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Michael McLeod

Here's another war story for you, Dave.

I know I have heard of this one before but I never saw the details.

David Mitchell

Wow!

Mark Schweickart

This is not exactly a Christmas song, but rather it is a poem I wrote for my sweetie a few days ago as a Christmas present. Then I decided it might be more effective if I recorded it, since then I could make sure the rhythms I hear in my head come through rather than relying on just what one would glean from reading it on a page. I wanted to play around with humorous wordplay and  rhyming that I knew she would appreciate, as I recounted how we met some twenty years ago. As the opening picture from back then (the same one I also use here as my ID on the forum) suggests, we had not yet been hit upside the head with that inevitable graying-and-aging stick that wallops us all. And even though our outward appearances have changed (I  mean who likes looking  at that mourning mirror in the morning), but thankfully our sense of humor continues to hang in there. Merry Christmas, you old farts.

Michael McLeod

Joseph D. McCarthy

Thought I would break the silence with some stupid facts;

Joseph D. McCarthy

A second set of factors ( # 7. and # 9 ) before purchasing that Electric Vehicle (EV):

More such "important info" may follow.

Joseph D. McCarthy

A warning to Watterson "66 classmates !!!!!

If I can find an affordable rental car for use when I reach Columbus next year I plan on attending the class get-together / re-union.

Harold Clark

see all you kids tonight----------------merry Christmas to all

James Hamilton, M. D.

Joe McC.,

Thanks for that post on EV's. It puts into words my thoughts - and those of many other's - that these vehicles are not compatible with many, perhaps most, of America's driver's and their needs. This is especially true for those of us who live in the western and southwestern states. 

And that does not take into account the inconvenience of changing one's home and garage, the fire danger and the source of power to charge these cars.

Jim

Janie Albright (Blank)

Santa, can you find me in Mexico?! 
 

Mark Schweickart

"Merry Christmas from the Family" to our Watterson Family!

Here's my cover of a Christmas un-classic that I think I bothered you with last year as well.

I have to admit I had never heard of this artist who, I now realize, has been a significant presence in the Texas country music scene for many years. Several years ago, while being bombarded by all the normal Christmas standards on the radio on my way home from work one holiday season, I suddenly heard this one by Robert Earl Keen. It knocked me out. Quite a refreshing interruption to Frosty and Rudolph, and I felt compelled to try to do a cover of it. I have taken quite a few liberties with the lyrics to put my own stamp on it, but the tone and humor are all his. I just stretched it out a bit and down-played the drunkenness. I also changed the tempo and added a few musical Christmas allusions throughout. The family in this is not my family of course, but close enough.

Joseph D. McCarthy

Hopefully these will be the last items concerning Electric Vehicles ( EV's ). 

My main thought on this was the MANDATE that California will only allow EV's to be sold after 2025. Currently it takes me Four days and Three nights to drive to Columbus (following all speed limits.)  Currently with an EV it would take me about a week (or more) to reach Columbus; thus adding hundreds of extra dollars for moteels and meals.

Happy Holidays to all.

David Mitchell

I simply love this story - about the true meaning of Christmas,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, giving HOPE.

It combines a great choir and, some interesting history, and a wonderfu l message.

(oh yea, and a pilot - its always better when your thow a pilot into the story - right?)

Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

Michael McLeod

Feliz navidad Donna!

John Jackson

Joe, thanks for sharing the four recent Motor Trend articles on electric vehicles which, if you take the time to read them in their entirety, are actually quite bullish about electric vehicles.  But one correction - the California mandate you mentioned barring gasoline powered vehicles takes effect in 2035, not 2025.   And it only applies to sales of new vehicles – gasoline powered cars and trucks already on the road can still be used.  

2035 also dovetails with the timetables of virtually all the world’s major car companies (GM, Mercedes, Volvo, etc) who have essentially stopped investing in or designing gasoline powered vehicles and are targeting sales of only electric vehicles after 2030-2035.

So Joe, by my calculations, if you still have range or charging time anxieties about EV’s 14 years from now you can buy a new gasoline-powered car in late 2034 and continue to make those Great American road trips from California to Columbus until you’re well into your mid-90’s.  But, given the amount of money that is being invested by the automotive giants as well as venture capital funding of the hundreds of startups researching breakthrough battery technology, I’d bet that the range and charging time problems of today’s EVs will largely be solved.

On the other hand, I’d be interested to see Motor Trend’s take on self-driving cars.  That is technology that I think has been hyped and oversold and I doubt that we will see fully self driving cars in our lifetime - even though that would be a boon to drivers our age who will increasingly find ourselves grounded after our worried kids take the keys away.

Janie Albright (Blank)

Mark, enjoyed your cover of Robert Earl Keene. That's been one of our favorites for years. Colleen Cotter and my daughter Nancy (her goddaughter) are somewhat groupies of REK. They've seen him numerous times in small venues. We saw him in Dayton a few years ago at outdoor concert pavilion the Fraze. Yes, his version of Christmas with the Family is definitely a little raunchier. Lol.  They are also fans of Joe Ely and Lucinda Williams 
 

Photo from Christmas mass here in PV. Church is beautiful. 
 

David Mitchell

  I get sleepy after about three paragraphs. 

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For those of you who can be with grandkids over the Holidays, and the board games and Lego sets are already played out, here are a few fun classic movies to while away a few hours. You all will know many of these, but I find my kids have not seen some of them - shame on me. I've been coaxing them to show them to their kids. - - - - And if your not with grandkids, these are still thoroughly enjoyable.

Joseph D. McCarthy

Okay John, you caught my biggest typo.   I think Newsom wanted originally to make it 2025, until Elon Musk moved to Texas.  Was that (Musk) like the kid who took his/her basketball and went home to show the rest of the kids.

The other major issue is what do we do with all of our current vehicles.  Donate them to Cars for Veterans and claim an excessive deduction because the vehicle is an true antique with only a few remaining in museums.  Actually, will they still be making fuel (gasoline) for our cars that we sneak out of the garage when "our kids" go to sleep.

David Mitchell

The world is a tiny place!

I have just had two weird small world happenings in the last few days.

First;

I went to a dinner party with a group of my fellow "Stephen Ministers" at my church. During our 50 hours of training last spring we got to be pretty good friends. We just held a Christmas party last week and eveyrone brought their spouses. One of the ladies (who I didn't know had lived in Columbus and prinipcled a school in New Albany) introduced me to her husband and explained to him that I had served in Vietnam. 

He proceeded to share one of the most unusual experinces in Vietnam I have ever heard. His father was in some sort of Goverment Service (civilian) and they lived on the base housing at the famous big airport in Saigon - Tan San Nhut Air Base. He attended his 7th grade school year with other American kids on the base. He was also in an American Boy Scout troop in Saigon, and get this - he took golf lessons at the Saigon Country Club (never heard of that) from a North Vietnamese golf instuctor!

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

Second:

Last night on my driving job I picked up a lady about our age frrom Savannah Airport to her home on Hilton Head Island (which is what we do most of the time). In the hour-long ride we got onto the subject of Bob Hope's Christmas shows for the troops. I shared my story with her about seeing the Bob Hope show two days after I arrived at my new home in Vinh Long, and I told her about the episode where he stopped the show, frightened by the sound a Huey gunship firing rockets at a target a short way behind the stage. 

She grew very animated and shared her story. She had been a USO girl who traveled with a team of 4 other girls who sang and danced for the troops all over Vietnam. And they had come under a mortar attack when the soldiers had to hustle them off the stage and lead them to cover until the attack was over. She had several other fascinating stories, but when I told her the names of the cast that Bob's show had for our performance - including Cincy Reds cather Johhny Bench, she laughed out loud.

"OMGosh, Johnny is a good friend of mine - I was in his wedding!"

David Mitchell

My previous post was wrong! 

The world is even smaller than that. I've just had an even crazier small world happening.

Two nights ago, on my driving job, I drove a family of 10 from a house on Hilton Head to a restaurant. When they got in the van I asked where they were from. "Mostly Ohio" they answered. I asked them what part of Ohio and they said "Columbus".

Understand, this happens all the time as the Island is full of Ohio and Michigan people.

Then the father asked me where I went to high school. "Bishop Wattrson", I said. Then he added, "Oh, I went to Aquinas and one of my nephews (in the back of the van) went to DeSales". We had a few laughs about it as I drorpped them at the restaurant, and again when I drove them home.

So tonight, I drove the same family to a different restaurant. Just to tease them, I wore my red Watterson Eagles baseball cap. They got a kick out of it. Then on the way home, the nephew from DeSales said he had an Aunt who went to Watterson. He asked me when I graduated? I said '66, and he said he thought she was mid 60s. Then he asked, "Would you know a  Lorraine Heitchue?"

I could hardly beleive it! I asked if she was a hiking and climbing enthusiast and he said "Oh yeah".

Then he texted her right then and there from the van and she actually answered in a few moments, confirming that I was a classmate. She even mentioned that I had gone to live in Salzburg Austria in the summer of 1965 (who in God's name would remember that?)

Lorraine, if you're reading the Forum, Hello out there. 

Lawrence Foster

Dave - These small world co-incidences are really amazing.  I enjoyed reading your post about it.  Question:  the Dad who went ot Aquinas - did you get his name? 

David Mitchell

Larry,

His name was Ron Knight and I'm pretty sure it was Aquinas class of '54. Kind of a short guy.

David Mitchell

As we prepare to say goodbye to another year and look forward to the next, I think it is worth considering what single season sets this great nation apart from every other nation on earth - "Bowl Season".

What other nation can claim to be so blessed?  

My heart swells with pride as I consider each inspiring title one by one.

(not neccesarily listed in chronological order)

Wasabi Fenway Bowl (canceled)- San Diego Credit Union Holiday Bowl (cancelled) - Military Bowl presented by Peraton (canceled) - Easy Post Hawaii Bowl (canceled) - Tax Act Texas bowl - Play Station Fiesta Bowl - Vrbo Citris Bowl - Outback Bowl - Tony the Tiger Sun bowl - Tax Slayer Gator Bowl - TransPerfect Music Bowl - Duke's Mayo Bowl - Valero Alamo Bowl - Cheez-it Bowl - New Era Pinstripe Bowl - Guranteed Rate Bowl (really?) - Auto Zone Liberty Bowl - SERVPRO First Responder Bowl - TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl (surely a big one on everybody's list) - Quick Lane Bowl - Tax Act Camelia Bowl - Frisco Football Classic Presented by Ryan (huh?) - Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl - Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (seriously) - Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl - Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - R+L Carriers New Orlean Bowl - Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel (I did NOT make that one up) - Lending Tree Bowl - Radience Techmologies Independence Bowl - PUBG MOBILE New Mexico Bowl - Chick fil-A Peach Bowl - SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl - Bahamas Bowl - Tailgreeter Cure Bowl (Yes, I double checked the spelling) - and of course everyone's favorite, RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. (I guess you file a roof damage claim for every touchdown they score)

I swear these are all actual bowl game names.

Please don't call my office complainig that I left the major bowls out.

I got tired of typing this stupid post.

OMGosh! I forgot perhaps the best one of all - the Barstool Sports Arena Bowl (which was also canceled)

Michael McLeod

Good cheer for the new year from Garrison Keillor:

Call me naïve but I’ve been around for three score and ten plus nine years and I believe in progress. I was impressed when science found a way to put shampoo and conditioner into one bottle and when the cranberry and raisin married to form the craisin. I still rejoice at the ease of long-distance phone calls — we don’t even use the term “long distance” anymore — I’m astonished when my daughter FaceTimes me from London as I sit in a café in New York, and in our capitalist society, why does this not cost $35.75 a minute? A miracle.

I read about Boyan Slat, the young Dutchman who invented a boom that collects tons of plastic pollutants for recycling, pollutants that rivers dump into the seas and that kill fish, and it gives a person hope that we will work out the problems that a great many writers revel in despairing over, the fashionable dystopian soothsayers who prevail in academia and the media and who congregate on the coasts and talk to themselves about their iconic migraines and the systemic emptiness of life in Middle America, which they seldom set foot in but where their books sell by the truckload to comfortable people in need of the thrill of crisis.

I’ve known some luminous people in my time, and what distinguished them was their enduring enthusiasm and hopes and aspirations, and I recommend the same to you. When I was your age, I learned the arts of sarcasm and ridicule, and as a young writer aimed for a dark neurotic brilliance (“Devastating … compelling” — NY Times, “Rips the covers off the myth of exceptionalism” — Vanity Fair), but as an old man I look around and see splendor and bravery and genius and kindness and that, my dears, is the real story.

Sitting in a café on Columbus Avenue in New York a couple weeks ago, I watched an ancient man inching his way along the sidewalk, long white hair and beard, blinded by the sun, confused, tattered, about to step into the bike lane and be run down, when two young women and a young man came to his rescue, took his hand, got his address, called an Uber to come get him, put some money in his hand, and off he went. This is the real story, a man of my generation rescued by the young. Writers can revel in despair but other people are intent on solving problems, and that’s where you should put your money.

I know something about misery, having just spent four days in Florida, a state where nobody wears a mask and so I had visions of dying of COVID amid the junk food outlets and collapsible condos, but I did not die and came back north and now I have hope for 2022. The developer ex-president will find himself being questioned under oath this year, the dark cloud of perjury over his head, and his anti-science cult followers will be playing a bad hand in the November elections. Solar energy will take great strides forward. Baseball will return. My friend Harry Reid who grew up dirt-poor and fought his father to protect his mother and hitchhiked forty miles to go to high school and who wound up marshaling the Affordable Care Act through the U.S. Senate had a luminous faith in this country. I talked to him a couple months before he died last week and he was full of life and quoting Mark Twain — the line about the man who lives fully does not fear death and also, “I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” Harry was the only politician I knew who kept a picture of a humorist on his office wall. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.