Wishing you were in eight grade again

I have often wished that I could go back in time to the eighth grade and give myself a good kick in the rump roast to point me in the right direction in life. Just imagine going back in time and getting a chance to tell yourself the do’s and don’ts in life. There would certainly be more do’s than don’ts.

The obvious one would be to try harder in school, but that doesn’t really make sense considering I have my PhD. Maybe I would tell myself to not try so hard on the school work as you’re only as good as your last degree.

I would definitely tell myself to get over that awkward stage with the ladies. I remember being star struck with girls who were grades ahead of me. Boy, if I knew then what I know now, “mama mia,” is all I can say.

One of the most important things I would tell the eighth grade me is to do right by people. So many times in my life I did not do the stand up thing. I made fun of people who were not as strong as me and I did not stand up for people I should have stood up for who needed a friend. People needed me to be the boy with integrity and I would certainly change that.

I have always regretted some of the things I did as I child. While I was a boy, I was an absolute current affairs junkie. I watched the news every day and enjoyed knowing the who’s who of the world. Back then I did not know how to interpret the news. I picked my favorite people and voted for them in elections, if I liked your persona I followed you. If I did not, then I did not respect you. Hey, it was the mind of a thirteen year old boy.

I had always wished my parents were tougher on me when I was younger. Bless their hearts they loved us too much to ever be that way. When I played sports my parents cheered the loudest and yet I always felt I should have pushed myself so much harder. I coasted, when I should have spent that extra hour a day in the gym. I had drive and desire but I did not give the extra effort.

At the end of every day I wished a good night to my parents. No amount of money in the world can bring those nights back, but if I could go back in time I would appreciate those calls so much more. I miss my grandparents every day, all day.

I always wanted to be more involved in the youth group at church. I started to go to the group, but I stopped abruptly for basketball games and television. I certainly wanted to be a part of something special and rewarding, yet I did not put in the time. Something always seemed far more important.

I never made close friends when I was younger. Maybe it was because I was not into sharing with other boys my age. I certainly did not have any problems with girls. I spent night after night talking on the phone, especially to one person in particular. Those days were like a blur for so long until one day I sat and thought about all the things we talked about and the one thing we never spoke of, growing up and trying to figure out how to duplicate the times we had. I could have learned a long time ago what really truly mattered in life, but I did not.

The boy I once was grew up to be a man, a husband, a friend and most importantly a father. I hope that I will be able to look back into my life and give advice to my son and to my future children that makes sense. To give good advice you have had to have that life experience yourself. I did things that were right and I did things that were wrong. No one is perfect and that should be a part of any advice given. You need to laugh when they laugh, cry when they cry, show emotion and show that you will be a parent and not just a friend. Be there for guidance and be there when they fall. Dust them off and get them back on the path that was once in front of you. You made mistakes and you learned from every one of them. Be tough when you need to be. Push so they need to be pushed and back off when they need it.

Life is hard enough for an eighth grader today. Guns in school, peer pressures that were not there when I was in school are there in droves nowadays. Show patience, love, and be their rock. It is all you can do to be the person they need. Never live vicariously through them as that is the worst thing you can do.

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Picking on the Christians for humor isn't funny

This will be the most controversial column I have ever written, but it will be what I feel and what I believe is true. I wrote a column on sensitivity a few weeks back and I told America to relax a bit. What I did not realize was there is a lot more to this sensitivity issue than what meets the eye.


Last week Larry David, yes the Larry David from Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm fame, decided it would be funny to urinate on a portrait of Jesus to make it look like he was crying. I watched the scene a few times and I did not find it funny because it was not a funny scene. The more I thought about it the more my mind raced. Larry David is Jewish and if a scene in a television show desecrated a synagogue the public outcry would be ten times the amount it is now for David’s scene.

Why is it alright to desecrate a Christian symbol but not the reverse in the name of comedy? It is accepted that making fun of Italians or the Irish or even blondes is ok, but doing the same to African Americans or Jewish people is not? Neither should be acceptable ever. Growing up with ethnic jokes was a norm for many individuals. Sensitivity and letting things roll off your back is one thing, outright being insensitive is another.

Being insensitive and wrapping it up as a comedy is something that does not mask the underlining meaning. It is wrong to hurt someone’s feelings by poking fun of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs or their physical appearance. Society seems to let certain jokes and comments slide when they are made at the more dominant races or people of Christian faith. I wonder how we allow this. Society generally police’s itself when it comes to this issue. When a television commentator, athlete or Hollywood actor makes a derogatory comment to a minority group, the news media generally crucifies the individual. When it is the reverse, the news media turns a blind eye.

I heard a professional basketball player who is an African American say that white athletes never get any criticism because they are above everything in the eyes of the fans. I do not see this at all. I see that most fans are color blind when they are rooting for their favorite teams. We thankfully have left the days where African American athletes feel like second class athletes.

We as a nation need and should put all of the negativity behind us. Whether I like his politics or not, I am so proud as an American that we elected a person who is half-African American as our President. We need to elect more leaders from diverse backgrounds.

I am also extremely proud as an American to say that whether it is in athletics, politics, or in the workplace, we are turning the tide and making racism and politics a thing of the past.

We still have a long way to go and the Larry David’s of the world just bring back insensitivity to new levels and call it humor. If Larry David had any real stones he would have done the pissing thing to the Koran. Then he would have gotten a reaction.

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Weekly Thought Bonanza, November 1

On Sunday/Monday, I produce a column called “The Weekly Thought Bonanza”. The column is based on all of the random thoughts that run through my head all week, and trust me there are a plethora of them. I will try to share as many of these thoughts as I can, so each one of my readers can think just a little bit extra over the coming week.

Minnesota Viking Quarterback, Brett Favre returns to Green Bay for the first time since he was traded last year to the Jets of New York, via New Jersey. Brett will receive mostly boos from the Green Bay crowd, which absolutely blows my mind. Before Favre arrived in Green Bay the Packers were just about the worst franchise in football. Favre was pushed out by Packer management and now he is the bad guy? C’mon Green bay, if a man wants to continue his craft and there is someone who wants to pay him for it, then I say go ahead and collect the check.

Coffee Nerdness Thought of the Week. The Green Mountain Holiday Pack is to absolutely die for. The Ginger Bread and the Spiced French toast is absolutely delightful!

Why can’t people put a toothbrush and toothpaste in their desk, lunch pale, or pocketbook and brush their teeth during the day? Oral Hygiene is so friendly to the work environment it needs attention.

I am not one of those people that like to kick someone when they are down, but I must tell you that I could kick every single person right in the keister who was mixed up in the Ana Nicole Smith saga. Let the criminal courts sort it out and make them all go away.

Don’t you hate when singers retire then un-retire then retire again? Farewell tours over and over again make absolutely no sense, when you know they will be back again. People just go on tour and if you don’t want to sing any more or not go on tour, don’t.

How do athletes blow money like it is nothing? Listen guys and girls, hire a super agent and have them invest your money. You will be the wiser. Blowing a hundred million dollar fortune, ala Antoine Walker formerly of the Boston Celtics, on gambling and cars is just downright irresponsible. You are college students, take a finance course.

If you watch the last four minutes of a basketball game you can pretty much skip the first 44 minutes. You could save so much of your life by doing that.



T-mobile just doesn’t have the coverage to even bother with it.

A hunter today bagged a 780 pound boar. The boar measured six feet eleven inches and was one of the biggest wild boars ever killed by a hunter. Imagine bumping into that animal in the woods/

Here is a hope that Windows 7 is so much better than Windows Vista.

Chef Matthew Mitnitsky broke the world record for the largest meatball in Concord, N.H., Sunday, Nov. 1,2009. The meatball weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds. That is one big meatball.

People who drive fast in a residential neighborhood should have their license pulled and fined up the ying yang.

The Yankees are about to win the World Series folks.

American car companies need to make better cars if they are once again going to dominate in the world. For years they have made inferior cars with terrible gas mileage.

The Weekly Thought Bonanza thought of the week. How does Taco Bell offer eighty nine cent tacos? Is there real beef in them?





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Sometimes it is hard to follow the baseball

As the World Series started tonight I am reminded of a tragic base ball story I read about that ends in hope, love and faith. Picture this – a family enjoying a baseball game outing. A father, mother and their beautiful 4 yr old boy at a minor league game in Niles, Ohio watching the Class A Mahoning Valley Scrappers game. They were given tickets sitting front row just behind first base. As they settled into their seats they noticed as they looked to home plate that they needed to squint; the sun was in their eyes. As observing as a dad may be, he commented on watching out for foul balls. As a couple innings went by the sun was setting and they let their guard down.


Chad, Nicole and 4 yr old Luke Holko were having a wonderful evening. Luke was hamming it up for pictures but was starting to get tired and had asked to go home. Minutes later the worst happened – a foul ball was hit. Of course plenty of people yelled “watch out” but before anyone knew it Luke was hit by the foul ball. His skull was fractured. He automatically went limp in his father’s lap.

Within minutes Luke was carried to the concourse and whisked away in an awaiting ambulance. Nicole being a medical assistant knew the situation was not good. She was made aware how grave it was when they were told he needed surgery immediately because the blow had knocked part of Luke’s skull toward his brain. Pressure was building and he was not stable.

So many questions? What if they were not in that seat? What if the batter took that pitch? What if there was some type of netting? Chad and Nicole do not place any blame. They are aware of foul balls at a ball game. They saw the warning signs. Chad even had mentioned that they should be aware. There about 40 foul balls per game. The average major league team sends about 3,000 foul balls into the stand each year.

The Holko’s do have insurance and their community has offer lots of help. No one knowing what their medical expenses will add up to. Luke’s condition has improved from critical to serious but stable. The doctors say he is in a “locked in” position with the ability of knowing what is going on with limited response. He now is moving his arms and legs and pushing yes/no buttons. He has even begun to swallow bits of Popsicle.

Chad and Nicole believe in hope, love and faith. They pray and focus on helping Luke heal. They hold on to the positives. They know that every little thing that Luke accomplishes is a blessing.

You can follow Luke’s progress at www.caringbridge.org/visit/lucasholko

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NBA Season is here

Tonight the National Basketball League starts their season and every team is in first place as the night begins. The new season arrives with promise for all of the thirty teams in the league. Parity is not part of the NBA mantra however, as there is huge disparity between the haves and the have not’s. There are literally only a few teams with a chance to win the league championship.

The NBA is one of the premiere leagues in sports rivaled by the NFL and MLB. The league can be seen on TNT, ESPN, and ABC. With great television exposure the stars of the league are well marketed and the league is extremely profitable.

The overall talent in the NBA has never been better with an influx of foreign players. The NBA is now a world league like MLB is now. Each team now has foreign scouts to judge talent all over the globe. Since 1999, a foreign player has been picked within the first fifteen picks of the NBA draft every year.

With the salary cap the NBA has, it is almost impossible to make a bad team better in one season. An exception to this was the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics who went from last to first with two blockbuster trades. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were both traded to the Celtics in separate deals before the season started. While this is not the norm it can happen.

Year after year, the lowlife’s in the league fail to become competitive because of the way the league is structured. If you are mediocre one year, you will continue to be mediocre until you either make that rare trade or you win the NBA draft lottery. Teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors have continued to lose year after year because they can’t find that one superstar to put them into title contention.

The NBA is a superstar driven league and if you do not have a superstar you will not go very far. Stars like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Lebron James do not just dominate a game they are the game. They make their teams instant title contenders year after year. It is the supporting cast that determines whether you go far into the playoffs or not.

The players today are definitely not like the players of old. In every sport the athletes are getting bigger and stronger, but in the NBA the players have not just become bigger, faster, and stronger, but their pure basketball skills have diminished as well. Basketball fundamentals have slowly become a thing of the past. While I still cheer loudly for the amazing slam dunks that I see in the game today, I still like to cheer the behind the back pass or the bank shot. I have not seen a good bank shooter since Jerry Schiting in the mid 80’s.

I still enjoy the NBA immensely and I hope that the game will go back to its roots of passing, shooting and defense. Games that go 10 minutes without a basket is becoming the norm in the NBA. Final scores of 75 to 70 have become a regular occurrence in basketball and the games have become a bit of a bore. Let’s hope as the new season arrives teams will go back to fundamental basketball. NBA fans will cheer no matter what for their teams and their favorite players regardless of the basketball being played, but there is still nothing wrong with playing it the right way.

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If we put a man on the moon, then why can't we.....

I love to say, “We put a man on the moon, yet we still have not figured that out?” I put some of these thoughts together and will share a few.

Do you ever drive in the morning and one pot hole in the high speed lane creates the biggest traffic jams day after day? Why can’t they just fix the pothole and save everyone’s gas? Seems like the Department of Transportation is not using its brain here.

It takes years to build a bridge nowadays yet it should only take no more than a year. Delay after delay for no apparent reason other than the fact that we try to extend every project to maximize the cost to keep the costs up. The army core of engineers can build a small bridge in a few hours.

Why can’t we find a way to make bread last more than a few days? Every time I try to go to make a sandwich I always find the bread to be stale. Can we make bread last as long as we now make milk last two months?
I want to know why we cannot find a way to stop the world from going hungry. We throw away more food everyday than we could possibly eat. Shouldn’t we be able to feed the world? Why can a simple process get so complicated?

I do not understand how this country cannot produce a vehicle that does not need gasoline. We can go to the moon, the moon for god sakes, and we depend on gasoline fueled cars and trucks. We make synthetic oil now, what is wrong with making synthetic gas?

We brought Apollo 13 home on a whim yet we cannot work a miracle like making a substance that will fire proof a home. Five alarm fires are on the nightly news at least once a week and yet we do nothing about making it a thing of the past. Lives are lost because of faulty materials yet there is not a company that has yet to step up to make a fire proof house, why?

How about a light bulb that last more than one thousand hours?

Sneakers that do not wear out.

Grass that will grow anywhere, a personal wish.

Pens that will never run out.

Computers that will not crash. (No offense to Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Steve Jobs)

And a cardboard box that will not let items fall through the bottom.

We have the ingenuity to do so many great things and hopefully if we put some of that ingenuity to the problems we now face things will get better


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