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Retirement is not without Hassles: Santa #504

April 22, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I reluctantly leave Santa Monica, with the songs of Sheryl Crow and The Beach Boys stuck in my head. It was another sunny day here, drying out my damp Portland bones. The only thing to look forward to in going back home is a reunion with our pups and cat. Overall, we had a very Happy Anniversary, southern California style.

 

Our rooms were “free” at the J.W. Marriott Le Marigot, thanks to rewards points, but we always feel obligated to do a lot of tipping. We even got locked out our in-room safe, so we had to call for maintenance assistance. Management sent up some complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries as a belated apology for the room switch we had to make, so that was worth a tip. Then they comped us a couple of farewell drinks for a cold burger & fries delivery earlier at the pool, so that cost a little more cash on the side. There were also bell-hops, servers, Uber drivers, musicians, bartenders and housekeeping to properly compensate. Sometimes, I think they just screw up to get more tips from generous me, as I played Santa in Santa Monica. Ho…Ho…Ho.

 

I might get a sunny day in Portland tomorrow and then it looks like the clouds return. It will be back to the slow-paced homebody, retirement routine for the next couple weeks before our trip to the Big Island. It was a good idea to get a little base tan before spending time in the big league Hawaiian sun. We’re there for an auto dealers convention, so I’m once again tagging along on my wife’s business. While she’s in boring meetings, I’ll be hanging with the other spouses, and maybe rent a car to see the rest of the island. Although we’ve been to Hawaii, many times it’s always been to Maui or Oahu, so this is unexplored territory.

 

I’m headed to another baseball game this week. This time the Oregon State Beavers play the Portland University Pilots at Ron Tonkin Field. I watched the Angels lose in Anaheim a few days ago and The Beavers beat Cal Poly in Surprise, AZ a few months ago. We’ll see the Cubs play in both St. Louis and Chicago before the season is over. While we were traveling, my Hoosiers dropped two college games to Ohio State, while the Cubs actually won a road series against the Rockies. Baseball and retirement seem to go together, at least for me, like hand-in-mitt. The Trailblazers were also eliminated from the playoffs, so there will be no more basketball games to attend for awhile.

 

Our flight is on-time, so hopefully it will be another uneventful plane trip home. We’ll relax here at the LAX terminal for an hour or so before boarding begins. We’ve talked about booking a trip to Las Vegas, after reminiscing all weekend about our wedding there seventeen years ago. Although we’ve been back many times since, it was seven years ago that we were last there to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. I have both Alaska and Marriott points to use, so tips, gambling losses, fancy dinners, and show tickets will be our “only” expense. That’s practically free!

Old Sport Shorts: Hot Dog #500

April 20, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I got up at 3:15 this morning, shuffled through a one mile run in the dark, and flew from PDX to LAX. At the LA Airport I hopped on a big blue bus with Mickey’s portrait on the side. I arrived at the Disneyland Hotel an hour later, looking for a place to watch baseball and have lunch. I didn’t have to walk too far to find it.

It was the start of a big afternoon and evening in Anaheim, waiting for the start of the Angels vs. Red Sox finale. Hopefully, young Ohtani will provide a rookie spark and save the Angels from a disastrous Bean-town sweep. I took a bar seat at Downtown Disney’s ESPN Zone to watch the Cubs beat the Cardinals. As soon as I sat down the Cubs had a four-run inning and then held to tie the series. The bartender’s name tag indicated that he was a Cubs fan, so I felt right at home. Fortunately, I had already eaten my delicious Cheese-steak sandwich, or I might have lost my appetite after a poor relief effort by Eddie Butler. This time “the Butler nearly undid it,” giving up 3 earned runs without a single out. Old man John Lester pitched six solid innings of two-hit ball to reduce his overall ERA to 3.1. He’s part of the Cubs slow- starting pitching rotation that began the day as the third worst in all of baseball. The final score was 8-5 on another cold, brisk day at Wrigley Field. I’m now sitting here in the sunshine watching the Astros dominate the Mariners.

I’ll catch an Uber to Angels stadium and probably stay for an hour or so before I head back on Amtrak to Beverly Hills for the night. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Oh My! It will be first time at Angel Stadium and 20th different home field, so I’ll do a lot of walking around. While my wife works tomorrow, I’ll have another day to myself before we move to Santa Monica.

I’ll try my best to keep tabs on the Trailblazers tonight, but I’ve pretty much given up on them. I fully expected them to win game #2 in my presence the other night. They have to beat the odds on the Pelican’s home court to get back in Playoff contention. I stood under Merlin’s giant cap here at Disneyland to send them some powerful wizard magic.

Goofy just walked by and kids are screaming, so I definitely know that I’m at Disneyland. I’ve only been here once before, in sharp contrast to my frequent visits to Walt Disney World in Orlando. There I am Disney Grandpa, but today I’m just out of place “dirty old man” and ready for a ballpark hot dog.

Retirement is not without Hassles: What No TV? #498

April 18, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I think I set a retirement record for not turning on the TV! I did watch a on-demand movie, Molly’s Game, 3 days ago but that was the last time I hit the power switch on the remote. It’s usually at least on in the background, but my computer has been my sole companion this week. This oddity suddenly struck me today, as I sat here writing in silence this afternoon. It’s not as if I haven’t been exposed to TV at all. My wife has had it on in the living room and I’ve seen it on in bars and restaurants that I’ve visited, but I have remarkably not touched a remote control in all this time. A few more days of this and I might have to call the Guinness Book of World Records.

This was not my intent when the week started. I planned to watch the Cubs host the Cardinals, but two out of three of those games were cancelled because of the weather. I would have also watched the Trailblazer Playoff game, but got tickets to the unexpected loss at the Moda Center instead. I ran some errands, did my daily runs, and went to lunch today, but otherwise I was home with the dogs every morning and afternoon. No TV doesn’t sound like a remarkable achievement to you? It was my business for nearly 25 years, so the “boob tube” has been a mainstay for most of my life. Also, like most retirees, sitting in front of a television screen is a primary source of “cheap” entertainment, unless you have hundreds of channels to choose from as I do.

I will not be watching television tomorrow either. We’ll be on an early plane to Santa Monica, and stay in hotel rooms over the next four days. It will likely be a full week before I turn it on a TV again. The laptop was my alternative crutch the past few days where I do my writing, maintain diaries, read e-mail, check scores, and stream Amazon Prime programming. It wasn’t as if I lost touch with the world, just with the TV remote!

Streaming is the same as watching TV, you might counter. I will often have the TV on in my office and be fiddling with the two computers on my desk at the same time while checking the phone for incoming messages. It’s basic multitasking, a viewing habit that I developed many years ago! Watching a program on my computer and not turning on the TV eliminates one of these distractions, so I’m really much more focused on what I’m watching. At the same time, much of my commercial intake is eliminated, so it feels like a different experience. Plus, I carry the laptop from room to room, so I’m not stuck in a stationary spot all day like a “couch potato.” I could do the same with TV since there’s one in every room, but I don’t because there are too many remote controls involved.

I can watch TV both on my phone and on my computers, so as many as three programs could be on at the same time. That hardly compares to stretches in my broadcasting career when I had as many as eight TVs on different channels in my office, so I could constantly monitor the competition. I could see who was a breaking a news or weather story first, how the other stations were handling live coverage of local events, and who was advertising at any given time. As you can see, my working days were often consumed with television. In retirement, I limit most of my viewing to historical documentaries, current movies, and live sports, so I’ve cut back considerably on my viewing habits. This should explain why a week away from TV for me is worthy of the record books. 

 

Old Sport Shorts: The Uniform #494

April 15, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Another rainy weekend with little to do but watch movies. I did get out to a baseball card show but found little of interest at my limited budget. There are always lots of things that you’d like to have, but supply and demand dictates. I did go on E-bay and buy a Sherm Lollar signature catcher’s mitt that I saw once listed at twice the price. It will go nicely with the 63-year old jersey that I got for Christmas this past year. (See Post #257). It is one of my prized possessions. Here’s some history on it that I researched and included as part of the display in my office:

Sherm Lollar #10 Game Worn Jersey 1955

This uniform was worn in these first four home games at Comiskey Park in 1955:

4/14/1955 vs. K.C. Athletics W 7-1 1-3 with a triple, RBI and run

4/16/1955 vs. Cleveland Indians W 9-4 1-4

4/17/1955 vs. Cleveland Indians W 3-1 1-3

4/17/1955 vs. Cleveland Indians L 4-2 2-3 with an RBI

In this uniform, Sherm went 5-13 with a triple. The Sox team ended 1955 with a 91-63 record in 3rd place, 5 games behind the Yankees. 

Sherm Lollar was 30 years old in 1955 and played in 138 games, batting 426 times. In hitting only .261 he was still an All-Star and finished 11th in the AL MVP voting that was won by Yogi Berra. Teammates Nellie Fox (#7) and Billy Pierce (#18) also finished in the top MVP voting. Ted Williams finished 4th and Mickey Mantle #5.

1956 was Sherm’s best year as a hitter at .293. His 18-year career included 9 All-Star appearances, 3 Golden Gloves, and a .264 average. He also earned 2 World Series rings as a player and coach. He played 12 years with the White Sox, 3 years with the St. Louis Browns, 2 years with the Yankees, and 1 year with the Cleveland Browns.

This year’s White Sox team is off to another predictable slow start at 4-8. Since I first adopted Sherm Lollar as my favorite Sox player back in the 1959 World Series, it would be 46 years later until I finally saw them win the World Championship. I will give them another year to build a formidable team, and continue to support the Northside Cubs as a result of their success the past couple of years. Admittedly, I’m a fair weather fan, but Chicago baseball championships are a rarity, so unlike most city loyalists I support both teams to enhance my odds. I will struggle to determine a favorite when I see both teams play against each other in the Crosstown Classic later this year. I’m not sure what I’d do if they both made it to the World Series? The last time was 1906, only a hundred and twelve short years ago, so I won’t lose any sleep over that decision. 

Today is M.L.B. Jackie Robinson Day, so every player is wearing a #42 jersey, but both the White Sox and Cubs players did not take the field due to the cold, wet, wintry conditions in Chicago and Minneapolis. I wonder if they’ll wear their number 42 uniforms in the make-up games, since they are often sold to raise money for charity? The weather was definitely a strong factor in yesterday’s Cubs victory, fueled by an unbelievable 9-run 8th inning rally. I had checked the score after the 4th inning and found the Cubbies down 10-2 to the Braves, so like a true fair weather fan I gave up my intent to watch in favor of a movie. They ended up scoring 9 runs with just 3 hits and won 14-10. I had to buy the Topps Now card to document the victory, so another $9.99 invested in my sports collection. These particular high-quality, limited-edition cards are only sold during a 24-hour period and are a great way to document the season. So far, I’ve bought the Cub’s Ian Happ card showing his first pitch homer on opening day, the White Sox’s Matt Davidson’s 3-HR opening day card, and several Angel’s Shohei Ohtani highlight cards after the Babe Ruth like start by this rookie phenom from Japan. I’m sure there will be plenty of players featured on tomorrow’s Topps Now cards wearing #42 in honor of the player who broke the color barrier in baseball back on April 15, 1947 with the Dodgers, but none from the Cubs or White Sox. 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Sunday #488

April 8, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I thought it was Sunday, but there isn’t even a hint of sunshine. It’s just like any other gray day to a retiree like me. I did my three mile run this morning on the treadmill while I finished up Red Alert by James Patterson and Marshall Karp. The dogs were reluctant to go outside in the rain, but their bladders prevailed. Tally ran directly across the street dodging raindrops to do her business. Tinker, on the other hand, could not find a proper place to pee, and wandered aimlessly through the wet grass for what seemed like an hour. As I sit here drinking a Diet Coke and talking to my wife, we’re thinking about another visit to Cracker Barrel for what would be my third time this week. These are the things that make me a certified “creature of habit.”

There is a certain sense of peace in being a home body, while only venturing out to familiar sites. Buffalo Wild Wings to end each week is a good example. Movie night, cooking night, and date night help distinguish the days of the week. A different movie, recipe, and restaurant are the only decisions that need to be made when you’re in the routine of being home. It’s not boring at all considering the amount of traveling that we do. Nearly one week of every month is spent away from home, a percentage that’s been even higher so far this year. Marriott Hotels are our home away from home, utilizing everything from the lower end Fairfield Inn properties to the high-end JW Marriott and their world class resort hotels. However, there’s no place like home.

Tomorrow starts my wife’s work week – another Monday. Sunday, for me, was always the transition day, preparing for the job while struggling to preserve the weekend. I was never able to look at Sunday as “Funday” because of what always loomed ahead. As a result, the weekend hours began to shrink and pass by too quickly. The week seemed to skip from Friday to Monday to the point where I felt that I was always working, Also, back in the days of mowing, trimming, edging, and raking, weekends were nothing but a labor extension of the work week. Condo life eventually put an end to those responsibilities. My wife misses her garden, while I certainly don’t miss those yard work and home maintenance days. 

We ended up going to Biscuits for breakfast, our favorite haunt prior to the recent two Cracker Barrel location openings. Regardless, a hearty breakfast at either location usually leads to a nap. The Cubs, The Masters, and I.U. baseball might allow me to plow through the afternoon. In addition, my wife wants us to watch Pitch Perfect 3. By the way, Game Night was a very entertaining movie last night. It was a Friday Night Lights reunion of coach Kyle Chandler and back-up quarterback, Jesse Plemons, one of my favorite TV series. I often had dinner with the two of them during the filming of the show while we lived in Austin. They were both very good about mixing with the crew and lowly show extras like myself.

It should be a relatively quiet week. There will be no skiing, Broadway musicals, or Leadership breakfasts. The dogs get to go to the spa and we might go to the Nike Hoop Summit on Friday night.  It’s supposed to be spring-like weather tomorrow and then return to cool temperatures. The dogs were shorted their walk/run today, and Tinker responded with a fowl case of Tinkerrhea on the kitchen floor. She is the “Poopingest Pup on the Planet,” and after last night’s storms and the need for her Thunder Shirt was unable to control her output. (See Posts #370 and #371). I somehow managed to sleep through the high winds and heavy rain, exhausted after another tough day of retirement. What day is it again? 

 

Old Sport Shorts: The Weak in Sports #486

April 7, 2018 / / 0 Comments

It’s been a disappointing week of sports, starting with another Villanova NCAA Basketball championship, not that I would have been any happier if Michigan had won it all. Furthermore, the only two Cubs games that I’ve watched the opposition joyously walked-off in victory. Tiger Woods has not played well at The Masters, so his hopes of becoming the greatest comeback sports story in history are dashed. The Portland Trailblazers are still fighting to win their division after a couple of tough outings. Oregon State baseball has dropped out of the top spot in college baseball, while I.U. had finally made it into the Top 10 before being upset by rival Purdue. My White Sox also lost their last two after a great two-win start to the season. It was a “weak week” for all of my favorites.

As far as “upsets,” last week was no different. While on our cruise ship near Greece, I had little access to the world of sports. It was just as well that I was far removed from “March Sadness,” with no teams left to follow. I was instead looking forward to seeing Olympia, the site of the very first Olympic Games and a must-see mecca for any sports fan. Due to high winds our ship was unable to port, so that site still remains on my bucket list. I was hoping to find an ancient gold medal that no one else had stumbled upon. It’s still there!

Despite these setbacks, I still managed to add to my sports collection with a couple of Sherm Lollar photos, White Sox Opening Day cards, and two Topps Now cards of Shohei Ohtani, the Angels rookie sensation from Japan who hit his first three home runs this week. I also wait with anticipation for Indiana high school basketball standout Romeo Langford to finally make his college decision, now that the McDonald’s All-American Game is history. He had 19 points, including three 3-pointers as his East team lost to the West. He’ll next play here in Portland next week as part of the Nike Hoop Summit that I will be attending. I think I’m headed for more disappointment in hoping that he will elect to play for Indiana next year. The only positive for Hoosier basketball in recent times has been the women’s NIT championship that they claimed last week in Bloomington. Go Lady Hoosiers!

The Cubbies much anticipated home opener will be Monday against the hot, division-leading Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs struggled against them early last year, but hopefully The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field will bring out the best from the “Good Guys.” I did find out that my wife and I will be in Chicago for this year’s Crosstown Classic at Guaranteed Rate Filed, so I’ll hopefully get to see both of my favorites on the diamond this September. The only other baseball game I have planned so far this year is Oregon State when they play here against Portland University at Ron Tonkin Field in a few weeks. It will be my second Beaver baseball game this year after seeing them beat Cal Poly in Surprise, Arizona. They won their first 13 games this year, then added a 7-game victory streak, before uncharacteristically losing three out of the next four against Washington and Utah. They’ll face the state rival Ducks for a three-game series in Corvallis before traveling here to Portland to battle the Pilots.

Here’s to a strong next week!

Old Sport Shorts: What’s the score? #468

March 21, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Despite the fact that I’m thousands of miles away and didn’t pay extra for the international service, I can still keep up on sports (and Broadway) on the ship’s free wi-fi. This was not the case years ago when I traveled abroad. The only option was an Internet Cafe. Back in “prehistoric” days, you had to wait until you were back in the States to even listen to your messages. Imagine the stress of 10 days away from the office without word of any office challenges in your absence. Once you got off the airplane, you dialed into your voicemail system that usually indicated, “you have 96 unplayed messages.” Then, slowly but surely, you got a painstaking recap of your time off.

Even when traveling in The States, I would often have to go to a pay phone to retrieve my messages, hoping that a friend had left me a message about the score of the big game. What’s The Score? It’s so easy these days, but also intrusive. There was a certain sense of relaxation knowing that you were “off the grid.” Nowadays they want you to check-in for a conference call from across the globe thinking nothing of the fact that it’s the middle of the night where you are located. What happened to the once sacred excuse of “I’m on vacation or it’s the weekend?”

I have been easily retrieving the scores of my key games this week. I know the results of the Indiana High School Basketball Tournament, where the teams of the reputed top two players in the state have been eliminated. Romeo Langford of New Albany will be making his college choice soon, with a slim hope he will attend Indiana along with South Bend Riley’s Damezi Anderson. We hope to see “Wherefore art thou…going?” Romeo at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland a few weeks from now. Hopefully, he will stay “home” in Indiana rather than pick Vanderbilt or Kansas. With I.U.’s lack of recent success, I can’t say I would blame him for picking a perennial winner over perhaps becoming another Indiana basketball legend (even though it will be one and done!). Damezi, on the other hand, has not gotten the national attention as Langford, the #1 point guard prospect in the country. 

I was even able to find out that the I.U. college baseball team is on another winning streak, as is #1 Oregon State. These types of “minor sport” scores were impossible to get years ago when you were traveling. Unfortunately, the “red-hot” Portland Trailblazers finally had their 13-game winning streak snapped by the Houston Rockets. The game was at 3:30 a.m. Mediterranean time, but I had instant access to live scoring. I never once had to wonder “What’s the score?” In the end, I wish I hadn’t known, and that the streak could have been preserved a bit longer through “old-fashioned” ignorance.

The Cubs were having a great Spring Training season until I left the country. They’ve lost six of their last ten games, while the White Sox were 6-3 with a tie. I’ve kept up on both teams progress while I’ve been on the road, and will return to watch the regular season openers of “America’s Favorite Pastime” from my U.S.A. home, along with the Final Four & Championship. 

Finally,  I was completely up to date on all the “basketball bracket busters” that befuddled all of us in this year’s March to the Sweet 16. Michigan and an injury-damaged Purdue squad are the only teams left from the BIG, while overall #1 seed Virginia made history by losing to #16 UMBC. It was instant internet news all over the world. I got the word in Amsterdam and berated myself as an “American Idiot” for picking them to go all the way. Also, Xavier did not “mark the spot,” losing to Florida State. Loyola of Chicago became “God’s favorite” after Notre Dame failed to make the field. Six of the Sweet 16 are a #7 seed at best, with three #5’s, one #4, two #3, two #2, and two #1 picks left in the chase. I will be in Greece when the Final Four is determined, and could certainly stream the games on my phone if I really wanted to know “What’s The Score?”

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: By The Numbers #457

March 11, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I just got done posting both my longest and shortest blog posts these past few days. Over the next few weeks, with our travel schedule, it will be tough to keep up the daily pace. After doing this for a year, I’m due for another blog-cation. The last one I took was while I was running the Hood to Coast relay (Post #230) and was stuck in a van for a few days. In this occasion, I’ll be on a Mediterranean cruise ship, with unlimited access to alcohol. I’ll see the sites of Amsterdam, Venus, Croatia, and Greece along the way, and try to take the time to report on my journey. We were in wine country today, enjoying the sunshine, and I’ll be back on the ski slopes tomorrow, as my wife anticipates her first two-week vacation from work ever.

As I continue to reflect on my past, I thought it might be interesting to look at my life from a numbers standpoint:

0. Number of calories in a Diet Coke.

1.  loving wife of 17 years; sister; junior high attended; 43 year-old son; 97 year-old mother-in-law.

2. grade schools attended; marriages; high school buildings attended; step-daughters; houses lived-in as a child

3. college campuses enrolled; grand kids; cats lived with.

4. World Series attended (Cubs win!); strings on a ukulele.

5. I.U. NCAA basketball championships

6. pet dogs loved;

7.  homes owned.

8. days until our Mediterranean cruise; Tally and Maddie’s current age. 

9. ladies dancing (Limoges 12 days of Christmas collection); current Trail Blazer’s win streak.

10. Sherm Lollar’s uniform number (my lucky number) 

11. cities lived-in. Gavyn’s age. 

12. day of the current month. 

13. cars owned.

14. apartments rented; Tinker’s current age.

16. dollars currently in my wallet.

17, days until baseball opening day; Frankie’s current age.

18. Payton Manning’s uniform number with the Colts. 

20. employers who hired me; days left this month.

23. hours in a day (with time change).

24. each of our pup’s weight on the vet’s scale.

26. different jobs worked.

26.2. miles in the 1979 Detroit Marathon completed.

31. Reggie Miller’s uniform number with the Pacers. 

32. games won in 1976 I.U. undefeated season (32-0).

34. Walter Payton’s uniform number with the Bears.

61. My younger wife’s current age. 

66. years lived.

68. teams in this year’s NCAA basketball tournament.

72. My height in inches before Senior shrinkage. 

88. sit-ups and push-ups done each day.

93. Age that both my parent’s lived. 

100. days until my wife’s birthday.

146. Broadway shows attended with my wife (Post #454).

197. my weight today.

229. months together with my wife.

287. shopping days until Christmas.

294. days left this year.

436. days retired.

1273. different restaurants dined with my wife (date nights).

3361. consecutive days of running.

7,022. Days together with my wife.

 

 

 

 

 

2.

 

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: Surprise #436

February 20, 2018 / / 0 Comments

This is post #56 of the new year, maintaining my one-a-day writing pace despite all the travel. I got to see my first baseball game of the year, as Oregon State predictably pummeled Cal Poly at the Texas Rangers/Kansas City Royals spring training facility in Surprise, Arizona. For me, it was a Surprise visit, but as Beaver’s fans might say, “it was no surprise in Surprise!” A new winning streak of 4 is underway, hopefully keeping pace with last year’s season where we saw them win 28 of their first 29 games and go into the NCAA tournament with another 20 game streak. (See Post #132). “Chester the Molester” is back in uniform, as the controversy over pitcher Luke Heimlich continues, after posting his first win of the season against New Mexico. The Beavers are back in action against Nebraska later this week, as the administration and coaching staff continue to support the kid, who failed to register as a sex offender after moving to the Corvallis campus. The reputation of the school being questioned by the media, but I saw no evidence of parental protest around the Surprise diamonds.

It’s a tough call, considering his age and the fact that he’s served his sentence. Does banning him from baseball make as much sense as allowing his potential star-power to help others avoid the same mistakes? After all, the whole purpose of a university is to provide education. It has to be tough on President Ray and his leadership staff, in lieu of other recent sex-abuse related incidents at major universities. There must be circumstances involved that we are not fully aware of, in judging the character of this young man. I suppose Luke could quietly hide in shame from the public, but he has chosen to face this awkward controversy every time he takes the mound. Also, there apparently has been little objection from his teammates.

The Cubs and White Sox start spring training this week, and college basketball is soon headed to tournament play. I’ve been pretty hard on my Hoosiers this year, but I can see the outstanding coaching influence of Archie Miller on their defensive play, something that’s been missing since the Bob Knight era. They finally could get a win against an upper tier BIG opponent with a road victory over Nebraska, extend their conference winning streak to 5  and perhaps pass Penn State in the standings. The Huskers already have 20 wins, are on the verge of earning a potential double-bye in the BIG tournament, and will probably receive an NCAA tournament bid. The Hoosiers have already lost twice to both Michigan State and Purdue, and hope to even the score against Ohio State on Robert Johnson’s Senior night, although that would be a huge surprise. They can’t score with any consistency, fail to convert under the basket, are terrible from the free throw line, and still turn the ball over too many times to be competitive. It’s been a tough season, but they still have a chance for a NIT consolation finish – not in tournament but much more than expected earlier in the season. It may not be total “Sadness” in March, but certainly no “Madness.”

Purdue has had a disappointing finish to the conference season, just as I took my first step on the band wagon. The Boilers have the potential for a magic March, but the league leading Spartans have stolen the BIG spotlight. Michigan seems to be peaking at the right time again, and Ohio State is just a slot above them in the national picture. That’s four BIG teams in this year’s top 20, already accounting for 6 Indiana losses this season between them. The biggest disappointment in the league is probably Wisconsin, who will need a BIG tournament championship to extend their NCAA tournament streak to 20. Despite their worst season this century, they still managed to beat the Hoosiers again in Madison this year. (See Post #383). It will be no surprise when Michigan State plays in its 21st consecutive NCAA tourney next month.

Retirement is not without Hassles: Welcome New Year #380

January 1, 2018 / / 0 Comments

With hours of down time, sitting in my mother-in-law’s hospital room, I’ve had plenty of time to think about the coming year. Here is my list of resolutions for the upcoming year:

Build A More positive attitude – rainbows
Get Tooth fixed/New Dentist
Physical/Hearing checked/new glasses
Less Drinking 1 instead of 2
Weekly Friday Leadership Meeting lunch
Compliment my wife more
See the “Beauty in Life” – patience
Get To Run Everyday for 10th straight year
Daily pushups, crunches, and stretching
Be a better dog owner
Drink More water and less Diet Coke
Lose 10 pounds
More connections with old friends and family
Indy Car Portland weekend
No Debt Continues
Enter writing contest
Chew slowly/soft foods – protect teeth
Celebrate each day with my wife
Be a good Grandad and father starting with Disney world weekend and the birth of a third grandchild in May
Continue to Contribute to kids education fund
Limoges Box gift with poem each month
Daily blog post with monthly poem
Weekly Date Night
Weekly Movie Night
Sunrise game-Oregon State/Cubs/IU Game/Bowl and NCAA Tourney Game
Call my sister on Mondays
No car payments this year
Find volunteer work/contributions/give back
Continue Cooking on Tuesdays
Cut down on expenses
Continue laundry/vacuum/dust/mop
Expand Sports collection
Amsterdam and Venice Viking Cruise to Athens
St. Louis baseball weekend, Disney World, French Laundry dinner, Hawaii, Tucson, Indiana, NYC Broadway, Mexico, Vancouver Gardens, (90 days max away from home)
Plan Thailand trip for next year
Plan China Trip  in two years
Read a book a week
Finish Ken Burns documentaries
Finish novel about Tinker
Do some drawing, sketching, painting
Learn to play the uke
Continue to learn about history
Find out more about my birth mother

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