You must also lose with class.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
the boys of winter
Philadelphia wins in 5 games. Tampa Bay concludes an absolutely incredible year in 2nd place. I realize that our society is changing, and that the beauty of baseball isn't embraced today like it was when I was a child, when my dad was a child, etc. Today's society is too fast paced. I remember as a kid listening to the baseball games on the radio, hoping that the reception holds. I remember anxiously awaiting the morning paper so that I could check the box scores and see what favorite player did what the day before. Today, we watch the 30 second highlights on ESPN, watch the key stats scroll along the bottom of the screen. Everything is condensed in to tiny brief summaries devoid of all emotion, context, and enjoyment. And if we miss SportsCenter, we can quickly check the internet for the results. Why would we ever want to watch a game when we can see the 30 second version? Why would we ever read a book when we can just read the cliffnotes or watch a quick movie. Why would we ever commit to a relationship when we can go to www.ineedaquickfix.apathy and see what happens.
Our society needs to slow down. I need to slow down.
My top ten ways to fix baseball...
10. Start the season as usual, but play a double-header every Sunday. Charge the parents, but kids get in free. The almight dollar will still be spent on food, drink and souvenirs. Kids will start loving the game again, enjoying it with their dads. A new generation of baseball lovers will be born.
9. With the weeks saved by the doubleheader madness, start the playoffs earlier and finish the World Series in early to mid October, before the snow.
8. Put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame.
7. Retire Roberto Clemente's #21.
6. After Sunday doubleheaders, let the kids run the bases and meet some of the players.
5. Find a way to fix the small market teams. The Pirates give away Bay and Nady. Shameful.
4. Do everything possible to get the kids of America back on the baseball diamonds.
3. Find a new Commissioner. Bud isn't all that bad, but the Commissioner should be charismatic, a strong leader, someone that baseball lovers can be inspired by.
2. Put asterisks everywhere and clean up the drugs. All of them. Alcohol, uppers, everything.
1. Don't change a thing.
...
Our society needs to slow down. I need to slow down.
My top ten ways to fix baseball...
10. Start the season as usual, but play a double-header every Sunday. Charge the parents, but kids get in free. The almight dollar will still be spent on food, drink and souvenirs. Kids will start loving the game again, enjoying it with their dads. A new generation of baseball lovers will be born.
9. With the weeks saved by the doubleheader madness, start the playoffs earlier and finish the World Series in early to mid October, before the snow.
8. Put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame.
7. Retire Roberto Clemente's #21.
6. After Sunday doubleheaders, let the kids run the bases and meet some of the players.
5. Find a way to fix the small market teams. The Pirates give away Bay and Nady. Shameful.
4. Do everything possible to get the kids of America back on the baseball diamonds.
3. Find a new Commissioner. Bud isn't all that bad, but the Commissioner should be charismatic, a strong leader, someone that baseball lovers can be inspired by.
2. Put asterisks everywhere and clean up the drugs. All of them. Alcohol, uppers, everything.
1. Don't change a thing.
...
Saturday, October 25, 2008
leaves are changing
it seems that fall brings many changes in our live. the obvious preparations for winter. putting away the mower and getting out the rake. our next door neighbor has moved and new neighbors are coming soon. a relationship has ended so a new chapter beings for our oldest daughter. leaves are changing. and all will be well.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Laughter of the Soul
look in to someone's eyes
see their soul before you
find what makes that person
and focus on what you know is true
the eyes reflect the soul
the soul defines the vision
you see through your own prejudice
and hopefully rise above
laughter of the soul
an explosion, catharsis
that cannot be contained
find what makes those around you laugh
do it repeatedly
bring joy to the heart
depth to the mind
laughter to the soul
repeat
look in to someone's eyes
see their soul before you
find what makes that person
and focus on what you know is true
...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Fruity Pebbles
What a beautiful time of year! The trees are so precious with the greens, the reds, oranges and yellows. The joy of Fruity Pebbles everywhere you look. The mornings brisk and cool, the days warm. Fall is upon us and I love every minute of it.
Thank you God!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A Confluence of Affirmation
What a busy and beautiful weekend. The weather has been absolutely incredible. We logged many driving miles this weekend with attending Wesleyan Homecoming celebrations, traveling back to Cadiz for the boys football game Saturday night, then back to Morgantown on Sunday to pick up Kelsey. She had stayed with Brittany at Wesleyan for a night. It seemed that each destination, each turn in the road, each moment of reflection, we were surrounded by family, friends, and people who care about this world and our role in it. Inspiring.
I am blessed with the fruit of God's love, the affirmation that I am me and that is good enough.
...
I am blessed with the fruit of God's love, the affirmation that I am me and that is good enough.
...
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Kris Kristofferson
I never tire of hearing the music of Kris Kristofferson. If you haven't listened to his work, broaden your music library and give him a try. Yes I know he's from a long time ago, yes I know it's country, yes I know the world's moved on. But the message in the lyrics, the songwriting, is just marvelous...
Best of All Possible Worlds
I was runnin' through the summer rain tryin' to catch the evenin' train
And kill that old familiar pain weevin' through my tangled brain
When I tipped my bottle back I smacked into a cop I didn't see
That policeman said Mr Cool if you're ain't drunk then you're a fool
I said if that's against the law tell me why I never saw
A man locked in that jail of yours who wadn't just as lowdown poor as me
Well that was when someone turned out the lights
And I wound up in jail to spend the night
And dream of all the wine and lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds
Well I woke up next morning feelin' like my head was gone
And like my thick old tongue was lickin' somethin' sick and wrong
And I told that man I'd sell my soul if somethin' wet and cold is that old cell
That kindly jailer grinned at me all eaten up with sympathy
Then bought himself another beer and came and whispered in my ear
That booze was just a dime a bottle boy you couldn't even buy the smell
I said I knew there was somethin' I liked about this town
But it takes more than that to bring me down down down
Cause there's still a lot of wine and lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds
Well they finally came and told me they was a gonna set me free
And I'd be leavin' town if I knew what was good for me
I said it's nice to learn that everybody's so concerned about my health
I said I won't be leavin' no more quicker than I can
Cause I've enjoyed about this much of this as I can stand
And I don't need this town of yours more than I've never needed nothing else
Cause there's still a lotta drinks that I ain't drunk
Lots of pretty thoughts that I ain't thought oh yeah
Lord there's still so many lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Beat the Devil
If you waste your time talking to
The people who won’t listen to
The things that you are saying who
Do you think’s gonna hear?
And if you should die explaining how
The things that they complain about
Are things they could be changing,
Who do you think’s gonna care?
There were other lonely singers
In a world turned deaf and blind
Who were crucified
For what they tried to show
And their voices have been scattered by
The swirling winds of time,
Because the truth remains
That no one wants to know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me and Bobby McGee
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose,
Nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free.
Feelin' good was easy, lord when Bobby sang the blues,
And feelin' good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Silver Tongued Devil
I said girl don't you know he's a devil
He's everything that I ain't
Hiding intentions of evil under the smile of a saint
All he's good for is getting in trouble
And slipping his share of the blame
And some people swear he's my double
And some even say we're the same
But the silver-tounged devil's got nothing to lose
And I'll only live 'till I die
We take our own chances and pay our own dues
The silver tounged devil and I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Old Road
Look at that old photograph
Is it really you
Smiling like a baby full of dreams
Smiling ain't so easy now
Some are coming true
Nothing's simple as it seems
But I guess you count your blessings with the problems
That you're dealing with today
Like the changing of the seasons
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way down
This old road
Looking at a looking glass
Running out of time
On a face you used to know
Traces of a future lost
In between the lines
One more rainbow for the road
Thinking of the faces in the window
That you passed along the way
Or the last thing you believed in
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way down
This old road
Say you tried to chase the sundown
And you let it slip away
And the holy night is falling
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way down
This old road
...
Best of All Possible Worlds
I was runnin' through the summer rain tryin' to catch the evenin' train
And kill that old familiar pain weevin' through my tangled brain
When I tipped my bottle back I smacked into a cop I didn't see
That policeman said Mr Cool if you're ain't drunk then you're a fool
I said if that's against the law tell me why I never saw
A man locked in that jail of yours who wadn't just as lowdown poor as me
Well that was when someone turned out the lights
And I wound up in jail to spend the night
And dream of all the wine and lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds
Well I woke up next morning feelin' like my head was gone
And like my thick old tongue was lickin' somethin' sick and wrong
And I told that man I'd sell my soul if somethin' wet and cold is that old cell
That kindly jailer grinned at me all eaten up with sympathy
Then bought himself another beer and came and whispered in my ear
That booze was just a dime a bottle boy you couldn't even buy the smell
I said I knew there was somethin' I liked about this town
But it takes more than that to bring me down down down
Cause there's still a lot of wine and lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds
Well they finally came and told me they was a gonna set me free
And I'd be leavin' town if I knew what was good for me
I said it's nice to learn that everybody's so concerned about my health
I said I won't be leavin' no more quicker than I can
Cause I've enjoyed about this much of this as I can stand
And I don't need this town of yours more than I've never needed nothing else
Cause there's still a lotta drinks that I ain't drunk
Lots of pretty thoughts that I ain't thought oh yeah
Lord there's still so many lonely girls in this best of all possible worlds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Beat the Devil
If you waste your time talking to
The people who won’t listen to
The things that you are saying who
Do you think’s gonna hear?
And if you should die explaining how
The things that they complain about
Are things they could be changing,
Who do you think’s gonna care?
There were other lonely singers
In a world turned deaf and blind
Who were crucified
For what they tried to show
And their voices have been scattered by
The swirling winds of time,
Because the truth remains
That no one wants to know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me and Bobby McGee
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose,
Nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free.
Feelin' good was easy, lord when Bobby sang the blues,
And feelin' good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Silver Tongued Devil
I said girl don't you know he's a devil
He's everything that I ain't
Hiding intentions of evil under the smile of a saint
All he's good for is getting in trouble
And slipping his share of the blame
And some people swear he's my double
And some even say we're the same
But the silver-tounged devil's got nothing to lose
And I'll only live 'till I die
We take our own chances and pay our own dues
The silver tounged devil and I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This Old Road
Look at that old photograph
Is it really you
Smiling like a baby full of dreams
Smiling ain't so easy now
Some are coming true
Nothing's simple as it seems
But I guess you count your blessings with the problems
That you're dealing with today
Like the changing of the seasons
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way down
This old road
Looking at a looking glass
Running out of time
On a face you used to know
Traces of a future lost
In between the lines
One more rainbow for the road
Thinking of the faces in the window
That you passed along the way
Or the last thing you believed in
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way down
This old road
Say you tried to chase the sundown
And you let it slip away
And the holy night is falling
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way
Ain't you come a long way down
This old road
...
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I Wish I Were...
The wiener mobile was in St. Clairsville last week! Is there any cooler automobile?
I missed it as I was in the ER with Aaron who had suffered a minor concussion playing tackle football with friends (sans pads and helmet of course).
Mary and Christian were able to see the wiener mobile at the Riesbeck's store in St. Clairsville and snapped this photo for my collection.
...
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Fall
I've been reading, tasting imagination
This world is only what we make it
Watch the wonder of a child seeing a fire-fly
An adult seeing a falling star
Why do we let ourselves tire of the wonders all around us?
The colors of this season, the coolness in the air
Can there be any greater gifts from God
Than the every day miracles that surround us?
Greatness is defined within each of us
We must only come to grips with who we are
Our souls are already Holy
...
This world is only what we make it
Watch the wonder of a child seeing a fire-fly
An adult seeing a falling star
Why do we let ourselves tire of the wonders all around us?
The colors of this season, the coolness in the air
Can there be any greater gifts from God
Than the every day miracles that surround us?
Greatness is defined within each of us
We must only come to grips with who we are
Our souls are already Holy
...
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