Hello again. Nice title, huh. My clever tank was empty so I just called it as I see it. Let’s begin

First of all, school began everywhere this past week. Here in Apple Valley, my girls started at a new school. Grace is in first grade and a veteran of all day school but for Ella, a full day of school is a new experience. As is the custom in our house, my wife and I both went with the kids on their first morning. I’m not going to get many more chances to do this so I really look forward to it. Grace was fine but you could see that Ella was a little nervous. When the first bell sounded and the kids had to line up with their classes to go inside, Ella got a look on her face that almost broke my heart. She was really looking forward to school, but suddenly she realized that she was going to be doing this herself. To her credit, she kept it together and didn’t cry as I watched her go. But I found out a little later that there were some tears once she got inside. By the end of the day, she was fine and had a million things to tell me about school. Even when the girls are too old for me to take them to their first day of school, I hope they never get too old to tell me all about their experiences and anything else that’s on their mind. I’d really miss that.

Then this last Thursday, I became a grandpa for the second time when my son Andy and his girlfriend Amber gave birth to a baby boy, Aaron Lee. I’ve got to say getting to see your grandchild for the first time is a about as good of a feeling as you can have, second only to seeing and holding my own children for the first time. Aaron appears to be completely healthy, which is the most important thing. As the father of a child with congenital heart defects, trust me when I tell you that. He also has a full head of hair, just like his dad and his Aunt Jenny. I can’t take any of the credit for this though, as I believe they inherited this trait from their mother.

It’s seems much harder to raise children these days. There are so many different influences out their to be concerned about, not to mention the expense. But, being a parent is the biggest rush of all time and far and away, the greatest thing I have ever done or will ever do. So congratulations to Andy and Amber. Enjoy the ride and cherish every moment.

Finally before I end tonight, I wanted to talk about music again. While listening to our I-Pod this afternoon, I heard my favorite Stevie Wonder song, titled “That Girl”, and it got me to thinking. I’m not sure I could name a favorite song, but I can name favorites by particular artists, so heres what I’d like to do. List a few (or a lot) of artists and your favorite song by that artists and share with us, along with any comments you’d like to make. As it’s my idea, I will start.

1) Stevie Wonder/ “That Girl” / Seventies Stevie at his best.

2) The Beatles / “Two Of Us”/ Such a memory tied to this song.

3) Steely Dan / “Time Out Of Mind” / Tough choice, but such a funky groove.

4) Allman Brothers Band / “Whipping Post” / Blues at their best.

Please take the time to share if you can. I will have more next week. But for now it’s time to go and reflect on all the good things I have been given and on the fact that that I’m a very lucky guy. I will be doing this reflecting with the help of a nice glass of wine or two. Hey, it’s one of the best things about reflecting.

We’ll talk again soon when I come back out to play in quicksand.

Hello again.  Before I begin, I’d like to complain for a minute about how unbelievably hot it has been. I’m not sure I can remember a stretch of weather this warm for this long. And if it’s not the heat, it’s the goddamn rain. The other morning, we got 1/2″ in fifteen minutes. I’m not trying to get biblical or anything, but I half expect to walk outside some day and see locusts eating their way through our neighborhood. Highly unlikely to be sure. I’m just saying.

Now, where were we. Oh yes, music. I don’t want to spend an incredible amount of time taking a trip down memory lane, but I still have a couple of points I’d like to get to. Number one, any discussion about music, especially in the sixties and seventies would be incomplete without mentioning Motown. I fell in love with the Motown sound as a boy. I knew all the songs and sang along every time. Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops.  Just naming a few off the top of my head. Oh, and before I forget, I believe the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and his brothers also got their start in Motown.

The Motown sound forever changed the landscape of music. Not only was the music itself unbelievable but finally black artists were being recognized for their talent and finally taking credit for their contribution to music. It was truly the dawning of a new era.

For me, the seventies was where it was at. Besides Motown and The Beatles, I was introduced to a who’s who of music superstars. The mighty Led Zepplin, The Eagles, The Allman Brothers, Steely Dan, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Elton John, the list could go on and on. I’m sure I’m leaving out other obvious choices, but musically I’m not sure there was a more influential time. I believe that greatness can be judged by whether or not the music stood the test of time, that is, does it still sound as good today as it did back when it was first recorded? Do you remember it? I’m pretty certain that all of the folks listed previously and many more pass the test with flying colors.

I look back and think how very fortunate I was to grow up in that time. I know that just as the music influenced me, how I thought, how I saw the world, it also influenced my daughter Jenny. She grew up listening to what I was listening to, and I’m pretty sure she counts some of the artists I grew up with among her favorites also. Ah, the power of music. Bridging the generation gap.

Maybe the greatest thing about music, in my humble opinion, is the emotional attachment or investment one makes when listening to a particular song. You know, how it tugs at your heart strings, gets you fired up before the big game, makes you want to change the world and makes you believe you can.

Does anyone have or at least had a song that reminded them of the first time they had their heart broken? A song about missing someone? A song that brings with it such emotion that even though you want to sing along, it’s impossible, the words get caught in your throat and you are rendered powerless? I have songs that do that to me. People who know me really well know me as an emotional person and probably know some of the songs that cause this most wonderful affliction. There is one Christmas song that reminds me so powerfully of my father that I can’t even listen to it, as it will reduce me to tears.

Some songs have rallied people to give peace a chance, to care a little about the physical world we live in,  to clean up the environment, to do something positive for your fellow man. So here’s the question before I run out of battery life. Do you have any songs that evoke some incredibly strong emotion about anything? If so, what is it and would you please share? I will do the same next time, but at the moment my computer is on borrowed time.

So until next time, thanks to anyone who follows along, and hopefully we’ll have a lot to talk about the next time I’m playing in quicksand.

Hello again. Quite a while ago, before I went on hiatus, I had a request from an old friend. The request was to blog about music and how it connects us all. At least I hope that’s what the request was, because that’s what I’m writing about tonight. In all honesty, it’s a great idea for a subject and i can use the inspiration from time to time. Thanks Bonnie!

I love music. Any kind of music. (Congrats if you got the O’Jays reference) Rock, country, jazz, big band, Texas swing. Anything.  Fast songs, slow ballads, songs with happy, hopeful lyrics to songs so sad that your heart aches. I love it all. And it’s the diverse nature of music itself that gives us all a chance to participate, whether it’s singing, playing, discussing, or just listening.

Me, I’m a sucker for lyrics. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good melody, but lyrics, the words put to music can just be so powerful. For example, back well before my time, our country rallied during war time to lyrics such as “it won’t be over till it’s over over there.” For how many years has the baby New Year been welcomed into the world to the somber refrain of “Auld Lang Sine”? These are just a couple of examples of how lyrics influenced a generation and, in the case of my latter example, still flex their muscle today, even if it’s only once a year.

The music of that era rallied people together, to support each other during times of great conflict, and made them all part of the struggle and ultimately the victory. All music should aspire to such lofty heights!

In the fifties, America was enjoying a great prosperity and the music of the time reflected that. Love was in the air with songs such as ” I Only Have Eyes For You” or “Only You” and everywhere street corner doo wop groups were creating a new sound that would become the forerunner to what was to be rock and roll.

I was a little too young to remember the music first hand, but I still enjoy the harmonies of that era and still count “I Only Have Eyes For You” and “Silhouettes On The Shade” among my favorite songs. Even today those songs still make me feel good. That’s the power of music to me. Songs that I didn’t even grow up with still have an affect on me when I hear them.

In the sixties, a generation (myself included) was being introduced to rock and roll. A much more innocent form to be sure, but still rock and roll.  This was a sound that was influenced by the blues and a young man named Elvis Presley led the charge of this music into mainstream consciousness. Again, young people were brought together as disciples to a sound that was irresistible.

About the same time, we were all witnesses as the British Invasion landed on our shores. While it came with edgier sound, it was the next wave in music and leading the charge were the Beatles.

I can still remember where I was when I  saw the Beatles make their American debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. We were at my grandparents house and everyone was huddled around the black and white television to get a glimpse of the band and to hear the music. How powerful is that? Everyone from my grandparents to the youngest of my cousins and everyone in between were in the same room for one reason and one reason only. To hear the music. now that’s bringing people together.

While there was a ton of great music to come out of the sixties, lyrically this era gave us two of the greatest songwriter(s) ever, Lennon/McCartney and the great Bob Dylan. When I talk about how I’m a sucker for lyrics, these guys are the reason why. From “Yesterday” which has probably been done by more artists across all genres than any other song of all time to “Let It Be”, the songwriting stands out. I don’t think anyone would honestly say that the Beatles were great musicians but their sum was greater than the individual parts and the lyrics pushed them over the top.

As for Mr. Dylan, he couldn’t have been more right when he said “the times, they are a changing” lyrics which are as relevant today as they were when he first wrote them. And lest you think that the music didn’t matter or that it was just hype, Bob Dylan’s music is offered as an elective at Boston University.

I didn’t mean for this to become a musical history lesson. I wouldn’t be that presumptuous. It’s just that in looking back, I couldn’t help but recall some of my favorite memories.

I  must go for now. Life is calling me. I’m not done on this subject by a long shot. I kind of figured that this would take a few writings to get around, and that’s o.k. with me.

For anyone out there who happens to see this,  please feel free to comment on your own experiences.  That sharing is one of the other great things about music.

So take care until we meet again when I’m out playing in quicksand.

Hello. I know I’ve been gone for quite some time, but tonight seemed like a good night to get back into “quicksand” and I’ve got to confess that I’m actually nervous about writing. Being away so long is part of the problem but so is trying to figure out where to begin when recapping the last three months. I’ve got many things I’d like to talk about, tell you about, get your opinions about, and I’ve also promised some good friends blogs about specific topics, which I will get to. Honest.

So after much deliberation I’ve decided to start with a general look back. This feels right to me after all this time. This is right in my wheel house. You know, where I take a topic or topics and paint in very broad brush strokes and am able to make sweeping generalizations about all that I’ve observed and experienced. What I’m really trying to say is that I have no idea where to start, so I’ll start at the beginning and see where I end up.

First of all we moved.I’ve moved quite a few times over the years and consider us to be fairly organized. We planned well and even got a head start on moving in. And with all that we did to assure a smooth and uneventful moving experience, in the end we still had to work like dogs to get done. But get done we did, and when the chips are down you find out who your friends are.Kudo’s to my buddies Rick and Dave for all their help. They went above and beyond to help us and that won’t be forgotten.

After all of that I’m happy to report that we are unpacked, mostly, have all of our stuff hung on the walls, mostly, and are finally settled in, mostly. You get the idea.

My youngest son turned 18 and graduated from high school, all in a span of about three weeks. These two events mark a couple of the proudest moments in my life. A couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have bet that either one of these things was a certainty for my son. But his hard work and determination to change his own fortunes, coupled with never ending support from his family, helped him realize a dream that we all shared. I don’t know what life holds for him going forward, but I do know that he will never face any problem that he can’t overcome. and now he knows it too.

I think I will end there for tonight. I going to have to pace myself. Don’t want to write too much too soon. I’ve got much more to share, but since this is really a cathartic exercise for me, I don’t want to overdo it. Thanks to anyone who’s cared about my being away. It feels good to do this again. And I will do it again soon. I promise. I’ll be easy to spot. I’ll be the guy out playing in quicksand.

Join Pamela Samuels Young, author of the legal thriller, Buying Time  (Goldman House Publishing), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in April 2010 on her fourth virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

About Pamela Samuels Young

Corporate attorney Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. Fed up with never seeing women or people of color depicted as savvy, hot shot attorneys in the legal thrillers she read, Pamela decided to create her own characters. Despite the demands of a busy legal career, Pamela accomplished her ambitious goal by rising at four in the morning to write before work, dedicating her weekends to writing and even spending her vacation time glued to her laptop for ten or more hours a day.

The Essence magazine bestselling author now has four fast-paced legal thrillers to show for her efforts: Every Reasonable Doubt (BET Books, February 2006), In Firm Pursuit (Harlequin, January 2007), Murder on the Down Low (Goldman House Publishing, September 2008) and Buying Time (Goldman House Publishing, November 2009). New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegel described Buying Time, Pamela’s first stand-alone novel, as a “deftly plotted thriller that combines the best of Lisa Scottoline and Robert Crais.”

Pamela has achieved a successful writing career while working as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for a large corporation in Southern California. Prior to that, she served as Employment Law Counsel for Raytheon Company and spent several years with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in Los Angeles. A former journalist, Pamela began her broadcasting career as a production assistant at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, where she was quickly promoted to news writer. To escape the chilly Detroit winters, she returned home to Los Angeles and worked at KCBS-TV as a news writer and associate producer.

Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC, a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received her law degree from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com.

Pamela is a frequent speaker on the topics of discrimination law, diversity, writing and pursuing your passion. She is married and lives in the Los Angeles area. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young (click on cover to purchase) 

About Buying Time

Buying Time is a scandalous tale of blackmail, murder and betrayal, evoking John Grisham with a dash of Terry McMillan.

Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck lawyer. But just when he’s about to hit rock bottom, he stumbles upon a business with the potential to solve all of his problems.

In Waverly’s new line of work, he comes to the aid of people in desperate need of cash. But there’s a catch. His clients must be terminally ill and willing to sign over rights to their life insurance policies before they can collect a dime. Waverly then finds investors eager to advance them thousands of dollars—including a hefty broker’s fee for himself—in exchange for a significant return on their investment once the clients take their last breath.

The stakes get higher when Waverly brokers the policy of the cancer-stricken wife of Lawrence Erickson, a high-powered lawyer who’s bucking to become the next U.S. Attorney General. When Waverly’s clients start dying sooner than they should, both Waverly and Erickson—who has some skeletons of his own to hide—are unwittingly drawn into a perilous web of greed, blackmail and murder.

Soon, a determined federal prosecutor is hot on Waverly’s trail. But when the prosecutor’s own life begins to unravel, she finds herself on the run—with Waverly at her side.

Book Excerpt

Here’s what reviewers have to say!

About Dianne Sweeney

Dianne Sweeney is the average, thirty-something, working woman of today–sometimes sarcastic, sometimes too honest for her own good–but she does tell it like it is. Professionally, she’s set. Friends–she has plenty. But love…well, isn’t that what we’re all looking for? Dianne resides in San Jose, California with her favorite cat, Scout.

You can visit Dianne at http://www.diannesweeney.com.

Excuse me, Does This Cake Make My Ass Look Big?

I have a question. How many times have you walked by a mirrored window and glanced at your reflection and cringed? The other day, I was walking around Campbell, and I happened to turn and look at my reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, I was annoyed. Why was a huge person following me so closely. Back up, buddy. Give me some room. However, he was right on my heels. Finally, I stopped and whipped around, but there was nobody there. I looked back in the mirror and did a double take. There was never anybody following me. It was me. Holy Cow! How long has my backside been trailing behind me like a 320-pound linebacker?

I grimace as I write this …which actually gets me thinking of Grimace the big purple looking creature in the McDonald’s commercials. What was he? Wasn’t he Ronald McDonald’s best friend? Was he Barney for the 80’s brat pack? Didn’t he represent milkshakes? Yum. Milkshakes. ARGH. Food. Food. Food. That is all I ever think about. Do you know how many times I have been to Weight Watchers? Probably more times than I have been on dates. It stops, today. I am going to begin my diet for the 1,345th time. I am going to join an online Weight Watchers group, and I am taking a few of my friends along for the ride. Wanna join in on the fun? We can lose weight together.

Now, where did I put those articles I just got from my US Weekly? Ah, yes, here they are—I just clipped 2 articles from a current magazine. One is a diet guaranteed to drop 10 pounds off my body in a weekend. The other is a recipe for a 6 minute pecan fudge cake. Who says we can’t have our cake and eat it, too?

Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace by Dianne Sweeney (click on cover to purchase at Amazon)

About Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace

In today’s age of virtual “hook-ups” and online encounters, it is no surprise that there are thousands of websites devoted to Internet dating.

Told in a series of vignettes, Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace, Dianne Sweeney’s revealing account of dating in the 21st century takes you on a hilarious, often poignant journey of online dates, dumps, and disasters. As she discovers the world of Internet dating is blessed by those seeking true love and plagued by those just “seeking.” Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace uncovers the reality of online dating-its pleasures, its horrors, and all the quirky stuff in between.

Read what critics say about Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace

This is a honest, funny, witty, and charmingly written book!! It’s one that you will not want to put down! In addition to the authors commentary and perspective of things, it includes the emails and instant messages that were sent back and forth from the author and her potential “princes”. I found myself laughing out loud for much of the book. Don’t miss out on this one!!
Vanessa – Amazon

This book was recommended to me by a friend who insisted that I read it. Oh my god! This is not a book to read on the bus unless you want to look like a crazy person!! I was laughing so hard out loud that the entire bus was staring! Not only is it a riot, but it is definitely easy for a man to relate to. I have already told my cube-mates at work to read it. Nice work Sweeney!
Miles Hansen

Join Bill Walker, author of the soul searching romance novel, A Note From an Old Acquaintance (iUniverse, June 2009), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in April on his fourth virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

About Bill Walker

Bill Walker is a graphic designer specializing in book and dust jacket design, and has worked on projects by Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. Between his design work and his writing, he spends his spare time reading voraciously and playing very loud guitar, much to the chagrin of his lovely wife and two sons. Bill makes his home in Los Angeles and can be reached through his web site: http://www.billwalkerdesigns.com/

Guest Post

I was quite unprepared for love when first it came to me. I was fifteen and attending a new boarding school in Western Massachusetts, renowned as much for its high academic standards as it was for its bucolic location nestled in a horseshoe of the Berkshire Mountains. It was my first day there and after meeting my roommate, stowing my gear and making my bunk, I decided to take a walk around the campus. The grounds were alive with students. You could tell the new ones. Like me, they strolled around in a semi-catatonic daze, trying to get their bearings.
It was later in the afternoon when I saw Claudia for the first time. I literally stopped in my tracks, watching her stride up the walkway toward the main building, where the new students were to meet for a brief orientation. The spun gold of her light blonde hair caught the rays of the September sun as it swayed across her shoulder blades, and the air grew thick around me, my breath catching in my throat. Her Caribbean-blue eyes shown with an inner light, set into a face while not supermodel beautiful, nonetheless struck me with its knowing innocence. Her body, however, was far from innocent, shaped in curvaceous ways no fifteen-year-old body should have been. I was captivated. And I had no idea what in hell to do.
You see, I’d always been very shy, and while I’d had crushes on girls before, none of them hit me with the primal force of nature that was Claudia. The emotions rushing through me every time I caught sight of her were so intense—so powerful—my heart raced and my tongue seized in my mouth, rendering me mute. Eventually, I worked up the courage to speak to her and we became friends, but I wanted so much more and lacked the courage to say or do anything about it. I watched, in agony, as she took up with another boy, their attraction to each other a palpable thing.
When she broke up with him a month or two later, I was hopeful again, but those fleeting aspirations were dashed, when one of the “big men on campus” swept her off her feet. He broke her heart shortly thereafter and I tried to be of solace to her, to be the friend she needed, in the hopes she would at last see the love brimming in my heart. I ached to declare myself, but feared ridicule, or worse, the dreaded “we’re just friends” speech. Alas, she found romance with yet another boy and after a few dark nights of the soul I finally realized she and I would never have that kind of relationship.
I only spent a year at the school, as my family moved from Connecticut to Florida that spring, where I attended a private day school. The truth was I could never go back to that school nestled in the mountains, could never walk those ivied halls again without being reminded of her. I still think of Claudia every now and then and wonder how her life’s turned out. I hope she’s happier now than she was then.
If you’re out there, Claudia, now you know the truth….

About A Note From an Old Acquaintance

Brian Weller is a haunted man. It’s been two years since the tragic accident that left his three-year-old son dead and his wife in an irreversible coma. A popular author of mega-selling thrillers, Brian’s life has reached a crossroads: his new book is stalled, his wife’s prognosis is dire, and he teeters on the brink of despair.

Everything changes the morning an e-mail arrives from Boston artist Joanna Richman. Her heartfelt note brings back all the poignant memories: the night their eyes met, the fiery passion of their short-lived affair, and the agonizing moment he was forced to leave Joanna forever. Now, fifteen years later, the guilt and anger threaten to overwhelm him. Vowing to make things right, Brian arranges a book-signing tour that will take him back to Boston. He is eager to see Joanna again, but remains unsure where their reunion will lead. One thing is certain: the forces that tore their love asunder will stop at nothing to keep them apart.

Filled with tender romance and taut suspense, A Note from an Old Acquaintance is an unforgettable story about fate, honor, and the power of true love.

Read the Reviews:

“Brian has been hit with life’s most devastatingly tragic event a parent can encounter. Not only did the horrible accident leave Brian to mourn the loss of his son, it also put his wife in a coma. Brian is left to face this life alone.

But then, one day he receives an unexpected email from someone in his past. This someone is Joanna, a woman he was once in love with. At that time the two were thrust apart by circumstances beyond their control. Fifteen years later the two are given a chance at a second shot at love. Will the past years make a difference and allow them to find happiness together or will Brian have to deal with yet another disaster?

A very touching novel that will make your heart ache. “
-bridget3420

“I can say with all candor I enjoyed the book thoroughly. I’m the novel reader in my family and I usually read an average of two novels per week. My taste runs the gamut. I read NY Times best sellers and books by lesser known authors purely because I’m intrigued by the description on the back dust cover. Mr. Walker’s book is a very entertaining and quick read. Love at first sight is something most of us can relate to, and I dare say that pretty nearly everyone that I know has a Brian or a Joanna in their past. The author’s combination of the torment of love lost with the elation of discovering that love can endure through the most trying of life’s events was very emotional and ultimately very gratifying. That most of us are, or have been, on a quest to find and capture our “soul mate” adds total credibility to the book. If I might be totally cliché, I really did find this book to be both heat-wrenching and heart warming. My husband and I have a fairly sizable library and the Walker book has taken it’s place on the shelf to be enjoyed again in the near future.“
-Carleen

Bill Walker’s NOTE FROM AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on April 5 and end on April 30. You can visit Bill’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of April to find out more about this great book and talented author!

Hello. It’s been awhile since I’ve written, and for that I apologize. We’ve been very busy trying to get ready to move and still continue with the other day to day nonsense that I’m sure everyone else deals with as well. Everything is going o.k., it’s just a very hectic and somewhat stressful time. I’m pretty sure I’ll survive, but just in case things take a bad turn, please keep a good thought.

Generally, when you see me doing a “Random Thoughts” piece, it means I can’t think of one damned thing to write about. And that is exactly what it means this time as well. I’ve got many things on my mind, some of which may be worth writing about. But at the moment my mind is overwhelmed, so tonight it’s random thoughts. Think of it as looking around in your refrigerator for something to eat before you’ve gone shopping, and making a snack out of whatever you find. Maybe not great, but hopefully it won’t kill you. And away we go…….

1) Why aren’t English Muffins cut all the way through? Whenever you want to have one, you have to cut it through so that it can be put in the toaster. Now I’m aware that this isn’t really any big deal, I guess I just find it odd. They are cut almost all the way through anyway, you’d think it would be easier to just finish the job instead of stopping  right before the end. Is it me or does this seem strange to anyone else? It’s probably just me.

2) I’ve noticed that there are quite a few of these “paranormal” or “ghost hunter” shows on T.V. They all use sophisticated equipment and techniques designed to find the ghost or ghosts residing at that weeks site. Everyone on these shows walks around in the dark, hearing or feeling something out of the ordinary. Some of these folks try to speak with or to the spirits, and in some cases even challenge them in a threatening way.  So here’s the question. How come at the end of everyone of these shows, during the “reveal” there is never any visual evidence to back up any claim of paranormal activity? Despite all of the high tech gadgets, there is never one time when you see a real “ghost” or anything close to it.

I just want to see some tangible evidence. A spooky old man or women passing in front of the camera or some turn of the century children playing in the halls, you know, like in the movies. Is that so much to ask? Maybe that’s the problem with reality television. Reality just isn’t that exciting. I think I may be on to something.

Well, I think that’s it for tonight. This is the kind of stuff I think about more often then I care to admit, and if you’ve bothered to read this to it’s conclusion, you’re my kind of people. I’ll talk with you again soon when I’m out here playing in quicksand.

Hello again. I know it’s been awhile but I and most of my family have been consistently sick for the last two weeks or so. I’m not quite sure if I’m the mend yet, but if I’m not this certainly isn’t going to make me feel any worse.

Let me start with some good news. We are officially in moving mode. Yes, we have found a new place to call home. It’s in Appleton and has three bedrooms, 1.75 bathrooms, a family room, a wood burning fireplace, and an attached 2.5 car garage. I really hate moving, but am very excited to have much more room in our new place. If anyone has any boxes that they don’t need or would be willing to come and help us move, feel free to comment back. I’m just kidding about the help, but pray for nice weather at the end of this month, would ya?

The weather sure got nice in a hurry. Those of you who have read this blog in the past or know me personally, know of my loathing of winter and anything having to do with winter. So I was thrilled to have nice weather this early in the year. But I’ve been sick almost from the beginning of the nice spell, after hardly being sick all winter long. I’m sure this too will pass, and if this is the price to pay for an early spring, so be it. But I’d like to call the bill paid in full now and move on so I can begin to enjoy the nice weather. Before it’s gone again.

Finally, since it’s Easter weekend and all, I’d like to talk for a minute about something I’ve found to be equal parts fascinating and disturbing. That would be the whole “Catholics Come Home” ad campaign that has been on every T.V. channel lately.  Now there is nothing wrong with reaching out and trying to reconnect with people who may have left the faith behind and find out if they would would be willing to give the relationship one more try. But in light of the most recent sex abuse scandal involving priests and deaf children, with cover up stretching all the way to the Vatican and the Pope himself, the question that begs to be asked is “come home” to what?

Now, let me state for the record that I was born and raised a Catholic. I never really took it very seriously as a kid, but I suppose most kids don’t. It was just out duty to go to religion classes, take First Communion, and go to confession every once in awhile. Also, as a teenager, I had the privilege to meet and become very good friends with Father Martin Carr who really was one of the good guys and is fondly remembered in Oshkosh and the Fox Cities for his life’s work, “The Place To Be”.

With all that said, I’d like to address my original question. Come home to what? In my opinion, trust is the bedrock any relationship has to be built on. Without it, most relationships stand little chance of survival.  My first marriage is a shining example of this and I’m sure there are many more out there who could point to trust. among other things, as one of the chief issues in their own past or present relationships.

So, if former Catholics left the church in the past, what is the reason supposed to be for coming back this time? How does the church stand in judgement of so many people for their lifestyle choices, Gays and Lesbians as examples, yet take no responsibility for their own actions? Standing up and apologizing 30 – 40 years after the fact isn’t nearly enough penance to pay for moving pedophile priests from place to place for years, all the while delivering children into the hands of these monsters.

I’ve got to be honest, I don’t understand the need for organized religion in the first place. If someone wants to have a relationship with “God”, they certainly don’t need to belong to any church or religion. Calling ourselves “Christian” or Catholic or Lutheran, is just another way we judge each other and separate ourselves from each other. It’s these labels which move us farther and farther away from the relationship with our own personal idea of God.

I hope that everyone out there can find something in their lives to believe in. Something that gives them comfort during life’s most trying times.  And if you’re looking for a relationship of faith, have faith in yourself and trust yourself to do what’s right for you. Most of us try to do the right thing on a daily basis. We help where we can, we’re honest and hard working, enjoying simple pleasures shared with family and friends, and when our time here is done if a good life lived isn’t enough to get me to whatever the next level is, so be it. I know I’ll be surrounded by many people just like me. And if the folks responsible for the atrocities in the Catholic church can  just say I”m sorry to “God” and still get in to whatever “heaven” there may be, then I don’t want to get in.

That’s enough for now. I’m gonna go and take some cold meds and wait for the Easter Bunny. As always, I’d be thrilled to hear your opinions on my latest rant.

I’ll talk to you again soon, I hope, when I’m out here playing in quicksand.

Hello. I decided to use a line from the classic song “What A Wonderful World This Would Be” as a lead in tonight not to begin to list the many subjects I’m less than proficient in, but rather as a way to start to give my opinion about the historic passage of health care legislation.

Now I’m not the least bit politically savvy. I listen to all the talking heads on both sides and try to remember that they are both trying to advance their own positions by keeping the debate raging. It seems that those in favor seem to feel overly optimistic while those against seem to be big on gloom and doom. Despite all that, I still try to make up my own mind.

With that said, in this case, I’m going to go with the overly optimistic crowd. How could health care for all Americans be a bad thing? The cost? Please. If memory serves me, wasn’t it eight years of Republican / Conservative “leadership” what brought the country to the brink of financial ruin in the first place? If we are going to overspend on something, for once let it be for the benefit of people in this country, not trying to extract ourselves from a war with people who don’t appreciate our interference, nor want our way of life.

Health care in this country, or the lack of health care, has been a national embarrassment for years. Presidents Nixon and Clinton both saw the need for the legislation we now have, but couldn’t get through the partisan politics. If anyone has seen the elderly in this country have to decide between medication or food and not call it an embarrassment, I’d  be interested to know what word or phrase you’d use.

Now, I’m sure there will be parts of this legislation that may sound better in theory and not work out quite as well in practice, but we now have a place to start. Not a perfect place but hopefully a place where folks can come together, put aside their differences, and work toward a common goal that benefits all. A place free of the negativity and fear mongering that has been the hallmark of the battle against this legislation.

Conservatives are already threatening Democrats with charges that there will be heavy prices to pay at the mid term elections. It’s even been suggested by some that this piece of legislation will cost President Obama a second term. All this may be true. But if it is, to those who lead the fight and may pay the price with their own jobs, please know that you have done the right thing. That your sacrifice for the good of the many had to be made for there to be any real change. And I believe that history will show you all to be patriots.