I'd Better Hurry Up, Or I'll Be Late For.......

.....taking Harry J. out back for the morning wee-wee?

Welcome to week three of "Hi, you've reached Rob and I ain't working right now. At least for a wage, that is."

So, as you may note, I didn't show up here on the blog during week two. Here are some highlights from last week:


And those were the highlights of last week.

JUST KIDDING!

In reality:

--I spent four hours watching wrestling with Robbie (two for Raw, two for TNA Impact, which I enjoy more, if Mike Tenay would just SHUT UP!)

--Working on my sports card collection; figuring out what to keep, what to say goodbye to, and what I might do with some of the cards I'm not keeping. Could a connection with a blog be far behind?

--Dentist delivery, piano practice delivery, eye appointment.

--Spent Friday night not broadcasting Patrick Henry's football playoff game. And they WON! I hope we get clearance to air the Regional Final against Hanover Friday night, which is a rematch of the week one 29-28 cliffhanger won by Hanover.

--Went to our "home church!" on Sunday for the first time since, well, last Thanksgiving time. Enjoyed the service, Dr. Posey's sermon on Psalm 100 (she is so cool!!) and got to spend some time talking with some old friends. Even got a lunch date lined up with a couple of them for next week. At this moment in time, I'm "starving for good conversation", especially without having a cell phone, so I'm really looking forward to catching up and sharing.

Never been to O'Charley's, which was their immediate destination choice.

--Actually watched some TV with wifey! NCIS (which I actually like), and...ah...

NCIS! (hee hee)

Caught a great biography of Jack Benny last night; what a comedic genius. When you can say nothing or just make a simple facial expression and make people double over laughing, that's a gift.

I also caught some of a special on the 75th anniversary of the Washington Redskins. Interestingly enough, could have stopped at, about, year 59. When Mark Rypien is your last "hero".......

I mean, I was disappointed. WHAT??!!?? No Heath Shuler? No Gus Frerotte and the helmet-butt? What about Norv Turner or Steve Spurrier?

Now I can certainly understand not mentioning Daniel Snyder. He sure reminds me of a baseball club owner just up I-95......

Terry Allen, Michael Westbrook, Deion Sanders version 3.0, Rod Gardner......

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Now, I could go on for hours about the great 'Skins, especially during the George Allen "Over The Hill Gang" days when I watched them every Sunday with my brother.

But I might lose a job offer if I get too focused on that list.

Oh, I don't think job offers are as available this week as are unfortunate turkeys. Maybe another post. :)

This was the week that was......

....unexpected greetings from myself and Harry J. when Rachel departs the school bus

....an all-expense paid trip to tour the new Target on Staples Mill Road

....a BORING Thursday night (haven't had one since 1999)

....for the first time since 1999, new ISCI codes have been released for new commercials that I actually do NOT know.

....legal stuff

....the beginning of the great sports card purge of 2007-08 (it'll take more time than '07 has left to give)

....a weekend filled with hardly any appetite

....GOOD NEWS! Got to church! Kids enjoyed it, Mom didn't feel well, so I think the foursome make the trip next week.

....for the first time in six years of broadcasting Patrick Henry football games, the continuous clock rule went into effect, not because PH had a huge lead (over 35 points), but THE OPPONENT did.

....still, PH makes the playoff and is rewarded with a trip to Dinwiddie.

....second prize, by the way, was a one-way trip to Dinwiddie. Just kidding. :)

....at least we're getting some cold weather! The air conditioner in the bedroom, though, is leaving much to be desired for "Winter Plan 07-08". (Leave heat pump around 65-66 for kids while using window AC in our room for frozen conditions)...

....I was actually awake an entire day on a Sunday; saw football, went to Target, even folded clothes!

....but I missed my nap.

....but I missed a Sunday afternoon/evening trip into work to catch up more.

...........................................

And, so, the worst week of my life since December, 2002 mercifully comes to an end. This week? Heck if I know. I don't have a key, or a code, or an invitation to be employed at the moment. Looks like I'll be reducing the 110,000 + sports card collection even more.

Now, if I could do something about looking four months' pregnant rather than seven. Well, let's not be too hard. I did walk Harry J. this week, so that's a start. Besides, what am I gonna do at 330 in the afternoon? Watch Dr Phil? When that happens, start the suicide watch.

(That last joke was, indeed, a joke.)

THANK GOD this week is done. Well, in seven minutes....

BREAKING NEWS: NO JACK BAUER??!!?? NO CHLOE??!!??

First my job is gone, now Jack isn't coming to my house in January??

This week cannot end soon enough!!!

Click HERE for the saddening saga.

But I'm Not In Bed Yet!

A different take on the classic line from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".

"Bring out yer dead!"

"But I'm not dead yet!"

I am happy to announce that both yesterday and today I was stirring by 11a, and up and running not much later than that. :)

Right now it's appointment city, as we go to the doctor, the dentist, etc. to catch up on checkups and cleanings now that we have some copious spare time. :)

Tuesday was walk Harry, take out the trash, take Rachel to dentist, pick up Mom and Robbie, go to Rachel's parent-teacher conference, stop by school book fair, and, finally, take Dad to the new Target to give him the grand tour.

Today? Get up, take Robbie to school, come home, lie down (never went to sleep), get up, go to dentist for my checkup, go to Dollar Tree for my Crystal Geyser Water (they didn't have any), then back home for awhile.

Coming up? Rachel gets home, Harry is happy, Harry is walked, Mom gets home, Robbie gets home and I have no clue as to what else.

I'm new to this "being at home on a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday" deal, you know. :)

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

In closing, I will say, now that it's standard time again, I'm thinking a midday nap is useless....when it's dark before 6pm. :)

Breaking News, or, got a job opening? :)

As of about 930am today, I am, for the first time in my life, unemployed.

I no longer work for Clear Channel.

And that will be my only statement on the issue on this blog. Just wanted to let you know where I am and where I'm not. So don't call my work number or email me there. Leave a comment here instead! :)

October's Winning Numbers

....7, 17, and 27.

At least they rhyme. :)

Praise God for the rain!!!!

So, so thankful for the past 60 hours of mostly rain! Yes, rain! Remember rain?

Some of us may have 6 inches over the 3 days by the time it's all said and done tomorrow. This is not enough to "solve" the drought, and I PRAY the area jurisdictions KEEP the water restrictions intact for now.

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

If we get stuck in several days' of dry weather again....it's a little easier to take if I get the news from this lady. :)

Happy Birthday, Uncle Frank! Or...enjoy my latest nostalgia kick....

The World's Best Brother turned (fill in the blank here) today!

My daughter was honored to read the school announcements each day this week on the school TV! One thing she did was announce birthdays....I asked her to slide in "and my Uncle Frank" today, but we thought that may not be the greatest idea. :)

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

You'll notice lots of YouTube videos lately as I wax poetic (that age 40 thing again?) and find LOTS of wonderful memories from way, way back.

I mean, where else in the world can you find, in seconds,

---The King of 8's from Sesame Street
---The Opening to the Game Show "Whew!"
---One of wrestling's best-ever brawls, circa 1989
---Classic cereal commercials
---and "I SAID A BEEF HOT LINK!"

Right here, my friends! Right here. :)

Enjoy the past posted, and the videos still to come!

P.S.---Good Grief, that's Princess number 9!

It's The King of 8's!!!!!

One of my all-time favorites from Sesame Street!

"WHEW"!!! It's the theme song to "WHEW"!!!!

I CANNOT BELIEVE I FOUND THIS!!!! This game show theme song has been in my mind since this aired in 1979-80.

One of my ALL-TIME favorite game shows....

THIS is professional wrestling!!!

Oh, that it would be this way today.

Who do I watch?---Round One

Maria or Alexis? They're making it too hard!! I can't figure out my picture-in-picture feature on my TV, either!!

Gee Peyton, couldn't you have let me down gently?

I mean, I know I look seven months pregnant and I REALLY want to lose some of the gut, but dang!

Peyton, you're no help at all!! But you sure are funny!

A sad day for game show "parting contestants"....

....the co-inventor of Rice-A-Roni has passed at age 92.

See more here.


Now, enjoy some of the greatest "parting gifts" of all time, courtesy of Match Game, with Rice-A-Roni at 3:41 of the video, and, earlier, a special appearance by Rice-A-Roni's little sister!

.....potpourri.....

---you're Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher. You're up 25 one minute, then within an hour of real time, you've just witnessed a complete collapse of your team at the hands of......

SAGE ROSENFELS?

....but moments later you are rescued from the depths of losing by.....

KERRY COLLINS?

And then, Rob Bironas saves the day. EIGHT field goals in one game; a new NFL record.

I like Rob (other than the name, duh!); last year I caught the end of a Tennessee game where he was going for a 60-yarder to win and I thought, "Lord, it would be so cool if he could make that."

And he did. After the game the CBS announcers asked him what the longest field goal of his career was.

"You just saw it", he replied. He sounded like the kid who just became owner of the candy store. :)

So, did YOU wake up this morning thinking Sage would sling, Kerry would barely carry, and Rob would do the job? What a quarter!

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

---You have to feel for Byron Leftwich. He loses his job in Jacksonville, then is released, then finally gets picked up by Atlanta. He starts, starts out well, then goes down injured. That simply sucks. We'll learn more tomorrow; hope he's gonna be alright and back on the field soon.

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

---No team is a machine. The Patriots will not go undefeated. They will probably beat the Colts, but they'll stumble somewhere. I don't think alot of people truly understand the team that was the 1972 Dolphins. They won with a back-up quarterback at age 38 (though Earl Morrall was a darn good quarterback) and in an era with no ESPN, no NFL.com, no podcasts, no 24/7 punditry on whether "The Fins" could go unbeaten in '72.

For a team to suffer a big injury (Quarterback) and still go undefeated is astonishing. If Tom Brady (God forbid) went down next week, who saves their perfect record?

In closing, I will readily admit to saying I'm biased. I can't stand the Patriots; I am so tired of them (and, oh, they cheated). I hope the Colts can find the chink in the armor. But I'm not holding my breath on it.

Profiles in Courage 2007

I'm so glad this young lady left a comment on this rather meaningless blog.

Because I discovered hers, and it is a must read. Hold Melissa up in your prayers, and email her with your support. I will be. :)

Click here. Now.

XXXChurch.com presents "Porn and Pancakes"!

Yep. You read it right. :)

What a bold idea! Click here to go to Chris Harmon's blog here in Richmond; he attended the breakfast, and he has links to newspaper articles as well.

As for XXXChurch.com? Click here.

The latest from Nikita Leonid Putin.....

...my new name for "Vladimir", who shouldn't be taken seriously any longer as a present or future leader of a nation interested in expanding or even maintaining current levels of personal freedoms.

Today he's hangin' with Iran's "President I'm-A-Nim-A-Rod", trying to settle long issues regarding the oil and gas reserves in and around the Caspian Sea. Iran and Russia join emerging world powers Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan in talks, being the five nations that surround the Sea.

Yeah...like Russia hasn't occupied them other three before. Ya think Nikita Leonid Putin would nix a move into those areas again for the sake of "Russian long-term security"?

Read this article and see how "happy" a Congressman's wife is......

....she doesn't worry about her health care.

Doesn't she understand, she's paying for it? We ALL are!

For those of you who don't know me, I'm the guy who blogs here.....or, how Hillary wants to bloat your government yet again!!!!!

Honest.

Really.

I'm Rob, and I've neglected my blog.

(therapy group responds...."Hi, Rob!!")

Let's see....life has been spent in the following places lately:

--Work
--Bed
--Work
--Work
--Bed
--Press Box calling football game
--Collapsed on recliner
....watching "The War", or Beth Moore, or ESPNews.....

...but with no energy, no fire, no desire to blog.

My philosophy on blogging, as I mentioned in August, is like the Moody Blues' philosophy on recording albums; they do it when they have something to say. If I'm absent awhile, part of the reason will always be I currently have nothing that fires me up enough to fire up the laptop.

That doesn't mean I don't miss blogging. I love blogging, my blog, and those I've come to enjoy and read myself.

So, bottom line--it's nice to be home. Let's rant. :)


ITEM: Hillary Clinton's Secret Partner in the Government Takeover of Health Care!!!

---THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY ITSELF. My 2008 Health Insurance "Enrollment Period" has been as much fun as stabbing yourself in the eye with a pencil. Which would, of course, require medical attention, and the vicious cycle would go on.....

The process of signing up has become so complex, so time-consuming, so confusing, that I and others are convinced the real purpose of this maze is for consumers to throw their hands in the air and yell, "I QUIT---GIVE ME WHATEVER!".

And, of course, the era of "you can only have the best health care if you're healthy" has definitely begun. You know, if you commit to having a "health coach" call you and help you and participate on a sports team or join a gym, etc, etc.....

I never saw the term "invited" in an Enrollment book until this year. Invite? What?

The days of Capitalism (you know, if you can afford the best insurance policy, you can buy it!) are fleeting away.

AND----this is exactly what Hillary Clinton had in mind in 1992-93 when she first tried, in the ELECTED position of First Lady I might add, to socialize medicine.

And don't EVEN TRY to tell me it wouldn't be. When Big Brother tells me what doctor I have to see, what hospital I must go to, etc.....that's Socialism. Ask anyone who lived in the Soviet Union. You remember the Soviet Union, don't you?

But see....here's the difference between 1993 and 2007.....back then you could enroll for your health care plan for the next year in about 30 minutes. Getting a referral to a specialist was your biggest worry.

Now? Simple. Let's frustrate the masses with high prices and confused care plans, and one day they'll just say, (like I said earlier)...."I QUIT! GIVE ME WHATEVER!"

And Hillary will be there to answer their frustration.

BUT IT'S NOT GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE!!! They say.....

Don't you understand doublespeak!!??!!

Here's a quote from her website:

The American Health Choices Plan gives Americans the choice to preserve their existing coverage, while offering new choices to those with insurance, to the 47 million people in the United States without insurance, and the tens of millions more at risk of losing coverage.

The Same Choice of Health Plan Options that Members of Congress Receive: Americans can keep their existing coverage or access the same menu of quality private insurance options that their Members of Congress receive through a new Health Choices Menu, established without any new bureaucracy as part of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). In addition to the broad array of private options that Americans can choose from, they will be offered the choice of a public plan option similar to Medicare.

A Guarantee of Quality Coverage: The new array of choices offered in the Menu will provide benefits at least as good as the typical plan offered to Members of Congress, which includes mental health parity and usually dental coverage.

Now a point or two....

1) Members of Congress receive their health care benefits from....ah....the Federal Government. So, if I start getting their plan, my plan will be authorized by....ah...the Federal Government. Formed by the Federal Government. Controlled by the Federal Government.

2) No "added" bureaucracy. Listen to yourself!! Who needs "new" bureaucracy when you can take the current one and bloat it to a fare thee well. Of course, if one is bloated, don't they then need quality health care? Sorry, got off the subject. Taking care of the health of humans isn't the issue here.

3) Yay! I might get a "public" option! Who gets the invitation to Congress and who doesn't?

Finally, under the heading "Promote Shared Responsibility", here is what the "individual" (you and me) is responsible for:

Individuals: will be required to get and keep insurance in a system where insurance is affordable and accessible.


Excuse me? Required? What if I don't want health insurance? I'm independently wealthy and choose to pay my bills on my own. What do I do? Pay a fine?


AND IN CLOSING.......

One more sentence from Hillary's web-house of horrors.....

Over half the savings (alleged in overall health care costs, parentheses is my commentary)come from the public savings generated from Senator Clinton’s broader agenda to modernize the heath systems and reduce wasteful health spending.

If Hillary can't spell "health", how can she be trusted to take it over?

Ric Flair Carolina Hurricanes parody

September's Winning Numbers

3, 11, 16 and 27.

Here's the spot that stokes the co-workers.....

...I missed them today. Hoping this stomach bug is done.

...and I love my innards tickled!!!

The Count! Franken Berry! Ah, the Saturday morning memories....

Possibly the greatest answer in game show history....

Hey, Bro----here's a throwback TV moment!

But why, Barry? Why?......No, really, why?

So Barry Manilow cancels on The View the day before a scheduled performance after the show refused to allow him to be interviewed by everyone EXCEPT Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

So, I read the EXCLUSIVE statement Barry gave to TMZ.com.

Okay, dangerous and offensive. Not really a detailed explanation of an apparently new phobia with appearing with her on the same stage. Did you note he was on the show last year twice, and he was gracious enough to show up in spite of Elisabeth's presence CO-HOSTING THE SHOW, WHICH IS HER JOB, BY THE WAY.....

....but I digress....

So, I go to Manilow's own website. I get this insightful announcement....

Monday, September 17, 2007
A message from Barry...
Hey guys,

I wanted to let you know that I will no longer be on The View tomorrow as scheduled. I had made a request that I be interviewed by Joy, Barbara or Whoopi, but not Elisabeth Hasselback. Unfortunately, the show was not willing to accommodate this simple request so I bowed out.

It’s really too bad because I've always been a big supporter of the show, but I cannot compromise my beliefs. The good news is that I will be on a whole slew of other shows promoting the new album so I hope you can catch me on those.

Love,
Barry


Okay---compromise his beliefs. Which, to this point, he has yet to express.

Obviously, TMZ itself had it right (she happens to commit the sin of being politically conservative).

This is Manilow's decision, except for the fact that he waited 'til the 11th hour, as if Elisabeth might become Hillary or something (which was rude to The View in total), and I certainly have no problem with his right not to do the show. I just wonder why he'd not had a problem the other times (doesn't he get his staff to research the political backgrounds of all talk show hosts?)

So, again, a member of the "tolerant progressives" proves they indeed are intolerant, too. The least Barry could've done was, well, explain himself.

Unfortunately, intolerance is not the property of any particular group of humans. We are all easily capable of doing it.

I don't think Sally Field was ever a "youth football" Mom.....

Apparently, Sally Field had something to say last night at the Emmys......


"And, let's face it, if the mothers ruled the war, there would be no (expletive) wars in the first place..."

Yeah.

Pit two moms with 12 year old sons on a youth football team whose kids are always on the bench, even though they're good players, against two moms with 12 year old sons on a youth football team whose dads are coaches, so their kids play all the time, even though they're not very good.

I think Sally will see it's not as cut and dry as she thinks it is.

:) :) :)

No posts, now lotsa posts!

See below, as I went from no posting over several days to four posts on Saturday alone (and now this one just after midnight ET Sunday morning)

Scroll down to read about:

--James Brolin's complete insensitivity
--A game-winning field goal by a LADY named Rachel!
--holy laughter
--Bill Maher
--Simpletons for Jesus
--...and a drinking game! (non-alcoholic, of course).

Thank you! And good night. :)

What?!? What?!? WHAT?!? Happy 9/11??!!??

That was the pronouncement of James Brolin (aka Mr. Streisand) last Tuesday on a Connecticut radio show.

Click here. Someone help me....does he support Hillary?


P.S.----Content advisory!! Some links to questionable celebrity photos are on this page, too.

Rachel Moore, football star!!!

Rachel Moore kicks the game-winning 21 yard field goal as Hanover stuns Patrick Henry on Friday, 9/7, 29 to 28, on our opening night broadcast of PH football on the radio. More on this wild game soon, plus a look at their win last night over Atlee.

I LOVE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

"God told me to...."---the drinking game!

Turn on many Christian TV programs tonight and you'll hear preachers, pundits, and others say the following (or words to this effect):

"God spoke to me...."
"The Lord said to me...."
"God told me to...."

Sometimes it's absolutely true, and praise God for that!! Other times though, it's brutally sad to see someone wrap their love for themselves, their fame, their power in the Christian community to make people believe they are constantly listening for the "voice of God".

How do you know the difference?

1) The Holy Spirit can show you; if you are in tune with Him;
2) listen to the context of which it's placed.

When the context is wrong, grab a Mountain Dew, put some in the shot glass, and take a drink!

Trust me, you won't get drunk, you won't act like you've been afflicted with "holy laughter", but you will have to go to the potty, probably more than once before going night-night.

THEN.....tomorrow night, choose, say, Coke instead, but use the term....

"Sow a seed...."

I promise you, you'll have a two-liter downed in many small quantities in under an hour. And yes, channel changing is allowed in order to search for said quotes.

Because they're all over the airwaves. Too bad more are used for earthly gain than for heavenly matters.

Bill Maher, meet Proverbs.....

....as funny as Bill Maher can be (the "New Rule" segment on his Real Time show last night was classic), he can also be as simplistic as those he says are, well, simplistic.

This exchange caught my ear at work the other evening with Chris Matthews, of Hardball (or Softball, or Loftball, or Beanball, depending upon the guest)....regarding (of course), the Iraq War and President Bush.

MATTHEWS: But you know, let‘s give President Bush credit. He‘s a conservative, and one thing you and I agree, conservatives tend to be pretty good when it comes to tribe. They understand tribal tendencies, ethnic prejudices, you know? He doesn‘t seem to understand why the Islamic people in that part of the world would have a problem with us landing 150,000 troops over there and building a permanent base in their world. He doesn‘t seem to understand the instinct they have to get us—the tissue rejection that they‘d feel toward us. He doesn‘t get it, it seems.

MAHER: Right, Chris, because he‘s not a reader. He didn‘t think he had to learn anything about Iraq before he invaded it because he prayed about it, and people who pray about something, Chris, don‘t need to learn. They don‘t need to talk to experts or Arabs or prime ministers or ambassadors. They talk directly to Jesus. Case closed.

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

Hmmmmm.....so I don't need to learn because I pray. I got Jesus on the mainline, so screw the rest of you, eh?

A few nuggets of wisdom and advice from the guys who gave us Proverbs in the Old Testament suggest otherwise.....

First, easily the most quoted verses from Proverbs come from chapter 3, verses 5 and 6...

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Well; proves Bill's point, doesn't it? Shut down your brain and follow your sense of hearing God and you're home free. Sounds simple enough.

But, that theory is destroyed when I see two words in verse five:

"....your own...."

One's own means the understanding I alone have cultivated over time, whether I sought anyone else's advice or not, prayed or not, read the Word of God or not, read the Koran to figure out Islam or not, etc, etc, etc. It's all sifted through the "Rob" filter, and that's pretty dangerous.

So, therefore, to fully grasp the wisdom found in this oft-quoted passage, let's remember that, just like God gave people the wisdom to create medications which heal the body, God also provides wisdom in the form of messengers. You know, like your spouse; or your parents...how about your best friend, your accountability group, your minister or priest....heck, sometimes it comes from a complete stranger! Maybe a blog you stumble upon (or so you think) but wisdom given to that author provides what you needed at that moment. God in the box. Stop thinking that way, my friends.

So, back to some verses from Proverbs, which, when adhered to, show that not only does God NOT have to "speak to you" about what color socks to wear tomorrow, but also that the opinion of Maher, in this case, is woefully simplistic.

-----------------------------------------
Proverbs 13:10 "Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice."

Proverbs 19:2 "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge,
nor to be hasty and miss the way."

19:8 "He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
he who cherishes understanding prospers."

19:27 "Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge."

......and finally, backing up a few verses to these two:

19:20 "Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.

21 Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

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

Sounds like we can find wisdom in many ways. And certainly, it is when we allow God to lead us in the direction of wisdom that verses 20 and 21 become alive for us.

BUT, there's the caveat of the Maher argument. "SEE, all that "wisdom" you're talking about has to come from JESUS." You do speak truth there.

BUT, as mentioned earlier, I'm not a "drone for Christ"; existing with no brain, charged to find an enemy and smite them for the apparent evidence of disobedience.

I've got enough smarts (I HOPE) in my brain to know things like, wear clothing in public or get arrested (as well as make hundreds sick to their stomachs). Wash your hair regularly to avoid, like, bugs. Find a tick after playing in the field all day? Ask God to take it and watch it fall off? Eh, normally I get a cotton ball and some rubbing alcohol, and woozy the poor leach to his/her death. And I cannot begin to tell you how many hours I've saved by not having to ask God each day to intercede for me as to whether I put my left shoe on first, or my right.

That way, when I do use the prayer time, I can work on being transparent on more important matters.

Bill, my case isn't "closed" when I pray to Jesus; because prayer is a 24/7 conversation in a lifelong journey. Christians who will be brutally honest with you would tell you that we miss the mark MANY times when thinking we "heard" what God said to us, only to discover later we didn't do our homework assignment. Those who DO think they always hear God right the first time probably include, in their population history, those who brought us such wonderful events as slaughter during the Crusades, et al.

I'm sorry that your understanding of a prayer life and the fact that Christians are charged to seek wisdom and advice from others (but not just ANYBODY) is limited.

Try the advice given from the above verses in Proverbs. Pretty wise stuff, if you ask me.

Excuse me, I gotta go seek God about this new issue I've got. Once and for all, I want to know what Jesus would say to the one who asks, "Paper or Plastic?"

Those were the days!!

Remind me.....

....to talk about Bill Maher's simplistic degradation of people like me who "talk to Jesus" on today's Hardball on PMSNBC.

Wonder how many times he's read the book of Proverbs?

August's Winning Numbers.....

....3, 8, 16, 22 and 28.

A Frozen Tundra Better Than Lambeau Field.....

Click here for an incredible story on how one person can make a difference....thousands and thousands of miles away.

Oh, and always good to see Elizabeth Vargas!

Get A Goat!

And Rachel thinks High School Musical 2 is so good. Ha!

CNN's "God's Warriors".....

Though I know I'm a little late in discussing this topic, I have just a few thoughts on the three-night documentary.

GREAT:

1) What was covered on all three fronts was covered very well. I especially was impressed with night one, "Jewish Warriors", for the scope and breadth of the analysis of facets of present-day Judaism, complemented by comments and views from those quite orthodox.

2) Amanpour. No one is perfect or completely unbiased, but she's about as close as they come, and having her do this made perfect sense. No one else in news comes close when it comes to credentials. Not even Anderson Cooper (insert tongue in cheek here).

3) Greg Boyd. God bless Greg Boyd!!! The point of the feature with him I absolutely cannot agree with more! STOP the marriage between evangelical Christianity and conservative American politics! I think I said this in a post a LONG time back, but if we had taken all the money spent on political causes, et al from Christians and spent it instead on feeding the poor, caring for the sick, and loving people no matter Red State or Blue State, we'd see alot more people lovin' Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit change hearts!! We focus on Jesus. Deal? Deal!


GOOD:

1) The first two nights, "Jewish", and "Muslim" Warriors. I learned much and appreciated the opportunity to do so, rather than seeing another night of Larry King bumbling through an interview on the latest with Paris Hilton/Lindsey Lohan/insert name of irrelevant person here.

2) Overall span of interview subjects; wide ranging that I could see, at least on the first two nights.

3) Rehan Seyam. Not deterred by the majority of Americans who would look at her in traditional Muslim wear (with headscarf) thinking she was a homicide bomber, she lives her faith, all the way. Her frank comments about never wanting anyone to see her body in a revealing way other than her husband was, frankly, a welcome breath of fresh air to hear a Muslim woman in America make that statement. Granted, I know, I know, if she were in an Arab nation, her story would not exist, for she wouldn't be able to be outspoken in the first place.


FAIR:

1) Night three: "Christian" Warriors. While doing a good job in discussing present day evangelical Christianity in America, it actually overdid it. How many "Religious Right White Guy" stories did we really need? Other than John Hagee's "Christian Zionist" drive, the others (Falwell, Johnson, et al) were repetitive.

2) Ron Luce and Teen Mania--much, too much emphasis on Luce looking like a Taliban leader raising the next generation of homicidal warriors....and catching them in San Fran was a nice backdrop to it all. One of the few cheap shots in the entire series.


BAD:

Did anyone else notice what few commercials were in the first night's two hours regarding the Jews, and very little additional commercial time on night two? Then, the night of the Christian Warriors...EVERY time you turn around...commercials! But first, five promos on Soledad O'Brien, Spike Lee, and the fourth airing of a Diana retrospective.

Guess which night they thought they'd get the most viewers?


VERY VERY DISAPPOINTING: Instead of talking to multiple white guy leaders of the Religious Right, why not investigating the post-modern church movement beginning a groundswell in Europe, Christian persecution around the world, and what's it like to be a Christian in a country like China? Having the whole two hours on Christianity in America actually distorted the real worldview and current world experience of the Christian Church.

On the whole, 4 out of 5 stars. It was a huge undertaking, and I applaud CNN for that. :)

I have some catching up to do......

....I have much to say regarding several things; but have been either in bed, at work, and/or in limbo the past several days.

--The CNN Documentary Series, "God's Warriors" gives me the chance to offer lots of comments on not only the TV event, but the state of religion.

--Been studying online recently on our good friends in the crazy camp of Christianity, Prosperity Theology, with special guest stars, holy laughter, and getting caught using earpieces.

--The upcoming football season, of course!

--Current events (Utah, Greece, Floods, Drought, some TV news changes, Supertramp in a commercial, the Orioles' pitching staff, the LLWS walk-off HR, and more...)

BUT....no commentary on Michael Vick.

I'll be around; promise. :)

Watch this report, and remember those who sacrificed...

....I saw this on the CBS Evening News tonight.

I urge you to watch this and then go get more information. I'm going to.

The Storm, The Sequel, Its Powerful Cousin, and the long-lasting crazy uncle filled with lightning and thunder.......

I was so engrossed in work and other stuff yesterday that I totally forgot there might be a chance of thunderstorms in the evening.....

....it did hit 100 degrees, so the cauldron had been stirred apparently. When I turned on the TV at work to listen to the evening news, I'm greeted by radar pictures showing a fierce thunderstorm cell over Louisa County (seems like Mama's gotten little rest this summer with tons of storms rolling right over the cemetery up there....)

Oh, that's right, I thought. There's a chance for storms. A chance. Yeah, right.

As the next 30 minutes pass and I see that storm continue to rock, roll, blossom, and blow through the radar screen, I realize it's headed our way, it's a force to be reckoned with.....my family's at home and I'm not, and a good friend is a sitting duck on a football field watching youth football practice.

About four phone calls and a report of 92 mph winds 10 minutes from my friend and 25 from my house, I know the family is in and safe, and I'm happy to hear my friend and her boy are headed home!

So, this is storm one coming through; once it hit the station, HEAVY rain, TONS of lightning and thunder, and six close-calls where power was lost, but popped right back on. This is 730 or 8p.

By 9p or so, here comes another round; didn't know that was coming; but it wasn't as severe and rain was the star. I call home at 10p announcing my exit from work, only to get into a conversation with someone, and not leaving until 1030pm.....

....and as I left the building, totally and completely unbeknownst to me.....

....I walked into round three. It was about as vicious as round one. Tremendous wind, torrential rain, and a lightning show that left you breathless. From awe, and, while driving, from fear.

My prevalent thought going home was "watch the trees". And I had never had that thought driving in a storm before. Wind and ponding rain, but not the trees. So, I kept that at the forefront, as well as looking for the sudden "road ponds", and slowly, slowly headed for home, the van being rocked one way and another.

When I get to Wawa, I find them the last vestige of electricity. So, with some angst, I head down Old Staples Mill Road, which has been known to pond, and now with Target being built right beside it, who knows how the waterflow will be....or not be....now.

Had some ponds, made it through. Until just before I get to Hungary Road. A police car just on the scene.

A tree. Yes, a tree. Road blocked. I turn around in a minivan, whose transmission is quite suspect at this time, now needs to turn around on a two lane road, while NOT coming close to either ditch, not knowing their depth, or their current, well, water current.

Thanks to God, a success. So, back to Wawa, down Staples Mill more, a longer way home, and then in the house. About 1050pm. Rachel clings to me; I'm tired and still surprised.

Finally, after 1am, as I go to fall asleep, I see a new event outside my window...

....storm number four.

Strong lightning for an hour, or two, or so, isn't incredibly unusual....

We were at 5 1/2 hours when I drifted off to night-night after 1am.

So, while the crazy uncle outside told more "light stories" in the sky, my body, mind, and psyche called it a day.

Whew!

I Love Jesus, so I follow Karl Rove....repeat....I Love Jesus, so I follow Karl Rove.....

I don't need to commentate on this one, fans.

Apparently, Bill Moyers decided Karl Rove replaced the Holy Spirit in the Trinity for the past several years. Funny, I don't remember thinking about Karl Rove when deciding my 2000 and 2004 Presidental voting.

I remember comparing George W. Bush to Al Gore and John Kerry.

Oh, well. I love Jesus, so I follow Karl Rove.....now, for more GOP Kool-Aid....

My philosophy of days I don't blog....

....is in agreement with John Lodge's comments on when the Moody Blues decide when to record music, and when not to.

"I think the No. 1 secret is being truthful to who you are. When we've had nothing to say, as a group, we haven't recorded. And when we have had something to say, we've recorded. To be honest, I haven't had something to say, which is partly why we haven't had a new record in years."

So when I'm not here, I'm either in bed (yeah, I wish...), working too much, or I'd only type drivel.

I don't wanna do that. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!!!

Happy Birthday to Blog, Happy Birthday to Blog.......

.....sorry, I know, a little carried away I am. :)

I cannot believe today begins year four in the blogosphere; it's been so much fun.

I'm not Drudge or Arianna or my lady Blonde Sagacity, but I am proud of my finite slice of the world of blogging.

Why do I do it? It's a place to talk when I have something to say, a place for releasing what my brain thinks is creative writing and discussion (all depends upon your definition of "creative", of course!), a place to share the events of this, the Witham Nation, the events in my heart, a struggle with OCD and depression, even reviews of the high school football games I get to call on the radio (my alma mater, too!)

So, to those of you who actually invest a few moments here, a big thank you! For the people I run into in the blogosphere thanks to tags and keywords, thanks to God! I enjoy meeting lots of people from all walks of life. After all, that's what My Boss did. :)

Off to year four. What's coming? One can only hope for a resurgence of NC State basketball, another Moody Blues concert, and lots of hot se.......oh. Wifey may read. She wouldn't like that comment released to the world. Wouldn't be prudent to post that at this juncture. Thanks Bush 41 for those words of wisdom!

Here's a taste of what you missed at Wolf Trap....

....from a 2004 appearance on German TV; marvel at the music, as well Norda Mullen's wonderful flute performance.

WOW!!!!!

Thanks for all the responses to last night's Moody Blues concert post.

So glad to be able to connect with many who share the same appreciation of the Moodies.

NOW---go to my links list on the right (it's in alphabetical order) and CLICK ON the newest addition, the "Moody Blues Message Board"!! They were nice enough to post my review from the Wolf Trap performance!!

To Gloria and Summerfields----thanks for the props!!

The Moody Blues, Filene Center at Wolf Trap, Vienna, Va: Sunday August 5, 2007

I'm having a very, very hard time believing it will ever get better than this.

Tonight was simply phenomenal; above and beyond any and all my expectations.

Chronologically speaking: First, before and after the show.....

Leaving home this afternoon, my first thought was "test of patience". It began with a slow train passing on my way to get gas. Then, there was the bear called Interstate 95.

There's just been too much migration to places like Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties. From Ladysmith, past Fredericksburg, to Stafford, traffic was continually stop and go, with the emphasis on STOP.

The funny thing....the easiest part of I-95 North was the part CLOSEST to D.C.!! You know, where it's supposed to get really congested. :)

So, leaving early was good; for a time I thought maybe I hadn't left early enough. The trick was this:

--manage some roads I'd never driven
--get to free parking, while it lasted (according to their website)
--and make sure you're there by 730p when the indoor/covered part of the Filene Center opens.

Happy to report we made it through the roads, got there at 7pm (it took almost 3 hours to get there), found a parking spot and got in by 710. One pit stop at the men's room later, I'm standing in the light rain waiting for 730pm.

Yes, I said rain. Other parts of the DC Metro got bad storms this evening; I'm thankful that didn't occur in Vienna. You may recall my 2004 Moody Blues evening here in Richmond ended up being "Mudfest", plus a delay due to lightning. I still had the time of my life. :)

Witham plus Moody Blues equals rain of a certain extent.

GREAT SEAT!!!! Second row, front of balcony, left hand side. Great view. Made EVEN BETTER when the people seated in front of me left at intermission (What?!?! Are they nuts???), so I had a clear view for the rest of the show.

Leaving? In the van at 10:22, pulled into the driveway at 1250am. That includes dealing with leaving the parking lot and stopping for a Wendy's burger. Now I'm home and you KNEW I had to blog before bed, especially since I took Monday off from work. Deft move, Dad. Very deft. :)

NOW THE SHOW:

The three members of the group, plus a drummer, keyboardist, one lady providing backup vocals and flute, another on vocals and keyboard. Seven in all.

Set One: (Yes, I wrote it all down!)

--Lovely To See You (of course, they're opening number!!)
--Tuesday Afternoon

...then the official "warm welcome from the Moody Blues" from John Lodge which made things officially official.

--Lean On Me Tonight
--Never Comes A Day
--Time Zone
--The Voice (the first tears appear!)
--One More Time To Live
--I Know You're Out There Somewhere
--The Story In Your Eyes (with a wonderfully extended jam to end the first part)

Set Two:

--Your Wildest Dreams (what a song...)
--Isn't Life Strange (performed very powerfully)
--The Other Side of Life (I couldn't help thinking of playing that song on cart at WUPE in Pittsfield, Massachusetts when it came out in 1986)
--December Snow (from the "December" CD of 2003---beautiful song)
--Higher and Higher (the Graeme Edge show, narrative, tamborine and dancing!)
--Are You Sitting Comfortably (harmony; I love harmony)

....then the triple crown of a Moody Blues concert:

1) I'm Just A Singer In A Rock 'n Roll Band----Oh, my gosh. What a song, what crowd participation, the band was VERY energetic and the jam, well, I wished they were still playing it.

2) Then, as only they can do, the Moody Blues are able to take us from that to the haunting yet liberating, unmistakable sound of "Nights In White Satin". Graeme did the narrative first (bit of a twist), then the song, and that is when I lost it. By the time the song ended, I was giving them another standing ovation, wiping now intertwined tears and sweat beads from my face.

I'm sorry, but the words "I love you" have never and WILL NEVER be as powerfully sung in a rock song as they are by Justin Hayward in "Nights In White Satin".

COMPLETE ERUPTION from the crowd, loving every bit of it.

3) Then, to marry the two distinct emotional "screenplays" as it were, of the previous two songs, the third is "Question". Tremendous energy with the two calm, reflective verses, each time going to the heart of what everyone is looking for, worldwide....

"I'm looking for someone to change my life; I'm looking for a miracle in my life..."

Yes, even me, a 32 year believer in my Savior, Jesus Christ, could identify emotionally with the message, thinking of those things past, those yet to come (or maybe aren't supposed to come to pass); and feeling a flood of emotion in a sea of pure musical energy. The song begs for a "jam" version at the end, which we willingly receive. At this point I think they could have started singing from the latest New England Journal of Medicine and as long as the flute played, the guitars rocked and the harmony soared, we all would have been happy to stand in that pavilion for hours on end.

Now, I'd cheated on my blog (thanks to Witham News Headlines), and knew the encore was coming and so when they left, I was ready for that "one more song"....

"Ride My See-Saw"----great ending song! Plenty of rock, energy, pure happiness and, hey, here's a concept, GIVING TO OTHERS!!

"...ride my see-saw; take this place on this trip just for me. Ride, take a free ride; take my place, have my seat; it's for free."

By this point, my concerns about "...if I stay standing can the people behind me see?" were replaced by "...what if I never get to see them again? Screw it, I'm standin'!"

Great ending; great show; incredible performance, AND, my favorite part....it was ALL about the music.

Yes, John likes yukking it up with the guitar and basking in some applause; Justin is pretty level-headed, and Graeme is talented, hilarious, and energetic (and throws drumsticks across the top level of the stage to his fellow drummer rather well....)

Norda Mullen is, in my mind, a very key element to the success of the concert performance, between her incredible flute playing, her vocals and her contagious energy. And Julie Ragins, at the keyboard with great vocals and high energy and knows how to swing with the beat!

Julie and Norda make the live performance go from great to even better. Thank you, ladies! I have to laugh; once during the show I wondered if they were born around the time of "Long Distance Voyager" (1981). God, I'm old. :):)

The bottom, bottom line, is nothing onstage ever attempted to "upstage" the music. The music is the story, the focal point, the "sun" of which everything else orbited.

What a night.
What a night.
What a show.

Unless they come back around here one more time and do it again for us, I think I just hit rock music's mountaintop tonight. At least, the top of my mountain.

It's almost 3:30am and I'm still jazzed; trying to go to sleep should be a hoot.

A wish as I lay down---come back to Virginia...please...one more time!!

I yield the balance of my time to this young lady who was at Wolf Trap tonight, too....

The biggest difference between her and I is I took Monday off from work. :)

Click here.

The day is here!!

Leaving later this afternoon for the Filene Center at Wolf Trap.

I have an appointment with the Moody Blues.

It will be "Lovely To See You" again, my friends.....

(Complete details come Monday) :)

July's Winning Numbers.....

....3, 8, 14, 22, and 30.

A taste of things to come on Sunday.....

.....as expected, a wonderful review of the Moody Blues performance at Saratoga Springs, New York.

Sunday's coming soon!!

Please welcome to the Blogosphere.....

snobbymommy.blogspot.com

:)

Thanks for the quote, Kelly!!!!!

Came across this blog entry from Kelly.....the entry on her blog came up on my Technorati watchlist for "24 Chloe".

CLASSIC CHLOE!!!

Thanks, Kelly!! Visit her blog!!

You should read the articles in "Witham News".....

....scroll down some and look on the right side, where I continually bring you news headlines, thanks to Google, on the keywords that are "the buzz" in my life right now.

The first category is always "Witham". After 40 years, I'm still fascinated by learning there are people out there who share my last name. For example, read about:

...Michelle Witham, helping Kent, Washington build a new arena for a hockey team;

...David Witham, getting a great review on his unique music style (and pictured beside someone famous!)----plus another story, featuring an audio interview with him (he's been George Benson's music director for over 20 years now!!)

...or the Witham Wharf Development in Lincolnshire, UK.....

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Here's a great review from the Moody Blues' recent Toronto show, to get us pumped up for our night at Wolf Trap next Sunday......

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Under "radio commercial", I see a good report...selfishly speaking, because the company I work for made $$$ in 2Q.

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Finally, Jessica Biel's advice on how men can be truly "sexy", courtesy of a wire report from, of all places, Pakistan. Her picture will make the qadi there rather unhappy.


So check out the Witham Headlines; I change subjects weekly. It's just another way to help cure your insomnia here at All Things Witham. :)

I wish I were a Gaskill.......

....for if I were a Gaskill, I would definitely be at their family reunion in October. You know why?

Their event will be catered by none other than the food God made first-hand....

SMITHFIELD CHICKEN AND BARBECUE!!!!!!!

Good choice, guys! Your food will be a hit! :)

Disclaimer....this blogger is not associated with nor is employed or paid by Smithfield Chicken and BBQ or any franchisees or associates.

MY NEW FAVORITE SUPERHERO!!!!!

....news and notes....and a tragedy...

Unfortunately, the tragedy first.....

--Two news helicopters collide in mid-air today over Phoenix covering a car chase live on the air. Both pilot/reporters and photographers on each chopper were killed. Horrible. I will say, though, the TV news business has been blessed that this hasn't happened much sooner, considering the use of choppers chasing cars, O.J., et al.

--yes, I live in a suburb of the home of the Michael Vick Trial Circus. Heard late this evening a co-defendent is trying to cut a deal and testify against Vick, et al. This has been all the talk 'round here and most likely will be for some time to come.

--getting really excited about next weekend's Moody Blues concert; which, of course, explains the countdown clock just added. :)

--back to work today after three vacation....ah....sick days!!! An avalanche of work besieged upon me this afternoon, so, a happy weekend I will have. HA!!

In closing.....I wanna see SpiderPig!!!

Rob + Vacation Days = illness!!! Yay!!!

2002---a week's vacation derailed thanks to illness
2003---heavy anxiety attack rules the week off....
2004---3rd degree separate shoulder; 10 weeks in sling, NO vacation
2006---got away with a vacation! :)

2007---so, the throat had been sore several days, just enough to occasionally remind myself it was when I'd swallow sometimes.

Then Monday it gets more noticeable. The ear starts some pain......

Tuesday morning, I wake up to go to Busch Gardens, and that plan is quickly scrapped. By 4pm, I'm at "Doc in a Box" (Patient First). Not strep; probably its cousin or something.

In bed yesterday, did go out this afternoon to the bowling alley to watch the family rock n' roll.

Here's how "bleh" I felt Tuesday. I did NOT log onto my work computer. Didn't even check email!

So, heading to bed now, looking forward to a trip to the movies, another night for Rachel at VBS (which she's really enjoying), maybe some storms (we could use the rain!!), and we're gonna get to Busch Gardens another day soon.

What's the over/under on me completing my medication? If I know what's good for me, the answer will be "ALL OF IT"!! :)

THIS IS WHERE the washed-up musicians go.....

....and I thought late night infomercials, ah, QVC......

....in my childhood, the Mike Douglas or Merv Griffin Show......

But NOW, my friends, I have found the ultimate dumping ground for washed up male musicians.

Viva Viagra!!!

Yes, there's now a commercial with the back-up musicians to the back-up musicians to the ones who once claimed they played in the band who toured with, oh, I don't know, John Davidson maybe? And they're sitting around, gettin' all excited about the prospect of Pfizer walking in with free samples, cuz they're comin' home to the lady!! Whoo hoo.

What they've not been told is there are no impending females within miles, putting a damper on their "pre-game" fight song.

This commercial isn't "questionable", "tasteless", "controversial", et al.....

It's sad. Just pathetically sad.

Need to ask wifey if she heard any geezers singing it on the streets of Vegas the other week......

25 or 6 to 4------25 years later.....

With tongue-in-cheek being the operative mode here, there are things that are very disappointing to a "just turned 15 year old".

For example, his first girlfriend breaking up with him. Via a letter. Can anyone say "Dear John"?

So, how does one deal with this news? Just like I would on any other night, problem or no problem.

I jammed.

My definition of "jamming" was to sit on the floor by the stereo, legs crossed, and purposely rock back and forth to the beat of the music I listened to in my headphones. I could jam for hours on end about any time.

This night, however, jamming was more than just one of my favorite things to do; it was therapy.

A regular jam could go 'til midnight, 1am, occasionally later. But this night was different.

For two reasons, I ended up rockin' away the night listening to the Tommy TuTones and Human Leagues of 1982 until 345am.

Reason #1---The night before, my brother and I came home from a visit to North Carolina, and being he preferred traveling at night (so did I), we pulled into Beaverdam around 345am. It was weird to walk in the house about the same time as Dad was getting up to get ready to leave for work. So, my body clock was in perfect position for that night.

Reason #2---As the hours progressed I believe I remember myself thinking that this night, this jam, would be different, would be memorable. And it was, as I remember it tonight, exactly 25 years to the hour. It finished off one "era" and started another one, and, all the while, it was the music that helped me, that gave me pleasure, that helped me through.

Before that night and in these 25 years since, music has played a powerful part in my life.....

---songs that I couldn't stop listening to...

---songs that make me cry...

---songs that immediately take me to a place in my past, as in, this song reminds me of "fill in the blank".

---or, maybe just a few hours driving down the road, made much more enjoyable by scanning the dial, trying to find the best song on the air at that moment.

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Now, you may be thinking; this sure sounds like a major watershed moment in your life and it was all about losing a girlfriend before going to 10th grade???

In the case of 25 years ago tonight, you are absolutely right!

In the case of scanning my 40 years, it's the perfect microcosm of the role music has played and continues to play in my life, its events, and my emotions.

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I STILL sit cross-legged. Right now in my recliner; sitting up in bed, and, more than anywhere else, in my office chair (which elicits many, many comments from co-workers who notice it).

I will always enjoy a good jam; whether via Live 365, my IPod, music I can listen to at the office, CD collection, et al.

Heck, Chicago even wrote a song about that night 25 years ago. As the lyrics noted:

....sitting cross-legged on the floor; 25 or 6 to 4..........

And, about 10 minutes later at 345am, the jam ended and sleep ensued.

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What helps you celebrate good times and helps you live through the tough times?

For me:

---God's presence via the Holy Spirit
---having time alone with my music
---my family.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I hear "Eye of the Tiger" for the third time tonight. Back to rocking on the floor. :)

Three cheers for my executive assistant!!!

Thank you Rachel! Thank you Rachel! Thank you Rachel!

I know it was an absolute BOREFEST for my little lady, but not only did Rachel spend the day at work with Dad, she completed 17 of her 23 pages of her Las Vegas scrapbook, explained much of her trip to Mr. Rodney (especially Hoover Dam), ate some fries, watched some TV, and generally survived.

She also handled a commercial emergency with complete grace and style. We get a frantic email from an area car dealership needing to immediately change their commercial copy and get the new spot on the air ASAP.

Here's the beautiful thing about radio, friends.....

Dad takes the script, alerts a producer upstairs of its impending arrival, all at 11am. Dad checks the computer system and sees the next scheduled spot at 11:40am. Hmmm, 40 minutes from now.

I write up the production order, staple the script, give to Ms. Witham, and ask her very, very, very nicely to take the order upstairs, and she relents. Hee hee...

I get an email at 1130am from upstairs saying spot is done. Couple of mouse clicks and drags on my desktop and the area car dealership is very happy. :)

I love one more satisfied customer!

Ask a newspaper editor if you can swap out spots in less than 40 minutes.

How 'bout your Account Rep at your local TV station or cable company.

Didn't think so.

RADIO IS STILL THE CHOICE FOR EVER-CHANGING COPY NEEDS!!! Radio can turn commercial copy into an on-the-air product at the turn of a dime.

Newspaper, TV, magazines---they can't turn a change like that in an ocean.

AND (yes, time to ruffle feathers), we are STILL BETTER than the Internet. WHY?

Simple. That commercial we premiered at 1140am this morning was heard by thousands of people.

Make a quick switch on a website spot all you want, but thousands of people won't see it until you, well, have, thousands of hits. For most websites, that takes much longer than 40 minutes.

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Scrapbooks from Las Vegas, proves the power of radio, puts up with Dad and is still smiling at day's end.

That's my girl!

Dragging through life one breath and one step at a time.....

....no work on Tuesday or Wednesday. 41 1/2 hours in bed. No energy, no nothing.

Back to work today; not wanting to keep my two closest department compadres in a holding pattern (i.e.---when's the goober coming back!???!??)

Sleepy, just exhausted most of the day; actually picked up some steam late this PM and stayed tonight because.....

....every minute of work I did tonight is one less minute of work I have to do tomorrow....when poor Rachel gets to enjoy a wonderful Friday during her summer vacation sitting by my desk....whoopee.

I know she's thrilled. Especially when I ask her to take production orders upstairs to the studios.

So, I hang on for one more day, then rest over the weekend, and, most of all, get ready for arguably the most rewarding event of my 10-plus years in pastoral ministry.

I get to baptize Robbie and Rachel in a private ceremony, in the backyard pool.

After that? Hopefully some grillin' and chillin' in the pool!

And for those of you who think that is sacreligious.....get a life. :)

And now the rest of the '70s, in random order....

....my "eventual" completion of a look back at my first 40 years continues; looking now past sports of the 1970's and to the other events that scream "70's" in my ear.

--When I was five, six, seven---I thought Richard Nixon was always President. He was the only one I ever saw on TV, he must be President forever.

--I remember where I was and what I was wearing the night I saw Nixon resign on TV. I was seven. That's sad. :)

--If you live in Virginia and remember politics here in the 70s, you'll remember these two words:

Henry Howell.

--If you live in the Richmond area and remember politics here in the 70s, you'll remember these two words:

Howard Carwile.

Then there was Governors Holton, Godwin the Republican (having previously served in the 60s by the stage name "Godwin the Democrat" and Dalton; the final years of the "Byrd Machine" as Senator Harry F. Byrd headed toward retirement.

Then two deaths within the Virginia Republican ranks changed the course of Virginia politics; one in 1978, the other in 1986.

--Richard Obenshain, the Republican Nominee for U.S. Senate in 1978, who died in a plane crash in early August. John Warner was picked to succeed him as nominee and still is a U.S. Senator today. Some say Obenshain's death was not "an accident".

--Gov. John Dalton, who won the '77 election, was considered a shoo-in to run for U.S. Senate during the 80s, but was diagnosed with lung cancer after leaving office and died three years later.

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The headlines of the decade I remember:

--Watergate hearings pre-empt soap operas! Housewives of the nation unite!

--Sam Ervin, John Dean, and 74 other people (or so it seemed) became household names.

--Agnew resigns; Gerald Ford appointed Veep.

--Ten months later, Ford becomes President when Nixon resigned.

--Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam. I remember seeing footage of the fall of Saigon, April 30, 1975, and the frantic attempts of people trying to leave via the last helicopters.

--America's Bicentennial in 1976. "The Bicentennial Minute" feature in prime time on CBS. Bicentennial quarters! I still like hanging on to a few of them.

--Jimmy Who?

--Jimmy wins; walks to the White House in Inaugural Parade, which I watched from home, sick, so not at school.

--I'm watching Charlie's Angels with my brother one July, 1977 night when suddenly, it went off the air. So did CBS. So did NBC. It was the New York Blackout.

--Legionnaire's Disease in Philadelphia.

--Generalissmo Francisco Franco is near death.
--Generalissmo Francisco Franco is dead.
--Generalissmo Francisco Franco is still dead.

--Detente (is this facial cream used by Brezhnev?)

--Son of Sam.
--Jim Jones and Guyana.
--Sadat talks to Walter who talks to Begin who talks to Sadat who then talks with Begin with Walter; plus Walters talks to Begin and Sadat who agree to meet, and, eventually...

--The Israeli/Egyptian peace accord, with the handshake on the White House Lawn. Was it me, or did it look like 25 people's hands were in on it, it looked so big?

--ABC's World News Tonight; July 10, 1978.
--Tropical Storm Agnes, 1972; floods our basement on my 5th birthday.

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The TV entertainment I remember includes:

--The FBI.....but only the "Epilogue". We'd get home from church each Sunday night in time to see the final scene. A glass of strawberry milk was awaiting me (the Sunday night treat). Whoo hoo!!

--Gilligans Island
--Get Smart (the Cone of Silence!!)
--The Gong Show (yes, The Gong Show--I LOVED it!)
--Match Game '7...whichever year it was....
--The Flintstones!!!
--and of course, The Jetsons!
--Saturday morning consisted of Bugs Bunny and the Pink Panther.
--Throw Shazam and Isis in there during their runs...
--the evening news.
--the local news.
--election nights.
--MLB Game of the Week, Saturday afternoons.
--Monday Night Baseball
--Monday Night Football
--Sunday football on CBS and NBC (I preferred the NFC on CBS, unless the Raiders were on!!)
--The Dating Game
--The Newlywed Game
--Gomer Pyle, USMC
--The Captain & Tennille (their variety show, I had a HUGE crush on Toni Tennille at age 9)

I'm sure there are others. Feeble minds begin to forget. :)

Music (cue the 45!)

--Record your favorite songs with a Panasonic Portable off WRVA-AM. Yes, kids...AM.

--Love Will Keep Us Together
--Philadelphia Freedom
--Mr. Jaws
--Never Can Say Goodbye
--Some 30 or 40 Eagles songs (take your pick)
--The Beatles' "Rock n' Roll Music" Double LP, 1976
--Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (one of the first albums I bought; listened to it every night going to sleep.)
--Blues Brothers (Rubber Biscuit!!)
--The Sultans of Swing

--The Spirit of America, 1480, WLEE, Richmond.

--"Daniel" (on the radio while on 301 South going through Wilson, NC; heading toward Four Oaks, and a thunderstorm.

--"Rumours" from Fleetwood Mac.
--"Been to Canaan" from Carole King; if my sister sang it once in her room, she sang it 5,000 times.

--Boston's debut album. One of the five best LP's of all time.

--One word: disco.

--"Knock on Wood" from Amie Stewart was a great disco song.

--I liked more disco music than I wanted to admit then. And now. :)

--August, 1979: "My Sharona".

--Abba. Backwards, spelled Abba.

MORE FROM THE 45 RPM COLLECTION (mostly bought at Woolco or Woolworth at 86 cents apiece thanks to Dad's weekly Thursday trips to Azalea Mall armed with a weekly list from my brother and I. Thanks, Dee, for all the help at Woolworth!!)

--"Convoy"
--"Get Up And Boogie"
--"Why Can't We Be Friends"
--"One Piece at a Time"
--"Shop Around"
--"Moonlight Feels Right"
--"Afternoon Delight" (like I knew what THAT meant at age 9.5)
--"Theme From SWAT" (yes....SWAT)
--"Rubberband Man"
--"Best of My Love" (Eagles and the Emotions)
--"Le Freak!!"
--"Car Wash"
--"Whatcha Gonna Do"
--"Undercover Angel"

and lots more, I'm sure.


Ah, yes, the 70s. Started them in potty training, ended them at age 12, 7th grade, having no idea what the 1980's would bring.

Four TV Channels, AM Radio, 45 Records, Panasonic Tape Recorders, Leisure Suits, Disco, lots of golf and football and baseball in the back yard, "Five-Second Ball" against the front of the house. And so much more.

Thanks for your indulgence. :):)

Talking out of both ends of the thermostat......

......bet you didn't know that unusually cold weather is ALSO caused by, of course, global warming.

Read this column from the Sunday Telegraph in Australia concerning record COLD temperatures throughout that nation last month. Enjoy the sarcasm, too. I did. :)

Then, look at the comments left by, first, Stephen Boone, then, by Jennifer Hor. I'm confused. Is cold weather meaningless? Was Katrina actually the first of a new set of "super-hurricanes"? Maybe it was so devastating because of man-made levees breaking down in New Orleans, and, because, it came so close to a major American city? Or, was Katrina among the biggest of all hurricanes, in terms of loss of life and damage, to have hit the U.S. mainland over the past 138 years, but cannot be called a "new shape of things to come", especially when 2006 followed 2005 with very little hurricane activity affecting the United States?

Or, is Jennifer right, that cold weather can also be proof of global warming?

Here's what I believe to be true:

--throughout its existence, the Earth has gone through climate changes, warming and cooling. These cycles last for centuries and are not a sudden onslaught.

--it's been warmer on this Earth than it is now, and the Earth continues.

--it's very presumptuous of humans to believe we have the power to destroy the planet because of factories, rush hour, and NASCAR.

--while at the same time realize the dinosaurs became extinct because of either a meteor strike or due to global climate changes even beyond their control (I don't think Joe Camel existed back then....)

--We humans actually have convinced ourselves that our behavior will cause such change to the planet that we will all die. No other creature has been successful in that "endeavor", so to speak; the Earth always wins.

--So, if global warming is true and the extinction of mankind is coming, at some point, let it be said it's been centuries in the making, as opposed to the "Smokestack Age".

I do find it ironic that global "warming" is considered the biggest threat ever to our survival; yet, as a believer in Christ, I already know that this Earth will one day be destroyed and we will celebrate eternal life with Christ on, as the Bible says, "the Earth made new".

Hell, on the other hand, isn't for ice cubes. Is that the ultimate, ironic climax of this historic, final bout with "global warming"?

AND FINALLY----my number one reason for this post:

If warming proves global warming and cooling proves global warming, then what's left to use as evidence for the "Ice Age"? Amana? GE?

In other words, how convenient that now extreme global warming advocates (of the idea, not the event) are using any climate change to prove their point.

It's hard to be debated when you claim all sides and all proof in an argument to be in your possession, proving your point. Sounds like a continuation of the "shut up" movement worldwide where scientists who have the evidence that we're being fed a line of bull are basically blackballed.

And now, if you'll excuse me; I need to check my thermostat. I'm not sweating at this moment, but if I keep exhaling carbon dioxide at my rate, I may get hot anytime now.

"I Wished They Had Stayed 'Til Next Summer!!"

The words of a 15 year old son who, I think, really enjoyed our five day exploration of "bachelorhood".

Those words were spoken just after midnight on this Saturday 7/14 as I announced that the ladies had arrived. They drove home tonight rather than tomorrow, and, so long as they were careful and safe, that was fine by me. I missed them! :)

Oh, Robbie did, too----but you never admit that at age 15.

You wake up in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, and go to sleep in your own bed in Glen Allen, Virginia. Whoa. That's basically an entire swing of the pendulum.

Unless she thinks I'm some sort of freak, wifey won't see the things she probably saw last night. :)

Lots of pictures to see; lots of stories to tell. And that's what happened here while they were gone! Just kidding.

It's great to have them home. Now, Robbie and I need to start planning for our big vacation; a whirlwind tour to every Stuckey's we can find.

Looks like an eastern swing to Disputanta (cool! We'll visit friends!), down to Franklin, then over to Chesapeake, then US-58 to Emporia, and back home.

Casinos vs. Stuckeys Bathrooms

Exquisite Gourmet Food vs. really good Coca-Cola

Dancing Girls vs Madge, the cashier (doesn't every cashier at Stuckey's pass for a Madge?)

Big Variety Shows vs Pecan Logs

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I really don't think there's any comparison, and we fully expect to develop a cult following for Stuckey's Tour 2007. Hope to see you there!

Update from Sin City....

....when they party, they party....

....when they get back to the hotel, they crash.

"We're old."---that's an exact quote from my wife this morning. Rachel should have corrected her. :)

Today was, I think, Red River Canyon, Old Vegas, and they were trying to get to the observation deck of the Stratosphere Hotel tonight.

Tomorrow is travel day to the Grand Canyon. I want pictures. I think the Hoover Dam is thrown in for free, too.

Robbie and I are hanging pretty well; I am so proud of how he has persevered his dad being at the office more hours than his dad wanted to be. He has made a big friend in Harry J. (our new dog), who now listens and obeys his instructions.

Rachel may have some catching up to do in that department. :)

And now, time to do a few more things for work, then something for ME.

Bed.

P.S.---What about that conference she went to Vegas for?? Hee hee.....

Rob's Advice: ...take a couple hours and catch up with the ones you love....

....in the midst of a very busy, hectic week, between lots of work at the office and the ladies in the Pacific Time Zone, I squeezed in a lunch date with one of my most dearest friends of all time; we go back to the 8th grade. I honestly, honestly do not remember the last time we had even 30 minutes, sat down, and caught up. I'm embarrassed to admit that to the world. The fault lies at my feet.

I told her I could not tell her how excited I have been about us meeting at Fridays and catching up about all things, whether good, bad, or indifferent, as that is how life goes.

It was wonderful. That time will sustain me thanks to much of our conversation; it was uplifting, and I need that "push" during those "down" times I've become so infamous for.

So, do this. Don't let it get to be five, ten, 20 years between lunches when it comes to dear friends. They are few and far between, so don't let them go. Even if it's only once or twice a year, DO IT.

I didn't realize this until age 39. Too many great chances passed by me, I'm sure, because I didn't become active to search for them, or I was so busy in the "here and now", I didn't take time to consider them.

As we left, she and I both realized we were walking back to piles of work since others don't just "take over" our full responsibilities when it comes to our respective careers.

And we both, for a couple of hours today, simply did not care.

Thanks, my dear! It's on me next time! :) :)

An overdue welcome to the newest Witham!!!!

WELCOME HARRY J.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, what they do now will stay where they are, I guess.....

....that's what I've always heard, at least.

Bonnie and Rachel touched down in Las Vegas about 115pm ET, or 1015am PT.

Rachel described her first flight from New Bern to Charlotte as "magnificent", which surprised me. They were on one of those SMALL planes, and I thought it may scare her (it would me!)

After the flight from Charlotte to Vegas, the pilot let her come in, sit down and get a picture taken. WOW! What a day for Rachel, and she hadn't even left the tarmac yet!

They've called to say they are in their hotel, where the bariatric conference began today; Bonnie's met people who've lost over 200 pounds thanks to the Lap Band.

Oh, and Rachel reports there's an aquarium, and a white bengal tiger....INSIDE THE LOBBY.

I asked if the tiger helped carry bags to her room. She snickered. Guess not. :)

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So, I'm grateful to God for a safe journey for them, look forward to hearing "The Rachel Reports", and until their return.....

It's THE GUYS AND THE ANIMALS!!!!!!

Rob, Robbie, Cody, Zoe, Harry J, Chloe, the fish and the itty bitty frog sharing the fish tank with the fish.


.....wonder if I should call the ladies tomorrow at 8am when I'm getting ready to leave for work. Yeah, I know, it'll be 5am there, but what's a few hours among family members? Hee hee.....

So, what DO I remember about the 70s??

Now, what, two weeks AFTER my 40th birthday, I thought I begin taking care of some unfinished business; most notably, the posts I promised looking back on a generation of, well, me.

I did the 60s year by year; if I do that for every year from 1970 on, I'll have to blog for 33 consecutive hours, and one with sleep apnea doesn't stand a great chance of staying awake for that long.

SO, ROB'S REVIEW/MEMORIES (and maybe a little rewritten history) OF THE 1970s!!!

(in no real order, rhyme, or reasoning. hee hee....)

SPORTS:

--I fell in love with baseball cards.
--One of the biggest days of the year was the day the UPS truck arrived with our order of that year's Topps baseball cards, ordered from Renata Galasso.
--My brother developed a baseball game using homemade cards and dice, with lineups made out of your team, the players being represented by their baseball card.
--Too bad he didn't seek a patent.
--I made sure my first team had what I called the "superstar outfield", which would include Cito Gaston, Ed Stroud, and Rick Monday (I had a Rick Monday glove as a kid).

--I chose favorite teams....

The Baltimore Orioles: their games were on the radio every night; my brother was a Yankee fan (yecch!!); I liked their rookie outfielder that year, Al Bumbry. I even named a cat Al Bumbry. Brooks Robinson became my favorite player, followed by Jim Palmer.

The Oakland Raiders: not sure why, but Kenny Stabler quickly became a favorite, plus Cliff Branch and Fred Biletnikoff. I remember Stabler tossing the winning TD while falling down to Clarence Davis in the playoffs to eliminate the two-time defending champion Miami Dolphins.

The Washington Bullets: Closet NBA team to home, and I liked The Big "E"!!! That's Elvin Hayes for those of you who know nothing of the NBA pre-1991 Chicago Bulls.

The Denver Nuggets: My ABA team, because my favorite college basketball player, David Thompson, went to play there. Plain and simple. And, when the leagues merged, I chose the Nuggets as my "favorite" favorite. I'm still waiting for their first title.

The Montreal Canadiens: They won. Alot. Try four Stanley Cups in a row from 1976 to 1979. My brother and I would play Canadiens versus Flyers on our table hockey game, where you would "twist" the player using the metal pole he was affixed to. My favorite Canadien? Ken Dryden, the greatest goaltender of all time!!

The Winnipeg Jets: My favorite WHA team, featuring Gordie Howe (who knows how old he was by then!). When the WHA folded into the NHL, the Jets were toast in my eyes. The Jets? Over the Canadiens? Are you nuts??

The N.C. State Wolfpack: The 1974 championship team. David Thompson, Tom Burleson, Monte Towe, Tim Stoddard, et al. This is a case of following my brother's footsteps; the Pack being his favorite team.

Jack Nicklaus: The Golden Bear. The man. I don't care how many majors Tiger wins. Nicklaus took golf to a level never, ever seen before. His 1980 U.S. Open Championship was the greatest golf perfomance I've ever seen. It was magical. Even if Tiger Woods eclipses his record of 18 majors won, I won't consider him on Jack's level unless he can win one around age 46, as Jack did at the '86 Masters. Then we'll talk. :)

Bjorn Borg: The Master of Wimbledon. Five straight titles; and throw in six French Opens for good measure. The only blemish? Four U.S. Open finals, no wins.

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What did I see on TV?

--Reggie Jackson's 3 HR's in game six of the 1977 World Series.

--My Orioles BLOWING a 3-1 lead, losing the last two games AT HOME, to give the '79 World Series to the Pirates.

--Super Bowls VIII thru XIII. XI was the favorite, as my Raiders finally won, beating Minnesota, 32-14 while a snowstorm fell outside my home, January 9, 1977.

--Super Bowl XIII was seen on a Days Inn hotel room TV in Ashland, as our house had no power for two days due to an ice storm.

--The Bullets losing to Golden State, then splitting two NBA titles between themselves and Seattle.

--Ali--Spinks I: the upset of the century. (Sorry, Buster)

--Alabama and Penn State, 1979 Sugar Bowl, featuring "The Stand". Alabama keeps Penn State out of the end zone to preserve a 14-7 win. Boo. I was rooting for Penn State.

--Michigan State vs. Indiana State: 1979 NCAA Basketball Tournament Final. This was the coming out party for college basketball to the entire nation. Thank you Magic and thank you Larry! Boo. I rooted for Indiana State.

--1978 One Game AL East Playoff: Yankees vs Red Sox. My teacher let us watch it in class!!! For those of you born after 1980, there were once baseball playoff games during the day.


WHAT DID I MISS DUE TO A POWER OUTAGE:

--Hank Aaron's 715th HR, breaking Babe Ruth's all-time record. The game was on NBC's Monday Night Baseball, and my brother and I were watching it, when, we lost power, thanks to a storm I believe. A little later on, our Dad comes to the door and tells us he hit the homer, having heard it on the radio.

WHAT I SLEPT THRU, WAS TOO YOUNG TO STAY UP FOR, OR AT LEAST SAW HIGHLIGHTS OF:

--Carlton Fisk's wave, willing a baseball to hit the foul pole to win Game 6 of the 1975 World Series for the Boston Red Sox.

--The Celtics/Suns Triple OT game of the decade; 1976 NBA Finals, Game 5. The telecast of the overtimes was nuts.

--N.C. State finishing off Marquette, winning the '74 NCAA Title.

Whew! And that's just sports memories!

Post Number 627-----Whoo hoo!!!!!!!

Why is Post Number #627 important to me?

It's my all-time favorite number.

Why, you ask?

When I was five, I had to spend five days at the hospital due to an allergic reaction to peanuts.

I stayed in room 627.

For five days, the nurses spoke of how cute I was (and I liked them, too!), I walked around the 6th floor over and over and over again counting (great way to learn numerical skills!), and I got lots of cards and my very own Mickey Mouse Watch!

I also remember, upon coming home, I found out my older brother and sister played Rook together during my absence, and I was none too happy about missing the games!

Until my deviated septum surgery in 2003 and shoulder surgery in 2004, that had been the only hospital stay I had had.

And, for some reason, the legacy of that first stay has always been that that's where I met my favorite number.....

LONG LIVE 627!!!!

My favorite joke of 2007......

Thanks, Dave!

Queen Elizabeth, during her trip to the U.S., went to the Kentucky Derby. When she went down to the track, it's reported the Queen would look at each horse and say...

"Charles? Charles?"