2012 Goals

The new year is nearly here. Let's get this year's blueprint ready, as usual by taking stock of last year's. 

Happy New Year Hidden Bloggers!

2011

Daily Mental Health Exercise & Measurement, Weekly Journal

I meant for this to be some kind of end-of-day reflection for myself to overcome the fits of entitlement that storm my mind on many days. Maybe a counter of big mistakes and little joys with an attempt for the former to snuff out the latter as the year went on. And in fact, I have been happier this year. It just took a different form. 

I think that my job is the root of much of my stress, because of the time it consumes and the nature of its demands. So I developed a morning ritual with a jigsaw puzzle that has been a gentle and continuous reminder that my career is going according to plan. Lately good tidings have come my way at the office. I like to think it's a reflection of the calmness and confidence that God's given me through this inspiration.

I came late to the weekly journaling, but I did come. That's good enough, right?

Top 10 List of New Acquaintances

Tutoring all by itself has hit this mark. Three guidance counselors, two teachers, and more than five students. My new acquaintances don't have to be captains of industry or lifelong friends, just enough for me to learn something from the relationship. And I can honestly reflect on each person and point to lessons that have taught me how to behave, or not.

I've met several other people at work and elsewhere that have also spiced up my life in ways that make me smile. A life spent smiling is a life well spent.

Expenses at 2010 Level

Wow, we crushed this one. Our baseline last year was $44,000. This year we'll be under $40,000. Becoming a Walmart household was a key. Shifting from vending machines to home-brought snacks helped too. We shifted insurance carriers. Plus a dozen other minor adjustments. We didn't starve ourselves of creature comforts, we just made some better shopping decisions.

Learn About Investing

I barely touched this one. I looked around at a couple magazines, enlisted a couple trial subscriptions, and had a conversation or two. But I'm no closer to improving my portfolio than I was a year ago. I did make a big deposit into the market during a swoon, so buy-low-sell-high was a winner there.

Determine 1 Possible Organization to Participate in During Retirement

Is it a cop-out just because I was already participating in Normal Community High School? I am still stoked whenever I head out to tutor a student. The basketball season is flying by because it's been fun.  Since I've met several new people at NCHS and am still enjoying the view, I'm counting this one good for now. At least I've fortified the idea that teaching and coaching can be a vibrant part of my post-State-Farm future. Whether it's at NCHS or elsewhere remains to be seen.

Increase Max in All Weightlifting Exercises, 12% Body Fat

I did increase, briefly. Got the chest press up to 180 on eight reps, for example. Then my shoulder told me that it was time to take a sabbatical from weight lifting. Still, I kept my body fat convincingly under 12% by stationary biking/jogging six days a week. The shoulder's ready to resume now.

2012

Blog thanks weekly. Dream daily.

That second part seems kind of ethereal, but I'm a believer in daydreaming when what you're seeing is a thoughtfully constructed picture of the future. Life's unpleasantries are much less so when you've got an exciting vision to fall back on, and I do. At a minimum, it's keeping up with the puzzle ritual in the office. And there are countless ways to be thankful and hopeful. That's what this is about.

Make 10 New Acquaintances

This one's a keeper.

Expenses at 2010 Level

I think that we could possibly finish ahead of 2011 with continued good decisions, but we were pretty healthy and our retirement plan would actually allow for higher expenses than 2010. If we stay below that $44,000 baseline we'll be in good shape. If we approach 2011 numbers, better still.

Research A Better Investment

Most of our savings are in mutual funds managed by State Farm. We get some advantages as employees, but there might still be a better deal out there considering their long-run performance. Some research into other mutual funds, or even stocks, could reveal a better investment. And every quarter percent is huge over our time horizon.

Exercise 5+ Days A Week, 12% Body Fat

Routine. But important enough to write down. Health is the pillar of all other happiness.

Find A $12,000 Job

Even in retirement there are hobbies to feed. I should be able to find a job (or self-employment as a tutor or otherwise) to take in retirement that uses my passions, is worth that much, and gives me the freedom I want.

2011 Year In Review

Optimists are excited as the final hours of the old calendar year wind down and the new one readies to burst freshly into existence.

Writers also have a field day looking back at what's been, and evaluating it. This one's no different.

Here's what came to mind as I was cycling on the stationary bike this afternoon:

School's Fun, Mom

My first full year as an assistant sophomore boys' basketball coach was filled with the taste of victory on the scoreboard. The sophomores went 19-6. The varsity was even better, pulling off a chemistry experiment for the ages as they jelled just in time to take the state by storm in the tournament. Their 4th place finish earned the school's first banner on the gym wall.

This year has been victorious in its own way, as the current sophomores are already closing in on matching their win total for all of last year - just a third of the way into the season. The enthusiasm and cohesiveness of this team is remarkable. And head coach Ryan Short is as good as they come. The more I listen, the better I get, and the better the boys get in turn.

The tutoring experiment has provided exactly what I'd hoped. I've met regularly with three students, and spottily with others. I am starting to feel out the curves and corners of life as a tutor. Exposed to several different math classes, teachers, calculators, text books, learning styles, backgrounds. Refreshing some old concepts, and discovering some new ones that have emerged since my high school days. Ryan's helped me meet several guidance counselors. Everyone is winning this game so far, and the prospects are bright.

Be A Good Sport (Or At Least Tell Yourself That You Are)

I punched three goals into the back of the net in an indoor soccer game. Although I took most of the year off from playing sports, I subbed in a summer soccer game and netted two of our team's three goals. Fluke? Probably. But why admit it, when I can delude myself into thinking I've still got it?

I won the fantasy baseball league. At least, my "primary" one.

You see the theme here. This is a key to my happiness. Forget the losers, remember the winners as being the real me.

Labor Days

This has been my most successful year at the office since returning to the actuarial department. We launched a couple of products, each more successfully than the previous. When we stumbled, we persevered. We also made some significant improvements with our line of group insurance that had been long overdue. Next year my job duties will change significantly and I will be doing more supervising, which is a strength of mine. It's like matching up a plug with a socket. You can light up the whole house.

Dena started as part-time marketing and sales manager at a small bank. Without formal training, she learned on the job and got a good performance review. That's my honey! Supervolunteer is also leading the Kiwanis Club and aiding a person who's running for local elected office. She's probably saving people from burning buildings too, and just not telling me. A heart of velvet, I tell ya.

Hollywood Awaits

I was given the opportunity to sing, play, act and write skits for a summer church school (for your listening pleasure or horror here).

I was contacted recently about performing with a musical group.

Dena gave me a chance to record some commercials for the bank (more entertainment/torture here).

I'm at my best when I'm creating. Music and theater are right in the sweet spot.

Media Shower

Getting a new camera has opened up fun avenues. It's given life to my YouTube channel, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts.

Meanwhile, all this blogging's increased my speed. Fifty posts monthly has become easy enough, but now with 100 views a day it's become more inspiring to send out closer to sixty, or a couple a day to keep things even fresher.

To Health With The Family Guy

Jack's slowly developing a niche as a crack softball pitcher on the West Coast, as well as a fledgling stand-up comic. He's befriended the kettle bell and all its muscular carvings, and is dating Kate Willson, a sweetheart of a girl by all accounts.

Mom had successful cataract surgery, and is enjoying her new chair.

Dena's brother Kurt got engaged, and sister Zina tied the knot as well. That marries off all seven of the children. With a 50% divorce rate the odds of that happening are like 1%. Mom and Dad know how to stuff the nest!

I lost a friend and eye doctor in Lance Rocke this year, but was able to find a capable successor with Dr. Tallis.

I'm especially pleased with a long-standing mysterious bruised big toes that, through patience and experimentation, will be fully recovered after about a year of effort. Other than the usual creaks, the body's in great physical shape.

And What About Those 2011 Goals?

Ah, yes. The truest compass of my life, the annual goals. Let's go to the scorebook in the next post.

Dena Possibly Immigrating To Mexico

NORMAL - Dena McDonald will travel with a band of Americans reportedly desperate to immigrate to Mexico on March 31.

The plausible cover story is that she will join a ministry on a mission trip to Reynosa, in service to deaf children for only a week, returning April 7.

News outlets have hinted that the move is actually a permanent ploy to escape the derisive American political climate once and for all as a Mexican citizen.

Her husband Joe was unable to confirm or deny the rumor, but was unconditionally supportive in any event.

"It's no surprise to me if it's a community service. She ain't got a selfish bone in her body. When she went down to help Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi a few years back I'm thinking, 'You know what, it's just a matter of time 'til she goes out to some foreign-speaking place.'

"If it's a permanent thing, I get it... the government's been pretty bad here and she's fed up, what with all the stuff them radio guys keep sayin'.

"But I really hope she's coming back."

On Wall Street, Mexican stock rose 8% on the prospect of Dena joining their citizenry.

"We are pleased to hear that Dena may become a Mexican," said beleaguered president Felipe Calderon through a marginally-skilled translator. "She is one of the most orange keepers of the burning pool that has from America come to be known as left, and Mexico will eat weeping baby seals if her shoes do this."

McDonald studied German in college.

Normal Community High School Wins State Farm Classic Tournament In Overtime

From the Pantagraph:

BLOOMINGTON — Springfield High School rallied to force overtime against Normal Community on Friday night in the State Farm Holiday Classic boys Class 3A-4A championship game.

NCHS senior guard Anthony Beane used the extra four minutes to put an exclamation point on an outstanding tournament.

The Illinois State recruit hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the overtime, followed by a drive and pinpoint assist, while leading the eighth-seeded Ironmen to a 61-52 victory at Shirk Center.

Beane had 10 of his team’s 17 points in overtime and finished with 27. He ended the four-game run to the title with 121 points for an average of 30.3.

“He just got on a roll. He’s had a great, great tournament,” NCHS coach Dave Witzig said. “His defense was solid, he got rebounds, he did a little bit of everything, and of course his scoring was great.”

Beane had eight points in the first two minutes of OT to give NCHS a 54-46 lead. The unanimous all-tournament selection added a pair of free throws to help the Ironmen improve to 11-2.

“I just wanted to make sure we got up so things wouldn’t get out of hand,” Beane said of the overtime. “Since the Intercity Tournament practice has been intense. Coach has been telling us we had to really improve our defense.

“The good thing is we have a long way to go. That’s how we know our team can be special.”

Springfield (4-9), the No. 15 seed, trailed 22-15 at the half but forced overtime when guard Isaiah Nelson scored on a drive with 25 seconds left in regulation.

Nelson led the Senators with 21 points and 6-7 Willie Wiley added 15 despite first-half foul trouble.

“We competed against a really good ballclub. It just happened they had the best player on the floor who could create his own shot at the end of the game,” Springfield coach Matt Reed said. “As a guy who roots for Bradley, that’s not a lot of fun to watch. He’s a really good player.”

Callen Boddie and Chase Robbins added 10 points each for NCHS, which won its fourth Classic title and first since 2008.

“We had four tough games against four tough opponents,” Witzig said. “What’s good is every game we had adversity we had to face. We showed we’re able to gut some wins out and make some big plays in the fourth quarter and overtime.”

Time To Get Up!

Long entry found in a journal:

There are people all over the world on a day-to-day basis who live their lives with one hand on the snooze button.

"Time to get up.... Wait just a little bit longer!"

I'd like to lose weight but... I'll start next week!

One day I'll do this, and one day I'll do that- but it just isn't the time, yet.

And for some reason we surround ourselves with friends who are interested in the mediocre, who live life dangerously on the edge of complacency, who complain instead of act (that one is me sometimes), who walk backwards in what could have been, who hold tighter to excuses than to dreams.....

Was I always that person? No way! I was the dreamer, the writer, the athlete, the singer, the childhood teacher. And this morning I woke up so unsatisfied with myself.

If I'm waiting to wake up, or I'm waiting for someone to hand something to me to change my life completely, to make my life so different, to give me that spark for that fire I so desperately desire.... Things are never that simple.

If I want things to change, I am going to have to change them myself!

**GET UP!
Stop hitting the snooze button in life and start LIVING!**

Rejection Is Not Kryptonite

From Henry Cavill, star of Man of Steel, after being rejected for roles such as James Bond.

"I want to be chosen, not wish I was part of something. I didn't pine over the fact that I didn't get the last one. It was 'move on, carry on, 'whatever!'"

Grandma Got Run Over By A... Truck, Dear

From Men's Health's Steve Almond, whose mother was run over by a truck but survived:

"Now look: I'm not a big believer in divine intervention. But I couldn't help feeling that God, or something very much like God, was offering me an incremental lesson in gratitude.

Be grateful your mother wasn't more seriously injured.
Be grateful your mother is alive.
Be grateful, you nincompoop...

...[t]he essential message is the right one. We should give thanks for every blessing we enjoy: not just for the food and drink, but for the people who love us, if not perfectly, then as perfectly as they can. We should give thanks for our health, and for the strange miracle of being alive in the first place.

In the great cosmic scheme of things, we're all lucky beyond measure. It's about time we felt that way."

Normal Community High School Advances To Tourney Championship After Rematch With UHigh

From the Pantagraph:

BLOOMINGTON — Anthony Beane nearly had his third straight 30-point game Thursday night in the State Farm Holiday Classic. The Normal Community High School guard finished with 27 in a Class 3A-4A semifinal game at Shirk Center.

But while NCHS coach Dave Witzig said the Illinois State recruit is clearly “playing at a very high level,” the story of the Ironmen’s 47-39 victory over University High came at the other end of the floor.

NCHS held U High to 28 percent field goal shooting while avenging a 73-42 loss to the Pioneers in the season-opening Intercity Tournament. The victory advanced the eighth-seeded Ironmen (10-2) to Friday’s 5:10 p.m. championship game against surprising No. 15 seed Springfield.

“We had to play a lot better defense this time,” Witzig said. “The last time they just tore us to shreds. We really talked about getting better ball pressure and knowing where their shooters were at.

“Our defense at the Intercity Tournament was not where we want it to be. Tonight was the kind of defense we have to play if we want to win.”

NCHS, ranked No. 8 in the Class 4A state poll, held U High to 4 of 19 shooting in the first half while building a 25-12 lead. Beane had 17 first-half points and finished 12 of 22 from the field.

Six-seven junior Trevor Seibring added 10 points and nine rebounds, while Beane grabbed eight boards.

“They’re not an easy team to play,” Witzig said. “It’s the tallest team we’ll play all year. That’s a good win for us.”

U High (9-3), the No. 5-ranked team in 2A, whittled the deficit to 31-27 after three quarters. The Pioneers were within 39-35 with two minutes left, but a dunk by Beane and two Seibring free throws gave NCHS breathing room.

Six-seven sophomore Keita Bates-Diop and senior guard Kyle Morris had eight points each for U High.

“You have to give Dave and Normal a lot of credit. They came out the first half and gave us a forearm shiver in the first three minutes and our kids never adjusted to it,” Pioneers’ coach Bob Fitzgerald said.

“I didn’t think we played well at all tonight. That’s as much a credit to how physical Normal was and how hard they played. We didn’t counter it with hard play of our own and physicality of our own.”

Damon Harge #1 6th Grader in the Country - MiddleSchoolHoops.com - Class...

Never too young to be hyped as a phenom nowadays!

Normal Community High School Upsets Top-Ranked North Chicago In Dramatic Fashion

From the Pantagraph:

NORMAL — Future teammates Anthony Beane and Aaron Simpson put on a show, each pouring in 30 points. Those who came to watch the future of Illinois State’s basketball team Wednesday, including Redbird coach Tim Jankovich, walked away smiling.

However, the two biggest baskets of the State Farm Holiday Classic Class 3A-4A quarterfinal game belonged to someone who struggled to make a shot in the first three quarters.

Junior Callen Boddie’s two layups, the last with 30 seconds left, gave eighth-seeded Normal Community the lead for good as the Ironmen rallied to stun top-seeded North Chicago, 64-59, at Normal West.

“Tonight his jumper was not there or falling for him,” said NCHS coach Dave Witzig of Boddie, who was 1 of 7 from the field until the end. “I sat him out a lot in the second half, and lo and behold he’s the one with the ball in his hands. He did a great job keeping his focus.”

NCHS (9-2) used an 18-2 advantage in the fourth quarter to wipe out an 11-point deficit. North Chicago (7-2) went 0 of 10 from the field and committed seven turnovers in the last eight minutes.

“I blame that loss on me,” said Simpson, the 6-foot North Chicago senior guard who was 9 of 24 from the field and 8 of 11 at the line. “I should have gotten us back in the game when we needed to. My team couldn’t get a bucket. I felt the team was on my back, and I lost that game.”

The Ironmen advanced into today’s 9 p.m. semifinal game against Intercity rival University High at Shirk Center. U High pinned a 73-42 loss on NCHS in last month’s Intercity Tournament.

Beane followed up his career-high 37 points against Thornwood the night before by making 12 of 18 field goal attempts. His dunk drew NCHS within 58-53 with 3:13 left. Beane split a pair of free throws before hitting a 10-foot leaner in the lane for a 59-56 deficit with 1:27 left.

Boddie was fouled while scoring on a drive, but missed the free throw. North Chicago turned the ball over and Boddie converted on the other end with 30 seconds left to give NCHS its first lead since late in the first quarter.

Beane and Boddie each made two free throws to clinch the victory.

“We have great chemistry,” said Beane of the Ironmen. “The coaches helped us with our defense. We all came together and kept fighting.”

This was the first time Beane and Simpson have played against each other.

“It was fun out there,” said Simpson. “He’s very good. He had chances and I did. He finished the game off and I didn’t.”

North Chicago coach Gerald Coleman said Simpson, who scored 41 points in a first-round rout of Culver (Ind.) Academy, did not have a good game.

“Aaron is a great athlete. It’s really hard to tell because he scores so many points,” said Coleman. “I watch the little things to make my decision and judge his play. Some defensive assignments he was not in the right spot. He’s still got a lot to learn.”

Simpson, who was defended by Beane most of the game, picked up his fourth foul on a charge with 11 seconds left in the third quarter. North Chicago was never the same after that as the Warhawks went into delay mode without success.

My Son Should Play More

There's a site called Xtranormal that allows people to easily create their own mini-scenes.

Coaches will get a good laugh out of this one that I came across. Probably teachers too, if you replace "My son should play more" with "My son should be passing this class" or similar.

Thing That Someone Says About Tim Tebow Infuriates Group Of Other People

Sunday's on-field performance of religious and mostly victorious Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow sparked heated communication between the person who made a post-game comment and the people who disagreed.

The person, who was either a fan, newscaster, relative, disciple, opponent, teammate, writer, team owner, politician, Hall of Famer, neighbor, stalker, movie star, astronaut, Florida University professor, minister, or cartoon character was quick to point out Tebow's unique and somewhat unorthodox gesture, comment, throw, Scripture quote, eye black, rambling run, decision, injury, fortune, skill, leadership, nostrils, beliefs, grade point average, 1st quarter failure, dog, 4th quarter heroics, shampoo, three interceptions or touchdowns.

Once the tweet, story, blog post, interview, YouTube clip or sound bite hit the media, there was an immediate public outcry and threat of further response.

"Yes, we're considering a civil action to sue for slander," confirmed a representative of either the Denver Broncos, NFL commissioner's office, Southern Baptist Church, Touchdowns for Jesus Society, PETA, Screen Actors' Guild, NFL Players' Association, Democratic National Convention, ESPN, NAACP, PBS, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Refs for Tebow, or the Navy.

Further comment is expected tomorrow, either in reaction to the other group's response, or once Tebow gets out of bed and does something.

Misguided Child: "I DONT LIKE THE CUBS!!!"

Christmas can be stressful enough on a young life, what with the often unearned avalanche of gifts heaped upon them, and the endless demands of thankfulness that becomes their cross to bear.

What makes a naturally sad season truly pathetic is when derelict parents school their children in such guttural values as anti-Cubness.

Watch... if you can stand it.

Tuesday's One-Liner

I'm in shape. Round is a shape, isn't it?

Fasting From Television

According to Australian researchers, an hour of T.V. takes 22 minutes off your life.

I'm sure that they mean it takes an additional 22 minutes off your life beyond the hour you just spent watching... otherwise T.V. has become some miraculous time-warp machine.

With that said, we are scaling back on our T.V. watching.

It was already a winning strategy. We signed up for NetFlix so have some shows available if we need them. But $8 a month is way more cost effective than $50 for cable.

Less T.V. time means more blogging, coaching, tutoring, guitar playing and other brain-activating habits.

So far I've been "fasting" from T.V. for about five weeks, with no ill side effects beside the occasional inability to comment on a sports play (most of the big ones are easily available online though, so it is just that - occasional).

We may be ready to pull the plug!

A Very Married Christmas: The Week In Review

This week was a relative vacation compared to the last few.

There were no practices, no games, no quizzes, no tests.

Meanwhile, there were gifts aplenty.

The department went out to lunch at Jim's Steakhouse. The boss got us a gift certificate to Avanti's, my favorite restaurant, and Dena and I capitalized for a quiet dinner together en route to Mom's house for Christmas Eve. The McFamily exchanged comforters, baseball caps, DVDs, duffel bags, Verizon GCs, books and other goodies. Back down south the Frymily watched a generation of kids swap gifts that they'd "bought" each other, before participating in a mildly ruthless gift card grab game.

Then there were the subtler gifts that are there year round.

Three generous and spirited parents.

Seven siblings, all in happy relationships.

Two healthy bodies and solid jobs with friendly co-workers.

And zero inches of snow is just the capper for this boy of summer.

The team at the office is holding their own during some uncertainty. Which big 2012 projects will stay, and which will go? How can we handle employee turnover and get the job done? At the moment, fortunately, we have confidence thanks to our management to succeed. It's a truly fortunate situation that deserves a tankful of thanks.

We spent today playing with our stuff. Dena sweatin' to the urgings of a young man on the kettle bell exercise DVD. Me spraying on new cologne and preening outdoors in a snazzy leathery jacket suggesting that I have at last graduated from eighth grade.

The present is always enough of a present, but receiving and giving presents sure gives it an extra peaceful presence. And the future is bright not only meteorologically as the daylight hours stretch longer, but also because Dena's arranging for Jack and me to head off to Mesa, Arizona to take in the Cubs' spring training for a few days in late March.

Here's hoping that your last week of 2011 is filled with the kind of outer and inner warmth that has graced us so far!

This Week In Hoops

NCHS plays in the State Farm Classic boys basketball tournament.

http://theclassic.org/brackets/class-3a-4a-boys/

Game 1 Tuesday: 7:30 pm @ IWU
Game 2 Wednesday: 11:00 am or 4:30 pm @ West

Derrick Rose Game Winning Shot Over LA Lakers - Christmas 2011

Xmas 2011 Kids Dancing 3

Time for Kelsey, Taylor and Tyler to get into the act!

Xmas 2011 Kids Dancing 2

The kids continue to jive...

Xmas 2011 Kids Dancing 1

Courtney, Elisabeth and Lane get down with Wii!

Jim Breuer Hilarious on WGN Morning News

Courtesy of Yahoo! News:

A slew of classic impressions. Joe Pesci, Robert DiNiro, Tracy Morgan, Jack Nicholson. Off the cuff! Gold stuff.

Jeff Tweedy Sort Of Predicts The Weather

Courtesy of Yahoo! News:

Chicago's own WGN news decided to switch things up, and instead of their usual meteorologist, Paul Conrad, they decided to allow Jeff Tweedy, leader of the band Wilco, to predict the weekly weather. Hilarity ensued as Tweedy proceeded to deliver one of the most unenthusiastic predictions of all time and made Chicago news history.

21 Year Old Emerges From Coma Just Before Organs Harvested

From Yahoo! News and Good Morning America. I love the last sentence!


Sam Schmid, an Arizona college student believed to be brain dead and poised to be an organ donor, miraculously recovered just hours before doctors were considering taking him off life support.

Schmid, a junior and business major at the University of Arizona, was critically wounded in an Oct. 19 five-car accident in Tuscon. 

The 21-year-old's brain injuries were so severe that the local hospital could not treat him. He was airlifted to the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Phoenix, where specialists performed surgery for a life-threatening aneurysm.

As hospital officials began palliative care and broached the subject of organ donation with his family, Schmid began to respond, holding up two fingers on command. Today he is walking with the aid of a walker, and his speech, although slow, has improved.

Doctors say he will likely have a complete recovery. He even hopes to get a day pass from the hospital to celebrate the holidays with his large extended family.

"Nobody could ever give me a better Christmas present than this -- ever, ever, ever," said his mother, Susan Regan, who is vice-president of the insurance company Lovitt-Touche.

"I tell everyone, if they want to call it a modern-day miracle, this is a miracle," said Regan, 59, and a Catholic. "I have friends who are atheists who have called me and said, 'I am going back to church.'"

Schmid's doctor, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Spetzler, agreed that his recovery was miraculous.

"I am dumb-founded with his incredible recovery in such a short time," said Spetzler. "His recovery was really remarkable considering the extent of his lethal injuries."

Hospital officials are crediting Spetzler with having a "hunch" that despite an initially dire prognosis, the young man would make it. But he said it was "reasonable" for others to consider withdrawing the patient from life support.

"It looked like all the odds were stacked against him," said Spetzler, who has performed more than 6,000 such surgeries and trained the doctor who operated on Congressman Gabrielle Giffords  after she was shot at the beginning of this year.

During surgery, Spetzler clipped the balloonlike aneurysm in the blood vessel -- "as if I were patching a tire," a procedure that eventually worked.

For days Schmid didn't seem to be responding, but what puzzled his doctor was that he did not see fatal injuries on the MRI scan. So he decided to keep Schmid on life support longer.

"There was plenty wrong -- he had a hemorrhage, an aneurysm and a stroke from the part of the aneurysm," Spetzler said. "But he didn't have a blood clot in the most vital part of his brain, which we know he can't recover from. And he didn't have a massive stroke that would predict no chance of a useful existence."

So while the family was given a realistic picture of Schmid's poor chances for survival, Spetzler ordered one more MRI to see if the critical areas of the brain had turned dark, indicating brain death.

"If not, we would hang on and keep him on support," he said. "But I didn't want to give the family false hope."

Schmid's mother said no one "specifically" asked if her son would be a donor, but they "subtly talk to you about quality of life."

"At some point, I knew we had to make some sort of decision, and I kept praying," said Regan.

The MRI came back with encouraging news during the day and by evening Schmid "inexplicably" followed the doctors' commands, holding up two fingers.

"It was like fireworks all going off at the same time," said Spetzler.

Today, Schmid -- his speech clear and sounding upbeat -- told ABCNews.com, "I feel fine. I'm in a wheelchair, but I am getting lots of help."

Sam Schmid Has No Memory of the Accident

He said he remembers nothing of the accident nor coming around after being in an induced coma. "It wasn't until I woke up in rehab," he said. "But they told me about afterwards."

Schmid was returning from coaching basketball at his former Catholic school when a van swerved into his lane. The Jeep in which he was riding went airborne, hit a light pole and landed on its side.

Schmid's left hand and both of his femurs broke and required surgery. But the worst were the traumatic head injuries, which were complex and nearly always fatal.

All those involved say the support that Schmid got from family and friends -- and especially the care at Barrow -- may have made the difference. His brother John, a 24-year-old IT specialist, took a leave of absence from his job in Chicago to be at his brother's bedside.

Family flew in from around the country, and Delta Chi fraternity brothers made regular visits, even creating a mural for their friend.

"It seems like we were being led down a path to plan for the worst and that things were not going to work out," said John Schmid. "The miracle, to put it bluntly, was that in a matter of seven days, we went from organ donation to rehab. What a roller coaster it was."

He said his brother's speech is slow, but he understands what others are saying. Sam Schmid's athleticism -- as a basketball coach and snowboard instructor -- probably helped, he said.

"Honestly, I am at a loss for words," said John Schmid. "I am just so proud of Sam. He's got a strong constitution and he's very determined. But it's been quite an eye-opener for me -- a real learning curve. You can't take anything for granted."

Sam Schmid's surgeon agrees.

"You get incredible highs when you save someone facing neurological devastation or death," said Spetzler. "That is counter-pointed by the incredible lows when you fail to help someone."

"In a way, his recovery was truly miraculous," he said. "It's a great Christmas story."

Ever the scientist, Spetzler wasn't willing to speculate what a comatose patient hears. But he admits, "There are so many things we don't understand about the brain and what happens at the time someone is near death."

"The whole family was at his side during the day and at night hovering over him, then to see there was a chance after being ready to let go," he said. "But I am very much a big believer that positive thoughts and positive energy in a room can only help."

Friday's One-Liner

If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?

It's A Brighter Day

Yes, we've once again reached that celebrated point of the year when the horizon we saw at sunset yesterday will be a shade brighter today than it was yesterday.

The winter solstice kicks off the coldest North American season of the year, but gloriously also greets us with the prospect of six consecutive months of increasingly brighter days.

Remember that when you strap on your hood and scarf and parka, or stroll through kite-shredding winds. The seeds of summer have been planted!

Thursday's One-Liner

If the cops arrest a mime do they tell him that he has the right to remain silent?

Wednesday's One-Liner

If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales?

Shocking! FedEx Guy Throws Computer Over Fence!

He must have heard "crush" order instead of "rush" order...

Which Is It Again... Say 'No' To Drugs Or To Sports?

I've been on a sports sabbatical for a while, maybe 10 months or so. At least in the sense of playing them.

Until Sunday, that is.

A neighbor asked me if I wanted to play some touch football. They had five players, and could use a sixth.

It was 50 degrees in December, and I'd missed a workout a couple days ago.

Why not?

It's two days later, and now I can think of a reason why not.

You know how in the commercials the narrator sometimes says "Consult your doctor before beginning any program of exercise?" Mm-hmm.

It feels like I've got vices on my hamstrings, back, and biceps.

Oh wait, on my calves too. Quadriceps. And my abs.

Is there any muscle that you don't use in football?

It ain't right when a young man needs two seconds to stand up from a chair. Or when he flinches in pain after a sneeze. Or when he thinks thoughts like "probably better just to hold onto this pillow, 'cause if I lie it on the floor for a second then I'll have to bend over to pick it up again."

Hey, it was a heck of a fun time. This is what I tell myself as I pop an aspirin.

Hurry Up While I Wait

I think it's a pretty reasonable indicator of selfishness if you expect more of others than you do of yourself.

Guilty!

There have been a few times this week where I've caught myself in a stream of thought like this...

"When is so-and-so going to get me an answer on this?"

"Doesn't he understand how important this is?"

"Something's wrong with his attitude."

"How long's it been already, anyway?"

"A day."

"I guess... that's... reasonable."

"Since it took me two days between the time I got the assignment and delegated it to him."

Patience is as hard as it is valuable.

Despite evidence to the contrary, I've come to believe that most good things are worth treating like a flower, nurturing it continually and waiting for it to blossom.

Hidden Bloggers know... you can't make a flower grow any faster by yanking on it.

Monday's One-Liner

If pro is the opposite of con, is progress the opposite of congress? 

Saturday Night Live Tim Tebow Funny Skit

Blessed be the game of the Lord!

Flowing Along: The Week In Review

This week got off to a fast start when my musical audition went well.

Scheduled the audition at 4:45, anticipating that it'd get me to my next appointment by 6:00. That estimate turned out to be right on the money with a few minutes to spare.

Lately, life has been flowing well like that. My ability to estimate the time needed to get things done has been rolling. And when it hasn't, God's stepped in for an assist.

Wednesday evening I had an appointment at 2:15 that I figured would allow me enough time afterward to get to the bank and drop off a condo fee deposit, and then to a tutoring session at 4:00. Figured that the tutoring would straggle longer than an hour, so booked a 2-hour tutoring session at 6:30 so as to allow enough time to get home, grab a bite to eat, and head back. Bingo.

Thursday I had a 3:00 appointment and guessed that I'd have enough time to get home, changed, and over to more finals-week tutoring at 5:00. One of my Wednesday students needed a second crash session on Thursday night, so we plugged that in from 7:00-9:00. Did that leave enough time to get dinner and get back in between? Yep.

In fact, the 5:00 appointment had forgotten a key review handout, so we broke off early. That gave me enough time to also work in a blog post.

He needed to reschedule an emergency session for Saturday. Since the bus for our basketball game was leaving at 3:00, I put our start time at 1:30. Unfortunately, I was running late that day. Wouldn't you know it, as I reach for my phone to text his mom, there's already one from her on there saying that they're running behind! We got done at 2:40, got to the bus comfortably on time.

We lost our best player to injury, and two close games this weekend. Basketball's truly a game of inches. We're 4-4, and literally if we'd made three more layups we'd be 7-1. And the character of this team is to hang together and strap it on for the next third of the season. When the coach ends his post-game locker room talk with "I love you guys very much," you know that you are on the right team.

When that same coach scrapes the frost off your windshield for you... how can you help but give thanks to God for the opportunity to be around this man?

Dena and I had a chance for our first real date night in a few weeks on Friday. We talked about short-term and distant stuff. It's fun to dream. We even got a chance for a quick nap before heading out to the movies.

The usual Christmas checklist is moving along. Gift for the Freidinger grab. Details about Jack and Mom, and our northern trip plans. State Farm Holiday Classic basketball tournament arrangements in order. This week: Shopping for the McFamily.

At work Rob helped me knock off a major project commitment (or did I help him?) that had been on our plate for some time. Tina and I finalized several employee hirings that will give us a solid foundation for next year. Betty helped me put out some customer service fires. I could go on, as usual, about the wonderful team that I've been blessed with as direct reports at the office.

The other day it occurred to me that it'd been... months?... since I could recall spending a length of time brooding about the mistakes or misfortunes of the past. And though I'm not much of a worrier, the stress level about impending responsibilities hadn't reached the red zone for a while either.

What's the secret been?

Not much point in spouting theories, really. I'm giving credit to a self-realization about the importance of being thankful for all the fleeting happinesses that wash my way (and recently, in 10-foot waves, it seems), and the confidence that comes from using God-given talent the best I can. Many mornings I wake up, get the first good stretch of the day in under warm covers and give a 20-second prayer of thanks.

All of my students are passing their math classes. Some have been texting me with triple exclamation points. One gave me a Christmas gift.

For however long I'm fortunate enough to be in the zone, I'll take it!

Family Video

I had my first visit to Family Video yesterday as a customer.

We picked out four movies. We get to keep them for five days.

The total was less than six bucks.

Geez!

Just about anything at Blockbuster was in the ballpark of $4. New releases at the Starplex go for $15 on a weekend evening. This was a deal.

Plus there's no movie nazi at Family Video, swimming about to offer you help in finding a possible option. You ended up feeling a little pressure to agree with one of his choices.

In fact, Dena said that they gave her a tour of the place when she joined us up.

The name fits! Sold.

Not-So-Word Problems

My students ask me why they have to learn math, if they don't use it in real life?

For example:

The area of a circle is 169 square centimeters. What is the circumference of the circle?

Sure, someday you might be making a sign to cheer on your favorite team, and need to know about dimensions and how much paint to buy. But really. What's the point?

The other day I was trying to figure out the phone number of a certain photographer. I looked up and down the usual phone and Internet listings without luck. Then I remembered that a co-worker of mine had used him before.

The path to the photographer was indirect. Instead of point A to B, it was point A to B to C.

The solutions to lots of unpleasant challenges are found by taking the long way. There is almost always a solution, if you're willing to look around and be patient enough to endure a couple of steps.

You can learn this without taking a math class. Meanwhile, I'm glad for the chance to help people learn it in an environment that's not life-and-death.

Knocking The Cover Off The Ball

It's more than just an expression...

Saturday's One-Liner

If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?

Top (Book)Shelf

Our local library where I do my math tutoring has a U-shaped driveway, with one entrance and one exit.

There is a sign that indicates EXIT ONLY.

Today I nearly collided with someone driving the wrong way through the drive.

When even illiterate people are visiting your library, you know you're top-notch.

Thursday's One-Liner

If a vegetarian is someone who eats vegetables, what does that make a humanitarian?

"I Won't Lie, I Got A Little Teary-Eyed"

This was a quote from the student I met with this afternoon.

When we first sat down, she asked me if I wanted to see something really exciting.

She whipped out a homework assignment scored 100%.

The teacher wrote "Amazing!" at the top. Stars written all over the place.

This was a long math assignment. Multiple pages of problems.

It occasionally involved drawing graphs. "Very Nice!" exclaimed the red ink on that page.

She was bubbling over with excitement. We've been meeting together for a couple weeks and her grade's gone up three points so far to a more solid B.

Tonight's a long night by some accounts. Finals week. I've got another 2-hour session tonight to fortify another student down the stretch. Four hours of math tutoring after work could be grueling.

But inside I feel like my engine's on full throttle. It's just addictive to help people "get it." Plus I'm constantly learning how to teach math at the same time. As well as remembering what it's like to be as young as a teenager.

Where else is there such a win-win-win proposition?

To the library!