New Shoes in the Rain

Good morning….do you ever feel that other drivers have forgotten everything they learned when they were taught how to drive? As someone who logs a lot of highway miles and is in a lot of different cities throughout the Midwest each month, I think that remedial driver training might be an idea whose time has come. I think we’re all much more distracted now than we were ten or fifteen years ago.  And I say “we” because I catch myself doing things that I know are not quite right, but do them anyway.  Here are a few of the common offenses I observe and occasionally commit: THE ROLLING STOP:  This is most common, we approach a stop sign, see that no other car is coming from any other direction, and we proceed through the intersection without stopping.  I complain about this, but at times am just as guilty as anyone.  Yes, the coast is clear, but that’s now how this should work! RUNNING YELLOW LIGHTS:  Same principle, if I can get through that light while it’s ye...

My wife and I accompanied our son and his family of five to Cincinnati last weekend to celebrate his milestone birthday (too hard to find an evening at home to do it, everyone had soccer and hockey practices!) and to attend some youth sports contests that our youngest granddaughter and younger grandson would be involved in. As I looked around the table at dinner Friday night (at a great rib place that is renowned in Cincinnati dining circles) I could not help but be delighted, as always, to be with a large portion of our nuclear family (our kids and their families, simply put).  Everyone was smiling and happy that we were together for a nice meal and a wonderful occasion. My grandson beat me to a trick I pull on him regularly, offering me a French fry for “quality control purposes” before I could ask.  The younger granddaughter present was beaming because she was sitting between our son and my wife, two of her favorite people in all of the world.  She tolerates me most of...

Good Sunday to all.  Hope you're having a great weekend! It was reported today that our President is pausing military action in Iran at the request of other countries in the region who have developed what has been described as a framework for an end to our ongoing conflict with the Iranian state.  Lucky for the President that he then had time to participate in another club championship at one of his golf clubs today. That seems the nature of this presidency:  start something, become bored or mired in indecision, and move on to something else.  The ICE raids would fall into that category, as would all of this nonsense about Greenland and Venezuela.  Tariffs come and go.  He continued to contend that the word "affordability" did not exist until invented by the Democrats.  And he appears to be accepting the fact that his acting Attorney General will not be confirmed, so he'll just leave him in place as the "acting" AG. But let's give credit where due, as ...

Good Sunday to all.  Hope you're having a good weekend! I'm having a GREAT weekend, because I began a ten day vacation Friday evening at the end of the work day!  No plans, no overnight travels, just whatever my wife and I decide to do with the time.  Just needed a break from work and schedules and the like. I don't often post on Sunday but was thinking about this subject, broad though it is, recently.  As I drove home from my marketing visits to some hospitals and clinics on Thursday, I decided to listen to some of Harry Chapin's music.  If you're not familiar with Harry, he was known for his "story" songs, many of which were too long for popular radio.  Among them was a song simply called "Taxi, and I played that first.  Found myself becoming emotional while listening to it, so I wiped my eyes and paused to find something else among Mr. Chapin's work.  Landed on another story song, "A Better Place to Be."  Same thing, was just a wreck ...

  Good day, friends.  Hope you had a good weekend, and that if your father is still among us, you had the chance to at least call him or better yet visit! Thinking about a few things during my travels for work and just in general as well.     I will not dwell on what’s happened with the current presidential administration since our last visit here, mostly because there’s not a lot any of us can do about it, but also because we all know it’s something we will endure and eventually move past. So here are some of the things that have crossed my mind recently…… I think it may be time for public parking lots to have separate areas for pickup trucks and large SUVs.  I drive a mid-size SUV so I can park about anywhere, but get awfully tired of watching these concrete cowboys (and -girls, to be sure) take two or three passes at parking their behemoth vehicles by backing in.  And then being challenged in leaving their chosen spot. I also thi...

Good morning, friends.  Hope you’re having a stellar weekend and that the weather is good where you are! I can say that after a good stretch of rain that we’re having that good weather I mentioned.  Breezy with low humidity.  Could not ask for better. Today’s title refers to what is happening regarding a prospectively large event in our nation’s capital sometime in June.  It’s nominally a celebration of our country’s 250th anniversary, but it’s also meant as a birthday celebration of the current occupant of the White House. A number of musical performers were apparently booked for this extravaganza, but one by one most of them realized what the intent of the event was and decided to rescind their acceptance of the invite to perform.  Unless I’m missing something, none of those who pulled out in the past few days is what I would call an A-lister but there were some recognizable names in that list. In the end, all decided they did not want to be associated with an...

Happy Friday for those who celebrate, and with an American holiday on Monday, who doesn't? I was able to take today off to set up a four day weekend.  Grateful for a break from what has been a hectic few weeks.  But I came here today to share a couple of great experiences from my day off so far. Recently I learned that a man whom I met in college and roomed with for a time was moving back to my home area, and was interested in renewing our friendship.  We've always been lucky as we would see each other every year or two for a cup of coffee, but always were able to resume or restart our conversation easily enough upon meeting. We exchanged some dates but when I secured the day off I let my friend know that I was available today. So we met at a coffee shop today at mid-morning and had what I would consider a stellar conversation.  Among the topics were hair loss, Medicare plans, post retirement employment options and a host of other topics.  On top of these scinti...

Happy Monday, everyone.....it's been a while since I found time to check in here, but have a little while to share some comments. I've been rather busy with work, lots of travel recently, but things overall are going pretty well, I think. So since I've been on the road the cost of gasoline is front and center among what keeps me concerned.  The price varies considerably  throughout my areas of travel, but right now the price seems to be hovering around an average of $4.05 per gallon.  A little cheaper here or there, even more saved with some discounts from our primary grocery chain, but a touch over $4.00 in the areas where I have been.   Anyone else find it interesting that regarding the Iran War that there's almost always talk about cease-fires and other negotiated items late each week?  Seems to me this is market manipulation, pure and simple, so that the stock market rises, and oil futures fall a little.  If someone who's untrained in global economics c...

If you're like me, and bought groceries or gas recently, or ate in a fast food restaurant, you have to wonder when the spiraling prices for each will eventually calm down, right? I think most of us know why things are the way they are.  And there does not seem to be any chance the inflation of prices in all of those categories will reach a more comfortable pattern, particularly since our country has entered into a war with Iran. In my part of the country gas is now about a full dollar higher than it was before the conflict began.  The price of goods continues to escalate, because it costs more to ship them from place to place.  Even the US Postal Service is going to start adding a fuel surcharge to its package delivery fees.   The administration claims that we're negotiating, but the regime in Tehran says that no discussions are taking place.  There are claims we're nearly finished there, having carried out our objective, but the US is moving more and more groun...

Hello, friends!  I have been delinquent in posting here in recent weeks, but it's been a busy time for me in my work lately. I just completed the first phase of yard work for the spring.  Much more to do, but the first time one mows their yard each year is almost like an archeological dig.   I last mowed our yard in early November, I think.  Our house sits on a modestly busy residential street but it's a popular cut-through between two major road, so there is steady traffic flowing past our house at times each day as well as on weekends. We seem to have a lot of people who come through and feel the need to dispose of their trash as they pass by.  This morning I found nestled in the heavy grass an empty soft drink bottle, candy wrappers, cigarette butts, a pull-tab from a box of something that I could not identify, a deflated balloon and a few more "treasures" that required disposal. Let's talk about the yard itself.  It's a small yard, so small that when we...

Good Thursday morning.  Writing this morning from the road, where I have marketing activities to attend to today and tomorrow! Unless you are totally against knowing anything about sports or politics, you likely know by now that the U.S. women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams both won gold medals at the recently completed games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.  Both squads defeated their Canadian counterparts in overtime to win their medals, with the women achieving their win a few days before the men. But you may not know that FBI Director Kash Patel managed to be at the men’s gold medal game and then found his way into the locker room just in time for the team’s celebration following their victory.  There is video and photos of him celebrating and chugging beers with the players, whom he claims invited him to join in.  Then, as if by magic, Patel’s cellphone rang and it was the President, wishing to use the occasion to congratulate the team via a poor speakerphone conn...

Feeling pretty irritated this afternoon, everyone. Had a negative experience while attending my grandson's junior varsity hockey game last night here in Lexington.  Here's the lowdown, and no real names are included. I’ve watched Lexington teams play against Louisville teams for a long time, and it seems that the Louisville players always approach these games with more desire not just to win, but to humiliate their opponents from Lexington.  Last night’s game between my grandson's junior varsity hockey team was tied 1-1 and there had been numerous penalties against both teams.  Midway through the second period one of our players was at our defensive blue line with the puck and a Louisville player met him there, banged him pretty hard and took the puck.  Our player responded in kind and the next thing you know, three Louisville players were on top of him.  He fought his way out from under them and play was stopped, because you know there were going to be penaltie...

Good Monday morning to you.  If you live in the middle of the US (north to south, that is), then you probably have something akin to what we have here in Kentucky.  Saturday we received six to seven inches of snow, which was followed by warming temps and freezing rain and sleet.  We then received more snow yesterday, and it's snowing now.  State officials are asking everyone to stay off the roads for non-emergency travel through today, at least, so I'm working at home today. And that's not so bad.  I can accomplish quite a bit without leaving my home location.  During the COVID lockdown I was very surprised that I was not furloughed until we had a better opportunity to get out and market directly to referral sources, but I was kept on board for the duration of that work limitation.  And we did a lot of creative things to use our time well.  We called other businesses for supplies we were having difficulty locating for our behavioral health facilit...

Good morning and happy new year!  I hope that you and yours have had a wonderful holiday season! Hello to those who find this space through Threads or Instagram.  Appreciate everyone's visits here and thank you for stopping by! I don't have anything deep or philosophical to offer this morning.  Like you, I experienced some highs and semi-lows during 2025 but am optimistic about what 2026 will bring. So allow me to conclude this brief post with something I sent to a friend this morning: Happy new year!  Grateful to begin this year with old and new friends,  and looking forward to the other new experiences that we know it will bring!  Challenges, yes.  Rewards, of course.  Happiness and joy, we hope so!  As someone who had serious health issues in the past, I am grateful to still be here and look forward to continuing to embrace every day as another opportunity! I wish you and those close to you a very happy new year!  

Happy Friday, everyone!  And not only is the weekend upon us, but Christmas is now less than a week away!  Are you ready? Have you shopped for those you love, hoping to find the perfect gift? I am receiving a grand present again this year, as I will be off work from Christmas Eve until January 5.  I have no concrete plans other than to have fun, enjoy my family, and not travel for work!  I think I've earned it! I don't know about any of you who's stopped by to read today's comments, but I think we're actually doing a little more for Christmas than we sometimes do.  I keep telling my wife that when I finally retire from full-time work (whenever that will actually be) that we'll need to scale back a little at Christmas.  That's true, but for now, it's less of a concern.  So we're being as generous as our means allow in advance of that adjustment. And for those who've raised kids, as my wife and I have, the old adage remains true, that kids are hard...

Happy Monday, everyone.  Had a hectic weekend of hockey, yard work and a choral performance by our middle granddaughter last night.  I've been thinking a lot, as many others have, about the state of things in this country and where we can and should and must go from here.  The question is "how?" I say that because we're right at a year from the Congressional midterm elections, which will most likely shift the balance of power away from Republicans.  But that's a long time to keep stacking one misery onto another for that period. And remember, the end of the federal government shutdown is only temporary, we get to endure this same process in January! So I think the "how" has to be one thing: We the People! My granddaughter's chorale performance was with a youth orchestra and their finale was a premiere performance of a lengthy piece with that title.  Stirring and patriotic. But the answer was in that title.  We all keep saying that Congress needs to d...

Good Thursday morning to you.  In my case it’s getaway day, as I have been traveling overnight for the past few days.  Looking forward to getting home later today. As of last night, our federal government is now reopened.  Is everything fixed?  Not so much.  The bill that the Senate passed did not include any provision for extending the COVID-era subsidies that benefited many recipients of health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.  It also contained, hidden within the text, a separate provision for settlement payments of some astronomical money to senators whose were surveilled in an investigation of foreign influence on our lawmakers. That’s how it is now, you know.  If someone in government is investigated and that investigation leads to no criminal charges, people are entitled to some sort of compensation from the government.  Starting at the top, it seems. So, will SNAP benefits again be fully funded and available?  We don’t know ...

Good Monday afternoon, friends.  Appreciate you stopping by. Kind of an interesting point in the year where we are now.  Baseball is over until next spring, although the World Series and several of the playoff series were quite exciting.  And my Cincinnati Reds qualified for the first round, losing two in a row to the eventual World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.  They have a great team, as do the Toronto Blue Jays.  Well done to both teams! Professional and college football are sort of hovering in place right now.  The postseason isn't here yet but the season is not at all new anymore for either level.  And yet it's still hard to tell which teams will identify themselves as the best in their particular divisions. Professional hockey is now underway for about a month, and so far there are defined "good" and "not good" teams.  Luckily the team I support, the Colorado Avalanche, are "good," at least for now! Basketball is just getting started profess...

Happy Friday, all!  We've almost made it! Big doings in our family this week.  Our middle granddaughter, who is the second oldest of our five grandchildren, celebrated her 16th birthday on Wednesday!  She's a great kid, plays soccer and sings in the chorus at her high school.  Is progressing in the process of learning to drive, too! That inspired me to once again share some impressions of all five of the grandkids, albeit without a lot of identifiers like their names and such (for privacy purposes).  Here's the rundown on who's who, and where they live, respectively: GC #1:  Lives in Colorado, female, 20 years old GC #2:  Lives in central Kentucky, female, now 16 years old GC #3:  Lives in Colorado, male, will be 16 on October 28 GC #4:  Lives in central Kentucky, male, now 14 years old GC #5:  Lives in central Kentucky, female, will be 8 on December 1 The Colorado kids are our daughter's and son-in-law's, the Kentucky kids are our son's...

Happy Sunday morning, everyone.  I’m not doing anything in particular, so thought I would stop by to share some things that have been on my mind. A quick thumbs-down to Disney and ABC for pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show from the airwaves.  Cowardly and not at all supportive of a guy who’s been a stalwart of your programming for many, many years.  Hard to imagine NBC doing the same to Johnny Carson, EVER. But an equally quick thumbs up for Disney and ABC reversing themselves, and restoring Kimmel to his rightful place after the local news each night.  And apparently without any restrictions or instructions on what to say or not say.  I’m not a regular viewer but in the clips I’ve seen, Jimmy seems to be back in his usual form. Our Vice-President has been in the news here and there since the Charlie Kirk shooting, and the Veep seems intent on making sure that he’s not forgotten by the MAGA faithful, who have always been a little wary of him.  It’s my u...