There was an old t.v. commercial for Alka Seltzer when I was a kid. It talked about a guy who ate too much:


That could be me right now.

I'll check and see if I have any Alka Seltzer in the house.

There was a park the next town over from me when I was growing up.

It was a venue for Bluegrass bands. My dad's band played there often.

It is now a recovery center.

That speaks volumes about my past.

~

Over 50 years since this Temptations classic was released and it's still true today:


The old saying: 'May you live in interesting times' still rings true.

~

Am I the only one who actually likes wearing a mask in public?

I love the anonymity.

A ball cap, sunglasses, a mask and no one knows me.

I kinda dig it.

It has been 26 years since I hit any live pitching.

I gave up hardball at age 19 because I went to a Major League tryout and confirmed I had, like the Clint Eastwood movie, 'Trouble with the Curve'.

So I shifted my skills to playing softball. I did quite well for another four years, but tired of being the only player on my team that would give 100% all the time. I realized I was being too competitive and walked away from the game I'd been playing in one form or another since I was six years old.

Flash forward nineteen years. A group of ex jocks that I knew from a local watering hole wanted to form a team to play in a local summer league. They wanted me to be their player coach, so I came out of retirement to play. We did well in the summer league, winning the regular season title but losing in the playoffs when our best player didn't show up for our toughest game. A lot of the guys didn't want to play in the fall league and we wound up a .500 team.

One of the guys I couldn't get along with formed his own team the next year. Despite my having the highest batting average on the former team, even though I had to play with a back brace and a nagging quad muscle issue, this guy didn't want me on his team. The result? This 'new' team only won one of 16 league games that year. Even though I was kind of xxxxxxxxxx into retirement, I felt justified and finally quit for good.

This spring, like every spring since for the last 26 years, I get the itch to play. I could play in a senior league if I wanted to, but every time my heart says go, my mind reminds me of the pain and I don't want to put my older body through that any more.

I could coach, but that would be like an alcoholic going into a bar - the temptation would be too much to bear.

I'll always have the itch, but watching is much easier to do and at least works as a salve to ease my anxiety.

~

Next Monday is Memorial Day here in the U.S.A.

I will be placing flowers on the graves of family members and friends.

Other than that, I'm not making any plans.

The old saying is:

Man plans and God laughs.

Message received.

~

I have this re-occuring dream where I'm packing two suitcases.

Is my mind trying to tell me something?

?

Having a poor man's Pina Colada tonight:

Pineapple juice & coconut flavored rum.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

I went to public schools growing up. They were different then, in that you had to learn the material (even if it was boring) to advance.

I went to college in my 30s. I had been laid off of my factory job at the local GM plant and GM paid for my post public school education. It was a little rough getting back into the swing of studying, but once I got a handle on that part, I eventually made the honor role. My mind was opened up to new ideas and I hungrily ate it up.

In real life I went to the School of Hard Knocks. I've learned much more here about real life than I ever thought possible. It has been an experience I've sometimes loved, sometimes hated and I am still at it (especially trying to understand women. lol), working on my PHD.

I've always loved the arts. I read (a lot!), I sketch, I love movies and plays, but most of all I love music.

I can play the guitar (self taught), even if it's only strumming along. I could always sing, but left performing in my teens because it was too hard on my nerves and that took away my enjoyment of performing.

I was raised on the three 'B's of music:

Bluegrass from my dad's band and all of the legends of Bluegrass he occasionally performed with.

Beethoven, from the classical music we were exposed to in school and

The Beatles. I was lucky enough to be there from the beginning, where their style kept evolving with each new album and their influence changed music each time they did something new.

I've been lucky enough to have long years and my education continues to deepen with every new experience.

I feel I've been blessed.

~

Over 10,000 views of my blog.

I am amazed and flattered.

Sometimes I can hardly think of anything to say.

Sometimes I think too much.

All in all I've enjoyed myself - I hope that you sometimes do, too.

Thanks again for reading/watching and here's to (hopefully) another 10,000 more.