2014 Goals Update

Exercise/Stretch 5+ Days a Week, Body Fat 14%

It turns out that the local health clinic feels that my hand-held fat-measuring device is superior to theirs! They did help by adding that these devices can be 5-20% off, which is... at least good to know. Today's reading said 13%, which is the lowest I've seen it. I did more stretching than in any previous month this year, about nine times. My weight is holding steady and I got all my exercise in, including a 2.5 hour bike ride in San Diego for a change.

Healthy Elbow, Knee, Teeth

My elbow pain has still been almost invisible at times. It's still there, and I'm planning to contact my doctor about his acupuncture suggestion, though there's also a chance it will heal on its own. I've decided to contact the dentist and go ahead with the root canal, since rest is proving not to be the answer. I'm adding my left knee newly to the list, as certain squatting movements cause sharp pain. As usual I've been aggressively seeking an answer. Thus far, I've shifted my massage focus onto it; have replaced biking with swimming; have been tweaking my standing posture and walking gait to try to rebalance leg muscles.

Tutor 800 Hours

June was mostly my month off. I probably did about 15 hours total by design. It's summer! However, I do have six students in the mix and will exceed that hours total this month.

Blog Thanks Weekly

I did perfectly on this one for the first time all year!

Make 10 New Acquaintances

It's safe to say that I'm made 10 new acquaintances through Shrek so far. The point of this goal is to lead to something life-improving or to a friend-of-friend connection in some way, and the jury's still out on that, but this goal is technically met.

Clean House

A second opinion has us believing that we don't need to regrade landscaping in order to save the structural soundness of our basement wall, which is a relief. We are experimenting with a theory that we simply need to de-humidify the air better above the key ceiling tiles. This will take a few months at least, meanwhile I will search for a solution to the basement wall cleaning. I need to re-connect with the Board about the driveway project, but I'm glad to say this is the only goal I made no progress on this month. I even upgraded the wardrobe with some snazzy West Coast shirt purchases!

Swimming And Swinging: The Week In Thanks

One of the factors that's contributed to such a peaceful summer feeling is the slowed-down tutoring schedule. 

On Saturday I met with a student who struggled through much of last school year, in a subject that's under revision due to national common core standards. I wasn't sure what to expect, but for the second time in two weeks the student exceeded my expectations and there's some promise.

Today was our last official Sunday Mass as a full band before our bass player Tim heads off to California for his newest adventures, so we celebrated with a trip to Emack & Bolio's ice cream parlor. It was also touching to reunite with the Edwards-Betrand family, including their adopted boy Van.

I've been battling a very low-grade congestion for the last week, but had enough throat to make it through today's Mass. I continue to be thankful for the amazing self-healing machine from God that is our bodies.

Our San Diego trip was terrific. Travel was remarkably smooth, the weather was as perfectly predictable as expected. Jack closed out his day of softball with a win. We walked for miles and miles along San Diego's shore on beautiful night, and the next day covered probably dozens of miles in rented bikes.

Meanwhile, the USA men's soccer team made it out of the group stage in the World Cup; it's the first time they've ever done it in consecutive finals.

My fantasy baseball teams all had a good week, even the one climbing desperately out of 8th place.

I've been trying to recuperate a balky knee by replacing weight-bearing activities and cycling with swimming. Our condominium pool has been hovering around 80 degrees and each recent morning has been swim-perfect... warm and a little muggy with sunshine that makes the water a refreshment. Plus the 30 minutes outdoors are priming my summer tan.

I've been impressed with many of my Shrek cast mates, but for the moment would like to give a shout-out to Lisa Groves, who in addition to raising her girls a half-hour out of town is learning to tap dance while memorizing the lead Fiona role.

The continued upswinging economy is every retiree's blessing. We are so enjoying our station in life!

Word Of The Day: Dengue

Dengue: A disease transmitted by mosquitoes that causes headache, severe joint pain, rash, and severe diarrhea. "When the pediatrician asked Billy to describe the symptoms of his dengue, he said it's like there was a race out of my tushy and everybody won."

Movie Review: 22 Jump Street

If you saw 21 Jump Street, you must see 22 Jump Street. You can go back to folding laundry now.

For the rest of you, this is a wacky, high-energy, slapstick physical comedy featuring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill a brawny and bowly police twosome who are pushed back into undercover service to sniff out drug problems on a local college campus.

They bumble their way along before ultimately succeeding despite themselves, although they should be given some credit for hanging from a helicopter in the final scene to corral the bad guy.

Their foibles include trying to impersonate Latino drug smugglers; playing wide receiver on the football team; rushing a fraternity; dating (inadvertently) the daughter of their boss; and wild chases in cars and on foot.

Subtle humor is sprinkled throughout, including generous self-lampooning of sequels. Naturally, the accidentally ingest drugs at one point as with the original, and flip into hyperactive madness.

Aside from a sense that it was about 20 minutes too long (maybe our kidneys were just worn out from laughing), it's all-in on this one. Being in a full California theater made a big difference as the roaring was contagious throughout the theater, so I'd recommend it more so for a group outing.

Easy Health Mistakes

1. Brushing just after breakfast. After eating acidic foods - especially fruit and juice - can weaken enamel. That may lead to discoloration or greater odds of cracks and chips. Instead, swish with water and wait 40 minutes for the calcium in your saliva to remineralize weakened areas. Then brush.

2. Microwave lunch in plastic. Undesirable elements can still leach into your food. Use glass or ceramic containers instead, or warm it on the stove at home and pack it in a stainless-steel thermos to keep it hot.

3. Check work e-mail before bed. Managers who use their smartphone for work after 9 p.m. wake up groggy, a study found.

Dissecting That Peaceful, Easy Feeling

Today as I was pulling into the supermarket I realized how mellow and happy I was feeling. Whether the store was crowded or not, had the groceries I wanted or not, was simply not going to affect my mood. Being a positive person often takes deliberate action, rehearsed habit on my part but this was a sensation of bliss. So, I wondered, where did it come from and how can I keep it going?

We just finished a fabulous week in California without incident, filled with long walks and bike rides and sunshine. We were a little short on sleep due to the foreign hotel room, but after arriving safely at home and reuniting with Cupcake, I went to bed at midnight and slept 'til 11:00am. That left me an hour to get in a half-hour swim in our 80 degree pool before heading over for a Swedish massage. For health reasons I get massages weekly so that in itself wasn't new, but it was during the ride home when the glee really started to settle in. For some reason.

Since I had no responsibility over the vacation other than to get us from place to place, it's been a while since I encountered real failure or frustration over something. Today my "responsibilities" are extremely light... all that's left is to rehearse for Shrek tonight at 7:00.

I've been getting more iron in my diet lately, which was made easier by being in restaurants for dinner much of the last week. I should explore ways to replicate that at home.

I've been reading books more, surfing the web a little less.

Attitude fuels it. I realize how lucky I've been to have the past week. I've got a great business, wife, family, circle of friends, bank account balance. My health's been especially good in terms of nagging joints. I'm not worried about my survival, companionship, or legacy.

I've felt like this before. Maybe it's just one of those random gifts of God that pushes endorphins through our system and envelopes us with warmth. For however long it lasts, I'm going to savor it. Take care of my body. Arrive early. Look at the big picture. And as always, to give thanks.

Word Of The Day: Demicaster

Demicaster: Beaver pelt of poor quality; beaver fur mixed with another type of fur. "Pierre turned to his friend and said - 'This is demicaster, let's go into town and get some real beaver.'"

San Antonio Spurs Tribute - The Beautiful Game

Word Of The Day: Crapaud

Crapaud: An edible bullfrog from south or central America. "Despite the absence of any actual frog meat, Mary's lasagna tasted like crapaud."

Word Of The Day: Concinnity

Concinnity: Neatness and elegance, especially in style. "Barbie Jean thought that her Mamma's new trailer lacked the concinnity of their former double-wide."

Word Of The Day: Centavo

Centavo: In Latin America, a monetary unit equal to 1/100, essentially a Nicaraguan penny. "With their successful kidnapping, the rebels received 9 billion centavo, enough to buy one choco-banana."

The Trade That Can Bring Carmelo Anthony To Chicago

By Kevin Andersen of Chicago CSN. If this is what it takes to sign the defensively-challenged, self-centered Carmelo Anthony, then I'd rather the Bulls leave him out of their plans. This plan puts them one more Derrick Rose knee injury away from not only a lost today, but a slump of tomorrows. What they need more is a Rose return, Noah to stay Noah, Butler to grow toward Kahwi Leonard, and Boozer to be replaced by a clutch shooter (a la Nate Robinson) but who can play defense... his salary should be able to pay for that. And, of course, to draft well.

Apologies to LeBron James, but the Bulls' offseason focus has been - and will remain - about Carmelo Anthony. LeBron’s opt-outdoesn’t change that, and I’d argue that it would look better to Melo if the Bulls told him they weren’t even going to talk to James.

Signing Anthony as a free agent for $17-$18 million is going to be hard, but pulling off a sign-and-trade with the Knicks for Melo is going to be even more difficult. The only reason the Knicks would agree to a sign-and-trade is out of fear if they said no, they would lose Melo for nothing.

To stir up this fear, the Bulls need to create leverage and enough cap space (north of $17 million) to sign Melo outright if the Knicks don’t agree to a S+T. Ideally, the Bulls will convince Anthony to take a slight discount and sign for a first year salary of $20 million in any sign-and-trade. In an earlier column, I outlined what the Bulls need to do to create cap space for Anthony, and they have to be prepared to do that if the Knicks don’t agree to a S+T.

There are two very big obstacles in the way of a S+T with New York. One is convincing Phil Jackson to trade Melo to an Eastern Conference team. The other is simply, “Why would the Knicks take on Boozer and his $16.8 million as a backup power forward when they are already deep in the tax?” They wouldn’t and here’s where the Bulls have to get really creative and bring in Orlando. Partial credit for this idea goes to Kyle McMahon (@kyle34b on twitter) and it’s so crazy, it might actually work.

Possible 3 team trade between Bulls, Knicks, and Magic:

Bulls receive: Carmelo Anthony in sign-and-trade and Arron Afflalo

Magic receive: Carlos Boozer, Jimmy Butler, Bulls' 2015 1^st round pick, and the Kings' protected pick

Knicks receive: Jameer Nelson, Tony Snell, Mike Dunleavy, Nikola Mirotic, non-guaranteed deals of Ronnie Brewer and Mike James.

This is an aggressive trade that comes with a lot of risk. You’re mortgaging the future by trading Mirotic and two future picks. However, you also get the best starting five in the league with Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Carmelo Anthony, Arron Afflalo, and Derrick Rose. It’s a lot to give up for 2 players, and the Bulls' window to win a title is narrower than if they trade for Kevin Love.

But it also potentially gives you a powerhouse team in a weak conference. 

Temporary West Coasters: The Week In Thanks

I'm typing this from atop a comfy bed in Jack's apartment in perfect Venice, California. The window's open and there's no discernible humidity, only textbook sunshine. Jack and Kate graciously took the couch for three nights to ease our well-traveled backs. They lent us their car and entertained us too.

The USA men's soccer team has had dominantly good news in the World Cup so far, the kind you want to soak up until they play this afternoon, when one errant referee's call can send a team home.

The Shrek musical continues to be more lively with each passing week. I got to sit in the theater and watch a tap-dancing number, as well as a scene with the Donkey character. Friends, you want to get there if only to watch Matthew Henry play Donkey. He is a dazzler. But it is just plain funny overall. I found out that I do not need to learn to play a recorder after all, although I've still been dabbling.

My computer may be slow sometimes, but it is sturdy. It dropped three feet off the bed, about the fifth such occasion in the many years I've owned it, and works just as well today.

My kidney hasn't acted up in a long time by now, long enough that I can only guess at the last time. Also an ailing ankle has been behaving and might even be up for a jog. Medical reprieves rock.

For all it's post-9/11 inconvenience, airline travel is good. We had zero trouble getting to the coast. We showed up an hour early and there was literally no one in line. None. We had a leisurely 2-hour layover which gave us time to get to our gate, find a bathroom and snack, and chill out. Our LAX arrival was exactly on time. And the Jack limousine service was ready and waiting for us.

Sunscreen is a great invention. Yesterday's family reunion wouldn't have been quite the same without it.

Grocery stores are a luxury of our society. A five minute walk to get almost any basic necessity we could want.

Rosann is taking care of Cupcake at her house and sparing us all from the downsides of a kennel.

Today it's off for a paradise-like walk, a couple softball games, Skype with Mom, and other fineries of West Coast living!

Word Of The Day: Bankrupt

Bankrupt: The state of being hopelessly in debt. "Having to choose between being morally bankrupt and financially bankrupt, Thomas chose moral, saying 'if I have to be bankrupt, I at least want money.'"

Fortune Continues To Break The Way Of The USA's World Cup Chances

MANAUS, Brazil – Ever excitable to begin with, Jurgen Klinsmann had an extra skip in his step. The U.S. coach had just made the unusual, if understandable, decision to walk out of his news conference for about 10 minutes Saturday afternoon here so he could watch the end of the Ghana-Germany game on television.

Once that ended in a 2-2 tie, he returned, beaming over the American's golden opportunity against Portugal at 6 p.m. ET Sunday. The U.S. can seize, in the shortest of the orders, control of the so-called "Group of Death" and clinch advancement to the knockout round.

The "reason they call it the 'Group of Death,' " Klinsmann said, "[is] because we're in it, too."

Oh, Klinsmann was having himself a good afternoon here. The start to this World Cup has been the stuff of Jurgen's dreams and it kept getting better Saturday – Portugal announcing depth-depleting injuries one minute, Germany stumbling into a tie the next.

Everything was laying out in front of him, allowing a confident coach to make bold statements in front of the international soccer community, while eyeing the chance to make them all look up and wonder just how he got this U.S. team so far, so fast.

And he gets to attempt it by challenging his guys to go beyond whatever preconceived notions there were of them and focus on the most basic of American philosophies:

Just win, baby.

"If we take care of business," goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "The rest is history."

A victory over Portugal would give the U.S. six points and put them through to the elimination stage even with a game against Germany to play. Even better, they could win the group outright with just a tie against the Germans, gaining a more favorable draw in the round of 16. Even a draw against Portugal would also leave the Americans in terrific shape to advance, tied with Germany with four points, with Portugal and Ghana each back with just one.

There was little talk of a tie, though. This is about going for the throat, taking what's available without hesitation. That is all you can ask for even though the fortune-kissed Americans keep getting more.

Portugal will be down either four or five players because of injury or suspension for Sunday's game, their coach announced Saturday. Throw in the fact that star Cristiano Ronaldo is still likely less than 100 percent with his balky left knee and the U.S. gains a world-class opponent just trying to hold it together.

Depth could be everything here along the Amazon River. It's hot and humid with heavy air. Manaus sits in the middle of it all, a couple hundred miles south of the equator, surrounded by rainforest so thick the Brazilian government believes there are tribes in it that still haven't been touched by the outside world.

In reality, it isn't that bad. It kind of looks and feels like a bigger Tallahassee.

Still, while the Florida panhandle is certainly playable for soccer, it's not normally preferable this time of year … unless you have a near-full roster (missing just Jozy Altidore) and the other side doesn't.

The American's don't fear the heat anyway. Most grew up through steamy summers back home. Plenty still play in Major League Soccer – Houston and Kansas City aren't a picnic this time of year either. Besides, Klinsmann has been focused for months with this day in mind, factoring it into everything from training tactics, to practice locations, to roster selections.

"We're fit," Howard said. "As long as we stay hydrated, we'll be fine."

Portugal likely can't say the same. If anything, the U.S. should want it as brutal as possible Sunday evening, where the weather forecast calls for temperatures in the low 80s, humidity in the high 80s and an environment that's best described as cotton candy soup featuring intermittent downpours. In other words: life in the Amazon.

Whatever. The Americans will take it.

And they'd be wise to seize it because the good fortune brings with it high stakes.

A loss to Portugal would throw the entire path in front of them into chaos, leaving them potentially needing a victory over a high-class German team.

If anything, playing in Manaus might be a bigger problem next Thursday, when the U.S. isn't here, than Sunday.

With a superior bench, the Americans hold an advantage against Portugal. The recovery process for what should be a draining game, however, could be steep. And the turnaround is quick.

The U.S. will fly all the way back to Sao Paulo late Sunday night – a nearly five-hour trip – for a little more than a day before another long journey to play Germany in the northern beach town of Recife.

The Germans, meanwhile, never came out here in the jungle, played in comfortable conditions against Ghana on Saturday and now enjoy an extra day of rest.

The two teams – Italy and England – who have so far come to Manaus have played a second World Cup game. They both lost. It's a small sample size but perhaps the start of a trend. Coaches, athletes, trainers and the international player's union have all complained about the toll this venue demands.

All of that just ramps up the pressure. All factors are breaking in the Americans' direction. But kick that opportunity away, and the tide turns in a hurry.

Klinsmann seemed to love it all. The good, the bad … mostly, the precious present at hand. This is what he wants: his team set up on a big stage, looking to exceed expectations by clearing challenges once seemed impossible.

Group of Death, he scoffed?

"For us, the only thing that really matters is to be spot on," he said. "We believe we can beat them. We believe with all preparation and the players we have, we have the quality to beat Portugal here in Manaus."

There was no hiding his smile.

"Special moment," Klinsmann said. "Recognize the special moment."

A Very Rokey Solstice

I look forward to the summer solstice - the longest day of sunshine of the year - as much as anyone. This year was different, as we spent it at the J.D. Rokey family reunion in especially sunny Altadena, California.

The reunion celebrates the family of descendants starting with the 8 children of J.D. Rokey, plus two generations below that. There were 62 present on this day, including 5 from Illinois and the rest mostly from Kansas. One of the original children had no family members present but we five (including Jake, Phyllis and Kenneth Rokey also) were there to rep John Rokey's branch of the tree and pose for the traditional photo.

Mark and Christina Rokey did a fabulous job catering in chairs, tables and Baja Fresh dinner. Dena and I were so well received that we didn't need to initiate any conversation on our own during the whole four hours we were there.

We were given several offers to visit the Kansas relatives if we make it up to see Kelsey play at Peru State University.

This year's photos ought to have a mountainous background, maybe for the first time ever, and mostly humidity-free. There were no immediate volunteers to host the next reunion, but it will almost certainly be flatter!

Being Sympathetic

"Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires." - Carnegie

Our household is not united on the theory of global warming.

Data-boy sees the vast amount collected and organized by Al Gore and is instantly impressed at the trends that are emerging.

Art-girl notes that it could just as easily be a fluctuation like many throughout history.

Neither view is for sure! So like other things that we see differently, we accept each other's position and move on to other topics.

Word Of The Day: Atheist

Atheist: A person who does not believe in the existence of God or an afterlife. "Because she was an Atheist, Susie was not bothered by the other kids chanting 'Go to hell Susie, go to hell!'"

Happy AnnivBirthday Aimee!

Saturday was the celebration of a certain anniversary of Aimee Kerber's 21st birthday.

She is bright and talented and caring. She's been in theater for nearly 20 years, with all the excitement and disappointment that comes with being part of a volunteer organization. She's been a role model for me in how she's handled that adversity whenever it's come. She's also guided me through some of my own challenges. She's a friendly voice whenever I enter or leave the building, or out on the town.

So glad to be invited to her celebration, and more glad to go support her.

Happy annivbirthday Aimee!

The Power Of My Bad

"If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically." - Carnegie

As a tutor, it's dismaying to make a mistake while teaching. Still, the act of saying "my bad" is a big help. I think it helps for students to know that their teachers are not only human, but humble. It helps with non-students, too.

Word Of The Day: Apoop

Apoop: Toward the back; to move astern on a boat. "Guido, the seasick Italian sailor said, 'Scusa me, boys, but I'm-a-gonna-go-apoop'."

John Brooks' Late Goal Saves USA World Cup Win Over Ghana

NATAL, Brazil -- After 90 brutal minutes of end-to-end action, the United States emerged with a thrilling 2-1 win over Ghana and coach Jurgen Klinsmann praised his team's fighting spirit.

"We fight to the last second," Klinsmann said. "It was a grind but a wonderful win at the end of the day. There are undoubtedly things that we need to improve on. The U.S. team always has a great spirit."

U.S. fans were screaming for revenge Monday after the Black Stars eliminated the Americans from the last two Cups.

They got it. At a price.


Clint Dempsey scored a shocking goal a half-minute in, but the U.S. couldn't make it stand up. Andre Ayew tied the score in the 82nd minute after a brilliant back-heel pass from Asamoah Gyan, who had eliminated the U.S. four years ago.

And then, just four minutes later, 20-year-old John Brooks rose to head in Graham Zusi's corner kick from eight yards -- the first substitute to ever score for the United States in 30 World Cup games over 84 years.

The defender, an unexpected addition to the American roster, was so overcome he fell to the field and was unable to move even after teammates climbed off the dog pile. He had made his national team debut only last August, and Brooks hadn't scored in four appearances.

"I told my teammates that I had a dream two days before that I scored. My dream came true," Brooks said.

Klinsmann said he put his faith in Brooks.

"We coaches always try to read the players coming into the youth system and how can this player be developed over time," Klinsmann said. "With John Brooks, his passing is amazing; he's calm for his age and strong in the air. And he rarely fouls. We had the feeling he's ready for the World Cup. We knew that if we had the time to work him through every training session, then he's willed to take that on quickly. Now we have to keep him consistent with his performance from today."

U.S. players ran onto the field to celebrate at the final whistle, jumping as supporters chanted "U-S-A! U-S-A!" Now the Americans are in good position in Group G, where Germany opened with a 4-0 rout of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.

"It's what we expected," said Klinsmann. "We got the three points that we wanted and we can move on."

Klinsmann had said this would be like a final. Altidore was hoping it wasn't his finale.

The forward was carried off on a stretcher after his left hamstring gave out in the 21st minute when he tried to control a long ball. He awaits tests that will determine whether he can return for this World Cup.

Dempsey went down too on a balmy late-autumn night but stayed in the game. The U.S. captain ended the first half with a tissue up his nose to stop the bleeding after John Boye's kick to his face during a battle for a header in the 31st minute, and he was struggling for breath in the second.

Matt Besler came out at the start of the second half after feeling tightness in his right hamstring. It was his replacement, Brooks, who scored the winning goal. Zusi was also a sub, coming on for the hobbling Alejandro Bedoya in the second half.

By the time of the final whistle, the U.S. lineup had Brooks in central defense and a virtually invisible 23-year-old Aron Johannsson at forward.

Now the odds favor advancement. But that might depend on which players are able to make it on the field for Sunday's game against Portugal in the hot and humid Amazon rain forest capital of Manaus.

Dempsey's goal came on a low shot just 32 seconds into the match. The lead held until Ghana's Ayew leveled in the 82nd minute. Ayew's goal appeared to have stolen the victory from the U.S., until Brooks' goal off a corner from Zusi.

"It was a dream come true," Dempsey said. "We showed a lot of character. We have to do a better job at keeping possession and building out of the back. We have to stay sharp on set pieces. This win will give us confidence going into the next game. The boys showed a lot of heart. Our fitness showed."

Dempsey' goal made him the first U.S. player to score in three different World Cups and was the fastest ever scored by an American in the tournament. The U.S. is now tied with Germany atop of Group G.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard said he was concerned the team would have trouble keeping momentum after Dempsey's early goal.

"That game went just as planned," he said. "We took our chances well. Natural tendency when you score is to drop off, but we defended well."

Word Of The Day: Albumgraecum

Albumgraecum (album-GREEK-um): Dog excrement, which when whitened by exposure, can be used in tanning leather. "Billy loved his new albumgraecum bomber jacket, but it smelled like crap."

Showing Respect

"Show respect for the other person's opinion. Never say 'You're wrong.'" - Carnegie

So few things are absolute! What is the best way to do something? Whatever is best for you.

Word Of The Day: Ahimsa

Ahimsa: The Hindu and Buddhist doctrine of refraining from harming any living being. "Followers of ahimsa are bored and hungry."

Shrek - Story Of My Life

One of the scenes I'll be in as Pied Piper.

www.communityplayers.org

Matt's Facebook Tribute To His Dad

Dad, You taught me so much about life. You showed the love, mercy, and grace of a true Christian Father. You encouraged me to do my best, and to keep trying. I know you're looking down on me now, and can see all this, it just helps me to say it. I'm happy that you are pain free, and with God. I can't imagine what your eternal home is like, but I have a feeling God might have a garden up there for you  Now its Johns turn to keep your garden here. I thank you for spending so much time with your grandson. You always cared about EVERY member of our family. You gave love unconditionally. Im thankful for all you did for me in the 42 years you were here for me Dad. I love you so much. I'll miss you dearly. I vow to keep my promise to you and take care of Mom. I'll see you again someday. Happy Father's Day Dad. I love you.

Word Of The Day: Aboulia

It's been a year since our fun-filled Spelling Bee run. Here's the first in a series of memorable words from our performances.

Aboulia: A mental illness characterized by the inability to make decisions. "On their day off from the hospital the aboulia patients spent the whole day in the parking lot saying 'I don't know, what do  you want to do?'"

Inaugural Father's Day: The Week In Thanks

At Mass this Father's Day the traditional invitation was made for all fathers to rise and be applauded for their dedication. I did not, as usual, though this year is different in that I have been blessed with helping raise a little girl who happens to be covered with fur. She woke me up this morning with footfalls on my chest, insistent soft mewing to get up and be productive (specifically, to give her a walk, but hey a productive day's got to start somewhere right?). Her purring, rubbing, gazing, stretching, playing, climbing, exploring ways have added a fun dimension to our home even when that means attacking a computer mouse as if it's a real one.

I'm fascinated by the World Cup. Somehow the Olympics don't measure up to this quadrennial event where the entire world is focused upon a single team sport. In my opinion it can't adopt instant replay technology quickly enough, with all the games that are decided by a single referee's judgment error and thereby susceptible to scandal. But the promise of a global champion and the struggle for every goal makes scoring great world theater. Especially without the pressure of expectation that the USA will do much of anything.

I'm grateful for my ability to sing. That's led to my opportunities in theater. Which in turn led to the 30th birthday party I attended last night with a group of friends. It also led to a non-scorekeeping round of mini-golf, and an entertaining hour of karaoke. Even if there were no cake and ice cream, it would have been a good time.

I'm glad for good neighbors. The passing of Bert West reminds me how lucky I was to grow up with neighbors who were kindly, and continue so for my mom even today. Meanwhile, our condominium neighbors for the last 20 years have always been respectful and quiet. It could easily not be that way. I owe thousands of restful nights' sleep to that.

Thank you to whomever invented bathroom scales. They keep me honest, guide my eating decisions daily, and therefore steer me well.

The creators of the British show Sherlock, whose third and most recent season I just completed, and the cartoon Venture Brothers, whose pilot episode gave me smiles.

Online banking is terrific. It greatly eases the task of measuring up our finances and keeping us happy in retirement.

The staff of Shrek. Some of them are working triple jobs. It makes me appreciate their patience even further.

Finally, Travelocity's all-knowing ability to locate deals on flights, hotels and cars to get us to Los Angeles and San Diego next week. I had a need to call their customer service and got an excellent experience - at 10:30 on a Saturday night, no less.

May all fathers give thanks to God today, and everyday.

Star Wars That I Used To Know Song Parody

Peter Gammons Sees Bright Future For Cubs

Add Peter Gammons to the list of baseball analysts who believe the Cubs' future is looking bright.

The former ESPN and current MLB Network analyst wrote a post on his website, Gammons Daily, profiling the Cubs' top prospects and how, as a whole, they're creating quite the positive outlook for the North Siders.

Among Gammons' most interesting points, perhaps the most intriguing -- and one that tends to be overlooked at times -- is the continued progress of current Cubs Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo. Castro is batting .273 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in his fifth MLB season, while Rizzo has exploded in his fourth season, putting together a .279/.406/.500 slashline with 13 home runs in 64 games and continued solid defense. Those two players, Gammons writes, "will be players on whom to lean when the farm system moves up and in."

Then there's the prospects. Gammons writes that Bryant "has star written all over him," and that he envisions a middle-of-the-order lineup of Bryant, 2014 first-round Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez and Rizzo. He also notes that the Wrigley Field renovation timing is shaping up quite nicely for the North Siders, as by the time the legal battles are over and the makeover begins the kids will be ready to come up and "they can go out into the market for a Jason Heyward, or some prime free agent."

Gammons also addressed the pitching, noting as others have that the current MLB rotation continues to provide trade assets for the Cubs to use at the deadline. This year's candidates include Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, as well as Jake Arrieta, though Gammons notes it may be wise to see if Samardzija will sign long-term, given the Edwin Jackson failure and the state of the free-agent pitching market. He also says it will be important for the Cubs to figure out whether their top pitching prospects -- Kyle Hendricks, Dallas Beeler, Corey Black, Pierce Johnson and Arodys Vizcaino -- are starters or relievers.

Bert West

Bert West was my next door neighbor for most of my first 18 years.

I knew him to be a quiet, ex-military man, the kind that adolescents don't always quite know what to do with.

He had a passion for gardening. A passion for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears. A passion for his truck. A passion for his family (wife Georgette, son Matt, grandchildren Michael and John).

I'd hear his radio playing into the summer night, as he tended the garden by porch light while Jack and I fell asleep.

When he spoke, it was with purpose and sincerity. Even when he played Wiffle ball with us he was determined.

Being a parent is a hard job. As far as I can tell, he did it without expecting much of anything in return.

He lived industriously, faithfully, virtuously. Most of us can only hope to be the same way.

Be A Good Listener

"Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves." - Carnegie

The other day I was sitting next to a person I knew fairly well, though not deeply. It occurred to me that there were several things I didn't know about his family, so I started with simple questions, which led to more, and eventually a full-flowered conversation brought us closer together.

The road from acquaintance to friend is paved with interested and selfless questions.

Avoiding Arguments

"The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it." - Carnegie

Dena and I had a disagreement on how to approach a certain household task. We were both stressed by it. And we both knew that with some time to reflect, we'd figure out a solution. Resolving conflict in a state of stress is silly, if a bit of waiting will enable it to be discussed without stress. In my case the mission between now and then is to consider her scenario, mine, and possible others. The light of a new day has an amazing way of resolving issues while they're ripples rather than raging waves.

Peaceful Stage

I stood behind a crowd of performers while the director fervently tried to get everyone's attention for the 25th time or so. It was amazing how the children in the cast were able to sit quietly and listen, while the adults were gripped with an unending compulsion to giggle and sidetrack for the better part of two hours despite the director's repeated pleas for silence. I was almost painfully embarrassed to be part of it, while impressed with the director's ability to remain calm. I felt my nerves rising, but in the end I was but a role player, in control only of myself, realizing that the best I could do was to model respect and hope that it would catch on. Knowing my limits helped restore inner peace.

More Shrek Cast Details

Shrek - Chris Terven
Fiona - Lisa Groves
Donkey - Matthew Henry
Lord Farquaad - Jaron Rhoda
Pinnochio - Ramsey Hendricks
Gingy - Aimee Kerber
Big Bad - Brenton Ways
Elf - Breeann Dawson
Fairy Godmother - Sequita Bridges
Humpty Dumpty - Ryan Groves
Mad Hatter - John Poling
Baby Bear - Kalen Mapguay
Mama Bear - Jennifer Rusk
Papa Bear - Tony Smith
Peter Pan - Jake Rathman
Pig - Nick Benson
Pig - Brian Clark
Pig - Sean Stevens
Sugar Plum Fairy - Ce Ce Hill
Ugly Duckling - Shelby Sharick
White Rabbit - Austin Travis
Wicked Witch - Wendi Fleming
Young Fiona - Melea Hauck
Teen Fiona - Sammantha Bettis
Queen Lilian - Jennifer Maloy
King Harold - Joe McDonald
Young Shrek - Solomon Rogers
Mama Ogre - Wendi Fleming
Papa Ogre - Brenton Ways
Blind Mouse - Kellie Nolan
Blind Mouse - Katie Grogg
Blind Mouse - Sarah Bertram
Dragon - Jennifer Rusk
Dragon - Christie Vellella
Dragon - Sequita Bridges
Dragon - Rachel Phillips
Pied Piper - Joe McDonald
Bishop - Jay Hartzler
Dwarf - Jacob Miller

Ensemble
Katryce Bridges - Dorothy (The Wiz)
Kylie Bronke - Sleeping Beauty
Rosie Hauck - Snow White Witch
Scott Heap - Guard
Dave Holliday - Guard Captain
Kelsey Holliday - Red Riding Hood
Hunter Kisandi - Guard
Joseph Knotts - Guard
Alexandra Lovel - Tinker Bell
Shelby Miller - Good Witch Glenda
Lindsay Nolan - Rapunzel
Kelli Nolan - Snow White
Rejene Phillips - Guard
Jennifer Stevens - Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe
Christian West - Guard
Kristen Woodard - Alice in Wonderland

Even The Cubs Are Winning: The Week In Thanks

While driving home from Mom's house this weekend I was easily grateful for air conditioning. And cruise control. And the U.S. highway system. And... just... cars. The whole infrastructure that's been created over decades to enable us to travel widely and independently. Americans aren't limited by dirt roads or lack of transportation.

I have friends who are looking for their first job. I'm lucky to have gotten one quickly, one that did a wonderful job of setting up this current stage of life.

Despite the unusual aches of the last year, one thing that has been hearty is my back and my immune system. Easing out of sports and into an energizing business has fueled that.

I'm thankful for Sherlock, the English crime drama series that one of my tutoring students directed me to and has brought plenty of intrigue. Which serves up yet another reminder of how fortunate I am to have the students that I do, and the little perks that come with it like this. That, and the fact that I can stay up until 3am watching it.

Still at a solid 2nd place in fantasy baseball.

Central Illinois weather has been utterly refreshing so far as spring winds down toward summer. I sit here with the window open, the sound of lawn mowing and birds chatting filtering through the screen, in the relative shade of the house but the sun painting the scattered clouds an ivory white against blue skies.

I have the kind of brother that I only have to tell half of a joke to before he sees where I'm going and bursts into wicked peals of laughter. We are wired the same. Thanks God. Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad. Thanks Jack. Thanks random news story that cracked us up.

As Shrek has gone on I've started to get around and meet more of the cast members. It's one of the highlights of the experience for me. The dances have been lively and I'm mastering them. Meanwhile I'm growing more fond of this show the more that's revealed to me.

The stock market reached a record high this week. The U.S. economy gained 200,000 job for the fourth straight month for the first time in 15 years.

Even the Cubs won five in a row!

What Do I Want To Accomplish Today?

It was one of those heavy-limbed, heavy-headed mornings to start, and I wasn't up for doing much of anything. There are lots of odds and ends I could have been doing, but the accumulation of it all had me mentally flat. So I asked myself "What do I want to accomplish today?" I didn't want 3pm to get here, or even noon, without me having made some progress.

So I drank some water to rehydrate as I do every morning (about 40 ounces).
Took Cupcake for a walk, while reading a book and getting a little sun.
Shaved.
Folded some laundry.
Talked about condo association business with a neighbor.
Started blogging while listening to Shrek soundtrack.

Now I'm feeling some mojo. Ready for a shower, exercise, massage. Then I'll come back and knock out more tasks and earn a good mid-afternoon nap. Having a carrot in the distance always helps.

Why Mariano Rivera Succeeded

"One walk later my debut is history, with a terrible line (three and a third innings, eight hits, five runs, three walks, and five strikeouts) and a dispiriting walk to the dugout. If there's anything I can take from this, it's that I know I can get these guys out. It may sound strange after I've been roughed up that way, but a couple of better pitches in better locations and the whole thing plays out differently. I wish my start had been better. I wish the outcome were different. But I'm not devastated, and I am ready to make a better showing the next time out." - Mariano Rivera, Hall of Fame pitcher

Life's filled with failures, and by that I don't mean setbacks so much as people who give in to them. Mariano Rivera is a success, for a whole bunch of reasons, one of which being his resilience and optimism.

Harlem Shake - Featuring Jack

The dude in the white-ish bear costume toward the back is my brother. If it brings out this side of him, he needs to be in costume more often.

Thanks, Mom

Dear Mom,

Thanks for giving me swimming lessons. I probably enjoyed them at least a little bit since I was like 9 years old at first, swimming with the toddlers until I graduated from level 1 (Minnow) of the program (which took 1 day). By the end of the summer I was all the way up to the highest level of Dolphin.

You probably signed me up for the lessons so that you could afford to go indoors once in a while and leave us out in the 12-foot pool with some assurance that I wouldn't be floating lifeless on the surface in less time than it took you to have a bathroom break.

Recently I've had some aches and pains associated with a four-decade body that have made it a good idea to stay off my feet. Me being me, that doesn't translate to quitting cardio exercise. So what to do? I decided to hop into the pool at the health club during lap-swim hours this afternoon.

My first thought was "Wow this indoor pool is muggy, guess I won't have to worry about being cold in the water." Followed shortly by "Whoa, this water is cold!" But within three minutes I was glad it was so cool.

The strokes came back easily. The proper way to breathe to keep afloat. Simple frog-kicks on my back to glide along the surface. Smooth backstrokes with my arm brushing against my ear and cutting into the water. The rhythm of the sidestroke, including the timing of the scissor kick. The fluidity of the arms in the breast stroke.

The 30 minutes passed by without incident. I was able to get my heart rate up into the range of the stationary bike, while engaging many upper body muscles that have been untapped for a while (and will hurt in a good way tomorrow, I suspect). With my ears often below water and gaze toward the ceiling, there was a peaceful, almost meditative quality to it also.

Simply put, swimming will keep me in shape when other methods were on the ropes. My lower body got a workout without taxing the weary joints.

Love ya!

Joe

Geometry Notes

"We will be switching the order of our Units in Geometry next year to match the Units in Common Core.  However, we have not gotten our task force yet to start working in it.  So, I can't even narrow down which vocabulary terms / theorems will be first.  I 'think' we will start with transformations (which is chapter 9 in our current book) but I am not positive.  We might get an additional resource this summer but we do not know.  Currently, we use the Prentice Hall Geometry book but I know it is not in the order we will teach next year.

I do know that it will be very important to be able to solve equations, systems, and quadratics (from Algebra).  Also, simplifying radicals will be important."

5 Year Old Interviews Blackhawks

Shrek Logos

7 Traits The Rich Have In Common

By Jeanne Sahadi of CNNMoney.com:

Amassing wealth without a trust fund is no easy feat. There isn't a magic recipe for making millions, but certain ingredients can help.

Hard work, education, smart investing, frugality, risk taking, and plain ol' luck were some of the main factors ultra-high-net-worth investors used to describe themselves when surveyed by the Spectrem Group.

CNNMoney decided to dig a little deeper. We asked several wealth experts if they noticed any similar traits or attitudes among their clients with a net worth of at least $5 million.

Here's what surfaced:

Entrepreneurial: Going into business is a common path among the wealthy. While there are plenty of doctors, lawyers and corporate executives in the $5 million-plus group surveyed by Spectrem, those who go on to become business owners tend to build an even higher net worth.

Always on the clock: The 40-hour work week is like a part-time schedule for many, especially those who have built businesses. A 60- to 80-hour work week is more the norm, as are workingvacations, according to certified financial planner Doug Flynn of Flynn Zito Capital Management.

High energy: Many high-net-worth individuals have a lot of energy, don't need much sleep, and enjoy generally upbeat attitudes, according to psychologist James Gottfurcht, who runs Los Angeles-based Psychology of Money Consultants.

The super wealthy also tend to be visionaries, said psychologist Kristen Armstrong, a strategic wealth coach at Ascent Private Capital Management. She described many of her clients as "force of nature" people.

5 Millionaire MythsPlay Video

"I see again and again that they have a really great ability to envision possible futures ... [and] an amazing ability to focus their efforts and energy once they see a possibility."

Extremely confident: Gottfurcht said most of his clients who made their wealth possess what he calls an "expansive, healthy grandiosity." By that he means a sense of "I can do anything."

They're also open to creative ways of achieving their goals.

Armstrong, too, said her clients have great confidence in themselves and others, and firmly believe the world will accommodate their business ideas.

Also common, though, among some of Gottfurcht's wealthiest clients is what he termed "narcissistic personality disorder." That is, they think they're special, "require excessive admiration," have a high sense of entitlement and lack empathy for others, he said.

Discerning: For all their confidence, Armstrong's clients know they're not the smartest person in the room on every given issue. But they know to surround themselves with people who are -- which will help them realize their vision.

Among business owners, those who do best are the ones who move past sole proprietorship, and partner with others to expand their enterprises, said Flynn.

Modest: Despite glamorous Hollywood portrayals of the rich life, many multi-millionaires live more modestly. Most of Flynn's richest clients have chosen not to bump up their lifestyles in lockstep with their growing wealth.

"They still wear their old plaid shirt," he said. Or at least the men do.

Risk tolerant, but not impulsive: Anyone who runs a business is by nature a risk taker, Flynn noted. But there are no investing swashbucklers among his clients.

They have some short-term investments but tend to have a longer time horizon than most investors. Whether they invest in a stock or a building, they stick with it as long as it still makes sense to them.

But they won't go all in on one bet, according to Flynn.

"There's always the guy who bets it all on something, gets lucky and then gets out. But that's not the recipe for most people," Flynn said.