New Shoes in the Rain

Hello, and happy Friday! Since our news and social media feeds are crammed with negativity and inhumanity, I thought it might be a good palate cleanser to share some of the better things I’ve seen, heard and experienced this week. First, please join me in remembering Robert Redford.  The actor and environmental activist passed away this week at the age of 89.  He’s been out of the film industry for a number of years, but most people of a certain age can name off many of his movies that were memorable and enjoyable.  My list starts with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” followed closely by “The Sting.”  And as a lifelong baseball fan, we can’t leave out “The Natural.”  Would also include “All the President’s Men” and the ensemble piece “Sneakers.”   I was heartened to read so many nice tributes to Redford online, giving us a worthwhile diversion over the past few days.  I like to think that Paul Newman was waiting for him at the pearly gates, but th...

Good morning, all.  Hope you're having a good weekend! The phrase I used as the title of today's post is one I borrowed from Shakespeare, and I think in many ways it's appropriate just now. The other phrase I kept thinking of as I began this post is "those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." Either one describes where we are. In 2016 a first-time political candidate was elected President of this country and things have not been the same since.  People who could have cared less about politics or elections suddenly were motivated to participate in the process and mobilized, thus assuring this candidate's victory.  Totally unexpected and unbelievable. The same candidate lost his bid for reelection four years later, losing to a former two-term Vice-President, as an equally large swell of voters, buoyed by a large swath of female and minority voters, voted in large numbers and the previous President was defeated.  But not before be attempted...

Feeling rather somber this afternoon, with news from Minneapolis of a shooting during a Mass at a Catholic School in that area.  After Sandy Hook I had real hopes that something would happen in the area of gun control, but the gun lobby got to vulnerable members of Congress first and nothing happened.  Maybe it will be different this time. This conundrum has me wondering if the current administration has done anything in particular for the benefit of the American people, regardless of which candidate they voted for.  I'm old enough to have lived through numerous administrations, and I would be pretty surprised to learn that every one of them signed legislation into law or enacted (or removed) a regulation that made some difference in how we live our lives. With the current administration, I simply cannot.  Other than actions that had been taken and later overturned by legal rulings, there has been nothing done to help the average American citizen. Everything costs mo...

Happy Friday, everyone! No specific theme or subject for today's post.  Just a hodgepodge of stuff that's accumulated since my last, more introspective post. Over the last couple of days I had some lengthy day trips for work.  I have satellite radio, downloaded podcasts and an audiobook I haven't started, but sometimes I like to dip into my personal music library (which lives on my phone) to listen to some music that continues to make me happy.  Wednesday I was on my way home from Knoxville, Tennessee, in and out of rain, and decided to listen to an old album by the singer-songwriter J.D. Souther.  John David is probably best known for co-writing many of the Eagles' hit songs, including "New Kid in Town," "Best of My Love," "Heartache Tonight" and many others he wrote on his own that were recorded by singers such as Linda Ronstadt and on his own solo records. The album I decided to listen to is called "Natural History," and it...

Good morning, all.  Hope you're having a good weekend and that you're in the part of the country where the weather is more agreeable than the oppressive heat we've had in Kentucky, or the frequent deluges that have caused flooding and other problems. I enjoyed sharing some of the details of our recent trip to Chicago, and we're still talking about some of what we experienced while we were there.  But the last day before we all traveled back home was my birthday, number 65 to be exact, so I now have a good bit to think about. I can start taking my Social Security and apply for Medicare right now.  But I would be limited on how much other income I may have until I reach "full" retirement age, as I understand it.  So my plan, for the moment, anyway, is to stick with full-time work until I turn 67, when I will then be able to draw my full benefit AND have the opportunity to earn other income without interrupting or reducing my monthly SS benefit. Worth mentioning ...

Greetings, all.  What day is it?  I have been way out of whack for almost two weeks.  I started a long-awaited vacation after work on Friday, July 11, and returned to work today.  And, yes, I know that it's Wednesday.  Isn't it? Anyway, the central event of this vacation was a trip to Chicago to attend our older grandson's basketball tournament there.  So my wife and I counted up my Marriott hotel points and found out where our daughter and grandson would be required to stay by the tournament organizers ("stay and play" is what this is called, pretty common in youth sports) and identified a Marriott property where I could use my points.  And if you visit here frequently enough, you know that I travel a great deal for my job and rack up hotel points routinely. I've always loved Chicago.  Took our son there to see the Cincinnati Reds play the Cubs at Wrigley Field on the north side of Chicago in 1991.  And this was before the Cubs ownership tur...