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One way or another, with crinklies on one side and crazies on the other, this upcoming election oughta be regular a horror show. Sorry I missed saying happy halloween to everybody but this is a year when I may well get a second chance.

In the meantime you guys look great Mark.

11/02/24 12:29 PM

#14553

Mark Schweickart

Mike -- Thanks for the compliment. But don't be fooled by the wigs covering my balding pate and Maddy's gray hair. Of course, that should come as no surprise.

11/02/24 12:49 PM

#14554

Timothy Lavelle

I can't agree with you Mike.

Personally looking forward to a successful election process with little or no comment at all about rigged elections, fake votes and so on. Like getting high again after not copping a buzz for awhile, I look forward to that first easyt breath when Trump is shown the pasture. (You and I know he will never EVER go to pasture).

I would love to hear St Agatha speak up a bit here. Mary Lynn was a smart, smiling pony-tailed special person in my memories of 7th and 8th grade there. For me coming from another side of town she was a special friend for a short while and allowed me to feel welcomed.

Go Bucks!

11/02/24 03:29 PM

#14555

For once I'd be happy to be proven wrong, Tim.

It would, of course, be a first, so there's that.

But in all seriousness.

11/02/24 07:52 PM

#14556

I hope this election is peaceful - before, during, and after -- and I also hope (with Tim L) that trump is shown the pasture. At the same time, I believe that even if he loses, he will not go away but continue to tell the republicans in Congress on what and how they should vote. His ego would not allow him to go peacefully anywhere. We will see. Joe

11/02/24 10:56 PM

#14557

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mark,

You and Maddy look great as hippies from the sixties! But where are your sandals?

I am just watching a Hallmark Christmas movie with my wife and it appears that turtlenecks are making a reappearance for winter men's wear. Maybe I should have kept my "dickies" (remember those?). Just don't bring back those 5" wide ties with knots as big as your hand and only came down to the middle of your shirt! Maybe I should have kept my Florsheim boots and one of my leisure suits!

O.K, back to changing all the clocks - Spring Forward, Fall Back!

Jim

11/03/24 09:24 AM

#14558

John Jackson

As Trump’s behavior becomes increasingly deranged and his cognitive decline, mental illness and authoritarian tendencies become more obvious each day, the fact that this election is even close is due to the massive amounts of mis-information being injected into right wing social media by Russian and other foreign interests who desperately want Trump to win.

These lies are then picked up and amplified by Fox News – the same Fox News who two years ago had to pay a $780 million judgment to Dominion Voting Systems for treating voting machine fraud lies as credible - during the trial Fox’s own internal emails (from Tucker Carlson and others) were used to show that Fox knew the claims were false. And of course we also have outlets like OAN and Newsmax who feast on even crazier stuff.

A recent example of misinformation is that Biden/Harris slow-walked hurricane aid to North Carolina because NC voted for Trump the past two elections. All you need to know to debunk this is that all the polls show Harris and Trump within a point of each other in NC this year (Harris has campaigned in the state a lot - she was there yesterday) and the Dems really hope to flip NC this year. In what universe does it make sense for Dems to alienate voters in a state they hope to carry by withholding hurricane aid?

11/03/24 10:36 AM

#14559

I just told my girlfriend of ten years: I promise I will only fool around with you -- never on you.

See how important prepositions are?

But moving on from spelling to civics: How astounding it is, John, that Trump is still hovering like Caesar's ghost. And just as scary.

11/03/24 12:17 PM

#14560

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

In keeping with Holloween season, here's a scary thought.

Imagine Robert Kennedy Jr. in some capacity as head of Health matters in this country.

YIKES!

11/03/24 12:29 PM

#14561

You boys sure do amuse me!

11/03/24 02:51 PM

#14562

Mark Schweickart

Mike--Since I generally can't see the worst of my balding (top and back) I pretend it's not too bad.

On another note: in your post above did you mean to say "proposition" or "preposition," or did I mis your intended word play?

11/03/24 04:37 PM

#14563

James Hamilton, M. D.

A Patriotic Song in a Picture

On Halloween morning I drove over to the El Paso County Service Center office to drop our ballots into a secure box. The drive only takes a few minutes but one passes Ute Vally Park (UVP) and the road has gorgeous views of Pikes Peak which had a light touch (probably 2-3 feet) of snow on top from the night before.

It was a beautiful, crisp air Colorado morning. Along the way I thought of what Katharine Lee Bates must have seen that day when she was on top of that famous Peak and was inspired to write "America the Beautiful". In fact, I was humming that very song as I drove down the road with the mountain ahead and our ballots beside me.

After returning home, I grabbed my camera and went back to UVP to "capture the moment". In the "spacious skies" a couple of jet contrails pointing toward the Peak accented the scene.

Although the foreground is not "grain" these amber colored leaves were "waving" in the breeze.

Jim

P.S. OK, how many of you will have an "ear worm" of that song in your head for the rest of this day?

11/04/24 07:55 AM

#14564

Jim H, your picture is absolutely beautiful and I also like the song! Thanks for sharing your talents with the rest of us. Joe

11/04/24 12:53 PM

#14565

I'd like to post a "request for suggestions" message here & hope a few of you don't mind helping me out.

Here I am, mid seventies, still as vivacious and as the ladies will all recall an irresistably charming and incredibly good looking guy, but that's not what we're here to talk about.

Ok seriously - look at those stupid bangs in that photo of me - I live in a nice home, have a lovely life partner who lives 15 minutes away, have a daughter in Dayton who's doing just great and just got a job working at a walgreen's pharmacy, and have a son who is a waiter at a nice restaurant down here in orlando and lives in what is essentially an apartment arrangement in a separate section of my home, which has a lovely backyard with a nice sized pool here in the sunshine state.

In short, I'm so damn lucky so very fortunate in my quasi-retirement situation; the only work I do is poking around the yard, cleaning the pool, cutting my significant other's back yard and teaching writing at a small college just a few miles from here.

My question: Much as I like teaching once I get in the classroom and start working with the students (they are all adults) and it's just one class a week, I'm wondering what it would be like to be utterly free of that one last grownup responsibility, and quit teaching.

Just the idea of being obliged to nobody -- to be utterly free of a connection to the workforce -- I just wonder what that would be like after better than a half century of frigging workaday workaday.

On the other hand - well it's hard for me to come up with "on the other hand."

Anybody want to weigh in? I mean I know this is a first world problem and I feel both guilty and fortunate about that, but I am somewhat torn and in a way isolated, just really don't have a circle of friends, and would love some input if it's no inconvenience. Not twisting any arms here.

It boils down to: I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED. I FEAR IF I STOP I WILL DISAPPEAR.

ps I wonder why nobody asks for suggestions here but I'm thinking most of you are not as isolated from the gang/columbus/family relations as I am.

11/04/24 01:40 PM

#14566

Okay Mike,

I'll bite. * (and I sure wish others including the ladies would chime in here)

My life of living alone started a few years back. But I kept a part-time job (driving) for a little something extra to get me out of the house. It turned out to be a life saver. I met interesting poeple - some of whom became friends (due to regular repeat customers), and I could walk away and not have any "carry over" worries. It was actually fun (and easy).

I had free time for a few volunteer commitees at church (Stephen Ministry and Mens Ministry), and those proved to be more rewarding than I had expected.

But my car wreck last year threw a monkey wrench into my lifestlye. I was hospitalized for 11 weeks and without a car for another 3 months after that. And no TV for yet another 3 months. And frankly, cannot figure out my new ROKU TV. ..... Talk about boredom!

I now have a car and am back to the church committe work, but I quit the driving thing. I have no domestic partner, and neighbors are few and gone part-time. My 3 kids live in Ohio and the Pacific Northwest - so my 3 grandkids are also far removed.

If it weren't for one local best buddy and his wife, and the church committe work, I think I would go stir crazy. Anybody thinking complete retirement (daily golf, or unending hours of TV) will bring hapiness, is in for a rude surprise. Human contact (i.e. our Class reunions, Fred's weekly luncheons, or this Forum etc.) are a very healthy activity. Many regularly scheduled "tasks" really lightens the free time boredom.

One last thought. I have finally begun to write a book. That is providing me with something to wrap my idle brain around for a few hours most days, and I look forward to it. Anyone with some inclination to pursue a craft of a hobby should go for it.

11/04/24 02:26 PM

#14567

I just wrote something on the "USER " side and decided to continue my thoughts over here.

Im going to shock you all by agreeing (sort of) with something Donald Trump just said in a campaign speech.

Much as I dettest the horrible effects of his Tarriffs (mostly negative results whenver used - like a thousand or so Wisconsin dairy farmers driven out of buisness from his Tarriff on Chines dairy products), He just said we shouldI get newly elected Mexican (first ever Jewish Lady President ) Claudia Sheinbaum to take more serious action agains the Cartels or he would enact a tarriff on all Mexican imports.

I honestly beleive that could help, but I think we should consider adding some of our own troops to this effort. The cartels are nothing less that a military force, and a powreful one at that. they should be given no quarter. They must be eliminated before they become an unoffical warlord state. And the helpless rural poor citizens of Mexico deserve outside help.

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

And while I am at it, I still cannot fathom why Joe never would send troops into Haiti. Nobody in the world (that mattered) would have a legitmate comlaint. All we could have needed to due was create boundaires in the cities, to help them gain control from the (American afrmed) gangs over fuel, medicine and food. Why not Joe? Why?

11/04/24 04:56 PM

#14568

Interesting post by Micharl McL and I am not sure of how to join in. I am also very fortunate.

After college, I worked for 9 months as a World History teacher at Watterson High School for 2 classes right after lunch and I absolutely hated it!! That summer after, I worked for a bank putting the coding on the checks - boring, but I did like it. As my profile says, I worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for persons with severe and significant disabilities and did that from 1971 to 1994 when I moved into the Central Office of my agency developing the policy that ran the agency. Both of these jobs were stressful. During those years, I got a Master's Degree and a Doctorate Degree. My Doctoralo dissertation was on the components of BURNOUT and I was burnout several times. Having a caseload of about 110 clients took a lot of energy. Plus, I dealt with persons who were very disabled, several committed suicide, some were murdered, and I also had to beg food and/or clothes from xhurch-based agencies for some who were on general relief or welfare and had very little. In 2003, I retired early because as a State of Ohio employee I was able to retire with full retirement pension. I worked 2 more years than I needed to because I didn't know what I wanted to do. Leo was retiring early also and so I thought 'why not.' Was this a wise decision? Financially, probably not, but existentially, it was a good decision.

I kept busy by doing what? I just relaxed for a while, except for being on the advisory board of the Dominican Sisters of Peace's Dominican Learning Center and serving for several years as the president of the board. Didn't take much time and I enjoyed it. Because I was a state of Ohio employee, I did not pay into social security. While I didn't want to go back to work, I knew that it would be smart to be eligible for Medicare. I had a friend who owned a chocolate/candy shop in a favorite part of the city - German Village. I worked part-time for years so that I was able to get my 40 quarters of work under social security. This was also fun. Now, I work there for maybe a few hours when they need me, which is rare.

In the meantime, Leo and I went to matinee movies, traveled a bit, and just enjoyed each other's company. Leo became a tutor for persons who struggled with English and so did I - immigrants, persoms who had to drop out of school or never graduated, etc. This took some of our energy. Leo also does Meals On Wheels, taking food to senior citizens every Thursday. An agency provides the food and the names and addresses of persons who need it. He has a route that is assigned for him.

During this time, I was keeping my journal and sharing it with only a few persons. Two priests told me that I had to do something with my journals because, "your journals are not just meant for you, Joe. You must share them." They because my book.

Of course, being older, we have both had our share of surguries, doctors, medical issues, etc. So....I have never really been bored. Leo and I have different interests, but we do many things together whether it is wathing TV, going to movies, enjoy a circle of friends, and just enjoy life. I (we) are very fortunate and grateful.

Now that I have written all this, I am not sure I have answered Mike's suggested topic. It has, however, made me look back over my life and realize how God has provided for me and Leo.

11/04/24 06:58 PM

#14569

You're right Joe. You didn't answer my question. Plus you mispelled my name -- not my last name, which I get all the time, but my FIRST name.

Just kidding. But then again you didn't. Spell my name right, that is. And I'm thinking it over whether or not I will forgive you. Is it pridefulness, or is it the simple fact that you are a dick. I will bring it up in confession. Ok, seriously: in truth, the only way anybody CAN answer a question like that, unless they are a shrink, in which case they would answer it with ANOTHER question, or rather, series of questions, and then follow that up with a big itemized bill for them, is to speak from their own experience. As you did. Which gave me the chance to mock you. As I did. It's the circle game!

11/04/24 07:08 PM

#14570

Thanks Dave. In all seriousness, thanks.

As for your wimpy trump sympathies: you are dead to me.

As for mary margaret: In all seriousness, once again, and this time I mean it, the fact that we amuse you is of great significance to us -- and has been since we were juveniles. Which, if you haven't figured this out already, we still are. And shall always be. It's in our dna: Entertain attractive females of the species. Otherwise what's the point?

11/04/24 08:13 PM

#14571

Oh Michael, can you ever forgive my my poor spelling and the fact I didn't answer your question? Mea Culpa many times. What penance can you give me to wash away the guilt I feel for my defects? I'll obey!! Joe

11/04/24 09:06 PM

#14572

You've all heard teh news today. Wasn't this a great moment?

I went down to my local "Peaches" record store (in Denver) and bought out all the copies.

Can you name them all?

11/05/24 10:10 AM

#14573