inadequate.....

I love being a dad. There's no better feeling in the world than to hear "I love you" from one of our daughters, or than to get a hug when I come in from work. But there are times that I feel ill-equipped to handle the moments when they're hurting.

I remember when they were babies. There were times when they'd be crying but they couldn't tell us what was hurting. I used to think, "If they could just talk to us, it would be so much easier." I've found that their ability to talk about it doesn't necessarily make it any easier for me to make things better.

I'm a fixer by nature. If someone tells me their problem, I try to fix it. One thing I've learned being in a house full of females is that they don't always want the problem fixed by me. First, they probably wouldn't like the way I'd fix it. Second, they really are just venting and wanting someone to listen. It's important to note that while I have this knowledge, I don't always remember to use it.

So what do I do? I guess all I can do is try to do for them those things that make me happy when they do it for me - hug them and tell them that I love them. Oh, and listen rather than attempt to fix.....

here's the pitch.....

Softball season opens tonight for the girls. And, of course, both are playing at the same time on different sides of town. Luckily Meg has a double-header, so we'll all get to see her play at least some of her first game. The four of us will be at Meg's first game, then Sara and I will leave around 6:40 to go to her game. You'd think the league commissioner would have looked at the conflicts for us and rescheduled all of the games so our family wouldn't have to miss either daughters' games. I need to talk to Rick about that.

It's amazing how different the ability levels are for girls who are the same age on a team. Some pick it up quickly, others can be in their third or fourth year and are still at a loss as that what they're doing. And sometimes no amount of coaching can help. Either they've got it or they don't. And that can be frustrating for a coach.

Hopefully the rain will hold off tonight.....

a bit of clarification.....

Someone (who will remain nameless, but I will have been married to her for 18 years later this month) mentioned to me that I made an ugly comment about an American Idol contestant in my last post. The "Fat Bottomed Girls" song title was in NO WAY aimed at any one particular person, and that's the honest truth. That's just one of the Queen songs that first comes to my mind, and I thought it would be funny if someone sang it next week.

And I'm almost embarrassed to admit that this someone would even attempt to make that connection. Guess that's what she gets for being around me for over 19 years.....

review from last night's ai.....

Here's my take on last night's show:

Taylor - He's my favorite, I'm picking him to win it all. He sang the song well, but it was a terrible choice for him. Slow and boring. (Definitely not up there with "Living for the City" or "Takin' it to the Streets.) Wish he'd done something from Ray Charles "Country and Western" album. But with his fan base, he's safe again.

Mandisa - Very wrong song, and the clothes didn't help.

Ace - Good song choice, although I didn't think it was as good as the bride and Meg thought it was. But I don't think Meg judges Ace purely on his singing ability.

Kellie - Probably the best of the night. She was in her element.

Chris - Did a good job, but the ballad song style showed a few kinks.

Elliot - Another good performance. Safe again this week.

Katharine - Right up there with Kellie for the night. Her stage presence, delivery and voice are superb. Doubt she's in the bottom three again tonight.

Paris - Much more subdued compared to last week. She did OK.

Bucky - This was his genre, but he was off-key during the first verse.

My prediction for who's going home tonight - either Mandisa or Paris.

Next week's theme? Queen. Yep, Queen. I can think of about 4-5 popular Queen songs. I wonder who'll end up singing "Fat Bottomed Girls".....

when 5 is greater than 10.....

Math has always come pretty easy to me. I work well with numbers. Need to know how much a blouse would be at 35% off at Kohl's? I'm your man. That's why I was a bit confused as to how 5 could be greater than 10.

Sara had her birthday party/sleepover on Friday night. There were a total of five 11-year-old girls in our bonus room. Their squeals made dogs bark three counties over. About a month ago, we hosted ten 15-and-16-year-old girls from church for a weekend. The loudest they got was when they played Scene-It one afternoon. And compared to this past weekend it would be considered subdued.

Now I understand how 5 can be greater than 10.....

PS - Happy Birthday, Mom!

i'm so honored.....

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I believe I'm going to have an honor bestowed upon me very soon. Again, I'm not sure about this, but I believe I'm going to be nominated for Father of the Year in 2006.

Why, you ask? Because I took the bride and our two daughters to "She's The Man" Friday afternoon. Yes, I endured all 105 minutes of it. It's true that there were other movies playing at the same time at Thoroughbred that I could have opted to see, but I braved this movie with my daughters. That's what dads do....at least, the ones who might be considered for Father of the Year.

And here's my ticket stub to prove it.....

three of my favorite words.....

Three-day weekend.

Yep, in about 9 hours I'll start a three-day weekend. It's been a busy week and I'm looking forward to it. What will I do? Maybe a quick flight to the Bahamas for the weekend? Head up to Indianapolis for the Final Four? Nope, even better.

I'm spreading mulch.....try not to be jealous.....

no, that's not it.....

I was telling a friend of mine about the funeral scene from "Elizabethtown" yesterday, and he had a story that was just as good (if not better).

It seems that a man in my friend's church had passed away. A friend of the family had been asked to sing at the funeral. When this friend met with the widow to discuss the music for the funeral, he said, "What are some songs that your husband really liked?" She rattled off a few classic hymns and then said, "But his favorite song of all was 'Jingle Bells.' I'm sure he'd want that to be sung." The friend said, "Are you sure you want me to sing 'Jingle Bells' at you're husband's funeral?" The widow replied, "Oh, yes, I'm very sure. He just loved that song!" The friend asked several more times about 'Jingle Bells', and the widow insisted every time that her husband would have wanted the song sung at his funeral.

The day of the funeral arrived, and the friend of the family is still a little hesitant to sing 'Jingle Bells' at a funeral service. But since the dearly departed would have wanted it done, he decided to go through with it.

The piano started playing, and the friend started doing a "church version" of 'Jingle Bells' - sort of slow. About the third line of the first chorus, he looked down at the widow. She had her hand over her mouth and was laughing. Laughing so hard that she was shaking. This seemed odd to the friend, but he kept singing. He looked back and the widow was still shaking with laughter. He had to look away in order to keep his concentration. The friend finished the song and the funeral service continued.

After the service, the widow came to the friend and was still laughing. The friend said, "Are you OK?" The widow said, "I am so sorry I was laughing, but I couldn't help it. Right after you started singing 'Jingle Bells' I realized that I had told you the wrong song. Then I finally understood why you questioned me so much about single 'Jingle Bells' and I couldn't stop laughing!"

Turns out the song she was thinking about was 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'. I don't think that guy has sung at a funeral since.....

they nailed it.....

The bride and I watched the movie "Elizabethtown" last night. (We watched "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" Saturday night and saw the birth of Brangelina. The movie was OK, but the fire between Brad and Angelina was moving. Not really, I made that up.)

I wasn't too sure about watching "Elizabethtown" because I had heard it was a chick-flick. And it was to a certain extent. But what I enjoyed about it was the way the people from this small Southern town were portrayed.

It would have been easy to have them all in overalls, dipping Skoal and sucking on long necks the whole time. But the director chose to make them realistic. These were people I grew up with, the kind of people that most of us who live (or have lived) in small towns in the South grew up with. They weren't stupid. Sure they were comical at times, but they weren't ignorant.

One of my favorite scenes was when Drew drove into town for the first time. Everyone waved at him and literally pointed him towards his destination. Kids on bikes, people on front porches and on the courthouse steps, old men on benches. Although he hadn't been there in years, everyone knew him. It was like he was coming home, even though home was about 2,000 miles away in Oregon. (My other favorite scene was when the band played "Free Bird" at the funeral. That's a scene you've got to see.)

And they all hugged him. It was uncomfortable for Drew at first, but he grew into it. But that's just what we Southerners do - we hug.

I used to think small towns were overrated. The older I get, the better they look.....

hey, y'all, watch 'is.....

The following article proves that there are rednecks in other places besides the South.....

MAN SENTENCED FOR SHOOTING AT TOY PLANE

CHELSEA, Mich. - A man has been sentenced to six months' probation for shooting at his neighbor's radio-controlled model airplanes with a shotgun.

David Nuttle, 41, of Washtenaw County's Webster Township, pleaded guilty to one count of malicious destruction of property worth less than $200, a misdemeanor.

Judge Richard Conlin of 14-A District Court in Chelsea sentenced him Thursday to six months of probation and 50 hours of community service. Conlin also gave him a 20-day suspended jail sentence, deferred as long as Nuttle complies with the conditions of his probation, which includes no alcohol or drugs and no contact with the planes' owner.

Nuttle also must pay $154 restitution and $550 in fines and court fees.

Nuttle used a .410-gauge shotgun to shoot at the planes. He said his shots hit only one plane, causing two tiny holes in it. The plane he is paying for crashed when the child who was operating it lost control of it after being frightened by the shots, Nuttle said.

Nuttle told the judge he regretted his actions.

"I felt I was defending my family and my property from these airplanes, and I called police several times," he said. "But I made a bad decision that day and I realize that."

Nuttle told The Ann Arbor News after the hearing that the planes have been a nuisance to his family, scaring his children, spooking his chickens and causing his goats to faint from exhaustion.

it's just a number.....

Age is something that people are never satisfied with. They either want to be older or younger than their current age. The older you get, the younger you wish you were. But when you're young, you want people to think you're actually older.

Last week after Meg's softball practice, the bride came and picked her up. Since she has her learner's permit, Meg asked to drive. When they got to Target, Meg pulled the van into a parking spot. As they got out of the van, there were three firemen getting out of their truck. One of the firemen looked at the bride and said, "What 'chu doin' lettin' a 12-year-old drive?"

Needless to say Meg won't be contributing to any fireman charities this year.....

ways to tell i'm growing up.....

The bride asked me when I got in from work the other day where I'd gone to lunch. When I told her I'd eaten a sandwich downtown then gone to the library to read she remarked, "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd go to the library to read at lunch. I'm so proud of you, honey!" I felt like I'd just brought home a painting for my mom from kindergarten. Not really, I never could paint.

This got me to thinking about other things that have changed about me over the years that appear to be leading me towards maturity. Here's what I came up with:

I like to read for fun - When I started reading for fun about 2 years ago, a co-worker suggested that I start with Dr. Suess books. I had her fired. (Not really, but she did leave her job not long after that so I felt vindicated.) I've read all of Grisham's books, and Stephen Frey is another one of my favorite authors. I recently even read a biography, and I'm starting to read some more real-life things by Donald Miller. I'm a big boy now.

I actually try to eat better - This doesn't mean I always do, but I'm at least more conscious of what certain kinds of food can do to my gut. However, there are times that I see something I want to eat and eat it despite the eventual consequences to my waistline. Learning to accepts oneself is another sign of maturity. At least that's what I tell myself whenever I want ice cream.

I no longer laugh at certain sounds in public rest rooms - OK, this would be more accurately stated as "I no longer laugh OUT LOUD at certain sounds in public rest rooms".

Starting to car-shop for someone besides the bride or me - I've never done this before. Now, lest someone get really excited and think that I'm buying a car very soon, I'm simply doing research. It'll be awhile. Sort of like getting into a cold swimming pool, I'm easing myself in a little at a time because I'm not looking forward to the shock.

My musical tastes are changing - I used to listen to just one genre of music. Now it's all over the place. I love the music that Lightning 100 in Nashville and WAPS from Akron play. The oldies stations are now playing stuff that I grew up with. Country music is a little more enjoyable. Even the bluegrass ensemble from Belmont that played in the downtown library yesterday didn't sound all that bad.

Last night at about 8:30 I exhibited another character trait that proved I'm a little more mature every day. When Ryan Seacrest announced that Chicken Little was no longer going to a contestant on American Idol, I didn't get up and do a victory dance.....

results wednesday.....

I thought the women out-sang the men in last night's American Idol. Here's my review:

While I don't care that much for Paris, I thought she did an excellent job. Katharine keeps getting better, as does Mandisa. Kellie did a great job. Lisa's song was just average, and I think she's in the bottom 3 again.

The best of the night was either Chris or Elliott. Taylor chose the wrong song, plain and simple. I keep waiting for a little Ray Charles; thought he might do "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'". Ace was OK, but I think he'll be in the bottom 3 again tonight. Unless there were a bunch of 15-year-olds who text-voted for him last night while telling their fathers that Ace was the best. Uh, yeah. Kevin gave his best performance so far, and I think the sympathy vote keeps him in it for another week. Bucky was pretty much off-key the whole night. He should also be in the bottom 3.

My prediction for who's going home tonight - Lisa.....

wrong number.....

The caller ID feature is great. I've got it at work, at home and on my wireless phone. I especially appreciate it at work because I can always tell when that annoying ad-specialties salesman from Memphis is calling to tell me what great deal he has that I certainly can't live without today (even though I've told him time after time that I'm quite pleased with my current vendor and asked him not to call me any more).

This morning I was awakened from a sound sleep at 12:23 by a noise, but my mind simply could not register where it was coming from. I immediately reached for the alarm clock even though it didn't sound like my alarm going off. Then I sat up in bed and looked around the room, still stupified by the noise. (I'm not all there when I'm woken up in the middle of the night.) By the time I realized it was my cell phone and had gone to get it, the caller had hung up. And I didn't recognize the phone number. Wrong number, I guess. I turned the ringer off just in case they decided to dial the number incorrectly again.

So if you're one of the few people I know who has my cell phone number and you called me last night, do me a favor and call me during the day time. Because if you're looking for someone to be coherent with you in the middle of the night, you're barking up the wrong tree.....

good ol' 14a.....

Welcome, sweet springtime, we greet thee in song.....

Barney Fife "sang" this song with the Mayberry choir in one of the earlier episodes, "Barney and the Choir". Actually, he didn't sing it. If you'll recall, his voice was so horrible that Andy convinced him that he was singing into a super-sensitive microphone and that by singing very softly his voice would reverberate all over the room. (They had to do something because John Masters sent off for the arrangement from New York!) Turns out he was simply kip-syncing while one of the baritones actually sang the song into a mic offstage.

If today's supposed the be the first day of spring, you could have fooled me. My drive in this morning was done so in a driving rain while the temperature hovered around 37. It's not supposed to get out of the mid 50's all week. Two weeks ago we had highs in the upper 70's and low 80's. Now that springtime is here, it's cold again.

I guess I'll put the shorts up and drag the sweats out again.....

19 years ago today.....

You know how it is when you first start dating someone that you really like? You want to impress them and do things really special for them to hopefully make you stand out from everyone else.

The bride and I had our first date right after Valentines Day in 1987. About a month later her birthday came along, and I wanted to do something special, something that just screamed "classy" -but not the Ron Burgundy kind of "classy", something actually nice. I made reservations at the Polaris, which was the restaurant on top of the downtown Sheraton. The food was OK, but the restaurant rotated so that within an hour you would see all of the Nashville area. (Not like a merry-go-round that Sara thought it would be.) It was the kind of place that we don't go to any more because of the price. If I had been thinking logically instead of with my heart, we wouldn't have gone there then because technically speaking I couldn't really afford it at the time. (I think I paid more for our meal that night that we pay for our whole family to go out and eat now.)

But that's what you do when you're in love. That's what you do when you know that person's "the one." And that's what you still try to do 19 years later. You may not always succeed in being romantic, but you hope that she knows she's still that girl you use to try to impress with an expensive meal that didn't taste all that great.

Happy birthday my dear bride.....

it was 11 years ago today.....

Thursday, March 16, 1995. The bride and I made our way to Centennial Hospital bright and early. By 7:00 AM, she was hooked up to all the equipment. (I kidded her that if she had gone in one day later the equipment in the room would have tripled, but since she was 29 instead of 30 on that day they were able to keep the medical machinery at a normal level.)

Family was in the waiting room waiting for their next granddaughter or niece or sister or cousin. I, however, was bedside in the delivery room, my right hand held out ready to be squeezed. At 10:56 AM, Sara Beth Stapleton was born at 6 pounds 7 ounces and (I believe) 21 inches long. One thing common during both girls' birth was that there was a Billy Joel song playing on the radio (not on CD, so it wasn't planned) when they were born. "She's Always a Woman" was playing when Meg was born, and "She's Got a Way" for Sara.

She's a mix of both parents - she may look like me and be impatient just like me, but she's tender hearted and kind like her mom. I'm trying to get her to stop growing up and older, but it's not working. But even though she won't abide by my wishes to stop getting older, I'm proud of the young lady she's becoming and I look forward to all that she's going to be.

As long as that doesn't mean that boys will be coming to our house to see her.....at least not until she's out of college.....

week 1 review.....

Sara and I had softball practice last night, so we missed most of American Idol. We got home in time to see Chris doing "Higher Ground." However, I did record it and zipped through the performances in about 30 minutes or so. Here's my ranking/grouping:

Best - Taylor, Chris, Katharine and Mandisa

Good - Lisa, Paris, Bucky, Melissa and Elliott

Weak - Kevin, Ace and Kellie

Who's going home? I keep saying Kevin will, so I'll stick with him. If he ends up with the granny and pre-teen vote again, it may be Melissa. Yeah, she forgot the words to the song, so that may cost her.

As for the makeovers? Some of them looked a little odd. Chris didn't look natural at all. Kellie looked much better in the weeks leading up to this point. And I completely agreed with Simon's comment on Bucky's hair looking like Jessica Simpson's. I kept waiting for him to walk out from behind swinging doors and deliver a Cheesy Bites pizza.

The results show is tonight.....

yes, a table by the window and a dandie dinmont terrier, please.....

Several cafes in Hong Kong now lend their dining guests dogs and cats to pet during their visits. This temporary affection, according to a January Der Spiegel dispatch, is popular because Hong Kong residents find it so inconvenient to own pets in such a densely populated city.

Also in January, the owner of the Augsburg, Germany, restaurant La Boheme confirmed that while customers are welcome to bring their own dogs with them when they dine, "small children" are not allowed in the evenings. "After a hard day's work, (diners) want some peace," he told Agence France-Presse.

Those who know me won't lose any sleep wondering how I feel about this "fad".....

outnumbered again.....

Estrogen levels were unusually high at our house this weekend. The normal female-to-male ratio is 3:1; from Friday night until Sunday morning it was 13:1. I kept a low profile and didn't talk much. I thought that was in my best interest. My role was that of pizza delivery guy, chair mover and chauffeur.

We were a host home for our church's youth weekend, Elevate, and our house was home to 9 extra sophomore girls and a just-out-of-college leader. We were grateful that we had girls because we'd heard stories about some of the boy groups not bathing during the entire weekend. (However, a family who hosted sophomore boys told us that some of the boys took more time primping than their 14-year-old daughter; one even brought a flat iron to straighten his hair. I kept thinking how hard a guy would have gotten pummeled for even claiming to own a flat iron in East Tennessee when I was 15. Different times, different times.....)

The group seemed to work well together. Everyone got along, and even those who were newcomers to the group felt welcome. We were fortunate to have the same youth leader that we had last year when we hosted, so that worked out great. (Although she may not ever be back again because of the pillow case incident.)

And the host family, despite the lack of sleep, did very well. Personally, I was grateful for the variety of snack foods. I consumed quite a bit of it in 36 hours. Time to start working on my figure for bathing suit weather....

sea of blue.....

I typically don't get too excited about UT men's basketball this time of year. I'm usually more into what's going on in spring football practice. But this year the UT men have a shot to do some damage in both the SEC tournament and the NCAA's, so I'm pretty excited.

The SEC tournament is here in Nashville this weekend. I grabbed a quick bite at lunch and headed down to the Gaylord Entertainment Center to see how crowded downtown was. One word - very.

One thing though - there was more Kentucky blue than UT orange. Kentucky fans travel well for basketball, and since it's close for them this year they're all over the place.

By the way, what's blue and has 7 teeth? 3 Kentucky fans.....

must-see episode.....

There are a couple of television shows that all four of us try to sit down and watch each week: American Idol and Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. This is a plug for the latter.

You know the premise for the show - a family has a home that's in bad need of repair, there's been a crisis within the family, so the Extreme Makeover crew comes to the rescue. In this week's episode a man who's a pastor dies from a massive heart attack on his 19th wedding anniversary, leaving behind a wife and 5 children. They moved out of the parsonage after several months into a couple of trailers because that's all they could afford. Cue the Extreme Makeover staff so they can make their magic happen.

The wife wanted to be able to continue some sort of ministry within the community. I won't give away the outcome, but a good friend of mine was contacted by a producer from the show and was asked to contribute some items to a special wing of the house. He was able to turn his part of the project around within about 72 hours.

So watch the show Sunday night at 6:00 CST. I think you'll be glad you did.....

this is fun to do.....

Occasionally when the bride is out and about during the day, instead of calling her on her cell phone I'll send her a text message via the Internet. I did that yesterday.

The funny thing is that she was out shopping with her mother and she began to read it aloud when she received it. It was nothing bad, especially for two people who've been married for almost 18 years. (Very PG-rated in nature, nothing I wouldn't say in front of our daughters. I basically told her that she was the very air that I breathe or something along those lines.) But she didn't make it past the first three words, became embarrassed, said "Oh!", then closed her phone. She didn't even get to the part of the message that told her I had an errand to run after work and would therefore be home a little late today. She did, however, remember to go back and read the message after she dropped her mother off later that afternoon.

I felt like I'd passed her a note at school and she had to wait until she got home to read it all alone in her room behind her locked bedroom door.....

it's all about priorities.....

A friend sent me this yesterday. It's sort of long, but well worth the time.....

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important . . . Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture . . . Jack stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked. "The box is gone," he said. "What box?" Mom asked.
"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most was . . . my time"

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"

Think about this. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
4. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
5. You mean the world to someone.
6. If not for you, someone may not be living.
7. You are special and unique.
8. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you trust God to do what's best, and wait on His time, sooner or later, you will get it or something better. (This is one I have trouble with.)
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come from it. (Another one I still have trouble with.)
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.
11. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
12. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
13. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know and you'll both be happy.
14. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

be nice to have one of these some days.....

Definitely on my top 10 wish list.....

like watching cold maple syrup pour out of a bottle.....

I tried watching the Oscars last night, I really did. I like Jon Stewart and I thought he did an OK job from what I saw. But there's just so much you can do to make a non-music award show interesting.

Of all the movies up for best picture, the only one the bride and I had seen was "Crash". It was a very good movie. However, it was at times very hard to watch. Some scenes actually made me uncomfortable.

Glad to see Reese Witherspoon with for best actress. Always good to see a Nashville girl get her due.

I guess the biggest problem the Oscars had last night was its competition on other channels, specifically TV Land. They had an Andy Griffith marathon on Saturday and Sunday in honor of Don Knotts. And let's face it, who wants to watch an award being presented for best short-feature documentary for Icelandic midget tossing when you can watch Barney Fife go up against Ernest T. Bass.....

happiness is.....

We have a customer who comes in every week. His name is Davey. Davey's life revolves around two things - the Pittsburgh Steelers and NASCAR. He was in a little earlier today, all decked out in his new Steelers cap and sweatshirt. I told him how much I liked his Seattle cap, and he smiled then laughed.

Davey's probably about 35 and still lives at home with his mom. His dad passed away a few years ago, so it's just the two of them. He's never had a job, never dated anyone, and will never be able to drive. But every time I see Davey, he's smiling. I've never seen him not smiling. And he's happy. Some may say that he doesn't know any better, but so what? He's content. I've read somewhere that contentment is a major component of happiness.

To Davey, happiness is simply living his life. And the Super Bowl win didn't hurt either.....

dude, you through with your gum?

(The piece of "art" to the right is the one the article below is talking about. $1.5M? Please. I've seen food stains on our placemats at home that are more artistic.)

DETROIT - A 12-year-old visitor to the Detroit Institute of Arts stuck a wad of gum to a $1.5 million painting, leaving a stain the size of a quarter, officials say.

The boy was part of a school group from Holly that visited the museum on Friday, officials say. They say he took a piece of Wrigley's Extra Polar Ice gum out of his mouth and stuck it on Helen Frankenthaler's "The Bay," an abstract painting from 1963.

The museum acquired the work in 1965 and says it is worth about $1.5 million.

The gum stuck to the painting's lower left corner and did not adhere to the fiber of the canvas, officials told the Detroit Free Press. But it left a chemical residue about the size of a quarter, said Becky Hart, assistant curator of contemporary art.

The museum's conservation department is researching the chemicals in the gum to decide which solvent to use to clean it. The museum hopes to make the repair in two weeks and will keep "The Bay" on display in the meantime, she said.

"Our expectation is that the painting is going to be fine," Hart said.

Holly Academy director Julie Kildee said the boy had been suspended from the charter school and says his parents also have disciplined him.

"Even though we give very strict guidelines on proper behavior and we hold students to high standards, he is only 12 and I don't think he understood the ramifications of what he did before it happened, but he certainly understands the severity of it now," said Kildee.

too much of a good thing.....

I read recently that the average American now watches 28 hours of television a week. Over the past 72 hours, I helped push that average up just a bit.

I could feel it coming on Friday night, but I was resolved to prevent it. It started with a scratchy throat and a deep cough. By Saturday night I had a fever. For the next few days, I alternated between the couch and bed. And I watched television. Lots of television, and several movies that I'd taped over the past couple of months.

And I learned alot. I now know the names and phone numbers of all the personal injury lawyers in the Nashville area. I know more about certain female products sold than even a man married for 18 years should know. And I know that "Different World" is on from 10 until 11 every weekday morning on Oxygen. That last one's pretty bad, I know. But nothing is worse than what I'm about to tell you.

I was apparently delirious from my fever, because I agreed to watch the last hour or so of "The Bachelor" with the bride on Monday night. Not only did I agree to watch it, but I actually made comments like "Who do you think he'll pick?" and "Moana's too high-maintenance." Yeah, my illness was that bad.

Maybe it's just the virus/flu bug that's still in me doing the talking, but I sure do hope that Sarah and Travis make it here in Nashville.....

think I'll wash my truck.....

When Nebraska lottery officials asked the 8 men who won last week's Powerball drawing what their plans were now that they were millionaires, one of them said that he was going to wash his truck. Uh-huh. Wash. His. Truck.

Nobody likes a clean car more than I do, just ask the bride. I sometimes drive her crazy on the weekends because I'm trying to wash cars and she can't go anywhere because her van's being washed. I love a clean car, inside and out. But if I've just won $15.5 million, washing my car ain't gonna be too high on my list of things to do.

Maybe I'm not looking at this right. Maybe his truck was REALLY dirty. Or perhaps he was going to buy actual car wash liquid rather than using his wife's Palmolive from under the kitchen sink, and this was going to prevent his truck's clear-coat finish from fading any further.

I thought about it, and here's the top 3 things I'd do if I ever won $15.5 million:

1. Get out of debt
2. Make an appointment with a financial planner
3. Buy that guy in Nebraska a new clean truck

and now for the guys.....

Randy Jackson originally said that he thought a guy would win this year's Idol. Seems to me that the girls actually have the edge after last night.

Here's my recap of last night's performances:

Patrick Hall - Technically, he can sing. I just don't like his attitude. He did pretty well, just picked a bad song. Probably makes it to the top 12.

David Radford - His looks will probably carry him further than his voice. During his performance I kept thinking how wrong the song was for him. Like Tony Bennett singing "Stairway to Heaven". Safe for this round.

Bucky Covington - A train wreck would have sounded better. Off-key the entire song. Bye bye, Bucky.

Will Makar - Although I was in the bonus room working on my train layout, I could hear that the den downstairs was dead silent when he came on. All three girls at my house are in love with Bobby Brady. He was pretty good. Safe for this round.

Sway Penala - I just didn't get it. He sang falsetto the whole time. Trying to sound like Phillip Bailey ain't easy, and Sway proved it. He hit one really high note towards the end, and that saved him for another round.

Kevin Covais - He's got a good voice, but someone in our household can't bear to watch him sing. Sort of like Simon was with Clay a couple of years ago. The female geriatric vote should keep him safe for at least another week.

Chris Daughtry - One of the best, definitely makes it through to the top 12. Good stage presence, strong voice. Book it.

Gedeon McKinney - Very good voice. Needs to tone down the confidence just a wee bit. Sounds like a television evangelist when he talks.

Bobby Bennett - Of all the Barry Manilow songs out there, he promised his grandmother he'd sing "Copa Cabana"??????? Bobby, meet Bucky. Hey, here's an idea! You two should share a cab to the airport, save a little money.

Elliott Yamin - Another one of the best. Great voice, very comfortable on stage. He's in the top 12.
Ace Young - Couldn't believe he picked the song he sang, but he nailed it. He'll make it through to the top 12 with ease.

Taylor Hicks - OK, I'm a little prejudiced because he's my favorite. One of my favorite songs of all time, but he didn't do a perfect job on it. He did bring it together starting with the first chorus. Book him for the final 12.

So here's my prediction for the top 6 guys, in no particular order: Ace Young, Chris Daughtry, Elliott Yamin, Taylor Hicks, Patrick Hall, Gedeon McKinney.







So the numbers go from 24 to 20 tonight.....

this one's for the girls.....

The top 12 girls performed on American Idol last night. Since I know everyone is dying to know what I thought, here's my assessment:

Mandisa - Nashville favorite, plus I met her a few years ago when we worked in the same building. Amazing voice, she'll be in the final 12 for sure.

Kellie Pickler - Cute, good voice, has the ability to cry at the drop of a hat. (Reminds me of a young Joan Van Ark, which is just more proof of how old I am.) Good job last night. Will make it to the final 12.

Becky O'Donahue - She did OK. Prettiest of the bunch, and that may be enough to get her into the final 12, but she's not a shoe-in.

Ayla Brown - Good voice, very tall, basketball player. She did OK. Probably survives this week, but doubtful to make it to the final 12.

Paris Bennett - One of my favorites. Sings and performs effortlessly. Book it, she'll end up in the top 5.

Brenna Gethers - Never before have I wanted a contestant to come out and fall down on the stage more than with this girl. She'll hang on for one more week, maybe two weeks, but she won't be in the top 12. Did anyone else see the Sammy Davis Jr./Popeye expression she had on her face a couple of times, or was that just me?

Stevie Scott - Opera girl goes home tomorrow night. They've said it a million times already - song selection is key. She has talent, but it's not right for this show.

Melissa McGhee - The surprise of the night. Sounded much better than I thought she would. She needs to do some Melissa Ethridge material.

Heather Cox - Pretty girl, but could be going home tomorrow night. Average voice at best.

Lisa Tucker - 16 years old, and one of the best. She's a pro. Another book-it, she's in the top 12 for sure.

Kinnick Sky - She makes it one more week, then exits. Very elegant performance, but doesn't have enough to make it to the top 12.

Katherine McPhee - Another one of the best. She's got talent, personality, voice, total package. Top 12.

So my prediction for the 6 girls that make it through (in no particular order) - Melissa, Kellie, Lisa, Paris, Katherine and Mandisa. 4 of these are no-brainers.






Tonight it's the guys' turn. My favorite going in is Taylor Hicks, the grey-headed guy from Alabama. A combination of Billy Joel/Ray Charles/Joe Cocker. Should be good.....

delayed reaction.....

Growing up in East Tennessee afforded me the priviledge to two things in the winter - hills and snow. (OK, I had hills in the other three seasons, too, just humor me here.) Whenever we got snow, there were hills all around that were great for riding sleds. In Middle Tennessee, we don't get alot of snow. We get more of a wintery-mix or ice.

The past two weekends, the weather forecasters told us we'd get anything from and inch to 5 inches of snow. We got around an inch or less both times. However, this past weekend there was enough to at least cover most of the grass, so I was able to get out the sleds and ride with the girls. There aren't alot of steep hills, but at the end of our cul-de-sac is the 18th fairway. There's a small hill that goes down to the fairway and eventually into a pond. Luckily, no one from our group ended up in the pond.

I took my first ride down the hill in the normal, sitting up fashion. Whee. Not alot of rush there. So I decided to go down the hill standing up on the sled. I grabbed the cord/rope on the front of the sled, kicked off the excess snow/ice from my boots, positioned my feet on the sled and started down the slope. No big deal, just like riding a skateboard. As I approached the part of the ride where the hill leveled off into the fairway, I started to slip. Attempted to right myself, I shifted my weight in the opposite direction that I was falling. But I fell anyway. Right onto the cart path. Oh, did I mention the cart path? The asphalt cart path?

When we're kids, we just fall. We don't worry about how we fall, we already know that we're going to fall, so we just fall. As adults, we do really stupid things like shifting our weight and trying to brace ourselves with our appendages.

I went down onto the cart path with my left elbow hitting first followed by my left hip. It hurt, but not too bad. I got up, surprised that the pain was so much less than I thought it would be. (Remember, this was only my second ride down the hill, so there was no way I was going in just yet.) I stayed out for about an hour more. Still, not alot of pain. No, the pain was going to wait.

That night I felt it a little more, but nothing major. Sunday morning, I felt it a little more. Sunday night, Fred Sanford could have beaten me in the 100-yard dash. A hot tub of water sounded good, but it didn't do too much for my situation. I slept with one of those heat patches around the back of my neck Sunday night.

It's Tuesday morning, and I'm doing a little better. Although there's no bruise on my hip, I'm still feeling it. The bruise on my elbow looks more like a carpet burn. The bride reminded me several times over the weekend that I just can't do these things and expect to bounce right back like I did 20 years ago. I think what she meant to say is that she looks forward to growing old with me, but it didn't come out right.....

yeah, right.....

They say it's good to start your day with a laugh. I'd like to thank the weather guy at WKRN for making the bride and me laugh this morning.

We began our day as we normally do - the alarm clock went off and we turned on the TV. The weather guy came on and said that we should expect 1-3" of snow late tonight and early tomorrow. The bed started to shake a little, then a little more. Then he showed the 7-day outlook, and more snow was predicted. The bed shaking stopped when the laughter was released.

Maybe it'll snow, just maybe. Last week when the prediction was for 3-5" of snow all kinds of things were cancelled in the Nashville area. ACT tests. Softball and baseball sign-ups. Hospital. OK, not hospitals, but practically everything else. And we woke up Saturday morning to less than an inch of snow and clear roads.

For once I'd love to hear a weather person come out and say, "I just don't know." That way they'd have a better chance of being accurate with their forecasting.....

just an observation.....

You know you're getting old (either that or you're very easy to please) when you get excited about a needle already having the right color of thread in it when you go to sew something because you dread having to rely on your "up-close" eyesight to thread a needle.....

valentine's day review.....

I heard last week that the average consumer was going to spend around $108 for Valentine's Day. I can tell you that the bride and I both missed that mark by around $105 each on each other.

A lack of spending does not equate to a lack of love. I think any more that culture says "the more you spend, the more it shows how much you love them." If that were the case, I'd be broke around our house.

Both daughters got flowers (or a flower) from "friends" yesterday. Being the father of girls, and especially girls who receive attention from stinky ol' boys, can be tough. My mind goes back to times when they were younger and I was met at the door with cheers and chants. Now I'm greeted with "I'm on the Gazelle!" or "I'm going to Amanda's house!"

I know we're not empty-nesters yet, but it's heading that way. The girls' social life is much busier than ours, and that's OK. Because when you're in a nest with someone you love, you sort of like hanging out with them there.....

valentine's day gift idea.....

I heard this story recently:

My husband, being unhappy with my mood swings, bought me a mood ring the other day so he would be able to monitor my moods.

We've discovered that when I'm in a good mood, it turns green. And when I'm in a bad mood, it leaves a big, freaking red mark on his forehead.

Maybe next time he'll buy me a diamond.

No diamonds this year, my dear bride, but no mood rings either. Happy Valentine's Day!

PS - On a slightly more romantic note, the bride and I met and had our first date 19 years ago this week.....

snow day.....

Not for me, but for the girls. It looks like someone opened up a salt shaker and and barely dusted the roads, so Williamson County and Franklin City schools are closed.

Weather forecasters all over the city of Nashville were predicting 3"-5" of snow Friday night, with additional accumulations on Saturday. We got less than an inch. Wouldn't it be great to have a job where you didn't have to ever be right or even accurate?

Ken Davis spoke at church yesterday. He grew up in northern Minnesota and lived in the Denver area for years. Ken said that he couldn't believe the way we reacted to snow. Ken said that if a snowflake falls in Gallatin, all of middle Tennessee is shut down. I agree.

Growing up in upper-east Tennessee, we got alot of snow. Yes, we missed school when it snowed. In 1971, when I was in first grade, we only went to school about 3 or 4 days in the month of January because of snow. Our county was prettry spread out, and there were alot of hills that buses had to travel, so snow made traveling by bus an impossibility.

Days like these are the only days I wish I was in school again.....

this could be a good book.....

Yesterday was one of those days where I just wanted to get away from the office at lunch. I hadn't had a bad day, I simply needed a change of scenery. Although it was about 32 and breezy, I decided to brave the cold and walk downtown for a bite to eat and to spend some time in the downtown library. I've spent quite a bit of time there lately during my lunch, sifting through model train scenery books and taking notes. (So far it's all just head knowledge; I've yet to act on a single idea.)

In the new books section, I found a new book on model railroad scenery, realized it was just a new edition of a book I'd already scanned, and put it back in the rack. The new book section in non-fiction is right next to the Religion section. I decided to look for a Donald Miller book. I've never read any of his writings, but I've heard good things. I found one called "Searching for God Knows What" and sat down to read the first chapter.

You ever have one of those "wow" moments when you're reading something? It's not new to you, but it's so profound. I had one of these moments while reading a small portion of this book.

The author talks about going to a Christian writer's conference in Memphis early in his writing career. He was so excited, felt that he had at least two good books in him (one involved a machete-weilding nun), and he just knew this was going to be a life-altering weekend. Miller hadn't bothered to find out that the conference was for non-fiction writers. His ideas were more along the lines of fiction. In fact, while talking one-on-one with an instructor during lunch, he asked her what the difference was between fiction and non-fiction. The instructors said there were basically two formulas to writing books, and that they would learn them over the next two days. As he listened to both formulas, he realized neither of his books would fit into the formulas.

Some of the ladies at the conference were doing devotional books. One was for reading while sipping tea; another was for reading while drinking coffee. When we got home after the conference, he thought about writing a devotional. Using one of the formulas from the conference, he began his process. After several attempts, he gave up. He realized something - you can't get to know God or about God from a formula. Salvation is basically God's invitation to get to know Him.

Miller said that when he wanted to talk to his best friend, all he does is call him. He didn't have to light candles, start some incantations and sing a song. Same thing with God. Sometimes religions put so much into the production of "church" and the things surrounding church that the simplicity of it all is lost in the shuffle. When we decide to have a relationship with God, He comes to where we are, no matter where that might be, and lets us get to know Him.

And that's just the first chapter. Looking forward to the rest of the book.....

I've heard of people tipping over outhouses, but.....

Teen Using Restroom Falls Out Bus Window

ALBANY, N.Y. - A New York City teenager fell out the window of a moving bus while using the restroom Tuesday and landed on the New York State Thruway.

State police said Jose Gonzales, 17, lost his balance when the chartered bus swerved to change lanes. It was unclear how fast the bus was going.

Gonzales was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment. Police said he'll recover. Gonzales fell onto the shoulder of the thruway near Exit 23 southbound.

makes you think.....

The bride and I attended a funeral for a friend yesterday. We weren't all that close, but we got to know each other a little better in Sunday school over the past 6 months or so when we found out that we had a mutual friend. We usually sat together in class.

Steve was just 52. Two months ago, life was good. About six weeks ago his doctor told him that he had kidney cancer. Sunday morning, around 2:40 a.m., he was gone. The members of our Sunday school class were honorary pall bearers.

He left behind two sons - one 24 and married, the other a senior at Centennial and just 18. The youngest is having a hard time. There were so many kids from school at the funeral, and even more at the visitation the night before. The coming weeks and months will be tough for him.

I learned alot about Steve yesterday. I found out how many people loved and respected him. One of his neighbors spoke and said that he asked himself if Steve was a successful man. He said that according to John Maxwell's difinition of sucess, Steve was very successful. Maxwell said that success is when those you're closest to in life love and respect you. In other words, they know the real you and love you anyway.

Maybe this sounds trite, but I looked at the bride and the girls a little differently last night.....

not-so-super bowl.....

I once had a root canal that was more exciting than last night's Super Bowl.

Yeah, yeah, the Steelers were a team of destiny; no other 6th-seeded team had ever made it to the Super Bowl; and Jerome Bettis is going home. I was sick of all of it before it even started. And the Seahawks blew it more than the Steelers won it. Sorry if you're a Pittsburgh fan, but it's true. (And I'm not a Seahawks fan.) However, it was good to see Cowher win a Super Bowl. He seems like a great family kind of guy.

Here's what stood out for me:

The officiating was horrendous. This was supposed to be an all-star crew? Stevie Wonder should have stayed on as the head ref after his pre-game performance.

The commercials. Best one of the evening was the Budweiser commercial with the streaking sheep. Next best was Ameriquest with the lady getting up to go to the bathroom on a plane. Worst one? Hummer. Pretty stupid.

The Seahawks' tight end. If he catches the 4 or 5 he dropped, Seattle wins.

The defenses. Seattle was much better than I expected, Pittsburgh was very overrated. For all of their hype, Porter and Polamalu were non-factors.

Pre-game MVP ceremony. Seeing the former MVP's before the game brought back a flood of memories for me. Sorry to sound like an old fart, but those guys were true legends. They played when it was still just a game.

I'd also like to thank the bride for the lovely Super Bowl meal and snacks, without which I would be able to button my pants this morning.....

super bowl time, and I don't care.....

It's been a long time since I've had any real interest in the outcome of a Super Bowl. I guess the last one was when the Titans played the Rams back in 2000. Great game, one that we could have won.

For me to really get into a Super Bowl, I've got to care - which usually means that "my team" has to be in it. Of course, had the Colts made it, I would have cared. I'd like to see Peyton win one before he retires.

When I was younger, I had a few different favorite teams. First it was the Packers because Dad liked the Packers. My first football uniform was a Green Bay uniform. Then I later became a Steelers fan, mainly because they won alot. I remember getting a Steelers winter coat one year after alot of begging. Some of the neighbors made fun of it, and I wouldn't wear it any more. Soon after that, I succumbed to peer pressure and became a Cowboys fan. I remained a Cowboys fan until the Titans came to town. And while this past year was not alot of fun to endure, I'll stay a Titans fan.

I was glad to see someone other than the Patriots in the Super Bowl. And I will probably watch the game Sunday night. I just hope it's competitive and exciting. If it gets to be one of those games where Rothlisberger turns and hands off to Bettis 45 times, it will be anything but exciting. And I'll end up watching Comedy Central or TV Land.....

things can only go up from here.....

As I was about to walk out of the mens' room just moments ago, I could feel something cold against the inside of my left thigh. I looked down and it was as if I had no control over my bodily functions. Apparently I turned the water on too fast and splashed more than just the cuffs on my shirt. It also got my pants. I don't think I could have done the actual deed and made it look any more realistic. I had to spend a few extra minutes in there as I attempted to dry my dress khakis with paper towels.

Yep, it's gonna' be one of those days.....

staying on topic.....

I thought about ExxonMobil's press release on the way home yesterday. Their excuse for their huge profit in 2005 was this - our bottom line was enormous because we're enormous. Sounds like ExxonMobil hired a former Clinton administration speech writer.

Saying this is sort of like a fat person saying their butt is gigantic only because they weigh so much.....