Saturday, January 30, 2010

From a friend:
"Two reasons why it's so hard to solve a Redneck murder:
1. The DNA is all the same
2. There are no dental records"

Friday, January 29, 2010

I'm reading a book titled Wyoming is wild...and the kids are barbarians. It's an Erma Bombeck type book about life in Casper as seen through the writings of a local columnist.
Some the early topics have been:
A dachshund that bites (sound familiar)
Going to "meetings for women who volunteer too much" and
the story of a volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels. She was delivering a meal, slipped on the ice, broke both wrists and arms, and consequently couldn't feed herself let alone deliver food to others.
I may include more later.
Went skiing again this morning-three days in a row.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Is it my imagination or do more telemarketers call on Tuesdays than any other day of the week.
This morning I couldn't see the mountain as the valley and foothills were totally fogged in. I decided this is my day to go skiing. Past experience has taught me that I will eventually drive above the fog. As I turned on the second switchback, the fog began to thin. The short story is the sun was out and there was no wind at the ski area. They are making snow so there is ice in a couple spots but nothing serious. With fewer than twenty people on the mountain it just doesn't get any better. Coming down I drove into a thinner fog bank but it will burn off.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Sent by a friend:
"Did you hear that they have raised the minimum drinking age for Rednecks to 32?
It seems they want to keep alcohol out of the high schools."

Monday, January 25, 2010

GREAT NEWS: I talked to my friend Luciano on the phone tonight. Last summer he was in a hospice. His cancer is now in remission and he was moved to a rehab center. I had heard this and felt we all got an early Christmas present. While he was in physical therapy, he fell and broke a bone in his leg so they moved him home. When his leg heals, he'll go back to the rehab center.
Last summer he told me that took him to the hospice so he could die. Now he's home and I wish him a meaningful recovery. I've lost too many friends to cancer so this is great news to me and obviously to Luciano and his family.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Snowed last night but it wasn't enough to cover the grass and only dampened the streets.
Went to see Avatar in 3-D this afternoon. I liked it but the wife thought it was a little violent.
With the Vikings losing I have no rooting interest in the Super Bowl. I guess I'll have to put away my Vike's cap for the season.
From a friend:
"A Redneck passed away and left his entire estate to his beloved widow...but she can't touch it 'till she's 14."

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Read today that they may have to truck in snow for some of the Vancouver Olympics venues. We have the same problem at Hogadon on Casper Mountain but you can bet they aren't going to truck in snow for us. We were supposed to get snow the last two days-but nada. If this keeps up I'll be going to Bingo parlors or something for exercise.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Thursday mornings I drink coffee with my "homies". We are retired teachers and administrators in our 60's, 70's and yesterday one in his 80's. The discussion centered around recent elections and health care. I happened to mention that I was having some windows replaced today and was glad I wasn't on the ladder. We all commented on how much each of us had cut back on chores that involve ladders. We reminisced about the stupid things we did when we younger that we wouldn't attempt now. Finally the guy in his 80's said "One of the best thing you can do for a friend our age is to take away his ladder."

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Yesterday I went to the mountain to ski. They had so little snow for a base that they were unable to groom and the slopes were icy and hard to read. I took a few runs and then went to the lodge to drink hot chocolate with my friends, most of whom are older than me or in my age range. It turned into a political debate sparked by the Massachusetts election the previous day. With this group I'm considered a liberal (although I'm pretty much a moderate). Some feel about Obama (some even stronger) as I did about Bush. After forty-five minutes, we had finished our drinks and parted friends. It's like the coffee drinkers at McDonald's who by noon have solutions for all the world problems. This venue, however, was in a ski lodge.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I think yesterday the voters of Massachusetts sent a needed message to the President and the Democrats-fix the economy first.
Trying to reform the health care/insurance world is an inch by inch process not a mile bye mile agenda. If the Democrats don't do something sensible and explainable, they will be the minority party again and the President will be in for one term.
I do think this puts the pressure on the Republicans to begin presenting solutions on their part. A pox on both their houses.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Dr. M.L. King Jr.

Monday, January 18, 2010

The evening of the day Dr. M.l. King was shot I was in my bachelor apartment correcting papers. At 7:00 a special report was going to come on one of the national TV companies was going to have a special report on the day's happenings This was before CNN and closed captioning. At approximately 7:01 a parent of one of my students called to tell me about all the problems she was having with her son. This was before I was a school counselor but the kid was flunking my class so I listened. I saw pictures but no narration. A little after 8:00 we finally finished. I had to read the details in the next day's paper.
Went to see the movie "It's Complicated" this afternoon. It was about divorced couples not that much younger than me. I enjoyed it but it may not appeal to some of the folks in their 20's and 30's.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

After the Vikings stomped the Cowboys this afternoon, I guess I'll have to wash my Viking's shirt and leave my Vike's cap in a prominent place for another week. I love it when Minnesota beats Dallas. I was at the game years ago when Roger Staubach threw the "Hail Mary" pass in the 4th quarter to beat the Vikes's at the old Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington where today the Mall of America stands.
One of our local columnist's father was a former defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. In part of her today's column she wrote about how badly she hates the Vikings. Tough bite, Sally Ann.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

After viewing the aftermath on TV of the devastation in Haiti, I can't believe the words from both Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson. Rush, I've always considered you a person who preys on the ill-informed, greedy, and less intelligent section of the USA to propagate your misinformation. Haiti was a country of overpopulation, poverty, and corruption before President Obama took office. You can't continue to portray the President as the second coming of Pandora's box.
Pat Robertson, you give Christianity a bad name. I can only post a retort I recently read to WWJD (what would Jesus do?). It is WWBD (what would Buddha do?)-in other words, Christians don't hold a monopoly on religion and beliefs.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Went skiing for the third time this season. The snow was better than the first two trips but still far from good. There were probably 25 skiers and boarders on the mountain. It's like having my own mountain. I met a pilot who works for Fed Ex and is based in Casper. We discussed flying and I told him my son-in-law flies for Delta.
This afternoon I took the van out and washed it. It's like two-season weather.
I'm going to a girls high school basketball game tonight. There are times I think I enjoy high school sports as much as and sometimes more than college or professional.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

I forgot to include a tenth favorite TV show of 2009. I didn't include Glee, which is a show on the rise.

Open to interpretation this bumper sticker was seen on a pick-up:
"It's a shame that the people who really know how to run America are too busy teaching school"

Monday, January 11, 2010

Went to the bank today to see about borrowing some money. By the time we had furnished all our financial statements and answered personal questions, I felt as if I had experienced going through the new airport security full-body scanner.

Reminds me of Wyoming.
From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if...More animals than people live in your zip code."

Sunday, January 10, 2010

People say the nicest things. I was visiting with neighbor X today. He asked if we were still thinking about moving to Denver. I said we are. He thought for a minute and then said he'd almost rather see neighbor Z move than us. Makes a person feel special.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

After watching the news on TV this week, I am disgusted with politicians. It's become the party's platform rather than what's good for the citizens. If I could do anything (and I've posted this before), I would abolish political parties and make each candidate run on his/her own agenda.
I am so proud of myself. I managed to program my laptop via a wireless connection to the new printer Kathy ordered with her new Mac. I didn't have to call my IT people in either Minneapolis or Denver-yet.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Went skiing this morning. I didn't know there was a high school ski meet there the next two days closing my favorite run. They built a terrain park for snowboarders on my second favorite run and turned it into an unskiable ice rink. All my veteran skier friends were complaining. A snowboarder got hurt. No ski patrol so two guy who work at the area raced down on their snowmobiles to provide aid. With all the racers today, the average of someone getting hurt goes up-still no visible ski patrol. It's the last day of Christmas vacation for students so there were quite a few boarders. I finally quit after after an hour and a half. It's said that "...a bad day of skiing is better than a good day of work.." but it was close today.

For all my business friend/relatives-
From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if...You've held a business meeting at Chuck E. Cheese's."

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Still cold-more reflecting on 2009.
There were only three movies which I remember that I enjoyed from beginning to end:
1. Marley & Me (a 2008 movie but I didn't see it until 2009)
2. The Proposal
3. Blind Side

The last two both featured Sandra Bullock, ironically.

NEW BUMPER STICKER-think about this.

"If you can read this, you are following too close" In braille

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

It's snowy and cold so I decided to do some reflecting on 2009.
My favorite TV shows. Most are on cable stations and I watch several of them on Netflix (in no particular order-most are mysteries):
1. House
2. Weeds
3. The Closer
4. Dexter
5. Burn Notice
6. Bones
7. 30 Rock
8. Life
9. Castle


David got a notice from the Natrona County Republican Party this week. They are having a big party at the end of January. Tickets are $50 each or you can get a table of eight for $500. Is that Republican math or what? Makes on wonder about financial numbers at the national level.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Went up to the athletic club for the second day. I was even stiffer, ached more, and had less motivation than yesterday. I set a goal for myself years ago and that was that I could always stand straight, glance down, and see my toes. So far-so good but my feet could be flatter too. At the beginning of the workout they announced they looking for the driver of a black Subaru. Apparently it was blocking an older couple who had finished working out. Since the athletic club is located in a mall, people figured it was a mall walker. Some folks just aren't courteous when dealing with others. They should have called a tow truck.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

We lost our internet server last night so a computer talked me through reinstalling it.
Went to the health club this morning. It's the first time I had been there since Dec. 24th. I had trouble stretching, legs ached, but I knew I had to gut (no pun intended) it out. I'm still a couple pounds over from Christmas but I resolve to work at it.
You know there is a new generation when you see fathers snowboarding with daughters.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Thursday we saw "Blind Side." I highly recommend it to everyone.
There is justice. As we were driving back to Casper yesterday, a big Suburban doing between 85 and 90 MPH passed us just south of the Colorado/Wyoming border. A couple of minutes into Wyoming the Wyo Highway Patrol had the Suburban pulled over. I laughed. More money for the state coffers.
Went skiing this morning-first time this season. I felt rusty and I definitely don't have my ski legs. I went early and avoided the crowds for the first hour.

From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if...You answered you cellphone during your driving test."