2010, it’s been quite a year! From the BCS Championship game to being in the hospital thinking I was about to have open heart surgery to save my life.
On January 7, 2010, Alabama beat the University of Texas to become the NCAA football national champions. After being left beaten and bloodied by the side of the road to die as a result of the NCAA sanctions leveled in 2002, we overcame and became national champions for the 2009 season. While I didn’t attend the BCS championship game in Pasadena, I watched from one or my favorite places and partied into the night. This was truly a magnificent evening that will live in my mind forever.
I did, however, attend the Jimmy Buffett concert in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Jimmy did a concert to raise awareness and assist local businesses with respect to the explosion of the BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico. I was able to attend the concert and drop some money into the economy. My favorite singer at my favorite place! How great is that?
While both of the events have shaped my year, the highlight of my year had to be the attending of my high school reunion. Since I graduated, I had not been back for a reunion, nor had I kept up with anyone in my class. Well, attending the reunion changed everything. I changed from a somewhat “I didn’t like those people then and I doubt I would like them now” to someone who really loves the members of my high school class. They’re great people and I almost missed out on their friendships. But I didn’t. For those of you in my class, I love you and look forward to our continued friendships.
Another high point in my year came when I was re-united with my best friend from high school. She was unable to attend the reunion, but I later re-united with her at her Mom’s funeral. While this was certainly a solemn occasion for all of those that had been touched by her mother, falling in to my best friend’s arms gave me a comfort I can’t describe. We’ve vowed to never lose touch with each other.
The 2010 football season has been a disappointment; but when I think about those dismal seasons in the mid-2000’s under Mike Shula, I have to be pleased that we’re once again competing for championships and top-notch recruits. We’re ALABAMA, and the rest is the rest.
I guess the low point of this year was being admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure. I guess I could have died, but I didn’t. Medication and a change of diet will hopefully seem me through. This little episode made me realize how import friends and family are, and that mine are the greatest. To my friends and family who helped get me through this, thank you!
2010 will be a memorable year and one that is bringing so many changes to my life. And they’re good changes. There will be some challenges coming my way in 2011, but with God and great family and friends, I’ll surely come through. “Thank you, thank you, thank God for you!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
A BAD RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE
TV shows have been written around them. We’ve all had them, and we will continue to have them. There are certainly worse things that can happen to you, but for some reason they make us very angry; sometimes to the point of showing our posteriors. What are they…bad restaurant experiences and I had once last night.
Twas the night after the Iron Bowl and I wasn’t particular happy. When that game was over, I wanted a nice dinner to get a little bit of consolation. Also, this has not been a particularly good week, even though I love Thanksgiving. I found out that a dear friend of mine, someone that I have been friends with for a very long time, has an aggressive cancer that is in stage three. She will soon begin an intense chemo regimen.
Back to last night! Wentzel’s Oyster House, an old established Mobile restaurant, opened a restaurant in Tuscaloosa about a year ago (I think). I like the Wentzel’s in Mobile, although I prefer Felix’s Fish Camp when I’m down there. A friend of mine that went to the game with some other friends and I decided that we would try this newer Wentzels’s.
When we arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot was not full. While this surprised me, I was okay with it because this should mean a shorter wait. We were told by the hostess that the wait would be about fifteen or twenty minutes. To me this is nothing and I was again pleasantly surprised. For the wait, my friend and I went to the bar and found two empty stools. This where our luck started to run out. We had a chatty bartender and I was definitely not in the mood for “chatty”. I was in more of a mood to sit and brood.
We were taken to our table in the promised fifteen or twenty minutes, which was good. However, after we were seated, no one came to wait on us. The ones that were waiting on other clientele were running around with frowns on their faces and acting like they didn’t want to be there. After I was unable to make eye contact with any of them, I suspected that we might have been seated at a table that was not assigned. I also suspected that they were short of help. And that’s not good for what is sure to be a busy evening.
I was finally able to flag a young man down and asked if anyone was assigned to our table. He was nice and indicated that he would take care of us. Of course, we immediately put our orders in because we didn’t want him to get away and not come back. The young man, whom we later found out was one of the managers, appeared to be very capable and our food arrived in what I would consider a timely manner.
While the appetizer that we shared was decent, my entree, flounder béarnaise, left a lot to be desired. It was soggy and I question whether it was real flounder. It was supposed to be topped with a crab meat dressing. There was soggy dressing on top of the flounder, but I found no evidence of crab meat. The béarnaise sauce was bland and probably came out of a jar. The lettuce in my salad was primarily made up of iceberg and I don’t particularly care for iceberg, preferring spring mix or romaine. To top it off, the baked potato was a bit undercooked, and we all have experienced undercooked baked potatoes. My friend ordered the friend oyster/fried flounder combination and said that her food was overcooked and a bit tough.
When the waiter came back and asked if we wanted desert, we said no and indicated that we were ready for our checks. We didn’t complain, but were ready to get out of there and head back to Birmingham, When our checks arrived, we were given small discounts and that was nice. The waiter/manager indicated that they were indeed short of help because a number of the wait staff had been allowed to take vacation that day. That was a mistake, in my opinion, because the evening after the Iron Bowl would surely be one of their busiest days of the year.
While the above was certainly not a major disaster, it wasn’t the satisfying dinner that I was hoping to have after a disappointing afternoon. Will I go back there? Sure, I’ll give them a second chance, but that’s all.
I don’t think I’ve ever written about a good restaurant experience and I do have a lot of them. It’s always the bad ones that you remember and sometimes end up laughing about for months and even years.
Twas the night after the Iron Bowl and I wasn’t particular happy. When that game was over, I wanted a nice dinner to get a little bit of consolation. Also, this has not been a particularly good week, even though I love Thanksgiving. I found out that a dear friend of mine, someone that I have been friends with for a very long time, has an aggressive cancer that is in stage three. She will soon begin an intense chemo regimen.
Back to last night! Wentzel’s Oyster House, an old established Mobile restaurant, opened a restaurant in Tuscaloosa about a year ago (I think). I like the Wentzel’s in Mobile, although I prefer Felix’s Fish Camp when I’m down there. A friend of mine that went to the game with some other friends and I decided that we would try this newer Wentzels’s.
When we arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot was not full. While this surprised me, I was okay with it because this should mean a shorter wait. We were told by the hostess that the wait would be about fifteen or twenty minutes. To me this is nothing and I was again pleasantly surprised. For the wait, my friend and I went to the bar and found two empty stools. This where our luck started to run out. We had a chatty bartender and I was definitely not in the mood for “chatty”. I was in more of a mood to sit and brood.
We were taken to our table in the promised fifteen or twenty minutes, which was good. However, after we were seated, no one came to wait on us. The ones that were waiting on other clientele were running around with frowns on their faces and acting like they didn’t want to be there. After I was unable to make eye contact with any of them, I suspected that we might have been seated at a table that was not assigned. I also suspected that they were short of help. And that’s not good for what is sure to be a busy evening.
I was finally able to flag a young man down and asked if anyone was assigned to our table. He was nice and indicated that he would take care of us. Of course, we immediately put our orders in because we didn’t want him to get away and not come back. The young man, whom we later found out was one of the managers, appeared to be very capable and our food arrived in what I would consider a timely manner.
While the appetizer that we shared was decent, my entree, flounder béarnaise, left a lot to be desired. It was soggy and I question whether it was real flounder. It was supposed to be topped with a crab meat dressing. There was soggy dressing on top of the flounder, but I found no evidence of crab meat. The béarnaise sauce was bland and probably came out of a jar. The lettuce in my salad was primarily made up of iceberg and I don’t particularly care for iceberg, preferring spring mix or romaine. To top it off, the baked potato was a bit undercooked, and we all have experienced undercooked baked potatoes. My friend ordered the friend oyster/fried flounder combination and said that her food was overcooked and a bit tough.
When the waiter came back and asked if we wanted desert, we said no and indicated that we were ready for our checks. We didn’t complain, but were ready to get out of there and head back to Birmingham, When our checks arrived, we were given small discounts and that was nice. The waiter/manager indicated that they were indeed short of help because a number of the wait staff had been allowed to take vacation that day. That was a mistake, in my opinion, because the evening after the Iron Bowl would surely be one of their busiest days of the year.
While the above was certainly not a major disaster, it wasn’t the satisfying dinner that I was hoping to have after a disappointing afternoon. Will I go back there? Sure, I’ll give them a second chance, but that’s all.
I don’t think I’ve ever written about a good restaurant experience and I do have a lot of them. It’s always the bad ones that you remember and sometimes end up laughing about for months and even years.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Iron Bowl Memory
The year was 1980 and I was going to the game with my Dad. The game was still being played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Even though we had lost two games already, one to Mississippi State and the other to Notre Dame; we were good. I don't remember what Auburn's record was that year, but fourth year coach Doug Barfield was walking on thin ice. Alabama won. I don't remember the score and I don't think it was a real nail-biter.
We had parked at what was the old Big B Warehouse at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Highway 11/the Bessemer Super Highway. Walking to the car after the game, Daddy and I got to the intersection of Hwy 11 and Eight Avenue where a policeman was in the middle of the intersection directing traffic. We were standing right at the curb and there were some folks right behind us. The light changed for us to walk, but the policeman had not stopped traffic on Hwy 11 for us to cross. So, we were a little hesitant to begin crossing.
Well a couple of Auburn fans behind us started yelling for us to go on ahead and cross and said, "it looks like we're going to have to teach these Alabama fans how to cross the street." The policeman did stop traffic and we crossed. When we got to the other side I turned around to the Auburn fans and said, "You can teach us how to cross the street and we'll teach ya'll how to play football". The guys, who were cute, started laughing and said, "you got yourself a deal". They were very anxious to get rid of Barfield and talked to us for a minute or two before we went our separate ways.
In the car, Daddy laughed and said he thought for a second that I was going to get us in fight. Well, Daddy had to call everyone he knew and tell them about that.
Daddy's been dead for a while now, but that is a memory I will always cherish.
We had parked at what was the old Big B Warehouse at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Highway 11/the Bessemer Super Highway. Walking to the car after the game, Daddy and I got to the intersection of Hwy 11 and Eight Avenue where a policeman was in the middle of the intersection directing traffic. We were standing right at the curb and there were some folks right behind us. The light changed for us to walk, but the policeman had not stopped traffic on Hwy 11 for us to cross. So, we were a little hesitant to begin crossing.
Well a couple of Auburn fans behind us started yelling for us to go on ahead and cross and said, "it looks like we're going to have to teach these Alabama fans how to cross the street." The policeman did stop traffic and we crossed. When we got to the other side I turned around to the Auburn fans and said, "You can teach us how to cross the street and we'll teach ya'll how to play football". The guys, who were cute, started laughing and said, "you got yourself a deal". They were very anxious to get rid of Barfield and talked to us for a minute or two before we went our separate ways.
In the car, Daddy laughed and said he thought for a second that I was going to get us in fight. Well, Daddy had to call everyone he knew and tell them about that.
Daddy's been dead for a while now, but that is a memory I will always cherish.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
BEEN QUITE A SUMMER
No rental cars or westbound trains as Jimmy Buffett sings about, but a summer that I will never forget.
Not having kids, summer is just another season to me, albeit my favorite season because I like warm/hot weather and summer clothes. Well, I like pretty much all types of clothes. Back to summer, I generally do most of my vacationing in months other than the summer months in order to avoid the summertime crowds. So, I generally go to work everyday, attend local concerts, attend a Birmingham Barons baseball game, and go to a Jimmy Buffett concert, depending on his tour schedule. This summer was a little different, though.
In June I attended a high school reunion, the first one I’ve attended since I graduated. Like a lot of folks are, I was a bit apprehensive about attending; but after much deliberation, I decided to go. My decision was probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. I now have a bunch of new friends and acquaintances. I’m facebook friends with people I thought I would never cross paths with after leaving high school. I’m even planning to attend my school’s homecoming this fall. Are we talking about the same Nancy Graham? I really think my high school graduating class is great, and not very many people will say that. They’re really just good people and I’m proud to be one of them. There’s a few, of course, that I never cared for and still don’t; but we’re talking very few. And who knows; maybe if I had gotten to talk to them a little more at the reunion, I would have changed my mind. Anyway you look at it, going to this reunion has changed my life forever and for the better. Again, are we talking about the same Nancy Graham?
About a month after the reunion, I attended the event of a lifetime. My favorite singer in my favorite place…Jimmy Buffett in Gulf Shores. Getting everything together to get there took some doing, but we made it and ended up in a VIP section for the concert. Jimmy and his Coral Reefer band performed for free in an effort to get folks to visit the Alabama Gulf Coast following the oil spill caused by the explosion of a BP oil rig in the Gulf. The concert was broadcast on CMT with some of my friends and I actually getting on TV. The concert was great and the beaches were beautiful. There was a little bit of oil on the beach in front of the condos where we stayed. In fact, I picked a little up and squished it between my fingers. If my four friends had scoops and garbage bags, we could have cleaned it up in no time. But, of course that would have been strictly forbidden by the third Reich, I mean the USEPA.
Between 42,000 and 45,000 attended the concert and it was a site to behold. I’m so happy that I got the chance to be a part of such a historic event.
I’ve always acknowledged that summer is my favorite season and that I could easily live in an all year round warm weather climate. The summer of 2010 was long and hot, and made me realize I probably should stick to living in a place where the climate is seasonal. With actual temperatures in the high 90s/low 100s and heat indexes in the 110 to 115 degree range, I experienced a lot of migraine headaches and generally felt bad. Once the temps got back into the mid-90s, the headaches went away and I felt much better.
As a result of the oppressive heat here in central Alabama, I stayed inside a lot. However, friends and I did make one trip during these oppressive days. We traveled to Florence, Alabama to see Mac McAnally in concert. Mac has been named CMA Musician of the Year for two years in a row. He’s also the guy with the red hair and beard that stands just behind Jimmy and to his right while the band if performing. The concert, of course, was wonderful and we were able to meet Coral Reefer band members Roger Guth and Jim Mayer. Now, there are very few Coral Reefers that I haven’t met. Mac also remembered us from some of his previous concerts.
To most people, my summer would be considered a very “dorky” summer; but to me it was one that has changed my life for the better, making “old/new” friends and attending events that were not only fun, but made some lifetime memories.
Football season has now started and while Alabama certainly looked good in its opening game; the team has a grueling season ahead. Can we repeat? I’m not making any predictions. Life goes on.
Not having kids, summer is just another season to me, albeit my favorite season because I like warm/hot weather and summer clothes. Well, I like pretty much all types of clothes. Back to summer, I generally do most of my vacationing in months other than the summer months in order to avoid the summertime crowds. So, I generally go to work everyday, attend local concerts, attend a Birmingham Barons baseball game, and go to a Jimmy Buffett concert, depending on his tour schedule. This summer was a little different, though.
In June I attended a high school reunion, the first one I’ve attended since I graduated. Like a lot of folks are, I was a bit apprehensive about attending; but after much deliberation, I decided to go. My decision was probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. I now have a bunch of new friends and acquaintances. I’m facebook friends with people I thought I would never cross paths with after leaving high school. I’m even planning to attend my school’s homecoming this fall. Are we talking about the same Nancy Graham? I really think my high school graduating class is great, and not very many people will say that. They’re really just good people and I’m proud to be one of them. There’s a few, of course, that I never cared for and still don’t; but we’re talking very few. And who knows; maybe if I had gotten to talk to them a little more at the reunion, I would have changed my mind. Anyway you look at it, going to this reunion has changed my life forever and for the better. Again, are we talking about the same Nancy Graham?
About a month after the reunion, I attended the event of a lifetime. My favorite singer in my favorite place…Jimmy Buffett in Gulf Shores. Getting everything together to get there took some doing, but we made it and ended up in a VIP section for the concert. Jimmy and his Coral Reefer band performed for free in an effort to get folks to visit the Alabama Gulf Coast following the oil spill caused by the explosion of a BP oil rig in the Gulf. The concert was broadcast on CMT with some of my friends and I actually getting on TV. The concert was great and the beaches were beautiful. There was a little bit of oil on the beach in front of the condos where we stayed. In fact, I picked a little up and squished it between my fingers. If my four friends had scoops and garbage bags, we could have cleaned it up in no time. But, of course that would have been strictly forbidden by the third Reich, I mean the USEPA.
Between 42,000 and 45,000 attended the concert and it was a site to behold. I’m so happy that I got the chance to be a part of such a historic event.
I’ve always acknowledged that summer is my favorite season and that I could easily live in an all year round warm weather climate. The summer of 2010 was long and hot, and made me realize I probably should stick to living in a place where the climate is seasonal. With actual temperatures in the high 90s/low 100s and heat indexes in the 110 to 115 degree range, I experienced a lot of migraine headaches and generally felt bad. Once the temps got back into the mid-90s, the headaches went away and I felt much better.
As a result of the oppressive heat here in central Alabama, I stayed inside a lot. However, friends and I did make one trip during these oppressive days. We traveled to Florence, Alabama to see Mac McAnally in concert. Mac has been named CMA Musician of the Year for two years in a row. He’s also the guy with the red hair and beard that stands just behind Jimmy and to his right while the band if performing. The concert, of course, was wonderful and we were able to meet Coral Reefer band members Roger Guth and Jim Mayer. Now, there are very few Coral Reefers that I haven’t met. Mac also remembered us from some of his previous concerts.
To most people, my summer would be considered a very “dorky” summer; but to me it was one that has changed my life for the better, making “old/new” friends and attending events that were not only fun, but made some lifetime memories.
Football season has now started and while Alabama certainly looked good in its opening game; the team has a grueling season ahead. Can we repeat? I’m not making any predictions. Life goes on.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Global Warming Rebuked Again
In an article linked by the Drudge Report to the New York Post online, the global-warming establishment took a body blow this week, as the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change received a stunning rebuke from a top-notch independent investigation. For two decades, the IPCC has spearheaded efforts to convince the world's governments that man-made carbon emissions pose a threat to the global temperature equilibrium -- and to civilization itself. IPCC reports, collated from the work of hundreds of climate scientists and bureaucrats, are widely cited as evidence for the urgent need for drastic action to "save the planet".
But the prestigious InterAcademy Council, an independent association of "the best scientists and engineers worldwide" (as the group's own Web site puts it) formed in 2000 to give "high-quality advice to international bodies," has finished a thorough review of IPCC practices and found them badly wanting.
In this article, several examples were cited such as the IPCC's claim in 2007 that Himalayan glaciers were rapidly melting, and would possibly be gone by the year 2035.
Global warming, now referred to as climate change in a lot of circles is probably the biggest hoax on mankind in the history of the planet. Al Gore and many other alarmists have insisted that "the debate is over," that the science was "settled." That claim is now in shreds -- though the grants are still flowing, and advocates still hope Congress will pass some version of the economically disastrous "Cap and Trade" bill.
About a year ago I was at some function or club meeting and commented that I would love to drive a Hummer...gas guzzling and environmentally challenged... just to spite the climate change alarmists. One of the folks that I was talking to said, "you're bad, you're bad". She was being good natured about it, though. I went on and she kept saying, "you're bad". Finally, I said, "I'm not bad, I'm good", and let loose about climate change and some other things. This lady then kept saying, "I didn't know that." She assumed without a doubt that the planet was warming and drastic measures had to be taken to save civilization. I told her to read my blog and do some research because there is definitely a strong credible other side; and she said she would.
This is Birmingham, Alabama, not Palo Alto, California, and still folks are duped about climate change. The mainstream media says it exists and so it must. I've run into a few other people who definitely believe there is climate change those that don't buy into it are somehow self-centered and think only of themselves.
Well, maybe this time we can "put a sock" in climate change and stop this viscious assault against the middle class that regulations to lessen the emmission of greenhouse gasses will surely bring. We have a long ways to go to get our country and our way of life back. Can we do it?
But the prestigious InterAcademy Council, an independent association of "the best scientists and engineers worldwide" (as the group's own Web site puts it) formed in 2000 to give "high-quality advice to international bodies," has finished a thorough review of IPCC practices and found them badly wanting.
In this article, several examples were cited such as the IPCC's claim in 2007 that Himalayan glaciers were rapidly melting, and would possibly be gone by the year 2035.
Global warming, now referred to as climate change in a lot of circles is probably the biggest hoax on mankind in the history of the planet. Al Gore and many other alarmists have insisted that "the debate is over," that the science was "settled." That claim is now in shreds -- though the grants are still flowing, and advocates still hope Congress will pass some version of the economically disastrous "Cap and Trade" bill.
About a year ago I was at some function or club meeting and commented that I would love to drive a Hummer...gas guzzling and environmentally challenged... just to spite the climate change alarmists. One of the folks that I was talking to said, "you're bad, you're bad". She was being good natured about it, though. I went on and she kept saying, "you're bad". Finally, I said, "I'm not bad, I'm good", and let loose about climate change and some other things. This lady then kept saying, "I didn't know that." She assumed without a doubt that the planet was warming and drastic measures had to be taken to save civilization. I told her to read my blog and do some research because there is definitely a strong credible other side; and she said she would.
This is Birmingham, Alabama, not Palo Alto, California, and still folks are duped about climate change. The mainstream media says it exists and so it must. I've run into a few other people who definitely believe there is climate change those that don't buy into it are somehow self-centered and think only of themselves.
Well, maybe this time we can "put a sock" in climate change and stop this viscious assault against the middle class that regulations to lessen the emmission of greenhouse gasses will surely bring. We have a long ways to go to get our country and our way of life back. Can we do it?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE FEDS
For the last nineteen months, we have seen an attack on our freedoms by our country’s leaders. There has been out of control spending that has increased our budget deficits and the national debt to levels that will haunt our grandchildren and possible our great grandchildren. We see that our current president has indicated that the United States is not a Christian nation. The current president now says that it’s okay for a mosque to be built at ground zero. Further more, there are many proponents for Sharia law being adopted in the USA. I could go on and on, but you all know what’s going on here. Our current president appears to be an Islamic sympathizer as well as a socialist. Our country’s leaders want to impose their socialist/big government beliefs and principles on the American people. To their credit, the American people don’t want any part of this; and hopefully these leaders who choose to take us down claiming that the United States of America is a bad country will either be taken out or rendered impotent in the upcoming November elections.
Now I’m coming to the crux of this post. The federal government and our country’s leaders are doing some terrible things to the United States of America, as we know it. Can we take our country back and repeal these things the current president and our country’s other leaders have foisted upon us against our will. I believe we can, but we have to arm ourselves and be strong.
Michelle Obama has made one of her causes childhood obesity. Being obese as a child affects children in many ways. If you were obese as a child, you’re going to have the propensity to put on weight all of your life. You can diet and exercise and take the weight off, but it can certainly come back.
Before I started school, I was quite thin and picked at my food. I was a little bit sickly and had lots of stomach aches. My reluctance to eat made my family unhappy and I sensed this. I was told I needed to eat more. Well, guess what? I decided to do just that. If it would make the family happy and get them off my back, why not? So, I ate when I really didn’t want to and started putting on weight. Then when I became a chubby little girl, the family wasn’t satisfied either. To this day, I will never feel that what I do is right or good enough. Whatever I do will not be acceptable. Do I blame the family? Of course not! They were concerned about my well being and did what they thought was best. Do I blame my failures in life on this? No, I really don’t.
Childhood obesity can certainly cause problems, both physically and emotionally for the overweight child; and all parents should do their best to make sure that their children maintain a healthy body weight and stay in good physical shape.
But now, the feds are going to require that your BMI (body mass index) be a part of your medical records as well as you height and weight. These records will be accessible to the feds, so they will know if you’re fat or not by their standards. I’ve posted about this many times and I won’t re-invent the wheel. However, if you want the feds to stay off of your back with regards to body weight, perhaps we should all loose a little weight so that the feds will leave us alone.
While our country’s leaders were busy bailing out banks and automobile companies, many were struggling with credit card debt. To show that they were just as concerned about private individuals as they were about the large corporations, the feds implemented a program whereby they would assist you in paying off your credit card debt. Supposedly, if you have more than $10,000 in credit card debt, you could qualify for this government program. I never checked into the particulars of this because I was in the process of refinancing my house to pay off mine. I firmly believe that if the feds get their claws in you while you’re working with them to lower your credit card debt, they will never take their claws out of you. In other words, you will be a “marked” person and subject to federal regulations for the rest of your life. We bailed you out of your oppressive level of credit card debt; now you are ours. Could all of this possibly be a segway into the feds knowing about your level of debt and forcing you into their debt relief programs if your debt reaches a certain level? So, in addition to losing the weight, perhaps you should take steps to get rid of your credit card debt without fed assistance.
Also, a bill has been signed into law allowing for stricter regulations of financial institutions. As you know whenever the feds level new taxes and regulations on businesses, those businesses are just going to seek to find other areas to recoup what they have lost due to any new regulatory statutes. I was talking to a couple of friends the other day. One of those friends is a small business owner. She was telling me that even though you get you may get your deposit to the bank before 2:00 pm, your checks may bounce. In other words, in reconciling after 2:00, now results in banks clearing your checks before crediting your deposit. This can result in multiple checks bouncing because they didn’t add your deposit in before attempting to clear your checks. Banks are also being known to attempt to clear larger checks first so that they can bounce the checks for smaller amounts and charge those fees. So, I’m also recommending that well all keep a few thousand in our checking accounts as a cushion against the above.
So, three things that we can do to possibly keep the feds off of our doorstep would be to pay off or pay down drastically your credit card debt; maintain a healthy body weight, and keep several thousand in your checking account.
Now, the above are things that we all should do; but we should not be doing these three things because we’re scared for the federal government to find out that we may have problems with weight control, that we may be struggling with credit card debt, and living from hand to mouth with our income and expenses. If the feds were to find out about these things, they might try to help. Heaven forbid! When someone contacts you and says, “I’m from the federal government and here to help.” Run like hell!
Now I’m coming to the crux of this post. The federal government and our country’s leaders are doing some terrible things to the United States of America, as we know it. Can we take our country back and repeal these things the current president and our country’s other leaders have foisted upon us against our will. I believe we can, but we have to arm ourselves and be strong.
Michelle Obama has made one of her causes childhood obesity. Being obese as a child affects children in many ways. If you were obese as a child, you’re going to have the propensity to put on weight all of your life. You can diet and exercise and take the weight off, but it can certainly come back.
Before I started school, I was quite thin and picked at my food. I was a little bit sickly and had lots of stomach aches. My reluctance to eat made my family unhappy and I sensed this. I was told I needed to eat more. Well, guess what? I decided to do just that. If it would make the family happy and get them off my back, why not? So, I ate when I really didn’t want to and started putting on weight. Then when I became a chubby little girl, the family wasn’t satisfied either. To this day, I will never feel that what I do is right or good enough. Whatever I do will not be acceptable. Do I blame the family? Of course not! They were concerned about my well being and did what they thought was best. Do I blame my failures in life on this? No, I really don’t.
Childhood obesity can certainly cause problems, both physically and emotionally for the overweight child; and all parents should do their best to make sure that their children maintain a healthy body weight and stay in good physical shape.
But now, the feds are going to require that your BMI (body mass index) be a part of your medical records as well as you height and weight. These records will be accessible to the feds, so they will know if you’re fat or not by their standards. I’ve posted about this many times and I won’t re-invent the wheel. However, if you want the feds to stay off of your back with regards to body weight, perhaps we should all loose a little weight so that the feds will leave us alone.
While our country’s leaders were busy bailing out banks and automobile companies, many were struggling with credit card debt. To show that they were just as concerned about private individuals as they were about the large corporations, the feds implemented a program whereby they would assist you in paying off your credit card debt. Supposedly, if you have more than $10,000 in credit card debt, you could qualify for this government program. I never checked into the particulars of this because I was in the process of refinancing my house to pay off mine. I firmly believe that if the feds get their claws in you while you’re working with them to lower your credit card debt, they will never take their claws out of you. In other words, you will be a “marked” person and subject to federal regulations for the rest of your life. We bailed you out of your oppressive level of credit card debt; now you are ours. Could all of this possibly be a segway into the feds knowing about your level of debt and forcing you into their debt relief programs if your debt reaches a certain level? So, in addition to losing the weight, perhaps you should take steps to get rid of your credit card debt without fed assistance.
Also, a bill has been signed into law allowing for stricter regulations of financial institutions. As you know whenever the feds level new taxes and regulations on businesses, those businesses are just going to seek to find other areas to recoup what they have lost due to any new regulatory statutes. I was talking to a couple of friends the other day. One of those friends is a small business owner. She was telling me that even though you get you may get your deposit to the bank before 2:00 pm, your checks may bounce. In other words, in reconciling after 2:00, now results in banks clearing your checks before crediting your deposit. This can result in multiple checks bouncing because they didn’t add your deposit in before attempting to clear your checks. Banks are also being known to attempt to clear larger checks first so that they can bounce the checks for smaller amounts and charge those fees. So, I’m also recommending that well all keep a few thousand in our checking accounts as a cushion against the above.
So, three things that we can do to possibly keep the feds off of our doorstep would be to pay off or pay down drastically your credit card debt; maintain a healthy body weight, and keep several thousand in your checking account.
Now, the above are things that we all should do; but we should not be doing these three things because we’re scared for the federal government to find out that we may have problems with weight control, that we may be struggling with credit card debt, and living from hand to mouth with our income and expenses. If the feds were to find out about these things, they might try to help. Heaven forbid! When someone contacts you and says, “I’m from the federal government and here to help.” Run like hell!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
WHAT IF I LIVED IN A LIBERAL STATE?
Earlier this week I read a NewsMax.com article that indicated that Alabama was the fifth most conservative state in the United States. The four that came in ahead of Alabama included South Dakota, Utah, Mississippi, and Oklahoma (I think).
Alabama has always been a very conservative state. As the current president says, “we hold onto our guns and our Bibles”. In the last forty-six years, voters in Alabama have only supported a Democrat candidate for president once. That was Jimmy Carter in 1976. I can go up to most people without even knowing them and say that we (the Republicans) have to take back the House and the Senate in November or the United States of America, as we know it is gone. I then can then indicate that we have to get rid of the current president in 2012. I have never had a stranger that I’ve said this to disagree with me. I do know some Democrats/liberals/current president supporters; and some of them I’ve said this to. They, of course, disagree; but it doesn’t take very long for me to argue them down.
Back to the title of this post…how would I fare as a resident of Massachusetts, California, New York, or any of the other predominately liberal states? Actually, I would probably be more politically active and maybe even aspire to leadership within the state’s Republican party. These states have some very strong Republican organizations. When I was a Young Republican, Massachusetts had some very outstanding Young Republican clubs. Would I get in trouble at times for expressing my opinion? Probably.
But I live in the fifth most conservative state in the country. As you can see from my picture and my profile, I’m a southern white conservative Christian. Several years back a friend of a friend who is very liberal, vacationed in the British Isles. When he returned, he indicated to me that he liked it because there were very few conservatives over there. I immediately asked him why he didn’t stay there. He then indicated that even though the southeastern United States was fully of southern white conservative Christians like me, he still liked it better here. I retorted that he had better think twice before wishing for us to be annihilated because southern white conservative Christians are about the only group you can make fun of and still be considered politically correct.
In connection with the gulf oil spill, I think the current president did set foot in Alabama, but I think most folks didn’t want him here. As I’ve said in previous blog posts, he doesn’t care about the gulf coast states. With the exception of Florida peninsula, we didn’t vote for him. So according to him, we’re irrelevant and useless, and that’s just fine with me.
My roots are in Alabama’s sod and I’m southern by the grace of God. I take pride in where I’m from and the in the values that are part of this state. It’s nice here and quality of life is very good. And it doesn’t hurt that our football team in number one (at least for now).
Alabama has always been a very conservative state. As the current president says, “we hold onto our guns and our Bibles”. In the last forty-six years, voters in Alabama have only supported a Democrat candidate for president once. That was Jimmy Carter in 1976. I can go up to most people without even knowing them and say that we (the Republicans) have to take back the House and the Senate in November or the United States of America, as we know it is gone. I then can then indicate that we have to get rid of the current president in 2012. I have never had a stranger that I’ve said this to disagree with me. I do know some Democrats/liberals/current president supporters; and some of them I’ve said this to. They, of course, disagree; but it doesn’t take very long for me to argue them down.
Back to the title of this post…how would I fare as a resident of Massachusetts, California, New York, or any of the other predominately liberal states? Actually, I would probably be more politically active and maybe even aspire to leadership within the state’s Republican party. These states have some very strong Republican organizations. When I was a Young Republican, Massachusetts had some very outstanding Young Republican clubs. Would I get in trouble at times for expressing my opinion? Probably.
But I live in the fifth most conservative state in the country. As you can see from my picture and my profile, I’m a southern white conservative Christian. Several years back a friend of a friend who is very liberal, vacationed in the British Isles. When he returned, he indicated to me that he liked it because there were very few conservatives over there. I immediately asked him why he didn’t stay there. He then indicated that even though the southeastern United States was fully of southern white conservative Christians like me, he still liked it better here. I retorted that he had better think twice before wishing for us to be annihilated because southern white conservative Christians are about the only group you can make fun of and still be considered politically correct.
In connection with the gulf oil spill, I think the current president did set foot in Alabama, but I think most folks didn’t want him here. As I’ve said in previous blog posts, he doesn’t care about the gulf coast states. With the exception of Florida peninsula, we didn’t vote for him. So according to him, we’re irrelevant and useless, and that’s just fine with me.
My roots are in Alabama’s sod and I’m southern by the grace of God. I take pride in where I’m from and the in the values that are part of this state. It’s nice here and quality of life is very good. And it doesn’t hurt that our football team in number one (at least for now).
Sunday, July 25, 2010
AN EVENT OF A LIFETIME
I can’t believe that it’s been two weeks since the Jimmy Buffett concert in Gulf Shores, Alabama. To this parrot head, this event ranked even with the BCS Championship game in January. Both were thrilling and I will always treasure the memories.
Jimmy Buffett in concert on the beach with the Coral Reefer band, including my celebrity crush, and all of this happening in one of my favorite places, Gulf Shores; made for a very special long weekend/mini vacation.
All card-carrying/dues paying parrot heads that were in town for the concert had the opportunity to be in a VIP section during the concert. This meant that we didn’t have to get to the concert site hours before, stand in line, and fight for territory. No chairs were allowed, but you could take blankets. From what I understand Governor Riley had a chair and I imagine a few others had chairs also. Having this VIP section for parrot heads subsequently released several thousand free tickets into the area. To get our VIP wristbands, we were asked to give our tickets to those down there that didn’t have them. This included locals who were kind of forgotten about in the ticket distribution and folks that traveled to the gulf coast area without tickets, hoping to get tickets; but would be spending some money to jump start the coast’s sagging economy anyway.
Of course we gave out tickets away. On Saturday night, we went to a party at the Fly Creek Marina In Fairhope. When that was over, we drove back to Gulf Shores to Lulu’s Restaurant on the intercoastal. In case you don’t know, Lulu is Lucy Buffett, Jimmy’s sister. As we were getting out of the car, our club president received a phone call about the VIP wristbands. I stayed with Kay in the car and the other two in our party went in the restaurant. When Kay and I joined up with our friends to tell them about the VIP section, they were talking to these three ladies who were in town for the concert, but didn’t have tickets. They were really bummed out, but planned to watch the concert from Lulu’s the next day and spend some money. Well, you can just imagine their reaction when we pulled out three of our tickets and gave the tickets to them. There was a lot of screaming going on.
The big day came and we decided to go to Lulu’s and ride the shuttles from there to the concert. We also decided that we should get to Lulu’s around 10:00 and get in line for a table as surely the place would be packed. Well, while we were standing in line, Charlotte, the director of conventions for the international parrot head organization, Parrot Heads in Paradise, said that we had a VIP section at Lulu’s with our own servers. It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? We were under then by the water right next to the stage where bands were playing right up to concert time.
The fact that Jimmy was playing a free concert in Gulf Shores has been on the national news. Because I watch Fox News 90% of the time, I had been seeing some of the coverage. Fox sent Craig Rivera, Geraldo’s brother, to cover the concert for Fox. He was at Lulu’s dressed in dark jeans and a dark shirt and had to be hot. This is not NYC. He, of course, interviewed Lucy and some of us got on the national news by standing behind her. I had my picture made with him and I’m anxiously awaiting for Jane to send me the jpeg. Craig seems like a very nice guy and is much better looking than his brother.
Since everything was falling in place for a perfect day, what else could happen? Maybe I would run into my celebrity crush and he would invite us to an after the concert party. Well that didn’t happen. The concert was just fabulous. Jimmy looked like he was having a great time, as did the rest of the band. Even Jimmy’s bodyguard was smiling and he never smiles.
Also, we were on TV (the concert was broadcast live on CMT). I got two texts during the concert that some of us were on the tube. Two folks said they saw us twice. A couple of others said they saw me a lot. If course some friends blinked and didn’t see us at all. Believe it or not, I have not seen the replay; so really don’t know how many times I was on TV or what I might have looked like after wilting in the hot July sun.
After the concert, we caught the shuttle and made it back to Lulu’s. After getting something to eat, we headed back to the condo in Orange Beach. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS TIRED IN MY WHOLE LIFE AS I WAS AFTER THE CONCERT. But before I would lay me down to sleep, I had to get in the shower and scrap the sand/sunscreen paste off of my body. I managed to do that, crawled in bed, and slept like a log.
The rest of long weekend went very well as we hung out at the pool as opposed the beach. I did walk down to the water and it was fine. There was a little oil on the beach and it looked like seaweed from a distance. I picked up a little bit and squished it between my fingers. The cleanup crews were on the beach, but I never saw a single one actually working. There were mostly sitting under their tent. I really think my three friends and I could have gotten some scoops and garbage bags and cleaned that oil up in an hour or two. Of course, that was illegal and we would probably have landed in jail.
In addition to hanging out at the pool and going to the concert, we ate out a lot, consumed some adult beverages, and shopped. Hey, it was the beach, it was Gulf Shores, and Jimmy Buffet was doing a concert on the beach, good food and drink, and shopping. Also, Alabama is still number one (I had to get that in here). Life for those few days was good!
Jimmy Buffett in concert on the beach with the Coral Reefer band, including my celebrity crush, and all of this happening in one of my favorite places, Gulf Shores; made for a very special long weekend/mini vacation.
All card-carrying/dues paying parrot heads that were in town for the concert had the opportunity to be in a VIP section during the concert. This meant that we didn’t have to get to the concert site hours before, stand in line, and fight for territory. No chairs were allowed, but you could take blankets. From what I understand Governor Riley had a chair and I imagine a few others had chairs also. Having this VIP section for parrot heads subsequently released several thousand free tickets into the area. To get our VIP wristbands, we were asked to give our tickets to those down there that didn’t have them. This included locals who were kind of forgotten about in the ticket distribution and folks that traveled to the gulf coast area without tickets, hoping to get tickets; but would be spending some money to jump start the coast’s sagging economy anyway.
Of course we gave out tickets away. On Saturday night, we went to a party at the Fly Creek Marina In Fairhope. When that was over, we drove back to Gulf Shores to Lulu’s Restaurant on the intercoastal. In case you don’t know, Lulu is Lucy Buffett, Jimmy’s sister. As we were getting out of the car, our club president received a phone call about the VIP wristbands. I stayed with Kay in the car and the other two in our party went in the restaurant. When Kay and I joined up with our friends to tell them about the VIP section, they were talking to these three ladies who were in town for the concert, but didn’t have tickets. They were really bummed out, but planned to watch the concert from Lulu’s the next day and spend some money. Well, you can just imagine their reaction when we pulled out three of our tickets and gave the tickets to them. There was a lot of screaming going on.
The big day came and we decided to go to Lulu’s and ride the shuttles from there to the concert. We also decided that we should get to Lulu’s around 10:00 and get in line for a table as surely the place would be packed. Well, while we were standing in line, Charlotte, the director of conventions for the international parrot head organization, Parrot Heads in Paradise, said that we had a VIP section at Lulu’s with our own servers. It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it? We were under then by the water right next to the stage where bands were playing right up to concert time.
The fact that Jimmy was playing a free concert in Gulf Shores has been on the national news. Because I watch Fox News 90% of the time, I had been seeing some of the coverage. Fox sent Craig Rivera, Geraldo’s brother, to cover the concert for Fox. He was at Lulu’s dressed in dark jeans and a dark shirt and had to be hot. This is not NYC. He, of course, interviewed Lucy and some of us got on the national news by standing behind her. I had my picture made with him and I’m anxiously awaiting for Jane to send me the jpeg. Craig seems like a very nice guy and is much better looking than his brother.
Since everything was falling in place for a perfect day, what else could happen? Maybe I would run into my celebrity crush and he would invite us to an after the concert party. Well that didn’t happen. The concert was just fabulous. Jimmy looked like he was having a great time, as did the rest of the band. Even Jimmy’s bodyguard was smiling and he never smiles.
Also, we were on TV (the concert was broadcast live on CMT). I got two texts during the concert that some of us were on the tube. Two folks said they saw us twice. A couple of others said they saw me a lot. If course some friends blinked and didn’t see us at all. Believe it or not, I have not seen the replay; so really don’t know how many times I was on TV or what I might have looked like after wilting in the hot July sun.
After the concert, we caught the shuttle and made it back to Lulu’s. After getting something to eat, we headed back to the condo in Orange Beach. I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS TIRED IN MY WHOLE LIFE AS I WAS AFTER THE CONCERT. But before I would lay me down to sleep, I had to get in the shower and scrap the sand/sunscreen paste off of my body. I managed to do that, crawled in bed, and slept like a log.
The rest of long weekend went very well as we hung out at the pool as opposed the beach. I did walk down to the water and it was fine. There was a little oil on the beach and it looked like seaweed from a distance. I picked up a little bit and squished it between my fingers. The cleanup crews were on the beach, but I never saw a single one actually working. There were mostly sitting under their tent. I really think my three friends and I could have gotten some scoops and garbage bags and cleaned that oil up in an hour or two. Of course, that was illegal and we would probably have landed in jail.
In addition to hanging out at the pool and going to the concert, we ate out a lot, consumed some adult beverages, and shopped. Hey, it was the beach, it was Gulf Shores, and Jimmy Buffet was doing a concert on the beach, good food and drink, and shopping. Also, Alabama is still number one (I had to get that in here). Life for those few days was good!
Friday, July 16, 2010
I’M HERE TO TELL YA’LL…
There is a movement in this country to create a master race of slim, fit people. The wife of the current president is an advocate of stopping childhood obesity. On Mike Huckabee’s show several months ago, she expressed the desire to have grocery stores in every community selling healthy foods.
There is nothing wrong with having a healthy lifestyle including a good exercise and diet regimen. But having the government mandate that you eat healthy and exercise is socialism/communism pure and simple.
On cnsNews.com this morning, there was an article indicating that new federal regulations stipulate that the electronic health records that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that the current president signed last year, must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the body mass index, a measure of obesity. The law also requires that these health records be available, with appropriate security measures, on a national exchange.
In her desire to have a grocery store in every community selling healthy food items, is the current president’s wife advocating the mandating of private grocers to open stores in these communities and price their items so that residents can afford them? Or better yet, does she want to open government run grocery stores in these communities? Because these government run grocery stores aren’t concerned about turning a profit, they can be stocked with only products that the government thinks you should have, not necessarily what you may want. This all sounds like communism to me.
Now back to the requirement that by 2014 that everyone’s body mass index be a part of government record. What are the feds going to do if your BMI is not within acceptable levels? A few posts ago, I made up a fictional situation about the possibility that people would be sent to fat camps or fat farms with a number of my readers indicating that I was pushing the envelope.
Look at whom we elected as president, and look at his advisors. These people scare me as they should you. Some of them advocate the distribution of wealth and the rationing of health care. I really and truly believe that the scenarios outlined in my previous post could become true if we’re not able to take our country back in the November 2010 elections; and ultimately in November 2012.
There is nothing wrong with having a healthy lifestyle including a good exercise and diet regimen. But having the government mandate that you eat healthy and exercise is socialism/communism pure and simple.
On cnsNews.com this morning, there was an article indicating that new federal regulations stipulate that the electronic health records that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that the current president signed last year, must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the body mass index, a measure of obesity. The law also requires that these health records be available, with appropriate security measures, on a national exchange.
In her desire to have a grocery store in every community selling healthy food items, is the current president’s wife advocating the mandating of private grocers to open stores in these communities and price their items so that residents can afford them? Or better yet, does she want to open government run grocery stores in these communities? Because these government run grocery stores aren’t concerned about turning a profit, they can be stocked with only products that the government thinks you should have, not necessarily what you may want. This all sounds like communism to me.
Now back to the requirement that by 2014 that everyone’s body mass index be a part of government record. What are the feds going to do if your BMI is not within acceptable levels? A few posts ago, I made up a fictional situation about the possibility that people would be sent to fat camps or fat farms with a number of my readers indicating that I was pushing the envelope.
Look at whom we elected as president, and look at his advisors. These people scare me as they should you. Some of them advocate the distribution of wealth and the rationing of health care. I really and truly believe that the scenarios outlined in my previous post could become true if we’re not able to take our country back in the November 2010 elections; and ultimately in November 2012.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
WE JUST DON’T ACT LIKE THAT DOWN HERE
There was a blurb on the news a few days ago about looting and rioting taking place in Los Angeles after the Lakers won the NBA championship. For quite a while now, we’ve been hearing about rioting, looting, etc. whenever a community’s sports team wins a championship. Not only is such buffoonery taking placed at the professional level; it has also taken place at the college level. I seem to remember some issues in Columbus Ohio, College Station, Pennsylvania, and others.
The University of Alabama football team is the national champion for the 2009 NCAA football season. Was there any rioting, looting, etc. in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, or any other place in Alabama? There was not. If there was, believe me, we would have heard about it. When the BCS Championship game came to a close on January 7, 2010, Alabama fans were hugging each other and yelling Roll Tide. And yes, a few were doing the Rammer Jammer cheer.
Alabama ended a six game loosing streak against it’s cross-state rival, Auburn, by beating AU 36-0 in Tuscaloosa in 2008. As far as I know, there was no rioting in Tuscaloosa or anywhere else. The wife of an Auburn assistant coach complained that a group of Alabama fans blocked her from entering the visitor’s dressing room. When that game was over, I couldn’t find any Auburn fans to thumb my nose at because they had all left.
There are some heated college football rivalries here in the southeastern United States: Alabama/Auburn, Alabama/Tennessee, Auburn/Georgia, etc. After these games, I’m sure there are some bloody noses, fat lips, and black eyes. I’ve even heard about flat tires, damaged cars, and other things. Of course, none of this should happen, and I’d like to think these incidents are few and far between with alcohol excessively consumed.
I’ve been going to Alabama games for years and have had minimal problems. At an Alabama Georgia game one year, an upset Georgia fan threw a whiskey bottle into a crowd and I was in close proximity. Also, I had some Auburn fans try to block me from getting out of Legion Field a number of years ago when the Iron Bowl was still being played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Again, it’s just minimal.
But breaking into stores, stealing, looting, and setting fires? NO. We just don’t do that sort of stuff down here.
The University of Alabama football team is the national champion for the 2009 NCAA football season. Was there any rioting, looting, etc. in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, or any other place in Alabama? There was not. If there was, believe me, we would have heard about it. When the BCS Championship game came to a close on January 7, 2010, Alabama fans were hugging each other and yelling Roll Tide. And yes, a few were doing the Rammer Jammer cheer.
Alabama ended a six game loosing streak against it’s cross-state rival, Auburn, by beating AU 36-0 in Tuscaloosa in 2008. As far as I know, there was no rioting in Tuscaloosa or anywhere else. The wife of an Auburn assistant coach complained that a group of Alabama fans blocked her from entering the visitor’s dressing room. When that game was over, I couldn’t find any Auburn fans to thumb my nose at because they had all left.
There are some heated college football rivalries here in the southeastern United States: Alabama/Auburn, Alabama/Tennessee, Auburn/Georgia, etc. After these games, I’m sure there are some bloody noses, fat lips, and black eyes. I’ve even heard about flat tires, damaged cars, and other things. Of course, none of this should happen, and I’d like to think these incidents are few and far between with alcohol excessively consumed.
I’ve been going to Alabama games for years and have had minimal problems. At an Alabama Georgia game one year, an upset Georgia fan threw a whiskey bottle into a crowd and I was in close proximity. Also, I had some Auburn fans try to block me from getting out of Legion Field a number of years ago when the Iron Bowl was still being played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Again, it’s just minimal.
But breaking into stores, stealing, looting, and setting fires? NO. We just don’t do that sort of stuff down here.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
HIGH SCHOOL REUNION
Not about to say what year it was, but on the morning of my high school graduation I awoke with a temperature of 102. This was very unusual because this “healthy as a horse” seventeen year old never really got sick except for the occasional migraine headache. Rehearsal was later that morning and the ceremony was to take place that night. Even though I had a fever and didn’t feel all that great, I wasn’t bedridden by any means.
When I was pulling out of the high school parking lot after the morning’s rehearsal, I thought to myself, in a few hours, this part of my life is going to end. Two days later, I was to start summer school at the University of Alabama and I couldn’t wait. Bigger and better things were surely in store for this high school grad. I’m out of here!
After marching out of the school auditorium, singing the alma mater and doing the class cheer on the steps, I walked to the gym and turned in my cap and gown. I hugged a few classmates, but was anxious to meet up with Mama, Daddy, and some family friends. We then went to the house, had pizza, and I drank my first beer. Well, it was only a half beer. A friend of Mama and Daddy’s brought it to me. After everyone had left the house, Mama pulled me over and said, “Now Nancy, that beer tonight was okay, but don’t you make a habit of it. Your Daddy didn’t want you to have it all.”
Two days later, I was moving into the Tutwiler dormitory on the campus of the University of Alabama. I made lots of friends, went out with lots of guys, and discovered that I was a pretty good partier. I also had to change my study habits. How I studied in high school to make all A’s wouldn’t cut it at Alabama. Never the less, I did manage to get my degree in 3-1/2 years. I was also able to go to all of the Alabama football games, a love of mine that still continues and will continue until I am either too old to go to the games or too poor to pay the ever increasing ticket prices.
Let’s fast-forward to April 30, 2010, a Friday. I was planning to work a half-day then travel to Nashville for the Jimmy Buffett concert that was taking place on May 1, a Saturday night. I was in the garage putting my bags in the car when the telephone rang. Well, the only calls that I ever get on my landline are either telemarketers or the local charities wanting my discards; so I didn’t rush into the house to answer it. But when I got back in the house, the message light was blinking. Thinking it was a telemarketer or politician (it is primary season), I was poised to hit the delete button. I didn’t even check the caller id first. Well, it wasn’t a telemarketer or a politician. It was one of my best friends from high school calling to tell me that there was a reunion this year. She gave me the dates and the website that had been set up for information. She also kept saying that it was so good to hear my voice.
There was going to be a Friday night event and a Saturday night event. My first reaction was this isn’t gonna happen. On that Friday night, I had tickets for the Zac Brown Band concert and I wasn’t about to miss that. And I thought I had something to do on that Saturday as well.
When I got to work, I immediately pulled up the website. Classmates could upload information about themselves, including current pictures. A number of folks had already forwarded their information. I have to say that thoughts about the reunion and my classmates were with me during the weekend.
As it turned out, I actually didn’t have anything planned for that Saturday and could indeed attend the Saturday night function. After much deliberation, I decided to attend. Hey, I have a good job, good hair, and my looks are pretty much still intact. While not exactly brand spanking new, my comfy SUV is not an embarrassment. It’s go now or go never. Subsequently, I uploaded my information and a current picture for the website. Then I sent in my registration for Saturday night. I was officially going. All I had to lose were a few bucks and a few hours. I told very few friends about my reunion plans.
The Friday before, I was talking to a couple that were friends (the wife went to the concert with me) and saying that if I wasn’t having a good time, I’d just leave. My friends said just text us and we’ll meet you somewhere.
In spite of the oppressive heat and humidity that is so common to the southeastern United States in the summer months, my hair looked decent and I put on that a little black dress with lots of chunky silver jewelry and silver platform sandals. The dress for the occasion was casual, and black and silver pretty much transcend.
So, I got in my comfy SUV and drove a little over an hour to Cullman, found the place, parked the car, said a little prayer, and walked in. In just a few seconds, I was hearing my name called and lots of folks were rushing up to me to give me a hug. Two girls/women that I was in Sunday school with were some of the first. I soon found myself trying to talk to everyone and then I realized that I would be here for a few hours and there would be plenty of time. I went up to people and people came up to me.
The pictures were made and the buffet had been put out, but I really wasn’t that interested in eating, I wanted to mingle. I did eat, though, and the food was really good. My close friends will tell you that I’m not much of a mingler. I’ve even been accused of being a snob at times. Like my mother says, I’m reserved. But I wasn’t that night. Furthermore, everyone looked like they were having a great time as well. There were a few like me who were going to a reunion for the first time and I hope all of them had as great a time as I had.
One of the guys that I had been in church, kindergarten Jr. High and High School with asked me if I colored my hair. The Nancy of two hours ago would have said no and acted a little insulted. But this Nancy chose to tell the truth and say yes; it’s colored. I have the most strikingly dark hair that money can buy. Thank you Ginger!
Before I knew it, it was time for us to be out of the building and there were a few people that I hadn’t had a chance to speak to. I tried to get to as many as I could, but there were about five or six that I didn’t get a chance to speak to and I hope I’ll get the chance soon. I think I smiled all the way back to Birmingham. I knew there was a chance that I might have a good time, but I never expected this. I’m really looking forward to new old friendships. There was some talk about getting together this fall and going to one of our high school games. I’m definitely on board for that.
Am I sorry that I ignored the folks that I went to high school with for so long? Yes I am! I missed out on years of friendships, some of which were only an hour away. The only thing that I can say for myself is “better late than never”. There’s still plenty of time to cultivate and enjoy these friendships. Besides, we have FaceBook, Internet, email, etc. We can keep in touch with one another.
Previously, when someone would express no desire to attend their high school reunion, I would nod my head and say, “I hear ya.” Not anymore, I’m going to tell anyone with an attitude to please go to his or her reunion. Your missing out if you don’t. Just go to it!
Again, to the great folks in my high school graduating class, I love you. And to the Lord above, thank you for steering me back to Cullman to friendships that I came so close to missing.
When I was pulling out of the high school parking lot after the morning’s rehearsal, I thought to myself, in a few hours, this part of my life is going to end. Two days later, I was to start summer school at the University of Alabama and I couldn’t wait. Bigger and better things were surely in store for this high school grad. I’m out of here!
After marching out of the school auditorium, singing the alma mater and doing the class cheer on the steps, I walked to the gym and turned in my cap and gown. I hugged a few classmates, but was anxious to meet up with Mama, Daddy, and some family friends. We then went to the house, had pizza, and I drank my first beer. Well, it was only a half beer. A friend of Mama and Daddy’s brought it to me. After everyone had left the house, Mama pulled me over and said, “Now Nancy, that beer tonight was okay, but don’t you make a habit of it. Your Daddy didn’t want you to have it all.”
Two days later, I was moving into the Tutwiler dormitory on the campus of the University of Alabama. I made lots of friends, went out with lots of guys, and discovered that I was a pretty good partier. I also had to change my study habits. How I studied in high school to make all A’s wouldn’t cut it at Alabama. Never the less, I did manage to get my degree in 3-1/2 years. I was also able to go to all of the Alabama football games, a love of mine that still continues and will continue until I am either too old to go to the games or too poor to pay the ever increasing ticket prices.
Let’s fast-forward to April 30, 2010, a Friday. I was planning to work a half-day then travel to Nashville for the Jimmy Buffett concert that was taking place on May 1, a Saturday night. I was in the garage putting my bags in the car when the telephone rang. Well, the only calls that I ever get on my landline are either telemarketers or the local charities wanting my discards; so I didn’t rush into the house to answer it. But when I got back in the house, the message light was blinking. Thinking it was a telemarketer or politician (it is primary season), I was poised to hit the delete button. I didn’t even check the caller id first. Well, it wasn’t a telemarketer or a politician. It was one of my best friends from high school calling to tell me that there was a reunion this year. She gave me the dates and the website that had been set up for information. She also kept saying that it was so good to hear my voice.
There was going to be a Friday night event and a Saturday night event. My first reaction was this isn’t gonna happen. On that Friday night, I had tickets for the Zac Brown Band concert and I wasn’t about to miss that. And I thought I had something to do on that Saturday as well.
When I got to work, I immediately pulled up the website. Classmates could upload information about themselves, including current pictures. A number of folks had already forwarded their information. I have to say that thoughts about the reunion and my classmates were with me during the weekend.
As it turned out, I actually didn’t have anything planned for that Saturday and could indeed attend the Saturday night function. After much deliberation, I decided to attend. Hey, I have a good job, good hair, and my looks are pretty much still intact. While not exactly brand spanking new, my comfy SUV is not an embarrassment. It’s go now or go never. Subsequently, I uploaded my information and a current picture for the website. Then I sent in my registration for Saturday night. I was officially going. All I had to lose were a few bucks and a few hours. I told very few friends about my reunion plans.
The Friday before, I was talking to a couple that were friends (the wife went to the concert with me) and saying that if I wasn’t having a good time, I’d just leave. My friends said just text us and we’ll meet you somewhere.
In spite of the oppressive heat and humidity that is so common to the southeastern United States in the summer months, my hair looked decent and I put on that a little black dress with lots of chunky silver jewelry and silver platform sandals. The dress for the occasion was casual, and black and silver pretty much transcend.
So, I got in my comfy SUV and drove a little over an hour to Cullman, found the place, parked the car, said a little prayer, and walked in. In just a few seconds, I was hearing my name called and lots of folks were rushing up to me to give me a hug. Two girls/women that I was in Sunday school with were some of the first. I soon found myself trying to talk to everyone and then I realized that I would be here for a few hours and there would be plenty of time. I went up to people and people came up to me.
The pictures were made and the buffet had been put out, but I really wasn’t that interested in eating, I wanted to mingle. I did eat, though, and the food was really good. My close friends will tell you that I’m not much of a mingler. I’ve even been accused of being a snob at times. Like my mother says, I’m reserved. But I wasn’t that night. Furthermore, everyone looked like they were having a great time as well. There were a few like me who were going to a reunion for the first time and I hope all of them had as great a time as I had.
One of the guys that I had been in church, kindergarten Jr. High and High School with asked me if I colored my hair. The Nancy of two hours ago would have said no and acted a little insulted. But this Nancy chose to tell the truth and say yes; it’s colored. I have the most strikingly dark hair that money can buy. Thank you Ginger!
Before I knew it, it was time for us to be out of the building and there were a few people that I hadn’t had a chance to speak to. I tried to get to as many as I could, but there were about five or six that I didn’t get a chance to speak to and I hope I’ll get the chance soon. I think I smiled all the way back to Birmingham. I knew there was a chance that I might have a good time, but I never expected this. I’m really looking forward to new old friendships. There was some talk about getting together this fall and going to one of our high school games. I’m definitely on board for that.
Am I sorry that I ignored the folks that I went to high school with for so long? Yes I am! I missed out on years of friendships, some of which were only an hour away. The only thing that I can say for myself is “better late than never”. There’s still plenty of time to cultivate and enjoy these friendships. Besides, we have FaceBook, Internet, email, etc. We can keep in touch with one another.
Previously, when someone would express no desire to attend their high school reunion, I would nod my head and say, “I hear ya.” Not anymore, I’m going to tell anyone with an attitude to please go to his or her reunion. Your missing out if you don’t. Just go to it!
Again, to the great folks in my high school graduating class, I love you. And to the Lord above, thank you for steering me back to Cullman to friendships that I came so close to missing.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
LIVING IN A DEMOCRACY AND BEING FREE ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED
I was blessed to have been born in the United States of America and have lived in this democratic republic all of my life. Living in a democratic republic means that our country’s leaders are elected and if they prove to be not so good at what they were elected to do, we vote them out at the next election. I’ve never really felt as though our freedom was threatened UNTIL NOW.
The three most powerful government officials, the current president, the speaker of the house, and the senate majority leader are far left democrats. There is also a democrat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 2008 elections resulted in a 60-40 democrat filibuster proof majority in the U.S. Senate. This came about because far left Minnesota Senator Al Franken narrowly beat the incumbent republican senator after a box of ballots was found in the trunk of somebody’s car. Democrats seem to have a knack for finding votes when they need them. Of course the democrats no longer enjoy a filibuster proof majority with the election of republican Scott Brown who is currently filling the Massachusetts Senate seat formerly held by the late democrat senator, Ted Kennedy.
With the election of Senator Brown, one would think that the republicans could filibuster the senate and put a stop to all of this toxic, freedom threatening legislation that the democrats are cramming down our throats. But no, there is a little tool called reconciliation that will allow the Senate to pass certain legislation under certain circumstances with a simple majority. I won’t get into reconciliation because I don’t fully understand it. So, the senate is passing legislation with simple majorities.
When you pair all of the above with a far left leaning media, Anything that the far left wants to do, it can do. The far left, of course, believes that government can and should provide everything for its citizens. Generally being against capitalism and the free market, the far left believes in very extensive regulation of businesses and higher taxes for all. Just give us your money and we will provide for you womb to the tomb. This is, of course, is communism…”from each according to his ability and to each according to his need.”
I have no reliable source for this, but I have heard that there is a plan in the works that will allow presidents to serve an unlimited number of terms. Now a president is limited to serving two terms and that’s it. Once you have served your two terms, you can never run for president again.
Let’s just say the above happens and the current president can seek as many terms in office as he wants. Then we give amnesty to some twelve million illegal immigrants. Hey let’s not stop there, let’s now allow convicted felons to vote. These groups, of course, will vote democrat. When you combine the votes of former illegal aliens, convicted felons, folks that haven’t a clue about the issues, but vote for the current president because he’s half black, and the other folks in this nation that truly believe big government is the best way to go; you get an environment pretty much like the environment that has been created by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
I know I’ve posted some things that are somewhat far-fetched. However, I don’t think the above is. Folks, this could happen and it could happen real soon. The republicans must get majorities in the house and senate. Then we have to take steps to undo the unpopular things that the Congress and the current president have crammed down our throats. We can’t let the beating we’ll take in the media stop us. With God on our side, maybe, just maybe, we can wrestle this country away from those who want to destroy the American way of life.
This blog, as simplistic as it is, has been picked up. As a result, there are links to it on some political sites out there. I laughingly tell my co-workers that one of these days I might not show up for work with no trace of my existence left. It happened in Venezuela, it happened in Germany, and it could very well happen here. We have to continue to nurture our democratic republic. Just because we live in a democratic republic, doesn’t mean that that democratic republic is invincible.
The three most powerful government officials, the current president, the speaker of the house, and the senate majority leader are far left democrats. There is also a democrat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 2008 elections resulted in a 60-40 democrat filibuster proof majority in the U.S. Senate. This came about because far left Minnesota Senator Al Franken narrowly beat the incumbent republican senator after a box of ballots was found in the trunk of somebody’s car. Democrats seem to have a knack for finding votes when they need them. Of course the democrats no longer enjoy a filibuster proof majority with the election of republican Scott Brown who is currently filling the Massachusetts Senate seat formerly held by the late democrat senator, Ted Kennedy.
With the election of Senator Brown, one would think that the republicans could filibuster the senate and put a stop to all of this toxic, freedom threatening legislation that the democrats are cramming down our throats. But no, there is a little tool called reconciliation that will allow the Senate to pass certain legislation under certain circumstances with a simple majority. I won’t get into reconciliation because I don’t fully understand it. So, the senate is passing legislation with simple majorities.
When you pair all of the above with a far left leaning media, Anything that the far left wants to do, it can do. The far left, of course, believes that government can and should provide everything for its citizens. Generally being against capitalism and the free market, the far left believes in very extensive regulation of businesses and higher taxes for all. Just give us your money and we will provide for you womb to the tomb. This is, of course, is communism…”from each according to his ability and to each according to his need.”
I have no reliable source for this, but I have heard that there is a plan in the works that will allow presidents to serve an unlimited number of terms. Now a president is limited to serving two terms and that’s it. Once you have served your two terms, you can never run for president again.
Let’s just say the above happens and the current president can seek as many terms in office as he wants. Then we give amnesty to some twelve million illegal immigrants. Hey let’s not stop there, let’s now allow convicted felons to vote. These groups, of course, will vote democrat. When you combine the votes of former illegal aliens, convicted felons, folks that haven’t a clue about the issues, but vote for the current president because he’s half black, and the other folks in this nation that truly believe big government is the best way to go; you get an environment pretty much like the environment that has been created by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
I know I’ve posted some things that are somewhat far-fetched. However, I don’t think the above is. Folks, this could happen and it could happen real soon. The republicans must get majorities in the house and senate. Then we have to take steps to undo the unpopular things that the Congress and the current president have crammed down our throats. We can’t let the beating we’ll take in the media stop us. With God on our side, maybe, just maybe, we can wrestle this country away from those who want to destroy the American way of life.
This blog, as simplistic as it is, has been picked up. As a result, there are links to it on some political sites out there. I laughingly tell my co-workers that one of these days I might not show up for work with no trace of my existence left. It happened in Venezuela, it happened in Germany, and it could very well happen here. We have to continue to nurture our democratic republic. Just because we live in a democratic republic, doesn’t mean that that democratic republic is invincible.
Friday, June 4, 2010
WHAT ABOUT THE SNAKES AND THE ALLIGATORS
I’m watching the news and am really moved by the birds that are covered in oil from the BP Deep Horizon oil spill. These birds are fighting for their life. I then watch these birds being washed gently with hopes of saving their lives. If I lived closer to the gulf coast, I would be volunteering to do whatever is necessary to nurse the birds back to health. I don’t know if a layman like me would actually be allowed to handle the birds, but I would certainly be willing to assist in the process.
The birds, though, are not the only inhabitants of the gulf coast area. There are lots of snakes and alligators down there. Unfortunately, these animals are not ones that lay people should be attempting to handle. They’re also not animals that most of us like. I’m deathly afraid of them.
They are, though, part of the delicate ecosystems on the gulf coast and they can’t help it that they are snakes and alligators and not beautiful birds. Are the snakes and alligators able to “hunker down” and hide or are they just as vulnerable as the more attractive wild life of the gulf coast? All those creatures, loveable and cute, and not so lovable and cute, work together to maintain the ecosystems.
Let’s say we save a lot of birds, but a lot of snakes and alligators die. There are not enough alligators and snakes to eat the birds, resulting in an over population. Some of the birds die of starvation because there is not enough food for them. In desperation, they may enter your backyard and find the puppies that your family dog just gave birth to a tasty treat.
While it may appear that I’m trying to be humorous, I’m really not. The ecosystems on the gulf coast may be imbalanced for a long time. On TV, folks are seeing the birds covered in oil and tearing up. The snakes and alligators that are covered in the same oil are not portrayed on TV, but they are still important to the ecosystem.
This is just something we all should think about. What about the animals that are dangerous for us to handle, but are just as important to the gulf ecosystems.
The birds, though, are not the only inhabitants of the gulf coast area. There are lots of snakes and alligators down there. Unfortunately, these animals are not ones that lay people should be attempting to handle. They’re also not animals that most of us like. I’m deathly afraid of them.
They are, though, part of the delicate ecosystems on the gulf coast and they can’t help it that they are snakes and alligators and not beautiful birds. Are the snakes and alligators able to “hunker down” and hide or are they just as vulnerable as the more attractive wild life of the gulf coast? All those creatures, loveable and cute, and not so lovable and cute, work together to maintain the ecosystems.
Let’s say we save a lot of birds, but a lot of snakes and alligators die. There are not enough alligators and snakes to eat the birds, resulting in an over population. Some of the birds die of starvation because there is not enough food for them. In desperation, they may enter your backyard and find the puppies that your family dog just gave birth to a tasty treat.
While it may appear that I’m trying to be humorous, I’m really not. The ecosystems on the gulf coast may be imbalanced for a long time. On TV, folks are seeing the birds covered in oil and tearing up. The snakes and alligators that are covered in the same oil are not portrayed on TV, but they are still important to the ecosystem.
This is just something we all should think about. What about the animals that are dangerous for us to handle, but are just as important to the gulf ecosystems.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
JUST WHEN I THINK IT CAN’T GET ANY WORSE
The first and foremost responsibility of the United States is to keep this country and its people safe. This doesn’t appear to be the first priority of the current president. I really believe that this president is carrying out the wishes of certain powerful people on the planet and will be doing his best to “take this country down” and make us as much like France and other socialist nations. He doesn’t care about the American people or making this, as of now, great country, greater. He wants to destroy the United States of America, as we know it. I truly, truly believe this.
The president of Mexico is invited to the White House and the first couple throws a state dinner in his honor. Then the Mexican president is allowed to criticize and find faults with the United States of America, particularly the Arizona’s new immigration law. The current president fully agrees with the Mexican president and is apologetic with respect to the state of Arizona. I won’t get into the fact that no one in the current administration has even read the law. Can this be happening?
According to the news, the border area of Arizona is a very dangerous place to be. American citizens, yes, American citizens fear for their lives. On TV, the governor of Arizona was pleading with the administration to do their jobs and secure the Mexican border. Is this president going to do anything to protect those Americans in danger? Of course not! He’s ready to let everyone in that wants to come in, giving them everything they need as long as they vote democrat.
As I’ve previously indicated, we are sandwiched between disasters here in central Alabama; the oil spill in the gulf and the Nashville flood. The good people of Nashville continue to clean up and put their lives back together. I’ve heard nothing about looting; although I’m sure there’s been a little of it. No one appears to be screaming for their government help; instead they are helping themselves and each other. Furthermore, it appears the folks on the northern gulf coast are preparing as best as they can for the oil. Of course, the current president doesn’t care about any of these things. After all, most people in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and the Florida panhandle didn’t vote for him.
The president of Mexico is invited to the White House and the first couple throws a state dinner in his honor. Then the Mexican president is allowed to criticize and find faults with the United States of America, particularly the Arizona’s new immigration law. The current president fully agrees with the Mexican president and is apologetic with respect to the state of Arizona. I won’t get into the fact that no one in the current administration has even read the law. Can this be happening?
According to the news, the border area of Arizona is a very dangerous place to be. American citizens, yes, American citizens fear for their lives. On TV, the governor of Arizona was pleading with the administration to do their jobs and secure the Mexican border. Is this president going to do anything to protect those Americans in danger? Of course not! He’s ready to let everyone in that wants to come in, giving them everything they need as long as they vote democrat.
As I’ve previously indicated, we are sandwiched between disasters here in central Alabama; the oil spill in the gulf and the Nashville flood. The good people of Nashville continue to clean up and put their lives back together. I’ve heard nothing about looting; although I’m sure there’s been a little of it. No one appears to be screaming for their government help; instead they are helping themselves and each other. Furthermore, it appears the folks on the northern gulf coast are preparing as best as they can for the oil. Of course, the current president doesn’t care about any of these things. After all, most people in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and the Florida panhandle didn’t vote for him.
NOW THEY WANT TO TAKE THE NAMES OF OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN
On Fox and Friends a week or so ago, it was reported that in Michelle Obama’s crusade to eliminate childhood obesity, a plan was underway to test all children in the United States for an excessive fat to muscle ratio (not sure if I got this exactly right). In other words, the government wants to determine if your child is too fat according to their standards. And if they think your child is, the child will be reported to the state, which in turn, will report you child to the feds. This is really going too far, and I think that even the staunchest supporters of the current president will step up and say no to this totalitarian measure.
So, your child gets tested and his or her “fat ratio” exceeds government standards and the child gets report to the state and then to the feds. Then, what? You have, let’s say, six months to get your child on a diet/exercise program to lose the weight. Anyone that’s ever had to loose weight and struggled with it knows that you have to want to loose the weight. In other words, you have to have the right mindset. So, if your child is not really into this, all the exercise you do with him or her at home and all the healthy meals you prepare may not do any good. If you child is school age, he or she may cheat when away from the house. Getting weight off of a child is difficult. It’s usually when a child gets to high school and wants to be attractive to the opposite sex that he or she will make an effort to get the extra weight off.
Why is the child overweight in the first place? It could be a number of reasons. Being overweight may run in the family or it may be the home environment. The parents may be overweight and live their life around the kitchen table. When I was very young, I picked at my food and tended be sick at my stomach a lot. Mama and Daddy were not pleased by my eating habits and I could sense their dissatisfaction when I didn’t want to eat. So, in an effort to please them and other family members, I started eating a lot. I can remember not really wanting to eat a lot, but did it anyway thinking it would please them. I then gained too much weight and that didn’t please anyone either. So, my environment led to my weight gain as child. When I got to high school and became interested in clothes and boys, and sure enough, I when on a diet, exercised, and took the weight off. Keeping my weight down has been a battle that has been both won and lost.
So much for drama! What do the feds plan to do about your overweight child? Let’s say they give parents six months to get the weight off, but it doesn’t happen. When they return to re-test your child and the ratio is not within their standards, could they possibly order your child to attend a weight-loss camp? Would they keep your child at the camp until he or she looses the required weight? Let’s say that after the first testing that your child loses the weight and is now acceptable with respect to government standards. Is you child branded until he or she becomes an adult. Will your child continue to be tested at regular intervals? Will all children, over weight or not, be tested at regular intervals. Under certain circumstances, could you child possibly be taken away from you because you can’t keep the weight off? Children are taken away from their homes and put in weight loss camps that also serve as government schools where the children are indoctrinated to the ways of the government. Not only will they learn to eat properly and exercise; they will be taught tolerance to all groups except southern white conservative Christians. They will also be taught to minimize their carbon footprints. If the child is white, he or she will be made to feel guilty. Because you were born white, you must undergo additional suffering to compensate for your whiteness.
Since this is such a great program, let’s extend it to everyone, not just children. Isn’t all obesity a problem? Anyone that the government considers overweight will be given some time to get the weight off, meeting standards for body size set by the government. Those who fail will be rounded up and placed in camps where they will be put on diet and exercise programs. While eating healthy and exercising, these individuals can also receive indoctrination to the ways of the government. Capitalism is evil and must be done away with. For Christians, isn’t it God that made you fat? The government is now making you thin? You will be shown film after film of polar bears drowning as the polar ice caps melt because in addition to being overweight you drove an SUV. Baby polar bears are separated from their mothers and die. Oh the horrible things that you caused by enjoying your food and driving an SUV.
But now we’ve transformed you. Now, you spit your food out if it tastes good, you spend time repenting because you were born white, and you strive to be a good comrade for the United Socialist States of America, minimizing your carbon footprint and happily working hard for the government, giving over any compensation paid to you, so that the government can give to you what it determines you should have.
Suppose I don’t meet the government standards for being fit and trim and get carted off to a “fat camp”. I’m all of the above and driving a Chevy Volt, I’m still a Chevy girl from a Chevy family. My wardrobe consists of two skirts, two pairs of pants, and four tops that I can mix and match. I’m also really excited that the government has given me a voucher so that I can buy a fourth pair of shoes. I was awarded a fourth pair of shoes because I have maintained government standard weight for a year. My hair’s salt and pepper and what color I have left is dull. But that’s okay because for many years, I spent money on my hair. Oh how shallow! I’m so thankful that the government is letting me keep my hair, instead of shaving my head. As long as I continue to cry myself to sleep because I’m white, I’m hoping they will let me keep it.
The manicures and pedicures that I used to get have become illegal acts. Our government run stores do not sell nail polish, although I’ve heard there is black market for it. But how could anyone have a desire to polish their nails or even worse, pay someone to do it. Before I evolved, I had well over twenty-five pairs of shoes, mountains of clothes, bottles containing many types of cologne, and lots of jewelry. I spent a good bit of money maintaining my thick mane of dark curly hair. I also got regular manicures and pedicures. I loved wearing different colors or eye shadow and lipstick. But not anymore! How could I possibly have spent money on such things, even though I worked very hard for the money? Now I’m thin, have salt & pepper hair that is getting more and more gray as the weeks and months go by. I have clothes to hide my nakedness and protect me from the elements, and healthy food to eat. None of this would have happened had it not been for the government of the United Socialist States of America and its current leader (I still can’t say his name), and the very lovely and svelte first lady.
Okay, okay, I guess I’ve gone a little too far or have I? Adolph Hitler’s desire was to create a master race of white people with blonde hair and blue eyes. Is it Michelle Obama’s desire to create a master race where all people are fit and thin; with fat folks as the cause of all of the world’s problems?
Thursday, May 6, 2010
WHAT ABOUT NASHVILLE
Being from the Birmingham, Alabama area, I’ve spent some time in Nashville, but not as much time as I’ve spent in places like Atlanta, New Orleans, and the northern gulf coast. I like Nashville; hey what’s not to like? It’s home to America’s music, country music, that originated in the USA, not off in Europe somewhere.
This past weekend I traveled to Nashville to attend the Jimmy Buffett concert, that took place on May 1 in the Bridgestone Arena in the heart of downtown Nashville. From the weather reports on the Internet, I knew that it was going to be raining, with some thunder and wind; and that was perfectly okay since the concert would be indoors.
After arriving in the Music City late Friday afternoon, we walked to dinner at one of Nashville’s classic restaurants, and then walked to the Broadway area where many clubs are located. It was a beautiful evening with a nice breeze blowing. While the weather Friday night was a perfect, my friends and I knew what was coming and we hoped it would be just some rain, which is not going to hurt anybody.
It was between 1:00 and 2:00 am when I returned to the hotel and went to bed. When I awoke about seven or eight hours later, it was raining and raining hard with some thunder and lightning moving through the area. Through the weather channel, I determined that we were under a tornado watch, which really doesn’t scare me much because I grew up with it. Early afternoon, our group ended up at the Big River Grill on Broadway, close to the Cumberland River. Our table was on the covered patio, built so that rain could not get in. So, we watch the downpours come and go, with the occasional tornado siren in the mix.
About 2-1/2 hours before the concert, we gathered in the hotel room of a couple that was in our group. Martha and John were hosting a pre-concert party. Because their hotel was next door to the Bridgestone arena, all we had to do was walk next door. Cool! The concert was great and I had straight-on view of a certain Coral Reefer band member on whom I have a “celebrity” crush. About the only thing that gets better than that is a big Alabama victory.
After the concert, when we were making our way back to John and Martha’s hotel room, a policeman that was directing traffic indicated that we had all better get indoors soon because the bottom was getting ready to fall out. Well, at exactly the time I walked through the door into the hotel, the bottom did fall out, and did it ever? The wind was blowing like a “you know what” and the rain was going horizontal. I though that we just might be in a tornado, but it was heavy wind and rain. Thank goodness every one in our group arrived at the hotel safe and sound. After a post-concert party, those of us staying in other hotels made our way back. The bad storm was over and there was moderate rain in the area.
The next morning, we checked out of the hotel shortly before noon and made it back to Birmingham just fine, traveling through some hard rains. Before we left, we knew there was major flooding in the area and I was glad to see Nashville in my rearview mirror. Little did I know that the rain would continue and the waters would continue to rise and devastate the great city of Nashville, Tennessee and surrounding areas. We’ve all seen the pictures and we all know the story.
“And ya know what?” The current president hasn’t even mentioned the devastation in Nashville and other areas of Tennessee and Kentucky. This is unfathomable. The current president certainly has time to comment on the immigration law passed in Arizona without bothering to get his facts straight. The state of Tennessee didn’t vote for the current president and I it’s my opinion that this could have been a factor in him ignoring the city of Nashville and it’s people. As I mentioned earlier, Nashville is home to America’s music, country music, composed for and about the working man and woman in the United States of America. Furthermore, a lot of the country music singers, songwriters, and musicians are conservative, along with the rest of the citizens of the state of Tennessee. So, are the people who have been affected by this tragedy not worth the current president’s time? Could be.
One thing I’m sure of, the good people of Nashville and the other affected areas in Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, etc. are drying out and rebuilding their lives without the moral support of the current president. I have yet to see anyone yelling, “where’s our government help.” In fact, most probably would prefer that he stay the “you know what” away.
I cried when the Alabama gulf coast was devastated by Hurricane Ivan, and I cried when I saw New Orleans flood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. And once again I’m crying at what is happening in Nashville. My neighbors three hours north of me are in peril. Also, my neighbors on the northern gulf coast are awaiting their fate as the oil creeps nearer to other places that we all love. Yes, I’m sandwiched in between disasters.
Bottom line, the current president, along with others that lead this nation, do not care about any of us here in the southern United States. We’re just drivel to them, as we hang on to our guns and our bibles. Again, the people of Nashville and the other areas affected by the May 1 weekend storms will rebuild their lives, and the people of the northern gulf coast will do the same with or without the support of the current president and other leaders.
Alright, I just have to throw this in. If something akin to the Nashville flood had happened in someplace such as Berkley or Palo Alto when George Bush was president and he chose not to comment, we all know what would have happened.
The above reflects my personal opinion only and represents pure speculation on my part, gleaned from my observations of the behavior and attitudes of certain leaders of this nation. As of this writing, there is no evidence that my speculations are fact.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
JUST WHEN I THOUGHT…
The United States of America that we know, love, and in which we grew up was gone forever; we’re now beginning the journey to take back our country.
Several months ago, I was watching as the American people let their thoughts be known regarding healthcare reform, a major project for the current president. Healthcare reform, while popular shortly after the current president took office, has seen its popularity decline as the American people learned more and more about what was being put in the legislation.
Despite its obvious unpopularity with the American people, our country’s leaders did everything they possibly could to ram healthcare reform down our throats, including the implementation of the Cornhusker Kickback and the Louisiana Purchase.
In addition to healthcare reform, the House had passed the Cap & Trade act, severely limiting carbon emissions, in the name of “saving the plant” from global warming. As some point I listened to a speech that the current president was delivering where he indicated that we could no longer set our thermostats where we wanted to set them and therefore be comfortable in our own homes. Instead, we would have to make sacrifices for the greater good. He also told us that we would not be able to drive the large, comfortable vehicles that we once did; nor would we be able to drive those cool little sports cars that we enjoy so much. Instead, we would be driving hybrids, electric cars, and other fuel-efficient vehicles that not only are uncomfortable, but also lack the power that many of us have enjoyed in our motor vehicles. The current president further assured us that the government would be taking more of our hard-earned dollars to pay for things like cap and trade, and healthcare reform. Speaking of healthcare, we would be giving up our good healthcare plans that we have worked so hard to provide for ourselves and our families; trading these plans in for some third rate government sponsored programs. This would mean additional physical suffering and perhaps premature death as a result of not being able to get treatment in a timely manner. Again, this is a sacrifice the American people should be willing to make in order to provide healthcare for those that are uninsured. In other words, the current president was advocating that we would all have to make sacrifices for the greater good. WHOA! This is communism, isn’t it? “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” Well, maybe that goes a bit too far, but what the current president is advocating certainly reeks of European socialism.
It amazed me how our country’s leaders, particularly Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, have persisted in cramming their unpopular socialist agendas down our throats. But you know, we’re still a republic and still able to vote these folks out of office. That’s true; but will we be able to un-do all of the damage they did while in office? The answer is probably not. Once we socialize healthcare and implement the Cap and Trade policies, reversal will be next to impossible. As a result, it appeared to me that the democrats were going to ride roughshod over the will of the American people in order to implement their agendas.
Not much to look forward to, is there? Sitting in your home either sweating or shivering. Maybe you’re sick and can’t get an appointment with a doctor for six weeks. A thick juicy steak with a bottle of good red wine sounds good. However, you don’t have the extra funds for such things because your taxes are so high. Forget a trip to the beach. What used to be a half-day drive now takes much longer because your hybrid can only go up to 45mph. You couldn’t afford the gas anyway, even though the hybrid doesn’t use much. Besides, driving is not fun anymore.
Well, when Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was running for president, the other Massachusetts senator, Edward Kennedy, was concerned that should Kerry win, Republican Governor Mitt Romney could appoint a republican senator to take Kerry’s place. So, old Ted got the ball rolling that resulted in Massachusetts passing legislation preventing a governor from making such appointments. Instead, a special election would be held to elect a replacement. As we all know, Senator Kennedy became gravely ill and passed away just months ago. Before his death, the senator suggested that the rules be changed again so that the current Massachusetts governor, a democrat, could be allowed to appoint his replacement. Even the democrats, who loathe the American people and think we’re too stupid to get out of the rain, knew that this wouldn’t fly. They would just have to live with the current laws. Besides, this is Massachusetts, “ain’t no republican gonna get elected”.
Excuse me! What did you say about Massachusetts electing a republican? Enter Senator Scott Brown and not a minute too soon. While republicans are still in the minority, the super majority the democrats hold in the Senate is gone. With Senator Brown, the democrats don’t have the votes to stop a filibuster. Cap and Trade is now dead in the water. With a little luck, healthcare reform will be joining it. Now the republicans should be able to stop any and all noxious pieces of legislature that our country’s leaders are trying to cram down our throats.
Of course, I have to comment on the irony of it all. Ted Kennedy spent a major portion of his political career advocating healthcare reform and passed away before he could cast a vote. With the senator’s memory, the democrats were set to elect a democrat to fill the seat vacated by the late Senator Kennedy. The new senator would ultimately cast a vote to pass Ted’s dream of healthcare reform.
But wait, republican Scott Brown was elected by the people of Massachusetts to fill the senate seat that was left vacant when Senator Kennedy died. The new senator from Massachusetts has indicated that he will vote against the current healthcare proposals. Also, he will give the republicans the one vote they need to kill healthcare reform and any other proposed legislation by filibuster in the Senate.
Again the only thing that republicans can do in tandem is filibuster a bill to death in the Senate. They are still a minority party. Will they be able to take over the House and Senate with the November 2010 elections? We’ll have to wait and see. Never-the-less, the power is now there to stop anything this country’s leaders, including the current president, may try to force on us in their quest to restructure this country in the image of a European socialist nation.
I recently made a comment on Facebook that you reap what you sow. Because he was scared that the republican governor of Massachusetts would have a chance to appoint someone to fill a possibly vacated senate seat, he took steps to change the Massachusetts laws so that a special election would be required to fill a vacated senate seat as opposed to the governor appointing someone. Had old Ted not done this, the current Massachusetts governor, who is a democrat, would have had the responsibility of making an appointment to fill the open seat created by his death. The appointment would surely have been a democrat and Ted’s dream of healthcare reform would have been realized. That didn’t happen, though. Ted’s actions led to a special election in Massachusetts where Republican Scott Brown was elected. Senator Brown has the power to stop the proposed current healthcare legislation that was old Ted’s dream. How ironic.
When you resort to trickery and chicanery, making deals in smoky back rooms, doing things that are generally dishonest and designed to get you what you want in the short run without taking into consideration the long term effects, it usually comes back to haunt. Thank God in this instance it did.
Several months ago, I was watching as the American people let their thoughts be known regarding healthcare reform, a major project for the current president. Healthcare reform, while popular shortly after the current president took office, has seen its popularity decline as the American people learned more and more about what was being put in the legislation.
Despite its obvious unpopularity with the American people, our country’s leaders did everything they possibly could to ram healthcare reform down our throats, including the implementation of the Cornhusker Kickback and the Louisiana Purchase.
In addition to healthcare reform, the House had passed the Cap & Trade act, severely limiting carbon emissions, in the name of “saving the plant” from global warming. As some point I listened to a speech that the current president was delivering where he indicated that we could no longer set our thermostats where we wanted to set them and therefore be comfortable in our own homes. Instead, we would have to make sacrifices for the greater good. He also told us that we would not be able to drive the large, comfortable vehicles that we once did; nor would we be able to drive those cool little sports cars that we enjoy so much. Instead, we would be driving hybrids, electric cars, and other fuel-efficient vehicles that not only are uncomfortable, but also lack the power that many of us have enjoyed in our motor vehicles. The current president further assured us that the government would be taking more of our hard-earned dollars to pay for things like cap and trade, and healthcare reform. Speaking of healthcare, we would be giving up our good healthcare plans that we have worked so hard to provide for ourselves and our families; trading these plans in for some third rate government sponsored programs. This would mean additional physical suffering and perhaps premature death as a result of not being able to get treatment in a timely manner. Again, this is a sacrifice the American people should be willing to make in order to provide healthcare for those that are uninsured. In other words, the current president was advocating that we would all have to make sacrifices for the greater good. WHOA! This is communism, isn’t it? “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” Well, maybe that goes a bit too far, but what the current president is advocating certainly reeks of European socialism.
It amazed me how our country’s leaders, particularly Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, have persisted in cramming their unpopular socialist agendas down our throats. But you know, we’re still a republic and still able to vote these folks out of office. That’s true; but will we be able to un-do all of the damage they did while in office? The answer is probably not. Once we socialize healthcare and implement the Cap and Trade policies, reversal will be next to impossible. As a result, it appeared to me that the democrats were going to ride roughshod over the will of the American people in order to implement their agendas.
Not much to look forward to, is there? Sitting in your home either sweating or shivering. Maybe you’re sick and can’t get an appointment with a doctor for six weeks. A thick juicy steak with a bottle of good red wine sounds good. However, you don’t have the extra funds for such things because your taxes are so high. Forget a trip to the beach. What used to be a half-day drive now takes much longer because your hybrid can only go up to 45mph. You couldn’t afford the gas anyway, even though the hybrid doesn’t use much. Besides, driving is not fun anymore.
Well, when Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was running for president, the other Massachusetts senator, Edward Kennedy, was concerned that should Kerry win, Republican Governor Mitt Romney could appoint a republican senator to take Kerry’s place. So, old Ted got the ball rolling that resulted in Massachusetts passing legislation preventing a governor from making such appointments. Instead, a special election would be held to elect a replacement. As we all know, Senator Kennedy became gravely ill and passed away just months ago. Before his death, the senator suggested that the rules be changed again so that the current Massachusetts governor, a democrat, could be allowed to appoint his replacement. Even the democrats, who loathe the American people and think we’re too stupid to get out of the rain, knew that this wouldn’t fly. They would just have to live with the current laws. Besides, this is Massachusetts, “ain’t no republican gonna get elected”.
Excuse me! What did you say about Massachusetts electing a republican? Enter Senator Scott Brown and not a minute too soon. While republicans are still in the minority, the super majority the democrats hold in the Senate is gone. With Senator Brown, the democrats don’t have the votes to stop a filibuster. Cap and Trade is now dead in the water. With a little luck, healthcare reform will be joining it. Now the republicans should be able to stop any and all noxious pieces of legislature that our country’s leaders are trying to cram down our throats.
Of course, I have to comment on the irony of it all. Ted Kennedy spent a major portion of his political career advocating healthcare reform and passed away before he could cast a vote. With the senator’s memory, the democrats were set to elect a democrat to fill the seat vacated by the late Senator Kennedy. The new senator would ultimately cast a vote to pass Ted’s dream of healthcare reform.
But wait, republican Scott Brown was elected by the people of Massachusetts to fill the senate seat that was left vacant when Senator Kennedy died. The new senator from Massachusetts has indicated that he will vote against the current healthcare proposals. Also, he will give the republicans the one vote they need to kill healthcare reform and any other proposed legislation by filibuster in the Senate.
Again the only thing that republicans can do in tandem is filibuster a bill to death in the Senate. They are still a minority party. Will they be able to take over the House and Senate with the November 2010 elections? We’ll have to wait and see. Never-the-less, the power is now there to stop anything this country’s leaders, including the current president, may try to force on us in their quest to restructure this country in the image of a European socialist nation.
I recently made a comment on Facebook that you reap what you sow. Because he was scared that the republican governor of Massachusetts would have a chance to appoint someone to fill a possibly vacated senate seat, he took steps to change the Massachusetts laws so that a special election would be required to fill a vacated senate seat as opposed to the governor appointing someone. Had old Ted not done this, the current Massachusetts governor, who is a democrat, would have had the responsibility of making an appointment to fill the open seat created by his death. The appointment would surely have been a democrat and Ted’s dream of healthcare reform would have been realized. That didn’t happen, though. Ted’s actions led to a special election in Massachusetts where Republican Scott Brown was elected. Senator Brown has the power to stop the proposed current healthcare legislation that was old Ted’s dream. How ironic.
When you resort to trickery and chicanery, making deals in smoky back rooms, doing things that are generally dishonest and designed to get you what you want in the short run without taking into consideration the long term effects, it usually comes back to haunt. Thank God in this instance it did.
Friday, January 8, 2010
AND ALABAMA’S NUMBER ONE
The nerves have all calmed down, but I suspect some heads may be throbbing. There is a nation of college football fans celebrating and another nation of college football fans shaking their heads and saying, “what if”. Was the BCS Championship game for the 2009 college football season a game in which two best college football teams in the nation battled it out to see who reins supreme until mid-summer when the pre-season rankings come out? I would say yes. There’s no doubt in my mind that the University of Alabama and the University of Texas were the two best teams in college football in 2009. Did these two teams play to the best of their abilities, running on all cylinders, battling it out to the last minutes of the game, to determine who takes home the crystal football? Uh, No! Alabama was flirting with disaster. That fake punt was very un-Saban like. No one has mentioned this yet, but it could have been worse. If the Texas player that intercepted P.J.’s pass had let it fall to the ground, Texas would have started much closer to our end zone and pay dirt. Instead, Texas got the ball a bit up field, our defense held, forcing them to kick a field goal. Then we failed to cover a kickoff. Now how bone-headed is that? The fact that we escaped this series of events only yielding six points, though, has to tell you about the heart and intensity of the Bama players. Was the stamina of Gilbert, the second string quarterback for Texas, amazing as he improved during the game and brought his team to within a field goal of being able to tie the game and sent it to overtime? You have to say yes. I could go into the details of the game, but you have access to those details.
Would this have been a different game had Colt McCoy not been injured? Oh, definitely. Would Texas have won if Colt had not gone down? We don’t know, and we’ll never know. I refuse to get into a “you know what-ting” contest with anyone who may throw out that Alabama would not have won if Colt McCoy had played. This game sure wasn’t Alabama’s best of the season, and it wasn’t Texas’ either. But the winner of this game is the national champion and that’s that.
As some of you know, the Bama Nation’s world was rocked in the early 2000s when the news of the possible payment by boosters in the Memphis area to high school coaches in order for them to steer highly touted players to Alabama. The details of which could fill a book. The sanctions that were handed down to Alabama by the NCAA were brutal, resulting in a major loss of scholarships and a ban on post-season play for two seasons. As one can imagine, this made the recruiting of top quality players difficult, if not downright impossible. In addition, the sanctions were given as the reason that Head Coach Dennis Franchione bolted for Texas A&M. The coach hired to replace Franchione, Mike Price, had some serious character flaws to surface shortly after coming to the Capstone. When the UA Board of Trustees voted to let Mike Price go, May 2003, we were left without a head coach, with “slim pickins”. In Mike Shula, Alabama hired an unproven head coach, with everyone hoping that his “good genes” would allow him to grow into the job. Well, Shula never grew into the job and was let go after the Auburn game in 2006. In his farewell speech, Shula indicated that he left the program in better shape than it was when he got there. I’m not so sure about that.
Alabama took a pretty big PR hit for the firing of Shula after his fourth year. In his third year, he had a successful season, taking the tide to a major bowl and a top ten finish. The after a mediocre fourth year, we fired him. Furthermore, the fact that he was Don Shula’s son didn’t help our image either. After firing Shula, everyone said to us, “Alabama will never be able to hire a decent coach. No one in their right mind would want to coach at Alabama.” When the news that we might be talking to Nick Saban broke, everyone started laughing. “There’s no way that Nick Saban is going to come to Alabama.”
With regard to the Memphis area recruiting incidents, there is speculation that there may have been collusion between the NCAA, the University of Tennessee, and the Southeastern Conference to set Alabama up. There was also speculation that then Tennessee Head Coach Phil Fulmer would report indiscretions by Alabama to the NCAA in exchange for the NCAA turning its back to the activities by the Tennessee Athletic Department. In other words, there were folks out there that wanted Alabama taken down, one way or the other. I wonder what those folks are thinking today.
Alabama football has been on top or near the top for most of its existence. But there have been some times when it was bloodied and near death, the most recent being from about 2003 to 2007. Last night when the players and coaches were passing around and kissing the crystal football, I couldn’t help but think about the difficult times that we’ve been through and the players who stayed with Alabama when they could have transferred somewhere else. These players did not get to play for championships and received little or no accolades. I’m thinking about Shaud Williams, the little guy with the big heart. I’m thinking about Wesley Britt, the guy with big everything. I’m thinking about all of the players on the teams in the early to mid-2000s. I’m thinking about Dennis Franchione. He asked those players to “hold the rope” then bolted to Texas A&M, only to be fired. As skuzzy as Franchione’s actions were, he did influence players to remain at Alabama during the hard times and therefore provide the foundation for what is today.
Alabama has played and won fourteen games; that, in and of itself is a magnificent feat. Then on top of that, one of our players, Mark Ingram, was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Alabama was to play the University of Texas for the national championship, a team that it has never beaten in about eight tries. Very few times in college football history has the team with a Heisman Trophy winner also been number one. Many times that Heisman Trophy winner has not played well it his bowl game whether it be for the national championship or not. Well, Alabama won its twelve regular season games, won its conference championship game, had a Heisman Trophy winner, and won the BCS Championship game against the University of Texas.
Once again, Alabama is number one.
Would this have been a different game had Colt McCoy not been injured? Oh, definitely. Would Texas have won if Colt had not gone down? We don’t know, and we’ll never know. I refuse to get into a “you know what-ting” contest with anyone who may throw out that Alabama would not have won if Colt McCoy had played. This game sure wasn’t Alabama’s best of the season, and it wasn’t Texas’ either. But the winner of this game is the national champion and that’s that.
As some of you know, the Bama Nation’s world was rocked in the early 2000s when the news of the possible payment by boosters in the Memphis area to high school coaches in order for them to steer highly touted players to Alabama. The details of which could fill a book. The sanctions that were handed down to Alabama by the NCAA were brutal, resulting in a major loss of scholarships and a ban on post-season play for two seasons. As one can imagine, this made the recruiting of top quality players difficult, if not downright impossible. In addition, the sanctions were given as the reason that Head Coach Dennis Franchione bolted for Texas A&M. The coach hired to replace Franchione, Mike Price, had some serious character flaws to surface shortly after coming to the Capstone. When the UA Board of Trustees voted to let Mike Price go, May 2003, we were left without a head coach, with “slim pickins”. In Mike Shula, Alabama hired an unproven head coach, with everyone hoping that his “good genes” would allow him to grow into the job. Well, Shula never grew into the job and was let go after the Auburn game in 2006. In his farewell speech, Shula indicated that he left the program in better shape than it was when he got there. I’m not so sure about that.
Alabama took a pretty big PR hit for the firing of Shula after his fourth year. In his third year, he had a successful season, taking the tide to a major bowl and a top ten finish. The after a mediocre fourth year, we fired him. Furthermore, the fact that he was Don Shula’s son didn’t help our image either. After firing Shula, everyone said to us, “Alabama will never be able to hire a decent coach. No one in their right mind would want to coach at Alabama.” When the news that we might be talking to Nick Saban broke, everyone started laughing. “There’s no way that Nick Saban is going to come to Alabama.”
With regard to the Memphis area recruiting incidents, there is speculation that there may have been collusion between the NCAA, the University of Tennessee, and the Southeastern Conference to set Alabama up. There was also speculation that then Tennessee Head Coach Phil Fulmer would report indiscretions by Alabama to the NCAA in exchange for the NCAA turning its back to the activities by the Tennessee Athletic Department. In other words, there were folks out there that wanted Alabama taken down, one way or the other. I wonder what those folks are thinking today.
Alabama football has been on top or near the top for most of its existence. But there have been some times when it was bloodied and near death, the most recent being from about 2003 to 2007. Last night when the players and coaches were passing around and kissing the crystal football, I couldn’t help but think about the difficult times that we’ve been through and the players who stayed with Alabama when they could have transferred somewhere else. These players did not get to play for championships and received little or no accolades. I’m thinking about Shaud Williams, the little guy with the big heart. I’m thinking about Wesley Britt, the guy with big everything. I’m thinking about all of the players on the teams in the early to mid-2000s. I’m thinking about Dennis Franchione. He asked those players to “hold the rope” then bolted to Texas A&M, only to be fired. As skuzzy as Franchione’s actions were, he did influence players to remain at Alabama during the hard times and therefore provide the foundation for what is today.
Alabama has played and won fourteen games; that, in and of itself is a magnificent feat. Then on top of that, one of our players, Mark Ingram, was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Alabama was to play the University of Texas for the national championship, a team that it has never beaten in about eight tries. Very few times in college football history has the team with a Heisman Trophy winner also been number one. Many times that Heisman Trophy winner has not played well it his bowl game whether it be for the national championship or not. Well, Alabama won its twelve regular season games, won its conference championship game, had a Heisman Trophy winner, and won the BCS Championship game against the University of Texas.
Once again, Alabama is number one.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
ON PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
For those of you not familiar with Alabama culture, college football is huge in this state. The University of Alabama Crimson Tide is one of this nation’s elite football programs, if not the most elite. There’s another school called Auburn that a lot of people in the state also support. While Auburn has had its “flash in the pan” moments, it doesn’t hold a candle to the accomplishments of the University of Alabama. I’ll definitely catch some grief for my last sentence.
Alabama is currently ranked number one in the national and is playing the University of Texas for the national championship on January 7, 2010 in Pasadena, California. The last time that Alabama was national champions was for the 1992 season. I was an adult and remember it well. That was seventeen years ago and that seventeen-year gap is the longest gap since the 1960s that Alabama has gone without a national championship. As you can imagine, we’re mighty hungry.
This past decade has not been a good one for Alabama. In the early part of the decade, Alabama was slapped with probation and sanctions that would have killed your average football program. Did we do what was alleged? The details could fill a novel and I won’t go into it here.
Never the less, we hired as head coach in 2007, Nick Saban, arguably the best coach in the nation. Three seasons later, we captured the SEC Championship and are playing for the national championship. The sanctions that went along with the probation pretty much left us bloodied and dying on the side of the road. But we didn’t die; instead we arose, much to the chagrin of the Auburns and Tennessees of the world.
In addition to being unbeaten in regular season play, playing in and winning the SEC Championship game, and going to the BCS Championship game, one of our players was awarded the Heisman Trophy, an honor awarded to the best college football player in the nation. The player, of course, was running back Mark Ingram. This is the first time a player from the University of Alabama has ever been awarded the Heisman trophy and I do have to admit that I’ve never been much of a “Heisman Trophy” person. At the University of Alabama, teamwork is stressed and there are virtually no prima donnas. But I have to admit that I couldn’t be prouder of Mark Ingram. He’s a wonderful young man. In fact, it’s not so much that Alabama has a Heisman, I’m just so proud of Mark Ingram.
I grew up rooting for the University of Alabama, attended the University of Alabama, and am currently a season ticket holder. It’s a part of who I am. As big a fan as I am, I’m not one to brag or talk “smack” before a game. I’m well aware that anything can happen. Some of us remember the U.S. Hockey team against the Soviet Union in 1980. After winning a big game, I’m pretty much quiet and don’t strut around. What’s the point, we’re Alabama, we’re supposed to win. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy winning and celebrate with my Alabama friends. However, I don’t tend to rub it in to fans of the other team, except when provoked. Besides, saying nothing gets their goat even worse.
On Christmas Eve this year, I had ordered a pizza from a local Italian restaurant to take home and eat for dinner. When I went to pick up the pizza, who should be in there, but a group of folks that belong to one of the clubs that I also belong to. Among the group were some Aubs, a Florida fan, a Texas fan, a plain ole Alabama hater, and maybe a couple of Bama fans that “hang” with that group. One of the folks said something to me and I kind of nonchalantly waved at the group. While I was paying for my pizza, one of the Auburn fans, who is a nice guy, walked up to me and wished me a Merry Christmas and asked if I was going to Pasadena. Other than that guy, no one really spoke to me. I started to do the “gator chomp” for the Florida fan since he was so nasty to me when Florida beat Alabama in 2006, but I didn’t. I think the little nonchalant wave said it all.
Back to the national championship, I don’t think I could be more nervous. Now that most of the bowl games are over, it’s being talked about a lot. While I’ve been here many times before, there is something special about this time around. After the probation earlier in the decade, many thought that Alabama would never rise to prominence again. The aubs thought that they would dominate us for years to come and so did Tennessee. Well, it didn’t happen. Alabama has risen to prominence in the last three years and will now be playing for the national championship. If we win it, it will be the most satisfying one in my life to date. If we don’t, then there’s next year and the next.
Am I going to make a prediction on this blog? No. I just want to let everyone who reads this know how important Alabama football is to me and to so many others as well. We’ve been on top and descended to the bottom, then rose back to the top. I dare say that very few college football programs could have gone through what Alabama has gone through and rise to the top again. I don’t know what my life would have been like if it wasn’t for Alabama football. No matter what happens on January 7, 2010, we’re Alabama and the rest is the rest.
ROLLTIDE! ROLLTIDE!
Alabama is currently ranked number one in the national and is playing the University of Texas for the national championship on January 7, 2010 in Pasadena, California. The last time that Alabama was national champions was for the 1992 season. I was an adult and remember it well. That was seventeen years ago and that seventeen-year gap is the longest gap since the 1960s that Alabama has gone without a national championship. As you can imagine, we’re mighty hungry.
This past decade has not been a good one for Alabama. In the early part of the decade, Alabama was slapped with probation and sanctions that would have killed your average football program. Did we do what was alleged? The details could fill a novel and I won’t go into it here.
Never the less, we hired as head coach in 2007, Nick Saban, arguably the best coach in the nation. Three seasons later, we captured the SEC Championship and are playing for the national championship. The sanctions that went along with the probation pretty much left us bloodied and dying on the side of the road. But we didn’t die; instead we arose, much to the chagrin of the Auburns and Tennessees of the world.
In addition to being unbeaten in regular season play, playing in and winning the SEC Championship game, and going to the BCS Championship game, one of our players was awarded the Heisman Trophy, an honor awarded to the best college football player in the nation. The player, of course, was running back Mark Ingram. This is the first time a player from the University of Alabama has ever been awarded the Heisman trophy and I do have to admit that I’ve never been much of a “Heisman Trophy” person. At the University of Alabama, teamwork is stressed and there are virtually no prima donnas. But I have to admit that I couldn’t be prouder of Mark Ingram. He’s a wonderful young man. In fact, it’s not so much that Alabama has a Heisman, I’m just so proud of Mark Ingram.
I grew up rooting for the University of Alabama, attended the University of Alabama, and am currently a season ticket holder. It’s a part of who I am. As big a fan as I am, I’m not one to brag or talk “smack” before a game. I’m well aware that anything can happen. Some of us remember the U.S. Hockey team against the Soviet Union in 1980. After winning a big game, I’m pretty much quiet and don’t strut around. What’s the point, we’re Alabama, we’re supposed to win. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy winning and celebrate with my Alabama friends. However, I don’t tend to rub it in to fans of the other team, except when provoked. Besides, saying nothing gets their goat even worse.
On Christmas Eve this year, I had ordered a pizza from a local Italian restaurant to take home and eat for dinner. When I went to pick up the pizza, who should be in there, but a group of folks that belong to one of the clubs that I also belong to. Among the group were some Aubs, a Florida fan, a Texas fan, a plain ole Alabama hater, and maybe a couple of Bama fans that “hang” with that group. One of the folks said something to me and I kind of nonchalantly waved at the group. While I was paying for my pizza, one of the Auburn fans, who is a nice guy, walked up to me and wished me a Merry Christmas and asked if I was going to Pasadena. Other than that guy, no one really spoke to me. I started to do the “gator chomp” for the Florida fan since he was so nasty to me when Florida beat Alabama in 2006, but I didn’t. I think the little nonchalant wave said it all.
Back to the national championship, I don’t think I could be more nervous. Now that most of the bowl games are over, it’s being talked about a lot. While I’ve been here many times before, there is something special about this time around. After the probation earlier in the decade, many thought that Alabama would never rise to prominence again. The aubs thought that they would dominate us for years to come and so did Tennessee. Well, it didn’t happen. Alabama has risen to prominence in the last three years and will now be playing for the national championship. If we win it, it will be the most satisfying one in my life to date. If we don’t, then there’s next year and the next.
Am I going to make a prediction on this blog? No. I just want to let everyone who reads this know how important Alabama football is to me and to so many others as well. We’ve been on top and descended to the bottom, then rose back to the top. I dare say that very few college football programs could have gone through what Alabama has gone through and rise to the top again. I don’t know what my life would have been like if it wasn’t for Alabama football. No matter what happens on January 7, 2010, we’re Alabama and the rest is the rest.
ROLLTIDE! ROLLTIDE!
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