I don't normally comment on current events/news of the day, but the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut touched a nerve with me.
So here are some thoughts.
I have only three first cousins. One lives in Newtown, and is married with three kids, none of whom are first-grade age. I don't know how much sleep she's had in the last 48 hours. She has to be heartbroken-- violence has penetrated what seemed like a safe and quiet community, and she (and countless others) undoubtedly knows parents who are trying to make funeral arrangements. I saw her being active on Facebook during the day and it was reassuring.
For me, church is a place of solace-- a place where I say words, hear words spoken and listen to music. It helps me get my week off to a great start. We had a good discussion in Sunday School, and our priest had a good message. He spoke not as a priest but as a parent of a 10 and 6-year old, and the pain and hurt and confusion were evident in his words and in the furrow on his brow. I didn't find any answers in church, none of us did. But there was no anger in his voice, and it was soothing to me that hatred was not spoken and that God's love was.
Which brings me to parents. I'll include educators here as well. What is it like to go to work or to be a parent and send our kid to school, knowing the randomness could strike them next? Isn't school supposed to be a place where folks can learn and be safe?
The pattern is pretty much the same-- we've seen it so many times before. Shooting incident is followed by shock/outrage, which cues the media horde that descends to report/exploit the event by sticking microphones in the faces of those who grieve. Then we talk about the heroes who saved the lives of others, we make speeches and bracelets, get video of a few funerals, and hang around town for a few days until the buzz dies down, only to return in one/five/ten years to talk about it all over again. I can almost see the items being checked off the list as they happen.
And what makes me the saddest-- is that this will happen again. Newtown is the newest addition to the list of cities that have experienced this -- Phoenix, Blacksburg, Jonesboro, Paducah, Aurora, Littleton... And nothing has changed. To me, it means that folks in those communities died for nothing. They were struck down as tragically as those in Connecticut, but there has been plenty of time to figure something out so that this doesn't happen again. But we haven't. I believe that if a variable is changed, the result should change as well.
No variables have changed, so the result won't change. And the teachers and six-year-olds of Newtown, Connecticut will also have died for nothing.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Vegas III
So it's time to get back to work a little bit around here.
We'll start with cleaning up from the September Las Vegas trip which saw my college friends Drew and Heather get married. It's a little fuzzy and distant in my rear-view mirror now, but we'll do our best.
It was great seeing the old gang. They're different-- been through some things, made some choices, and raised kids. Yet they're the same good people that I came to know nearly 20 years ago at Texas Tech. I'm still incredulous that my path continues to cross the paths of so many good, solid individuals. I'm also pleased to still call them friends.
We stayed at the Excalibur. The rooms are no frills of course, since they want you downstairs spending money. There wasn't a whole lot of structure to the weekend-- no rehearsal dinner or anything like that. Just the wedding. Beforehand, we got out and about a little-- walked around some, drank margaritas, and watched football. It's amazing just how much infrastructure is there. It seemed like I could walk across town and not go outside, what with all the underground walkways and monorail systems.
The First Lady is typically in charge of the restauranting on our journeys-- we started at Fleur at the Mandalay Bay, where we observed happy hour and nibbled on fried chickpeas-- nothing too much, yet crunchy enough to satisfy us. Then we met up with the other married couple and decided to head to RM Seafood, also at MB. It was close to 9:00 pm by now, so I didn't order much-- a bowl of clam chowder and a Thai green papaya salad. Both were delicious. This was a great chance to catch up with Jacky and Kathleen, whom we'd not seen since our wedding three years ago.
As our last meal before heading to the airport, we stopped at Fleur again, having seen and tasted enough to want to go back to see what they could do. It was Monday lunch so it was not crowded, so we walked right in with our luggage and sat down.
Ann had a croque monsieur, basically a French version of a ham and cheese sandwich. She reports this version was toasted and had a very special sauce. I had a short rib lasagna that I now remember as being quite good.
The wedding, also hosted by the MB, was at sunset at the outdoor artificial beach and was nondenominational and secular in nature, as the newlyweds are not religious. I was perfectly suited for my role, which involved being the number two behind the best man. Jacky and Drew go further back (and also live considerably closer to each other), so the Jackal played the role of best man.
We went upstairs to the soon-to-be honeymoon suite and waited for the newlyweds. The reception was in the suite, and was limited to 15 to 20 folks. After some food, conversation, and fun, we said our goodbyes and went back to Excalibur for a nightcap.
Kathleen and Jacky also stayed at Excalibur, and we met up with them for a short breakfast and say aloha before they headed to the airport. Again, I moved to Oklahoma, Kansas, and now Alabama, so my time with these good friends is always very rare and never long enough when it happens.
Before long, it was our turn to head to McCarran and our flight back to civilization.
We'll start with cleaning up from the September Las Vegas trip which saw my college friends Drew and Heather get married. It's a little fuzzy and distant in my rear-view mirror now, but we'll do our best.
We stayed at the Excalibur. The rooms are no frills of course, since they want you downstairs spending money. There wasn't a whole lot of structure to the weekend-- no rehearsal dinner or anything like that. Just the wedding. Beforehand, we got out and about a little-- walked around some, drank margaritas, and watched football. It's amazing just how much infrastructure is there. It seemed like I could walk across town and not go outside, what with all the underground walkways and monorail systems.
The First Lady is typically in charge of the restauranting on our journeys-- we started at Fleur at the Mandalay Bay, where we observed happy hour and nibbled on fried chickpeas-- nothing too much, yet crunchy enough to satisfy us. Then we met up with the other married couple and decided to head to RM Seafood, also at MB. It was close to 9:00 pm by now, so I didn't order much-- a bowl of clam chowder and a Thai green papaya salad. Both were delicious. This was a great chance to catch up with Jacky and Kathleen, whom we'd not seen since our wedding three years ago.
As our last meal before heading to the airport, we stopped at Fleur again, having seen and tasted enough to want to go back to see what they could do. It was Monday lunch so it was not crowded, so we walked right in with our luggage and sat down.
The wedding, also hosted by the MB, was at sunset at the outdoor artificial beach and was nondenominational and secular in nature, as the newlyweds are not religious. I was perfectly suited for my role, which involved being the number two behind the best man. Jacky and Drew go further back (and also live considerably closer to each other), so the Jackal played the role of best man.
Kathleen and Jacky also stayed at Excalibur, and we met up with them for a short breakfast and say aloha before they headed to the airport. Again, I moved to Oklahoma, Kansas, and now Alabama, so my time with these good friends is always very rare and never long enough when it happens.
Before long, it was our turn to head to McCarran and our flight back to civilization.
Friday, October 12, 2012
It's Just Not Worth It
Okay, this time I think I've got it all figured out.
Well, of course I don't. But I have learned something very important here in the last few weeks.
It's just not worth it. It's really not.
Anyone who knows me understands that I have a scorching case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nothing has been officially diagnosed, but I sure do seem to need a sense of order to things. Anything that's out of sorts sets me off. Someone not turning off a light. Not signaling for a safe lane change. Folks not waiting their turn. If I see a news story where order is not followed and rules are not obeyed, watch out.
This is where I just tell myself that it's not worth it. I used to want to fight every battle. I used to want to tell others and scream from the mountaintop when someone interrupted a speaker, or was rude, or whatever.
But I'm learning to release. Especially when I am merely an observer and it's not my problem. If I get worked up over every little thing, it'll eat me alive. It's someone else's concern and not mine.
Well, of course I don't. But I have learned something very important here in the last few weeks.
It's just not worth it. It's really not.
Anyone who knows me understands that I have a scorching case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nothing has been officially diagnosed, but I sure do seem to need a sense of order to things. Anything that's out of sorts sets me off. Someone not turning off a light. Not signaling for a safe lane change. Folks not waiting their turn. If I see a news story where order is not followed and rules are not obeyed, watch out.
This is where I just tell myself that it's not worth it. I used to want to fight every battle. I used to want to tell others and scream from the mountaintop when someone interrupted a speaker, or was rude, or whatever.
But I'm learning to release. Especially when I am merely an observer and it's not my problem. If I get worked up over every little thing, it'll eat me alive. It's someone else's concern and not mine.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Vegas II
It's Las Vegas, so there's always plenty to see.
One of the first things I did was go watch college football from the sports book at the Excalibur, which is a unique experience. I'm used to being on one side or the other and rooting for a win or a loss. There, people are obviously more interested in the spread, so it was interesting to see who was cheering for who, and why.
The one thing I did most was walk. You can walk, and walk, and walk and still never get where you're going, even though you can reach out and touch the place you want to go. With all the walking there was lots of people watching. I saw one tastefully dressed person wearing K-State purple. I was not similarly dressed, but I did give him an EMAW as we passed one another. He replied in kind. This was not too long after the Cats beat Miami 52-13, so all was right with the world.
Many others chose to dress poorly, seemingly always wearing (or not wearing) things that do not flatter themselves or their body types. I'll let it go at that.
I also remember sitting in McCarran International Airport and looking out the windows. I saw mountains that really looked like the homeland. I know I've been away from the desert longer than I was a part of it as a kid, but it sure reminded me of the terrain in El Paso and seeing mountains as soon as I walked out the door. Kinda seemed like home.
Let's see-- what else am I missing here. Oh yeah, the casinos. I'd been to Sin City in 1998 or 99 with some different friends, and I was curious to see what all the gambling was about. So I tried some craps and some blackjack, and lost a minimal amount. But I'm older (wiser?) now, and I had zero interest in any gaming. None. May have something to do with being married to a financial planner, may have something to do with working hard enough for the money we do have. So we laid off the tables, except for the two bucks I lost on video poker. I kind of wanted to see my friend in action, since he's had his rooms comped by casino types because he's been there and done this. But no such luck.
One of the first things I did was go watch college football from the sports book at the Excalibur, which is a unique experience. I'm used to being on one side or the other and rooting for a win or a loss. There, people are obviously more interested in the spread, so it was interesting to see who was cheering for who, and why.
The one thing I did most was walk. You can walk, and walk, and walk and still never get where you're going, even though you can reach out and touch the place you want to go. With all the walking there was lots of people watching. I saw one tastefully dressed person wearing K-State purple. I was not similarly dressed, but I did give him an EMAW as we passed one another. He replied in kind. This was not too long after the Cats beat Miami 52-13, so all was right with the world.
Many others chose to dress poorly, seemingly always wearing (or not wearing) things that do not flatter themselves or their body types. I'll let it go at that.
I also remember sitting in McCarran International Airport and looking out the windows. I saw mountains that really looked like the homeland. I know I've been away from the desert longer than I was a part of it as a kid, but it sure reminded me of the terrain in El Paso and seeing mountains as soon as I walked out the door. Kinda seemed like home.
Let's see-- what else am I missing here. Oh yeah, the casinos. I'd been to Sin City in 1998 or 99 with some different friends, and I was curious to see what all the gambling was about. So I tried some craps and some blackjack, and lost a minimal amount. But I'm older (wiser?) now, and I had zero interest in any gaming. None. May have something to do with being married to a financial planner, may have something to do with working hard enough for the money we do have. So we laid off the tables, except for the two bucks I lost on video poker. I kind of wanted to see my friend in action, since he's had his rooms comped by casino types because he's been there and done this. But no such luck.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Vegas I
A good friend from college got married in Las Vegas over the weekend, and the wife and I got home last night at about 11:45 PM after a three-day and two-night excursion to Sin City.
I'll try to break things down a little bit at a time by category and not chronologically over the next little while. First up-- the traveling itself.
First thing Saturday morning was 3 o'clock, and we left the house a little after 4:00, stopping at the fast food joint on the way out of town. We got our order in decently enough, but decided to punt after sitting in the same line, in the same place for ten minutes.
So we headed into Birmingham without breakfast, and no prospect of it. Our Delta flight left the gate on time but took off 30 minutes late, which didn't help us, since we had to catch a connecting flight. The original plan was to fly into Memphis and then head west, but then the plan changed (and so did our seating assignment, thanks) and we flew into Atlanta and followed a half-hour flight with a 3:47 trip across the country. The vibe on a plane headed for Vegas is upbeat, and there were lots of folks with energy to burn. Given when our day started, we weren't among them. No checked baggage, so we went from the gate to the cab line and off to Excalibur.
American Airlines flew us home, leaving McCarran International at 2:45 Monday. We flew into Dallas and then to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth at 10:40 PM. It was really weird walking into an airport that was basically closed. All the shops were shuttered for the night and there were very few people who weren't travelers. It seemed like a ghost town. We headed west on Interstate 20/59, driving home in just under an hour.
We would also like to take this time to thank the Department of Homeland Security, who is keeping our country safe. They're also keeping a half-empty bottle of the wife's shampoo in the name of national security. They even ran a test on her contact lens solution on the way out of town Saturday morning. The bottles weren't the required size, I realize, but come on.
Anyhow, more to follow, including people watching, the wedding, my friends, the scenery, and more.
I'll try to break things down a little bit at a time by category and not chronologically over the next little while. First up-- the traveling itself.
First thing Saturday morning was 3 o'clock, and we left the house a little after 4:00, stopping at the fast food joint on the way out of town. We got our order in decently enough, but decided to punt after sitting in the same line, in the same place for ten minutes.
So we headed into Birmingham without breakfast, and no prospect of it. Our Delta flight left the gate on time but took off 30 minutes late, which didn't help us, since we had to catch a connecting flight. The original plan was to fly into Memphis and then head west, but then the plan changed (and so did our seating assignment, thanks) and we flew into Atlanta and followed a half-hour flight with a 3:47 trip across the country. The vibe on a plane headed for Vegas is upbeat, and there were lots of folks with energy to burn. Given when our day started, we weren't among them. No checked baggage, so we went from the gate to the cab line and off to Excalibur.
American Airlines flew us home, leaving McCarran International at 2:45 Monday. We flew into Dallas and then to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth at 10:40 PM. It was really weird walking into an airport that was basically closed. All the shops were shuttered for the night and there were very few people who weren't travelers. It seemed like a ghost town. We headed west on Interstate 20/59, driving home in just under an hour.
We would also like to take this time to thank the Department of Homeland Security, who is keeping our country safe. They're also keeping a half-empty bottle of the wife's shampoo in the name of national security. They even ran a test on her contact lens solution on the way out of town Saturday morning. The bottles weren't the required size, I realize, but come on.
Anyhow, more to follow, including people watching, the wedding, my friends, the scenery, and more.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Conventions
I've spent the last week or so watching the political conventions. The Republicans last week, and the Democrats this week. The First Lady and I watched most of last week, and we're on track to do the same this week.
Most times, I tend to get too wound up in the political process, but right now I've found the conventions to be great fun. We pay little attention to what they say (it's been said over and over) and focus more on the entertainment value. How bad his (alleged) hair looked, crowd cutaways, and what so-and-so wore are all fair game for us. Sometimes we share it with each other, sometimes with our friends on Twitter. And the folks we follow on Twitter usually have nuggets to share. I've done pretty well so far, keeping things in perspective-- understanding that 99% of this is just theater.
As for the political parties, my leanings are a little more toward the Democratic side. That said, I know that most (all?) are bought, sold, and paid for. On both sides.
What disappoints and saddens me is the hate. People wishing that evil things happen to decent people just because someone disagrees. We can and should and must do better.
Most times, I tend to get too wound up in the political process, but right now I've found the conventions to be great fun. We pay little attention to what they say (it's been said over and over) and focus more on the entertainment value. How bad his (alleged) hair looked, crowd cutaways, and what so-and-so wore are all fair game for us. Sometimes we share it with each other, sometimes with our friends on Twitter. And the folks we follow on Twitter usually have nuggets to share. I've done pretty well so far, keeping things in perspective-- understanding that 99% of this is just theater.
As for the political parties, my leanings are a little more toward the Democratic side. That said, I know that most (all?) are bought, sold, and paid for. On both sides.
What disappoints and saddens me is the hate. People wishing that evil things happen to decent people just because someone disagrees. We can and should and must do better.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Footy
Well, I guess we all know how that last experiment turned out, don't we?
I can remember being in junior high in the 1980s and being able to watch Australian Rules Football on ESPN, via a one-hour TV program sent to the states from our friends Down Under. Stephen Quartermain was the studio host, and they'd show standings (the ladder) and game highlights from the previous week in what was then the Victorian Football League. My recollection is that Hawthorn and Carlton were two of the better sides in those days, and that Richmond was always a doormat.
I don't remember a whole lot from those days, but I do recall the old Fitzroy Lions and Footscray Bulldogs, who now exist as the Brisbane Lions (nee Bears) and Western Bulldogs. Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney, and Fremantle are the squads that are still pretty new to me. I even bought a preview magazine plus a West Coast and St. Kilda t-shirt when my ship pulled into Cairns, Australia in 1993. I paid too much for them, but I was 21 and didn't care.
Unfortunately, these days, I've been unable to find any game to watch-- even the Grand Final, their Super Bowl. St. Kilda and Collingwood played two Grand Finals a couple years back (first one, remarkably, ended in a tie), and ESPN3 streamed it, but nothing since then. But through the magic of Twitter, I've rekindled my interest by following the AFL feed. I have no real rooting interest in any of the teams, but I enjoy getting the tweets, even if they play mainly during the overnight hours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I can catch a little before I go to bed and the tail end when I'm having my first cup of coffee the next morning. Video highlights are even available on YouTube.
I don't pretend to know much about tactics-- to me it all seems like a big free for all. It's definitely not a sport for the faint of heart. But I've secured a promise from the First Lady that I'll be able to attend an AFL match should we ever travel to Australia during the season.
I just wouldn't know whose colors to wear. I'd probably just wear K-State purple to be safe.
I can remember being in junior high in the 1980s and being able to watch Australian Rules Football on ESPN, via a one-hour TV program sent to the states from our friends Down Under. Stephen Quartermain was the studio host, and they'd show standings (the ladder) and game highlights from the previous week in what was then the Victorian Football League. My recollection is that Hawthorn and Carlton were two of the better sides in those days, and that Richmond was always a doormat.
I don't remember a whole lot from those days, but I do recall the old Fitzroy Lions and Footscray Bulldogs, who now exist as the Brisbane Lions (nee Bears) and Western Bulldogs. Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney, and Fremantle are the squads that are still pretty new to me. I even bought a preview magazine plus a West Coast and St. Kilda t-shirt when my ship pulled into Cairns, Australia in 1993. I paid too much for them, but I was 21 and didn't care.
Unfortunately, these days, I've been unable to find any game to watch-- even the Grand Final, their Super Bowl. St. Kilda and Collingwood played two Grand Finals a couple years back (first one, remarkably, ended in a tie), and ESPN3 streamed it, but nothing since then. But through the magic of Twitter, I've rekindled my interest by following the AFL feed. I have no real rooting interest in any of the teams, but I enjoy getting the tweets, even if they play mainly during the overnight hours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I can catch a little before I go to bed and the tail end when I'm having my first cup of coffee the next morning. Video highlights are even available on YouTube.
I don't pretend to know much about tactics-- to me it all seems like a big free for all. It's definitely not a sport for the faint of heart. But I've secured a promise from the First Lady that I'll be able to attend an AFL match should we ever travel to Australia during the season.
I just wouldn't know whose colors to wear. I'd probably just wear K-State purple to be safe.
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