A good Good Friday to you...

This is a excerpt from the book 'Six Hours One Friday' by Max Lucado. It is a great story about the ultimate in forgiveness and redemption. It means a lot to me because it's a reminder that no matter how bad things are, it's never too late...

Good Friday
Skull's hill-windswept and stony. The thief-gaunt and pale. Hinges squeak as the door of death closes on his life. His situation is pitiful. He's taking the last step down the spiral staircase of failure. One crime after another. One rejection after another. Lower and lower he descended until he reached the bottom---a crossbeam and three spikes. He can't hide who he is. His only clothing is the cloak of his disgrace. No fancy jargon. No impressive resume. No Sunday school afterwards. Just a naked history of failure. He sees Jesus. Earlier he had mocked the man. When the crowd first chorused its criticism, he'd sung his part. But now he doesn't mock Jesus. He studies him. He begins to wonder who this man might be. How strange. He doesn't resist the nails; he almost invites them.He hears the jests and the insults and sees the man remain quiet. He sees the fresh blood on Jesus' cheeks, the crown of thorns scraping Jesus' scalp, and he hears the hoarse whisper, "Father, forgive them." Why do they want him dead? Slowly the thief's curiosity offsets the pain in his body. He momentarily forgets the nails rubbing against the raw bones of his wrists and the cramps in his calves. He begins to feel a peculiar warmth in his heart: he begins to care; he begins to care about this peaceful martyr. There's no anger in his eyes, only tears. He looks at the huddle of soldiers throwing dice in the dirt, gambling for a ragged robe. He sees the sign above Jesus' head. It's painted with sarcasm: King of the Jews. They mock him as a king. If he were crazy, they would ignore him. If he had no followers, they'd turn him away. If he were nothing to fear, they wouldn't kill him. You only kill a king if he has a kingdom. Could it be.... His cracked lips open to speak. Then, all of a sudden, his thoughts are exploded by the accusations of the criminal on the other cross. He, too, has been studying Jesus, but studying through the blurred lens of cynicism. "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself--and us, too, while you're at it!" It's an inexplicable dilemma--how two people can hear the same words and see the same Savior, and one see hope and the other see nothing but himself. It was all the first criminal could take. Perhaps the crook who hurled the barb expected the other crook to take the cue and hurl a few of his own. But he didn't. No second verse was sung. What the bitter-tongued criminal did hear were words of defense. "Don't you fear God?" Only minutes before these same lips had cursed Jesus. Now they are defending him. Every head on the hill lifts to look at this one who spoke on behalf of the Christ. Every angel weeps and every demon gapes. Who could have imagined this thief thinking of anyone but himself? He'd always been the bully, the purse-snatching brat. Who could remember the last time he'd come to someone's aid? But as the last grains of sand trickle through his hourglass, he performs man's noblest act. He speaks on God's behalf. Where are those we would expect to defend Jesus? A much more spiritual Peter has abandoned him. A much more educated Pilate has washed his hands of him. A much more loyal mob of countrymen has demanded his death. A much more faithful band of disciples has scattered. When it seems that everyone has turned away, a crook places himself between Jesus and the accusers and speaks on his behalf. "Don't you even fear God when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn't done one thing wrong." The soldiers look up. The priests cease chattering. Mary wipes her tears and raises her eyes. No one had even noticed the fellow, but now everyone looks at him. Perhaps even Jesus looks at him. Perhaps he turns to see the one who had spoken when all others had remained silent. Perhaps he fights to focus his eyes on the one who offered this final gesture of love he'd receive while alive. I wonder, did he smile as this sheep straggled into the fold? For that, in effect, is exactly what the criminal is doing. He is stumbling to safety just as the gate is closing. Lodged in the thief's statement are the two facts that anyone needs to recognize in order to come to Jesus. Look at the phrase again. Do you see them? "We are getting what we deserve. This man has done nothing wrong." We are guilty and he is innocent. We are filthy and he is pure. We are wrong and he is right. He is not on that cross for his sins. He is there for ours. And once the crook understands this, his request seems only natural. As he looks into the eyes of his last hope, he made the same request any Christian has made. "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." No stained-glass homilies. No excuses. Just a desperate plea for help. At this point Jesus performs the greatest miracle of the cross. Greater than the earthquake. Greater than the tearing of the temple curtain. Greater than the darkness. Greater than the resurrected saints appearing on the streets. He performs the miracle of forgiveness. A sin-soaked criminal is received by a blood-stained Savior. "Today you will be with me in Paradise. This is a solemn promise." Wow. Only seconds before the thief was a beggar nervously squeezing his hat at the castle door, wondering if the King might spare a few crumbs. Suddenly he's holding the whole pantry. Such is the definition of grace...

Tip O' the hat to the drummer

From my young and wilder daze... It was nine years ago tonight that the world lost my very favorite rock drummer. Cozy Powell played with the likes of the Jeff Beck Group, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, The Michael Schenker Group, ELP, and in the top video he spent some time in the 80's with Whitesnake. He was big into fast cars and bikes and was killed when he lost control at a high rate of speed on April 5th, 1998. God Bless ya Cozy, you were the greatest... Hope you're making things noisy in Heaven...

Random thoughts from a random mind...

More musings...
Fort Wayne was GREAT. I never had so much fun in a town that I could care less about. I may actually stumbled upon a job opportunity while shopping there...
I know that Florida is the top basketball program in the land, by beating the Ohio State Buckeyes ... wait a minute, the Buckeyes beat themselves. I was so disgusted watching them play. So many missed shots. For Ohio State, the Georgia Dome, where the game was played, could've been called the 'brick house'...
After church yesterday, I went to eat brunch and at the buffet, a little girl was trying to 'play' with the food. She was trying to grab the grapes and eat them right there. A sly move by her older sister put a stop to it in a hurry. Older sister placed a jalapeno pepper in the grapes and about 15 seconds later, the little one left the grapes alone and went running back to the table where her mommy was... I was surprised and proud of big sister and laughed at her brilliance...
Haley and her parents stopped by the office after she was up having an NG tube put down her nose so they could pour the contrast down so they can see what the spot on her pancreas might be. Her dad told me it was 'sheer hell' for her. Four people couldn't even hold her down to get the NG down. Her dad had to do it. How freakin' awful that had to be. After they go the contrast in, they took the tube out of her nose and she settled down considerably. When she got to our office, she was just a chatterbox, going a mile a minute talking about anything and everything. With all of her hair cut off, Haley looks like a little boy. But she was full of energy today. What a trooper...
This Saturday, I make the transition from hockey to women's football. Yep, my heavy honeys are back. The Spitfire will start regular season play against Erie (PA) this weekend. To be kind and generous, the team tries hard to be competitive, but usually gets smoked most every game. The only team they've beaten in the last 3 years was Erie in the regular season finale last season. They've lost by scores such as 36-0, 66-0, 84-0, and 93-0... and yet they battle... and I'm still goofy enough to stay with them. Don't know why... it's not as energetic and exciting and fast paced as hockey, but I do it anyway...

An Odd Place To Be... Home!

Hey,
I'm sitting here in a very foriegn place... my couch! I'm used to being at work and then packing my bags for a road trip to broadcast sports. But since my team didn't make it to nationals, this weekend, here I be... I am not sure what I should do. I have spent most of the last two days sleeping. I am usually up tuning in 'fox and friends' at 6am and enjoying a good morning with Steve, Gretchen, and Brian... I decided that tonight I am going to drive over to Fort Wayne, Indiana and catch a Komets hockey game. I have never been to one and since I have the weekend off, hey- why not?
It's really odd for me to have this much time to myself. A couple of friends at work wanted me to spend the weekend doing normal 'guy' things... y'know... clubbing, all the other things that THEY do... I smiled and am opting for hitting the road for Ft. Wayne. Nothing wrong with what they do... They like doing their thing. I have no problem with that. I may take them up on it some time. But I just prefer to go out of town tonight to catch a hockey game and maybe sneak in a little golf... ahhhh yes, GOLF... my favorite four letter word! :) How could someone who loves golfing as much as I do be so incredibly horrible at it? ahhhh yes, GOLF...

Czechs and Balances

How do,
I am finally done with a boat load of games to broadcast this past weekend. I am happy to have been there, but man, I was so deprived of sleep over the last 5 days. Today at work, I got sick and I was supposed to go check out a movie tonight but cancelled that and went home to a much more glamorous dining experience: a chicken fingers TV dinner with a brownie that had the texture and depth of a hockey puck. It didn't really fill me up but the can of old barbeque flavored Pringles did hit the spot. I tried to fall asleep but here I sit and am catching up with emails and my friends journals/ blogs/ posts... etc...
The last two games I did last night were for youth hockey in Toledo. The '94 (birthyear) and '95 teams took on teams from the Czech Republic in some international matchups. It was so wonderful to watch the crowd get jacked up about the kids on both sides. The Czech kids came over to play some Detroit area teams and got to meet the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. They were from some town called Stratoniche (sp) which was about a couple hours away from Prague. Anyway, they played the Detroit area teams and came down on the last night they were going to be here to make their only Ohio appearance. After the games, the kids from Toledo and the Czechs all piled up and went to a dinner that the Toledo parents tossed. It was wonderful. I was sleepy and wanted to go home but knew that I had to at least put in an appearance. Well, I get there and head straight for the food. It was great. I had so much fun there and watching the 12 and 13 year-olds from two different countries break down barriers... just being typical kids. It was a riot. It should be duly noted that the kids from the Czech Republic are no different from our kids here when it comes to dealing with the language barrier... Both groups resorted to the same tactic when trying to break down various aspects of communication at it's most common denominator... they taught each other the curse words of each other's languages. Christian as I try to be, I couldn't help but smile and laugh out loud. Hockey players from two different countries and cultures showing that they have no problem in communication and didn't let anything stop them from having a good time together... I wish we adults were more like that...

Done for the season...

Ouch...
I guess that's all I've got the energy to muster right now. My Cherokee hockey club lost and were eliminated from the playoffs last night. I guess it didn't really bother me too much because absolutely no one gave us a chance and we beat Peoria last weekend to get this far. I was okay with things until I walked into our locker room. Then it hit me. Some of these guys I will never see again. They will go back to where they come from and move on with their lives. Some will tryout at higher levels next season and hopefully most will go to college and make something of themselves away from hockey. I saw a lot of hurt and tearful faces in the room. A couple of players always seem to touch my heart. Last year it was Jesper and Toby. This year, it was Tony and Z... Both didn't even try to hide their hurt at the season being over. I went up to each and didn't even stick a hand out to shake. I gave them each big bear hugs and both completely lost it. Tony will probably come back next year. He loves the game. As for Z, he has said he is done, even though he has another year of eligibility left. He's going to go back home to Chicago and get started on his life. I hope he changes his mind. But I get the feeling he'll be going to school and then make something of his life in Chi-town. Good for him. I gave a couple of hugs to a few others but mostly gave them handshakes. This time of year is always the hardest. It always means we part ways. The fond memories I have of the season that was... yeah, I enjoyed the hockey that was played. But it was the day to day doldrums of life on the road, that I miss and I'll miss this group of guys. I always got a kick out of watching them try and lay some weak lines on some of the girls that we came across both at home and on the road. They were pretty cool in that they would include me with the "hey Mik, ain't she hot? Or "whaddya think Mik?" I felt proud to be considered 'almost cool' enough to be one of the guys. But like I always told them "dude, when I look at a girl like that, the only thought that goes through my mind is 'gee, I wonder if her mom is pretty too?" Because I am OLD... I usually would keep to myself, but would joke around with the players and I really got a kick out of them. I'll miss them. I look forward to having some time to wind down. But I still have to broadcast the Hurster Cup Championship game today at 3:30pm and a couple of international youth games on Monday night. I look forward to some rest, but I still enjoy the insane schedule that I keep. It keeps me young... sort of.

Strangers and Friends... nary the two shall meet... sort of

Wow.
I guess that's about all I can muster right now. I've got sooooo much stuff running through my head right now. I am just trying to process everything and it's all information overload. We went to Peoria (a novel in itself) and came from behind to eliiminate the Mustangs two games to one in the best of three series. We start the Hurster Cup finals on Thursday. We play Flint on Thursday, St. Louis on Friday, and Dubuque on Saturday. If we can make it to the Championship game on Sunday, we will qualify automatically for the national championship tournament.
Anyway, I was all set to come home after work and grab some dinner and just clean the place up since I haven't been home much at all (except to catch a nap)... Well, I decide to go over to my dad's old place to check on it. I see a woman in the distance as I get out of my car and head in toward my dad's... I was getting the mail and was coming back to my car when this person yells across to me if I could give her a ride somewhere. Under normal 'Mik' conditions, I would've ignored her and said 'no' and leave quickly. Afterall, it's the hood and you don't know what can happen. But I looked her in the eye and many thoughts from a book I've read and re-read, entered into my mind. The book is called 'Lifestories' from Mark Hall, the lead singer from the band Casting Crowns. In this book, he doesn't talk so much about the crafting of the songs that are featured in the book, but rather the stories behind each of the tunes and how he was led by God to create. Some seriously unfair and tragic things happened and yet these people's faith came through and touched Mark's heart. He talked about trying and failing, sometimes dropping the ball when he had chances to let Christ's love shine through him. I thought about this as I saw this woman (I have to be honest, in my mind, she clearly appeared to be a prostitute). I looked in her eyes and you didn't need to be a doctor to see that she had a defeated, 'hard life' look to her. I didn't know what to do, but I swallowed and decided to show some faith in God. "Sure, I'll give you a lift", I said. She thanked me and flashed a pained smile, rusty from lack of use. I had some junk on the front seat of my car which I quickly moved to the back. I moved everything and as she sat down, I looked at her face, up close. She looked to be in her mid to late forties. She looked like she was a pretty woman at one time. But circumstances, some tough choices, and pain = miserable life. Sooo... with me doing all this judging here, even though I'm trying not to, I sat in my seat and pulled away and she did most of the talking. It was about a 15 minute drive to where she needed to be. She said she was doing a 'house clean job' for a guy. And was going to another 'house clean job' on the other side of town. I didn't tell her that it was in the general direction of where I was going. She asked me if I dated. I said 'no'. She asked me a few other questions and when I kept my answers in short, but generic terms. She was trying to size me up. "Man, you are smart!" she exclaimed. "Nah, I'm not better than you or anyone else..." was my response. She told me her life story about the hard knocks (with plenty of f-bombs thrown in to spice it up...lol) and how she has an 11 year old son to try and take care of. She talked about the struggles she had and how she had so little hope. I could sense the hopelessness in her voice. I just prayed to God on the spot to give me some words to say. Not that it had to be biblical quotes, but just to be understanding and to let His light enter her heart (or what appeared to be left of it). "So dude, how old are you?" she asked. "42? wow, you look great for that age. I would've never guessed that!" I didn't ask her how old she was, but I didn't have to. "Me, I'm 31 years old". It took every bit of strength I had not to have a look of shock on my face. She started talking about different aspects of her life and not having much to look forward to. My head was swimming. So I kept thinking about that book I read and when I wondered to myself what could or should I say? There's a song that Mark Hall wrote entitled "Love Them Like Jesus" where the idea is that when people go through storms in their life, I don't have to have all the perfect answers, I just need to be there and be supportive, but most importantly, love them like Jesus would. So when she noticed a book marker of 'The Cross In My Pocket' stuck in my dashboard, which was given to me as a birthday gift last year (thank you Riccie), I saw it as an opportunity. Instead of trying to dump a bunch of religious sayings on her, I just talked about trying as hard as I could to make good decisions and that even though I still screw up, my heart tells me I have to keep trying to do what is right. Even when no one else is looking. We chatted about positive attitudes. A little bit about faith, and I told her straight up about being able to say what she wants, but will live what she believes. I re-iterated over and over that I was no better than she was. She thought otherwise, but I told her that I still screw up and make mistakes. I stick my foot in my mouth, even though my intent was to try and say something good. I don't try to act like my stuff doesn't stink. Mark Hall writes about christians "I don't think the world minds that we sin... I think the world minds when we act like we don't". And as that thought came to my mind, I knew I had to build her up a little bit. So I tried talking to her in positive ways. Trying to love like Jesus would. When we pulled up in the driveway of her next 'house clean job', she kept saying that she wished she had met me before (she told me for 'dating' purposes)... I smiled at her, thanked her, but politely declined that offer... I looked at her, she had very bloodshot, teary eyes and thanked me. If I could venture a guess as to why I reached her it might be because I tried not to look at her and judge her. She's probably had a lot of that in her life. She didn't need that from me. And while I may have done that when she first asked for a ride, I left those thoughts on the road we drove away from and treated her as an equal. Because she IS. I wished her well and to keep believing in what the future can hold. And keep praying. And not to give up on life. I don't know if anything I said will stay with her, but I know it impacted me tremendously. It woke me up to how blessed I truly am. I can't ever act like I'm any better than anyone else, because when I looked at her, I saw myself (from my past) looking back at me. And that I am only one or two poor decisions from being there... But as someone who HAS been there, it really makes me feel grateful for the little things that I DO have now... namely Faith, Hope, and Love... they're the most important... This woman and I never exchanged names, didn't even ask each other for that matter. But I will never forget her, or what she did to strengthen my faith in God. I tried to love her like Jesus would. She taught me a whole lot more than I could ever hope to teach her...

Post Test(s)

How do,
Right now it's just a few hours till I head to Peoria, Illinois as the Cherokee head there to play the Peoria Mustangs in a best of three playoff series. We really want to win because the 'final four' playoff championship for our league is being held in Toledo this year. It would be strange to see the CSHL in our barn without us there. But not many folks are giving us a chance to beat the Mustangs. Some expect us to be swept. Some have us losing in three. Me, I like our chances. I honestly think we can win. If we can stay out of the penalty box, we have a good shot. I'll have the call tonight, and on Saturday night by going on the Cherokee website (the link is on this page up on your right) and click on the live audio link at 9:15pm ET and have a listen to me making a goof out of myself. Anyway...
Got to see Haley yesterday. She and her mom stopped by and Haley was sporting a haircut. Since she has been losing her hair because of the chemo, it was a no brainer. It looks more even now that it's short. She was supposed to have the test yesterday to find out if the spot on her pancreas is cancerous or not. Problem is, they can't this young lady to drink the contrast that is required for the test to be run. They've tried everything. So next time she comes back, they are going to have to sedate her and put an NG tube down her nose. This sucks big time. I am very disappointed because she is only three years old and it hurts to see her go through all of this. And now they're going to have to stick a tube down her nose into her belly and pour contrast in her. That's a lot to ask a little kid under normal circumstances. To face it with the possibility of more cancer lurking inside of her... geez that just plain whizzes... Sorry, just being a little protective of an innocent one... I am going to try and focus on the playoffs out of town and get ready to scream like a madman during each game... Peace...

A Little Angel...

Only a little girl this precious could get me to:
a) do a bunny hop around the office like a complete goof... and
b) sit on the floor and take a picture with her... (with my crappy cell phone camera)
Haley had to go get her blood work done so she and her mom stopped by to say hello. I was so tickled to see my little buddy. The pictures here don't really show how much hair she's lost because of the chemo... but she still has some energy and is so much fun to be around. I always make time for her. I just think so much of that little sweetheart... God Bless her...

Had a few minutes over at my sister and brother-in-law's so I started messin' around with my nephews and the only woman I can say I love and trust... My baby girl, Penney. The greatest dog in the whoooooooooooooole worrrrrld... there! do I sound like a five-year old now?

Full Moon Rising...

Forgive me if I seem to be a bit irate, but too much crap happening doesn't sit well with me. Mind you, I'm not mad or anything. But c'mon... My little part of the world is being tested right now and it doesn't make me happy. First, I'm sure you all know about the bus accident that happened down in Atlanta that involved a college baseball team from our area. Six people killed. Ugh. It really has shook up the Bluffton community. I guess I'm just annoyed at all the negative attention my corner of the world is getting these days.
Heard from Haley's mom today. She called to let me know that they admitted her to the hospital tonight. Don't know what is going on but she's running a high fever. She just had her last chemo treatment on Thursday. So I don't know what it could be. They weren't sure what was going to be done when I left, but I will be back there all day today (saturday) working so I'll make sure I go see her and spend some time trying to make her smile. I have to do that. When I see that little one smile, then I smile. I don't have children, nor do I want any, but I tell you what, this little kid has wormed her way into my heart. I absolutely hate seeing her go through chemo treatments, pain, nausea and vomitting, hair loss, etc,... I never let anyone get close to me like this before. I've always had the ability to reach the youth (mainly because I am, for the most part, a big kid myself)... However, I've always kept people at a distance. But there's something very special about this 3-year old little one. She has such an infectious smile. I sit and watch her come into the office and turn it upside down. Even my boss, who always keeps an eye on us to make sure we're all busy, will stop what she's doing and come spend all kinds of time with Haley. It seems like when I'm at my low points, she will pop in and light the place up. I think what it is that I love about this kid, is that I'm looking directly into the face of innocence. Before misery. Before pain. Before growing up. There, sitting before me, is a little kid who is going through sheer hell, but doesn't really realize it. Weak though she is, she still has some of the energy of your typical 3 year old. I guess that's why I am in such awe. She doesn't ever complain and it never occurs to her that this stuff she endures is not normal. She just doeswhat she has to do...
Well, tomorrow, the Cherokee will host their regular season finale vs Chicago at 3pm ET... we're honoring the detective who was killed in the line of duty. I'll be broadcasting the game online (audio only) and locally on television. But I've never done a hockey game where we're doing all that we're doing... all to benefit the family of the slain officer. I'm a wee bit nervous because I want to show the proper respect to the officer's family and yet remain true to the broadcast of the game. If you want, tune into the game and let me know how I did. Just go to the Toledo Cherokee website (click on the link over on the right side of this page) and follow the links to listen in on Sunday afternoon... Hmmm, after getting all of this stuff out of me has been theraputic, I am feeling a little better... Okay Mik, no more griping...

There But For the Grace of God... Go I...

It's been a blur around the Toledo area as of late. Last week (after my last post), the community was rocked to its core by the murder of an undercover cop. He was 35 years old and the kid that shot him down was 15 freakin' years old. He got wacked at about 4 in the morning. What in the world is a 15 year-old doing hangning out in the middle of the night? A truly senseless loss of life. They buried him today and they had to move it to a larger church because the one he belonged to was too small. The cop was a Toledo cop but lived a couple of miles over the border of Ohio and Michigan. That's how I am. I live a few miles over the Michigan - Ohio border, but still call Toledo home. But police from 35 states and Canada were represented. It was really sad. He leaves behind a wife and two kids aged six and four. The whole thing was televised on all the local TV stations... very sad.

In other news, I'm feeling a lot better. My voice is almost back to normal. My anti-biotics are finally working. I missed a couple of days of work including Wednesday. That day was Haley's final chemo treatment. When she came to see me and the co-workers, there was a surprise pizza party (with cake and ice cream) and she was totally floored. I was so bummed that I missed it. She was asking for me the whole time. I was not going to give her any germs with her immune system as compromised as it is... But she's supposed to come back for some more blood work to check her numbers so I will get to see her a couple of more times. I guess it tells you how important and precious life really is... When in doubt, love.

Heard from the nephew. He's going through sheer hell training to be a marine. He's 19, scared, and alone. But he's growing up and hopefully it will help him mature. I miss him right now though. It's really a dull world without him around here. But I'll see him in April when he graduates boot camp. Life... some survive it. Some throw it away, some appreciate it. Some are grateful for the opportunity... NEVER take it for granted...

This Video Says It All... We Live

Superchick - We Live

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Headlines...

Okay, I'm making it official... I'm officially filing papers to declare... that I'M the father of Anna Nicole's baby... And I shaved Brittney's head too... While I'm at it, about the JFK thing (I was a xygote... but a powerful one!) There, I feel better now... ugh!

I'm getting sick of what passes for 'news' these days. Okay, granted... most of it is political so that is enough of a reason to be turned off by all of it. The main networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN) and the print media, who do nothing but tear down this country and blame everyone on the right. The alternative media (Fox, Newsmax, Drudge, Talk Radio) who do nothing but rip the left and it's all negative to the point where I almost want to tune out what's happening. But c'mon people, there is some crap out there that makes the above comments I opened with, seem almost believable... especially the JFK assassination bit (hint: I wasn't born yet)... Examples? Here are some TRUE headlines...

"Stop Global Warming by Banning Beef Not Cars" Christian Science Monitor
"A Film Star in Kampala, Conjuring Amin's Ghost." (positive qualities of a brutal dictator?) NY Times
"Redefining Black" LA Times... Obama isn't "black enough" to get the support of the standing Black American leadership because of his White/Hawaiian/African (meaning NOT African American, but real African) heritage.
"Woman Allegedly Tries To Get Painkillers Under Her Dog's Name" AP

and my personal favorite:
"Canadian Man Suing Makers of 'America's Funniest Home Videos'" (apparently he mistook the title to mean 'north american') But can you imagine if it was to include 'north america' and we got videos from south of the border? It would be something like "Okay, here are some bloopers of some botched attempts to try and illegally cross the border. Call the kids in and let's have a laugh..."

And I'm not even going to mention about the Mexican illegals who are here, testifying against our border patrol who had the audacity to ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOB. And are now being prosecuted for it. I'm a proud American (of mexican descent) conservative, but even I think that the government has really dropped the ball on this one. Geez, we're giving the illegal meatheads immunity and are paying for them to be here, including free food and phone cards(???) But we can't give our troops a lousy phone card to call home with??? Now that really hacks me off big time. Why don't we give those illegal testifiers a Taco Bell gift card and a trip back across... Not a social security card, free hotel room for someone who smuggled illegal aliens and drugs TWICE across our border. Even they have the good sense to know that Taco Bell isn't real mexican food! I still eat Taco Hell though. It's just good fast food. I know, I know, I got sidetracked, but I'm trying to stay in a good mood...

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow...

Digging out from a mess...

Ahhhh winter is BACK! Don't know about where you're at but here on the Ohio-Michigan border, we got tatooed pretty good. When I walked out to my car in the wee hours of yesterday morning, the snow drifts were over the hood of the front and back end and I could not see the wheels of said auto. Yip, yip, yippeeee. I finally got to work (via security dept.) about 2 hours later. With what should've only been a 20 minute ride, I got to work and sat down as we got slammed but good. Lots of people needing help with various issues that come along with a level 3 snow emergency. What that means is that non-emergency personnel were banned from driving on the streets within the county (including all cities and towns within that county). In the outlying areas, outside of Toledo, a number of roads were not passable. Accidents everywhere. Throughout the day, the roads were cleared pretty well, but ice became an equally primary concern and added to the fun and circus like atmosphere... I made it home late last night after a cozy 15 hour day to see the snow drifts (hey, it got all the way up to a warm and balmy 14 degrees) still entact and the added dimension of the snow plower having added more snow to surround my car. Oh joy, I am beyond tickled... ahhh sighhh... The easy thing would be to get hacked off, but to honest, I don't have the energy and it just isn't worth it. I walked to the pizza place next door and the carryout down the street and it was 'pizza and beer' night in chateaux Mik... One cheese pizza and one beer later, I was falling asleep in front of my computer so I turned in early. Today (a day off from work), I get to spend it digging my car out. Or as I like to refer to it as... 'my annual cardio stress test'... should be interesting

When Life Sucks... There's Hope!

Seventh Day Slumber - Caroline

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Getting (Flint) Stoned on My Mom's Birthday

Feeling a little surley tonight. The Cherokee took it on the chin this weekend as we were dealt two huge losses by Flint. A 7-3 blowout on Saturday night and a 3-2 heartbreaker on Sunday. I got home on Sunday night feeling more relieved than anything. The players couldn't shower after the game on saturday night at the rink because the pipes had frozen and there was no hot water. So they hopped on the bus and we all headed back to the motel to let them get showered and go get something to eat. Well, some of the rooms at the motel didn't have warm water either. I think only twice when I flushed my toilet, did the water actually go down. And it had nothing to do with the mexican food I ate for supper... I'm such a dork!
Anyway, today would've been my mom's birthday. So I say happy birthday mom. I don't write nearly as much about her as I have my father. But I think it's because she passed when I was a freshman in high school and that was many years ago. But that doesn't take away from the fact that she did have a lasting impact on my life. At first, in a very negative way. My mom had emotional issues. After she passed, I had a very negative view of her. She had a temper the likes I've never seen and a mouth to match. She could make a sailor blush. I think I picked that aspect of her behavior up early in my life. For the longest time, I used to blame her for a lot of the failure I had early in my life. It was a convenient escape. But I chose to feel that way. I learned that behavior and thrived in it. It wasn't until I found out about her childhood that I realized how childish and stupid I really was. Her childhood made mine look like an episode of the Brady Bunch. It was horrible. Very horrible. I know that my childhood was pretty nasty, but compared to hers... no comparison. The fact that she survived and was able to love and find something resembling a life, is nothing short of miraculous. I am always reminded of my favorite mom memory. She had just been down at the neighbors in the middle of a heated arguement. She comes back home, just a little ticked off to say the least. The neighbor later that afternoon, has a nervous breakdown and ends up being transported to the hospital. My mom goes over to the neighbor's house and starts making tortillas and other food for the eight kidsthat our neighbor had. They asked her 'why' since they argued earlier in the day. My mom didn't even blink an eye and explained how insignificant that disagreement was and how important family is at times like this. When my mom passed, that family was right there grieving with us... My mom touched a lot of people even though she had a rough life. When I feel challenged by the crap that goes on in my life these days, I think of others and draw inspiration from them to keep a good attitude. Today, I'm thinking of my mom and I know that she did the best she could under very trying circumstances. But it's okay. Mom, you did good... you did real good. I'm proud to say you were my mom... and thanks for teaching me about what's good in the world and to look for the good in people. Happy Birthday... love you lots...

Hitting the cultural rocks... Flint stones...

Just staring at a blank screen in the hope that words will somehow magically appear with some clever, witty, and totally absorbing entry. Okay, back to reality... yawn!

My throat is killing me which is like a death knell for a guy who uses his voice for a living. I have done hockey and basketball all week plus working the day job. My voice is shot. I've got to get it together cause this weekend, the hockey team heads up to Flint for the showdown for first place. Two huge games, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. I am really psyched up for that. It's going to be huge and I know a LOT of people will be listening online so I hope to be ready. Fans of Cherokee hockey know that Flint will be the focal point in the CSHL this weekend. Flint as in Flint, Michigan. I'm underwelmed when it comes to thinking about the idea of having to spend a weekend in Flint, Michigan. Flint is a microcosm of Detroit, only more depressing. Flint is devoid of any real culture... unless you consider breaking into a hotel room to catch your boyfriend 'in the act' a real cultural experience. That actually happened last time we were up in Flint. Some local woman tried climbing into some person's (hint: it wasn't her boyfriend's) room... I also am not a fan of Flint because even such a simple activity like shopping is so depressing. I go to a mall and look at the people and they look so defeated. Like they look forward to the relief that death will bring... Yeah, that depressing. It's like Neil Young could write his next album here... yeah, THAT depressing... I think this time around I'm going to spend my downtime up there in my room with plenty of movies (upbeat stuff) and serve my penance until I get home Sunday night... yep, THAT depressing...

Taking Stock Of What Matters...

As we head into the weekend, I'm just in a mood of gratitude... I'm dealing with a severe sore throat, a slight temp, a bit of nausea... hey, maybe I'm pregnant! Heard about my little buddy Haley's scan yesterday. They found another spot near her pancreas. They are not sure if it's more CA or if it's scar tissue. She refused to take the contrast so the docs could tell. But next time she goes in, they're going to sedate her so that they can administer the contrast and find out what she's dealing with... Yeah, I'm nervous. And I'm not even a blood relative. I can't stand that this is happening to a three year old girl. But y'know what? If she and her mom and dad aren't going to say 'why Haley?' then why should I? I flat out love that little kid. She is such a bundle of joy whenever I see her. She never complains, and is always looking forward to seeing people... including me. She and her folks stopped by the office the other day and I wasn't in... she kept looking around and finally asked "mommy, where's the boy?" When they told me what she said, I wanted to laugh, but I kinda wanted to cry too. It's times like this where my faith in God can come under a challenge. I mean, some people might want to say: "why did God let something like this happen to such a sweet adorable child?" It would be easy for a person to question why God would allow bad things to happen to good people... If I tried to write about my friend Candi, I'd be here writing for days, trying to describe how amazing that woman is and why she not only has my deepest respect, but why she has become a hero I look up to... But that's where my faith in Him has to decisive and firm. First, believing in God does not mean peace FROM difficulties, but peace DURING difficulties. God is not a little old man who acts like a warlock and can cast spells to get at bad people on an as needed basis. God has given ALL of us a very tremendous gift... the gift of FREE WILL. He doesn't force us to believe in Him. We can completely walk away from Him if we so choose. Those of us who choose to believe, must understand that it is HE whom we honor. He whom we give ourselves to. And how is the best way to display how we should honor Him? Easy. By how we treat others. I don't need to be some holier than thou holy roller. I need to serve others and treat them with compassion, respect, dignity, and love. He says: "when you do unto the least of these, you dounto Me." So I CHOOSE to feel gratitude in times of worry and pray and stand on my faith that God's will (not mine) be done. As screwed up an individual as I am, I believe that while I have a list a mile long of wants, needs, and desires, at the end of the day, I prefer to believe that there is a loving God who knows what's best for me and can save me from myself. Faith by it's very definition is choosing to belive even though I don't have all of the answers. And I have to be okay with that. Otherwise, why have faith. If I had the all of the answers to every question, heartbreak, and disappointment, why would I need God? Fact is, I DO need him and I hope to be a better Christian. Not a religious person, but a Christian. There IS a difference. I want to be more helpful to my fellow man. It's people like Haley and Candi that have been such an inspiration to me when my faith has been tested and at it's weakest. And friends like Mike, Riccie, Dan, and Tina have been good friends to me here and have been there when I've needed them. So yeah, I feel more like expressing gratitude instead of worry and doubt. I am BLESSED... Yep!

It's Thursday... Oh Yippee... zzzz...

In the proverbial words of Fat Albert: Hey, Hey, Hey!
It's another day of bitter cold here on the lake but I guess it had to get winter-like sooner or later. My little buddy Haley stopped at work to see us yesterday. I couldn't even hide my smile and giddiness. She really is a blessing to all of us. Her and I were playing 'hide and seek' and I think she even got me to do a silly dance. She wouldn't do a ballet dance move (she takes intro to ballet) and I'm like this overgrown ape just trying to do the move and she is laughing hysterically at me. Of course, everyone in the office is completely enamoured of her. So she walks out of there with tons of candy and doll stickers, etc... She had to undergo another chemo treatment today. That is pretty rough on her. But I think it is worse on everyone else because to watch a three year old girl go through this and see her with a weak smile and lose some of her hair, it is very sobering. But she still is able to have the strength to keep going. Her mom told me that she saw the lady that was going to administer the chemo and Haley ran up to her and gave her a big hug and a kiss... Like I said before, I'm just a silly fool for whining about what minor troubles or problems that I have. What I have pales in comparison to watching others. And the greatest thing is that I notice how there is no complaints, whining or any 'why me?' type attitudes. I get humbled every time I see such courage. It's more courage than I could ever hope for...