One of the most unique — and perhaps meaningful ways to look back on the past year, I've found, is in "status updates."
"Status updates" are, of course, the short blurbs posted regularly by users of the Facebook social networking site. Status updates convey anything from what you are doing at that particular moment; to what's going on in your life; to efforts to be witty (usually unsuccessful, in my case).
Looking back at a year's worth of "status updates" is an interesting ritual. Here's some of the highlights of my year in status updates, with a few notes,when appropriate:
Jan. 1: "Happy New Year!!!"
I think I ought to get credit for celebrating the dawn of 2009 on Facebook within 22 minutes of its start.
Jan. 7: "just about ready for opening night."
In anticipation of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at the Ritz. My son, Drew, and I had parts.
Jan. 9: "survived opening night."
It must have gone well.
Jan. 27: "has the song 'Flowers on the Wall' stuck in his head."
I don't know why.
Jan. 28: "a very long day."
Jan. 29: "has been putting together a newspaper by candlelight."
Jan. 30: "has electricity at work again!"
Jan. 31: "thinks 'normal' never looked so beautiful."
Looks like I somehow managed to access Facebook during the ice storm.
Feb. 9: "never could have out-foxed Santino."
Must have watched "The Godfather" that day.
Feb. 26: "has thrown his hat over the wall."
Posted after I signed up to run in my first 5K.
March 3: "celebrating Square Root Day (3-3-09)"
I am not a geek.
March 14: "is listening to the piano improv of two 6-year-olds."
It wasn't half-bad.
March 17: "isn't wearing green."
A post that resulted in several cyber-pinches.
March 22: "putting up a plate of Memphis barbecue ribs against whatever the heck they make in Columbia that Memphis beats Mizzou in their Sweet 16 matchup."
Needless to say, I still owe several people some ribs.
April 5: "Completed his first 5K today."
The first of three on the year.
April 23: "Excited for Drew's debut in coach-pitch baseball tonight."
He went 4-for-4 with a home run and two put-outs. Not too bad.
April 28: "Serenity now!"
Must have been a bit stressed.
May 7: "sick of softball chants."
Chanting is one of the key elements of the game for the 10U crowd.
May 20: "Another dead-on Facebook quiz."
A sarcastic reply to a Facebook quiz labeling yours truly a "Bible Scholar."
May 24: "12 years ago, right now, I was standing at the front of the church, watching the most beautiful girl in the world — and my best friend — walk up the aisle to me."
Posted to the exact minute, I might add.
July 20: "has gone an entire week without a Mountain Dew."
And still (mostly) on the wagon, six months later.
July 23: "thankful for all the birthday wishes on what has been a bizarro-birthday."
I truly was deeply grateful for all those who Facebooked a birthday wish that day. The ironic thing was, unbeknownst to all those who wished me a good day, my mother had passed away that morning. I imagine birthdays will have a different feel for me for quite a while.
Aug. 15: "enjoyed my Rendezvous/Redbirds night."
That sounds really good right now.
Aug. 19: "And so, it begins, again."
In reference to the dawn of a new school year.
Aug. 26: "Every time I fax something, I feel like I'm back in 1998."
Trying (again, unsuccessfully) to be funny.
Aug. 31: "To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." — George Santayana
Still trying to live by that.
Sept. 2: "Spent the night rolling hay bales."
Not a euphemism. Was sore for a week.
Sept. 15: "Stay gold, Darry Curtis."
A tribute to the late actor Patrick Swayze, who played Darry in "The Outsiders."
Sept. 17: "Is at dress rehearsal."
This time it was for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Daughter Katie and I had parts,
Sept. 22: "So long, summer. We've been through a lot together. You'll be missed."
Looking back over a poignant couple of months.
Oct. 21: "Is feeling defoliated."
An annual rite of passage in the Mid-South.
Oct. 22: "The old man is snoring."
It was raining and pouring.
Oct. 31: "It's been a big year for Tootsie Rolls."
On the kids' Halloween haul.
Nov. 22: "Putting up the Christmas trees and decor with Jena and the kids. Big fun!"
We put stuff before Thanksgiving because we celebrate Christmas with my family early.
Dec. 4: "Enjoyed the Blytheville Christmas Parade, and is now looking forward to watching 'The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge' at the Ritz Theater."
Quite the festive night.
Dec. 8: "Thunder in December?"
What was up with that?
Dec. 10: "Who is Harold Angel? And why should I care that he's singing?"
Trying to be funny again. Still failing.
Dec. 25: "Joy to the world."
Here's hoping the year to come brings us joy and peace ... and clever status updates.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
A few last-minute gift requests
There’s still a day or so left before Santa packs his sleigh for his annual trek around the globe, so I hope I’m not too late in sending out my Christmas wish list.
Here goes:
I want more Christmas music. Christmas music is one of the most soothing things to listen to, and we’ve only got a couple more days where we can listen to “White Christmas” and “Holly Jolly Christmas” without people looking at you kind of funny.
There’s something about Christmas music — when you listen to it, you can’t help but be in a better mood. With all the contentiousness running rampant around our community these last few weeks, I think we would all be well-served to listen to as many verses of “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night” as we can. And that goes for everyone from the Quorum Court to the City Council; from hospital officials to steel industry officials — we all need a little more Christmas spirit.
Also this Christmas, I would like more scotch tape. I can never seem to find enough. Every time I set about the task of wrapping presents, I never seem to be able to finish the job without running out of tape. (Though, the fact that that I use a ton of tape to wrap presents may play a role in this.) If I could just count on tape being in the drawer where it’s supposed to be when I go looking for it — instead of on some random dresser or in the middle of the living room floor — we’d be halfway home.
I’d also like to be able to beat my 10-year-old daughter at Wii basketball for Christmas. I’m pretty good at most of the other Wii sports, whether it’s the Island Flyover or Archery. But I almost always get "pwned" in basketball. I think she’s using some kind of trick move. I want to know what it is.
My Christmas wish list this year also includes a sane political season. I’m not too optimistic for this one. With county races for sheriff, county judge and treasurer, among others, all on the docket for 2010, I expect the silly season to be in full swing before long. (It’s already started, to be honest.) Still, it would be nice if those running for office — and their backers — would at least try to keep their heads about them this go around. But I think I have about as much of a chance of getting this gift as my 7-year-old son does of getting a Nintendo DSI.
I’d also like the gift of faster Internet. At my home in the Greater Armorel Metropolitan Area, we’re still without broadband Internet service. The satellite connection beats dial-up, but it still kind of feels like I’m driving a Model T on the information superhighway. Even at work, where we do have broadband, it seems like I spend half my time watching pinwheels spin or progress bars fill.
Also on my Christmas list this year is an Orange Bowl victory. That’s where my Iowa Hawkeyes will be taking on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Jan. 5. It would be nice to see my boys pull off a victory in a January bowl game for the second year in row, if nothing else then to force Herb Smith to take back his comment about Iowa just being another “weak sister” from the Big Ten.
I am also wishing this Christmas for a quick departure from the public consciousness for this new “Avatar” movie. Everyone seems to be talking about it these days, but I’ve seen the preview, and it just looks colossally stupid to me. And really, really weird. What am I missing?
My last Christmas wish goes out to all the people experiencing a "first" Christmas this year — that is, a first Christmas without a loved one who has passed in the last year. In that same boat myself, my wish is that everyone find joy and peace this holiday season. Though there may be feelings of emptiness, there is still great happiness to be found at this festive time of year. My hope is that it is found by all.
May all of us have a very merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.
Here goes:
I want more Christmas music. Christmas music is one of the most soothing things to listen to, and we’ve only got a couple more days where we can listen to “White Christmas” and “Holly Jolly Christmas” without people looking at you kind of funny.
There’s something about Christmas music — when you listen to it, you can’t help but be in a better mood. With all the contentiousness running rampant around our community these last few weeks, I think we would all be well-served to listen to as many verses of “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night” as we can. And that goes for everyone from the Quorum Court to the City Council; from hospital officials to steel industry officials — we all need a little more Christmas spirit.
Also this Christmas, I would like more scotch tape. I can never seem to find enough. Every time I set about the task of wrapping presents, I never seem to be able to finish the job without running out of tape. (Though, the fact that that I use a ton of tape to wrap presents may play a role in this.) If I could just count on tape being in the drawer where it’s supposed to be when I go looking for it — instead of on some random dresser or in the middle of the living room floor — we’d be halfway home.
I’d also like to be able to beat my 10-year-old daughter at Wii basketball for Christmas. I’m pretty good at most of the other Wii sports, whether it’s the Island Flyover or Archery. But I almost always get "pwned" in basketball. I think she’s using some kind of trick move. I want to know what it is.
My Christmas wish list this year also includes a sane political season. I’m not too optimistic for this one. With county races for sheriff, county judge and treasurer, among others, all on the docket for 2010, I expect the silly season to be in full swing before long. (It’s already started, to be honest.) Still, it would be nice if those running for office — and their backers — would at least try to keep their heads about them this go around. But I think I have about as much of a chance of getting this gift as my 7-year-old son does of getting a Nintendo DSI.
I’d also like the gift of faster Internet. At my home in the Greater Armorel Metropolitan Area, we’re still without broadband Internet service. The satellite connection beats dial-up, but it still kind of feels like I’m driving a Model T on the information superhighway. Even at work, where we do have broadband, it seems like I spend half my time watching pinwheels spin or progress bars fill.
Also on my Christmas list this year is an Orange Bowl victory. That’s where my Iowa Hawkeyes will be taking on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Jan. 5. It would be nice to see my boys pull off a victory in a January bowl game for the second year in row, if nothing else then to force Herb Smith to take back his comment about Iowa just being another “weak sister” from the Big Ten.
I am also wishing this Christmas for a quick departure from the public consciousness for this new “Avatar” movie. Everyone seems to be talking about it these days, but I’ve seen the preview, and it just looks colossally stupid to me. And really, really weird. What am I missing?
My last Christmas wish goes out to all the people experiencing a "first" Christmas this year — that is, a first Christmas without a loved one who has passed in the last year. In that same boat myself, my wish is that everyone find joy and peace this holiday season. Though there may be feelings of emptiness, there is still great happiness to be found at this festive time of year. My hope is that it is found by all.
May all of us have a very merry Christmas and a joyous New Year.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Memories fuzzy after 38 Christmases
Next week, I'll celebrate my 38th Christmas.
Looking back, I have nothing close to 38 memories of individual holiday seasons. While I have a few specific memories of Christmases past, most of what I have is but a handful of fuzzy Christmas memories — images, emotions and sentiments, most of which can be attributed over a period of years. It certainly doesn't seem like I've been around for almost 40 Christmas celebrations.
When I set about the task of remembering Christmases past, all I can do is think of the different physical places I've been for Christmas, and recall the emotions associated with each.
My earliest Christmas memories are from the house we lived in until I was about 3, located in a neighborhood called "Fair Oaks" in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My memories of Fair Oaks Christmases are pretty vague. But I do remember the year my older sister, Aimee, and I agreed to tell what we had gotten each other for Christmas. When Aimee told me I was getting a Winnie the Pooh, I was sure it was a ruse; so I was still surprised when I opened her gift on Christmas Eve. Pooh remained one of my favorite possessions for years afterward.
Most of my childhood memories of Christmas, though, are associated with our house on Maple Drive, where I lived until college. It was there that my parents would annually haul the giant box of Christmas decorations out of the attic every year, where we would hang our red stockings on the wood-burning fireplace, and where the live Christmas tree would fill the home with a pine-scented aroma throughout the holiday season. From our upstairs bedroom windows, Aimee and I would keep watch for Santa's sleigh — and it was never hard to convince ourselves that the blinking red light atop a radio tower in the distance was Rudolph's shiny red nose.
The constant transition period of my college years leaves me without as many specific Christmas memories. I do remember the tiny Christmas tree my parents got me for my dorm room, though I never actually spent a Christmas Day on campus. It was during this period that my parents moved from the home on Maple Drive, to a new house in the bedroom community of Fairfax. I don't remember much about the early years of our Fairfax Christmases — most of what I remember about holiday celebrations at that home are the family gatherings of recent years, which now include my own children and their cousins.
My first Christmas season on my own was spent in my tiny loft apartment in a little town in Missouri called Mexico. My dorm-room Christmas tree came with me, and I purchased shiny static-cling decorations to put on my windows. They were cheesy and cheap, but they were the first Christmas decorations I purchased on my own. I think they're still in a box in my attic somewhere. Those were some lonely days — living in a new town, miles from loved ones.
My wife, Jena, and I had our first Christmas together in another apartment in Mexico — this one a little bigger, with two bedrooms and even a kitchen that was separate from the living room. This is when we finally retired the dorm-room tree, and got a full-sized model. We actually purchased a house in December of that year, so our tree — still partially decorated — was one of the first things we moved to our new house.
Our first Christmas in Blytheville was spent living with Jena's parents, as we had just moved to the community, and had yet to purchase a house. All the same, we still put up our own Christmas tree in our bedroom. This was my daughter Katie's first Christmas, and our tree that year included a special ornament noting "Baby's First Christmas."
And that brings us to our current residence, where we have celebrated every Christmas since. We now have two Christmas trees, one which now features a pair of "baby's first Christmas" ornaments, as well as many other family keepsakes new and old. The other tree is an Iowa Hawkeye-themed Christmas tree (because you always have to remember where you came from).
When Katie and little brother Drew look back on the Christmases of their lives, it will be this home that they remember. Like me, they probably won't remember but a handful of specifics; but I hope the overall memories that have are good ones.
That's what this season is all about.
Looking back, I have nothing close to 38 memories of individual holiday seasons. While I have a few specific memories of Christmases past, most of what I have is but a handful of fuzzy Christmas memories — images, emotions and sentiments, most of which can be attributed over a period of years. It certainly doesn't seem like I've been around for almost 40 Christmas celebrations.
When I set about the task of remembering Christmases past, all I can do is think of the different physical places I've been for Christmas, and recall the emotions associated with each.
My earliest Christmas memories are from the house we lived in until I was about 3, located in a neighborhood called "Fair Oaks" in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My memories of Fair Oaks Christmases are pretty vague. But I do remember the year my older sister, Aimee, and I agreed to tell what we had gotten each other for Christmas. When Aimee told me I was getting a Winnie the Pooh, I was sure it was a ruse; so I was still surprised when I opened her gift on Christmas Eve. Pooh remained one of my favorite possessions for years afterward.
Most of my childhood memories of Christmas, though, are associated with our house on Maple Drive, where I lived until college. It was there that my parents would annually haul the giant box of Christmas decorations out of the attic every year, where we would hang our red stockings on the wood-burning fireplace, and where the live Christmas tree would fill the home with a pine-scented aroma throughout the holiday season. From our upstairs bedroom windows, Aimee and I would keep watch for Santa's sleigh — and it was never hard to convince ourselves that the blinking red light atop a radio tower in the distance was Rudolph's shiny red nose.
The constant transition period of my college years leaves me without as many specific Christmas memories. I do remember the tiny Christmas tree my parents got me for my dorm room, though I never actually spent a Christmas Day on campus. It was during this period that my parents moved from the home on Maple Drive, to a new house in the bedroom community of Fairfax. I don't remember much about the early years of our Fairfax Christmases — most of what I remember about holiday celebrations at that home are the family gatherings of recent years, which now include my own children and their cousins.
My first Christmas season on my own was spent in my tiny loft apartment in a little town in Missouri called Mexico. My dorm-room Christmas tree came with me, and I purchased shiny static-cling decorations to put on my windows. They were cheesy and cheap, but they were the first Christmas decorations I purchased on my own. I think they're still in a box in my attic somewhere. Those were some lonely days — living in a new town, miles from loved ones.
My wife, Jena, and I had our first Christmas together in another apartment in Mexico — this one a little bigger, with two bedrooms and even a kitchen that was separate from the living room. This is when we finally retired the dorm-room tree, and got a full-sized model. We actually purchased a house in December of that year, so our tree — still partially decorated — was one of the first things we moved to our new house.
Our first Christmas in Blytheville was spent living with Jena's parents, as we had just moved to the community, and had yet to purchase a house. All the same, we still put up our own Christmas tree in our bedroom. This was my daughter Katie's first Christmas, and our tree that year included a special ornament noting "Baby's First Christmas."
And that brings us to our current residence, where we have celebrated every Christmas since. We now have two Christmas trees, one which now features a pair of "baby's first Christmas" ornaments, as well as many other family keepsakes new and old. The other tree is an Iowa Hawkeye-themed Christmas tree (because you always have to remember where you came from).
When Katie and little brother Drew look back on the Christmases of their lives, it will be this home that they remember. Like me, they probably won't remember but a handful of specifics; but I hope the overall memories that have are good ones.
That's what this season is all about.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The perfect gift for the holiday season
If you're still looking for the perfect Christmas gift to give this season, I have a pretty good suggestion for you.
It's guaranteed to be something that's needed. It's certain to be put to good use by the recipient. And best of all — it won't even cost you a thing.
I'm speaking of giving blood.
It's never not a good time to donate blood, but during this Christmas season, when we're so often caught up in the material aspects of the holiday — from the shopping, to the decorating, to the gathering — it's important to remember there are things more important than the hustle and bustle.
There are many people who go without during the holidays. Not only are some people going without gifts or feasts, some are struggling just to live. And that's why heading over to the local Lifeblood Center, rolling up your sleeve and donating a pint of blood can be the ultimate Christmas gift.
I gave blood for just the third time in my life just a couple of weeks ago. It was a rewarding experience. Honestly, I'm ashamed I haven't done it more.
Back in my college days, whenever there was a blood drive, I used to make all kinds of excuses to not take part. I'd make up an illness, or I'd just be "too busy." The truth is, I was just a coward. I had talked myself into an irrational fear of needles, and I was too childish to get over it.
That said, by the time I finally got around to becoming a blood donor — sometime in my mid-20s — it wasn't a pleasant experience. Things started off just fine. Though I agonized over the needle, that part actually went well. It was just a few minutes later — when the room started to spin — that I got worried. Thankfully, the nice ladies on hand reclined my chair and gave me some orange juice, and things returned to normal.
All the same, it was some years later before I worked up the nerve to try it again. This time it was during a Chamber of Commerce blood drive just a few years ago. It went just fine. Minimal pain ... no room spinning ... a free soda ... who could ask for more? Why I didn't become a regular donor at that point is a good question. "Lazy" is most likely the answer.
But a few weeks ago, I found myself with little to do on a Saturday morning, so I figured it was finally time to do what I'd been saying I should do for ages, and donate a pint of blood. Sitting in the local Lifeblood Center, I was in awe of the posters on the wall showing local people who have donated regularly over the years. Like Bernard Beecy, who has donated 18 gallons. Or Iris Crawford, who has donated 15 gallons. Giving blood at every opportunity, it takes over a year to just reach the 1-gallon milestone. Seeing what these people have done made my little pint seem pitiful.
But at least it was something. And though it was but a small first step, it felt really good to do it. And the room didn't even spin at all.
The great thing about donating blood is that almost anyone can do it. You don't have to be rich. You don't have to have a ton of time on your hands. All it takes is an hour or so at the local center. The Blytheville Lifeblood Center, located in the Plaza Shopping Center, is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. If I can do it, anyone can.
Giving the gift of blood, you won't ever know who received your gift. You won't see a smile of joy as somebody unwraps it. But you will help save a life. And I can't think of a better gift to give than that.
It's guaranteed to be something that's needed. It's certain to be put to good use by the recipient. And best of all — it won't even cost you a thing.
I'm speaking of giving blood.
It's never not a good time to donate blood, but during this Christmas season, when we're so often caught up in the material aspects of the holiday — from the shopping, to the decorating, to the gathering — it's important to remember there are things more important than the hustle and bustle.
There are many people who go without during the holidays. Not only are some people going without gifts or feasts, some are struggling just to live. And that's why heading over to the local Lifeblood Center, rolling up your sleeve and donating a pint of blood can be the ultimate Christmas gift.
I gave blood for just the third time in my life just a couple of weeks ago. It was a rewarding experience. Honestly, I'm ashamed I haven't done it more.
Back in my college days, whenever there was a blood drive, I used to make all kinds of excuses to not take part. I'd make up an illness, or I'd just be "too busy." The truth is, I was just a coward. I had talked myself into an irrational fear of needles, and I was too childish to get over it.
That said, by the time I finally got around to becoming a blood donor — sometime in my mid-20s — it wasn't a pleasant experience. Things started off just fine. Though I agonized over the needle, that part actually went well. It was just a few minutes later — when the room started to spin — that I got worried. Thankfully, the nice ladies on hand reclined my chair and gave me some orange juice, and things returned to normal.
All the same, it was some years later before I worked up the nerve to try it again. This time it was during a Chamber of Commerce blood drive just a few years ago. It went just fine. Minimal pain ... no room spinning ... a free soda ... who could ask for more? Why I didn't become a regular donor at that point is a good question. "Lazy" is most likely the answer.
But a few weeks ago, I found myself with little to do on a Saturday morning, so I figured it was finally time to do what I'd been saying I should do for ages, and donate a pint of blood. Sitting in the local Lifeblood Center, I was in awe of the posters on the wall showing local people who have donated regularly over the years. Like Bernard Beecy, who has donated 18 gallons. Or Iris Crawford, who has donated 15 gallons. Giving blood at every opportunity, it takes over a year to just reach the 1-gallon milestone. Seeing what these people have done made my little pint seem pitiful.
But at least it was something. And though it was but a small first step, it felt really good to do it. And the room didn't even spin at all.
The great thing about donating blood is that almost anyone can do it. You don't have to be rich. You don't have to have a ton of time on your hands. All it takes is an hour or so at the local center. The Blytheville Lifeblood Center, located in the Plaza Shopping Center, is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. If I can do it, anyone can.
Giving the gift of blood, you won't ever know who received your gift. You won't see a smile of joy as somebody unwraps it. But you will help save a life. And I can't think of a better gift to give than that.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Being thankful for more than just things
As we prepare to give thanks this holiday, there are no doubt a number of things on our minds.
We’re sure to give thanks for the things we always do: Family. Friends. Our community. The good things in our lives. And well we should. You can’t put a price tag on good blessings, and it’s a shame we don’t have more than one day a year specifically set aside to give thanks for such things.
The focus of Thanksgiving is usually things — whether it's material things like a nice home or a Nintendo Wii; or more important things, like good friends and loved ones. But we ought to be thankful for more than that. For there is more to life than simply things. This Thanksgiving, I’m trying to take time to appreciate some of the unique abilities that we share as human beings.
For instance, I am thankful for the ability to love. Without this, our spouses wouldn’t matter. Neither would our kids, or our parents, or any of our family. We would have no friends — just a collection of recognizable faces. But because we have the ability to love, our lives can be enriched by special people all around us. I know mine is.
I am thankful for the ability to think. While all animals have brains, and thus have some ability to process information, none have the ability of rational thought that we humans do. It’s because we can think that we can determine right from wrong, and choose the path that will bring us the most safety, the most joy, or the most comfort. It’s because we can think that we aren’t all mindless zombies, ambling down an aimless path. I’m thankful for that.
I am thankful for the ability to learn. Because we can learn, our lot in life is never set in stone. Whether it’s the basics, like reading and writing; or occupational skills, like teaching or healing; or simply personal betterment, like singing or cooking; the ability to learn is what allows us to enhance our lives. It’s something to be thankful for.
I am thankful for the ability to see, hear, taste and smell. Imagine not being able to see a sunset, or hear for favorite song, or taste a dessert, or smell a campfire. How completely pointless life would be without these kind of abilities. I’m thankful to be able to do all four.
I am thankful for the ability to forgive. It’s not always easy to exercise this ability, but doing so is sometimes the only way to remain sane. Though the seduction of a grudge is powerful, forgiving is one of the most liberating things to be able to do. I regret that I’m not able to do it more often; but when I do, I’m thankful for it.
I am thankful for the ability to feel. Though I’d rather not ever feel sad or angry, I know that the only reason I ever feel that way sometimes is because other times, I’ve felt so happy or content. With feelings, you either take them all, or take none of them. And I think life is a lot better with he ability to feel.
I am thankful for the ability to have faith. While some people are more religious than others, I think even the most agnostic among us still believe in a better tomorrow. And that, to me, is what faith is all about. It’s about believing that no matter how things are today, there’s a chance tomorrow could be better. I’m glad I’m able to have faith in my life.
I am thankful for the ability to be thankful. That’s really what this is all about. Without the unique, innate set of abilities we all possess as humans, nothing else would really matter. It’s only because of these abilities that our life has meaning, depth and value.
And the great thing about all these abilities is that we’ll always have them, regardless of the fortunes or misfortunes of our lives. Some of us may have lost jobs in this past year. Some of us may have lost loved ones. Some of us may have been wronged in any number of ways.
But we can all still love. We can think, and learn. We can see, hear, taste and smell. We can feel. We can forgive. And we can all still hope.
And all that is something to be truly thankful for.
We’re sure to give thanks for the things we always do: Family. Friends. Our community. The good things in our lives. And well we should. You can’t put a price tag on good blessings, and it’s a shame we don’t have more than one day a year specifically set aside to give thanks for such things.
The focus of Thanksgiving is usually things — whether it's material things like a nice home or a Nintendo Wii; or more important things, like good friends and loved ones. But we ought to be thankful for more than that. For there is more to life than simply things. This Thanksgiving, I’m trying to take time to appreciate some of the unique abilities that we share as human beings.
For instance, I am thankful for the ability to love. Without this, our spouses wouldn’t matter. Neither would our kids, or our parents, or any of our family. We would have no friends — just a collection of recognizable faces. But because we have the ability to love, our lives can be enriched by special people all around us. I know mine is.
I am thankful for the ability to think. While all animals have brains, and thus have some ability to process information, none have the ability of rational thought that we humans do. It’s because we can think that we can determine right from wrong, and choose the path that will bring us the most safety, the most joy, or the most comfort. It’s because we can think that we aren’t all mindless zombies, ambling down an aimless path. I’m thankful for that.
I am thankful for the ability to learn. Because we can learn, our lot in life is never set in stone. Whether it’s the basics, like reading and writing; or occupational skills, like teaching or healing; or simply personal betterment, like singing or cooking; the ability to learn is what allows us to enhance our lives. It’s something to be thankful for.
I am thankful for the ability to see, hear, taste and smell. Imagine not being able to see a sunset, or hear for favorite song, or taste a dessert, or smell a campfire. How completely pointless life would be without these kind of abilities. I’m thankful to be able to do all four.
I am thankful for the ability to forgive. It’s not always easy to exercise this ability, but doing so is sometimes the only way to remain sane. Though the seduction of a grudge is powerful, forgiving is one of the most liberating things to be able to do. I regret that I’m not able to do it more often; but when I do, I’m thankful for it.
I am thankful for the ability to feel. Though I’d rather not ever feel sad or angry, I know that the only reason I ever feel that way sometimes is because other times, I’ve felt so happy or content. With feelings, you either take them all, or take none of them. And I think life is a lot better with he ability to feel.
I am thankful for the ability to have faith. While some people are more religious than others, I think even the most agnostic among us still believe in a better tomorrow. And that, to me, is what faith is all about. It’s about believing that no matter how things are today, there’s a chance tomorrow could be better. I’m glad I’m able to have faith in my life.
I am thankful for the ability to be thankful. That’s really what this is all about. Without the unique, innate set of abilities we all possess as humans, nothing else would really matter. It’s only because of these abilities that our life has meaning, depth and value.
And the great thing about all these abilities is that we’ll always have them, regardless of the fortunes or misfortunes of our lives. Some of us may have lost jobs in this past year. Some of us may have lost loved ones. Some of us may have been wronged in any number of ways.
But we can all still love. We can think, and learn. We can see, hear, taste and smell. We can feel. We can forgive. And we can all still hope.
And all that is something to be truly thankful for.
Friday, October 9, 2009
A good run is a way to get away from it all
In the last couple of years, I guess you could say I've become something of a "runner."
That is, to say, I've grown to have an affinity for getting out and putting my legs to good use from time to time.
I'm not a great runner, mind you. When compared to what I sometimes refer to as "real runners," I'm quite slow, and not able to go great distances.
But I've worked at it, and have reached the point where I can at least run a 5K without being embarrassed or wanting to die afterward.
I still remember the first time I gave running a shot, a couple of years ago. I had rather suddenly become keenly aware of my couch-potato status. It dawned on me that instead of aimlessly surfing through the channels, I could be doing something to make myself a little healthier. The first time I went out for a run, I got no more than about four houses up the street before I felt like I was on the verge of cardiac arrest.
Thankfully, my runs since then have gotten a little bit longer, and a lot more enjoyable. I've tried to think about what it is that make running rewarding. For one thing, there's the sense of accomplishment that comes with it, along with the good feeling that comes with being healthy. But more than that, I think I enjoy running because when you're out there on the road, many of the problems of the world disappear for a while, and all you're left with is your legs below you and the pavement in front of you.
For instance, here are some of the things you DON'T think about when on a nice long run:
— Iran's nuclear ambitions
— The latest figures related to the nation's jobless rate, retail sales growth or stock market performance
— The future of the Mississippi County hospital system
— National health care, Sen. Max Baucus or the public option
— The price of oil, and how it will effect gas prices
— Carol White and the Blytheville City Council
— Jon and Kate
— Where Osama bin Laden is
— The overall condition of local parks
— Glenn Beck
— Who David Letterman has had sex with
— The H1N1 virus
— The fate of Roman Polanski
— The cafeteria at Central Elementary School
— Anything having to do with the West Memphis 3
Conversely, here are some of the things you DO think about:
— Wind
— Rain
— Your legs
— Your knees
— Your feet
— Your heart
— Your lungs
— The pavement
— Goose poop (if running at Walker Park or the Youth Sportsplex).
— Sun
— Sweat
The point is, running cuts you down to the basics. It's a great way to escape the confines of reality, and to get healthy along the way.
Anyone looking to go running (or walking) with fellow citizens, ought to check out the 5K Family Fun Run and 2K Walk, set for 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. The entry fee is only $20, and all participants get a t-shirt and a chili-tasting ticket that be used during the chili cookoff being held later that day. Registration can also be made online at www.racesonline.com through Oct. 13. Individuals can also enter on the day of the race (for $30) beginning at 6:30. Participants will meet on the parking lot of the Great River Medical Center.
Running, or even just walking, is a great way to get out, get healthy and get away from it all. Everyone ought to give it a try.
That is, to say, I've grown to have an affinity for getting out and putting my legs to good use from time to time.
I'm not a great runner, mind you. When compared to what I sometimes refer to as "real runners," I'm quite slow, and not able to go great distances.
But I've worked at it, and have reached the point where I can at least run a 5K without being embarrassed or wanting to die afterward.
I still remember the first time I gave running a shot, a couple of years ago. I had rather suddenly become keenly aware of my couch-potato status. It dawned on me that instead of aimlessly surfing through the channels, I could be doing something to make myself a little healthier. The first time I went out for a run, I got no more than about four houses up the street before I felt like I was on the verge of cardiac arrest.
Thankfully, my runs since then have gotten a little bit longer, and a lot more enjoyable. I've tried to think about what it is that make running rewarding. For one thing, there's the sense of accomplishment that comes with it, along with the good feeling that comes with being healthy. But more than that, I think I enjoy running because when you're out there on the road, many of the problems of the world disappear for a while, and all you're left with is your legs below you and the pavement in front of you.
For instance, here are some of the things you DON'T think about when on a nice long run:
— Iran's nuclear ambitions
— The latest figures related to the nation's jobless rate, retail sales growth or stock market performance
— The future of the Mississippi County hospital system
— National health care, Sen. Max Baucus or the public option
— The price of oil, and how it will effect gas prices
— Carol White and the Blytheville City Council
— Jon and Kate
— Where Osama bin Laden is
— The overall condition of local parks
— Glenn Beck
— Who David Letterman has had sex with
— The H1N1 virus
— The fate of Roman Polanski
— The cafeteria at Central Elementary School
— Anything having to do with the West Memphis 3
Conversely, here are some of the things you DO think about:
— Wind
— Rain
— Your legs
— Your knees
— Your feet
— Your heart
— Your lungs
— The pavement
— Goose poop (if running at Walker Park or the Youth Sportsplex).
— Sun
— Sweat
The point is, running cuts you down to the basics. It's a great way to escape the confines of reality, and to get healthy along the way.
Anyone looking to go running (or walking) with fellow citizens, ought to check out the 5K Family Fun Run and 2K Walk, set for 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. The entry fee is only $20, and all participants get a t-shirt and a chili-tasting ticket that be used during the chili cookoff being held later that day. Registration can also be made online at www.racesonline.com through Oct. 13. Individuals can also enter on the day of the race (for $30) beginning at 6:30. Participants will meet on the parking lot of the Great River Medical Center.
Running, or even just walking, is a great way to get out, get healthy and get away from it all. Everyone ought to give it a try.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
2010 could be watershed year for county
With seats opening up among several of the county's top elected positions, 2010 looks to be a watershed year when it comes to Mississippi County politics.
The open seats start at the top, with county judge. Longtime Judge Steve McGuire has announced his plans to retire, creating an open race.
And with the death of former Sheriff Leroy Meadows earlier this year, the sheriff's race is also wide open. James Sanders was appointed to fill the remainder of Meadows' term, but is forbidden by law from seeking election.
Other county posts also figure to feature open races for the first time in years in 2010.
It's a situation that makes the 2010 elections some of the most important in recent memory, as the direction our county takes in years to come will be determined.
For that matter, for all facets of local government, the next several elections could produce watershed years. Taking a look across the faces of those who hold elected offices — whether it be quorum courts, city councils or school boards — you see a lot of folks who are likely at the end of their years of public service.
In other words, the next decade will likely see major changes in the leadership of many of our communities. Some of it has already started.
What will be interesting is to see what kind of leaders this next generation will produce.
Will we get the next generation of "good ol' boys" — men and women content to do things the way they have always been done?
Will we get obstructionists — candidates whose chief purpose is to stand in the way of someone else's plans?
Will we get prima donnas — office-holders who are more enamored by the public spotlight, and are only blithely aware of their constituents and job responsibilities?
Will we get experienced leaders — people who will bring their genuine talents and skills to a new level of public service?
Will we get consensus builders — leaders who possess the people skills to forge compromises, and unite people?
Will we get visionaries — people who can see beyond the way things are, to the way things could be?
So far, at the county level, we've got four candidates for sheriff and two candidates for county judge. Running for sheriff are Tommy Bennett, Dale Cook, Ed Guthrie and Jackie Hill. Running for judge are Randy Carney and John Alan Nelson.
There may be more candidates out there, but the six mentioned above are those who have notified the local media of their intentions.
And that brings us to another point. When it comes to press coverage, the Courier News has agreed to publish an "announcement" story when a candidate announces his or her candidacy. Coverage of all other campaign events after that will be considered paid advertisements. The exception would be events or articles when all candidates are included.
So far, all of the candidates are Democrats, which is pretty common for Mississippi County. That means the election will likely be decided in the May 18 primary (and any subsequent runoffs), rather than the November general election.
It should to be a fun campaign to watch. That is, it ought to be. My hope is that the candidates running (and their backers) keep their heads about them. Political races are a competition, and in any competition, fans of one side or the other are prone to cases of tunnel-vision when it comes to their guy (or girl). And it's this kind of tunnel-vision and single-mindedness that leads to political nastiness, and it must be resisted.
We need to be able to have a civil debate in our communities. This is no more true than in the next eight months, with the future direction of our county on the line.
The open seats start at the top, with county judge. Longtime Judge Steve McGuire has announced his plans to retire, creating an open race.
And with the death of former Sheriff Leroy Meadows earlier this year, the sheriff's race is also wide open. James Sanders was appointed to fill the remainder of Meadows' term, but is forbidden by law from seeking election.
Other county posts also figure to feature open races for the first time in years in 2010.
It's a situation that makes the 2010 elections some of the most important in recent memory, as the direction our county takes in years to come will be determined.
For that matter, for all facets of local government, the next several elections could produce watershed years. Taking a look across the faces of those who hold elected offices — whether it be quorum courts, city councils or school boards — you see a lot of folks who are likely at the end of their years of public service.
In other words, the next decade will likely see major changes in the leadership of many of our communities. Some of it has already started.
What will be interesting is to see what kind of leaders this next generation will produce.
Will we get the next generation of "good ol' boys" — men and women content to do things the way they have always been done?
Will we get obstructionists — candidates whose chief purpose is to stand in the way of someone else's plans?
Will we get prima donnas — office-holders who are more enamored by the public spotlight, and are only blithely aware of their constituents and job responsibilities?
Will we get experienced leaders — people who will bring their genuine talents and skills to a new level of public service?
Will we get consensus builders — leaders who possess the people skills to forge compromises, and unite people?
Will we get visionaries — people who can see beyond the way things are, to the way things could be?
So far, at the county level, we've got four candidates for sheriff and two candidates for county judge. Running for sheriff are Tommy Bennett, Dale Cook, Ed Guthrie and Jackie Hill. Running for judge are Randy Carney and John Alan Nelson.
There may be more candidates out there, but the six mentioned above are those who have notified the local media of their intentions.
And that brings us to another point. When it comes to press coverage, the Courier News has agreed to publish an "announcement" story when a candidate announces his or her candidacy. Coverage of all other campaign events after that will be considered paid advertisements. The exception would be events or articles when all candidates are included.
So far, all of the candidates are Democrats, which is pretty common for Mississippi County. That means the election will likely be decided in the May 18 primary (and any subsequent runoffs), rather than the November general election.
It should to be a fun campaign to watch. That is, it ought to be. My hope is that the candidates running (and their backers) keep their heads about them. Political races are a competition, and in any competition, fans of one side or the other are prone to cases of tunnel-vision when it comes to their guy (or girl). And it's this kind of tunnel-vision and single-mindedness that leads to political nastiness, and it must be resisted.
We need to be able to have a civil debate in our communities. This is no more true than in the next eight months, with the future direction of our county on the line.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
It's time to throw your hat over the wall
It's about a month before it's time for the 5K run/walk being held in conjunction with this year's Greater Blytheville Chili Cook-off Oct. 17.
If you're one of those folks I've spoken to who have thought about joining in, but haven't signed up yet, or are hesitating for whatever reason, my advice is to throw your hat over the wall and do it.
"Throwing your hat over the wall" is a phrase used to convey a commitment do doing something. The idea is that once your hat is over the wall, you have no choice to to climb over and get it.
In regard to the 5K, throwing your hat over the wall means signing up. For anyone who wants to take part, but is dragging feet when it comes to commitment, signing up — as soon as possible — is the way to go. It's the best way to compel yourself to do something healthy for yourself.
This is what I had to do when I ran my first 5K last spring. I'd been running off and on for several months. I liked getting the exercise, but without a sense of accomplishment, it was hard for me to stick with it, consistently.
That's when I started playing around with the idea of running a 5K. I spent weeks perusing the Internet for potential runs, but for the longest time, I never signed up. I made excuses about my schedule, the location of the race or the number of participants. But in the end I was just nervous. Eventually, I decided it was time to get over it.
The race I settled on was down in Marion, an event sponsored by the chamber of commerce down there. It was billed as a "fun run." I threw my hat over the wall and signed up. I found satisfaction in knowing I had something to aim for, that there was no turning back.
The event featured just over a hundred runners in all ages, shapes and sizes. You could tell there were some "real" runners, as well as some just out for a long stroll. It was the right kind of race for me — challenging, but not overly competitive. I finished with a time of 29 minutes and 29 second — fairly slow by the standards of "real" runners. But I've learned to understand that the only standards that matter are my own.
So when I did my second 5K on Labor Day in downtown Memphis, my only goal was to beat my earlier time. This run/walk featured nearly 1,700 runners, so it was a different experience. Yet it was still very much the same — some participants were old, some were young; some were thin, some were round. There were some who ran fast, some who ran slow, some who walked, and some who did a little of everything. There was a great feeling of camaraderie, and a general sense that it wasn't about winning or setting records, but simply about getting out there and doing it — doing something healthy on a sunny autumn morning.
I expect the 5K to be held in Blytheville will be no different. In addition to a 5K run and a 5K walk, there is also a 2-mile "family fun run." The events begin at 8 in the morning, so there's still plenty of time to take part in whatever activities you have planned for the day, whether it's a soccer game, college football on the television, or the chili cook-off on Main Street. In other words, there's no good excuse not to do it.
Registration forms can be picked up from the United Way office on Park Street. You can also register online at www.racesonline.com. Registrations will also be taken the day of the race. Cost is $20, ($30 on race day) which includes a t-shirt. Proceeds benefit the United Way of Greater Blytheville.
If you want to do something healthy; if you want to enjoy a fabulous autumn morning; if you want to help out the United Way; if you want to do something that will make feel supremely good about yourself, I urge you join me by throwing your hat over the wall and taking part in this event. You won't be disappointed.
If you're one of those folks I've spoken to who have thought about joining in, but haven't signed up yet, or are hesitating for whatever reason, my advice is to throw your hat over the wall and do it.
"Throwing your hat over the wall" is a phrase used to convey a commitment do doing something. The idea is that once your hat is over the wall, you have no choice to to climb over and get it.
In regard to the 5K, throwing your hat over the wall means signing up. For anyone who wants to take part, but is dragging feet when it comes to commitment, signing up — as soon as possible — is the way to go. It's the best way to compel yourself to do something healthy for yourself.
This is what I had to do when I ran my first 5K last spring. I'd been running off and on for several months. I liked getting the exercise, but without a sense of accomplishment, it was hard for me to stick with it, consistently.
That's when I started playing around with the idea of running a 5K. I spent weeks perusing the Internet for potential runs, but for the longest time, I never signed up. I made excuses about my schedule, the location of the race or the number of participants. But in the end I was just nervous. Eventually, I decided it was time to get over it.
The race I settled on was down in Marion, an event sponsored by the chamber of commerce down there. It was billed as a "fun run." I threw my hat over the wall and signed up. I found satisfaction in knowing I had something to aim for, that there was no turning back.
The event featured just over a hundred runners in all ages, shapes and sizes. You could tell there were some "real" runners, as well as some just out for a long stroll. It was the right kind of race for me — challenging, but not overly competitive. I finished with a time of 29 minutes and 29 second — fairly slow by the standards of "real" runners. But I've learned to understand that the only standards that matter are my own.
So when I did my second 5K on Labor Day in downtown Memphis, my only goal was to beat my earlier time. This run/walk featured nearly 1,700 runners, so it was a different experience. Yet it was still very much the same — some participants were old, some were young; some were thin, some were round. There were some who ran fast, some who ran slow, some who walked, and some who did a little of everything. There was a great feeling of camaraderie, and a general sense that it wasn't about winning or setting records, but simply about getting out there and doing it — doing something healthy on a sunny autumn morning.
I expect the 5K to be held in Blytheville will be no different. In addition to a 5K run and a 5K walk, there is also a 2-mile "family fun run." The events begin at 8 in the morning, so there's still plenty of time to take part in whatever activities you have planned for the day, whether it's a soccer game, college football on the television, or the chili cook-off on Main Street. In other words, there's no good excuse not to do it.
Registration forms can be picked up from the United Way office on Park Street. You can also register online at www.racesonline.com. Registrations will also be taken the day of the race. Cost is $20, ($30 on race day) which includes a t-shirt. Proceeds benefit the United Way of Greater Blytheville.
If you want to do something healthy; if you want to enjoy a fabulous autumn morning; if you want to help out the United Way; if you want to do something that will make feel supremely good about yourself, I urge you join me by throwing your hat over the wall and taking part in this event. You won't be disappointed.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Skating party brings back fond memories
September is now upon us, and another school year is in full swing. And with that has come the inevitable return of birthday party season.
There aren't a whole lot of birthday parties over the summer. I guess it's too hard to adequately distribute invitations without the central distribution point that the elementary school classroom offers.
On Sunday, my 7-year-old son Drew was invited to Skateland for the birthday party of his buddy, Ethan. Ever the fan of the skating rink, my daughter Katie, 10, decided to come along as well. And so it was that I spent my Sunday afternoon at the skating rink. Though the crowd of second-graders on hand had to have been well above the legal limit, everyone seemed to have a good time.
My skating days are well behind me, so I was content to take on the role of spectator. And as I watched, I got to thinking about similar events from my own childhood.
In the early 1980s, the annual family skate night was arguably the pinnacle of the social calendar for the students of Cleveland Elementary School. The skating rink would be packed for the night. There would be a long line to get in, a long line to get skates, and the rink was always crawling with skaters. We used to have to fight to find a place to store our street shoes, and inevitably, there would be a large crowd gathered at the concession stand, where kids would stand in their skates as they waited for corn dogs and jumbo pretzels.
The local rink featured a hopping video arcade. I'll always remember the year they got a new "Star Wars" game. I waited all night for my chance to play, and I darn near blew up the Death Star on my first try.
We had great fun with the typical skating rink games, like the "four corners" dice game, the "Hokey-Pokey," and the "Limbo" (all of which were enjoyed last Sunday as well). We'd skate to the "YMCA," and grow dizzy watching the specks of light cast by the disco ball sweep across the floor.
I was never a great skater. The annual skate night was usually my one-and-only visit to the rink each year, and I was always pretty much a wall-hugger. Sometimes, by the end of the evening, I'd venture 3, maybe 4 feet away from the sanctuary of the wall, but it was always with great trepidation.
But the high-point of any skate night was the "couples" skate, in which boys and girls would partner up for a few laps around the rink while the latest ballad of the day played on the sound system. The younger kids would be hand and hand, while the older kids would dare to skate facing each other, with one skater (almost always the girl) facing backward. For the elementary school sect, there was no greater consummation of a "relationship" than a couples skate. A couples skate with a pretty girl would be something you'd brag about for the next six months.
The night would end, and we'd change back into our street shoes, always remarking on how weird it felt to be back in shoes that didn't roll. We'd nurse our blisters for days afterward, but always keep the good memories.
When I think back to my elementary school days, the nights of the annual skating parties are among the highlights. So I'm glad to see that my kids are being able to build some of the same kind of memories. It's something worth remembering, when I'm sitting at the rink, stuck in spectator mode. I'm glad Blytheville has a skating rink, and I know Katie and Drew are looking forward to their next skating party.
But now that I'm in father-mode, I must say that if they start doing boy-girl couples skates, we might have to re-think the whole thing.
There aren't a whole lot of birthday parties over the summer. I guess it's too hard to adequately distribute invitations without the central distribution point that the elementary school classroom offers.
On Sunday, my 7-year-old son Drew was invited to Skateland for the birthday party of his buddy, Ethan. Ever the fan of the skating rink, my daughter Katie, 10, decided to come along as well. And so it was that I spent my Sunday afternoon at the skating rink. Though the crowd of second-graders on hand had to have been well above the legal limit, everyone seemed to have a good time.
My skating days are well behind me, so I was content to take on the role of spectator. And as I watched, I got to thinking about similar events from my own childhood.
In the early 1980s, the annual family skate night was arguably the pinnacle of the social calendar for the students of Cleveland Elementary School. The skating rink would be packed for the night. There would be a long line to get in, a long line to get skates, and the rink was always crawling with skaters. We used to have to fight to find a place to store our street shoes, and inevitably, there would be a large crowd gathered at the concession stand, where kids would stand in their skates as they waited for corn dogs and jumbo pretzels.
The local rink featured a hopping video arcade. I'll always remember the year they got a new "Star Wars" game. I waited all night for my chance to play, and I darn near blew up the Death Star on my first try.
We had great fun with the typical skating rink games, like the "four corners" dice game, the "Hokey-Pokey," and the "Limbo" (all of which were enjoyed last Sunday as well). We'd skate to the "YMCA," and grow dizzy watching the specks of light cast by the disco ball sweep across the floor.
I was never a great skater. The annual skate night was usually my one-and-only visit to the rink each year, and I was always pretty much a wall-hugger. Sometimes, by the end of the evening, I'd venture 3, maybe 4 feet away from the sanctuary of the wall, but it was always with great trepidation.
But the high-point of any skate night was the "couples" skate, in which boys and girls would partner up for a few laps around the rink while the latest ballad of the day played on the sound system. The younger kids would be hand and hand, while the older kids would dare to skate facing each other, with one skater (almost always the girl) facing backward. For the elementary school sect, there was no greater consummation of a "relationship" than a couples skate. A couples skate with a pretty girl would be something you'd brag about for the next six months.
The night would end, and we'd change back into our street shoes, always remarking on how weird it felt to be back in shoes that didn't roll. We'd nurse our blisters for days afterward, but always keep the good memories.
When I think back to my elementary school days, the nights of the annual skating parties are among the highlights. So I'm glad to see that my kids are being able to build some of the same kind of memories. It's something worth remembering, when I'm sitting at the rink, stuck in spectator mode. I'm glad Blytheville has a skating rink, and I know Katie and Drew are looking forward to their next skating party.
But now that I'm in father-mode, I must say that if they start doing boy-girl couples skates, we might have to re-think the whole thing.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Get your kicks by getting active this fall
With only a few days left in August, autumn is pretty much looking us right in the face.
Usually, autumn is associated with cooler temperatures, and that's more or less true, though around here, it really doesn't get too chilly until November. That means we've got a couple of months here of some pretty nice weather, providing ample opportunity to get outside and get active.
Some folks will use that time to watch a few football games. Others will do some fall yard work. Both are fine activities.
But there's a couple of upcoming community activities that deserve mention, for they offer a chance for some healthy fun for local citizens young and old alike.
The first is the fall soccer season sponsored by the Blytheville Area Soccer Association. BASA provides soccer leagues for children ages 4-16, with games played every Saturday at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. Cost is only $30 per child, which includes a cool jersey the kids get to keep.
Registration has already been under way, with the last registration session set for Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce.
This will be the fourth year that our family has participated in the local soccer program. We're big fans. Soccer is a great game for its simplicity. You run. You kick. You have fun. There's not a better way to spend a Saturday morning.
I'll be coaching my son, Drew's U8 team this year. It's my third year to coach, though my first time with that age group. It should be interesting. 10-year-old Katie, meanwhile, will be moving up to the U12 division this year. With her speed and and nose for the ball, she should do great. Needless to say, we're all getting excited.
But if you're too old for soccer, but still have an urge to get out and move around this fall, mark your calendars for Oct. 17. That's the date for the inaugural Greater Blytheville Chili Cookoff 5K Walk/Run and 2-Mile Family Fun Walk. Proceeds raised will benefit the United Way.
I started doing a little running a couple of years ago, after growing weary of increasing time spent as a couch potato. I still remember the first time I tried "running" — I got about four driveways down the street before I thought I was going to die. But luckily, I stuck with it, and earlier this year, ran in my first 5K down in Marion. It was a fun day, and I've been looking forward to doing another one ever since.
This local event is the perfect opportunity for runners and walkers, new and experienced, young and old, fast and slow, to take part in a healthy autumn activity.
The event will begin and end near Great River Medical Center, with a course that will loop participants out along June Gosnell Drive to the Sportsplex. Medals will be awards to top finishers in each of several age groups. A professional timing service has been hired to make the event something runners will want to come back to each year.
With the run/walk beginning at 8 a.m., there will still be plenty of time for participants to head downtown for the Chili Cookoff, or over to the Sportsplex for some soccer action.
Registration is $20. You can register online by visiting www.racesonline.com Mail-in registrations are available any of committee member or at the United Way office.
Whether your interests are running or walking or kicking, this is a great time of the year to get outside, get active and get healthy. It won't be long before it's too cold and ugly to do any of this, so we ought to take advantage of it while we can.
Usually, autumn is associated with cooler temperatures, and that's more or less true, though around here, it really doesn't get too chilly until November. That means we've got a couple of months here of some pretty nice weather, providing ample opportunity to get outside and get active.
Some folks will use that time to watch a few football games. Others will do some fall yard work. Both are fine activities.
But there's a couple of upcoming community activities that deserve mention, for they offer a chance for some healthy fun for local citizens young and old alike.
The first is the fall soccer season sponsored by the Blytheville Area Soccer Association. BASA provides soccer leagues for children ages 4-16, with games played every Saturday at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. Cost is only $30 per child, which includes a cool jersey the kids get to keep.
Registration has already been under way, with the last registration session set for Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce.
This will be the fourth year that our family has participated in the local soccer program. We're big fans. Soccer is a great game for its simplicity. You run. You kick. You have fun. There's not a better way to spend a Saturday morning.
I'll be coaching my son, Drew's U8 team this year. It's my third year to coach, though my first time with that age group. It should be interesting. 10-year-old Katie, meanwhile, will be moving up to the U12 division this year. With her speed and and nose for the ball, she should do great. Needless to say, we're all getting excited.
But if you're too old for soccer, but still have an urge to get out and move around this fall, mark your calendars for Oct. 17. That's the date for the inaugural Greater Blytheville Chili Cookoff 5K Walk/Run and 2-Mile Family Fun Walk. Proceeds raised will benefit the United Way.
I started doing a little running a couple of years ago, after growing weary of increasing time spent as a couch potato. I still remember the first time I tried "running" — I got about four driveways down the street before I thought I was going to die. But luckily, I stuck with it, and earlier this year, ran in my first 5K down in Marion. It was a fun day, and I've been looking forward to doing another one ever since.
This local event is the perfect opportunity for runners and walkers, new and experienced, young and old, fast and slow, to take part in a healthy autumn activity.
The event will begin and end near Great River Medical Center, with a course that will loop participants out along June Gosnell Drive to the Sportsplex. Medals will be awards to top finishers in each of several age groups. A professional timing service has been hired to make the event something runners will want to come back to each year.
With the run/walk beginning at 8 a.m., there will still be plenty of time for participants to head downtown for the Chili Cookoff, or over to the Sportsplex for some soccer action.
Registration is $20. You can register online by visiting www.racesonline.com Mail-in registrations are available any of committee member or at the United Way office.
Whether your interests are running or walking or kicking, this is a great time of the year to get outside, get active and get healthy. It won't be long before it's too cold and ugly to do any of this, so we ought to take advantage of it while we can.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Time running out on Summer 2009
Though the slow bake typical for August in the mid-South continues in full force, the calendar tells a different story. The sand is quickly running through the hourglass, and Summer 2009 is virtually in the record books.
As early as this week, kids in Missouri will be heading back to school. Here in Arkansas, the school year won’t be under way until next week, but the verdict is still the same: Summer is pretty much over.
If you’re a regular reader of this column, you no doubt know my views when it comes to the seasons of the year. To put it simply, I’m a big fan of summer. Not so much for winter. Spring is good, in that it leads up to summer. Fall, by virtue of preceding winter, lands a place on my unpopular list.
So this would generally be the time of the year for me to start getting retrospective and nostalgic about the fall of summer’s glory, complete with all the seasonal affective disorders that go with it.
But I’m hoping to do better this year. After all, the fall/winter season isn’t all bad. There are more than a couple silver linings in every winter cloud. And I’m hoping to spend more time focusing on the positives this go-around.
For starters, fall is football season, and that’s a very good thing, though my wife might disagree. I’m more of a fan of the college game than the pros, but whether it’s Saturday or Sunday, there’s nothing more synonymous with fall than an afternoon with a good football game.
Fall is also soccer season, at least here in Blytheville. This will be the fourth year for my kids to take part in the Blytheville Area Soccer Association. Games are played every Saturday morning out on the Youth Sportsplex. Watching hundreds of kids in bright-colored jerseys chase a ball around the pitch is always a great start to any autumn weekend.
The end of summer also means an end to scorching heat. I’m looking forward to being able to go outside for walks or runs, or just to sit on the patio, maybe enjoying a small campfire. Such pursuits have been less than comfortable under the blazing August sun.
Summer reruns are, thankfully, nearing an end as well. The onset of fall and winter means favorite network shows will be back with new episodes. “Lost” and “The Amazing Race” still top my lists of scheduled viewing, and I’ve gone months without a new fix from either.
There's also a few decent holidays to look forward to over the coming months. I've always loved the Christmas season, and Thanksgiving and New Year's can be rewarding as well. The kids are big fans of Halloween, of course, and even Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day have a few redeeming qualities.
I'm also looking forward to not having to mow my lawn for a few months. Honestly, in the spring, I really enjoy mowing. By mid-summer, it's tolerable. But by this time, I'm sick of it. I'm ready for a break.
But the best thing about the fall/winter season is that it, ultimately, is what makes the spring/summer season so great. Just as lightness is meaningless without darkness, and cleanliness means nothing without dirt, summer means nothing without winter. The very greatness of summertime is defined by its contrast to winter. If it were 85 degrees and sunny every day, life would get boring. (Or we'd at least be a lot less appreciative of it.)
So I'm ending the summer on an optimistic note. Fall and winter may not be my favorite seasons of of year, but there's some things I can look forward to.
Besides that, eventually, summer will be back. I'm sure I'll be ready for it.
As early as this week, kids in Missouri will be heading back to school. Here in Arkansas, the school year won’t be under way until next week, but the verdict is still the same: Summer is pretty much over.
If you’re a regular reader of this column, you no doubt know my views when it comes to the seasons of the year. To put it simply, I’m a big fan of summer. Not so much for winter. Spring is good, in that it leads up to summer. Fall, by virtue of preceding winter, lands a place on my unpopular list.
So this would generally be the time of the year for me to start getting retrospective and nostalgic about the fall of summer’s glory, complete with all the seasonal affective disorders that go with it.
But I’m hoping to do better this year. After all, the fall/winter season isn’t all bad. There are more than a couple silver linings in every winter cloud. And I’m hoping to spend more time focusing on the positives this go-around.
For starters, fall is football season, and that’s a very good thing, though my wife might disagree. I’m more of a fan of the college game than the pros, but whether it’s Saturday or Sunday, there’s nothing more synonymous with fall than an afternoon with a good football game.
Fall is also soccer season, at least here in Blytheville. This will be the fourth year for my kids to take part in the Blytheville Area Soccer Association. Games are played every Saturday morning out on the Youth Sportsplex. Watching hundreds of kids in bright-colored jerseys chase a ball around the pitch is always a great start to any autumn weekend.
The end of summer also means an end to scorching heat. I’m looking forward to being able to go outside for walks or runs, or just to sit on the patio, maybe enjoying a small campfire. Such pursuits have been less than comfortable under the blazing August sun.
Summer reruns are, thankfully, nearing an end as well. The onset of fall and winter means favorite network shows will be back with new episodes. “Lost” and “The Amazing Race” still top my lists of scheduled viewing, and I’ve gone months without a new fix from either.
There's also a few decent holidays to look forward to over the coming months. I've always loved the Christmas season, and Thanksgiving and New Year's can be rewarding as well. The kids are big fans of Halloween, of course, and even Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day have a few redeeming qualities.
I'm also looking forward to not having to mow my lawn for a few months. Honestly, in the spring, I really enjoy mowing. By mid-summer, it's tolerable. But by this time, I'm sick of it. I'm ready for a break.
But the best thing about the fall/winter season is that it, ultimately, is what makes the spring/summer season so great. Just as lightness is meaningless without darkness, and cleanliness means nothing without dirt, summer means nothing without winter. The very greatness of summertime is defined by its contrast to winter. If it were 85 degrees and sunny every day, life would get boring. (Or we'd at least be a lot less appreciative of it.)
So I'm ending the summer on an optimistic note. Fall and winter may not be my favorite seasons of of year, but there's some things I can look forward to.
Besides that, eventually, summer will be back. I'm sure I'll be ready for it.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
How one summer can change your world
I remember that May 29 was a beautiful night. School had just gotten out for the year, there was a car race and a baseball tournament in town for the weekend, and summer was at its glorious dawn.
I was eating supper at Perkins when the call came. It was my mom. She had not been feeling well for several weeks, and she confirmed family speculation when she told me it was not just a cold or a stomach bug that was ailing her. It was cancer. In the days that followed, we would learn that the cancer, which had started in her breast, had already spread into the bone and the abdominal area, perhaps into other organs as well.
Of course, the prognosis was not good. Doctors were hesitant to speculate on how much time she had, but it became pretty obvious pretty quick that we were dealing in months, not years.
It turned out to be 55 days. Just after dawn on July 23 — 37 years to the day that I came into this world — Cathy Weld passed from it. She was 67.
I will forever remember her final 24 hours. We already knew my mom’s condition was rapidly deteriorating when my sister called about 5:30 a.m. on the 22nd. The nurses had said she was likely in her final 24 hours. An hour later, when told she had a son eight-plus hours away, the nurses speculated that she likely would not last that long.
My wife and I raced to complete our daily obligations, packed a couple of suitcases, loaded the kids in the van and headed north. It was after 10 p.m. when we arrived, and Mom was still hanging in there. She was completely unresponsive, and the telltale “death rattle” could be heard every time she took a breath.
The vigil continued throughout the night — a night of prayers and tears and introspection. With every labored breath, the end seemed to be upon us, only to be followed by another labored breath. As dawn broke, the breathing became shallower and shallower, and quieter and quieter, until there was no more. Around 6:20 a.m., Mom took her last breath, and then it was over.
Knowing your mom is going to die — and then watching it happen — is no joyous ordeal, to be sure. The weeks leading up to this have been characterized by a growing sense of emptiness that has only been intensified by the ultimate loss of life. I’ve made several trips to Iowa this summer, and while I’m grateful for the time I got to spent with my mom before she died, it doesn’t begin to fill the void that her death has left.
Though I spent the night at my mother’s side in her final hours, I wasn’t in the room when she took her final breath. I had stepped outside for a short break. I’ve thought about this a lot since then, and I can only conclude that this was a gift my mom gave me. For whatever reason, it was meant to be that I didn’t see my mom die. My sister and father were on hand, but it was moments later that I received the news.
This is but one of several gifts my mom has left me — perhaps inadvertently — with her passing. In her death I have learned the importance of being vigilant about one’s health, that being healthy is not something that just happens automatically. I’ve learned that it’s important to reach out to others when you’re challenged with a foe you can’t defeat on your own. And I’ve learned the value in being sympathetic and empathetic with others who are enduring a loss. If I can take something positive out of the loss of my mom, I hope it is in these morsels of wisdom.
But no amount of wisdom can change the fact that the world is a little bit lonelier today. It is an emptier place. The woman who rocked me in her arms, put band-aids on my knee, packed countless school lunches, helped make my dorm room livable and was always my greatest source of advice when my kids were sick, is no longer with us. She’s gone. And all that’s left is a haze of grief that follows me everywhere I go.
At last June’s Relay for Life — the local fundraiser for the American Cancer Society — I purchased a luminary “in honor” of my mom. Next year, I will purchase one in her memory. It’s a way of coping — one of many small gestures that helps fill the void.
That void will likely never be filled. But it gives me comfort to know that she is no longer suffering. And every time a bird flitters past me in a most peculiar way, or when the breeze blows ever so gently in my face, I will know it could be my mom passing by, just to say hello, or to look after me as she did so often in life. There’s a new angel in heaven today, and it’s good to know she’s on my side.
I was eating supper at Perkins when the call came. It was my mom. She had not been feeling well for several weeks, and she confirmed family speculation when she told me it was not just a cold or a stomach bug that was ailing her. It was cancer. In the days that followed, we would learn that the cancer, which had started in her breast, had already spread into the bone and the abdominal area, perhaps into other organs as well.
Of course, the prognosis was not good. Doctors were hesitant to speculate on how much time she had, but it became pretty obvious pretty quick that we were dealing in months, not years.
It turned out to be 55 days. Just after dawn on July 23 — 37 years to the day that I came into this world — Cathy Weld passed from it. She was 67.
I will forever remember her final 24 hours. We already knew my mom’s condition was rapidly deteriorating when my sister called about 5:30 a.m. on the 22nd. The nurses had said she was likely in her final 24 hours. An hour later, when told she had a son eight-plus hours away, the nurses speculated that she likely would not last that long. My wife and I raced to complete our daily obligations, packed a couple of suitcases, loaded the kids in the van and headed north. It was after 10 p.m. when we arrived, and Mom was still hanging in there. She was completely unresponsive, and the telltale “death rattle” could be heard every time she took a breath.
The vigil continued throughout the night — a night of prayers and tears and introspection. With every labored breath, the end seemed to be upon us, only to be followed by another labored breath. As dawn broke, the breathing became shallower and shallower, and quieter and quieter, until there was no more. Around 6:20 a.m., Mom took her last breath, and then it was over.
Knowing your mom is going to die — and then watching it happen — is no joyous ordeal, to be sure. The weeks leading up to this have been characterized by a growing sense of emptiness that has only been intensified by the ultimate loss of life. I’ve made several trips to Iowa this summer, and while I’m grateful for the time I got to spent with my mom before she died, it doesn’t begin to fill the void that her death has left.
Though I spent the night at my mother’s side in her final hours, I wasn’t in the room when she took her final breath. I had stepped outside for a short break. I’ve thought about this a lot since then, and I can only conclude that this was a gift my mom gave me. For whatever reason, it was meant to be that I didn’t see my mom die. My sister and father were on hand, but it was moments later that I received the news.
This is but one of several gifts my mom has left me — perhaps inadvertently — with her passing. In her death I have learned the importance of being vigilant about one’s health, that being healthy is not something that just happens automatically. I’ve learned that it’s important to reach out to others when you’re challenged with a foe you can’t defeat on your own. And I’ve learned the value in being sympathetic and empathetic with others who are enduring a loss. If I can take something positive out of the loss of my mom, I hope it is in these morsels of wisdom.
But no amount of wisdom can change the fact that the world is a little bit lonelier today. It is an emptier place. The woman who rocked me in her arms, put band-aids on my knee, packed countless school lunches, helped make my dorm room livable and was always my greatest source of advice when my kids were sick, is no longer with us. She’s gone. And all that’s left is a haze of grief that follows me everywhere I go.At last June’s Relay for Life — the local fundraiser for the American Cancer Society — I purchased a luminary “in honor” of my mom. Next year, I will purchase one in her memory. It’s a way of coping — one of many small gestures that helps fill the void.
That void will likely never be filled. But it gives me comfort to know that she is no longer suffering. And every time a bird flitters past me in a most peculiar way, or when the breeze blows ever so gently in my face, I will know it could be my mom passing by, just to say hello, or to look after me as she did so often in life. There’s a new angel in heaven today, and it’s good to know she’s on my side.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Is annexation good for anyone?
As a resident of the Armorel area, I took particular interest when I heard of plans by the Blytheville City Council to study the possible annexations of several outlying neighborhoods.
The neighborhoods in question are Armorel Estates and Birchwood, both in the Armorel area, as well as Meadow Lawn, located north of Wal-Mart, and Ramblewood, located off of North Franklin.
For the record, I don't live in any of those neighborhoods. But as a resident of the greater Armorel area, it's still something that caught my attention, and perhaps I can offer some perspective on the matter.
My knee-jerk reaction is the same as many of my neighbors — that is, somewhat negative. It just seems somehow wrong — un-American even — to use legal force to bring a group of people into a municipality who already made a conscious decision not to live there. Though there could conceivably be an election on the matter, it will likely be the whims of Blytheville voters which will determine the outcome, as the voters in Armorel and the other neighborhoods would be a distinct minority.
Beyond that, there's been those who have implied that people living just outside the city limits are somehow "freeloaders" — taking advantage of what the city has to offer without actually living there. Quite the opposite is true, actually. Those living outside the city limits contribute just as much to the local economy as anyone else — without ever having a vote to cast on any matter of city governance.
I was also taken aback by comments from Municipal League consultant Jim von Tungeln, who advised council members against having a public hearing on the matter, for fear such an event would serve to mobilize opposition to the idea. God forbid the city be open, honest and straightforward with its plans. So much for promoting democracy and open government. (Kudos to Jim McClain for advocating a public forum.)
But after giving more thought to the matter, there are a number of potential advantages to annexation for residents of outlying neighborhoods. For one, police and fire protection could improve — which could result in lowered insurance rates. For another, I know I sometimes wish I had access to the city's code enforcement protection, which would come in handy in the event that a neighbor decides to turn his front lawn into a used car lot. And it would also be nice to have a vote the next time the City Council decides to push a sales tax hike.
Besides all that, adding a few thousand people to its population — besides increasing the city's take of state turnback funds — could boost the city's profile, statewide. And that's something that could benefit the entire area.
It's also worth noting that annexation would have no bearing on school district boundaries. Those living in the Armorel area for the school district would have no reason to fear switching schools. That myth can be laid aside.
That said, I remain skeptical of the wisdom of annexation. Mainly, I'm just not confident the city of Blytheville has the means to support any new neighborhoods. Annexing these areas would create a need for more police officers, more police cars, more firefighters and maybe even a new fire station. More man hours would be needed at city hall to manage the various needs and requests of thousands of new Blythevillians. Garbage trucks would have more miles to travel. And the city would quickly become responsible for a whole new slew of city roads, some of which are already in horrible condition (see Meadow Lawn.)
It's no secret that despite diligent and industrious efforts, the city of Blytheville, at present, struggles to provide services to its current set of city limits. It's been years since there's been any major street repairs. It took a tax referendum to provide adequate support to the city's police and fire departments. And there's been countless news articles in the past year detailing the city's budget cuts.
In other words, one must ask how a city struggling to manage its current population and land area could expect to effectively take in more land area?
At the end of the day, I think I stand with Councilman R.L. Jones, who has been alone on the Council in opposing spending $8,500 in taxpayers' money to study the possibility of annexation. It just doesn't seem prudent to blow that kind of cash on something that just doesn't seem like a very good idea. Especially when there are so many other better ways the city could put that kind of money to good use, whether it's fixing pot-holes, improving drainage or any other of a range of problems that any of us could name.
Perhaps a couple years down the road — after the city gains access to its streets fund, the parks and recreation fund develops, and the city gets a better grasp on its budget situation — expanding its boundaries and growing its population might be something worth pursuing.
But not now. Right now, the city of Blytheville has its hands full. It should leave the outlying neighborhoods alone.
The neighborhoods in question are Armorel Estates and Birchwood, both in the Armorel area, as well as Meadow Lawn, located north of Wal-Mart, and Ramblewood, located off of North Franklin.
For the record, I don't live in any of those neighborhoods. But as a resident of the greater Armorel area, it's still something that caught my attention, and perhaps I can offer some perspective on the matter.
My knee-jerk reaction is the same as many of my neighbors — that is, somewhat negative. It just seems somehow wrong — un-American even — to use legal force to bring a group of people into a municipality who already made a conscious decision not to live there. Though there could conceivably be an election on the matter, it will likely be the whims of Blytheville voters which will determine the outcome, as the voters in Armorel and the other neighborhoods would be a distinct minority.
Beyond that, there's been those who have implied that people living just outside the city limits are somehow "freeloaders" — taking advantage of what the city has to offer without actually living there. Quite the opposite is true, actually. Those living outside the city limits contribute just as much to the local economy as anyone else — without ever having a vote to cast on any matter of city governance.
I was also taken aback by comments from Municipal League consultant Jim von Tungeln, who advised council members against having a public hearing on the matter, for fear such an event would serve to mobilize opposition to the idea. God forbid the city be open, honest and straightforward with its plans. So much for promoting democracy and open government. (Kudos to Jim McClain for advocating a public forum.)
But after giving more thought to the matter, there are a number of potential advantages to annexation for residents of outlying neighborhoods. For one, police and fire protection could improve — which could result in lowered insurance rates. For another, I know I sometimes wish I had access to the city's code enforcement protection, which would come in handy in the event that a neighbor decides to turn his front lawn into a used car lot. And it would also be nice to have a vote the next time the City Council decides to push a sales tax hike.
Besides all that, adding a few thousand people to its population — besides increasing the city's take of state turnback funds — could boost the city's profile, statewide. And that's something that could benefit the entire area.
It's also worth noting that annexation would have no bearing on school district boundaries. Those living in the Armorel area for the school district would have no reason to fear switching schools. That myth can be laid aside.
That said, I remain skeptical of the wisdom of annexation. Mainly, I'm just not confident the city of Blytheville has the means to support any new neighborhoods. Annexing these areas would create a need for more police officers, more police cars, more firefighters and maybe even a new fire station. More man hours would be needed at city hall to manage the various needs and requests of thousands of new Blythevillians. Garbage trucks would have more miles to travel. And the city would quickly become responsible for a whole new slew of city roads, some of which are already in horrible condition (see Meadow Lawn.)
It's no secret that despite diligent and industrious efforts, the city of Blytheville, at present, struggles to provide services to its current set of city limits. It's been years since there's been any major street repairs. It took a tax referendum to provide adequate support to the city's police and fire departments. And there's been countless news articles in the past year detailing the city's budget cuts.
In other words, one must ask how a city struggling to manage its current population and land area could expect to effectively take in more land area?
At the end of the day, I think I stand with Councilman R.L. Jones, who has been alone on the Council in opposing spending $8,500 in taxpayers' money to study the possibility of annexation. It just doesn't seem prudent to blow that kind of cash on something that just doesn't seem like a very good idea. Especially when there are so many other better ways the city could put that kind of money to good use, whether it's fixing pot-holes, improving drainage or any other of a range of problems that any of us could name.
Perhaps a couple years down the road — after the city gains access to its streets fund, the parks and recreation fund develops, and the city gets a better grasp on its budget situation — expanding its boundaries and growing its population might be something worth pursuing.
But not now. Right now, the city of Blytheville has its hands full. It should leave the outlying neighborhoods alone.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The slow, hot march toward summer's end
And so, it begins.
Or rather, it ends. Or at least starts to.
I'm as big a fan of the Fourth of July as anyone. I love the fireworks, the family gatherings, the cookouts, the parades.
But the problem I have with the Fourth of July is that it marks a pivot point. Prior to the Fourth, the summer is in its infancy, with all the freedom and possibility you can imagine. But once the holiday passes, the slow march toward summer's inevitable end painfully comes into focus.
The Fourth of July is an explosion of summer grandeur. But then the rest of the summer so often fizzles away, a slow bake in the hot Delta sun. The season that was once a clean slate of endless summer opportunity, becomes no more than a driveway littered with the burned-out debris of bottle rockets and fading days of glory.
A recent trip to the Wal-Mart Supercenter didn't do much to change the mood. By Sunday afternoon, aisles that once housed an infinite selection of summer cookout and beach gear were being cleared out to make way for the dreaded back-to-school aisle. Signs the once championed the "American Summer" were coming down, replaced by signs urging customers to "Do the Math" for back-to-school savings.
And a familiar tale has appeared in the "daily almanac" sections posted in this newspaper and many others: The days are getting shorter. At a slow-but-steady rate of a minute or so every couple of days, the sunrises are getting later, and the sunsets are getting earlier. It's but another reminder of the slow retreat of summer days.
Post-July 4 to late August is the dead zone. This is the time of year when life slows down around here. The excitement of the new summer has worn off, replaced by the hot, heavy afternoons that define mid-to-late summer in the Delta. Many vacations are already over. Baseball season is finished for everyone but the diehards. And many folks simply retreat into the sanctuary of their air-conditioned homes and offices.
A look at the calendar of events in the newspaper tells the same story. Gone are the Saturday's packed with community events. Most all that remains is the steady drone of civic club gatherings and city committee meetings. Only an occasional baseball tournament breaks the monotony.
It shouldn't be this way. Summer is too glorious of a time to simply hibernate away the last six weeks. There's still time for camping trips. There's still time for backyard campfires. There's still time for nights at the ballpark.
Sure, it may be hot. But I ask you this: Would you rather put up with a little hot sun and humidity, or spend a few days back in the darkened tundra that followed last January's ice storm? I, for one, will take the heat any day.
So fading as it may be, I intend to cherish every last moment of this summer. Because as inevitably as Wal-Mart will change is displays a month in advance of the next seasonal milestone, summer will indeed end. The leaves will change; the temperatures will cool. And before we know it, we'll all be longing for summer to arrive again.
That's why we need to cherish the one we've got. There's still time.
Or rather, it ends. Or at least starts to.
I'm as big a fan of the Fourth of July as anyone. I love the fireworks, the family gatherings, the cookouts, the parades.
But the problem I have with the Fourth of July is that it marks a pivot point. Prior to the Fourth, the summer is in its infancy, with all the freedom and possibility you can imagine. But once the holiday passes, the slow march toward summer's inevitable end painfully comes into focus.
The Fourth of July is an explosion of summer grandeur. But then the rest of the summer so often fizzles away, a slow bake in the hot Delta sun. The season that was once a clean slate of endless summer opportunity, becomes no more than a driveway littered with the burned-out debris of bottle rockets and fading days of glory.
A recent trip to the Wal-Mart Supercenter didn't do much to change the mood. By Sunday afternoon, aisles that once housed an infinite selection of summer cookout and beach gear were being cleared out to make way for the dreaded back-to-school aisle. Signs the once championed the "American Summer" were coming down, replaced by signs urging customers to "Do the Math" for back-to-school savings.
And a familiar tale has appeared in the "daily almanac" sections posted in this newspaper and many others: The days are getting shorter. At a slow-but-steady rate of a minute or so every couple of days, the sunrises are getting later, and the sunsets are getting earlier. It's but another reminder of the slow retreat of summer days.
Post-July 4 to late August is the dead zone. This is the time of year when life slows down around here. The excitement of the new summer has worn off, replaced by the hot, heavy afternoons that define mid-to-late summer in the Delta. Many vacations are already over. Baseball season is finished for everyone but the diehards. And many folks simply retreat into the sanctuary of their air-conditioned homes and offices.
A look at the calendar of events in the newspaper tells the same story. Gone are the Saturday's packed with community events. Most all that remains is the steady drone of civic club gatherings and city committee meetings. Only an occasional baseball tournament breaks the monotony.
It shouldn't be this way. Summer is too glorious of a time to simply hibernate away the last six weeks. There's still time for camping trips. There's still time for backyard campfires. There's still time for nights at the ballpark.
Sure, it may be hot. But I ask you this: Would you rather put up with a little hot sun and humidity, or spend a few days back in the darkened tundra that followed last January's ice storm? I, for one, will take the heat any day.
So fading as it may be, I intend to cherish every last moment of this summer. Because as inevitably as Wal-Mart will change is displays a month in advance of the next seasonal milestone, summer will indeed end. The leaves will change; the temperatures will cool. And before we know it, we'll all be longing for summer to arrive again.
That's why we need to cherish the one we've got. There's still time.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The things you learn while on vacation
In many ways, a vacation is an educational experience.
Sure, vacations are more often billed as chances to relax or have fun. And they often are. But my experience has always been that you can also learn a whole lot when you venture away from home.
My family and I returned Sunday from a vacation that took us from the Ouachitas of southwest Arkansas, across the Ozarks of Missouri, to the rolling plains of eastern Iowa. It was one-part family getaway, one-part visit to family, hence the jaunt across the Midwest.
But along the way, we had our share of adventures. We rode roller coasters and water slides in Hot Springs. We dug for diamonds outside Murfreesboro. We skipped rocks at the headwaters of the Spring River near the Arkansas-Missouri border. We visited old haunts in central Missouri. We played a pickup game of baseball on the Field of Dreams. We watched a barge move through a lock-and-dam from atop a bluff in Dubuque.
We logged quite a few miles on our Camry, and hopefully made a few memories along the way. But I can say I also returned home a little bit wiser.
For instance, I now know I am no fan of "car" vacations — nomadic trips where you're constantly on the move and living out of a suitcase. For my next vacation, I want to go somewhere and stay there. I've unpacked and repacked the car more than enough times over the past week.
I've learned that traveling wreaks havoc on my digestive system. My body just can't handle changing diets and hours of sitting like it used to. Honestly, I haven't felt "right" in days.
I've learned that I can't go on vacation without frequenting Wal-Marts. I'm not sure a day went by on our trip in which I didn't set foot inside a Wal-Mart. Even after we pledged not to do so, we'd find ourselves in need of band-aids, or sunscreen, or bottled water, or something else, a day later. All the more reason to avoid nomadic vacations.
I've learned that my kids don't need thrill rides to have a good time. When quizzing Katie, 9, and Drew, 7, about their favorite parts of their vacation, neither immediately mentioned our trip to Magic Springs. Instead, they mentioned things like our visit to the National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, swimming in the various hotel pools, and playing the Wii with their cousins. It's something to remember when it comes to future vacation planning.
I've learned that when it comes to theme parks, there may be better options than Magic Springs, anyway. With more than a third of its rides closed, and some questionable customer service (not to mention a general lack of air conditioned spaces), Magic Springs was a bit of a disappointment. Next time we're looking for an amusement park within driving distance, we'll likely look to Missouri or Tennessee.
I've learned that Arkansas has some incredibly hot summers. Though from what I've heard, I didn't need to leave home to learn that one.
But most of all, I've learned that I like my home. I've known it all along, of course, but there's something about seeing your house — and your yard, and your bed, and your neighborhood, and your community — for the first time in more than a week that makes you appreciate what you've got.
It's good to be home.
Sure, vacations are more often billed as chances to relax or have fun. And they often are. But my experience has always been that you can also learn a whole lot when you venture away from home.
My family and I returned Sunday from a vacation that took us from the Ouachitas of southwest Arkansas, across the Ozarks of Missouri, to the rolling plains of eastern Iowa. It was one-part family getaway, one-part visit to family, hence the jaunt across the Midwest.
But along the way, we had our share of adventures. We rode roller coasters and water slides in Hot Springs. We dug for diamonds outside Murfreesboro. We skipped rocks at the headwaters of the Spring River near the Arkansas-Missouri border. We visited old haunts in central Missouri. We played a pickup game of baseball on the Field of Dreams. We watched a barge move through a lock-and-dam from atop a bluff in Dubuque.
We logged quite a few miles on our Camry, and hopefully made a few memories along the way. But I can say I also returned home a little bit wiser.
For instance, I now know I am no fan of "car" vacations — nomadic trips where you're constantly on the move and living out of a suitcase. For my next vacation, I want to go somewhere and stay there. I've unpacked and repacked the car more than enough times over the past week.
I've learned that traveling wreaks havoc on my digestive system. My body just can't handle changing diets and hours of sitting like it used to. Honestly, I haven't felt "right" in days.
I've learned that I can't go on vacation without frequenting Wal-Marts. I'm not sure a day went by on our trip in which I didn't set foot inside a Wal-Mart. Even after we pledged not to do so, we'd find ourselves in need of band-aids, or sunscreen, or bottled water, or something else, a day later. All the more reason to avoid nomadic vacations.
I've learned that my kids don't need thrill rides to have a good time. When quizzing Katie, 9, and Drew, 7, about their favorite parts of their vacation, neither immediately mentioned our trip to Magic Springs. Instead, they mentioned things like our visit to the National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, swimming in the various hotel pools, and playing the Wii with their cousins. It's something to remember when it comes to future vacation planning.
I've learned that when it comes to theme parks, there may be better options than Magic Springs, anyway. With more than a third of its rides closed, and some questionable customer service (not to mention a general lack of air conditioned spaces), Magic Springs was a bit of a disappointment. Next time we're looking for an amusement park within driving distance, we'll likely look to Missouri or Tennessee.
I've learned that Arkansas has some incredibly hot summers. Though from what I've heard, I didn't need to leave home to learn that one.
But most of all, I've learned that I like my home. I've known it all along, of course, but there's something about seeing your house — and your yard, and your bed, and your neighborhood, and your community — for the first time in more than a week that makes you appreciate what you've got.
It's good to be home.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A sports legend is born in the family room
On the baseball diamond, I am an all-star.
In the boxing ring, I am an Olympic champion.
On the tennis court, I am unstoppable.
In the bowling alley, I am a strike machine.
On the links, I am Tiger Woods.
And I do it all without even leaving the comfort of my family room.
I’m able to do all this via our family’s new Wii gaming system. We broke down and bought a system over the weekend. It was quite the blow to the pocketbook, but with four summer birthdays in our family, we’ve billed it as a birthday present for everybody.
And I should probably be honest. I’m not yet a baseball all-star, or a boxing champion. I may indeed be stoppable on the tennis court, and I don’t throw a strike very often in bowling. And on the links, I’m a lot more like Elle Woods than Tiger Woods.
But I’m learning, and having a lot fun. We all are. The Wii is a very different gaming experience. It’s less about the dexterity of rapid finger moves, and more about timing and grace. It forces you to get up off the couch and move around. It’s great for groups, and even Grandpa and Grandma White enjoyed bowling and baseball Sunday night.
The Wii comes with the bundle of sport games mentioned above. My favorite so far is probably tennis, though I still need to learn to swing more quickly when moving to my left for a forearm swing. My backhand is pretty solid, though.
For Drew, who will be 7 tomorrow, boxing is the big winner. He enjoys all things boy, whether its wrestling, playing sports or battling with Pokemon cards. So Wii boxing pretty much puts him in seventh heaven. We only have one of the required “nunchucks” required for boxing play, so there’s no head-to-head action, which is probably a good thing.
The family queen of the diamond is probably 9-year-old Katie. Perhaps all that time spent practicing for the 10-and-under fast-pitch softball league over on the Sportsplex has given her an upper hand when it comes to picking up the timing of the pitching.
Even my wife, Jena, is having big fun with the Wii. Jena’s never been much of a gamer, but she’s been enjoying all aspects of the Wii, from throwing strikes in bowling, to playing doubles tennis with me or Katie, to exerting pent-up aggression with boxing.
Of course the downside of this extra activity is that my body is not used to it. Jena and I have both woken up with sore arms, legs, backs and hips the past several mornings after playing the Wii the night before. I think I'm developing a case of tennis elbow. I might even need Tommy John surgery.
One of the funnest parts of the Wii is creating your own "Mii." A Mii is a cartoon version of yourself, which you then put into action in the various sports. With a wide variety of face shapes, hair styles, eye colors, nose shapes and other features, you can create a Mii that's an incredibly close likeness. And you can create other Miis just for fun. Katie created a character named "TigerFan." I like to play with a character I named "Jim Bob."
Is the Wii worth what we paid for it? Hard to say. I won’t be able to tell for sure for a few months. It was a bundle of cash, to say the least — probably more than I would have admitted being willing to spend a few months ago.
But what I like about the Wii is that it is providing family fun. It’s something we can do together. We can have family bowling nights without ever leaving our home. We can have family tennis tournaments without fighting the mosquitoes at Walker Park. And when it comes to skill level, the kids are on an even scale with the adults — they're definitely better at some games. And it sure beats the heck out of mindlessly staring at the latest rerun of Hannah Montana or SpongeBob SquarePants for the 903rd time.
So while part of me would be comforted to have the money back in my pocket, I am happy with the purchase for now. We’re having a lot of fun, together. Happy birthday to us.
In the boxing ring, I am an Olympic champion.
On the tennis court, I am unstoppable.
In the bowling alley, I am a strike machine.
On the links, I am Tiger Woods.
And I do it all without even leaving the comfort of my family room.
I’m able to do all this via our family’s new Wii gaming system. We broke down and bought a system over the weekend. It was quite the blow to the pocketbook, but with four summer birthdays in our family, we’ve billed it as a birthday present for everybody.
And I should probably be honest. I’m not yet a baseball all-star, or a boxing champion. I may indeed be stoppable on the tennis court, and I don’t throw a strike very often in bowling. And on the links, I’m a lot more like Elle Woods than Tiger Woods.
But I’m learning, and having a lot fun. We all are. The Wii is a very different gaming experience. It’s less about the dexterity of rapid finger moves, and more about timing and grace. It forces you to get up off the couch and move around. It’s great for groups, and even Grandpa and Grandma White enjoyed bowling and baseball Sunday night.
The Wii comes with the bundle of sport games mentioned above. My favorite so far is probably tennis, though I still need to learn to swing more quickly when moving to my left for a forearm swing. My backhand is pretty solid, though.
For Drew, who will be 7 tomorrow, boxing is the big winner. He enjoys all things boy, whether its wrestling, playing sports or battling with Pokemon cards. So Wii boxing pretty much puts him in seventh heaven. We only have one of the required “nunchucks” required for boxing play, so there’s no head-to-head action, which is probably a good thing.
The family queen of the diamond is probably 9-year-old Katie. Perhaps all that time spent practicing for the 10-and-under fast-pitch softball league over on the Sportsplex has given her an upper hand when it comes to picking up the timing of the pitching.
Even my wife, Jena, is having big fun with the Wii. Jena’s never been much of a gamer, but she’s been enjoying all aspects of the Wii, from throwing strikes in bowling, to playing doubles tennis with me or Katie, to exerting pent-up aggression with boxing.
Of course the downside of this extra activity is that my body is not used to it. Jena and I have both woken up with sore arms, legs, backs and hips the past several mornings after playing the Wii the night before. I think I'm developing a case of tennis elbow. I might even need Tommy John surgery.
One of the funnest parts of the Wii is creating your own "Mii." A Mii is a cartoon version of yourself, which you then put into action in the various sports. With a wide variety of face shapes, hair styles, eye colors, nose shapes and other features, you can create a Mii that's an incredibly close likeness. And you can create other Miis just for fun. Katie created a character named "TigerFan." I like to play with a character I named "Jim Bob."
Is the Wii worth what we paid for it? Hard to say. I won’t be able to tell for sure for a few months. It was a bundle of cash, to say the least — probably more than I would have admitted being willing to spend a few months ago.
But what I like about the Wii is that it is providing family fun. It’s something we can do together. We can have family bowling nights without ever leaving our home. We can have family tennis tournaments without fighting the mosquitoes at Walker Park. And when it comes to skill level, the kids are on an even scale with the adults — they're definitely better at some games. And it sure beats the heck out of mindlessly staring at the latest rerun of Hannah Montana or SpongeBob SquarePants for the 903rd time.
So while part of me would be comforted to have the money back in my pocket, I am happy with the purchase for now. We’re having a lot of fun, together. Happy birthday to us.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Unofficially, summer the greatest season
As strange as it seems, it is still about 9 days before summer is officially here.
Of course, we all know summer is already upon us. School is out, the weather is warm, the mosquitoes are coming out in full force, and cookout season is going full blast. In other words, from a practical standpoint, summer has completely arrived. Though from a technical view, it’s still a few days away.
That concept was lost on soon-to-be 7-year-old Drew Sunday afternoon. Apparently, the difference between “practical” and “technical” is still too far off of a concept for the second-grade sect. Drew, whose birthday is June 18, was disappointed to learn that, technically, he has a spring birthday. I explained that in every other sense of the season, his birthday is, indeed, in the summer. But he was slow to grasp my exact meaning.
With every other member of our immediately family having a true “summer” birthday (June 27, July 23 and Aug. 9), I guess he didn’t want to be the odd man out. I suppose he’ll get over it someday.
And honestly, as far as I'm concerned, we can throw technicalities out the window and simply declare it summer right now. There's no sense it waiting to begin celebrating the best season of the year.
Summer has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. Other seasons have their moments, such as the changing leaves and football season of fall; and the new growth and warm-up of spring. (There are no redeeming qualities for winter, mind you.)
But nothing compares with the pure joy of summer. Indeed, many of my favorite childhood memories are connected with summer.
There's the camping trips we used to take in our family's little Shasta travel-trailer. We'd haul it out to places like Yellow River or Lake MacBride, and spend weekends hanging out in the woods and sitting around the campfire. There would be Chinese lanterns hanging around the campground, and coolers stocked with wild cherry and grape soda.
There's the Fourth of July. We'd pile in the family station wagon, and sit in the parking lot at the All-Iowa Fair. Mom and Dad would spread a blanket on the roof of the car, and my sister and I would play with sparklers while we waited for the stock car races to end and the fireworks to begin.
Summer was a time for vacations. I remember trips to Fifth Crow Wing in Minnesota, where we would live for a week in a little cabin and spend our evenings angling for bluegill and sunfish. I remember the year when we drove across two states to visit the Black Hills of South Dakota, seeing everything from Mount Rushmore to Wall Drug to the Corn Palace of Mitchell, S.D. There was the year we went to Chicago — the first time I ever saw skyscrapers. We were awestruck at the view from the Sears Tower and amazed at the traffic in and out of O'Hare.
I remember eating burgers Mom would grill on our little Weber charcoal grill. I remember afternoons spent snapping green beans grown from our own backyard garden. I remember late-night runs to Dairy Queen.
But some of the best times were spent doing next to nothing — just sitting on the swing on our front porch and watching our neighborhood bask in its summer glory.
I hope my own kids will one day have just as fond memories of summer. We've been doing what we can to savor this special season. Just last weekend, we saw the Redbirds play (the kids even got to parade around the field via "Blytheville Baseball/Softball Boosters Night at the Ball Park.") In a few weeks, we hope to take a little vacation. We even camped out in the back yard a couple of weekends ago.
So even though it's not even officially summer yet, we're doing what we can to make it memorable. You have to, really. The worst part of summer is that it will go by in a flash. We're tying to savor it while we can.
Of course, we all know summer is already upon us. School is out, the weather is warm, the mosquitoes are coming out in full force, and cookout season is going full blast. In other words, from a practical standpoint, summer has completely arrived. Though from a technical view, it’s still a few days away.
That concept was lost on soon-to-be 7-year-old Drew Sunday afternoon. Apparently, the difference between “practical” and “technical” is still too far off of a concept for the second-grade sect. Drew, whose birthday is June 18, was disappointed to learn that, technically, he has a spring birthday. I explained that in every other sense of the season, his birthday is, indeed, in the summer. But he was slow to grasp my exact meaning.
With every other member of our immediately family having a true “summer” birthday (June 27, July 23 and Aug. 9), I guess he didn’t want to be the odd man out. I suppose he’ll get over it someday.
And honestly, as far as I'm concerned, we can throw technicalities out the window and simply declare it summer right now. There's no sense it waiting to begin celebrating the best season of the year.
Summer has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. Other seasons have their moments, such as the changing leaves and football season of fall; and the new growth and warm-up of spring. (There are no redeeming qualities for winter, mind you.)
But nothing compares with the pure joy of summer. Indeed, many of my favorite childhood memories are connected with summer.
There's the camping trips we used to take in our family's little Shasta travel-trailer. We'd haul it out to places like Yellow River or Lake MacBride, and spend weekends hanging out in the woods and sitting around the campfire. There would be Chinese lanterns hanging around the campground, and coolers stocked with wild cherry and grape soda.
There's the Fourth of July. We'd pile in the family station wagon, and sit in the parking lot at the All-Iowa Fair. Mom and Dad would spread a blanket on the roof of the car, and my sister and I would play with sparklers while we waited for the stock car races to end and the fireworks to begin.
Summer was a time for vacations. I remember trips to Fifth Crow Wing in Minnesota, where we would live for a week in a little cabin and spend our evenings angling for bluegill and sunfish. I remember the year when we drove across two states to visit the Black Hills of South Dakota, seeing everything from Mount Rushmore to Wall Drug to the Corn Palace of Mitchell, S.D. There was the year we went to Chicago — the first time I ever saw skyscrapers. We were awestruck at the view from the Sears Tower and amazed at the traffic in and out of O'Hare.
I remember eating burgers Mom would grill on our little Weber charcoal grill. I remember afternoons spent snapping green beans grown from our own backyard garden. I remember late-night runs to Dairy Queen.
But some of the best times were spent doing next to nothing — just sitting on the swing on our front porch and watching our neighborhood bask in its summer glory.
I hope my own kids will one day have just as fond memories of summer. We've been doing what we can to savor this special season. Just last weekend, we saw the Redbirds play (the kids even got to parade around the field via "Blytheville Baseball/Softball Boosters Night at the Ball Park.") In a few weeks, we hope to take a little vacation. We even camped out in the back yard a couple of weekends ago.
So even though it's not even officially summer yet, we're doing what we can to make it memorable. You have to, really. The worst part of summer is that it will go by in a flash. We're tying to savor it while we can.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Catching up on the latest in gaming trends
If you know my kids, please do not share the contents of this column with them.
My wife, Jena, and I have entered the early discussion period which could ultimately end up in our family acquiring a Wii. Or perhaps a DS. Or maybe two DS’s. Or maybe nothing at all. And therein lies the discussion.
The Wii, as well as the DS, are both gaming systems, for those of you not hip on the latest in gaming trends. The Wii is a home-based game that runs off your television. It’s unique in that it features a wireless platform, with a control you use to mimic the actual motion of activities like bowling or baseball, or whatever game you are playing. The DS, apparently short for “dual screen,” is a smaller, handheld, portable gaming system.
We’re just in the beginning stages of talks about entering the world of such things, but there’s a couple of birthdays coming up this summer, and we’re weighing our options.
Part of me is not sure either is such a good idea. Though the Wii does require some actual physical activity, I’m sure there are endeavors that are more healthy physically than video games. Besides that, when I was a kid, my parents never got me gaming systems, so it almost doesn’t seem fair that my children would have them.
Then again, whether it’s at home or at a friend’s house, my kids are going to play video games. And in an era dominated by technological gadgetry, it’s not the worst thing in the world to have children who are accustomed to electronic gadgets in all their various forms. (Besides that, there’s no rule that says parents aren’t allowed to say “turn that off and go outside and play,” when need be.)
As I mentioned above, I never had a gaming system of my own growing up. But I had friends who did. So whether it was the Atari 2600 or the Commodore 64, I spent some time playing video games as a kid. I remember being awed at such games as Space Invaders and Breakout, which seemed brilliant at the time, though now they seem like the video game equivalent of drawings on a cave wall.
By the time I got to college, Nintendo was king of the industry. The NES was as common to the male dormitory as the laundry basket and the backpack, and video games were a great stress reliever and time-killer between classes. In fact, in my first semester of college, I probably learned more about the invisible boxes and hidden warp zones in Super Mario Brothers than I did about English Comp or College Algebra.
But after college, I pretty much lost touch with the gaming world. Sure, I’d hear occasional rumors of things like the “Game Cube,” the “PlayStation” or the “X-Box,” but I couldn’t tell you much about them. I probably even played one or more of them at a friend’s house somewhere along the line, but I couldn’t even tell you which one.
So, a couple of years ago, when my kids started coming home from school with tales of video games, I obviously had some catching up to do. A couple of Christmases ago, my daughter Katie got her heart set on a Gameboy, so we broke down at got one. And it has sure gotten a lot of use. Though, interestingly enough, Katie is probably a distant third as far as the Gameboy’s most frequent user. That honor probably goes to her little brother, Drew, who doesn’t even seem to care that the Gameboy is pink. Same goes for me, and I’ve probably logged the second highest number of hours on the toy. Even Jena has played a couple of times.
But the Gameboy is starting to wear out. A couple of its buttons no longer work well, and, quite frankly, it’s outdated. The arrival of the DS has made it more difficult to buy games for the older Gameboy.
If we do decide to invest in a new gaming system, I hope it’s something that can provide enjoyment for the whole family. The idea of a single kid holed up in their room playing video games all weekend is less appealing than the idea of two or three or four family members having fun together, with an assist from modern technology, if need be. So that will play a role as we continue our discussions.
Just don’t tell the kids.
My wife, Jena, and I have entered the early discussion period which could ultimately end up in our family acquiring a Wii. Or perhaps a DS. Or maybe two DS’s. Or maybe nothing at all. And therein lies the discussion.
The Wii, as well as the DS, are both gaming systems, for those of you not hip on the latest in gaming trends. The Wii is a home-based game that runs off your television. It’s unique in that it features a wireless platform, with a control you use to mimic the actual motion of activities like bowling or baseball, or whatever game you are playing. The DS, apparently short for “dual screen,” is a smaller, handheld, portable gaming system.
We’re just in the beginning stages of talks about entering the world of such things, but there’s a couple of birthdays coming up this summer, and we’re weighing our options.
Part of me is not sure either is such a good idea. Though the Wii does require some actual physical activity, I’m sure there are endeavors that are more healthy physically than video games. Besides that, when I was a kid, my parents never got me gaming systems, so it almost doesn’t seem fair that my children would have them.
Then again, whether it’s at home or at a friend’s house, my kids are going to play video games. And in an era dominated by technological gadgetry, it’s not the worst thing in the world to have children who are accustomed to electronic gadgets in all their various forms. (Besides that, there’s no rule that says parents aren’t allowed to say “turn that off and go outside and play,” when need be.)
As I mentioned above, I never had a gaming system of my own growing up. But I had friends who did. So whether it was the Atari 2600 or the Commodore 64, I spent some time playing video games as a kid. I remember being awed at such games as Space Invaders and Breakout, which seemed brilliant at the time, though now they seem like the video game equivalent of drawings on a cave wall.
By the time I got to college, Nintendo was king of the industry. The NES was as common to the male dormitory as the laundry basket and the backpack, and video games were a great stress reliever and time-killer between classes. In fact, in my first semester of college, I probably learned more about the invisible boxes and hidden warp zones in Super Mario Brothers than I did about English Comp or College Algebra.
But after college, I pretty much lost touch with the gaming world. Sure, I’d hear occasional rumors of things like the “Game Cube,” the “PlayStation” or the “X-Box,” but I couldn’t tell you much about them. I probably even played one or more of them at a friend’s house somewhere along the line, but I couldn’t even tell you which one.
So, a couple of years ago, when my kids started coming home from school with tales of video games, I obviously had some catching up to do. A couple of Christmases ago, my daughter Katie got her heart set on a Gameboy, so we broke down at got one. And it has sure gotten a lot of use. Though, interestingly enough, Katie is probably a distant third as far as the Gameboy’s most frequent user. That honor probably goes to her little brother, Drew, who doesn’t even seem to care that the Gameboy is pink. Same goes for me, and I’ve probably logged the second highest number of hours on the toy. Even Jena has played a couple of times.
But the Gameboy is starting to wear out. A couple of its buttons no longer work well, and, quite frankly, it’s outdated. The arrival of the DS has made it more difficult to buy games for the older Gameboy.
If we do decide to invest in a new gaming system, I hope it’s something that can provide enjoyment for the whole family. The idea of a single kid holed up in their room playing video games all weekend is less appealing than the idea of two or three or four family members having fun together, with an assist from modern technology, if need be. So that will play a role as we continue our discussions.
Just don’t tell the kids.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Time for Council to push Ctrl-Alt-Delete
When it comes to the efforts to put Carol White on the Blytheville City Council, it's time for all involved to push Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
White, of course, is the Blytheville/Minnesota resident who was recently appointed to fill the term of James Sanders, who resigned from the Council after being appointed Mississippi County Sheriff. White has been embattled in controversy since the night she was appointed in a 3-2 vote of the Council. From being labeled a "troublemaker" the night of her appointment by one city councilwoman, to the revelation that she never got local car tags and failed to register to vote until after her appointment, it's pretty clear that this was not a selection that was meant to be.
When your computer goes haywire, locks up, or it becomes clear that it's just not working, it's time to reboot. You hold down the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys, shut down, and start over. And that's what the City Council needs to do.
Mayor Barrett Harrison took a step in that direction Friday, when he declared that since White had not been a legal candidate, that her appointment was null and void, and the seat was vacant. City Council members should follow suit, and support the mayor. Likewise, White has a chance to show her commitment to community by quietly accepting the decision and stepping away, at least for now.
There should be no shame for those who initially supported White. She had a resume that included an assortment of public service activities, and on paper, she seemed well-qualified. Could the three City Council members who voted in favor of her appointment have known she was not even a registered voter in Arkansas? Probably not.
That said, there have been plenty of "d'oh" moments to go around among City Council members through this entire ordeal. From Councilman Mylas Jeffers' insistence that the nominee be a "person of color," to the mayor's failure to properly vet the applicants to ensure their legal qualifications, to Councilwoman Connealy's "troublemaker" barb, there has been a clear shortage of leadership from our city elders these past few weeks. These aren't the acts of community statesmen, loyally serving their constituents. They are the acts of lawmakers bent on their own petty political self-interest.
And any move by White or her backers (on the Council and off) to prolong this mess would only be more of the same.
In short, it's a mess that needs to end. It's time to reboot.
If you look around Blytheville, there are plenty of worthwhile things for our City Council to worry about. We've got police and fire departments to run. We've got streets to repair. We've got a recycling program to kick off. We've got ice storm reimbursements to track down. We've got parks that need to be rejuvenated. We've got businesses and citizens reeling from the recession that need attention. We've got visitors coming to town for car shows and baseball tournaments. We have a need to remain vigilant in our economic development efforts.
We simply don't have time to spend weeks slogging it out over a council seat. Our city has spent far too much time mired in the muck through the years. We need to be moving forward, and political fights like this can only hold us back.
Besides that, there's nothing stopping Carol White from reapplying for the still-vacant seat. Or, she can get on the City Council the old fashioned way, and run when the seat comes open for election. Perhaps that would be best — let the people of Ward 1 decide, rather the whims of five people, four of whom don't even live in that ward.
Either way, at the present, it's time for this community escapade to end. With blame to be shared by pretty much every player involved, all we can do is wipe the slate clean and start over.
Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
White, of course, is the Blytheville/Minnesota resident who was recently appointed to fill the term of James Sanders, who resigned from the Council after being appointed Mississippi County Sheriff. White has been embattled in controversy since the night she was appointed in a 3-2 vote of the Council. From being labeled a "troublemaker" the night of her appointment by one city councilwoman, to the revelation that she never got local car tags and failed to register to vote until after her appointment, it's pretty clear that this was not a selection that was meant to be.
When your computer goes haywire, locks up, or it becomes clear that it's just not working, it's time to reboot. You hold down the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys, shut down, and start over. And that's what the City Council needs to do.
Mayor Barrett Harrison took a step in that direction Friday, when he declared that since White had not been a legal candidate, that her appointment was null and void, and the seat was vacant. City Council members should follow suit, and support the mayor. Likewise, White has a chance to show her commitment to community by quietly accepting the decision and stepping away, at least for now.
There should be no shame for those who initially supported White. She had a resume that included an assortment of public service activities, and on paper, she seemed well-qualified. Could the three City Council members who voted in favor of her appointment have known she was not even a registered voter in Arkansas? Probably not.
That said, there have been plenty of "d'oh" moments to go around among City Council members through this entire ordeal. From Councilman Mylas Jeffers' insistence that the nominee be a "person of color," to the mayor's failure to properly vet the applicants to ensure their legal qualifications, to Councilwoman Connealy's "troublemaker" barb, there has been a clear shortage of leadership from our city elders these past few weeks. These aren't the acts of community statesmen, loyally serving their constituents. They are the acts of lawmakers bent on their own petty political self-interest.
And any move by White or her backers (on the Council and off) to prolong this mess would only be more of the same.
In short, it's a mess that needs to end. It's time to reboot.
If you look around Blytheville, there are plenty of worthwhile things for our City Council to worry about. We've got police and fire departments to run. We've got streets to repair. We've got a recycling program to kick off. We've got ice storm reimbursements to track down. We've got parks that need to be rejuvenated. We've got businesses and citizens reeling from the recession that need attention. We've got visitors coming to town for car shows and baseball tournaments. We have a need to remain vigilant in our economic development efforts.
We simply don't have time to spend weeks slogging it out over a council seat. Our city has spent far too much time mired in the muck through the years. We need to be moving forward, and political fights like this can only hold us back.
Besides that, there's nothing stopping Carol White from reapplying for the still-vacant seat. Or, she can get on the City Council the old fashioned way, and run when the seat comes open for election. Perhaps that would be best — let the people of Ward 1 decide, rather the whims of five people, four of whom don't even live in that ward.
Either way, at the present, it's time for this community escapade to end. With blame to be shared by pretty much every player involved, all we can do is wipe the slate clean and start over.
Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A new look, Twitter ... the changes around us
It seems like an appropriate time to take a few moments to talk about some of the changes we’ve had here at the Courier News over the past few weeks, and then some.
Perhaps the most notable, at least recently, has been our new look. The redesign debuted April 14, and has generally been received very well.
We’d been wanting to launch a redesign for a few years. Like any product, newspapers get a little stale if they don’t change their look every now and then. You see the same thing in everything from cars to telephones to fast-food restaurants — if you don’t modernize, you’re going to start losing customers. And newspapers are no different.
There’s two parts of the redesign that I’m most excited about. One is our new community events listing, which appears daily on Page 3. Back with the old look, we’d run three to five “briefs” down the side of Page 1 each day. Our new approach allows us to list nearly 20 events each day. And now, they’re in chronological order, which I think provides a better context for people who are trying to find out what’s going on. The Courier News has always been the premier place to go to find out what’s happening around town, and I think we’re now doing a better job of doing this.
The second new component I really like is our new stock market modules, which appear daily on Page 7. This is something we have access to via our membership in The Associated Press. Our market modules provide and in-depth glance at what is happening in the world of money, with special emphasis on stocks of local interest. The modules are customized by AP for our readers. In these days of uncertain economic fortunes, I think this is vital information to provide for the community.
And, of course, as many readers have noticed, the paper is a little narrower these days. This is something that is becoming the industry standard. Paper costs more money these days, and newspapers are looking to cut costs by buying narrower rolls. Many papers have already made the switch; those who haven’t will likely soon. Personally, I like the narrower paper. It’s easier to hold and more reader-friendly. Besides that, here at the Courier News, we’ve expanded the number of pages in our base paper from 14 to 16 pages, so there’s more or less a net gain in the amount of news in each edition.
But the changes around here go beyond the redesign. Most recently, the Courier News has entered the world of online social networking via a Facebook site. The plan for now is to use Facebook as a way to connect with our readers. We’ll post occasional news about the paper, and promote a few upcoming projects. If you’re on Facebook, we’d love to have you on board as a fan.
And your truly is now experimenting with a Twitter account. I’m not too sure what to think of this service, but if you’re on Twitter, I’d love to have you as a follower. We’ll have to see where this one leads us.
One change that is now months old that has not been real popular has been our decision to drop the Monday edition. And let me say that I empathize with those who are disappointed. A wise person once told me that a daily newspaper is like a friend, who comes to visit you in your home every afternoon. So naturally, when your friend stops visiting every Monday, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed. But the Courier News has not been immune to the financial difficulties that have affected everyone from the local steel mills to the Main Street merchants, and difficult decisions sometimes have to be made. Honestly, the Monday paper was never a strong edition, in terms of advertising or news content; and though it might not be obvious, I am confident that our remaining daily editions are now stronger with the added attention we are able to give them.
One of our goals here at the Courier News is to one day publish the perfect paper. We haven’t done it yet, but we try every day. We have a small, but devoted and hard-working staff that is striving every day to meet our readers' information and advertising needs. Maybe we’ll get that perfect paper someday.
Until then, I’d love to hear from you. Check us out on Facebook, head to Twitter and follow @andy_weld, or visit my blog at thefasttalker.blogspot.com. For that matter, a good old letter to the editor is also still welcome any day.
I thank you for reading this column, and for reading the Courier News.
Perhaps the most notable, at least recently, has been our new look. The redesign debuted April 14, and has generally been received very well.
We’d been wanting to launch a redesign for a few years. Like any product, newspapers get a little stale if they don’t change their look every now and then. You see the same thing in everything from cars to telephones to fast-food restaurants — if you don’t modernize, you’re going to start losing customers. And newspapers are no different.
There’s two parts of the redesign that I’m most excited about. One is our new community events listing, which appears daily on Page 3. Back with the old look, we’d run three to five “briefs” down the side of Page 1 each day. Our new approach allows us to list nearly 20 events each day. And now, they’re in chronological order, which I think provides a better context for people who are trying to find out what’s going on. The Courier News has always been the premier place to go to find out what’s happening around town, and I think we’re now doing a better job of doing this.
The second new component I really like is our new stock market modules, which appear daily on Page 7. This is something we have access to via our membership in The Associated Press. Our market modules provide and in-depth glance at what is happening in the world of money, with special emphasis on stocks of local interest. The modules are customized by AP for our readers. In these days of uncertain economic fortunes, I think this is vital information to provide for the community.
And, of course, as many readers have noticed, the paper is a little narrower these days. This is something that is becoming the industry standard. Paper costs more money these days, and newspapers are looking to cut costs by buying narrower rolls. Many papers have already made the switch; those who haven’t will likely soon. Personally, I like the narrower paper. It’s easier to hold and more reader-friendly. Besides that, here at the Courier News, we’ve expanded the number of pages in our base paper from 14 to 16 pages, so there’s more or less a net gain in the amount of news in each edition.
But the changes around here go beyond the redesign. Most recently, the Courier News has entered the world of online social networking via a Facebook site. The plan for now is to use Facebook as a way to connect with our readers. We’ll post occasional news about the paper, and promote a few upcoming projects. If you’re on Facebook, we’d love to have you on board as a fan.
And your truly is now experimenting with a Twitter account. I’m not too sure what to think of this service, but if you’re on Twitter, I’d love to have you as a follower. We’ll have to see where this one leads us.
One change that is now months old that has not been real popular has been our decision to drop the Monday edition. And let me say that I empathize with those who are disappointed. A wise person once told me that a daily newspaper is like a friend, who comes to visit you in your home every afternoon. So naturally, when your friend stops visiting every Monday, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed. But the Courier News has not been immune to the financial difficulties that have affected everyone from the local steel mills to the Main Street merchants, and difficult decisions sometimes have to be made. Honestly, the Monday paper was never a strong edition, in terms of advertising or news content; and though it might not be obvious, I am confident that our remaining daily editions are now stronger with the added attention we are able to give them.
One of our goals here at the Courier News is to one day publish the perfect paper. We haven’t done it yet, but we try every day. We have a small, but devoted and hard-working staff that is striving every day to meet our readers' information and advertising needs. Maybe we’ll get that perfect paper someday.
Until then, I’d love to hear from you. Check us out on Facebook, head to Twitter and follow @andy_weld, or visit my blog at thefasttalker.blogspot.com. For that matter, a good old letter to the editor is also still welcome any day.
I thank you for reading this column, and for reading the Courier News.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
CN recognized for General Excellence
MOUNT MAGAZINE — The Blytheville Courier News received 16 total awards — including first place for General Excellence — at Saturday's annual awards ceremony conducted by the Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors.
The ceremony took place during the organization's annual meeting, held at The Lodge at Mount Magazine in Mount Magazine State Park.
The Courier News edged out the Searcy Daily Citizen for the top award, earning the General Excellence win for the fifth time in nine years.
Contest judges had high marks for the newspaper's news content.
"Blytheville felt like a good reflection and partner with the community," judges said. "Stories were written so that a non-local reader understood the consequences of the big news. There was a nice mix of commentary. Headlines are clear, with good specifics in a few."
In addition, the Courier News received five other first place awards. Last year's special edition, "Snapshots," which spotlighted the community's rich history, took first place in the Special Project/Community Service category. Judges praised the use of photos, as well as the project's use of new media.
Other first place nods went to Managing Editor Mark Brasfield, who took first in Sports Column for a piece on Blytheville basketball coach David Hixson, and first in Column-Lifestyles/Human Interest for a column about positive aspects of Blytheville.
Staff writer Donna Loyd Hilton took first place in Non-Traditional News Item for a tongue-in-cheek mock interview with "Tom Turkey."
And editor Andy Weld won first place in Graphics for a Blytheville timeline project, which appeared in the "Snapshots" special section.
Other award winners are as follows:
— Hilton and staff writer Rick Harris shared a second place win in Spot News Story for coverage of the fire and shooting at Ace Glass.
— Harris, Brasfield and former staff writer Christie Zolman won second place in News Coverage for stories about last year's Holiday Inn fire.
— Brasfield won second place in Beat Reporting for articles about Blytheville police officers' salaries.
— Hilton won second place in Education Reporting for an article about the decline in use of chalkboards in area schools.
— Brasfield won second place in Sports Story for an article about last year's playoff run by the Blytheville girls basketball team.
— Weld won second place for Page Design for a collection of editions.
— Harris won third place in Spot News Story for coverage of the Holiday Inn fire last year.
— Harris won third place in Spot News Photo for a photo of a burning home.
— Weld won third place in Column-Hard News for a piece critical of the YMCA for pulling out of Blytheville.
— Former staff writer Jenni Betts Deming won third place in Business Reporting for a feature story on crop dusters.
"I hope Blytheville citizens realize what a good job our news staff does on a day-to-day basis," noted Courier News publisher David Tennyson. "It's easy to take things for granted sometimes, but first place in General Excellence five years out of nine pretty much says it all to me."
The Courier News competes in Division I, which includes the state's small daily newspapers.
Also Saturday, Weld was elected as APME president for 2009-10. Weld replaces David Bailey of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Rick Fahr of the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway was elected the group's vice president.
The ceremony took place during the organization's annual meeting, held at The Lodge at Mount Magazine in Mount Magazine State Park.
The Courier News edged out the Searcy Daily Citizen for the top award, earning the General Excellence win for the fifth time in nine years.
Contest judges had high marks for the newspaper's news content.
"Blytheville felt like a good reflection and partner with the community," judges said. "Stories were written so that a non-local reader understood the consequences of the big news. There was a nice mix of commentary. Headlines are clear, with good specifics in a few."
In addition, the Courier News received five other first place awards. Last year's special edition, "Snapshots," which spotlighted the community's rich history, took first place in the Special Project/Community Service category. Judges praised the use of photos, as well as the project's use of new media.
Other first place nods went to Managing Editor Mark Brasfield, who took first in Sports Column for a piece on Blytheville basketball coach David Hixson, and first in Column-Lifestyles/Human Interest for a column about positive aspects of Blytheville.
Staff writer Donna Loyd Hilton took first place in Non-Traditional News Item for a tongue-in-cheek mock interview with "Tom Turkey."
And editor Andy Weld won first place in Graphics for a Blytheville timeline project, which appeared in the "Snapshots" special section.
Other award winners are as follows:
— Hilton and staff writer Rick Harris shared a second place win in Spot News Story for coverage of the fire and shooting at Ace Glass.
— Harris, Brasfield and former staff writer Christie Zolman won second place in News Coverage for stories about last year's Holiday Inn fire.
— Brasfield won second place in Beat Reporting for articles about Blytheville police officers' salaries.
— Hilton won second place in Education Reporting for an article about the decline in use of chalkboards in area schools.
— Brasfield won second place in Sports Story for an article about last year's playoff run by the Blytheville girls basketball team.
— Weld won second place for Page Design for a collection of editions.
— Harris won third place in Spot News Story for coverage of the Holiday Inn fire last year.
— Harris won third place in Spot News Photo for a photo of a burning home.
— Weld won third place in Column-Hard News for a piece critical of the YMCA for pulling out of Blytheville.
— Former staff writer Jenni Betts Deming won third place in Business Reporting for a feature story on crop dusters.
"I hope Blytheville citizens realize what a good job our news staff does on a day-to-day basis," noted Courier News publisher David Tennyson. "It's easy to take things for granted sometimes, but first place in General Excellence five years out of nine pretty much says it all to me."
The Courier News competes in Division I, which includes the state's small daily newspapers.
Also Saturday, Weld was elected as APME president for 2009-10. Weld replaces David Bailey of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Rick Fahr of the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway was elected the group's vice president.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The greatest sports movies of all time
I'm almost embarrassed to have watched any television at all last weekend.
It was the first really warm weekend of the year, and I did spend a little time outside, at least enough to get the lawn mowed, play some ball with the kids, and get a nice little sunburn.
But it was also a good weekend to watch some TV, especially for anyone who is a fan of sports. There was the NFL draft, covered in minutia by ESPN, a couple of Cardinals-Cubs games, and a mini-marathon of sports movies on the AMC cable channel.
I stayed up way too late Saturday night watching AMC. First was “Rudy,” then came “The Rookie.” Both are fine sports movies.
I think anyone who is a fan of sports is a fan of the sports movie. Sure, there’s been a load of duds. But there’s also been a whole lot of winners, the kind of films that capture the essence of the game, tell a good story and are worth watching over and over.
All this got me thinking about the greatest sports movies of all-time, and I decided to come up with a list of my personal favorites.
But there are a couple of caveats. For one, there are a few sports movies considered among the all-time greats that I just haven’t seen. This includes movies like “Pride of the Yankees” and “Raging Bull.” They may be great, but I just wouldn’t know.
Then, there are those so-called classics that I’ve seen, but only long after their original release, when the magic was no longer there, at least for me. This would include flicks like “Rocky” and “Chariots of Fire.” Both are fine movies, just not films I would rank among my favorites.
So what follows is what I would consider my list of the greatest sports movies of all-time (or at least of “Andy-time”). It was too hard to cut it to 10, so I'm presenting a top 12, in descending order:
12. “Seabiscuit.” The horse-racing movie, starring Tobey McGuire, is often forgotten among top sports movies, but it’s a good one nonetheless.
11. “Hoosiers.” A great underdog story, a tale of what a team can do, working together.
10. “The Rookie.” Another great underdog story. The father-son angle offers added meaning for me.
9. “Miracle.” Based on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, this movie is special, as it is framed around one of my earliest sports memories.
8. “A League of Their Own.” As the father of a little girl who plays ball, I have to include this one. But I always find myself rooting for the little sister, rather than the Geena Davis character. Perhaps this is because I, too, am a younger sibling, and can relate to being in an older sibling's shadow.
7. “Jerry McGuire.” Really more of a romantic comedy than a sports movie, but a good supplier of catch-phrases, if nothing else.
6. “Remember the Titans.” The struggles of race relations are played out on the football field. Movie is still poignant today.
5. “Major League.” A great cast, and a very funny movie. The scene near the end when Charlie Sheen walks out as the whole stadium sings “Wild Thing” is great cinema.
4. “Rudy.” The “underdog” theme continues. It would be ranked higher if it wasn’t Notre Dame. I can’t stand Notre Dame.
3. “The Sandlot.” A story about baseball in its purest form. A great coming-of-age movie.
2. “Field of Dreams.” As a native Iowan, I obviously have an affinity for this one. Besides that, I’ve even been to the actual field. It's still there,, and it’s open to the public. You can even bring your bat and glove, and hit a few balls between the corn fields. It's not heaven, it's Iowa.
1. “Bull Durham.” This movie has it all. Great characters. Great comedy. Great storylines. It captures the essence of that wonderful world known as minor league baseball, and tells a great story along the way. I watch this one every time it comes on.
It was the first really warm weekend of the year, and I did spend a little time outside, at least enough to get the lawn mowed, play some ball with the kids, and get a nice little sunburn.
But it was also a good weekend to watch some TV, especially for anyone who is a fan of sports. There was the NFL draft, covered in minutia by ESPN, a couple of Cardinals-Cubs games, and a mini-marathon of sports movies on the AMC cable channel.
I stayed up way too late Saturday night watching AMC. First was “Rudy,” then came “The Rookie.” Both are fine sports movies.
I think anyone who is a fan of sports is a fan of the sports movie. Sure, there’s been a load of duds. But there’s also been a whole lot of winners, the kind of films that capture the essence of the game, tell a good story and are worth watching over and over.
All this got me thinking about the greatest sports movies of all-time, and I decided to come up with a list of my personal favorites.
But there are a couple of caveats. For one, there are a few sports movies considered among the all-time greats that I just haven’t seen. This includes movies like “Pride of the Yankees” and “Raging Bull.” They may be great, but I just wouldn’t know.
Then, there are those so-called classics that I’ve seen, but only long after their original release, when the magic was no longer there, at least for me. This would include flicks like “Rocky” and “Chariots of Fire.” Both are fine movies, just not films I would rank among my favorites.
So what follows is what I would consider my list of the greatest sports movies of all-time (or at least of “Andy-time”). It was too hard to cut it to 10, so I'm presenting a top 12, in descending order:
12. “Seabiscuit.” The horse-racing movie, starring Tobey McGuire, is often forgotten among top sports movies, but it’s a good one nonetheless.
11. “Hoosiers.” A great underdog story, a tale of what a team can do, working together.
10. “The Rookie.” Another great underdog story. The father-son angle offers added meaning for me.
9. “Miracle.” Based on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, this movie is special, as it is framed around one of my earliest sports memories.
8. “A League of Their Own.” As the father of a little girl who plays ball, I have to include this one. But I always find myself rooting for the little sister, rather than the Geena Davis character. Perhaps this is because I, too, am a younger sibling, and can relate to being in an older sibling's shadow.
7. “Jerry McGuire.” Really more of a romantic comedy than a sports movie, but a good supplier of catch-phrases, if nothing else.
6. “Remember the Titans.” The struggles of race relations are played out on the football field. Movie is still poignant today.
5. “Major League.” A great cast, and a very funny movie. The scene near the end when Charlie Sheen walks out as the whole stadium sings “Wild Thing” is great cinema.
4. “Rudy.” The “underdog” theme continues. It would be ranked higher if it wasn’t Notre Dame. I can’t stand Notre Dame.
3. “The Sandlot.” A story about baseball in its purest form. A great coming-of-age movie.
2. “Field of Dreams.” As a native Iowan, I obviously have an affinity for this one. Besides that, I’ve even been to the actual field. It's still there,, and it’s open to the public. You can even bring your bat and glove, and hit a few balls between the corn fields. It's not heaven, it's Iowa.
1. “Bull Durham.” This movie has it all. Great characters. Great comedy. Great storylines. It captures the essence of that wonderful world known as minor league baseball, and tells a great story along the way. I watch this one every time it comes on.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Council should resist using wrong criteria
Reading the profiles of the seven candidates for the Ward 1 opening on the Blytheville City Council in Sunday’s Courier News provided a sobering glimpse of the tremendous challenge before the council.
On Tuesday, the five sitting members of the council will pick one of those seven to serve the remainder of the term of James Sanders, who resigned his seat after being appointed Mississippi County sheriff. The good news for the council is there are a number of highly qualified candidates for the open seat. The bad news is they can only pick one.
Much has been made the last couple of weeks about the need to pick the “most qualified” candidate, or more specifically, that the selection should not be based on race alone. That is obviously the case. The color of a person’s skin no more makes him or her more or less capable of a task today than it did 100 years ago.
But among criteria council members should resist using when making their pick, race is certainly not alone. Indeed, there are other traits that council members may be tempted to place value on, which they would be better served to largely ignore.
For instance, just because a candidate may be a “lifelong” or “longtime” Blytheville resident, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is better qualified to serve on the City Council. There’s nothing wrong with taking pride is such a feat, mind you. But as far as being able to make decisions in the best interests of the ward and the city, people who have lived here for just a handful of years are just as capable as those who have lived here for 30 or 40.
In fact, having lived elsewhere could potentially give a candidate a leg up in the ability to do the job. Having seen how cities function elsewhere could be a benefit for a local leader. After all, there are times when the answers to our questions and the solutions to our problems exist outside the confines of our fair city.
Another factor that the council should resist weighing too heavily when making its decision is the perception of a candidate’s ability to "get along" with other council members. Whether it’s hiring subordinates or making political appointments, there is a natural tendency among us humans to pick people who agree with us. But the candidate who is most “agreeable” may not make the best city council member.
City councils — like other governmental bodies — should be places where divergent opinions are welcome. Show me a city council — or a school board, or a chamber board, or a quorum court — where the vote is always unanimous, and I’ll show you board members more interested in serving each other than their constituency.
We need people on the City Council who have new ideas. We need people who can bring new sets of eyes and new perspectives to our problems. This is the way to keep the city moving forward.
Besides that, efforts in the past by the City Council to bring “like-minded” members into the fold have kind of ended up backfiring.
The decision ahead of our City Council is an awesome responsibility. Any other time there is an opening on the council, hundreds of votes would decide who fills the seat. But this time, it will be a mere five votes that make that determination.
I don’t envy the challenge facing our council members. The decision will be straining, and no doubt whatever they decide will be met with criticism. But I urge them to be diligent, to be thoughtful, and to be courageous.
Picking one-sixth of the City Council is no easy task, nor should it be. Let's hope proper thoughtfulness goes into the decision.
On Tuesday, the five sitting members of the council will pick one of those seven to serve the remainder of the term of James Sanders, who resigned his seat after being appointed Mississippi County sheriff. The good news for the council is there are a number of highly qualified candidates for the open seat. The bad news is they can only pick one.
Much has been made the last couple of weeks about the need to pick the “most qualified” candidate, or more specifically, that the selection should not be based on race alone. That is obviously the case. The color of a person’s skin no more makes him or her more or less capable of a task today than it did 100 years ago.
But among criteria council members should resist using when making their pick, race is certainly not alone. Indeed, there are other traits that council members may be tempted to place value on, which they would be better served to largely ignore.
For instance, just because a candidate may be a “lifelong” or “longtime” Blytheville resident, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is better qualified to serve on the City Council. There’s nothing wrong with taking pride is such a feat, mind you. But as far as being able to make decisions in the best interests of the ward and the city, people who have lived here for just a handful of years are just as capable as those who have lived here for 30 or 40.
In fact, having lived elsewhere could potentially give a candidate a leg up in the ability to do the job. Having seen how cities function elsewhere could be a benefit for a local leader. After all, there are times when the answers to our questions and the solutions to our problems exist outside the confines of our fair city.
Another factor that the council should resist weighing too heavily when making its decision is the perception of a candidate’s ability to "get along" with other council members. Whether it’s hiring subordinates or making political appointments, there is a natural tendency among us humans to pick people who agree with us. But the candidate who is most “agreeable” may not make the best city council member.
City councils — like other governmental bodies — should be places where divergent opinions are welcome. Show me a city council — or a school board, or a chamber board, or a quorum court — where the vote is always unanimous, and I’ll show you board members more interested in serving each other than their constituency.
We need people on the City Council who have new ideas. We need people who can bring new sets of eyes and new perspectives to our problems. This is the way to keep the city moving forward.
Besides that, efforts in the past by the City Council to bring “like-minded” members into the fold have kind of ended up backfiring.
The decision ahead of our City Council is an awesome responsibility. Any other time there is an opening on the council, hundreds of votes would decide who fills the seat. But this time, it will be a mere five votes that make that determination.
I don’t envy the challenge facing our council members. The decision will be straining, and no doubt whatever they decide will be met with criticism. But I urge them to be diligent, to be thoughtful, and to be courageous.
Picking one-sixth of the City Council is no easy task, nor should it be. Let's hope proper thoughtfulness goes into the decision.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Favorite shows, past and present
Wednesday is a good day, because it means “Lost” is on. It’s pretty much my favorite show these days.
Sure, it’s a bit weird, as far as TV shows go; and it’s probably more sci-fi than I would normally like. And I certainly would pity the poor soul who would start watching the show right now and even try to obtain a remote understanding of what the heck is going on. But it’s must-see TV for my wife and me, and we’ve been known have entire conversations debating what might happen in the episodes to come. We’re pretty geeky that way.
“Lost” is one of the only shows I try to watch every week. Another would be “The Amazing Race,” though that Emmy-winning reality show has lost some of its freshness the past few seasons, and if I missed an episode or two, it probably wouldn’t break my heart.
In past years, I’ve been a fan of “American Idol,” though I’m proud to say I haven’t watched a single second of the show this season. It was neat for a few years, but if you ask me, it’s kind of run its course. There’s only so long you can go on watching karaoke-esque performances and sardonic critiques from Simon.
When I think about it, there’s only a handful of television shows from my lifetime that I would truly call favorites. There are hundreds that I’ve sat through, but far fewer that I’d really rate as exceptional TV.
In recent years, “The West Wing” rates as one of the best. It was actually midway through its run before I discovered the political drama. But once I watched, I was hooked, and I was sad when it went off the air. America could use a little Jed Bartlet these days. The Bravo cable channel still airs “West Wing” reruns, and thanks to this and my handy-dandy DVR, I’ve been able to catch all the early episodes.
Another all-time favorite for me is “M*A*S*H.” I was but a child when the show aired in its original run, so it wasn’t until college that I fell in love with the show. One of the local stations used to air a “M*A*S*H Triple-Play” every weeknight, so we could catch a full 90 minutes of Hawkeye, Hot Lips, Trapper John and the rest almost every night of the week. Though it’s been 26 years since a new episode has aired, the show remains relevant today, and I’m still known to tear up when I watch the finale.
Thursday night has always been a big night for TV, and never was that more true than in the 1980s, when NBC ruled the night with the knock-out lineup of “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “Cheers” and “Night Court.” All were great, but my favorite was “Family Ties.” It was one of the last great family-based sit-coms, and much of my early political ideology was influenced by Alex P. Keaton, played memorably by Michael J. Fox.
I probably ought to throw “Little House on the Prairie” on this list as well. “Little House” is one of the first shows I remember watching religiously, usually laying on the floor with my sister, both of us in pajamas, and ready for bed as soon as the closing credits rolled. I still remember how much I hated Nellie Oleson, or “Mellie,” as I called her.
“Lost” will no doubt rate among these classics, at least for me. The producers and writers have determined there will only be one more season, once the current one is complete. And so while I am excited for each subsequent episode, I almost also a little sad, knowing that with each episode, the end is nearer.
There are times when I wish our lives weren’t as centered around the television as they are. But I’ve concluded that it’s just the way things are. No doubt we all need to get up off the couch a little more, but there’s nothing wrong with getting some quality entertainment from the tube a few nights a week, too.
Especially when there are shows like “Lost” on every Wednesday night.
Sure, it’s a bit weird, as far as TV shows go; and it’s probably more sci-fi than I would normally like. And I certainly would pity the poor soul who would start watching the show right now and even try to obtain a remote understanding of what the heck is going on. But it’s must-see TV for my wife and me, and we’ve been known have entire conversations debating what might happen in the episodes to come. We’re pretty geeky that way.
“Lost” is one of the only shows I try to watch every week. Another would be “The Amazing Race,” though that Emmy-winning reality show has lost some of its freshness the past few seasons, and if I missed an episode or two, it probably wouldn’t break my heart.
In past years, I’ve been a fan of “American Idol,” though I’m proud to say I haven’t watched a single second of the show this season. It was neat for a few years, but if you ask me, it’s kind of run its course. There’s only so long you can go on watching karaoke-esque performances and sardonic critiques from Simon.
When I think about it, there’s only a handful of television shows from my lifetime that I would truly call favorites. There are hundreds that I’ve sat through, but far fewer that I’d really rate as exceptional TV.
In recent years, “The West Wing” rates as one of the best. It was actually midway through its run before I discovered the political drama. But once I watched, I was hooked, and I was sad when it went off the air. America could use a little Jed Bartlet these days. The Bravo cable channel still airs “West Wing” reruns, and thanks to this and my handy-dandy DVR, I’ve been able to catch all the early episodes.
Another all-time favorite for me is “M*A*S*H.” I was but a child when the show aired in its original run, so it wasn’t until college that I fell in love with the show. One of the local stations used to air a “M*A*S*H Triple-Play” every weeknight, so we could catch a full 90 minutes of Hawkeye, Hot Lips, Trapper John and the rest almost every night of the week. Though it’s been 26 years since a new episode has aired, the show remains relevant today, and I’m still known to tear up when I watch the finale.
Thursday night has always been a big night for TV, and never was that more true than in the 1980s, when NBC ruled the night with the knock-out lineup of “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “Cheers” and “Night Court.” All were great, but my favorite was “Family Ties.” It was one of the last great family-based sit-coms, and much of my early political ideology was influenced by Alex P. Keaton, played memorably by Michael J. Fox.
I probably ought to throw “Little House on the Prairie” on this list as well. “Little House” is one of the first shows I remember watching religiously, usually laying on the floor with my sister, both of us in pajamas, and ready for bed as soon as the closing credits rolled. I still remember how much I hated Nellie Oleson, or “Mellie,” as I called her.
“Lost” will no doubt rate among these classics, at least for me. The producers and writers have determined there will only be one more season, once the current one is complete. And so while I am excited for each subsequent episode, I almost also a little sad, knowing that with each episode, the end is nearer.
There are times when I wish our lives weren’t as centered around the television as they are. But I’ve concluded that it’s just the way things are. No doubt we all need to get up off the couch a little more, but there’s nothing wrong with getting some quality entertainment from the tube a few nights a week, too.
Especially when there are shows like “Lost” on every Wednesday night.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Older now, but still running against the wind
Scratch one off the list.
A few months ago, I made a list of things I hoped to accomplish this year. It was one-part New Year's resolution, and one-part "ways to not waste the year away." Kind of a carpe-diem, "bucket list" for 2009, if you will.
Well, on Sunday, I ran in — and completed — my very first 5K run. And with that, I am on my way toward completing my personal agenda for the year.
I've been doing the fitness thing for about a year now, trying to eat a little better, and exercising a few times a week. But I felt like I needed an added sense of accomplishment, to do something I wouldn't have been able to have done before.
So, a few weeks ago, I threw my hat over the wall and signed up to run in a 5K. I chose a race in nearby Marion. It was labeled a "family fun run," which seemed about right for my skill level. And I figured that by April, the weather might be showing some signs of stability.
Well, I was at least half-right. The field of runners was just about perfect for me. Some old, some young; some fit, some not-so-much; some expert runners, some novices. I finished with a time of about 29:29, which was about the middle of the pack, and just a few minutes off the pace for placing in my age division.
Weather-wise, I probably could have done a little better. It was just a little windy. And by "just a little," I mean "hurricane-strength." At least it seemed that way for a while. Toward the end of the run, we had a long stretch with the wind in our faces, up a slight incline. Not fun.
Other than the wind, though, the weather was fine. Luckily, the cold front that brought January-like temperatures to the area for a few days didn't roll through until later in the evening.
My philosophy going into the race was something I had seen printed on a t-shirt: "Finishing dead last is better than not finishing. And not finishing is better than not trying." So I was pretty happy with my performance. Not only did I finish, but I had a respectable time, especially for a 36-year-old who just a year ago was a fast-food-eating couch potato. And to cross the finish line, with my family on hand cheering me on, was one of the coolest things I have gotten to do in a while.
The highlight of the day, though, might have been the 100-meter dash held for little kids. In the 7-and-under age group, my 6-year-old son, Drew, bested the entire field, taking first place. "I smoked 'em!" he said, after finishing. And in the 8-and-up division, 9-year-old Katie took third place. Had she not gotten crowded out of position at the start, I have little doubt she would have won as well.
The kids both got little plastic medals for their finish. Later, Drew said I could have his, saying "You're the winner to me, Dad."
So I guess you could say it was a good day, and I'm looking forward to doing it again sometime. It is really amazing how for 29 minutes and change, the problems of the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of my feet hitting the pavement and the wind blowing across my face. I've already perused the Internet for races in the months ahead, and there are a couple of area offerings that look promising. Maybe I'll recruit a few folks to run with me next time.
I just hope we can find a race where there's not going to be any wind.
A few months ago, I made a list of things I hoped to accomplish this year. It was one-part New Year's resolution, and one-part "ways to not waste the year away." Kind of a carpe-diem, "bucket list" for 2009, if you will.
Well, on Sunday, I ran in — and completed — my very first 5K run. And with that, I am on my way toward completing my personal agenda for the year.
I've been doing the fitness thing for about a year now, trying to eat a little better, and exercising a few times a week. But I felt like I needed an added sense of accomplishment, to do something I wouldn't have been able to have done before.
So, a few weeks ago, I threw my hat over the wall and signed up to run in a 5K. I chose a race in nearby Marion. It was labeled a "family fun run," which seemed about right for my skill level. And I figured that by April, the weather might be showing some signs of stability.
Well, I was at least half-right. The field of runners was just about perfect for me. Some old, some young; some fit, some not-so-much; some expert runners, some novices. I finished with a time of about 29:29, which was about the middle of the pack, and just a few minutes off the pace for placing in my age division.
Weather-wise, I probably could have done a little better. It was just a little windy. And by "just a little," I mean "hurricane-strength." At least it seemed that way for a while. Toward the end of the run, we had a long stretch with the wind in our faces, up a slight incline. Not fun.
Other than the wind, though, the weather was fine. Luckily, the cold front that brought January-like temperatures to the area for a few days didn't roll through until later in the evening.
My philosophy going into the race was something I had seen printed on a t-shirt: "Finishing dead last is better than not finishing. And not finishing is better than not trying." So I was pretty happy with my performance. Not only did I finish, but I had a respectable time, especially for a 36-year-old who just a year ago was a fast-food-eating couch potato. And to cross the finish line, with my family on hand cheering me on, was one of the coolest things I have gotten to do in a while.
The highlight of the day, though, might have been the 100-meter dash held for little kids. In the 7-and-under age group, my 6-year-old son, Drew, bested the entire field, taking first place. "I smoked 'em!" he said, after finishing. And in the 8-and-up division, 9-year-old Katie took third place. Had she not gotten crowded out of position at the start, I have little doubt she would have won as well.
The kids both got little plastic medals for their finish. Later, Drew said I could have his, saying "You're the winner to me, Dad."
So I guess you could say it was a good day, and I'm looking forward to doing it again sometime. It is really amazing how for 29 minutes and change, the problems of the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of my feet hitting the pavement and the wind blowing across my face. I've already perused the Internet for races in the months ahead, and there are a couple of area offerings that look promising. Maybe I'll recruit a few folks to run with me next time.
I just hope we can find a race where there's not going to be any wind.
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