationship - rather than dig in, work together, "I'll tell you how/what I feel, then it's your turn." Sad. Happens.

And in the naked light I saw, Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening,
People writing songs, that voices never share.
And no one dared, Disturb the sound of silence.

Not preaching, reminding (me.) Victor, you've been through depression - you know of the numbness, the inner silence with no apparent outer 'defect.' The use of "crutches" so as not to feel something. Yes, yes I do. If we suspicion depression... Then what? Suggestions?

Yes, be on their side. BE YOURSELF. Reassure. Give understanding. Offer to help, in any way that you can - and follow through if you're taken up on that. Try to spend time with them and supportive friends and in re-vitalizing activities.

"Fools" said I, "You do not know, Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you, Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed, In the wells of silence.

Learn everything you can about clinical depression. Participate.. a movie.. a walk.. going out for lunch, dinner. Offer to run errands. Do step back occasionally, but resist the common urge to stay "arm's length". Worst possible thing we can do. No, understanding, relating, jumping in their shoes hard, difficult, tummy-churning, but - very much worth it. Scroll to top, two who are no longer here that I really believe could be. Stay in touch. Communicate with others in this person's network.

And the people bowed and prayed, To the neon god they made.
And the sign flashed out its warning, In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls." and whisper'd in the sounds of silence.

Look around. There's depression. From the very young, to the very aged. Some, easy to detect, others - not so much. Candidates: Teens, men, women, widows, parent's whom have lost a child, soul surviving nuclear family members, a friend, a coworker. It's out there. We can help. (I strongly advise Googling 'how to help those with depression', read further on how you can help, what you can do.. along with WHAT NOT TO DO/SAY.) Thanks for reading, loveya, Victurd.

Per that little redheaded snotnose.......

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Optimism? Schmoptimism. MUST WE? I'm OLD... I WANNA complain, and, from attaining these wrinkles, bags under my eyes, "damn it's hard getting in and outta this car" I HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO GRUMP/GROAN/MOAN..."GD (gosh darn) gas prices"... "Damn saggers! Pull ur britches up, no one wants to see ur undies!"..

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!

NO! I'm sixty (almost). I'm sposedta bitch! I kinda wish I were Republican too, thataway I could even bitch/moan 24/7/365 about all the money I have that Uncle Sam wants. YES! Perfect!

When I'm stuck a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin andSay,
Oh!

ICK... Slobbery. "Too perfect". Patoeey. "Why, back in my day, we'd have done it like this... ............" Remember? They even made a movie - Grumpy Old Men. I'VE EARNED THE RIGHT! Don't you DARE say hi to me, wing a comp, do an unsolicited favor... or, worst of all, smile at me.

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

Ok, ok. Yes. Just kidding. Quoting Foghorn Leghorn "That's a joke. I say that's a joke son." I love life. I love smiles. I love old people, and sometimes I even love me. Tomorrow ain't promised, so hell, I guess we might as well cave into optimism.

So, have a little fun, lighten up. (Victor, don't forget to remind them that you talk to yourself here, hitchhikers welcome.) K, thanks. Fun? You mean like yesterday when we had that meeting at work, and when I tied that one chick's shoestring to the pole holding up the table? Yes, Victor. Fun like that. Your sister woulda been proud of you.

Thanks. I miss her. Until the day I getta see her again - it's my ardent wish to live life as she did, sucking up every moment, ounce of life. Fending off the BS, and smile back at it. Life is/should be fun. Gloomy out? The sun'll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar, or so that little redheaded snotnose says. Love, Victurd.

Yummy.....

Threatening skies off in the distance... a rainbow guarding the way 'tween...

Butter pecan ice cream...

Puppy breath...

Fist bumps...

An engine that cranks every time you turn the key...

Toddlers with the giggles...

Rivalries, kinda... I've been so immersed in the MU/KU thing.. I'd forgotten about Louisville/Kentucky rivalry (they play each other Saturday in the Final Four).. I guess today, at a clinic in KY, two 70+ males, each in to get dialysis treatment.. were chatting... talk turned to basketball... one a Kentucky fan, one a Louisville fan.. a 'finger' was given, and soon they were in the middle of treatment in full fist warfare. Rivalries, albeit occasionally frustrating, are yummy.

Coconut cream pie.

"Play Ball".. the cracka the bat... the sound of a fastball landing in the catcher's glove.. "Take, me out to the ballgame, take, me out to the crowd".. 7th inning stretch.. Spring...

Invigorating folks...(I'm old, apologies, kinda) Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Elvis, Buck O'Neill, the Beatles, the Stones, Andy/Barney, Dolly, JFK, MLK...

Finding a $20 bill in the pocket of the jeans outta the dryer...

A friend elated over overcoming a hurdle...

Kudos from higher ups...

Kudos from a working peer....

Kudos given to a working peer...

Smiles...

Emails in the inbox from folks that make u smile before you even read em...

The "Like" button..

People ur own age... people younger... people older... (And listening, learning from each)...

Friday, 5pm......

Intimacy... (sorry, kinda)...

Monday, 8am ("Thanks, I getta do it again")...

No alarm clocks, Saturday, Sunday.

Relatives, all varieties, distances, ages...

Chili cheese Fritos...

A 300 burger, Stroud's chicken, Jackstack pulled pork, Corner Cafe breakfasts, Ponaks, Hayes, Bryants...

Attending a Royal's game.. attending a Chief's game... Watching a game (anywhere) with a crowd that is 'into it'...

Love, all kinds...

Salted peanuts, cashews, pecans, that first cuppa coffee.. the morning paper.. the weather forecast.. the first contact of the day, and our reaction therein.

Cats that could give a rats about your whereabouts, feelings.

A vanilla ice cream cone........

Listening to elders talking about 'yesterday.'

The excitement in a grandchild's eyes, followed closely by reciprocal excitement of g-baby's folks...

Life...

The sun...

The moon...

The dark...

The alarm clock...

Friends...

I'm not all yummed out, but common sense tells me to stop....

Common sense...

Love, Victurd

When it's least expected.... you're elected....

Smile.

They say "love makes the world go 'round", me personally, I think that's prefaced by smile.

Smile is one of the most impactive things on the planet. No, not all agree.. but maybe we can agree to be different, and I'd love to state my case not in hopes of influence, moreso to simply explain (the view from my stinky sized 10's)...

There are varying degrees of smile. Ya walk up to Mickey D's, no eye contact, "may I take your order please".. versus... walking up, a genuine smile, eyes meet (I ALREADY LIKE YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT. YOU'VE HELPED TO MAKE MY DAY!)...

There's the congeniality smile... it's Monday am, you've parked your car.. you make the dreaded trek to the cubicle.. you pass a coworker, be it in the parking lot or the hallway... a smile to you on your way draws yours, and you think to yourself "You have no way of knowing how large that plays.. I love you, and I'm fortunate to work with you." (Mebbe more later, but... remember, I write for me, to me, hitchhikers welcome... but I think that "I'm fortunate to work with you" should somehow be communicated, be it email, face to face.. or an email to a boss braggin on ur fellow coworker.)

Intimate smiles. Sure, been awhile, but I remember. Probably the best kind.. these smiles seemingly send us back into the day of raging hormones - not to mention giving us a keen sense of self worth, comfort.

"I have no idea whointhehell you are" smiles. These are among my favs. You hold the door open at Wally World, or, perhaps have it held open for you. NICE. Spread nice!.. You walk past a stranger - eyes meet.. "hi, howya doing" happens, smile happens. Yes. Yes. Good hearts giving good vibes, albeit knowing "I will never see you again" and never thinking that -- it's just the person they are... the person you wanna be.

Smile... in a group of friends.. you listen as you hear the one telling the story.. you're probably already heard it..you (maybe) "know where it's going"... a baby smirk happens.. and when they finish their oration, you're in complete smile.. you know them... you like them.. you've come to almost know what's gonna roll outta their mouth next... you smile. And for that, you are thankful.

A fun email. Smile. Something stupid, goofy, off-the-wall said at work, you smile. 5pm happens. You're exiting work - you cross paths with a coworker, you know work has been challenging, you're of the same ilk.. gladly... "it's 5pm, I'm getting the hell outta here" here's a smile for you as I realize you are too.

Grandparent smiles. There are none better, and yes, I'm including the "oh baby, oh baby" smiles here. Grandparent smiles are heavenly. You scroll back 20-30 some years and envision. You see the smile light up from your grandkid, followed very closely by the smile from your kid - and adding yours now makes it THREEFOLD. Days, months, years, mems get you to this point - but it's a point on the planet where you wanna yell, shout "HELL YEAH.. THIS IS "THE BEST!".. and it is. It doesn't make sense that a smile at age 6 months... 10 months.. 12 months... 15 months can be so damn impactive.. but they are. (And, changing the subject, should they get in one'a those grumpy, "I ain't happy moods" [rare, but happens].. you just say, "ahm, love you guys, but I gotta be going now"... I'm a grandparent, I can do that, but DAMN I loved the good mood, coos, smiles we just had! There is absolutely no feel on earth compared to being on the receiving end of a smile from ur grandchild.

Family. A given. With family, it's a bit more than a smile. It's adding in all you've been thru.. it's adding in yesterday... it's adding in ur common love for those that ain't no longer around... it's longevity.. it's love... it's meaningful..

I've heard more than once.. "Victor, you have a persistant 'shit-eatin' grin"... it's ok, I'll take that... and I'll take it as a compliment... None of us know what's going on in a person's life.. our friends often have no idea what's really going on in our own life. Smiles spread comfort. Feel good. Contentment.

Smiles, both given and received, (to me) are way more impactive than... the stock market... the presidential race... the NCAA basketball tourney... American Idol... the weather.. current events.. CNN breaking news... Easter, Memorial Day, MLK day, President's Day, Halloween... etc, etc.

Smiles help the innards. Smiles help the outtards. Giving one is a tremendous feel good... getting/receiving one: double that.

When it's least expected, you're elected - it's your lucky day.... SMILE..

Love, Victurd

Stuff I learned the hard way...... and the wonderful way..

Not a good idea to crack pecans with your teeth..

A 1997 Buick La Sabre with a broken gas gauge will go exactly 354.7 miles on a full tank of gas...

Companies that ain't making money get ridda employees...

Sometimes, when umpiring, a foul tip will bounce right in front of the catcher, bound up thru his legs, barely miss his behind, and land squarely...... well.. you know.

"Till death do us part" means different things to different people.

It's important to remember to lock the door at work when using the unisex bathroom.

When at red traffic light, turning right... even though traffic looks clear from left so you rev it up and go, it very important car stopped in fronta you think so too.

Cars make very funny noises when you're driving down road, think you're putting it in neutral, but accidentally hit "R".

A Volkswagen will definitely float, but it won't float indefinitely.

A Redbox movie turned in 5 days late can sometimes cost you $200 in overdraft fees.

You single, divorced, simply want human interaction on Christmas, Dennys is only choice.

When rearranging furniture in bedroom during day, always make sure bedroom light bulb operative for midnight pee.

Sports teams you cherish will give you every possible emotion there is.

Sometimes, you fill trusted one up with secret, he/she leaks.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Learned the wonderful way:

Vast majority of folks, very good.

Many, unbelievable in their loyalty, concern, compassion.

"You can count on me" upheld by many throughout a lifetime.

Blood perhaps is thicker than water, but many of us fortunate to have had some very wonderful in laws.

Aha, I remembered. There IS a new 4-pack of TP under the sink.

Work can be fun.

A job well done takes a team.

There's no feeling like having, holding your infant child.

There's no feeling like having, holding your grandchild.

Receiving one's smile goes a long way to making one's day.

Touch (of course, done properly) is a very good thing.

There's a special feel when, after some absence, seeing a family member again.

Seeing others happy is contagious.

Humor very definitely helps keep the blood flowing.

Blood flowing, at an old age, a very good thing.

Knowing when to say "when" when sitting at this damn keyboard.

Love (I've heard is a many splendored thing), Victurd

Tubthumping

We'll be singing, when we're winning, we'll be singing

I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
Yo're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down

Victor, you need to know, everyone doesn't think just like you. Ok. That said, I love this song. I use it to pump me up. When down, I CRANK IT. Life has it's way of rolling us bowling pins over. Song serves as a good reminder.

(Pissing the night away, pissing the night away)
He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink
He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him of the best times
(Oh Danny Boy, Danny Boy, Danny Boy)

Sure, I do that too damn often, and liquor is pretty sad in that the perceived 'lift' is really a downer.. but, it's where I'm at. Will work on it. Tomorrow.

I get knocked down, but I get up again
Yo're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down

MU just lost to Norfolk State. Lemme repeat that, MU just lost to Norfolk State. As I peered at the bracket, I looked past Norfolk State.. asked... "hmmm, what about Florida?... Marquette?... Michigan State?... but.. Norfolk State? Hence, next verse...

(Pissing the night away, pissing the night away)
He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink
He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink
He sings the songs that remind him of the good times
He sings the songs that remind him of the best times
(Don't cry for me, next door neighbour)

I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down

Life has a way of knocking us down. Some things hit us smack in the gut. Loss of loved ones knock us to the ground. (Yucky) Things some say are impactive, never leave us. Trial/tribulation happnes. Thus, my love for this song.

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're ever gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
Youre never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (when we're winning)

I get knocked down, (we'll be singing)
But I get up again (pissing the night away)
You're never gonna keep me down (ooh)

A precursor on how to live life. A coaches pep talk pregame, halftime, during a timeout. A reminder from our friends, and to ourselves, we're gonna get knocked down.

We all get knocked down. We get up again, you're never going to keep us down.

Down happens. Chin up. Good follows bad (Even for Frank Haith and MU Tigers.. hey, we've got Dixon, Pressey, Bowers + recruits for 2013 SEC)...

If you get knocked down... Happens... Get up again, never let 'em keep you down.

Love, Victurd

Run, 1962 vs Run, 2012... a short story.

1962... anywhere, everywhere, anytime.

2012... Run? The hell is that?

1962... PE... the fifty yard dash.. the shuttle run... the 600 yard dash.. (until the day I die I will never forget Stanley Savage forgetting his tenny boppers, kicking our butts in his socks in the 600 yard dash)..

2012... PE? Not no, but hells no, I know ED, ADD, OCD, RA, COPD, and IBS... Mortgaged out the ying yang? We RUN to the bank on payday. Got that 'urge'? (ie, #1, #2).. Serious stuff at this age.. RUN or you'll regret it!

1962... Run to the City Park.. to William Jewell... to Ruth Moore... to Clayview... wave at every other car you see, as there's no doubt you know them.

2012.. Run, at the Piggly Wiggly (the other way), when you see someone four aisles down, that always remembers your name, and you have no idea/recollection of whothehell it is...

1962.. that 6th and final Coke bottle is emptied, off to Safeway to cash it in... Kick the can... Hill Dill.. Hide and seek... Hear a siren? Run across town to find it...

2012.. Hear a siren? Run the other way.. "Run" is technically changed - whilst it usedta involve your legs.. it now involves your gas peddle... your verbiage to a friend "I was runnin' like 60".. (and sadly, we do)..

1962... THE ICE CREAM MAN! RUN!!!!. New movie at the Plaza Theater... Hey, doesn't that guy play for the Chiefs? Let's RUN to get his autograph!...

2012... This errand, that errand, this bill, that bill, this phone call, that one, this chore, that chore... end of day we're tired "from all that runnin'"...

1962... SCHOOL'S OUT!... "Race ya to that tree?"... "Have you seen the new 62 Nova at Parrish Chevrolet? Come on, let's go!"...

2012... "Boss, I can't come in today boss... bad case of the runs"... "Why, these kids nowadays have everything handed to 'em.. I remember back in our day we ran everywhere.." Run: April 15th, Birthday, Winter, Black Friday: RUN!

Tune in, ten years from now (the Good Lord willing)... when it'll be "Walk, 1962 vs Walker, 2022"

I've loved every age. Why not... can't run from it. Love, Victurd

Got any spare change?

A preachment, dear friend
You are about to receive on John Barleycorn
Nicotine and the temptations of Eve
(ie, I write to myself, SURE-AS-HECK ain't putting anyone on pedestal, I'm reminding ME.. ty, ty)

Change. Life's all about change. Our age changes, we change our addy, our town, our user ID/Password (oh woe is me, now whereinthehell did I write that down).. we change places we store/save things..

We can change our spouses, our jobs, our hair color.. hell, some even change sexes.

Even if we flip our undies, mathematically, we're still changing them 3 and 1/2 times per week. Our cars, our toys, where we eat, what we eat, how we exercise, how we don't exercise... a Twenty.. a Fitty.. u got change for a dollar? (YEARS ago I coached women's college basketball... gal came up frantic before practice "COACH, COACH.. you got change for a dime?".... the hell (I said 'heck', thought 'hell') do u need change for a dime for? Oh... that. K, here. Victor, isn't that like the 12th time you've told that one? Reread your damn blogs for a change.

We can read books and attempt to change an aspect of our life we ain't so hot on. We can take classes, in hopes of changing our career.. We can rearrange, change our furniture.. We get married, change our names (how come it's the chick that's always forced to do that?).. The witch changed the prince into a toad.

We had to change planes at O'Hare. We change lanes at the grocery store when we hear "price check on 12".. get home from work, change into comfy clothes, slippers.

We change everything, almost. Oh sure, you hear "he (she) will never change" and we are creatures of habit in our ways, mindset, beliefs... Even the most headstrong amongst us changes over time.

The only thing I can think of we can't really change (well.. 'ceptin maybe the fact 'the woman is always right') is... yesterday. We can't change yesterday. We get one chance - today, and then it becomes yesterday - and there ain't no going back.

So Victor, you sometimes (oft-times?) depressed fool... smile... lots. You'll be glad tomorrow that you did today. See someone doing good? Let 'em know. Ya like the fact that someone really went all out to look good? Don't walk by and say "hi", damnit, tell 'em, "hey, you look good today,"

Read the obits today? Know anyone? Can you think of five people right now that you'd give anything to call 'em up on the phone but can't? Today becomes yesterday, and there's no changing that.

Victor, I've noticed you've said/written some dumb things of late.. as you walk thru today, don't do that. Don't blurt. Think twice before hitting 'send' on that email, or 'post' on that posting. K, I'll try. (You've got to change your evil ways - baby)...

The other day, someone posted a thingy, I REALLY liked it. Was picture of a doggy runnin' like the wind. Appeared as if he was damn near smiling. Caption was "Live... like someone left the gate open."

I likes that. A lot. If we did (Victor, that's preaching... you mean "If YOU did").. ok, ok. If we (I) relax.. if we (I) smile.. if we look for good.. if we praise others when it's deserved.. if we say stuff like "dang, you're really fun to work with".. "hey, I admire you because of ______".. "I've always liked the way you ____ and I've never told you so."

We have the power within to change our yesterdays - but it's imminent we do so today, for we can't change our yesterday.

So Victor, watch out for John Barleycorn, nicotine and the temptations of Eve. (Sorry.. some things will never change..let it all hang out).. .. but I'm gonna try my best today, to change tomorrow's yesterday... gotta go flip undies now.. happy day, as tomorrow it will be yesterday.. love Victurd.)

I like like.....

Seems when driving, the brain thinks about virtually everything else (other than paying attention to the road, oncoming traffic, speed, distance, yada).. Some'a the best thinking is done behind the wheel...

As I was driving home from bi-weekly breakfast at Mickey D's, my mind wandered to my granddaughter.. the past six months or so have seen her go from yucky formula, to wow-almost-any-every-thing.. How does one decide 'like'? I am certain there are foods that aren't to her pleasure - but why? What makes us like/not like things?

Clothing doesn't just jump off the rack into our hands.. the menu at the restaurant doesn't shout "pick me! pick me!" We don't pickup the phone and purposely dial those we don't like. We like for a reason. How come?

"Like" propels... In junior high, why I'll never know, but we plastered other's yearbooks with 'coc' if we liked them. Hehe. Like makes us smile, laugh, get a good tummy feel, breeds familiarity, makes us write 'lol', click a FB button.. date, hold hands, kiss, doink, be a parent. And the cycle begins anew.

Perceived like. I like my job, but find myself at times simply wishing I was out mowing grass on a golf course. Like the money where I work better than whadda greenskeeper makes, but I think I'd like it more.

Running with my lifelong buddies.. We have fun. We like it. We like each other. After so long, I'd like to do something else (too). Perceived like that I ain't so sure I like as much as I usedta, and don't mean that derogatorily about anyone.

Just like the "date, hold hands, kiss, doink thing".. sometimes we fall outta like. (Witness #1 and #2)... What makes one no longer like? I guess you can "de-friend" on Facebook, but you can't unclick the 'like' button.

I'm unique, just like you. We like many different things. Some in a crowd can be happy tucked neatly away in a corner, others love love love (or like like like) the limelight. Flashy clothing, mundane same ole same ole. Tats, no tats. Sports, politics, yes, no. Like, don't. Teeter, totter. Left lane on Interstate, close enough to see your ear hairs, ten miles over speed limit.... right hand lane, one and a half car lengths back per 10mph, ten miles under speed limit. New car, clunker. Car. Truck. Some even like bike.

Some even like 'like', and are attempting to get laws passed to wed. Hey, it's cool by me, who am I to force 'like' on others? (Don't you dare mention 'coc' Victor... ok, won't.)

Like seemingly is learned internally, handed down, rubbed off from others, and simply a response from our senses. I really liked the idea of writing this blog, now I ain't so sure. Are you like that?

That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh. I, selfishly, like to be liked. On the other hand, I know others that could give a rats. They like not caring, I guess. So, that's kinda bassackwards, but "I like not being liked." Whatever Howard. Oops. Slipped, sorry.

I'd like to go now. Gonna fetch my granddaughter, we're going to a breakfast buffet. I wonder what she'll like. Life is a buffet, kinda-sorta. That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh. Love'n like, Victurd

Life as an old, single fart, on Valentine's Day.........

Drum roll.... throw pity my way? Nah, hardly.

2/13/2012. Mentioned on Facebook I got outta shower, HATED what stared back at me in mirror.. "That's NOT me!.. I usedta high jump... over 6' for goodness sakes!.. I usedta be kinda of a "V".. shit, now I'm an "O"... or turned another way, maybe a "b".. crap...

Then... went to work... snow... those of that made it in...... company sprang for pizza... in addition to GS cookies and chocolate covered cherries on file cabinets... screw working out, I'll start 'tomorrow'....

2/14/2012... In keeping with tradition of this blog, and the name therein... the heater blower fan on my car went out en route. Crap. Laughed. What more can u do? Took stored napkins out, wiped condensation from inner windshield...happened to have a 2nd winter coat in car.. made my legs toasty.. made it in.

Lo and behold.. 4 dudes.. 7 ladies in our department.. treats... the 7 brought treats.. heart shaped fudge brownies.. cream filled cupcakes... TWO party trays with summer sausage, pepperoni, crackers, cheese.. a buncha chocolate thingies..... yum.

Today, 2/14 is my ex's birthday, so I teasingly said "Did you do this 'cause it's Marilyn's birthday?" (Apologies to any ex inlaws that may read, please know I love you)... gotta laugh.. "Yes, that's why."

A regular ole day, but everyone upbeat. A very good thing.

So, now home, solitary. All, still very good.

Recently, I said to myself, "self, you've been going into the office for like 6 Sundays in a row... and you referee little turd's basketball on Saturdays... do you realize you ain't had a day off since New Year's Day?"

No, didn't. Relaxation needed.

What could be the very next best thing to "being coupled" at damn near age sixty on Valentine's Day? Ray. That's what.

I put my feet up on the ottoman. I went to YouTube. I searched Ray, as in Ray Charles. Yes, I'm old. Don't care. Ray moves me. Ray relaxes me. Ray pumps me up. Ray makes me think "good gosh he's awesome... to have his 'limitation' and to be so in love with life.. to be so happy... and to be so friggin' talented"... wow... . makes my pitfalls minuscule.. .

His music relaxes me. Pumps me up. Makes me feel good. Makes me happy. Reverberates thru me... Makes me wish he was still with us.

Georgia... America The Beautiful.. What I Say.. Song For You... Hit The Road Jack... I've Got a Woman... My Bonnie.. I Can't Stop Loving You...

Ray Charles.. one of the very few artists.. u listen to his stuff... doesn't matter "original studio version"... live from a TV show in the 60's... 70's.. in concert the 80's... even the 90's... his stuff is special.. (I'm a youtube addict. I go to my favorite artists, 7 times outta 10 their live stuff is crap. Not Ray.)

Victor? Do you think anyone really cares about what you're saying here?

Ahm.. Dearest chocolate covered strawberry breath, you've missed why I'm here. I write to me. For me. Hitchhikers welcome. U no likey, quoting Snagglepuss, 'exit, stage left'....

Ray.. his music.. his life.. his demeanor.. reminds me of the lesson (And it hits home on this, Valentine's Day)... "Don't worry about what you don't have."

Ain't. Thanks Ray. Happy Valentine's Day. Love, Victurd

I need a tickling.....

I actually had one person say "why aren't you writing any more?"... I just KNEW someone read this damn thing once!

Sometimes life likens a manual transmission that simply won't go into gear. Winter has been a manual transmission that won't go into gear. Please 'shift', get it on so we can be done with it!

With all the poo that's occurred in life, I just ain't had the itchin' to (again make a fool of myself here) write. Relatives in a very, very bad car accident. Death of friend, too young, very unexpectedly. BFF's mom passing. Too many friends of friends, loved ones of friends passing.

Much smaller scale: Two of us at work, do the same thing. An old boss sought my buddy out at the end of November, made an offer he couldn't refuse. I've been attempting to do two people's job ever since, and it ain't working so great. Notice a pattern here? The damn car won't go into gear.

Victor, FORCE yourself to try to be funny... sorry, can't.

Reflecting on all this - it does tend to make one more appreciative of when good happens..

My big calendar at work has this plastic thing that goes across whatever week it is.. and within that, there's a small 'window frame' so you can slide and highlight the present date as a reminder. I was recently walking out on a Friday, started to switch the calendar to Monday's date, then thought to myself "nah, Monday ain't promised."

Since Monday ain't promised (and please remember I write to me, that one hitchhiker welcome to come along) "Victor, remember to walk with a smile.. whistle... meet/greet.. when shit happens, look for good. Don't sweat the small stuff... Call a friend, loved one, ya just never know what day it will be you won't have that chance. You see someone doing good, let them know. Start again your stupid backhanded way with friends, coworkers, customers, vendors.. stating "you're always in a good mood, the hell is wrong with you?!!"... "

Mostly, remember Monday ain't promised. Smile, cause one day the calendar runs out on us all. Thanks for the tickle. Car in drive now. Bring on a Nor'easter, think I can handle it now. For every hill there's a valley. Not so much fun going up, titillating going down. Good follows bad. You put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up. Love, Victurd

Now wait just a dadburn minute.........

Yeah, wait a sec... I ain't real up to snuff on verbs, nouns, tenses - that stuff - think this one (wait) has multiple of them. Mind had a hard time waiting in school. Couldn't wait to go, do, have fun. Hadta. Obviously, didn't listen.

Wait is a yummy word, sometimes. Sometimes not. Waiting at a restaurant, airport security check-in line, at the Dollar Tree with 32 other customers in a single line whilst one chicky rings up the goods - and, two other employees 'busy' stocking. Really? "Hi, I love coming here, but we're kinda tired of waiting for you, would you be so kind to git ur butt over here and man a register? You know, wait on us?" I haven't arrived at the speech yet, getting closer though. Can't wait.

Once heard, for every minute one waits, it feels like three. Good thing I don't work in customer service. Oh crap, wait a minute, I do. I hate to wait. At walk-in place of fancy restaurant.. "yes, party of two.. last name 'Starving' "... Wait till her eyeballs catch mine on that one! Victor, you've used that here before. Bite me, just wait, I will repeat again. Bite me, just wait, I will repeat again.

Two lanes at McDonald's drive thru. Life goes to hell, no fun. I'LL BE DAMNED IF THAT CAR GOES AHEADA ME, I FINISHED ORDERING AT LEAST 20 SECONDS BEFORE THEY DID! I hate to wait. Nerves, tense, seconds feel like minutes. Sweat. Groan. Moan. Belly upset. Almost to the point of risking a fender.

She used to wait down at the Dew Drop Inn. The wait staff was very professional.

Wait. Hold ones breath. Close ones eyes. Mark off days on calendar.

Wait for some is a means to pass time in depression. Close ur ears, I know, been there. Can't wait for bedtime so ya don't have to think, speak, feel, emote, dread, consciously breathe. Just sleep. Effortless. Sometimes addictions are involved in the wait.

"WAIT" is an exclamitory expression too - like when one thinks, "nuh uh, what you just said ain't right. WAIT!" He left his bank card. WAIT!

Christmas, can't wait. Hurry up Friday, tired of waiting for you. Loved one overseas in the service - counting the days - waiting. You call a business, explain your dilemma in a minute or so, then hear "Ok, wait just a minute" put on hold. WHAT? What the hell do you do? And why are you getting paid to handoff? Quarterbacks get paid to do that, but they also take hits, throw, block, run too. On hold. Mind wanders, company ad plays over and over again spouting about their wonderful customer service - yet, you wait and wait.

"You'll just have to wait".. A common parent statement. I want what I want, and I want it NOW. Nope, sorry, you're gonna haveta wait.

She waits on him hand and foot. Killed many a good marriage that waiting has. After awhile "why" creeps in. Then, the word 'creep' creeps in. Talk to lawyer, wait for finality, settlement.

Single, divorced - can't wait. Sorry, haveta. Payday, can't wait. $orry, gotta. I can't wait to be 16, 21, 30, 59 and 1/2 (can dig into puny 401K), 65.

Canardly. Meeting at work. Doing taxes. Getting license renewed. I canardly wait. Have to's = waiting. Can't wait. Gotta. Canardly get around it.

Text waiters. I love young folks, I do. "Kids" nowadays treat us geezers VERY nice. But, damn, them pups are ADDICTED to their cell phones - awaiting "what's next?"... Watch 'em sometimes - hands can't lay off of 'em for more than 72 seconds.

Waiting, killing time until I go referee 1st and 2nd grade basketball. Yummy to me, can't wait. I love little kids enthusiasm, spunk, fervor. Some parents attend begrudingly. "Yeah, gotta soccer tournament I've GOT to go to this weekend." No, you've got that wrong, you GET to go to. Should be you canardly wait to go.

For the record, I've peed three times during this - waiting for my brain to lemme know what to type next. That's better than this morning at Mickey D's though... had to go to the restroom, the sit-down variety - some feller stayed in there for like 7 years. My face got red awaiting. You know, I finally got to get up, walk in. Took those short, butt-tensed steps -> "oh Lord I'm a geezer and this is very hard for me.. PLEASE help me make it there!"... The older one gets, seems the less time between 'urge' and 'actual'. Very little 'wait' time. Kinda a return to infancy. I'm not skidding, er, kidding.

Waiting really can be fun though. I loved loved loved people-watching this morning as I waited at Mickey D's. Everyone goes thru life uniquely. Everyone looks different. Speech, emotions, discipline, lack thereof.. smiles... different socio-economics.. attractive.. ugly (sorry, happens)..

Noon - time to watch MU play basketball. Been waiting. Will wait listening for one hour, then off to referee. Do so with my best friend forever. We usedta go/ref and stare at the moms in the stands. Now.. we stare at the grannies. Hehe. Can't wait. Guess i gotta.

Happy waiting to you. Victor, you're very weird. Yeah, I know, was kinda waiting for you to say that. Love, Victurd.

Christmas is.....

Grandmas.. (And grandpas).. Siblings.. Cousins.. Aunts.. Uncles.. "Drawings' to see what family gets to sit where to open gifts... The specter of granny's cedar tree - the liquid bulbs.. and the finality of adorning with silver tinsel... Dogs all dressed with ribbons and bows..

Dinner around the big table, extra chairs pulled in from other rooms... no elbow room.. little ones giggling.. food aplenty.. furnace running...

Anticipation.. fervor.. love.. treacherous trips thru single lanes with two tire tracks... race car tracks.. electric train tracks... 8 tracks.. tracking in snow...

Helping dad hang the lights.. A neatly laid pallet on the floor Christmas Eve, so Santa simply could not be missed. Milk and cookies left out for him... Sleeping thru his commotion, and awakening mom/dad at 4:30am with "WE'RE READY!"...

Paper strewn everywhere, soon to be gobbled up by a recycling granny... Comparison (of sibling's gifts, cousin's gifts).. Smiles aplenty of young ones - which in turn brought smiles from parents - as little did we know it'd been a rough year and they worried we might not produce those smiles...

At age seven, one believes "it will be like this forever and ever." Some time later, a (said lovingly) rotten cousin dishes out the news "there ain't no Santa", makes fun of those of us still believing.. But HA! One day many years later - that belief is reinstilled!..

It's Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Burle Ives.. George Bailey, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, The Grinch, Kris Kringle,

It's picking out special gifts for special people.. A Christmas Service.. A serviceman home for Christmas.. Love... Family.. Blood.. Bond..

The cycle continues as we become parents - and somehow we manage to make it through Christmas Day on 3 hours sleep after being awakened at 4:30am with a bellyache from too many cookies and milk. It's sacrifice in September, October, November, December to make Christmas happen...

The repetitive "special gifts for special folks"... Ralphie.. Clark Griswald, Kevin McAlister Home Alone.. Buddy/Elf.. Del Griffith/Planes, Trains.. The Chipmunks, John Denver, The Carpenters, Bruce Springsteen, Charlie Brown...

One by one, loved ones are lost. NEVER replaced - but, now more high chairs around the table.. As grandparents, we now get to snooze in until the 7am phone call to learn what presents they got... Shopping as a grandparent is FUN. I don't give a damn if I'm a month behind on the gas bill, my grandchild just HAS to have that!

Somehow - as we age, our eyes get more youthful. Things we enjoyed as kids - are absolutely just as enjoyable now.. Somehow, somewhere, at some point - we become a kid again...

Seeing one's kids be parents, the best. Seeing their glee attained from the glee of their children - priceless. Yes, we're now aware it won't "be like this forever and ever" - but, we will forever and ever hang on to memories of Christmas present AND past.

Christmas is visiting. Oft times its with those we usedta see every day - but no longer do, so the visit is 'specialer.' I know that ain't a word, should be. Harkening back to yesteryear. It's seeing/hearing those that aren't here any longer - vividly. The more Christmas changes over the years, the more it stays the same.

Christmas is happy tears.. Very commercial - sure.. but very special. As we age, even specialer. Merry Christmas, love Victurd.

Hello... Sarah?

Yep, Andy, Barnie, Opie, Aunt Bea... Floyd... they all usedta holler at Sarah to get connected with another soul.. Then we went rotary... Next, push button... Cordless... Pagers/Beepers.. Bag phones.. Now, phones do everything ceptin' maybe have sex with you... and I ain't up on all the newfangled techniques – hell, they may do that too now and I don't even know.

Getting at: touch. No, you pervert, not that kinda touch – the kinda touch where friends, loved ones, coworkers, former coworkers, siblings, aunts/uncles, grandparents, grandkids simply reach out and touch someone - instantaneously. (Catchy phrase, mebbe someone could use that.)


Facebook. Color me smitten. Smitten as a way to keep up with lives of many. Those older, younger, wiser.... faster... similar... married.. single... widowed.. fellow MU fans.. chickenhawk fans.. Liberty-ites.. nearby... faraway (usedta be nearby, still are at heart).. As I peruse FB I wonder “from what little nook and cranny (what person) from my life, our lives (past/present) will pop up next?”

“Nah, I signed up, but I don't get on there.”... “A waste of time... I've got access in real life to all those I needta have access to.”

Color me, not among that group. I love coming here, blabbing here, reading here.. sharing here... learning here.. laughing here... I just love 'here'... Kinda like caller-ID even. Can choose to answer, or not. Seeing the little (1) in parentheses up there is cool, cause for wonder, mebbe even excitement.

My beloved father, may he rest in peace, always said I was easily led. Very true pops, I love following my buddies, loved ones... Thank you to whomeverinthehell invented Facebook. It's a trip to the Corner Bar, relatives on each Coast, yesterday, today, past jobs, present job, old school chums, pics of (babies, young'ns, folks, grandparents, friends, friend's friends.) – all rolled up in one.

To my friends who post, don't post, read, write (even the Chickenhawk variety) thanks for being you. I enjoy you, Facebook. Sarah, I reckon, was Facebook, when FB wasn't cool. She musta known anything and everything about everyone in Mayberry R'FB'. I'd follow that, I'm easily led. Love, Victurd.