Song Sung True.....

You be stuck, that is, if you wanna be. If ya'ain't, then there's the X right up there in the upper righthand corner.  You no makey me mad if you click it... I might if I were you!

Song sung blue
Everybody knows one
Song sung blue
Every garden grows one

Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again
Sing them out again

Dadgum Neil Diamond, and that's said lovingly... he's always been "Happy,. when happy wasn't cool.." Si, this (song) is speaking to a relationship mebbe, but I ain't necessarily doing so........ well, kinda.  A relationship with life.

Dictionary says about "BLUE":  (of a person or mood) melancholy, sad or depressed.

How did my buddy Matt term it?  "I AIN'T GOT TIME FOR A BAD DAY!"

Song sung blue
Weeping like a willow
Song sung blue
Sleeping on my pillow

I play golf.  Mostly badly. One'a my buddies I play with reminds of the phrase "Pressure makes diamonds", and, I suppose that's true.  BUT... Here's where I relate I was gonna post Phil Collins' "I Don't Care Anymore" lyrics.. but.. .I kinda like Neil's idea of a song, ya sing the blues, you eventually, ultimately get feel good, sing the blues out..

Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice
And before you know, it get to feeling good
You simply got no choice

Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again

I had an elderly inlaw I loved.  I watched him go from avid golfer on heap big course...  to moving to a par 3 course (shorter, not as physically taxing) driving via the Interstate to get there... to still driving, playing there a few years later, BUT, via the 2-lane highway as the Interstate had become a bit much.....  to ultimately never playing again, actually living his final time on earth in an assisted care facility on that 2 lane highway.  Life is fleeting.

Song sung blue
Weeping like a willow 
Song sung blue
Sleeping on my pillow

Weeping as I hit the ball in the water on #1. Watch  my buddy get a par 3 on hole #4 whilst I had a 5 (He and I bet a whole dollar, payable to the dude with the low score).  I chip onto #6 but the ball only goes halfway to the green.  Enter cussword here. Next chip decent, but, the pressure is on, I've GOT to make this putt to tie him.

I don't do dat no more, right Phil?  I tend more to NOT think/worry as much about Srixon, 'straight left arm, stay down on the ball', 'follow thru with your putter'.. and think more about "remember what these fellas you're playing with looked like back in the day (1960's).. remember how much fun we had then, AND, are now?  Have you made a list in your brain about nature today?  The green of the greens, fairways, fringe.. the sky of blue that shines on you,.. the geese, squirrels, skunks, racoons, herons, ground hogs, deer, birds.. ALL.

Victor do you realize how many ARE NOT HERE, CANNOT BE HERE... and you're whining about a 3 putt?  REMEMBER, Bobby sang "Don't worry, be happy"... Phil toldya "I don't care anymore" about a damn dollar bet (even though I still might pay him with two rolls of pennies!).. and, that Neil dude reminds............ song.. about blues.. you sing the blues out.

And before you know, it started feeling good
You simply got no choice

Song sung blue
Song sung blue
Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice

We (our geezer foursome) DO have it right after golf.  We sit on the deck overlooking the course, talk to perty ladies, make fun of who had the worst shot, pay our dollar bet, throw the scorecard away, buy, drink a beer (or two)... allow our brains to wander back fitty, sixty years.. have smiles

"Hey, there's an overturned semi on the the Interstate back South, traffic backed up damn near to Cameron... .take the two-lane home."

Thanks, I will.  And, I won't take for granted - at least for now - I'm still able to go the Interstate... and as I take the 2-lane home today, I'll honk when I pass the assisted care facility in honor of that inlaw who first actually introduced me to golf.

Life is short.  If you're keeping score on the course, make sure the pencil has an eraser.

JK, kinda sorta.  Afterall, a dollar is a dollar!

Love, Victurd

We are family.... (Could be my City... could be your City)

 We are family

I got all my sisters with me

Coffee, black please.  (ie, no SCREAM in it)

We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

Coffee made, sipped, I done peed. VICTOR!  You always 'diss' women when a lady announces "I'm going to go to the restroom" when you say "WHY do women always announce when they pee? (and they do!).. Ain't that a pot/kettle kinda thing?

Women, and blog writers, always announce when they pee. Sorry, kinda, not really, please put the lid up when you're done.

Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
And we flock just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
All of the people around us, they say
"Can they be that close?"
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose

I read the (KC) news today oh boy...  "Fatal shootings, chase and assault:  Payouts by KC Police top $6.8 million in one year"... "Officer who resigned in spending scandal got new job nearby"..  "4th lawsuit filed against restaurant where worker allegedly contaminated food."... "Pro player accused of dog cruelty".. 

EACH, EVERY TOWN (especially them Big'Ns...)  has yuck, after yuck, after yuck story, day after day after day... On second thought.. can I gets me some Pepto-Bismol in my coffee?

We are family
Yeah, yeah, ah
I got all my sisters with me
I have, I have
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (Sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

All that yuck there in the newspaper.. it finally had an article about a KC suburb recently named "One of the best places in the Nation to raise a family."

Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of this world's delights
(High) High hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
(We) No, we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh no
This is our family jewel

Positively San Diego.. Erick Delarosa, donates his time, talent to paint "SHOLOVE" murals on Rady Children's Hospital............................ Butterfly Haven in St. Louis provides help for foster children, families in the form of basic necessities, meal boxes, clothing, bottles, dishes, diapers, furniture...................Spokane, WA.. the Fairfield Tankers softball team joined forces with the Spokane Pacers Special Olympics team for a charity softball game. Jerseys worn may be purchased (or ordered) online for $15, all proceeds to benefit Special Olympics

We are family (Yeah, yeah, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me (Yeah, get up, get up and sing it here to me)
We are family (Oh, I can't hear you, ya'll)
Get up everybody and sing (Ooh)
We are family
(Have faith in you and the things you do, hey, hey)
I got all my sisters with me (Hey, oh, hey, hey, hey, hey)
We are family
(Get up, get up, ya'll)
Get up everybody and sing (Ah, oh, hey, hey, hey)
We are family

Durango, CO.. June 7/8, La Plata County Humane Society's largest pet adoption event of the year, reduced cost for adoption, vendors - ensuring all animals are vaccinated and microchipped..... Boliver, MO.. a highly successful golf tourney at the Boliver City Golf Club raised $6,100 for St. Judes Children's Hospital.     Spring, TX. .Kuehnle Elementary School named Klein ISD Model Campus showcasing innovative teaching and student-centered pathways......  Danville, IL.. City celebrates $1 Million Grant that led to a New Police Community Training Center, Friendly Town Rehabilitation...

Ugly is 'sensational' purportedly, tis why it hides the good, emphasizes the bad.... We know better. The above are spots are where folks live that occasionally swing by here.  Pup, Liz, Vicki, Jeannie, Larry, Ed - folks from around here, I know you too see the good happening here as well. If I've omitted frequents here, apologies and not with intent.

Life is pretty nice song and dance. Good happens... allover...  We are family, we've got brothers, sisters with me.....

Love, Victurd

You can run but you can't hide.........

I call BS.

Article this morning in the Kansas City Star (Kansas City Star.. that's what I are.. yod.. VICTOR NO!)  Ok, sorry. Geez. (Panties?  Wad?).... RED LIGHT CAMERAS.  The timing of article, weird.  Just yesterday, our geezer golf foursome drove to play the Winterstone Golf Course.. (on toppa a cave, across the street from the Twin Drive In).. and, we rolled thru 291 Highway and Courtney Road stoplight.

Geezer Victor remarked "Ya know, this intersection, right here,., was the first in Missouri to have those cameras, take your picture, send you ticket in the mail...  they outlawed 'em though some time ago."

Star article says, they're coming back. Long ago, they gave up on them because it was too difficult to prove the person driving the car was the actual owner of the car.  A little less than half the States, they are still legal.  Some states, only in Big Cities, school zones, dangerous intersections, yada.

KC had 29 cameras, wrote 30,000 to 50,000 tickets annually to the tune of a cumulative $2 BILLION in fines, mebbe why they are coming back.  Keener definition cameras, "we'll get 'em now", they're coming back.

I vote, cover your mouth, nose as you roll thru...  or... pick your nose...  or, give in BUT stick your thumbs in your ears, fingers out, as well as your tongue.  I just might enjoy paying that fine if they were to send me that pic.  You can run (roll thru), no, you can't hide, but you can cover.

"He can run but he can't hide,"  Joe Louis.

June 18, 1941, the Polo Grounds, New York City, in front of 54,587 boxing fans, Louis took on highly regarded Billy Conn, the light heavyweight champion, thus ending a string of fights against 'no names.' Conn decided NOT to gain weight on purpose, rather that he'd rely on "hit and run." Thus, Joe said his famous 'He can run but he can't hide.'  

Joe underestimated Conn.  While he did stun him (Conn) in the 5th round with a left hook (cutting his eye and nose), by the time the 12h round came around, Louis was exhausted, Conn actually led on two of the three scorecards in what has been considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxing matches ever.  Against the advice of his corner, Conn continued his hit and run attack into the 13th..  Joe managed to get the KO punch two seconds before the round ended. He ran but he couldn't hide.

I tried Googling "Brainy quotes about you can run but you can't hide." to hopefully enhance this boring blog. (Brainy Quotes are my FAV)..  anyways, Brainy Quotes wanted to make sure I was not a robot. HA. I will run and I WILL hide, just watch me, right AI? You tell 'em, I'll pat ma' foot.

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."  Will Rogers

You can run but you can't hide.  Witness... all the "People of WalMart" pics.. .Have phone, have camera, EVERYWHERE.

If you just became preggo a few months ago, your child will be able to hide from CICADAs his/her entire life.

Don't seem fair, but you go Junior.  We (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia) are in the dadgum path of the Cicadas.  It's already hit some States, and folks there are saying YUCK.

You can run but you better hide INDOORS. Fpr whatever reason they call 'em (Cicada kinds) broods. Every 13 to 17 years different broods debut and leave their underground lairs to mate, aggravate, MAKE UNGODLY LOUD NOISE. 

The two coming broods only sync up every 221 years (howinthehell do they know that?), so, In the year 2425, if man is sitll alive. No, that ain't it.  Today, the Junior in your belly will never see 'em.  We will this year, he/she won't. 

"When you least expect it

You're elected

You're the star today.

Smile, you're on Candid Camera."

Slow down (ya move too fast?  NO).. Slow down, cover your mouth, pick your nose, stick your tongue out, pay fine...   never underestimate your opponent...   If you talk a walk during that 'brood' season... Do you like gettin' caught in the rain... if you're not into yoga... if you have half a brain.. .If you like makin' love at midnight.. In the dunes on the cape...Then I'm the love that you've looked for..Write to me and escape... BUT, make sure to cover your mouth, OR, you'll have a Pina Cicada.

I shoulda run and hid insteada blogged.  Sorry, kinda.

Love, Victurd

And............ he slides into 3rd space....... the dust clears............. he's out (and about.)

Huh?  The hell Victor?  3rd space?

Si, makey no mistake, I ain't stutterin'.  Article this morning in the Kansas City Star (heard that song?  Kansas City Star, that's what I are?  Yodel-deedle ay-hee, you oughta see my car.)...   Sorry, that ain't what this about... the song ain't.  Article this morning about "Ya seen 200 20-somethings running past you at the Country Club Plaza?"

Article interviews a young dude, 20-something, who'd started a Running Club, simply because he was lonely (Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely, I have nobody for my own, I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely, I have nobody for my own, I am so lonely) VICTOR!  Huh?  You're testing my patience, is this a blog or a song lyric place?  Yes.

He, starter up of running club, found he, and many other Generation Z (that what ya call 'em?) were lonely. How many were lonely Victor?  (My turn, are you a blog reader or, are you Ed McMahon?)  Please just continue Victor.  One in four Gen Z folks are lonely.  I trust this figure because surely the Star writer, at $40K a year or so, interviewed every Gen Z person in the land to attain that figure, sumpin like that.

  

Third Space.  That's what they ain't got.  They got Work. They got Home.  They ain't got a Third Space.  Unlike the aging Baby Boomers who STILL frequent Joe's Bar and Grill (DO NOT!  DO TOO! DO NOT! DO TOO!) they (Z'ers) tire of, don't want, the bar scene.  So, organizer dude awhile back posted on Social Media "Gonna run here, at this time, anyone wanna run with me?"  Come they did. Once a week now, 3 miles, differen't routes. Even gotta sponsor, have a raffle, giveaways. One dude won new shoes.

Good.  Keep the snotnoses outta Joe's Bar and Grill and their snot offa my, er, I mean their, beer glasses.  I jest.  A tad.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Mental illness touches 22.8% of the people across the land. At present, in Missouri, there are 302 people stuck in jail, waiting to be moved to a mental health facility (another "3rd Space") according to the Missouri Department of Mental Health.  These individuals were arrested and found not fit for trial.  They sit (and sit) in jail awaiting a bed in a facility - but there are no beds available due to shortage, and, lack of staffing.

One such individual, diagnosed with schizophrenia, has been in jail for more than a year and a half, for, stealing a belt at WalMart.

Sorry, kinda, for this 'turn' today. Mental illness is a bastard, and with nearly 23% of the land affected, it's undoubtedly touched many of our families.

Victor? Yes?  Normally when someone posts an "Ain't it awful" thing, they SHOULD include suggesting possible ways to assist, alleviate, etc.  You ain't.

Right you are.  I don't know that I necessarily have answers.  Missouri lawmakers did approve $300 million for a mental health facility to be built in KC, but...... it won't be ready until 2028.

When I think of mental health, the needs, the ways to assist, the facilities, prevention of, the legal system, finding/training/financing sufficient mental healthcare staffing, simply (not so simply) getting individuals to want/seek l help - it's like opening the biggest damn number of piece crossword puzzle you ever seen... and it'll takeya forever just to get the straight pieces placed, and in order of a square frame, THEN, ya gotta get to all them other pieces.  Daunting.

More money on treatment, prevention.  I am lost on how to draw folks into career positions in the field, other than somehow making the pay more rewarding.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK.  Enough (for now) of that.

Bless THIRD SPACES.  What's yours?

Me?  I thought you'd never ask.  First, the sandbox, followed closely by wiffle ball, girls, chasing girls, baseball, girl chasing, then the 'couldn't hit a curveball thus slowpitch' era. Oh sure, Joe's Bar and Grill somewhere in there, which, of course, naturally progressed to chasing another girl.  Along too, with, an occasional volunteer thingy, I'm not a complete dweeb, just mostly.  Golf.  I suck, don't care. Well, I care, but, ain't getting better, so, don't care. And, running from girls. JK, kinda sorta. And, maybe now and again, s'more Joe's Bar and Grill.

Life.............. every age........ is, can be, challenging.  Run Forest, like them whippersnappers.  "Go Victor... (like that most recent live in/girlfriend said), find a purpose." (3rd space?)

Finally, I have.

When I grow up, I wanna write.  That's what I'll do.

Love, Victurd

PS:  I'll never grow up.  Or, be good at golf.

PSS:  Don't care neither.

76 Trombones..

Noise.  Ain't it wunnerful, awful, scary, shocking, soothing, fingernail chalkboarding, moving, inspiring, lots.

Paul and Art on their Sounds of Silence.  Nature sounds are, can be, vely vely nice.   Crickets do kinda confuse me.  Ya know when  you read something, and like, there's no response (ie, "crickets") well hells bells, crickets are noisy... persistently chirping... and, after Wiki'ing crickets today, come to find out, the chirping is done by males in attempt to woo the female crickets.  I'll never be able to relax again outside at night, not at a campground, backyard, by a lake... whatever.. knowing Jiminy Cricket is courting Jenny Cricket...

Ever eat a pine tree?  No.. that ain't it. Ever hear a pack of coyotes at 3am?  Good golly. "Short howls that often rise and fall in pitch, punctuated with staccato yips, yaps, and barks."  Victor?  Yes?  Did you write that?  Hell to the no, I can't write that good.  Right you are.  And of course, come to find out, onea the reasons they do all that staccato crap is "during mating season".  I KNEW IT.  All men are crickets, coyotes, pigs.  Can't we simply shut up?

Next thing I spose you'll tell me is that a trillion of those damn loud cicadas are gonna invade, and that that noise is a male piggy mating call too?  Ahm, sorry Victor.  Yes.  And yes. Don't worry, their lifespan is only a month or so.  Interesting, that's kinda like mosta my relationships.  Two months may be my record!~

Damn the Barry White insect, animal noises... get me outta here... take me to the Wide Wide Worlda sports......

Ballpark noises.  Hey batter batter batter, saaawing batter batter.  Popcorn! Peanuts!  Take me out to the ballgame.  Let's go Royals (sorry, to folks everywhere else).  The crack'a the bat. The judgmental boos of the ump's performance.  Bark at the park nights. The yawn, 8th inning, when one is old.

Voices..  

The distinct voices of announcers.  Howard Cosell.  Harry Caray. Vin Sculley. Chris back back back Berman.  Ed McMahon.  Johnny come on down Olson. 

Voices ya come to hate.  Call me judgmental, there are simply some voices in our lives that are abhorrent.  Ya hear 'em and ya Popeye out (I've had all I can takes and I can't takes no more.)  Maybe it's just me, I dunno. There's one lady in town I continually end up at the same McDonalds, grocery store, wherever, and I run. I run the hell the other way. I'm sure she's a darn fine lady, there's just sumpin about her voice (ahm, #1, the volume).

Familiar voices.  Yes. Yum. "I like you" voices.  "I love you voices."  Voices from yesterday, now gone, but, you will never ever forget the voice.  The attached hurt due to the fact you can't hear those voices live any longer.

I love me some saxophone music.  Can damn near fall asleep to it.  Day in day out our lives are accompanied by noise - but, music, our choices therein, the melodic menu. Just take those old records off the shelf.  I was country, when country wasn't cool. I dig, rock and roll music.   Will ya love me till the end of time. DAMNIT!  Does EVERYTHING have to do with mating?

Asses bray. Bees buzz. Cat meow, or whatever they want. Cows moo. Dogs bark. Victor? Yes? Are you gonna force us thru a long, alphabetical list of this crap? Mebbe.

Ducks quack. Frogs croak (cicadas do too after 60 days or so). Lions roar.  OK, I'll stop. 

Bacon frying. Sirens. Chain saws. Jackhammers. Lawnmowers. Church bells. Fireworks. Horns honking. GPS instructing. Whistles. Laughter. Giggles.  Baby coos. Old fart's dadburnits. For English press one.  Trains. Planes. Will this be dine in or carry out?  Will you be using your app? Please pull up to window one. Please pullup s'more, your food ain't ready, we're short snotnoses today, we'll get it toya when we get it toya. TY for shopping our KMart.

Live from New York.  Heeeeeeerrrrrrrrreeeeeeee'ssssss Jooooohhhhhhnnnnnny!  Tonight we've got a really big shoe.  Are ya ready kids? Aye aye Captain. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. AYE AYE CAPTAIN........ Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

"Light travels faster than sound.  That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak."  Alan Dundes

Marco.  Polo.  Outta water.

Victor? Yes? Ain't it about time for the fat lady to sing?

"90% of all jazz is half improvisation."  Yogi Berra.

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning.

Now its time to say goodbye
to all our company.
M-I-C
see you real soon
K-E-Y
why? because we like you
M-O-U-S-E.

(If mice too make disgusting noises when they mate, getya one'a them Victor traps. They work.

And that's the way it is.

Love, Victurd

Oh no.........

Sing it Doris!

When I was just a little girl

I asked my mother, "What will I be?
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?"
Here's what she said to me

"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be"

Moms are the best.  They, with their "no matter what" love.  Dads ain't bad neither. Victor, that's a double negative. No it ain't. Ain't ain't a word.

Now, which one are you?  The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69 to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev, a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements, she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets. 

OK, so, they don't even list HER name? Oink.  Fake news?  They continued "Although this seems to be a statistically unlikely story, numerous contemporaneous sources exist which suggest that it is true. The case was reported to Moscow by the Monastery of Nikolsk on 27 February 1782, which had recorded every birth."

When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart, "What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows
Day after day?"
Here's what my sweetheart said

"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be"

Which way did he go George? Which way did he go?

This Guinness world record goes to Linda Wolfe who said “I do” a whopping 23 times. Her first marriage at just 16 was for love while her last in 1996 was for publicity as she married Glynn “Scotty” Wolfe, the world's most married man.

Say, this is Linda. I'm having another wedding shower.  Temu has them big blenders on sale cheap, we need onea them if ya got any extra dough (pun mebbe intended).  Or, mebbe, two weeks in a VRBO on Puerto Vallarta huh? Not a have to, hehe.

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, "What will I be?
Will I be handsome?
Will I be rich?"
I tell them tenderly

"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be"

By the way, the world record for the most grandchildren is held by Vasyl and Hanna Peltek, who had 346 grandchildren as of 2019.  Let's see... if they watched each grandkid one night a year, that'd give 'em 19 free evenings.  That ain't bad eh?  Christmas?  I'll be.. fine and dandy... shut up ya little snotnose, get your stocking down, eat your piece of hard candy...Chico? Charlie?  After you get your candy outta the sock, you gotta pair of socks.. Chico can wear 'em one week, Charlie the next.. Merry Christmas.

Que será, será 

Not tonight honey, thanks anyways... what was your name again?

Love, Victurd

L

Oh no...........

Sing it Doris!

When I was just a little girl

I asked my mother, "What will I be?
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?"
Here's what she said to me

"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be"

Moms are the best.  They, with their "no matter what" love.  Dads ain't bad neither. Victor, that's a double negative. No it ain't. Ain't ain't a word.

Now, which one are you?  The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69 to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev, a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements, she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets. 

OK, so, they don't even list HER name? Oink.  Fake news?  They continued "Although this seems to be a statistically unlikely story, numerous contemporaneous sources exist which suggest that it is true. The case was reported to Moscow by the Monastery of Nikolsk on 27 February 1782, which had recorded every birth."

When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart, "What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows
Day after day?"
Here's what my sweetheart said

"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be"

Which way did he go George? Which way did he go?

This Guinness world record goes to Linda Wolfe who said “I do” a whopping 23 times. Her first marriage at just 16 was for love while her last in 1996 was for publicity as she married Glynn “Scotty” Wolfe, the world's most married man.

Say, this is Linda. I'm having another wedding shower.  Temu has them blenders on sale cheap, we need onea them if ya got any extra dough (pun mebbe intended).  Or, mebbe, two weeks in a VRBO on Puerto Vallarta huh? Not a have to, hehe.

Now I have children of my own

They ask their mother, "What will I be?

Will I be handsome?
Will I be rich?"
I tell them tenderly

"Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be"

Que será, será

Think............ like a geezer....

I really think......... if all along.......

All along the watchtower Victor?

Ahm no. I really think, if all along, one thought, would think like a geezer life truly would be, woulda been, much rosier. S'more...

You mean like... a fire pit... family gathered.. each with a stick, graham crackers, Hershey's Chocolate, and marshmallows?

Ahm, no.  I mean, if we were a toddler, we'd have the foresight to think ahead, to like, HS graduation mebbe.. .mebbe.. our wedding... and, those beloved geezers from our toddler days might not be there.  So.. as a toddler, we wouldn't throw tantrums... we wouldn't poop our skivvies until we got home and made mom and dad help.  We woulda said that L word more, raised our arms up, looked 'em in the eyes and begged "Uppie" s'more, whilst they still could hoist us easily.

As kids... if we thought like a geezer all the way back then, we woulda realized, this is THE BEST apple, pecan, chocolate, banana pie ever.. THE BEST peanut butter cookies, homemade, handcranked vanilla ice cream EVER... and in hindsight, rather than remembering all those wonders (when it's too late), we woulda told them "THE BEST apple, pecan, chocolate, banana pie, peanut butter coodies, homemade handcranked vanilla ice cream EVER."

That age.  That age where puberty done happened, hormones bouncing allover the place like the electromagnetic waves in the microwave'a bouncin' offa the walls... had we thunk like a geezer...  we mighta had occasion to wade thru the waters a bit more trepidly... "careful.. that one's lookin' over your shoulder for greener grass".. "noticed how much he/she drank?"...  "something, there's just something making me think, "NO", but, especially keen attention paid when you hear "Oh, I REALLY LIKE that one!"... 

And then......... once we had our own.......had we thunk like geezers, one, we woulda been more appreciative of those times they spent with our own children... we'da take way more pictures of both of them, together.. and we woulda said, a thousand, four-hundred sixty-seven more times, "You'll never know how much I love you, appreciate you, as do our children, your grandchildren."

Then, that age, "take this job and shove it", golden watch, sheet cake, punch for all the coworkers, riding off into the sunset...we'd look into that rear view mirror, think "But, I still THINK young"

It was then, and only then... you had, have, an OMG moment.  When I was a toddler, kid.. younger.. I'd thought of them like, ya know, older.  Their brain couldn't think young....  but.... all along........

All Along The Watchtower Victor?

Ahm, no Jimi.  But, first, are you experienced?  Geezers are.  Have been. Now that I kinda am one, now and only now do I realize one does think young, always!  If only we'da known.

Geezers are like piggy banks.  Every coin thru the slot (ie, life lesson, life hurt, life wonder, life loss, broken bone, cut, scar, surgery, the good, the bad, the been there)... they're akin to Hans, Franz, here to pump geezer up. Multiple rodeos.  Examples of playing it forward.  Geezer camcorder every moment in life as they know how each, ever damn one is special.  Fleeting life is.

Piggy Banks can fall, break, chip.  All the kings horses and men can glue, tape, paste 'em back again. No matter the condition of a geezer, or, a piggy bank.  Life lends them fat and happy.

(A quick note to fellow geezers... whilst this don't apply to me.. ye of "what's a 401K?".. a buddy and his wife recently went to see their financial planner.  First question he asked, "Do you fly first class?"  Met with laughter... finally they answered, "No, why?"..  "Well, your kids are going to."  Take a hammer, break the damn piggy bank open whilst you're still thinking young!)

Get outta my way geezer.

Turn you damn turn signal off ya geezer.

Your dadburn barn door is open there gramps.

Our friends are all going to Cancun for a week, can you help with the kids?

We know we just asked you for help in November, but, we're behind, can you help with our (rent, mortgage, electric, gas, car) payment?

Can you believe that geezer is actually driving the speed limit?

Why should we invite them to our neighborhood BBQ, they're old?

It takes a lotta luck to be a geezer, for life is blessed.

Wonderful World..........

Don't know much about history..........You know me, I dunno much other than sports..  this day in history.. (1941)-Ted Williams went 4 for 5 pushing his average over .400 for the first time, he'd finish at .406, still a record....  (1935)-Babe Ruth, hearda him?  Well, he hit three homers on this date. What's so special about that?  Well, it was his last game EVER, giving him 714 homers total, a record that would stand for a long, long time.

Don't know much biology..................But... I'll never forget disecting a fetal pig in junior high, yuck, that rank smell of formaldehyde. 

Don't know much about the science book.......But I'll never forget my 1971 Volkswagen convertible.. Fraternity brothers (with my "OK") sat atop the back seats as if they were Homecoming queens... drove thru campus, them waving the queen sideways wave.. top would not come up. Ruined.  Awakened next morning to 3" of rain and my science book occupying the floorboard. 

Don't know much about the French I took.......I never took French but I once had a mad crush on a Clarice (from France) I worked with.

But I do know that, I love you...And I know that if you loved me too, what a wonderful world this would be..   Fer sure Sam Cooke was talking about a relationship.. but.. .(us old single folks rationalize) 'yain't gotta be married, in a relationship to have love for all'

Don't know much about geography......  North.. cold up there.. South..talk funny there.,. East.. talk funny there too..  West.. thar's gold in them hills once ya get past Lawrence, KS (sorry Schwab).. .

Don't know much trigonometry
Don't know much about algebra
Don't know what a slide rule is for.....    Oh sure, sure... we had all that junk.. turns out, really about all we needed was addition, subtraction, multiplication for our jobs. Victor?  Yes?  So that means you learned all about the 'Rule of 72'?  You talkin' about Vern Ruhle? He didn't even make it to the Majors until '74, get with the program!

But I do know that, one and one is two,
And if this one could be with you,
What a wonderful world this would be.... Sam Cooke wrote, sang this.  Every time I Wiki an entertainer, I'm both amazed, and usually shocked. Same for Sam, his life.  29, that's twenty-nine singles in the top 40 of Billboard in his eight year career. Among, Cupid, Another Saturday Night, Chain Gang, Twisting The Night Away.. before his tragic, way too soon death at age 32.

Now, I don't claim to be an "A" student,
But I'm trying to be.
For maybe by being an "A" student baby
I can win your love for me............. I was an M+ student. For all you whippersnappers, that's C+, sucks, either way ya look at it.  And you?

Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about the science book
Don't know much about the French I took........ Victor you already did that, they're bored.

But I do know that, I love you,
And I know that, if you love me too,
What a wonderful world this would be.

But I do know that, I love you,
And I know that, if you love me too,
What a wonderful world this would be.

Really, it is a wonderful world.  Apologies that this is basically nonsensical, but too, ain't life kinda like that? This where you preach Victor? Nope.  It's where I simply enjoy. Happy to have awakened.  Happy for all I have, try not to worry about what I ain't.

People, daily, remind me how remarkable they are.  I dunno about you, but little, happy things make me emote much easier than ever before. A smorgasbord of wonder.

The old gray mare (all of us from, in this era).. we ain't what we usedta be.  Our bodies remind us daily. I giggled, inwardly, last year when I went to watch a HS basketball game. Old farts (65+) get in free to sport's events.  They took one look, waived me thru. I said to the gal, "This made me kinda giggle... ahm, a 'few' years back here I usedta high jump and long jump, but, today, couldya kindly point me to the elevator?!!"

Just shows to go, life is fulla ups and downs.

But I know that I love you.......  What a wonderful world that this is..........

Love, Victurd

Two birds, one stone........

Two Byrds (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman) One Stone (Keith Richards)

Old age, ya drop something on the floor. It sits. And sits.  Until ya drop another something on the floor.  Scootch it over with the side of your foot toward the original something you dropped. Two birds, one stone.

There were two blondes walking along on opposite sides of a river.  One blonde yelled across the river to the other blonde "Hey, how do I get on the other side?!"  The other blonde looked around for a moment and then yelled back "You ARE on the other side!" (Two blondes, one misogynist named Victurd.)  AM NOT!  ARE TOO!  AM NOT!  ARE TOO!

The King sent the servant to the market for peanut butter and jelly.  He waited, and waited, and waited, and was growing terse.  When the servant returned, he had only brought back peanut butter.  The King smacked him, admonished him,  "when you go to do something, you'll be more productive if you do two things while you're at it!" (s'more...........)

The King fell ill, sent the servant for the Doctor.  Servant returned... with two men.  "Who are these people" the King bellowed..  "Before, you sent me for two things and I returned with only one, so you beat me, thus.. I brought two."  "So which is the Doctor?"   The servant pointed him out... so the King then asked "And he is?".... "Well sir, if the Doctor can't help cure you, then, I brought the grave digger with me... you know, two birds, one stone."

The foreign auto builder BAW has developed a rock solid looking SUV called Stone 01.  It's a hybrid, thus, uh huh, both gas and electric. (Two birds, one power.)  Somewhere, a few months leading up to our upcoming Presidential election - there was an anonymous suggestion to BAW to build an extended version (limo-like) with a divider in the middle so two dignitaries could be picked up at once and they'd each have privacy. (s'more). 

The limo first went to Mar-A-Lago.. uh huh. picked up DT. "We're going to the debate" driver said. "Great, thanks" and he hopped in.  Drove to DC, picked up JB, "We're going to the debate" driver said.  "Wonderful, let's go."  For each and every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  I ain't sure if that's two birds, one stone, but... it decently describes the two within.  (s'more, s'more.. two paragraphs, one blog)

Instead of driving up to the huge arena where opposing side fans were out front, spitting, cussing, holding signs, some wearing red hats, others wearing blue shirts (two sides, one victorious theme).. the driver suddenly made a U-turn.  They rode for a long, long time. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out in the Country, they finally pulled into a joint.  While folks couldn't see into the deeply tinted windows, nor could the seat sitters inside, see out. (Two tints, one purpose.)  s'more, s'more

"Where are we?", twas said twice, almost as if echoed.. (two candidates, one question).. "We're at the Arena, for the debate" the chauffeur lied through his teeth. Two octogenarians, one whopper.  The secret, apparently, had been let out to the Secret Servicemen who walked in front of, beside and behind the candidates - hiding from their view of the sign to "GOLDEN PASTURES ASSISTED LIVING."  Two birds, one BAW Stone 01.

Borrowing from the Eagles......"Last thing I remember, I was running for the door

I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
"Relax, " said the night man, "We are programmed to receive
You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave"

And, the people lived happily ever after.

VICTOR! I'm gonna kick your butt..... BOTH cheeks, ONE foot!  You're damn near onea them, wha'd you call it, octogenarians, too. Should all geezers be sent out to pasture, IS THAT YOUR BELIEF? s'more, s'more.

Huh uh.  Just these two.

Burma Shave (TOO many signs, ONE funny at the end.)

VICTOR? Who said this was funny.

Forward by Darryl  and his other brother Darryl..  One friend (Amy) her two cats (Larry, Not-Larry)

Victor, you write as if there are two people talking to each other in this single blog.  You're fiiggin nuts, get outta here.

Right you are............ I feel a constitution coming anyways.  Might as well pee whilst I'm at it.

Sorry, not sorry. (Two sorry's, one conflicted.)

Love, Victurd(s)

(Two T-Birds in Miami, one, shaking his head in disbelief!)

N E S T L E ' S......... Nestles makes the very best............

Nestle's Quik.

QuikTrip

Quick

fast swift rapid speedy high-speed expeditious brisk lively sprightly nimble prompt lightning meteoric overnight whirlwind fast-track intelligent bright clever gifted able brilliant astute quick-witted sharp-witted ready observant alert sharp wide-awake lickity split....

A quck drink...  a quick shower...   a quick kiss...  that was quick..   quick question..   quick thinking..  

Get rich quick......  quick buck..  quick freeze..   quick kick..  quick draw..  

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.....

Chief's first round draft pick, he quick.  Fastest time (ever) in the 40 yard dash at the combine.  Got to KC, someone outran him.  Huh?  Uh huh, stole his car.  Dayum. Welcome to Kansas City eh?

A kicker's graduation speech at a small college.  Holy guacamole, that news spread fast, ie, quick.

Antonym of quick = either Presidential candidate

Old person... Uh oh..  restroom..   WHERE IS IT?  QUICK!

Old person..   quick to judge (albeit usually silently)..  slow to move... 

Nice person..  quick to smile.. 

Old, grumpy person..  quick fuse... 

Old person.  ""DAMN, THAT WAS QUICK!  DIDN'T WE:  just get outta HS?  just get married?  have hella 

more in our 401K?  Seems like yesterday...

Bonita Allen quick - moving like 60.

Exasperated parent quick - NOW!

Weatherman, gal,  QUICK, TO BASEMENT, NOW!

Royals?  Second place?  Nuh uh... dayum, that was quick.

STD's, Twitter, Facebook, gossip, fresh batch of brownies, "tickets go on sale at 10am Monday", dayum, 

that was quick.

A quickie

VICTOR......... please keep this blog PG rated.   Jane, you ignorant... ah, well. A quickie, I was referring to

today's blog

A quick note of thanks.  Thanks for being here, reading.

Love, Victurd

You don't tug on Superman's cape........

As you've observed, my brain is kinda like the old video game "PONG"....... it goes here, there, nearly every damn where.

Aretha, as in R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  One of my friends, a HS classmate actually, suggested of me (and she) that we have  nonconfrontational tendencies.  I've long admired this person.  She has wonderfully measured (so as not to hurt) speech... and... her chosen occupation.. .well. that would expose her, let's just say she led a very damn impressive career in care.

Me and nonconfrontational tendencies can only go so far. I have a big keyboard. I responded to a Facebook post that basically stated young people, inferring perhaps due to us, are poorly educated, have no skill, no ambition, an no realistic expectations of what it means to go to work.  Every day, I am amazed by the youth I come across.  I feel quite the opposite of the above, daily marvel at how young people are so good, nice, to this old person (me).. I replied to this post, SPOUTED same (youth of today are remarkable, my shoes anyways.)

It's (posts I really really disagree with) as if they put me in a room....  just me and the room.  A table.  A chair.  And a plate of Cascone's Lasagna.  I'm like, "BE FOR REAL!.. YOU EXPECT ME TO NOT DEVOUR THAT?" (ie, respond offering opposite opine about our youth?

So I did, and of course, I felt like crap all day about it.  Went with friends to a cool joint to eat. Indigestion. Tossed and turned in bed last night.  After a cuppa coffee this am, I Googled "Does speaking your mind make you feel better?" Like Duh Victor, hell to the no, you've felt like crap.  I read something on 7 reasons why you should and not a one of 'em placated me.

So............ of course my blog idea PONGed to The Steeplechase.  Like life, obstacles.  Differn't ones.  I read the rules.  You can trip over obstacles.. you can land IN the water.. but as long as you get thru, over, it's all good.  Uh huh, yeah.

So........ I shoulda gone to The Supremes "STOP (don't respond to posts that upset you) IN THE NAME OF LOVE."  But nah, this wasn't about a relationship.....

Then Mr. Croce's song came to mind.  Robert's Rules of Order.  Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.  "Doc, it's hurts when I do this" Then don't do that.  How can you have any pudding when yer don't eat your meat?

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim

Life will bring you (steeplechase) obstacles.  Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign.  Or Victor, mebbe self control?

I don't pay attention.

Like, I never really paid attention to the actual lyrics of the song, it's certain, I turned it up in my car, probably sang the wrong lyrics, and went about my day.

Turns out, Big Jim got his butt kicked by another dude, Willie McCoy, a pool shark from Alabama.

Well, a hush fell over the pool room
Jimmy come boppin' in off the street
And when the cuttin' were done
The only part that wasn't bloody
Was the soles of the big man's feet
Yeah, he was cut in in 'bout a hundred places
And he was shot in a couple more
And you better believe
They sung a different kind of story
When big Jim hit the floor

Now I'm confused as hell as to........... whether one should speak up...  whether or not you don't mess around with Jim, spit into the wind, pull the mask off that lone ranger... or, take two Rolaids, a nap, then a Red Bull... or, what....

Reading more about Croce brought me sadness.. . I knew he'd passed away young (30).. I'd thought it was a plane crash... was...  way too soon.  Interesting life he packed in just 30 years.  (Victor, are you PONGing again?  Mebbe, sorry, kinda, not really.)

Grew up in Philly... went to Villanova where he finally kinda started to take music seriously.  Was a leader of the Villanova Singers, played in bands at fraternity parties, coffeehouses, other colleges around Philly...toured the World (Africa, the Middle East, Yugoslavia, etc) with the V Singers... sang in English ("if you mean what you're singing, people understand.")

Met, married the love of his life. Croce's parents were intent he get a job (outside of music) via his education (majored in Psychology, minored in German)... his folks loaned him $500 (Equivalent to 5K today) to produce his first album, with the understanding "After it fails, then, get a job in your field."

It didn't fail. He did odd jobs to make ends meet.  One, was selling radio ads any, everywhere around Philly, including to a pool hall in a 'not too good' of an area in Philly, where, he'd sit, watch, get to know the folks, including Big Jim Walker, a pool shootin' son-of-a-gun, and, a shark, seeking, and getting, revenge on Jim, the real life Willie McCoy.. 

Oh the talent.  In addition to You Don't Mess Around With Jim, there's Time In A Bottle... and who could forget "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" and so many more.

It all ended ever too soon.......... Croce, and five others were killed when their Beechcraft A18S crashed into a tree during takeoff from the Natchitoches Regional Airport in Natchitoches, Louisiana September 20, 1973.

Sad.

So......... You don't mess around with Jim, but, Willie McCoy damn near kilt' him.

So..... I'm surmising...... the rest of my life I'll continue to trip over steeplechase obstacles... fall into the water... spit into the wind...  show my ass...get indigestion..  but........ feel better, then worse, then better, then worse.

PONG.

Love, Victurd