Alan Thicke

Until 1985, Alan Thicke was best known for his failure as a talk show host (The Thicke Of The Night), and for co-writing TV theme songs such as "Diff'rent Strokes" and "The Facts Of Life".

That all changed when he took the role of Jason Seaver in a new situation comedy called "Growing Pains." With his passing on December 13th, we've lost another of our favorite TV parents. He credited his success to drawing on his own parenting experiences. In the '80's he was part of a fraternity of TV fathers, including Michael Gross of "Family Ties" and Bill Cosby of "The Cosby Show," who helped establish an ideal for supportive parenthood, one half-hour comedy at a time. During the show's run from 1985-1992, he said "The show comes from a reality base. When I'm out, one of the main comments I hear is 'My kid is just like that,' or 'My wife and I just went through that.' And I find myself coming home at night and saying, 'I just did this scene.'" 

His passing at age 69 comes as a shock to his family and millions of adoring fans. 

The Reason For The Season

Well, it's that time again. No, I'm not talking about hustle & bustle & finding the right gifts, decorating the tree, or all the weight I'll gain before the end of the year... though the spirit of all these activities is what I'll be writing about.

Each day it seems, another post starts circulating on Facebook, about people taking offense to "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Some have even been so bold as to say, if you don't like it, go back to the country you came from. That's when I take pen in hand, or more appropriately, my fingers fly across the keyboard. While I am a Christian, and am not ashamed of saying so, I am ashamed that so many who call themselves Christians could post such atrocities! Even though I myself posted the following: "Sometimes, it is admirable to try and correct the ignorance of the uneducated. But sometimes it is even more admirable to just walk away..." (on the 'are Mormons Christians' debate), this is one argument I will not walk away from.

America was built on the principles of freedom of religion - and unless you are a Native American, we are all immigrants. Suggesting that someone leave the country because they don't believe the same as you, is NOT a Christian way of thinking. And then to imply I'm not a Christian if I don't repost? I agree with not being "politically correct" and saying Happy Holidays, but I also won't be offended if someone says it to me.

Likewise, none of my friends - Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Athiest, Lesbian, Gay, Black, Hispanic, or any other should be offended if I wish them a Merry Christmas. I believe in Christ, and without Christ there would be no Christmas, but my saying Merry Christmas isn't forcing my beliefs on them - it is simply my wishing them the same joy & happiness I feel at this time of year!

Here's A (Sad) Story, Of A Lovely Lady...

Here's a story, of a lovely lady... who passed away yesterday at the age of 82.

Florence Henderson, who played Carol Brady on the Brady Bunch for 5 years and through countless re-runs and specials, was probably America's favorite TV mom. While she had quite the career before and after becoming a "Brady", it is still this role for which she will always be remembered. I tried to think of a favorite Carol Brady quote - which would probably be her saying to Jan, who couldn't stop playing practical jokes - "If you know what you did was wrong, that's more important than any punishment." Which is probably at least one of the reasons why people would come up to Mrs. Henderson and say things like "You know, I really hated you because my kids wanted you to be their mother."

But Carol might be more remembered for saying something she might never have said. I got to be thinking of when Peter throws the basketball which breaks Mom's favorite vase. To which Bobby quips, "Mom always says, don't play ball in the house." Peter later has nightmares with the vase breaking, and Bobby saying over and over - "She always says, don't play ball in the house!" So anyway, a shout out to all true Brady fans -  there are 117 episodes - and I don't recall Mrs. Brady ever saying "Don't play ball in the house." Did she???

What Are You Thankful For?

"What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for last night."
What are you thankful for? Can you come up with 5 different things every day?

It is amazing how your outlook changes when you focus on what you have, instead of what you don't.

Call Him President-Elect

No one saw this coming?  For weeks, I'd been saying that the polls were wrong, that Hillary didn't have as big of a lead as we were being told. For months now, as I would scroll through my Facebook newsfeed, yeah, there would be posts from the far left denouncing Trump as a racist, womanizer, and any other label they could think of. But way more prevalent, were anti-Hillary, anti-Obama, anti-establishment, anti-government posts.  So did I think this was possible? Of course, in fact, I expected it.  What I didn't expect, was all the hate. Sure, we knew if Trump lost, he'd blame the media, Hillary's lies, voter fraud.... but I didn't picture Mrs. Clinton to be the sore loser she's turned out to be. Nor did I foresee America so divided that there would be such a thing as "Not My President" movements...protests...violence... all those who didn't and don't believe Trump can make America great again sure aren't doing anything to make it better themselves... in fact, they make America look like the joke they are sure Trump will make it.

Pawn Stars Revisited

Over 2 years ago, I wrote a piece on "Pawn Stars", after a visit to Las Vegas and the World Famous Gold and Silver Pawn Shop. It was a disappointing visit, especially for my wife, who had hoped to meet Chumlee. Well, on our anniversary weekend, we traveled to Vegas again, and her dream came true!

It was fun to meet him, but that wasn't all - we got to meet Mark Hall Patton, known as "The Beard Of Knowledge"

We even had him video chat with my mother-in-law, who was equally star struck!

Then, we got to meet Corey and hang out with him!

Our visit was topped off by visiting with the man himself. No need for the introduction 

"I'm Rick Harrison, and this is my pawn shop. I work here with my old man and my son, Big Hoss. Everything in here has a story and a price. One thing I've learned after 21 years - you never know what is gonna come through that door."

My wife was so star-struck she couldn't even pose in the picture!  He did sign her pawn slip for a ring she sold. Would have loved to meet the Old Man. Maybe next time!

Labor Day

So remind me again why we have this last "3 day weekend" before the end of summer? How many even know what we are celebrating? Labor Day was created way back in 1887, and dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers - a tribute to the contributions made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. A well-deserved day off, so to speak. Or, as many celebrated today - a day to go out shopping and eating, and make others work who aren't as fortunate as those granted the day off. Which sadly was most of the workforce in retail and restaurants, those who protect and serve, those driving trucks... For all of those working on Labor Day, a fitting music tribute was made over 30 years ago now, and it applies just as much today!

Internet Slang

Internet slang has been around a long time, well, almost since Al Gore invented the Internet! Back when it first became cool to type "LOL" instead of laughing out loud. Which got me thinking... how many people ever typed "laughing out loud" anyway? Were they really laughing? Then of course there is the infamous "ROTFL" If you were really rolling on the floor laughing, how did you type it?

 And I shouldn't even get started on EMOTICONS :-) ;-)

HASHTAGS? #idontevenknowwhatthismeansbutidoitjusttolookcool

But now we have "ISO", which used to be a term to determine the light sensitivity of film for your camera, but now is "In Search Of".... and "BAE". Shouldn't it be obvious that my wife comes "BAE"? Do I really need to refer to her by the Danish word for poop?

"POTUS"......OMG, even if he is a POS, can't we still respect him and call him the President of the United States?  See what I mean?

I guess I am just SMH over how lazy we've become that we can't spell out what we mean!

Lagoon - It's What Fun Is!

Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to go to an amusement park for free, thanks to a wonderful and generous boss. It had been going on 20 years since I'd experienced such thrills, so we jumped at the chance! Many crazy and exciting rides had been added, so there was the added excitement of trying these for the first time.

First up, was "Cannibal". An insane coaster which shoots you up a 200 foot elevator, then down a first drop which is actually a backwards drop.

If that doesn't have you screaming, 2 upside down loops and barrel rolls will. So of course we rode this 3 times. The best and least scary ride, amazingly was in the front seats.

Next, a ride they call "Wicked". Though I thought it was kinda lame. Samantha screamed and had her eyes closed, but after the fun of Cannibal, this really was lame.

Straight up, straight down, one inversion. Only rode it once. Lame.

"Wild Mouse"? Now that was wild! I was ready for this ride to end before we'd even gone down the first hill. Each turn had us feeling like we would leave the track.

Then the brakes shoved my lap bar deep into my chest. Really glad I hadn't eaten yet. Samantha claims it to be much scarier than it looks, and way scarier than Cannibal.

By no means new, but still scary, in a "this ride may fall apart and I may fall out" kinda way, was the wooden roller coaster.

The only thing "terrifying" about the "Terror Ride" was a headlight and horn honk at the end, which made you think you were heading into oncoming traffic.

Except it was an amusement park ride, inside a building. Still made me jump though! And the green faced creature pictured reminded us of Michael Jackson.

"Rattlesnake Rapids" promised we would get wet. That wasn't a lie. WE GOT SOAKED!

Not so much on the log flume. That was a very long line for a very short ride. Don't think we'll be doing that one again.

Our favorite ride, by far, was "Colossus - The Fire Dragon".

Don't be fooled by the screaming - she loved it!

In fact, on our 7th time riding, Samantha even put her hands up through both loops. And she can't wait to go back for more!

Riding the "Rocket - Re-entry" was a blast, and possibly the scariest of rides, falling over 200 feet in a matter of seconds.

But for me, the absolute most terrifying ride was the Scrambler. Two weeks later and I am still a bit dizzy and leery of losing my lunch!

After riding the Scrambler, the "Skyscraper" was a mistake. Couldn't even look down for fear of motion sickness. Maybe an old man shouldn't be doing this!

Or this!

All in all though, it was more fun that I imagined. Who knew so much fun could be had at age 50? I guess that's why they say "Lagoon - It's What Fun Is!"

Comet? Meteor? UFO? Space Junk???

So I am at work Wednesday night, and head outside to take the trash out. And I see these strange lights moving across the sky!  At first I figure I must be hallucinating, because it looked like fireworks, all glittery, gold, green, and blue...but moving sideways. I stood there speechless, watching this amazing sight, then realizing I could be watching history, decided I needed a second set of eyes to confirm I wasn't going crazy!  Is this for real? A comet? A meteor shower? UFO?

This brilliant display lasted for about 45 seconds, traveling from west to east before it left our view. I then grabbed my phone and reached out on Facebook to see if anyone else had witnessed this. I found that several in my area had, but no one had an explanation. A bit later, after I got home, reports were coming in that it was some sort of "space junk", which has now been confirmed to be the Chinese CZ-7 R/B Rocket Booster breaking up after re-entry into the atmosphere. Still, an incredible event I will not forget any time soon, as I wonder what inspired me to be outside at that exact moment.

Making America Great Again

There is an ever growing feeling that America must do all within her power to become great and strong again.  We can only hope to survive as a free people if we keep ourselves strong.  But how do we measure our strength? Military Power? The value of the dollar? I believe the strength of our country must be measured by the integrity of our people.

We speak often of our freedoms. There is no freedom like the freedom of righteousness.  If America would remain mighty, she must have the strength of sobriety, of chastity and virtue, of honesty and integrity, and the power of true spirituality. If she would be strong, America must enjoy freedoms as essential to her welfare as any of the liberties listed in the Bill of Rights, Her people must strive for:

Freedom from unclean practices and unwholesome influences

Freedom from immorality

Freedom from intoxication

Freedom from the evils of divorce

Freedom from dishonesty

Freedom from selfishness

Freedom from idleness

Freedom from ignorance

Remembering that choosing between "the lesser of two evils" is still choosing evil, which if any of the candidates for President will protect the Constitution and help to restore the lost freedoms as listed above?

Pray Always

I've noticed a trend which is disturbing, at least to me. Every time we hear of a horrific tragedy, especially one involving multiple deaths, social media is covered with pleas for people to pray. Pray for Boston, Pray for Paris, Pray for Belgium, Pray for Orlando...  Don't get me wrong, prayer is a good thing, but why should we need to be reminded to pray?  Does prayer only work in the aftermath of such tragedies? Why can't we follow the commandment to pray always or the commandment to pray without ceasing? Shouldn't prayer be a part of our daily lives?  Shouldn't we be praying for our country, our leaders, our friends, our spouses, our children, and even our enemies? Why should we only turn to God when something goes wrong? If He can provide comfort in such perilous times, can't He provide that same peace and comfort always?

Bathrooms, Gorillas, and Amber Alerts

Last month, I was going to write a blog about all the silliness in not knowing what bathroom to use, because that really seemed to get people talking.

But then a toddler fell into a gorillas habitat, and everyone forgot about bathrooms. Now the same people who were transgender experts, or transgender-phobes were experts in zoos and tranquilizer darts.

An incredible shame what happened, but since this is America, someone has to be blamed, right? And heaven forbid it would be the parents! Think about that for a minute. How long would it take a toddler to accomplish what he did? I ask that for a reason, which brings me to my third different (but related) subject - Amber Alerts. I got one on my phone last night at almost 1:00 AM. So how is an Amber Alert formed? A missing child is reported to police, who believe the child is in imminent danger, and the public is alerted.

Well, on Thursday, I saw a young boy go missing. It started with him attempting to walk outside of our restaurant by himself. Several parents of other children stopped his progress, but couldn't locate the child's mother. He was brought to one of our managers as a missing child. Said manager picked him up, searched outside for anyone looking for a lost child, then did the same inside of the restaurant. He went to each table, asking if this lost boy belonged to anyone. No one stepped forward. He then returned to the end of the counter, all the while holding the boy, who didn't appear the least bit upset or concerned. It would have been a humorous situation, if not for the fact that it isn't funny! This child was missing for over 5 minutes before the mother realized he was missing! So I ask, what can happen in 5 minutes? How far can you drive in 5 minutes? Any child abductor would have had at least a 5 minute head start before ANYONE was notified. Again, what can happen in 5 minutes? For one, a toddler can enter the gorilla enclosure at a zoo with no one noticing in less than 5 minutes. How about the restroom where a child is allowed to go by themselves? What can happen there in 5 minutes?

Simply put, parents, WATCH YOUR CHILDREN! Pay better attention!  Put down that cell phone and hold their hand! It will not be Target's fault if something happens in a transgender or family restroom. It will not be the zoo's fault if a child is maimed or killed by an animal 10 times their size.
Your children are your most prized possessions, or they should be!

International House Of Apathy

How long would you wait for service before turning around and going someplace else? What is the maximum amount of time one should have to wait before at least being acknowledged?

So my wife and I walked into IHOP last night, to use a gift card she received for Mother's Day. The hostess stand was empty. 10 tables and booths were occupied, but no employees were in sight. After 5 minutes, I would have just walked away, but since dinner was going to be free, it was pouring rain, and I am stubborn, we waited. And waited. And waited... Finally, a server entered the dining area and at least made eye contact with us, but then proceeded to take orders from 2 different tables before coming over to us to say, "We'll be with you as soon as we can." It was a full 31 minutes before we were seated. Others entered the restaurant and left without anyone employed by IHOP knowing they were there. Several families stood in line only because their kids would be eating free.
                             
OK, so I get it. The restaurant is understaffed, overworked, and probably underpaid. But is that situation likely to change with such indifference when it comes to recognizing who is paying their paychecks? How many dollars were spent at nearby restaurants instead? Seeing a significant increase in sales might justify hiring more staff. How much effort would it have taken for someone to come over, take us to a table, apologize for the wait, and at least take a drink order?  It would have changed the perspective of the entire dining experience, not just for us, but for every person who left to eat somewhere else. The message would have been "We care, we are glad you are here. We know you have a choice in where to dine, and are thankful for the opportunity to serve you."  And believe me, there are choices! Hundreds of food choices within 2 miles. Instead, the message received was just the opposite - "Why do these people keep coming? If we ignore them, maybe they will go away. If they go, we won't have to work as hard!"

In this economy, a business simply cannot afford to be indifferent. At least not if they want to remain in business.

Au Revoir Monsieur Mitman

Mr. Mitman was one of my favorite teachers in high school. I was in his French class for all four years, in fact, I was the only student in his French 4 class in 1982-83. Because of this unique situation, my grade in class was based on me translating Paris newspapers from French into English, and creating articles in French for my newspaper.

I just learned of Mr. Mitman's passing on April 22nd. He had taught foreign languages at Wilson Area High School for 35 years, and retired in 1985. It is always sad to learn of the passing of a teacher who inspired me.  Au revoir, Monsieur Mitman. Repose en pais.

Heaven's Choir

Heaven's choir gained another member yesterday in Merle Haggard.

That choir is sounding sweeter every day it seems, as country music has lost quite a few legendary singers over the last 3 years - George Jones, Lynn Anderson, Jim Ed Brown, Sonny James... just to name a few. This is the music I grew up listening to, spending hours every weekend listening to the radio with my grandparents, and having the awesome opportunity as a young lad to see these legends perform in person, shake their hands, get their autographs...  So each time another passes beyond the veil, it is a sad time indeed. Not so much that I am sad that they are gone, but sad that another piece of my childhood has been taken away. I will always have the memories though, the music lives on, and Heaven's choir does indeed get sweeter and sweeter!

Pain and Adversity

Some faithful Saints face very difficult trials such as lifelong pain or one family tragedy after another. Some plead with the Lord and miracles happen. Yet at the same time, those equally faithful are not delivered. Their pleadings and striving do not result in a miracle. We can ask ourselves questions about why such intervention happens in one case and not another, Why are some spared and some taken? Why do some suffer so much and others hardly at all? Why does life seem so unfair at times? Many times we cannot answer those questions. God determines all aspects of revelation. We don't get to choose whether we are delivered from our trials any more than we get to choose whether we have trials or not or what form they take if they are given to us. What we do get to choose is how we will respond. We can decide if we will come through these experiences with greater faith and greater patience or if we will walk away doubting the Lord's power and love. ~ Gerald N. Lund

Missing My Hour Of Sleep!

Does anyone actually look forward to losing an hour of sleep every year when we "Spring Forward"? Imagine how much fun it would be if this yearly ritual occurred at 4PM on a Friday? Let's get the weekend started sooner! All those 9-5'ers out there would be thrilled! Not to mention how happy Sunday morning churchgoers would be to not wake up an hour early, especially those who have meetings as early as 6AM.

Or, we could just be like Arizona, and do away with "Daylight Savings" altogether!

A Note Of Gratitude

I haven't made this public until now, but I was given an extension on my life last Saturday by a wonderful co-worker. I was choking and having trouble breathing, and this young man stepped up and performed the Heimlich. I still ended up in the ER for over 2 hours, but I don't think I'd be sitting here typing today if not for the efforts of Alex Eckert.

My gratitude is greater than words can describe, to have someone come to my rescue, without a thought of ever getting something in return. With all of the bad we hear of in the world today, it restores my faith that there are still good people out there who care. Every day there are heroes who don't get recognized for their efforts. It seems the only people getting their "15 minutes of fame" are those shooting up schools or other manner of taking innocent lives. Thank you Alex, you are amazing!