Re-orienting Myself to the Eastern Time Zone

Hi,
It's nice to be home again. I just spent the last week in Iowa which felt more like a year. There was not much to do outside of the hockey rink but eat and watch TV... no wonder they love their sports teams there. Geez, if all I had to do was watch paint dry, I'd go out and support about any sports team they had too... I'm not knocking the people of the Hawkeye State, it's just that there is not much of a nightlife in the city of Dubuque. I drove out to Iowa and parked my car at the hotel. The rink was literally across the street from the hotel, and I walked everywhere I went. I didn't start my car up for 4 days. There was absolutely NOTHING to do as a tourist. But of course, the players were pretty cool cause they wanted to go watch some of the other teams play so we did everything together as a team. We went to eat together, watch some of the other games together. And of course, prep for our games... we made it all the way to the semi-finals before bowing out. I was really disappointed but the guys were pretty good about it. I got to spend some time with the guys afterwards to see where they what they were going to do with their futures. A number of them are coming back, but a number of them are also moving on and going out into the real world. They're nervous, and scared and wanted this to last as long as possible. These kids will be fine. I'm sure they'll do wonderfully.
Nothing new to report on Terri and Lou. After last week, that's probably a good thing. Terri wanted to make sure I would be in town for Easter so that I would go over to her house for dinner. She sent me a text about it, and all it said was "come hungry"... typical Terri.
Anyway, a number of you dropped me a note and/or an e-mail offering your ear for support and concern. I've been gone for the last week and haven't had time to answer in a proper manner to offer my thanks for your prayers and best wishes. You guys are the best. It's going to be an interesting journey but my prayer is that Terri and Lou will feel the love of those who are praying for them and can face the future with faith and hope and yes, love...

Here I Go Again (apologies to David Coverdale)

I'm sitting here in Iowa as the playoffs start in a matter of hours... not caring one bit about hockey right now... Terri called me and I knew it was coming, but I still felt the sucker-punch to the gut. Her cancer had spread to her vertebrae. I just sat here in silence, wishing I could find the words to comfort, to love, to show compassion... but nothing came to mind. She told me they're going to try a different chemo and even though it only has a 30 percent chance of working, as Terri so eloquently put it: “30 is better than zero...” She told me she's not giving up (in between the sobs) and kept saying “Mickey, I want to live”. I sat on my hotel bed, just numb. I asked what I could do to help and she tearfully offered up “please pray for me, that I have the strength to go through this...” I tried to stay strong and reminded her that this is where we have to have faith. I completed the call with her telling her about my drive out here from Ohio to Iowa. That made her laugh lots and lots and I hung up with her feeling a little bit better. Me, I wanted to just go down to the bar and drown my sorrows big time. But I came to the computer and was chatting with the gal pal. I was feeling really down, and she knew it. She didn't have any answers, but she was there for me. She was there. That's why I didn't go down to the bar. Not too long ago, I wouldn't have even bothered turning the computer on... I would've just sat at the bar ordering a beer, drinking shots while I waited for my beer to arrive. Today, I knew it wasn't worth it and that it would've been the wrong choice. So I sat here, chatting with the gal pal and when we said goodnight, I flipped on the TV and heard a song that made me think of my sister who started raising me when she was sixteen. I lost it, and wanted to punch the wall out of feeling so helpless. I just sat there looking up and for the first time, instead of saying “God ya gotta heal her”, through tears of pain, I let go and surrendered, saying “Lord, your will be done.” and after a while, I felt the bitterness go away. I felt a little more peaceful and was able to sit here and pound out this entry. I'll be broadcasting hockey games online, for the next couple of days on www.toledosportsradio.com and I will not mention anything at all about my personal stuff... But know that I'll be thinking about God, Terri, the gal pal, and everything but hockey...

How Lame Can I Get? Here's How...

Sorry I haven't been around much. but I've been a busy little goof to say the least. We've had three snowstorms in less than 10 days... I love winter but I've had enough. It's okay when the kids are out sledding, but I don't like the prospects of sledding in my car. Terri had her PET Scan yesterday but won't know the results till later this week. I called her last night and she sounded completely wiped out and a little down. In a typical Terri move, instead of going on and on about herself, she wanted me to use a coupon she had for 50 cents per gallon off of a fuel fill-up because it expired soon. I did and boy am I glad I did. With all the running around that I did this week, it came in real handy.
Now, I finally got around to checking my emails... thanks to those of you that dropped me a line asking about the girls... very much appreciated... I also got one from an old friend of mine, that I absolutely regret opening. The reason? Because I have not stopped going to the website that he sent me the link to ever since I opened it.... Grrrrrrrr.... I was sent the link to a page that is cyber bubble wrap... I'm not kidding. Bubble wrap. I have always loved popping bubble wrap in person. Now I can and have been doing it online for the last couple of days... I even added it to my favorites list... How sad is that? I need help.... lol... if you go over to it, just use your mouse and point and click... that's all there is to it. I'm completely addicted to it... grrrrrrr.... the manic model version is exactly the same only instead of clicking on the mouse, you just run your cursor over it and it pops for you. When you're done and reload a fresh sheet there's a female voice that says in a hypnotic-like way, the phrase.... MUST HAVE MORE!!!

Pet Scan Vinaigrette

Lots going on around le chateaux du Mik.these days. I can only tread water and try to stay above sea level... Heard from Terri. Her numbers are out of wack again. Usually when that happens, that means the cancer has returned and has spread somewhere. She goes for a pet scan and chemo again on monday... Keep her in your prayers, okay? It's really beginning to wear on her. She is hurting right now and try as I might to keep my spirits up... it's disheartening to know that she is trying so hard and is getting her butt kicked. I'm going to see her and Lou tomorrow and have dinner. I hate this feeling of helplessness. And she's the one going through it...not me!
In more upbeat stuff, I went to a sports memorabilia auction/ dinner that benefitted the Make-a-Wish foundation... one of my favorite charities. They had all kinds of great items for both silent and live auction. Not only sports stuff, but non-sports stuff as well. Where else can you find an old vintage document that is certified authentic with the signature of Abraham Lincoln on it? I was bidding on the Notre Dame stuff that they had. The dinner menu was really good: Sauteed Chicken Napolitano layered with asiago cheese, roasted wild mushrooms, spinach, garlic and sundried tomatoes with tomato & prosciutto sauce... served with crisp risotto cake, asparagus spears and graufrette carrots. Dessert was a 7 layer raspberry cake with raspberry sauce. It all was pretty fancy except that it was all in portions that wouldn't fill up a 10 year old... the graufrette carrots? there were two on the plate... TWO. Not that I'm some kind of carrot fan (that would be freaky), but you get my meaning. The food was good, but it wasn't like a home cooked meal where you could fill your tummy up and feel satisfied. I left the event and had to get something on the way home to eat... maybe not as healthy... but a dang site more filling!

Things As I See Them...

Well, I guess it has been a while since I've posted an entry so I suppose it only right that I do say hello and say thanks for stopping by. The latest on the girls is that the last I checked up on them, they seemed to be hanging in there okay. Lou has been getting rid of some fluid and she is getting a wee-bit more mobile and that is a huge need for her to be able to get around and rely less on Terri. Terri is hanging in there with the chemotherapy. It's been kicking her butt, however, she still is hanging in there and battling bravely. I can't complain one iota when I think about them. There is no way I can gripe about life when I take a moment to see what I'm really blessed with. The Good Lord has blessed me with some good and decent family members (for the most part...lol) who care about me. I have a girlfriend who leaves me dumbfounded when I think about her. For those who asked, don't worry... I didn't do any of the things that are listed on my previous post. I'm still in her good graces and am grateful to be so. I can't ever begin to thank God for blessing me with her. He put her in my life to save me... I truly believe this. I know that those of you that read this journal/blog have said some very nice things about me and I thank you for it. I'm honored that you stop by and say hello to me. But I am the one who has to live with the person that is me... the REAL ME in my REAL life. And I am convinced that God put my gal pal into my life to save me... save me from myself. Because while I try to be a better person and try to be good to others... it didn't used to be that way. I was not always a very decent person. I believe the professional, technical term to describe me was “SCUMBAG”. I can't put it any other way. But that was then, this is now. I am now someone who believes in something much better and greater than myself... I survived to talk about it. And I do it without shame.

Valentine's Day

What NOT To Give Her For Valentines Day

1. A box of chocolates, clumsily rearranged in an attempt to hide the fact you ate all the caramel ones.
2. Any food item with the words "high fiber" on the label.
3. Any video starring Sylvester Stallone or Jim Carrey.
4. Flowers from a hospital's gift shop--or worse, a mortuary's.
5. Any household appliance, power tool or other item from the harder side of Sears.
6. A gift certificate.
7. Cash.
8. Anything you could have bought at the gas station mini-mart on the way over... even if you didn't.
9. An apologetic look and the words "That was today?"

Monday Musings

Hi everybody...
Had a lonnnnnnng weekend. Not much in the way of sleep. I feel like my knuckles are dragging on the ground, but other than that, I'm haning in there. The weekend was a pretty good one for all intents and purposes. After work on Saturday, I was at Wal-mart (my favorite store outside of Steve & Barry's) and my sister calls me to tell me her toilet is acting up again. I felt a sudden desire to go hide. But I picked up a repair kit on the spot and told them I'd stop over on Sunday to take a look at it. I went to church and got a late breakfast (don't ask me why, but for some reason, chinese food seemed like a good idea for breakfast)... I found a chinese buffet place that opened early so I went and loaded up... Hey, it was all you can eat for five dollars and 43 cents.. My stomach was filled for most of the day. Went over to Terri's and she tells me that my nephew was able to fix the toilet. I was like the happiest man on planet earth. I saw her and Lou who has lost lots of fluid weight. I guess that can happen when you STOP taking Flowmax... She looks more like her old self but still has some work to do. Terri had chemo this morning (again) and will be wiped out for the next couple of days so me and my other sister will take turns going over and help with doing little things like emptying Lou's portable potty etc... and checking on Terri to make sure she's still palpable... About the only downside to the weekend was that I didn't get to spend a ton of time with the gal pal... but she knew I had a busy weekend and she still loves me so I am a happy guy... So after the Cherokee hockey game (we won: woo-hoo) I made it home eventually to catch some of the Superbowl...usually it's something that bores me... but not this game. WOW... I was happy for Eli Manning. He can finally step out of the shadow of his more famous big brother Peyton. But we all know the main reason for watching the game... the commercials!! I liked a few of them... there were some really bizarre ones too. But for me the hands down winner was the Budweiser ad with the dalmation training the clydesdale horse with the theme of 'Rocky' playing... that was pretty funny. If you saw the game, let me know which commercial did it for you... there were plenty to choose from...

Multi-Tasking... Mik Style...

Work today stunk... it was lousy. Such is life for a Monday. We all have blah days and today was my turn. Just a busy day, that's all. The fun began when I was done with work for the day. My goal was to go home and kick back and then spend some time chatting up my gal pal... I left work at six and wanted to get home and after getting some dinner, chat with my best girl sometime around eight. But of course, between point A and point B, there was just a few things to be done... namely:
Getting a text message from Terri telling me that Lou is having a very tough time moving around. Lou can't really do much because she put on so much fluid weight, that it's hard for her to do much of anything. That is NOT Lou... anyway, I went to a few places and picked up some things to help Lou including a patient transfer board. Plus a couple things to help Terri. Terri has it the hardest because if Lou falters, it's Terri that's the only one there to try and help... that's what is so difficult. But Lou goes to see the doctor on Friday and I hope she'll give them a piece of her mind about not being more aggressive on removing the fluid. She may end up on dialysis because of how non-aggressive they've been with her... grrrrr.... anyway, Lou looked a little better when I saw her. She was happy when I showed up. Terri then asked if I could take a quick peek at her toilet because it was running. She had this look of defeat. I didn't want to, but I went to look at the toilet and saw it was something very very simple. So I fixed it, and got the biggest hug of gratitude from Terri... that was nice. She figured she'd strike while the iron was hot and was telling me that her cell phone charger was not working... So, we got that taken care of and I just wanted to go home and eat like a moose... So I went to go get something to eat (Chinese take-out), and knew it would take about ten minutes or so for the food to be ready... I looked a couple of doors down from the Chinese restaurant and there was a hair care place that was running a special... haircuts for five bucks. I placed my order for the food (boneless almond chicken...mmmm) and said I'd be right back and walked over to the hair care place. There was no waiting at all, so I signed in, sat down, and got my hair cut nice and short. I paid my five bucks (tipping the lady of course), walked back over to pick up my dinner, and drove home. I chowed down on dinner when I got there and by the time I finished drinking my diet peach iced tea, it was eight o'clock. Talked to the gal pal for a couple of hours... my day went from crappy to happy...

For College Football Fans... A Simple Observation...

The Previous Sign To Signify Choking:

The NEW Sign To Signify Choking:

Rockin' At The Creek...

Hi folks,
Was perusing through you tube and found some highlights from my church and thought I'd throw them on here. The first one is from Easter and highlights some of the baptisms we had at the church and is set to the song "I Am Free" from Newsboys. The other is from our Christmas service this year. It's the Audio Adrenaline version of "Little Drummer Boy" which rocks hard as it is... but the band at church put their own spin on it to make it rock even harder... Safe to say, my church is not my parents church by any means at all. But it's not trying to be. It is geared toward unchurched and spiritually restless people. That's how my heart was reached. I didn't want to have a relationship with God or be a Christ-follower. Well, I guess God had other ideas... for which I'm eternally grateful... y'all have a great day, okay?

Perspective...

Well, just wanted to say hey and hope you all have a great weekend... Just taking a little time to think about the gal pal and give thanks that she's crazy about me... These pics were from Christmas. It's funny, they say that God works in mysterious ways. I'm living proof of that. In the past, I used to hate having my picture taken. Didn't want anything to do with them. My girlfriends of the past very seldom got me to take any kind of photos. I hated to look at myself. I didn't mind looking at anyone else, but I grew up as a guy suffering from depression and self loathing. Even after getting my poop in a group and turning my life around... It didn't matter... I didn't like taking them. More often than not, I wouldn't. Not till now. Now I am a big goof ball who wants to take pictures with my gal pal. It is so funny how God works. All those years with only a few pictures. And now, every time I go see the gal pal, I AM THE ONE who tells her to break out the camera to get some pics of us... Anyone who knows me, knows that I am anything BUT vain... I still struggle with looking in the mirror when I get ready for work every morning. But I don't hate myself anymore. I know and believe that God doesn't make junk. So I choose to break out of my comfort zone and do things like take pictures to document how happy I've become. And I write about it to serve as a reminder that no matter how rough life can get, it will only suck some of the time and it's up to me to decide how I'm going to face up to those adversities... and when to let go of them because those faces in the pictures prove beyond a reasonable doubt that God does live and that life was meant to be lived. And not to be taken for granted... but to be treasured and appreciated. Because no matter how bad I think I have it, someone has it worse... much worse. So I try to keep a grateful heart... and to enjoy life as it comes... and with faith in God and the love of my gal pal, I'm enjoying it so much more than I ever thought humanly possible...

Lookin' Back, Lookin' Ahead...

Howdy folks,
Well it's been a while since I've written. That's because my schedule has been pretty silly and insane... busy as all get out. But I wanted to drop a line to you all to wish you a happy and safe and prosperous 2008... For me, 2007 had a lot of low points. Friends that had passed away... some expected, some not. My sisters have been battling hard for their health and it hasn't gone as well as they had hoped. Terri is facing chemo and radiation indefinitely. Lou went back to the hospital and the nursing home for a the last month or so after only two weeks out of rehab. But again, she is hoping to be released from the nursing home this Saturday... I had some problems with the TV sports station that I worked for... it would've been easy to get mad and rip on people, but that wouldn't have served any good purpose. I had to believe that good would come from it... and it has... I'm working with a friend of mine on a sports website called www.toledosportsradio.com that is still in it's infant stages. But we're doing a weekly sports show and plenty of high school basketball games online. Some audio... some audio and video... but it's been a great amount of fun and we're starting to make strides in the Toledo area... Not looking to become stars... just want to make a few bucks and have some fun. Meanwhile, the biggest positive to come out of 2007 was the relationship with my better half... my gal pal... She is so humble and easy going. She is so gentle and understanding with me. She let's me be myself. And I let her be herself... and we both thrive in that enviornment and have prospered tremendously as a result. God gets all the credit and glory as I have been blessed by her. She is simply amazing. I could try to put words together to describe her and the effect she has had on my life. But the words would never do her justice. She doesn't seek to be noticed or draw any attention to herself. She just conducts herself as a wonderful and awesome Christian woman who has changed my life for the (much) better. I praise God every day for her... My biggest hope for 2008 is that our love continues to grow like it has and that I continue to grow in my faith and not just talk about it. But rather, live my faith... to be a better Christian and to help others in my community and my gal pal's community as well... I look forward to 2008 with a sense of optimism and hope... I also look forward to keeping in touch with all of you... thanks for being a friend to me, even if I didn't always hold up my end of the bargain. I hope that I will improve on that as we dip our tootsies deeper into the sea of 2008...

Gal Pal Time...

I was able to steal away a couple of days and got to spend it with the gal pal... She absolutely leaves me stunned with who she is. She has absolutely no idea how awesome she is... it doesn't occur to her that she impacts people and has changed lives more than she knows... She is by far, the greatest gift that the Good Lord has ever blessed me with... I still stymie her on occasion because she feels as equally blessed by having me in her life. I always tell her though that I had to come a lot further to give my heart to her. She's a born and raised good and decent Christian woman. Involved in church and is spiritually strong in her faith. Me, I was an absolute clown for the longest time and believed in God, but didn't want much to do with Him. So I didn't care about much of anything spiritual. It wasn't till I lost some close relatives and friends that I began to search for answers. I didn't like what I was finding. But I had to realize that I needed something more grounded in faith. I decided to reach out and believe in something I didn't physically see. It can get scary sometimes, but it also can be so peaceful and amazing... And my gal pal is someone I lean on considerably. She helps keep me grounded and firm in what I truly believe. At one time, I didn't want to be with any woman ever again. Now, I sit here wondering what my life would be like without her... I don't think about that much but instead think about the future... something I never thought about before...

Brilliance On Ice... and Snow !

Hey all... I always said that I would write for better or worse about the little nuggets that happen in my life... well, I guess that I should plow forward with the silly event that happened to me when I got home in the middle of the night from Iowa. It was something that could only happen to me. So, when last we left our hapless hero, I had just survived a spinout and had to have my car yanked out of a ditch of mud and frustration was ruling supreme. I went to Davenport knowing full well that there was going to be a nasty storm that was going to hit throughout the midwest and our team bus was going to ride right in the middle of it. No big deal, I've been through storms before... not a problem. Being midwesterners, we're used to this stuff. So I planned to scrape off the ice and snow and let the car warm up with the defroster going full tilt. So we get home, I go to my car, and see that it's coated with over an inch (or a few centimeters) of ice and ridiculous amounts of snow. So I go and clear the key hole for my trunk and manage to get it open and put my luggage in... I went and tried to unlock and open my door. No dice. I chiseled and scraped till I lost feeling in my hands, face and feet... Still, no go... I tried for over a half an hour to get into my own car with no success... After applying the stuff that unfreezes locks and still not being able to get in my car, I had all these thoughts going through my head as I was trying to turn the key in the lock to the right... more time passed as I was beyond frustrated. I was thinking about how I had to work in just a few short hours and how was I going to get there. The weather is very cold so when was the stinking lock ever going to thaw... just all kinds of questions as I could feel my heartburn start to kick in... until one of the other players asks “are you sure you're turning the key in the right direction?” I'm looking at this kid like he's on drugs... “yeah I'm turning it in the...” and then I turn it in the opposite direction and BAM... the *&*^%%$$ DOOR OPENS... over an hour of freezing my ya-ya's off in below zero temps with 25 mph winds... and I was turning the key the WRONG WAY!!! I am such a dork! The players that were still there scraping the ice off of their own cars (about 8 of them) were laughing hysterically and making all kinds of jokes at my expense... to be honest, I didn't mind that. I started to laugh myself after a little while... I learned not to take myself so serious... I love these guys... they are a riot! When I got home, I just plopped on the couch and fell immediately asleep for what amounted to a nap before work... But I know that through my, uh, sharp brainiac skills, I gave them a memory they won't soon forget... I suppose it could've been worse...

Sliding In A Winter Wonderland...

Greetings from Davenport, Iowa...
NO I'm not out here checking out the canidates running for president. Thank God, I couldn't handle it... I'm here because we have hockey games going on. I had a fun experience last weekend. I was on my way home from a Cherokee hockey game and we were in the middle of a beauty of an ice storm. I was doing fine all the way home until I got off the exit to head to the house. I wasn't speeding but I still felt the car hit a patch of ice and start to slide sideways and I ended up flying into a ditch. I was really furious but kept my cool (at least on the outside)... I called a tow truck and it cost me a small fortune to get my car pulled out of there. I was so frustrated... I was only 20 seconds from home... 20 freakin' seconds. But at least there was no damage to the car. I was stuck in the ice and the mud... grrrrrrrrr.... and now this weekend we're going to head home from Iowa and drive right into the middle of a raging snow storm... yippeee... I'm not mad... BUT... I'd sure like a quiet relaxing week... HA!

Grateful (I'm Not) Dead...

Ahhh, the joy of breathing...
I feel a whole lot better after a week of being in bed and sick as a dog... Lou is doing better as she was hospitalized with a kidney infection, dehydration, and a urinary tract infection. Her blood pressure was also through the roof. Anyway, I finally got everything I needed to finish rebuilding Terri's computer (namely so I can get mine back...heh-heh). It turned into a battle of wills as instead of just dropping a new hard drive and processor and some memory in it.... I ended up also getting a new motherboard, video card, power supply and sink fan and tower for it... grrrrrrr... I don't mind, but since I'm not rolling in cash, it did make it a challenge. But I got it all done and this weekend we'll get the rest of the job done of putting it all together. I think this is going to be her birthday/ Christmas gift. Believe me, it was a pain. But I'm glad that we're over the hump... Now that I'm up and around (finally), I went last night and did a little Christmas shopping. Spent a lot of money... more than I thought I would, but didn't really have a ton to show for it. But you know what? After seeing what that moron did in Omaha, gunning down those 8 people and then taking the gutless coward's way out and turning the gun on himself, I decided to take a 'so what' attitude in regards to how much money I spent. Life is so freakin' fragile. Just when I complain and moan about all the things I have to deal with in life, I can honestly say that I bet there isn't a family member of those 8 people that wouldn't give anything to have their loved ones back to celebrate Christmas with... to say 'I love you' one more time... One more hug, one more kiss... one more smile... I guess like always, it comes down to a matter of perspective. Instead of fretting over the little things this Christmas, I'm choosing to show some grattitude for being alive. No matter how much I struggle, I am grateful to wake up every morning... and to spend time with those I care about... including my friends right here... Talk to y'all soon...
Mik

Feeling Crappy, But Still Happy... Or Is That Too Sappy?

Hey y'all,
I'm a little under the weather as I crank out this entry... okay, who's kidding who here? I feel like absolute CRAPOLA!!! But I digress... I've been fighting the flu, cold, fever, congestion... all of those little pearls of goodness that you go through when you get sick. Me, I'm not nauseous, but the rest of it I have in abundance. And here's the worst part of it... I called into work for today because I couldn't muster up the energy to go. But at about ten in the morning I get a phone call from Lou's visiting nurse telling me that she needs to go to the emergency room. She was very dehydrated, her blood sugar was high and her blood pressure was through the roof and she was tiger-chunking (aka vomiting) to beat the band. Terri was in bed because of the wonderful ravages of chemotherapy. And the only hospital that the ambulance would take Lou to, is not covered under Lou's insurance. So, either I get up and go take her in, or she's stuck in a rut of misery... Believe me, I thought about it... but I sucked it up and threw some clothes on and headed out in the delightfully balmy 30F (-2C) temps to go rescue Lou and take her to the ER at the hospital she needed to go to across town. My head felt like a stinkin' bowling ball and my head was/is spinning around... of course with Lou being a big girl with only one leg, no one can move her around when she's like this. So I ended up having to move her into her wheelchair from my car, and from the wheelchair to the hospital bed when she got into the ER... I honestly don't mind, and would probably not even mention it if I were feeling better. But I just got home and I'm going to curl back up on the sofa and sleep and rest and peek occasionally on my laptop to see how you all are doing... I'll be fine. I'm in a decent mood even though my body feels like ten pounds of poop in a five pound bag... I just have to take my meds and let this puppy just run its course... Hang in there people...and stay warm... Unless you live in florida in which case I hope you freeze... hahaha... just kidding :)

Post Turkey Musings (sneeze free)

Well, I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. I ate pretty good for a change... dare I say it... ALMOST healthy...ha!... I had a pretty good weekend. Found a brand new 10 cup coffee maker at the for four bucks... It was such a great deal I had to buy it... and I don't even drink coffee! Found some other things too but I have to keep those to myself because I know that some people (hint: gal pal) read this space so I shall keep things mum... :) Anyhow, my weekend was fun because for a change, my sports teams won... woo-hoo... that's always nice. My favorite thing to do this weekend was watching the Grey Cup football game. I have a little to-do every year for it and it was fun. For those who don't know what that is... the Grey Cup is the equivalent of the Superbowl in Canadian Football... I know the question to be ask is: "Mik, why do you watch Canadian Football?" Big answer: I don't know... I just do. Larger field, only 3 downs instead of 4... I dunno... but I just do. I still love college and pro here in our country too, but I've liked the canuck version since I was a little kid back in the days when dinosaurs walked the earth... my favorite team won so I'm happy...
Had a strange experience on Saturday night. I had to broadcast a basketball game online down in Fremont. No big deal, But as the game was ending, I could feel myself coming down with something. I was feeling very congested and sneezing almost uncontrollably. I wasn't driving so I closed my eyes and tried to sleep some on the way back home. No such luck. I finally got home after what seemed like an eternity and sat in front of my TV set to watch the end of the Missouri-Kansas game when I popped a throat lozenge in my mouth. Not a cough drop nor cough syrup, but just a lozenge that numbs up your throat when it's sore. I fell asleep about ten minutes after I was done with the lozenge and woke up the next morning with no congestion, no sneezing, no cough, nothing... It felt almost surreal... I had put in a 20 hour day on Saturday so part of it is due to exhaustion. But when did a throat lozenge cure an oncoming cold??? Must've been Divine Intervention... mind you, I'm not complaining... :)

Giving Thanks = Thanks Giving

Hey y'all,
Just wanted to take a moment here on Thanksgiving to give thanks for life, family, and friends. First, I thank God for His Blessing me with the gift of life. My life may not be a bowl of cherries or the life of riley, but I've seen too many instances where people have lost loved ones way too soon and don't have a second chance to patch things up or make changes in their lives to turn things around. We can't change our past, but we can do something about the future. Which is why we live in the gift of the 'present'... Always remember folks, it's not how you start in life, it's how you finish. So to God, I say thanks for loving your kids here... even when we color outside the lines.
I give thanks for my family. This hasn't always been easy. I grew up a self serving selfish punk. It was always all about me. I didn't want to be around my family because I was hell bent on doing my own thing. As I've gotten older and absorbed some of the bumpier side of life, I've come to realize that while you can't pick your family, it's never too late to make things right. I made things right with my father in the final 5 years of his life. That is a gift I treasure. There are others that I wasn't so fortunate. But I can't change the past so I live in the now. I can't impact the lives of people that are gone from my life. But I can impact the lives of people that are in my life right now. My sisters, my nephews, have become very important to me. Watching Lou and Terri struggle with their health has really made me realize how strong they are and that they impact lives a whole lot more than I ever could... I talk alot about my faith... They LIVE their faith. Actions, not words, are what gets things done. But I'm growing and learning to appreciate them more than I did in the past.
Finally, the gal pal. She has taught me more about life and what it is to overcome obstacles and she does it with such beauty and grace. She has absolutely no clue as to how amazing she really is. There are times where I wonder how she deals with things like not being able to walk. Things that I take for granted everyday. It doesn't even register with her that she has a "disability"... She prefers to think about the abilities she does have. She touches lives and continues to live each and every day to the fullest. I am in complete awe of her. It blows me away that she is as crazy about me as I am her. Thankful? Are you kidding me? ABSO FREAKIN' LUTELY... Grateful to God is more like it. She has rocked my world and I'm a better man for it...
One more thing... I thank God for all of you... that's right... YOU. You guys have been a true blessing to me. I know some might say that you guys are out in cyberspace and not part of my 'real life'... well I say that is a pile of buffalo bagels... when I've been down in the dumps, discouraged, frustrated... angry and po'd at the world, you've been there offering prayers, words of encouragement, practical advice. I am honored that you guys would come hang out at my little outpost and become my friends. Thank you seems inadequate but that is what I have to offer... THANK YOU... and may you all find something to be thankful for... even when things aren't going perfect. I know tomorrow starts the insanity of the Christmas shopping season... I'll be out there too. I'll do a little online shopping but I like going out there and watching people go all maniacal in the stores. Hey, if you've got a funny or cool story about your turkey day or black friday shopping experience, feel free to leave it here. I want to hear from you guys... In the mean time, my gratitude, and best wishes for a blessed thanksgiving go out to all of you and your loved ones... God Bless You...
Mik

A Pretty Good Day

Today is one of the better days going on in Mik-dom... First of all, Lou gets to come home to her house for the first time in over four months! She worked her butt off to rehab to the point that they said she could be discharged. Her and Terri are going to make a go of it. Terri has a couple more weeks of work and then she's done. She's still not that happy about it, but is going to do what she can to keep going... Lou had yet to see the new ramp that was built for her. There are lots of reasons to be thankful as we head towards the Thanksgiving holiday... This point was driven home BIG TIME at church on Sunday. It wasn't this big religious experience or anything. But we had a visitor in the form of Patrick Henry Hughes. Patrick and his dad (Patrick John) were the featured speakers for services this past weekend. Patrick Henry's story was on ESPN and he's done speeches all over the country I guess. PH was born without eyes and can't walk and his arms and legs can't really straighten out. But he developed an ability in music from the age of 9 months and by age of two could play his kiddie tunes. He now is a freshman in the U of Louisville marching band. His father (PJ) pushes PH's wheelchair in the different formations while PH plays the trumphet. The irony of it: PH is not a music major in college. He's a spanish major. What a hoot. But he and his dad were at my church and boy I felt like I had no reason to feel bad about anything... these two were a huge inspiration. I hope that I can improve and be a better person and no matter how bad things can get, that I can be grateful in all circumstances... If you want to check out the service, they have it archived on Cedar Creek's website. Just click on the the link on the right side of this page and click on "watch messages" on their home page. Now please note, the video that will pop up is from 11/11/07 and Ben is sitting in a comfy chair at Starbucks. But if you look to the bottom of the video it has a link also that reads 11/18/07 and if you double click on that, you can watch Patrick's story... it's really awesome... anyway, I thought I'd say hello and wish you all a great day. By the way, I had a blast on friday on the radio show. Todd said he wants me to come back and fill in again sometime... I have a heart today of gratitude... I pray I can keep that spirit within me...