I've been out of the loop for a while for a multitude of reasons. Between a lot of work, the start of Little League, the Easter holiday, the kids' spring break, a sick 100 year old grandfather, a sick 65 year old father, a small house fire, and just plain laziness, I simply haven't had much time or desire to write. However, with the third straight cold and rainy day in Pittsburgh upon me, I've decided to saddle up to the laptop and give it a ride.
Since my last post, much has crossed my mind . . . including such interesting and complex topics as:
1. Human mortality
2. Coping with death and one's right to die
3. The state of our health care system
4. The state of our elder care system
5. How to afford 3 and 4
6. Whether Purell really works (and if so, why don't we bath in it)
7. Local school board politics
8. What the Steelers need in the NFL Draft
9. Why we can't see the highlights of Porter v. Jones at The Plams in Vegas
10. How many games the Pirates will lose
11. After watching Barry Bonds hit 2 on Friday, wondering how great this moment would be if he was just a nice guy. I don't even care about the steroids, unless you can convince me that he's the only one that did em. He's just a jerk.
12. Why appliances don't last as long as they used to.
13. Why I can't get a tee time at Pebble Beach some 4 months in advance. Are there that many people who want to pay $475 for a 6 hour round of golf?
14. How amazing it is that certain 18 year old athletes like Sidney Crosby can carry themselves better than some 30 year old athletes.
15. Where the palm branches come from for Palm Sunday, and whether there's any money to be made in a one-day-a-year business like that.
16. Why Little League starts in April only so that the first 5 games can be rained/snowed out.
17. Why the Giants are playing the Pirates in April in Pittsburgh instead of the other way around.
18. If we really went to war over oil, why the price of gas has gone up steadily ever since. Didn't we win?
19. How Zach Johnson (a) hit it stiff on 16, (b) rolled in the 12 footer for birdie, (c) hit a remarkable chip on the 72nd hole to secure his par, and (d) performed all of the above without barfing all over himself.
20. Why on Earth Tiger Woods - the best wedge player in golf - would try and reach the 15th in two when he had to hit a 3-iron out of the rough and around a pinetree to a green that has a pond in front of it. Eldrick, lay up, hit a sand wedge stiff, tap in your birdie and perhaps then Z. Johnson might have had a little reflux . . .
21. Why more people can't be like the major league umpire who tossed 2 game balls to my son and his buddy between innings of the Pirates Giants game the other night. Wouldn't the world be a better place if more of us engaged in completely effortless acts of kindness like this? It wouldn't cost us anything and frankly it wouldn't even require most of us to change our daily routine in the slightest.
22. Since everyone seems to be watch (and raving about) the Discovery Channel's Planet Earth series, why do the networks continue to pummel us with Survivor 8, American Idol, Law & Order XII, and similar repetitive junk. Planet Earth proves my point that the American viewing public, when given the choice, will pick quality over crap most of the time. Or at least that portion of the American viewing public that matters.
23. HD tv is amazng, but way too inconsistent.
24. Why are we all of the sudden fascinated by weather? When did the notion of weather being an acceptable opener to the evening news become acceptable and how can we reverse this trend? Why do these news broadcasts insist on peddling fear?
25. When are your kids old enough to discuss the reality of things like the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. Does my 11 year old really believe in these things or is she just playing me for the $5 and the candy?
As you can see, I've had a lot on my mind. Talk to you soon.
