Ace Wisdom

The word “friends” is over used.  People say “I have lots of friends”.  That can mean anything.  It could be “he is a friend because we were at a party together”.  Or, “he is a good friend because we serve on the church council together”.  Or “we work together”.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Those are all friends.  The truth is most of us have only have a few people in life that we really connect with.  It is obvious from Grasshopper No.5’s blog that her friend Shea is moving on.  They have shared a lot.  They have supported each other in difficult times.  They have silly, stupid video recordings that they made as kids that still make them laugh.  Apparently, Shea has found a special guy in a “far away” city (2 hours from Minneapolis) along with a new job that could open up career opportunties.  So there will be a vacuum created for both Shea and Grasshopper No.5.  There is a reason that they got to spend so many special occasions together.  The reason is not always apparent.

When I was in high school, I had lots of friends. Most were the result of playing football, basketball and baseball.  I came to learn that fellow athletes were indeed friends, but in a very shallow way.  Of course, my being somewhat independent (I’ve been called worse) might have had something to do with it.  I didn’t let too many people get very close to me.  I did have one buddy that I did connect with.  He demanded nothing.  He was fun to be with and the common thread of interest was shooting a basketball.  He lived with his single mom.  His name was Charlie Gertz.  For about 2-3 years we would play basketball on the playground.  The two of us would shoot baskets for hours and hours.  We played “Around the World”, “21”, “Horse”, and of course “Name Your Shot”.  Charlie had a keen sense of humor.  Sharing time was very easy and it seemed like I knew his thoughts.  Charlie never played organized sports but may have been one of the best shooters of a basketball I ever met (except for me).

Just like Shea, Charlie moved on, as did I.  I began to spend spare time with your Mom and Charlie found getting drunk at the local 18 year old minor bars was fun.  So we went in different directions.  But for a small part of my life, a guy named Charlie played a major role.  We had fun together.  We learned life lessons together.  He was a “real” friend.

So, as Grasshopper No.5 moves on (and also Shea), they will find that the years of sharing were a base to build on.  It is not lost.  It is an integral part of life’s process.  Nobody ever figures out the total real meaning of special friends.  Nobody ever forgets.  Be thankful that, for a few precious moments, a real friend was in your life.

Love,

Dad

It has always bothered me that radical Americans burn our flag in protest.  They are protected by the Constitution under “free speech”.  I understand protected rights but it seems to me if someone hates America so much, why not go somewhere else.  I guess it bothers just me.

The uproar coming from Florida over a Christian church sponsoring an event to burn copies of the “Koran” has the Muslim world all upset.  Washington politicians arranged for the FBI to visit the church leaders to pursuade them not to publicly burn Korans.  How does the protest of burning the Koran differ from burning the American flag.  I guess free speech only applies in selective cases.  It must be just me.

The Muslim community insists on building a Mosque across from the Trade Center in New York.  It is a kind of “in your face” action by the Muslim community exercising their right under free speech.  President Obama has “weighed in” and stated very clearly that the Muslims have the potected freedom to build anywhere they want to.  I understand the law but where is the common sense.  It must be just me.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 9/11 assault on the Twin Trade Center buildings in New York.  It killed 3,000 Americans.  We are supposed to try to understand motives and pray for the families who were affected.  All Americans were affected in some way.  Our Constitution protects all Americans so freedom of religion even across from the trade center is protected.  Again, where is the common sense.  Instead we get an “in your face” effort to build a Mosque across from the sight where Americans were attacked.  It must be just me.

Tuesday is primary election day.  It is the strongest way we can protest what is happening in our world.  Vote.  It is also your right.  It is protected by the Constitution.  Get rid of the a–holes.

Maybe things aren’t as dire as I see them.  Maybe our freedoms aren’t being slowly usurped.  Maybe outrageous acts aren’t hiding behind rights gauranteed by the Constitution.  Maybe it is just me.  It must be just me!

As Clint Eastwood would say, “make my day”.  Vote for good candidates.

Love,

Dad

Using Grasshopper No.5’s phrasology, “our central air conditioning system puked”.  It is only fifteen years old.  I thought A/C systems lasted forever.

Ten days ago, starting on a Friday night, our air conditioner didn’t seem to be pumping out cool air.  Of course the temperature each day was reaching the high eighties.  To avoid a weekend call to a repair service, we sweated it out until Monday morning.  On Monday we thought sweating to the eighty degree temperatures was over.  Because I hadn’t turned the air conditioning button off on the thermostat, the cooling unit froze up.  It was a solid block of ice.  The diagnosis was “wait 24 hours until the ice melts”.  More sweating to the eighties.  The next day the system was filled with freon.  You guessed it.  It leaked out and we began sweating again.  An order was placed for a new cooling coil.  It would take 24-48 hours to procure a new coil.  More sweat.  The system got fixed and is available to run.  Guess what?  The weather cooled off and we haven’t needed A/C since.  I have applied to the Obama Administration for an interest free loan.  Maybe I qualify for a grant?  There must be a government program for old people with air conditioners that “crap out”.  There is a program for everything else.

The good news is that your Mom and I both lost weight in all the heat.

While we talk about spending money, the “used Lexus” needed an oil change.  The Lexus is nothing but a glorified Camry (with V-6 engine).  The Camry oil change was always $24.95 and guaranteed in 30 minutes or it was free.  The “used Lexus” was $45 and it took over an hour.  I guess the name Lexus means you pay more.  Dah!

Things are “a changing”.  Cooler weather.  Kids back to school.  Football dominates all conversation.  Good stuff!

Love,

Dad

 

Showtime premium movie network is airing a new series called “The Big C”.  It stars Laura Lindley who is given one year to live because of a “stage four skin” cancer.  There is no cure.  She has a very disfunctional husband and son and so far in the series, she has not told them she has cancer.  They don’t listen very well.  Laura starts doing kinky things that only a person with a limited time perspective would do.

Laura has had to deal with a cute, dumb looking little Bassett Hound belonging to her nasty old neighbor (a widow).  The dog follows her everywhere.  Laura just deals with stepping over the dog all the time.  In the last episode, Laura starts her car and begins backing out of her driveway.  She hears a “thump”.  She ran over the dog.  She rushes the dog to the animal clinic and calls her neighbor to tell her the bad news.  The neighbor rushes to the clinic to check out her animal.  The neighbor walks into the clinic and asks Laura “what kind of cancer do you have”?  Laura is shocked.  The neighbor says her husband died of cancer and the minute he was diagnosed, the dog followed him everywhere.  Now the dog was following Laura everywhere.  Apparently some breed of dogs can sense the presence of cancer and are drawn to the person having cancer.  I had heard this before.  People can’t detect cancer in other people but some doggie’s do.  Hmmmm!

For those animal lovers everywhere, you’ll be relieved to know that even though the dog got run over in the driveway, it suffered only a broken leg.  The prognosis is very good.

The lesson Grasshoppers is, “if a Bassett Hound starts following you around, get a medical check-up”.

Love,

Dad

 

I have to admit that I am a sucker for “tear jerking” movies.  I like it when the underdog wins.  The boy (or girl) must always realize his (or her) dream in the end.

One of my favorite movies is the Electric Horseman.  As you know, it is about a burned out rodeo champion, a news reporter (Jane Fonda) and a magnificent stallion horse.  The whole story is about returning the horse to the wild.  Robert Redford gives the horse a few instructions and releases a $10 million stallion into the hills of Wyoming (?).  The horse returning to “freedom”  combined with the Willie Nelson background music does choke me up a little.

In our boredom last week, your Mom brought out a stack of DVD’s and sorted through the pile.  We found “Patch Adams” with Robin Williams as an aspiring young doctor.  Amazingly, the DVD was still in the original cellophane.  We bought the DVD never opened it.

Patch Adams portrays a brilliant (almost genius) young doctor struggling to find a purpose in life.  While attending medical school he gets to spend time at the university hospital.  The hospital is filled with patients with desperate health issues including terminal cases.  The whole movie is about individual respect.  As Patch makes daily “rounds”, instructors keep referring to “a patient in Ward 5” or “bed number 64”.  The first thing Robin Williams does is start asking patients their name.  Of course he realizes each patient brings a personal a story to the hospital and each patient deserves to be treated with dignity.  The whole Patch Adams movie is about personal humanity.  The movie is filled with humor and many emotional situations.  So I had chances to choke up.  Patch loses his fantastic girlfriend when she is shot by a “nut case”.  Tears!  Patch finally bonds with a beligerent terminal cancer case by doing a humorous routine.  More Tears.  A terminal patient gets her dream bath in a tub of squishy noodles.  It that doesn’t choke you up, nothing will.

The lesson Grasshoppers is that everyone in life is important.  We all have names.  We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Love,

Dad

I try not to be a “political animal” but it is tough to igor all the bullsh– shenanigans that keep occurring,  Buried in the recently passed Obama Healthcare Bill (in the 2500 pages) is a clause that says in the year 2013, anybody selling their home will have to pay a 3.8% sales tax to help pay for healthcare.  So if you own a $100,000 home, you will pay $3,800 when you sell your house.  Did you know that when the healthcare bill passed?  Hmmmm!  The surprises just keep coming.

I watched the Packers destroy Indianapolis last night on ESPN.  I’ve got to admit the Packers are looking pretty good.  I understand Grasshopper No.3 was in attendance sitting in the enclosed stadium seating section.  How do you pull that off?  I thought we were in the middle of a recession?  It probably gets written off as business entertainment.

Your Mom noticed that a light on the instrument panel in the car was “on”.  She was not sure what it meant so she has been driving with her arm extended to reach the top of the steering wheel.  That way her arm hides the light and she doesn’t have to worry about it.  Female logic like that has been prevalent since mankind began.  Actually she knew it signified that an oil change was recommended (as did I) and now the light will be annoying until the “garage” turns the light off.

We are headed for September and football dominates our weekends until late October.  It is a good time of the year.  Cooler weather.  Color changes.  Apples.  Good Friends.  Enjoy!

Love,

Dad

 

 

 

First the good news.  I got a letter from the City Assessor’s Office indicating that the new property assessments for 2010 are complete and our assessment went down 5%.  Let me say that again.  Our home is now assessed 5% below last year for tax purposes.

Now the bad news.  If the City is right with the assessment, our house would be worth 5% less if we put it on the market for sale.  5% of the value of our home evaporated.

The good news is that you would expect our property tax to go down.

The bad news is the tax rate per thousand will probably increase and our net tax bill might actually increase.

Grasshopper No.5 attended the wedding of Sarah, a Xavier high school friend last weekend.  Mom and I did get to spend some time with No.5.  I keep learning alot.  This is her “Christ year”.  Of course I “bit” on the claim and came to find out Jesus died on the cross at age 33.  I missed that in my Bible study course.  I have experienced more than two God lifetimes.

Mom and I tried to squeeze in a visit to Minneapolis and Grasshopper No.5 is so busy that she has trouble finding open time on her “personal scheduling device”.  If you are lucky enough to get on her schedule, she uses pink color to highlight the information.  We did get “pinked in” to her busy time schedule.  I hope she doesn’t lose her electronic memory.

Using the phrasology of Grasshopper No.5, “she will have her people call our people if any change in plans is required”.  Huh?

The more I think about the hawk I saw on Friday, the dark black markings with white interspersed, it could have been a young eagle.  My mind didn’t let me go “there” but it was a large bird.  I know eagles are endangered and it never occured to me that there might be any in this area.  I wish I had taken a picture.  How special would that be?  I might have had an eagle in my backyard.

Today is a full moon.  Strange things happen.  Broomsticks get activated.  Hang on!

Love,

Dad