"24" in review: Chloe rocks the house again!!!

Various thoughts on last night's good episode....

COOL! I want to ride on the side of a Ford SUV like Curtis does!!

WHAT?!? I couldn't believe they shuffled off the Jack was framed question that quickly. Hi Jack, we know you're innocent, here's a Level Two. Huh???

NO DUH: Like Diana couldn't see right through Audrey in, what, under two minutes, though I will give Audrey credit for a good conversation with Jack.

THE BUDDY SYSTEM: Jack to spend some time with Diana's son. Maybe they'll hit Friendly's for ice cream once the day is done...which would be...oh, tomorrow.

START THE CHANT: At work today, another huge "24" fan says, "When McGill comes into a scene, I start chanting, "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!"".

CHLOE IS THE BOMB: It's official. Chloe is the best television character ever!! She reminds Edgar that he needs, well, a life, turns skewer in the room with Spencer and Buchanan; has the good sense to check the computer she just saw Spencer on, and gets in several award-winning looks.

Oh....and the quote of the night...."well, it really wasn't an apology, it was more like an observation..."

FIRST LADY ON THE LOOSE: So, if you saw a dazed Laura Bush running down the street, what would you do? After thanking God it wasn't Hillary you ran into....

Once I found Martha; I'd help her to a safe location, buy her some coffee, then suggest poison in the President's tea to our nation's current leadership misery. Logan, what a joke!

Well----we're looking now to the battle between Walt and Jack, which, based on the promo, will take some time to play out (wonder if Mike will get taken into custody, too?) This is the perfect time for Jack to call him out ("I'm NOT CTU.").

After all, it's high noon!!

One more question------who's the vice-president? We need some reassurance!!

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Other news:

---a successful operation for a co-worker today, I'm happy to say. She'll hopefully be back in three or four weeks.

---I've already got my curling notes up on the bulletin board at work to prepare the masses for the best winter sport (other than hockey)....

---Have really been enjoying Match Game reruns on GSN at 11pm...that is, when I'm not trying to sleep. (AOL Keyword: Trying)

So, until such time as we meet again, hope springs eternal here. Why??

My wife is nuts about the "Gilmore Girls", but we don't have a WB affiliate in Richmond. So, this merger of WB and UPN to create CW means our current UPN station will probably go CW, and, with the network interested in taking the best of both networks and merge them, I suspect she might finally get to see Gilmore Girls! That is...if they have a new season come fall. :)

T-minus one hour to 11am....

....quick notes before "24".

Guesses....

....first character to yell tonight: President Logan

....first character to use cell phone: Curtis

....exact Eastern time of Chloe's first wonderful smug look: 919pm.


We hope to be here, following all the action live.

9a to 11a and other quick notes...

First---"24" Monday night. Two more excellent hours. My beef, though, is...

--they went back into "Jack fight for the world" mode way too quickly, considering he had been "dead". The feelings about his possible role in Palmer's death (i.e.--assassinating him) have been strange, too.

Having said that, the action portions, and character development and introduction are being done well. Bill Buchanan, I feel like I know him a little now, whereas last year, other than finding out he'd been with my dreamboat, Michelle (and he did NOT ask permission), he was just there, taking calls, making orders. Now we'll see how he handles loss of power and we'll see where his real loyalities are concerning Jack.

Chloe, though, is THE STAR so far this year. She is the most underrated character on network television...period.

---someone, as my wife yelled out Monday night, has GOT to realize there's a mole! How else did the guy in the airport that looked like Ben Gazzara suddenly discover Jack is in the house??

---I'm glad to see previews showing we'll be getting back into the character of Jack in "prove I'm innocent/this is a set-up" mode. Introduces another side of Jack that has to be.

OTHER NEWS:

I'm tired. Duh.

And, that's about all for now. Except-------------

I like the new Wendy's spot where, upon receiving a burger he didn't order, the staffers of the "generic burger joint" begin to sing "Love the One You're With."

Good work, Dave! We miss you. :)

And we're ALL watching "24"....

Let the live blogging begin.

The following takes place between 7am and 8am.....

They said 10 minutes. The first 10 minutes. Let's see.....

Good to see the real Prez! He knows something's up.....

Oh, God. Not him!!!

The stupid Prez isn't mourning...he's scared for himself! And heartless, too.

Chloe....how romantic!! "Get outta here!"

Wisdom: have gun in sofa; in case old foes try to return. The lady at the door was prettier than a potential assassin.

AHHHH....Michelle....and not in the stupid suit! Woo hoo!!!

Good gracious.......this was a shocking beginning, but it makes perfect sense. All Jack's "allies" have to be gone. No one can come to his aid. So the set up of Jack has begun (so someone knows Jack is alive), otherwise they wouldn't be so calculative.

At least I got to see Michelle in casual clothing.

831pm.............
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I guess the fence will wait another day.....

Well, look who's back! How will Audrey suffer this season?

And now we welcome the First Lady....she's supposed to be interesting....

Was she grieving or fearful---but the official mentioned how close they were....hmm

And now, we may have a developing situation.....ah, cooler heads prevail. So how were Martha and President Palmer once connected? (They didn't have to be THAT for heaven's sake; I've had/and have wonderful friends who are female and I didn't want that with them!)

846pm
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Ford didn't re-up their sponsorship; Jack's driving a Toyota.

So, I guess symbolically, the Frank character is dying and the Jack character is up and running again. And the copter heads to L.A.

The President is not taking his wifey seriously, and he won't investigate her request any further. He's so obsessed with the Russians, you'd think he was one.

So, does Palmer's brother know anything? Bonnie asks if the chief of staff ignores the President and follows up with Martha.

Bonnie also says Harrison Ford is too old to keep playing these characters.

Chloe is more adventurous this year, and is bleeding!!

So is that guy, but more profusely.

Jack, you're supposed to shoot the driver anyway, just to make sure!!!

Well, we get some info out, including the one thing the bleeding guy shouldn't say. He shoot Palmer, Jack shoot him.

THOUGHT: What's in the transcripts of the autobiography of President Palmer that could provide clues to all this?

And thus ends hour one....

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The following takes place between 8am and 9am. (Starts around 910pm Witham Nation time....)I

If you're going to be with Jack, be conscious.

PROBLEM: They accepted Jack's existence way too quickly. Much too quickly.

Okay. We see first "leader" of the bad guys. Of course, he's got to be the sixth level down from the ultimate bad guy. Hey, maybe Habib Marwin staged his own death plunge! Or, it's Behroos Araz (sorry, couldn't remember how to spell his first name)


Hey, Wendy's, good new commercial!! But as obsessive as I am, I'd just throw the darn burger away.

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So, tell me, who else breached security a la Chloe? You know someone's gonna shoot at Jack anytime now.

Ha!! "Relax, he's really good at this". Go Chloe!!

This kid is completely freaking out----how did Mom get along with this guy??

Jack is a master at psychology----and the best thing about it is, he uses the truth to get what he needs done done.

Edgar; you're giving up Chloe and don't even know it! I cannot believe how gullible CTU is----they automatically assumed Jack's picture was true, threw away 18 months of "deadness" in two seconds......c'mon guys! Apparently Buchanan isn't as good as Michelle....

Skating with Celebrities......what's next, "Shuffleboard with former Nixon Administration leaders?" I sure miss Battle of the Network Stars!!

Jack, grab a snack before you leave the....ah....kitchen.

That agent should have called in loopy today.

Ut oh. Chloe, stink. And I love her so much!! She'll come through, don't worry.

And now of all times for Jack to have baggage. Yes, he's a human being, but it sure would be better if he didn't have to drag him around.....

Oh---Carnival Cruises....my wife is going on a cruise with her best friend in October. Me? Go? HA! I can barely go look at a small brook. I hate water. Somehow, eight days of throwing up doesn't sound like paradise to me.

Sprint---when your phones can also automatically wash, dry, and fold my clothing, I ain't buying......

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Wait a second.....if he tells her his real identity, we'd have a little ditty about "Jack and Diane"!!!!

Alright, who's actually going to try and break down Chloe in the holding cell??

Who's setting up the First Lady?? I'm beginning to think the President has something to do with this. What is it about Logan and the Russians, and, what did Logan find out about Jack which would give him a reason to call him out in this very drastic way. Jealousy over an affair???

Of course, I think it's the President who's not taking his medication.....

For those who may read this in the Greater Richmond area, I would like to announce we are one step closer to the end of the world. WHY would the Fox News at Ten tease with the wedding of Eminem??? That's the biggest story in the world today?? God help us all......

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Buckle in, here's the end of hour two.

So, who's gonna kill Diane?

And, again, MOM KNOWS THE CONSPIRATOR BEFORE I DO!!!!!

I was pointing at the Prez; she said Walt all along.

Well, I don't know about you but tomorrow night should be wild. See ya then!!!

While Bonnie watches "Monk"......

It's the new season premiere, so there'll be no noogie from that side of the great room.....

I'm seated on my Christmas present typing on Bonnie's present, and I have no idea what I'm going to blog about tonight. It's one of those days where, actually, most of what is experienced and/or thought about is "non-Bloggable".

I don't know----maybe it's a good thing, actually. That way, as I return to the sliver of the blogosphere known as "All Things Witham", it may actually become my "escape clause" of the moment. So, let's look at things to blog about for some apparent reason.

And, this disclaimer. If you actually read this entire post, you are officially in need of simply more to live for. :)

1) I am psyched for Sunday night---I have something to look forward to all weekend as I rest, which is cool. We're, what, under 46 hours away from it.

Kiefer was on Letterman last night; spent most of the interview talking about his experience as a road manager for a group signed to his new record label, so not much talk of the show.

On the other hand, Letterman continued to use a "24-Style" split screen, with the kind of clock you see on a tape machine in a TV studio, and, of course, complete with my favorite television sound of all time.....I can't "write" it, but if you've ever seen even one segment of "24", you know what it is....

Dave also did a very simple bit, and it was one of the most hilarious I've seen since I got to start watching him again earlier this year. He just took "roll call". The more it went, the funnier it got. So, if you ever see Kiefer Sutherland listed on an upcoming Dave repeat, WATCH IT.

2) I am gonna take some time tomorrow to take the kids to a record store, a card shop and a Dairy Queen, just the three of us, no matter what. If all I do tomorrow is get up, fix lunch, take them on our trip, come home, and go to bed, I'm gonna do it. I hope this Dairy Queen has burgers.....:) Maybe I'll have a "DQ Sandwich", which is their version of an ice cream sandwich, which I used to order all the time at the DQ near the radio station where I worked in Chester (I miss there...:))

3) Football? I'll see some, maybe. No games are "must-see" to me, except maybe Carolina and Chicago. It should be a defensive war (my favorite type of football game), but, who knows. Lots of Redskins fans are all fired up about the Seattle game. If they are also Virginia Tech fans, the Skins give them something to escape their Hokie misery right now.....

4) SPEAKING OF WHICH.......I, first off, totally agree with the VT decision regarding Marcus Vick. He knew he was under a zero-tolerance policy....

....but can someone tell me why Christian Laettner was only charged a technical foul when he did the same thing on an opponent's stomach in the famous 1992 Duke/Kentucky Regional Final? Technically, he shouldn't have even been on the court to take that last shot. Why wasn't he ejected??

I know, 13 years in between incidents, but, for some reason, that bothers me.


5) The only Alito hearing footage I've seen was a clip on Letterman last night between Spencer and Kennedy. A faction of Christian conservatives (with whom I used to be in lock step with) probably think they're moments away from taking government back to where it should be.

I've come to the conclusion that Christians, by trying to save souls via the Federal and State Government, have done a horrendous job by alienating many people who, well, if we spent our time, money and effort loving people, feeding the poor, opening AIDS hospices rather than point fingers at victims, help Third World Nations do real community and economic growth and viability, etc.

What was the praise chorus circa the 1970's? And they'll know we are Christians by our judicial activism and hope for Republicans to right government (pun intended)?

See folks--you CAN be a conservative and actually agree with liberals on something. We've done lots of talking, and little action. Had we put all our energies into expressing Christ's love to individuals all these years, praying for their salvation, I believe the Holy Spirit would have loved to bring forth a cultural revolution, not via the government, but via the human heart, by way of the Cross.

Remember the St. Francis of Assisi quote from the last post? Go read it. It's true. I'm desperately trying to learn that every day.

Monk's over. Good night!

While Bonnie watches "Lost".....

...I live that day. Ha! No, some days are better than others, and today was okay. As much as I have been cycling emotionally recently, I'll take all the victories I can get. I talked with my doc yesterday about how my cycling (the emotional highs and lows, similar to the way the Israelites kept screwing up in the O.T., hit rock bottom, come back to God, be forgiven and ride high awhile) has gone from "days" to get through a cycle, to, now, sometimes, hours. I liked days better.

So, we're working on medication and stability, and I'm also (more importantly) trying to focus to allow God to let me direct my energies in these areas:

1) Stability---I believe that my personal instabilities don't have to keep me from being stable for someone/something else. I find great solace and personal satisfaction (not from pride, mind you...) in helping others. I love it so much. What keeps me away from that is, of course, me. So, I know situations/people who need prayer, support, and just a presence. Isn't it funny how sometimes, nary a word has to be spoken; yet just someone being there makes all the difference in the world.

2) Focus---As I've peeled back the levels of responsibility recently, I should now be able to better focus on what is needed to be done. No papers to throw, no PTO to run, and now no sermon prep or the late night phone call. It's work, wife, kids, health. With focus brings stability. Plus, the focus has to be correctly directed. Not on me, on others. On God's will. On waiting on God to see Him use what we think is not for our good and turn it on its ear.

3) Joy---Joy ain't glee. Joy is strength when it comes from God. Sometimes I feel God's joy while laughing, and while bawling. Joy brings focus; joy brings stability. The joy of the Lord is my strength. What a great verse from Scripture. Seven simple words, eternally-powered.

So, after taking a moment to decipher some things, I realize....

Presence speaks volumes. Let it do the talking.

I'm glad for my presence tonight at the kitchen table with Rachel, reading with her from her 3rd grade book about Beezus and Ramona, some of my favorite childhood characters, which brought a smile to her face. I'm thankful I was present last night to just spend some time with the missus.

And, so, as this journey continues....I see the times I type the term "glad", and appreciate them more. Thanks to joy. His joy.

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My music list goes on a diet:

I'll never have the time, or discipline, to sit down and decide my 365 favorite songs of all time, but I think I can do a good search through my brain, write down lots of entries, cross 'em out as I go, and come up with a Top 100. Maybe that'll be my goal this weekend. Have that done before......

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LIVE BLOGGING, Sunday and Monday night, 8 to 10pm ET, as we live the first four hours of Frank Flynn......yeah, right....Jack Bauer's new day on "24". Have to shout it out in real-time.

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BREAKING THOUGHT: I don't watch "Lost", but my wife is, and the final 15 minutes of tonight's new episode was a great example of redemption. Miss it? Find it.

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Finally---DECEMBER'S WINNING NUMBERS!~~~they were 5, 15, and 22.

(in closing....thanks to Thinkexist.com, this thought....

“It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”
--- St. Francis of Assisi, (Founder of the Franciscan order, 1181-1226)

GREAT NEWS AMERICA!!!

Chloe WILL PACK HEAT AGAIN in Season Five on "24"!!!!!

Intrigue, Chloe packin' heat, and my darling Michelle. Could it get any better than that?? :)

Tonight has to be......

....one of the top ten "I'm tired" nights I've had in ages and ages.

I really didn't get any extra rest over the weekend, so, it didn't help matters when, last night, I finish the obligatory wife's backrub, then turn over, put on my mask, and.....

....lay there. 12:30. 1:00am.

At 1am, a thought. I forgot to take my nighttime medicine. You know, that includes the pill that HELPS ME SLEEP!!

So, after attempting to escape my right arm from underneath the wife's neck (she fell asleep in just under 22 seconds....) three times, I had to shake her long enough to get my arm so I could get out of bed so I could go to the kitchen so I could get to the medicine so I could take the medicine so I could get back in bed, and, hopefully, fall asleep.

Are you kidding?

1:30am. 2am. The clock's bell tolls. 230am.

Then, finally, the last time I checked the clock, it was around 250am; I was about ready to get up, go to the recliner and turn on TV.

And, then, suddenly, it was a couple of hours later.

This, of course, did not put me in a good frame of mind for a Monday. (TIP: Sunday nights are NOT good nights for insomnia!)

We moved around offices today, so it was a day of changing; getting used to; getting settled; seeing things from another perspective......

And, now? Now it's going on 8:30, and my head is literally swinging. My trip to the medicine chest is mere moments from now.

I know I won't feel like getting up in the morning.....

...but I have a doctor's appointment and people at work needing my job done so theirs can be likewise. And don't misinterpret that--I love my job and the people who immediately work around me, so doing the job isn't the problem.

Having the body and mind capable of accomplishing the day's to-do list....now that's the challenge.

This has to end sometime.....doesn't it? Please, Lord? Please??

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Better news: Rachel's first piano lesson was today! One step closer to her accomplished career bringing in enough money to pay for Dad's Depends and slobbering towels when he's 85......

Better News, Part II: "24" starts in five days!! I can't wait. :)

Last Bit of Today's Better News: Thank you, GSN for showing back-to-back episodes of Match Game (insert year here) nightly at 11. When I'm trying to get settled and into sleep mode, I enjoy being able to laugh in my blank.

For example, a real-life Match Game query:

Rob's office is all askew; he thought he was clicking his mouse, but instead, he discovered he was clicking his (blank)!!

Brett? Richard? Anyone?

PS---I don't condone overdrinking in ANY way, but I do find this page funny, because it hits the nail on the head!

And so far in 2006....

...finally get some time to sit down and do a little blogging in the new year. New Year's Day was spent mostly sleeping, much to the family's disdain. Monday I spent more time lucid, and the whole afternoon I got to listen to Robbie and his best friend, well, be stupid 13 year olds. Never was a whoopie cushion more enjoyed.

Back to work, another four-day week, which I actually do not like. First, it doesn't matter how many days you have to work in a week in radio, you will always have 168 hours of commercials to prepare for the next week. So, in a four-day week, you must do the same amount of work you'd normally do Monday thru Friday. I also live perpetually confused as to what day of the week it really is.

Well, some observations from the first few days of the year.....

--West Virginia: I can't add anything new, thought-provoking, or attempt to answer anything. How incredibly sad. A co-worker says he's just been down in the dumps the past few days over it, and I totally can see why.

The media really can't take the blame (maybe a little). I wouldn't report breaking news based on happy relatives coming out of a church, but when the Governor confirms 12 survivors, well, you don't get much better sources than the head of a state government.

Which begs the question, how in the world did he get misinformation? Someone overhear part of a sentence between rescue workers or in a cell phone conversation?

On a smaller scale, miscommunication caused Fox News to prematurely report the death of the Pope in April. Especially in this age, all media personnel have to kill the desire to be "first" with a story.

We learned Tuesday night/Wednesday morning that it's better to be right than first. Also, regarding the people, emotions really play a huge role in how one acts and reacts. Maybe, and it's horrible that something like this had to happen, the one good thing that comes out of this tragedy for the nation is that we take the time to make sure about things before pronouncing them true.

And I don't just mean news reports. I mean confrontations with people; assumptions about co-workers or fellow church members...you get the picture. I know sometimes I don't allow, for fairness sake, both sides of a story to be presented before passing judgment. Never smart. Never. Shows lack of maturity. I hate that. I do enough immature things that I will never apologize for (hee hee...), but this isn't one I want to claim.

We hadn't seen newspaper headlines this surreal since Dewey and Truman in 1948. May God pour a flood of His Spirit's care and comfort to that area.

Speaking of maturity, on a TOTALLY different subject. Rachel, the other day, remarked about my being "crazy". I asked her would she rather I be "crazy" or "boring". I think "crazy" did win out.

When my kids are telling their kids stories about the grandparents driving to our house for Thanksgiving dinner, I want them to be able to tell them just how weird and crazy their granddad is, and that it's a good thing.

I can't lose my sense of wit and humor, however small it may be, because if I ever did, I'm afraid the depression might win out.

WORK---Let's play a game of musical cubicles! There are four of us in a decent-sized room, and one person decided to change their location (she's a manager, she can make that decision!) She's not my boss, and when she asked me about moving stuff around, I said I'd do anything to help her out.

So, before I left tonight, furniture from our office was up and down the hallway. I put up "Do Not Touch. This is Not Trash" signs all around. I even moved my 2006 Cartoon calendar to my new cubicle. I'm going to the corner (heh, way to go dunce!)
I'll have more space, which is cool. I'll be next to windows that get hot in July, and that's not cool!! I won't get to see my good friend (walls will block our view now), and that's not cool, either. But somehow I have a very hard time believing a cubicle barrier will affect a good friendship. Actually, it's better on her; she doesn't have to look to the right and be forced to see me!! (hee hee)

At work today she said it would take her time to get used to not seeing me. I told her to give it 20 minutes. :)

So, back to work this weekend to clean, clean, prepare, rearrange, and clean even more. I'm so blessed to work in a room with three wonderful co-workers. That is a much rarer reality than it should be.

FOOTBALL: Well, the BCS lovers (all nine of them) are proud, I'm sure, now that their "system" not only "worked" this year, but provided heart-pounding major bowl games, not to mention a National Title game. I was disappointed (I'm a long-time USC fan), but it took minutes, not days to get over it. Until college football stops lying about the excuse of "we can't do playoffs; it takes the kids away from class too much", and starts a 16-team Division I-A tournament, their whole "post-season" just won't grab my attention.

The "great" part of the bowls when I was growing up was New Year's Day! Cotton Bowl on CBS with Lindsey Nelson, the Sugar Bowl on ABC with Keith "Whoa, Nellie" Jackson, and the doubleheader on NBC: the Rose Bowl at 430, the Orange Bowl at 8pm. Then, the next morning, you woke up to one, or two, champs, depending upon the polls. The BCS ripped the heart out of New Year's Day, and it kept going downhill from there. Just ask USC in 2003 and Auburn in 2004.

It probably won't happen, but I'd love to see, like, five teams go 11-0 one season, and then see what the BCS wonks would do!!

If Division I-AA, Division II, and Division III can have playoffs, why can't Division I-A? Are the students in those schools not as needing of class time in order to pass exams? Welcome to double-standard-ville.

It's the bowls, stupid!! None of them want to lose their "control".

Here's what you do.....

Eight first-round games, four second-round games, two semifinals (duh), and the final.

Open bidding to all bowl organizations to try and buy the rights (a la television coverage) to one of the "big three" games. Three bowls are selected, each in that three-year period get to host the title game; the other two years they host a semi-final.

Other bowls can then host the first and second round games. You'd need 15 bowl games. We've got 876 of them now. Do we really need the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl?? If other bowls want to continue on, there will be enough 7-4 and 6-5 teams to go around.....

And don't begin to tell me you can't play them earlier in December because fans won't travel......Notre Dame fans will flock to Los Angeles to see the USC game in October, but something mystical will keep them from going to see them December 10th in a playoff game....hmmm.....

And, with a long dissertation, is why I love March Madness above any sports event, year in and year out.

Speaking of which, NC State travels to UNC tomorrow. A great chance to put the team on the map; beat UNC in Chapel Hill. I know, they lost 28 players...or at least it looked that way....but they're still good (they beat Kentucky at Rupp!) and any road win in the ACC is great.

See....anything else?

I think I'm out of words for now. This weekend? Moving dust at work, watching the kids tomorrow while Mom is at work, and, as for Sunday, I don't know if it'll be a trip to a church where an old friend is on staff, or another Sunday off. There can't be more than two, though. That's a trend we don't need to set. Period.

FINALLY-----I really wanted to start a countdown on New Years Day, revealing my 365 all-time favorite songs, but I didn't get all the data together in time. So, maybe in a few days I can start, and, when/if I do, I'll just list all the songs I need to the first day to play catch up.

Gee, songs I like. That'll bring thousands to this blog. HA!

Lazy way to ring in the New Year....

So, it's after 10pm here on the east coast of the USA, and I'm using the two major Christmas presents for Mom and Dad this year.

Dad: La-Z-Boy
Mom: Laptop

Notice I didn't put up a fight when Mom wanted to use the desktop this evening, so, ah darn, I have to settle for the comfy chair....

I am still trying to get used to toggling on this thing; it's a pain if you ask me.

So, to the business at hand------2005: A Review

Last New Year's Eve's blog was probably more structured and more packed with facts, events, etc. Tonight, it's a laid-back, informal review, followed by questions regarding the new year about to dawn.

BEST DAY OF THE YEAR: Saturday October 1st....my 20-year high school reunion. Spent all year helping the ladies on the committee plan the event. I spend most of my time working around and with women. I like that---not for the usual "lust-filled" reasons....I have always had more friends that were female than male. It was weird, in that many people who didn't make it to the 10-year reunion in '95 made it to this one, and, vice versa. A few people I saw for the first time in two decades. Wow.

WORST DAY OF THE YEAR: Sunday July 3rd....which should have been a good day, being that the wife turned 39 (let the never-ending teasing begin!), but it all turned around in quick fashion. This was the Sunday morning we discovered our beloved pet, our cat, Katie Pickles, dead at the end of the street, a victim of, for lack of a better term, a "hit and run". A close second in this category would be Tuesday July 5th, the day the kids got home from a holiday weekend at Grandma's and we had to break the news to them.

WE WELCOME......Cody and Zoe! Brother and sister kittens direct from the Hanover pound, two of five in a litter. They're not Katie, very refined---they are just plain ol' cats. So, they and I are having issues, but we're dealing. :) The kids adore them, and that's what really matters.

ARRIVALS: New employee Johni at work. The Bobeau family at church, complete with the most articulate 2/3 year old I've ever met. I'm gonna really miss her. She called me "Pastor Rob" for the first time the night of the Christmas play with a typical conversation with her.

"Pastor Rob, where are you going?" (We were at the front porch of the church, both families leaving)

"I'm going home so I can go to sleep."

"Pastor Rob, where's your coat?"

"It's at home, keeping my coat hanger warm."

Audrey Raines, her Secretary of State father, Erin Driscoll, Habib Marwan. The cast of "Grey's Anatomy" (for Bonnie's sake, and her pitter-patter TV love, Patrick Dempsey...)

WE BID FAREWELL....Johnny Carson, Chuck Thompson, Chris Schenkel, Don Adams (Agent 86), Eddie Guerrero, Dana Jones, Bob Denver (Skipper!!!!), Rosa Parks, Pope John Paul II, Nipsey Russell (my favorite poet), Eddie Albert, Pat Morita (Arnold's!), Richard Pryor, Frank Gorshin, Anne Kincaid, Thomas Cannon, Peter Jennings, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Luther Vandross, Shirley Chisholm, Anne Bancroft, Eugene McCarthy, Johnnie Cochran, Sandra Dee. And, of course, Katie Pickles. Also, Clinton Terrell, Elsie Bresko, and Virginia Tomko.

WE SAID SEE YOU SOON....our church family at Bethlehem Congregational.

WE WATCHED CABLE NEWS FOR....Hurricane Katrina, the horrific aftermath, the blame game, Brownie, Hurricane Rita, the war in Iraq, the Supreme Court, the Vatican watch at the end of one Pope's life, and the naming of another. The typical partisan shouting, etc.

WE AVOIDED: Natalee Holloway after the first couple of weeks of coverage, subsequently, most issues of missing white females. Discussions of sex offenders. The sight of Nancy Peluso and Ted Kennedy.

WE ALSO WATCHED: A Boring Super Bowl....season four of "24", Desperate Housewives, Pardon the Interruption, Wheel and Jeopardy, news, and sports.

SHE WATCHED: NCIS, Grey's Anatomy, The Closer, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Invasion, Alias, 24 (of course), lots of old movies, and "Miss Congeniality" at least 20 times.

ROBBIE AND RACHEL WATCHED: Cartoon Network, Toon Disney, Disney Channel, Nick.

Robbie listened to whatever movie was on in his room at the moment. Rachel listened to Vacation Bible School music, Hilary Duff, and Jesse McCartney.

AND THEN THESE THINGS WE REMEMBER.......

--Dan Rather's last "courage"
--Jeanne Meserve's incredible report the night after Katrina in New Orleans
--Shepherd Smith on a bridge in New Orleans, a dead body covered on the side of the road behind him.
--very little on wrestling, what a boring, boring year!
--Rachel's second and third boyfriends
--Robbie's girlfriend who sang in the same choir as he
--Field trip to Busch Gardens with Robbie's choral group as they won, lots of awards, at the choral competition there.
--Officiating a wedding at a wayside on the Skyline Drive overlooking the mountains.
--The I-Book stampede.
--Overheating at Kings Dominion.
--Enjoying Busch Gardens.
--Watching the house get new carpet, hardwood flooring, and vinyl siding.
--The fact that my Cougar made it through another year!! YES!!!!
--My high school reunion.
--An undefeated regular season for Patrick Henry.
--Less is More.
--"Are you lonely?"
--My favorite lady on NCIS killed off on the last episode of season two.
--More neighbors move out of the neighborhood.
--More and more frustration with the kids' schools.
--Another nice, quiet birthday. Emphasis on "quiet".
--Continued trend of buying 80s CDs instead of football cards.
--Live 365 at work, especially nights listening to the 80s Hit Machine.
--The Double Whopper knocks Wendy's double off the perch to claim top burger honors.
--The happiness of knowing my son is old enough to mow the yard.
--Too many Saturdays in bed (including this one)
--The New York Giants (Tiki, Eli, Plaxico, and the comeback against Denver.)
--Robbie's first "character" for radio commercials; the school bully in two ads for "Scotty Z Karate".
--Unusually early snow event, early December.
--DOWNPOUR of rain Christmas morning.
--Running over a LOG on I-95 headed to the funeral home.
--The WalMart in Ashland, usually not by choice.
--Rachel's final year leading praise songs during church.
--NC State beating UConn and getting to the Sweet 16.
--Finally seeing Letterman regularly for the first time in YEARS....
--Rupert G's Hello Deli
--"Will It Float?"
--My creative team's trip to New York and Rodney's first night (ask him, not me.)
--The arrival of a really, really big TV.
--The monthly winning numbers.
--My second sleep study.
--and, of course, Star Wars Episode III.

Well, and then there's 2006......

--Hopefully a better year physically, now that we're down to one job for the first time in forever. Can we ditch some these pills we take daily? Can we stop sleeping Saturdays away?

--Enjoying friends: I love the people who work around me; they are such a great team. I pray I have another year to enjoy their company.

--Making new friends: We're on the search for a new home church! As it unfolds, we'll forge new friendships as we find where God wants to plant us.

--Leadership Break: I've had a "leadership" position, either of a Christian radio station, or a church, since 1988. In 2006, wherever we end up worshipping, we will not be volunteering. I desperately need to fill a pew and get fed for awhile.

--The wife hits 4-0. Get those black balloons ready!!

--Robbie begins high school come September.

--Thinking of people in times past, both recent and many years ago, that I miss and would love to see. Especially a few I'd kill to see, but I'm sure I won't.


And so, the clock creeps past 11:30, Rachel's already asleep and I think Robbie's still hanging with us. I'm gonna go to Times Square, virtually as usual, and see how this new year begins.

Looking forward to another year of blogging, laughter, tears, deep thought, and, of course....

.....trying to figure out how Jack Bauer saves the day one more time. :)


PS: Great to see Dick Clark back at Times Square; his story, and about a minute, becomes one of the most inspiring stories of 2005....and only 24 minutes left, too.

King Keith Calls For Resignation, World Yawns....

Keith Olbermann.

Bible scholar?

Pronoun twister?

Ah, you decide. (Click on Keith's name above for his side of the story)

He wants John Gibson of FNC to stop playing in the cable news sandbox because John (like me and billions of others) have definitive beliefs with regard to our religious affiliation.

I'm sure the average Muslim would, being honest, tell you the way to eternal life is through Muhammed. Hindus? Buddists? Etc?

So, Christians are no different. But, in exactly proving John's point, Keith goes ga-ga over a basic tenet of Christianity since it doesn't fit his worldview of "tolerance for everyone". Gee, does that mean I tolerate murderers? Well, I guess if their name is Tookie, but I digress....

Hey, Keith. Said you read the Bible. Forgot this one?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John 14:5-7 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Jesus the Way to the Father

5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Footnotes:

John 14:7 Some early manuscripts If you really have known me, you will know

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, maybe Keith got bogged down in Deuteronomy and couldn't move on....

The essential element of Christianity is this: Jesus Christ came to save mankind from their sins. Believe on Jesus, you are saved. So, if I choose to make this my faith, to not assent to it would be absurd. Well, it would actually deny me the very title I attempt to claim.

Let me bring some of the transcript between John and Janet Parshall directly to you:

PARSHALL: I think tolerance means accommodation, but it doesn't necessarily mean acquiescence or wholehearted acceptance.

GIBSON: No, no, no. If you figure that -- listen, we get a little theological here, and it's probably a bit over my head, but I would think if somebody is going to be -- have to answer for following the wrong religion, they're not going to have to answer to me. We know who they're going to have to answer to.

PARSHALL: Right.

GIBSON: And that's fine. Let 'em. But in the meantime, as long as they're civil and behave, we tolerate the presence of other religions around us without causing trouble, and I think most Americans are fine with that tradition.


Gee. I'm trying to figure out how this is so damning, coming from a Christian perspective. Keith, I understand that's not YOUR perspective. But, your call for Gibson to leave the "ministry of cable news", leaving more room for guys like you, is unreal.

Gibson here has no problem with any/all religions living under the big tent, the melting pot known as the United States. Neither do I. I can't remember ever seeing the Baptists, after a morning worship service and a potluck dinner (complete with chicken, of course) ever then, storm the street of their hometown to head over to the local temple/synagogue/mosque to torch it and yell for the blood of innocent women and children in Jesus' name. No, actually, most of them, by 3pm, are usually at home taking a nap, or, sadly, are on the phone gossiping about whatever did or did not happen at the church earlier in the day.

On the other hand, I do hear of events like this happening around the world against Christians.

Does this mean only Christians are persecuted? NO!!! Other religions persecuted? Just ask hundreds of thousands of Muslims living right here in the good ol' USA after 9/11.

But, back to the main point. When Olbermann determines what can and cannot be thought/believed/spoken of in the public square, he then dons his judge's robe and demands to deliver sentence on the one he pronounced "guilty".

BUT IT'S ON TAPE!!!!

Yes, Keith, don't eat your balled up piece of paper, you do have it on tape. So what? I, as many hundreds of millions of Christians, happen to agree with his statement. I believe, as stated in John 14, not by me, but by a lowly carpenter from Nazareth, that He is the way to God. (And don't say, "he said father, not god! Semantics are worthless here...)

I also happen to believe those saved by the sacrificial atonement of Jesus on the cross and His victory over death at the Resurrection will live with Him for eternity. Those who do not will be eternally separated from God after life on this earth is completed.

Anyone who spent a few hours looking over highlights of the New Testament would understand this.

So, John's statement, to lots of us, is in agreement with regards to our Christian faith.

And, so, for a sincere belief in an absolute way to God, John Gibson should be run out of town, forced to work at Walgreens on third shift somewhere in Iowa for the rest of his life, so his angry, evil, intolerant view won't cause as much damage.

What, Keith---you think Christians will somehow be UPSET if we get to heaven and there's more than one way to get there?? How ridiculous a thought process is that? "But, wait, how did THEY get in here??".

Have Christians committed sickening and disgusting acts in the name of "Christianity" over the past 2,000 years? You betcha. Is adhering to the basic tenet of one's belief in the Messiah one of them? Nope, in fact, it's the act that set me free.

Keith, I know you will not believe this, but I love you. Honest. Otherwise, I'd be going against the basic teaching of my Savior....

Mark 12: 30--31 (New International Version, as stated above...)

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[a] 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]There is no commandment greater than these."

But, that means I love John, too.

My thanks to www.biblegateway.com for the Scripture props.

:)

goodness....

We here in the Witham Nation hope you and yours enjoyed your Christmas weekend!

Mine was an emotional rollercoaster.

Christmas Eve was our final Candlelight Communion Service at church. It went well, and Silent Night by candlelight always rocks.

Christmas Day was the finale. It POURED RAIN much of the way down (so it wasn't a pretty Christmas, weather-wise). The worship service was great; there were more people attending than what I had anticipated for the holiday.

I kept myself together.....until the benediction. Two huge gasps of breath to calm myself in order to force the words out.

And with that, mission accomplished.

Many came to say farewell. One, specifically, touched my heart, for I didn't see it coming. We have a family with three sisters. They were in 3rd, 2nd, and 1st grade when I arrived. They are now a Senior, Junior, and Sophomore.

The Sophomore came to Christmas service and when she hugged me she just cried and cried. She will never, ever know how much that touched me. We had lunch with some people at a private home, thankfully, of the couple I most dreaded saying "farewell" to. It was MUCH easier at their home as opposed to right after the benediction. :)

So, we're trying to get some of them together with us here in Glen Allen for the first two hours of "24", and we've already penciled in some dates in our minds for when we'll go back and see the gang.

Writing a thank you letter to them tonight created, yep, even more tears. This is going to be a much bigger adjustment than I ever thought.

BUT----I do know the right decision was made. Why?

Coming home Sunday, we hit another pouring rain near the Appomattox River on I-295. I notice some breaking sky to the west. What happens when we hit the bridge?

Yep. Right in front of us. A rainbow.

And the promise of God's covenant continues.....:)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christmas? Oh, yeah, it was here. Mom got a laptop, I got a recliner (presently occupied by my daughter) and a great series of 1980's wrestling DVD's. Nothing like Starrcade '84 with Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair for the NWA World's Heavyweight Title with Bob Caudle on the mic!! Those were the GOOD days of wrestling.

Robbie got the "real" lightsaber. It cannot be hit by another object, or much money Santa spends in vain! Rachel got a piano, and lessons! Starting January 9th.

Cody and Zoe were disappointed to see the tree come down Sunday evening (so my recliner could find a home!)....but it still wasn't the same without Katie Pickles.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heavens, so much to type; little energy, so I'll get to it one piece at a time. Wasn't ignoring my blogworld, just got overwhelmed with the one I walk in.

And in closing...

Mama passed away three years ago tonight at age 64. Doesn't seem that long. Then, part of me thinks it's been 100 years since we talked.

Love 'em while they're here, folks. There aren't rainchecks on this earth.

Looking for hot sex??

That's right, hot sex!!


Okay, the title is a "cheap pop".

The term "cheap pop" is taken from professional wrestling, where a wrestler, during his solioquy or interview will say something that he/she knows will get a big fan reaction. For example, mention how happy you are to be in "insert city here", and they'll react with delight.

So, I title this entry with the term "hot sex" for two reasons:

1) I want searchers for said category to find this blog entry.

2) So they'll click on the link above. One of my new favorite websites is The Marriage Bed. What a refreshing discovery, to find believers who don't mind sharing the fact that Christian marriages are not "boring", nor do they have to be. We can pray for another, help each other, and get good advice.

Remember, the word MARRIAGE is in the title for a reason. :)

So, if you haven't seen the site yet, click on "hot sex" above (Ha, a preacher advocating hot sex, I love it!!) and go to their message boards. They're great.

Good night!


PS---In an ironic twist of fate, I'm really tired, so.....I guess you know that means I won't put any knowledge from said website to good use on this evening....


...hee hee...

And now, the final countdown, brought to you by change.....

.....well, Tuesday night was tough enough.

Then, Wednesday pounced me and wouldn't let me go.

Tuesday night was our Christmas play at church. It's the third and final installment in the "Cricket County" Christmas Play series. So, all of us have played our roles three years running. We became a dysfunctional family (in that, some had to be really prodded to reprise their role, etc.)

So, with everyone standing on the platform at the end, our fearless director reminds us that:

A) This would be the final time this ensemble would be together...

B) This was my final play as pastor.

Tears, anyone?

Greta did the crying for us at the service (though I teared up watching Rachel play Mary in the final scene), we enjoyed talking to lots of people at the reception afterward, and started having to say our farewells (for now, of course, not for forever!) as some people will be out of town this weekend.

Then, Wednesday, I couldn't spend ten minutes in my car alone without breaking down, thinking of all the people who have been such a part of my life these past nine years and, all of a sudden, they, on a regular basis, won't be there.

One of my current problems, as I've noted here in the past, is that, as a pastor, you are "not allowed" to have friends at said church, for fear of reprisal, jealousy, anarchy, whatever.

So, I'm happy that, as of Monday, I can finally be "friends" with people who have been my friends for years and years.

At the same time, I remind myself God has another door opening for our family to find a new church home where we can be sheep, and connect with new, cool people who can also impact our lives in positive ways.

There are new friends to make, new experiences to come, and new smiles to make.

But first, we cry.

Tomorrow night is the Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service. If I make it through Silent Night without a tear, that can ONLY be attributed to the sovereign work of God Almighty.

Then, Sunday morning, Christmas Day, we wrap it up.

Monday? We are all home (no one has to work), and I'm not sure how I'll "feel".

Part of me will be grateful, part of me will be sad, part of me will be tired (that's a constant!!)...

...and I hope part of me is ready to look ahead, which is something I've not wanted to do much in the past few years.

So, who will I know in 12 months who are not a part of my life today?

I don't know......but time, if God allows, will tell. :)

Kleenex stocks should have a good week.....

....so today was my final official "sermon" at church. Next week I'm doing a two-part sermonette, part one on Christmas Eve, and the second the next morning (I don't want to hold people in service too long; trying to be respectful of family and visitor time, too.)

Nothing like wrapping up with Jesus' scathing words to the Pharisees in Matthew 23, coupled with God's reminder to Samuel in I Samuel 16 that, just because someone looks like a leader, doesn't mean they are one.

Afterwards there was a reception for the Witham crew.

They presented us with an absolutely beautiful mounted clock engraved with the final line of I Cornithians 13 on the front, and "1996-2005" on the back. They also gave us a gift card and a beautiful card with great words of thanks.

Kleenex, anyone?? Anyone got a Kleenex???

So, let's see.....we held back tears praying after the sermon, we cried after church, during the reception, and with a couple as they left the reception. Then, before the end of our play rehearsal tonight, I look to the other side of the stage and see my daughter play the part of Mary, remembering that our first Christmas at the church, she was baby Jesus, and fought back tears.

This will be a hard week. Only four days to get five days' worth of work done at the office; last minute presents to get, anticipating the final moments at church, and, to top it off, I'm in a down cycle right now. I'm needlessly, I'm sure (Mr. Obsessive that I am) worrying about a friendship, not wanting to see it in a down cycle, and, of course, Christmas-time is never the same since the nine-day vigil in Mama's hospital room, which began three years ago tomorrow.

But I know, I know, I know that God will see me through, there will be wonderful moments to cherish....

.....and alot more tears to come. :)

As I explained to my daughter at the reception today, sometimes the right decisions are very hard.

Me, being the realist I am, figures; better clue her in now before that reality sideswipes her one day like it did me.

I gotta go night-night.

And then there were three trips left to Disputanta....

Is your church open on Christmas??

I cannot believe all the press and controversy over churches choosing not to hold services on Christmas Day.

Yes, I do fall on the side of "open the church". If we're there for corporate worship every other Sunday of the year, why not on a Sunday that coincides with the day we celebrate the Savior's birth?

This article talks of different church perspectives and reasons why some have chosen not to open.

My problems with this:

A) The pastor at Southland Christian Church in Kentucky defended their church's decision to close discussing the origins of the Christmas holiday as a pagan holiday and how it would be more accurate historically to celebrate Jesus' birth in January or April.

Then why do we celebrate Christmas? I don't get it. The church takes a pagan holiday, uses it to celebrate a birth, and now uses it to justify why opening a house of worship on a Sunday isn't what they want to do.

B) Read this quote from the first article I linked to above....

Cindy Willison, a spokeswoman for the evangelical Southland Christian Church, said at least 500 volunteers are needed, along with staff, to run Sunday services for the estimated 8,000 people who usually attend. She said many of the volunteers appreciate the chance to spend Christmas with their families instead of working, although she said a few church members complained.

The word "working" bugs the heck out of me. If I volunteer at church, motivated by my love for God and for serving others, why would I even consider it "working"?

BOTTOM LINE: Do we worship 24/7? Yes, we do. Do we have to be in a certain physical structure at a certain time on a certain day of the week to look or be "holy"? No.

But I will say this....churches that choose to close simply because Christmas falls on a Sunday are akin to the NFL if it decided, when Super Sunday came, they would play the Super Bowl, but all television and radio feeds would be blacked out and no one would be allowed in the stands.

Football's biggest day and the impetus for its existence, the fans, not there??

The church where I'm concluding a nine-year pastorate on, ironically, Christmas Day, used to have church service EVERY CHRISTMAS DAY NO MATTER WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK IT FELL ON.

So, people will drive to grandma's house on Christmas Sunday, pass the corner church, see the parking lot empty and think to themselves....

"If it's such a big birthday, why isn't the family of God together to celebrate it?"

Come on, people, the least we could do is worship on Christmas; it hasn't fallen on a Sunday since 1994!

What's next?

"SHOCKER: MEGACHURCHES DISCOVER EASTER FALLS ON SUNDAY; WILL CANCEL SERVICES SO FAMILIES CAN SPEND DAY TOGETHER"

Tell us your Godly Vision in 50 words or less....

....soon the Withams will begin accepting applications for a new home church.

Megachurches need not apply. Must have strong childrens/youth program. Small is fine, run by two families not preferred.

Don't preach God's Word? Don't bother. I don't go to the church to get a pat on the head. God's Word should kick me in the butt. Then, after that, I get a great hug from my Heavenly Dad. :)

Oh, and one other thing. If I have to get onto an interstate to get to said church, you're automatically out of consideration.

There now. Let the process begin! Beginning December 26th, here, in the Witham Nation.

And this week's search winner.....

I love how some searches end up with people arriving at this blog...

Today's strange engine search:

"things with ham in it".

I used to be called "With Ham and Cheese" in junior high. Apparently, one of my former classmates is back to haunt me.

:)

Post #300------and so far behind.....

Most days I think of the word "blog", and immediately this thought follows...


"....I really need (want) to blog, but....", then I trail off into thoughts of where's the time gonna come from?

Between work all week, wrapping up church responsibilties, and not sleeping very well, time can be, well, tricky to find.

Had plenty of time Saturday! I slept it away. Part of me really enjoyed it. Part of me hates it with a passion; I'll never get that day back.

So, I wax poetic on this, my 300th post, looking forward to a moment where I can sneak in and discuss pertinent issues near and dear to my heart....

---I haven't blogged about Twila yet..
---Did I make Fantasy Football playoffs...
---We're now under five weeks until Jack Bauer returns!
---Is your church open Christmas Day? Does it matter?
---and, of course, the burning question of all time...

"Paper or Plastic?"

:)

And now, to dispel the rumor.....

....that I decided to boycott blogging in the month of December.....

....when I don't show here for a few days, the reasons are usually:

A) much time at work
B) much time in bed

...the last several days, it's been A).

So, I am around, and REALLY HAVE ALOT of stuff to blog about, so expect a flood of entries when I do get a chance.

Meanwhile, lest we forget....

November's Winning Numbers: 1, 3, 16, 24 and 30.

The Countdown Begins!!!

I will get to Twila soon; little time to blog tonight, I'm afraid (what's new!??!?)

At midnight eastern, Thursday December 1, 2005.....


....45 days and 20 hours until.....


....well? Have you seen Jack in your neighborhood??

:)

Tomorrow, Twila.....

....got to crying coming home tonight over people I watch over (my two kids) and people who won't be born for another, say, 50 to 75 years.

The word "legacy" comes to mind. So does the music of Twila Paris.

More on the greatest concert I ever have seen/ever will see, and the music that makes Twila so special coming up.

:)

But, first, I don't want to detract from tonight's other post below, since I feel so strongly about it. :)

Peace!

I'm having a problem with gadgets....

....so you cannot watch television, read a paper, listen to a radio, etc.....

....without hearing about all the gadgets that people "have to have" this Christmas, you know, the "must-have" best sellers.

Cell phones.
Cell phones with cameras.
Cell phones with mp3 capabilities.
Cell phones with video capabilities.
XBox.
XBox360.
XBox, version 2009, which swallows your children inside the actual machine. (J/K)
PS2
PSP
Regular deodorant. (Sorry, brief lapse...)
Digital Cameras of all sorts.
IPods.
IPod Nano's.

You get the idea.

Millions and millions and millions of dollars being spent on all these "toys" (which is really what they are) this Christmas.

I mean, how do you increase work productivity 25 percent with a cell phone with video? No, you'll decrease it while you're caught up watching soaps, the NFL, Desperate Househusbands, whatever.

Then, I think of the following....

...read the following from the Tottenham, Wood Green, and Edmonton Journal in Great Britain, and see what some eight and nine year olds are thinking about as the holiday season approaches...


Pupils bake charity treat
nlnews@archant.co.uk
16 November 2005
KIND-hearted pupils from Coleridge Primary School cooked up a fundraising treat for children in Niger, in Western Africa.

Year four youngsters from in the school in Crescent Road baked and sold biscuits to sell at school - and made a fantastic £115.72 in just 15 minutes.

Here, in their own words, two pupils tell the story of their charity challenge.

"Brilliant Cakes, brilliant money - cash, cash, cash!" is the story from James Barth, who writes:

A class of eight and nine-year-olds raised more than £100 in less than 20 minutes in Coleridge Primary School for Niger famine relief and they have worked a whole week for this special occasion.

In Niger, 35 per cent of children die before the age of five, so you could call them lifesavers.

James, of 4N, said: "It was fun - and delicious after all the work."

Classmate Eve Aspinall made the following report:

Coleridge Primary School held a biscuit sale last Friday. They raised a whopping £116 to send to the Niger Famine Appeal/Unicef.

Cookies, biscuits, cake and more have been sold on this special day. In Niger, 35 out of 100 die before the age of five.

Eight and nine-year-olds were making biscuits all week, trying to stop malaria from spreading in Niger. "Someone's gotta be there for them," Eve reports, sitting at her desk.


So, while kids in America (and MANY other countries) get whiny about not having the latest Tigger or Bratz doll, video game, whatever....think about these kids. More importantly, think about the kids they helped.

Many of them have no idea what a Christmas is like we do. And, sadly, many of them won't see many of them either.

Here's a place for more hope:

Socialist? NO I AM NOT! Does it make logical sense to take some of our energies and resources and find a better way to solve disease and famine rather than pour and pour it out on getting a slimmer IPod that can handle a thousand more songs? Heck, do you KNOW ANYONE who actually listens to a 1,000-song rotation??

It's just not sitting well with me this year. I want shorts, golf shirts, a decent pair of tennis shoes, and a few 80s CD's.

If I shop carefully, $75, maybe $90. Tops.

I'm not gloating. I gotta save money!! I'm leaving a job, remember???

Dana's story....

The link below will only be good for 14 days, so here, thanks to the Berkshire Eagle, is the story of Dana's passing.


'Voice of Berkshires' dies of heart attack
By Benning W. De La Mater, Berkshire Eagle Staff



Monday, November 28
PITTSFIELD — Dana Jones, the man who greeted Berkshire radio listeners each morning with a baritone voice and a good joke, died Friday at Berkshire Medical Center of a heart attack.
He was 83.

"He seemed indestructible," said WBRK owner and Jones' former boss, Willard "Huck" Hodgkins. "It's a sad day, but I think we can celebrate his life."

Jones was hired at the newly formed WBEC in 1947 and first hit the air on the premier broadcast on March 25. He worked there until 1980, later joining WBRK. He moved to WUHN and finished his career there in 1988.

Jones was known locally as the morning guy for WBEC. He did sportscasts, interviews with visiting dignitaries and politicians and on-the-spot reporting. He also served as the station's program director.

But he was best known for his children's show, "Storytime," and for the humorous characters he invented and interviewed, including Grampa Crabgrass and Uncle Ephraim.

'Quite a phenomenon'

"He had these voices and characters he'd create," Hodgkins said. "He'd come in at 3 in the morning and put the voices on tape. He could carry a conversation with himself like nobody.

"He was quite a phenomenon in Pittsfield for some years."

Jones said his favorite part of broadcasting was speaking to children. Interviewed in The Berkshire Eagle in 1957, Jones said: "I can't see (the children), but from the letters I receive from the parents, I guess the children are my best listeners. I try to make every birthday greeting a personal message. It's not too difficult to smile when you form a mental picture of kids getting your message."

Jones, an only child, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 14, 1922. The day after Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Army.


He was promoted to sergeant and served in New Guinea, the Philippines and Morotai.

After the death of his father, he moved with his mother to 316 North St. Pittsfield. He married the former Marcia Vern Angelo in 1959 and had a son, Kent.

For 12 years, Jones handed off the broadcast to Bill Hickey.

"He was the morning guy, and I was the afternoon guy," said Hickey, 79. "He was our No. 1 guy, and his voice sounded great. And those imitations, wow."

His voice, which was coined as "The Voice of the Berkshires," was deep and distinctive. Hickey said Jones had the opportunity to move up to bigger markets — he was once offered a job in Washington, D.C., but declined.

"He was a hometown boy, and he liked the people here, and the people liked him."

Jones was a huge New York Jets fan, and was once witness to a UFO.

"He told me a story about coming to work one morning and seeing this UFO in the sky," Hodgkins said. "He said he really saw something quite strange, and I believed him."

'He was a character'

Hodgkins said that, of the relatively small fraternity of broadcasters who have graced the local airwaves, Jones should be regarded as one of the best.

"He was a character," Hodgkins said. "A great guy. He made it a three-man show when it was only a one-man show."

Benning W. De La Mater can be reached at bdelamater@berkshire eagle.com or at (413) 496-6243.

A personal loss; a loss for the Berkshires....

For those of you who live in Richmond or know anything about Richmond, you'll know the name Alden Aaroe. To several generations of Richmonders, he just wasn't "on the radio", he WAS Richmond radio.

I had the honor of working with someone of his stature. His name was Dana Jones. He spent his entire radio career in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where I began mine 20 years ago.

Deep, rich baritone voice, very likable, and a whiz at creating characters in the production room. He woke up the Berkshires from 1947 to his retirement in 1988.

My first commercial radio airshift was a Saturday, noon to sign-off, on WUHN. I followed Dana Jones---in the grammatical sense ONLY.

No one followed Dana, just as no one will ever follow Alden here in Richmond.

I learned tonight of Dana's passing last Friday at 83. Take a moment and read the article from the Berkshire Eagle.

He could have easily gone big-market; but liked where he was. I'm so glad to be able to count myself as one of those who were able to watch him at work.

Things I'm thankful for as Thanksgiving winds down.....

Mind you, this list could hardly be called "exhausting", it's just a few thoughts on my mind this evening.

1) I'm thankful that I got out of bed this morning. For those of you who don't know me or have stumbled across this blog, this is meaningful, honest! Yes, I'm thankful God gave me another day, but on many days off the past few years, I simply wouldn't get out of bed (like last Saturday for example.) I'd spend the day sleeping. Bonnie was leaving for Food Lion around 10, I thought for a minute, asked her if she'd mind some company, and got up and went with her!

Then we picked up the kids from Aunt Sherry's, and I don't know what the kids thought when I was actually with their mom. You knew they figured mom would pick us up and "dad would still be in bed". Well, whaddya know.

I did lie down this evening, but not 'til after 6pm, after Thanksgiving w/the in-law crew, and, well, I was having a hard time keeping the eyes open on the recliner at halftime.

2) Which brings us to this: I'm thankful that Denver beat Dallas. Now if the Giants can beat Seattle (can't their annual December swoon start early this year???), we're back in first place all alone! Woo hoo!!

3) I'm thankful that I hate alcohol. Well, I like rubbing alcohol for purposes of deleting ticks from one's body, but.....

...Robbie and I talked about this going to school the other morning. I know the two biggest reasons, for example, I've never tried beer.

---My upbringing (alcohol was sinful, it would only lead to drunkenness or addiction)

---IT SMELLS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC!!!

As I age, I'm a bit more mellow in my alcohol view (one drinking a beer a day is still not damned to hell if they serve the Lord; but they do suffer from no sense of smell....hee hee....)----I also see no problem with a glass of wine at dinner.

I.E.---God's Word says to not drink to what....."excess". Correct. I'm thankful this has never been a temptation for me. I need to pray more for those I know (and those I don't) who struggle with it every day.

Drinking? Never cared. Smoking? Couldn't if I wanted to due to my allergies. Lust? Now you hit the nerve. That's always been my Achilles Heel sin. I'm thankful that it has had less and less of an effect on me in 2005. So, obviously, I must be letting God do more of the fighting, otherwise I'd keep messing up. :)

Okay----how did Denver/Dallas lead to a confession of sin??? Hee hee....

3) I'm thankful for Mountain Dew. That's my not-so-secret addiction, and source of caffeine (the smell of coffee also drives me nuts!)

4) I'm thankful we discovered my sleep apnea and I have the equipment to help me sleep better. I can't believe it's already been two years since my deviated septum surgery. Now there's a Thanksgiving I won't forget, even though I spent most of it sleeping!! And, it was NOT due to exhaustion or depression!!

Them were some powerful pills they gave me! I had the surgery the day before Thanksgiving, stayed overnight (patients getting this surgery are usually same day, but they held me overnight for observation to make sure my respiration returned to normal after being put under. This is an issue to watch for sleep apnea people like me...), and came home Thanksgiving morning.

Then I remember the following:

--Bonnie brought me food mid-afternoon. I ate, and went back to bed.
--There was football on TV. Obviously I knew Detroit and Dallas were part of it. That's about all I knew.
--One night (either Thursday or Friday) I was awake long enough to watch a Sam Walton biography. Friday night there was basketball on.
--Then, finally, I felt like coming into the living room to lie on the couch on Saturday evening.

Like I said, them were some powerful pills!

But it's one of the best things I've ever done; my allergies have become such a minor part of my life after suffering and suffering from them all of my life. Attacks like the one I had last week is now rare, rather than expected on a usual basis (several times a year, especially spring and fall).

And finally....

5) I'm grateful that my wife gives me a back scratch every night. What a great way to finish a day, no matter how it went. :)

Hope your Thanksgiving was enjoyable, relaxing, tasted good, and was spent with people you love.

If you worked today, thank you for your sacrifice. Police, fire, nurses, doctors, EMT's, radio announcers (I know that feeling well!), pharmacists, just to name a few.

If you worked today in regular retail, your company should have its head examined. We can all live ONE day without a KMart or WalMart being open.

Of course, having said that, I'm reminded that, quite frankly, we could probably live for many years without a KMart open....but that's another discussion.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!!

To begin.....

Between 8am Tuesday and 8pm Wednesday (a 36 hour period), I worked 30 hours.

The things people will do for a day off to eat turkey!! :)

Happy weekend to all, we have MUCH to catch up on, and I'll actually have some time to do so (I'm even off from church Sunday---woo hoo!! Football!!)

Coming up this weekend....

--Patrick Henry's sudden demise in playoff competition
--X's and Oh's for the White House this week
--Gee, 52 inches isn't big enough to watch the Weather Channel (yeah, right!)
--Thanks to Ted Koppel
--How David Letterman is more like Johnny Carson every day
--The 8th grade, AKA, standing on the corner of the gym floor watching them have fun
--My wife's TV schedule.....(is that the first mental step to AARP membership??)
--Sex
--(just seeing if you were REALLY reading this list...)
--and hopefully, a day with the kids. They haven't been stuck with just Dad for a day in a long, long time.

The kids are at Aunt Sherry's spending the night; we'll see them next at Thanksgiving dinner, as the family gathers to eat, and I find a good seat to watch Michael Vick.

Long live Tryptophan!!

:)

Lots to catch up on......

....as soon as my first allergy attack in quite some time goes away.....

Spent yesterday in bed....all day....

Missed the playoff football game on the radio Friday night.....PH lost......

I hate having a dry nose.......

.....and now I've gotta go for three days of work, and still get five days' worth of work done.

So, after resting up and eating some on Thursday, I hope to be here to blog and blog and blog......

.....'cuz I'm not going to Target Friday at 6am. I've made that mistake before!!

:)

See? All those hours listening to XL-102 in high school pays off!!!

Rock Star You scored 98%!

You damn rock star. You know all the basics, and if you got any wrong, I bet it was that stupid Traveling Wilburys question. Your friends are probably intimidated by your knowledge of classic rock and envy your impressive collection. When a classic rock song comes on the radio, you can probably identify it before the vocals kick in most of the time. You probably get good scores on the "maiden name of Clapton's mom" tests, too.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 67% on notes

Link: The BASIC classic rock Test written by allmydays on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Hey Stubby! Let's call another one!!!

We were, like 90 percent sure of a playoff game for Patrick Henry going into Friday night's showdown with Hermitage, the game we've been looking forward to all season.

Never thought PH would be the favorite, not Hermitage, who was picked to be head and shoulders above the rest of the Colonial District.

Good game, HUGE crowd and a couple of pivotal plays.

It's 6-0 at the half. PH scores on a juggling catch by Robby Daniels to go 13-0. Then Hermitage gets on the board with their own juggling TD catch, and it's 13-7 with four minutes and change to go.

They line up in onside kick formation, deciding to kick to the opposite side of the field, where only one player is lined up to try to recover the ball for Hermitage.

The ball goes squarely to a huge lineman who, obviously, has little experience handling kickoffs. It bounced off him, and the pinball game began. Three or four different players had a hand on it....

....then finally, Johnny on the spot was wide receiver Anthony Muscolino, who came out of nowhere to pounce on the ball at the 50 yard line.

This was the game breaker.

PH proceeds to drive 50 yards in about two minutes and, on fourth down and goal at the one; QB Jordan Harris punched it in.

I've never been so happy to say, "Touchdown, Patrick Henry Patriots!!" on the radio as I was at that moment.

Hermitage gets the ball at midfield down six, and who knows what happens.

Instead, PH puts it away, and finishes an astonishing 10-0 and wins the Colonial District.

And their prize for going unbeaten??

A ROAD GAME!!!

THE VHSL point system set to determine playoff teams is the high school version of the BCS.

Note these facts about our Division 6 Playoffs:

1) Varina was #1 in area polls all season, going 9-0. They finished the season against Highland Springs, who was also undefeated in the District (Capital), but was 7-2 overall. But, winner gets the playoffs since the winner gets the District title. Highland Springs pulls off an incredible upset, 15-14 in double overtime, wins the district, and....

...Varina is now home. 9-1 record. No playoffs. Here's why it's so ridiculous...

...Meadowbrook High School does NOT win their district, finishes 8-2, and is not only in the playoffs....THEY HAVE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE!!!!!!!

WHAT??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????

2) Patrick Henry is the only unbeaten team left, and they still get ranked behind two 8-2 teams, one of which is NOT is District title winner.

Need I say more??

Bitter. NO! Shaking my head? You bet, and if you don't agree with me, I invite you to have a conversation with PH Coach Ray Long, the winningest coach in Central Region history. He'd be glad to offer some thoughts on the lunacy that is the VHSL point system.

Nonetheless, they're in----and headed to Chester to play LC Bird (the defending regional champions) on Friday night. Coverage starts at 705pm on WHAN, for those of you in the Greater Ashland Area. :)

OH....and we got to do the post-game show on the field again (I love cell phones!), interviewing quarterback Jordan Harris, blitzman extraordinare linebacker Sam Smith (the most passionate PH player I've ever seen), and, of course, Coach Long. I let Stubby interview Coach...I get the shivers thinking about doing it. It's respect, pure and simple...for a man I knew as a teacher, who I was blessed to see as a student at the beginning of his PH career, and now get to broadcast more victories as his historic career continues.

And, besides....not only did I hold the equipment during Coach's interview, I also held his game ball! God knows I'll never have a game ball in a trophy case.....

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Stunning news for us wrestling fans yesterday, as I learned last night that Eddie Guerrero had passed away at 38. I noted that especially. I'm 38.

What we forget when we watch the scripted craziness that is wrestling (I don't condone all of it, BTW), these are also people....with families....with battles.

My condolences are to his wife and three children, and his entire blood family, and wrestling family...especially Chris Benoit.

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Thank you, Linda!!

Thank you, Linda Hamilton, for your courage to speak on the issue myself, and many, many others deal with every day....Bipolar Disorder.


See first post from Tuesday 11/8 to read the transcript of her interview with Larry King.

"See you sometime?" or "Morse Code to Saints"...

So, I get home moments ago to read the headline that the NFL and various Los Angeles officials have "reached a preliminary agreement on terms to bring a team back to the Los Angeles Coliseum", according to Commissioner Tagliabue.

Read here.....

There could only be two outcomes here, I would think:

1) This was about as monumental as when you see an old friend for the first time in years and tell them, "You know, we really should do lunch sometime....", and they agree. Then, of course, it never happens, but, technically, this could be labeled a "preliminary agreement".

2) Smoke signals, morse code, encryptions, whatever----are being sent to New Orleans via San Antonio via Baton Rouge.

In other words, San Antonio shouldn't even think of getting "comfortable" with having an NFL team even temporarily playing in the Alamodome.

This has to be the first domino in the fall of the New Orleans Saints to be replaced by the Los Angeles Whoevers.

Of course, and rightfully so, New Orleans will scream and holler. It's not like they requested Katrina to come in and destroy the city, and their own dome.

There's been talk of a "Cleveland deal" for New Orleans. But how would that ever work?

The NFL is perfect at 32 teams. Perfectly symmetrical. Go to 34? Then who gets the other team? Does one conference have 18 teams and the other 16, or do both have 17? Playoff expansion, since only 12 of 34 teams would make it under current rules??

Then there's always the "dilution" of quality players across the league theory, which I'm not so sure is merited.

So, I'm going to sit back, watch, pray for football fans in Louisiana (after praying much more and much harder for the people and their recovery!!!!), and think to myself...

....why does the NFL think they still need L.A.? Their best 10 years have been the last ten in terms of popularity, $$$, etc.....and L.A. was nowhere to be found.

THOUGHT: If they DO go to 34 teams, for heaven's sake, put the 34th team where God intended football to be played.....IN COLD WEATHER!

I'm trying to think of a nickname for their expansion franchise in Bangor, Maine...

....got any ideas??

Six years ago tonight.....

....I tried to go to sleep early, and was scared to death.

For after another round of newspaper delivery, I was to go to my first day at work on Church Hill on THE radio station in Virginia--WRVA.

My mind couldn't comprehend that the following people would be in the same building:

Lou Dean, Tim Timberlake, John Harding, Deanna Malone, Pam Overstreet, Tim Farley, Jerry Lund, Millard the Mallard.....and ME????

I remember arriving the next morning, entering through the electronic door leading downstairs, stopped in the restroom, went into a stall, and thought to myself, "Dear God, what am I doing here?"

Though my time on The Hill wasn't long (before the big changes at 'RVA and subsequent move to the West End), I will have nine months of my life that I wouldn't trade for love nor money.

For all the aforementioned people, plus many, many others who weren't on the air, made me feel like family from day one.

And I'll never forget 'em.

Linda Hamilton: Finally! As promised......

Those of us with bipolar as part of our lives totally understand the life of actress Linda Hamilton and appreciate it when someone speaks publicly about the issue.

Here's the transcript from her Larry King Live appearance recently....

Now 9-0....and the big game is finally here...

Patrick Henry easily took care of business last Friday night, scoring early and often (kinda like how Chicago Democrats vote) to defeat J.R. Tucker 44-0 last Friday to go 9-0.

Simple game; get on the road, take the lead early, finish the game without injuries, and head for home to finally talk Hermitage.

Stubby and I have talked about the Hermitage game since opening night. Now the coaches and players can.

Simple: PH wins, they win the District and go to the Division 6 Playoffs. Lose, and they tie for the title and they go to points to determine playoff team, which, right now, points in Patrick Henry's favor (no pun intended).

So, unless some really freaky things happen Friday night, it looks like we'll be on the air at least one more Friday night, and probably on the road.

That's okay. They'd be in. After thinking another 7-3 season would happen, 10-0 and the playoffs would be beyond many people's dreams.

GO PATRIOTS!!

PS--I try everything to be partial in my play-by-play coverage, really I do....

Presidential Referendum?? No.....and yes.....

So, the Governor's race is, THANKFULLY, over in Virginia.

Stink, one of the Attorney General candidates ran an ad at 659pm on television, a full ONE MINUTE before the polls closed (who's placing those ad buys???)

This has been the most boring Governor's race I've seen in Virginia, and I go back to Godwin, Reynolds, Holton, and Howell circa 1969 and 1973. I only missed the '85 election when I was in college.

Jerry Kilgore, the Republican candidate, does not light a fire and doesn't show passion when he speaks, even if he has it. His campaign has never had a definitive message which would convince the Independent voter they needed to change the occupant of the Governor's Mansion from a Democrat to a Republican.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic candidate, has had the advantage of at least looking like he has a definitive message (though his flip-flopping on the death penalty sure made him look un-leaderlike...), and has the advantage that the outgoing Governor, Mark Warner, has high approval ratings.

Also, many Republicans are, quite frankly, p.o.'ed at party members, especially in the General Assembly, for putting down their principals and voting for the largest tax increase in Virginia history last year. Now, you'll never hear Kaine and Warner call it that....

From www.kaine2005.org comes this spin:

Only after cutting state spending commitments dramatically and reducing the size of government did the administration tackle budget reform. This historic reform package helped create a 2004 budget that was fair to working Virginians. The comprehensive, bipartisan budget reform eliminated the state’s portion of the food tax, and reformed the income tax to eliminate the marriage penalty, increase the personal exemption, and removed 141,000 working Virginians from the tax rolls. To accomplish these objectives required a modest ½ cent increase in the sales tax and increasing the cigarette tax to 35% of the national average.

As Governing Magazine has also pointed out, the administration had also won the public trust by cutting three dollars of state spending for every single dollar raised in the budget reform process.

"Budget reform", and it's the "bi-partisan" part that has hurt Republicans. They haven't been this incohesive since, in my view, the last years of the Byrd Machine.

So, all that to say........

When you hear CNN, MSNBC, et al proudly proclaim how Kaine's victory tonight means another huge defeat for President Bush, they are only partially correct.

All politics is local. I can think of four reasons why Tim Kaine wins before the word "Bush" comes to mind:

1) Current Governor has been popular and has been prominently featured in Kaine's campaign. It's amazing how the "Warner Administration" suddenly became the "Warner/Kaine Administration" sometime this past summer.

2) Republican disarray, disagreement, and discontent over the "budget reform".

3) The least charismatic, least focused candidate in years, and years....

4) The public has apparently seen fit to embrace the aforementioned reform, and are believing in the improvements that are coming to, specifically, education and transportation, that have been touted by the Warner team. I believe some will come to pass (transportation, slowly) and some never will (when's the last time you heard a public school official say, "We have just too much money; let's share!!")

Here's the "yes" regarding President Bush:

Isn't it ironic that, after saying no for awhile, Kilgore finally embraced a Presidential visit, which took place in an airport hangar at RIC Airport as Bush returned from his fan tour of Latin America. So, Bush never left the property of the airport to "show his support".

That's not "firing up the troops". Kilgore sure didn't seem to want this rally in what you would call a public square, either!

So, some Bush effect? Yep. More state and local reasons? Sure.

Either way--Virginia Democrats are back on track, and Republicans better regroup, or their legislative majority will evaporate, too.

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President Bush does have something to smile about.....

...he "called" the house over the weekend asking us to vote for Jerry Kilgore, which impressed my daughter to no end. "Daddy, George Bush called us!!", she exclaimed.

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At the doctor today for a boring checkup, I read the cover story on Senator George Allen in the latest National Review. They got him absolutely right.

He comes off as very affable. In fact, I remember him being introduced at a Republican rally here in Richmond the night of the 1992 Richmond Presidential Debate, and he wasn't exactly "publicly chizzled" for politics (kinda goofy looking, I thought), even though he'd been in the General Assembly.

A year later, he comes back from 27 points down to destroy Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, becoming the first Republican to win the Governor's race in Virginia since 1977.

His four years were considered very successful. His family is "picture-perfect" for politics, he has "famous" blood (his father was former NFL coaching great George Allen), he is actually a nice guy, and he also has a side of him that takes no prisoners when it comes to winning.

He took over the US Senate seat by dethroning one-time Presidential hopeful, Chuck Robb (son-in-law of former President Johnson) in 2000. Popular Governor Mark Warner, also considered a rising star on the Democratic side for '08, especially among the "Anti-Hillary" crowd, decided not to seek Allen's seat.

Smart move. Both men benefit. Now Warner can begin working on 2008 after leaving the Governorship, and Allen can focus more time on 2008 now, rather than have to spend the next year trying to hold onto his current job.

No prominent Democrat will be able to give him much of a race, so both Allen and Warner are on the fast track.

It's about time. Virginia is the home of Presidents, they say. Well, lately to be eligible you have to be chiseled in granite somewhere.

Time for another Virginia President! President Allen sounds good, and NO I DO NOT MEAN GEENA DAVIS. YEECH!!!!

News and Notes on November 1st.....

First---the game.

This is my fourth season calling Patrick Henry football games (my alma mater!). I've had the pleasure of calling many victories for the Patriots, and, now, a fourth fantastic game with a fantastic finish.

Deep Run came to Ashland a very surprising 6-1, losing last week to Mills Godwin 10-0. They could stay in the District title race with a win and knock Patrick Henry out of the ranks of the unbeaten.

This was a defensive slugfest. PH's normal running game was pretty much stalled. To be fair, DJ Thomas was hurting most of the second half and played more on heart than legs.

It was 13-6 at the half. Deep Run scored the only points of the 2nd half. We go to overtime, 13-13.

PH gets the ball first, and scores in two plays from the ten. Extra point is good; 20-13.

Now, Deep Run's turn. Two plays, and they're in.

Deep Run then decides to do what PH decided to do last year in the Hermitage game; you're on the road, go for two and go for the win.

As I call the play, the ball goes to RB Wes McDaniel, who scored the TD on the last play, and my first reaction is he's got a clear seam to the end zone.

Then Stubby said, "No!"

Within a nanosecond, I see McDaniel being halted on the 1 yard line, with a PH defender coming from around the other side of the Deep Run offensive line to grab him by the back of the collar to halt progression, while a second PH defender comes in from the end zone to make sure he doesn't get in.

I see the referee signifying "no good". I go, "No Good! No Good! And Patrick Henry holds on to defeat Deep Run 20 to 19 in Overtime!" (or words to that effect).

It makes all the blowout games worthwhile to be able to call a nail-biter. What a game, and give credit to Deep Run, only in their 3rd year of varsity football. They have a tremendous defense and a great coach.

So, PH is 8-0, with JR Tucker on the road Friday, then the showdown we've all been waiting for: PH/Hermitage on 11/11. Patrick Henry could win this week, lose to Hermitage next week, finish 9-1 and still miss the playoffs while Hermitage, at 8-2, would get in. Long story; explanation later....

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And so, the reason why it was good I didn't go to Mama's grave last Friday morning on her birthday?

The van would have died in Louisa County. Later in the day Friday, the van died on Bonnie. Wouldn't start, period. This would most likely have happened to me early on a Friday morning, so, it was disappointing, but good, that I didn't make it.

I will soon, though. It's my favorite place to go for emotional catharsis.

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Funeral for Ms. Elsie will be Thursday morning, with visitation Wednesday night. This event has drawn out my "separation emotions" concerning leaving the church pastorate about 50 days before they would hit.

Commence crying.

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Very little time to follow news events, etc....my only current events comment is the Virginia Gubernatorial election is a week from now, and I CANNOT WAIT until it's over.

I'm ready to hear "I'm Ronald McDonald, and I approve this ad to make you fatter!"