Sittin' here in la la.......

Plagiarized, rearranged, inverted, absurded... all that... with kinda sorta apologies to the KC Star writer regarding today's article about Zoey Hrabe.

Some time after the littlest of snotnoses carry home an array of cut and paste, student of the month, "for you Mom" pictures... and af ter the yeller busses make their final exit stage left....... a good bit of time after "when I grow up I wanna be" sophomores, juniors & seniors drive away from high school in SUV's, hybrids, 'lectric things, vans, Chevy's, Ford's - many, with Spotified speakers blaring at the loudest level, Alice Cooper sings "SCHOOLS OUT FOR THE SUMMER."

Yeah, that.

Oh, well, I'm

Sittin' here in la la, waitin' for my ya ya, oh oh
Sittin' here in la la, waitin' for my ya ya, oh oh
It may sound funny but I don't believe she's comin', oh oh

Yeah, after that.  Administrators from school districts around a big bullseye of Kansas City, send nominations for THE SCHOLAR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR.  One boy. One girl.

The names are put in onea them phone booth like looking things, a fan turned on, they blow around like crazy, a Star writer puts his hand in and grabs a name.

No, that ain't it, sorry.  Up to three names (boy and girl) from each area high school are submitted.. "a team of KC Star staffers, prominent members of the community, including players of the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC, Current, all them. "Judges reviewed the nominees' portfolios for athletic and academic prowess, as well as their community service.....

Then, bingo bango bongo. ONE BOY. ONE GIRL.

Baby hurry don't make me worry, oh oh
Yeah baby hurry don't make me worry, oh oh
You know that I love you, oh how I love you, oh oh

Zoey Hrabe was selected the Girls Scholar Athlete of the Year.  That's the enda the blog, seeya.

jk

Sittin' here in la la, waitin' for my ya ya, oh oh
Sittin' here in la la, waitin' for my ya ya, oh oh
It may sound funny but I don't believe she's comin', oh oh

Where to start.  Well....... Zoey did, does pretty decent in three sports.  How decent Victor?  Well, a couple years ago she took up pole vaulting.  School didn't have a coach for that, so Zoey taught herself. She do any good?  Uh huh, she won the conference. Yeah?  State?  Second place. Her first year? Uh huh. Oh and she was All State Academic in Track too. Up up and away Zoey!

That, the PV stuff, was a year after she was crowned State Champion in tennis as a sophomore. Nuh uh.  Uh huh, it's true Ripley.  

Oh, she can run too.  The year before (AS A FRESHMAN?.. .uh huh).. as a member of her school's 4x100 and 4x200 they won conference... and then again... and again.. and, one more time before Alice Cooper sang.

Baby hurry, don't make me worry, no no
Yeah baby hurry, don't make me worry, no no
You know how I love you, oh how I love you, oh oh

Did she go to class?  Yep, and then some.  "She won awards recognizing her achievements in both the sciences and humanities, having participated in summer medical programs in at Georgetown and Wake Forest... oh, and she won an award at the University of Central Missouri Film Festival for the Best Use of Chinese Language at an Advanced Level.  Wowzer.

"Around ten. I wanted to learn Spanish... mom said 'nah, why don't you try Chinese'.. so I did."  Next Fall, Zoey vaults off to California (Occidental College of LA) where she thinks she'll double major in Chinese and Biology with the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.  When she sets goals, ahm, she's done perty good it seems.

Sittin' here in la la waitin' for my ya ya, ah ah
Sittin' here in la la waitin' for my ya ya, uh uh
It may sound funny but I don't believe she's comin', uh uh

OK Victor, we get it, BUT, whatsup with all this "Sittin here in la la waitin; for my ya ya, ah ah."?

I thought you'd never ask.

When Zoey was 14 months old, she had a full head of hair, could already walk, oh, and she was matched through an adoption agency in China to the family, aka, mom Stacie and hubby.

Sittin' here in LA LA (prolly)...  Waitin' for my ma ma  uh huh.

"But, the first time I held her," Stacie said, "she was terrified of us.  It was heartbreaking."  The first four months after being adopted, Zoey wouldn't cry, and didn't really speak. Her mom taught her sign language..  "It takes her awhile to let her guard down, but once she does, she's the most loyal person.  I'll never forget when they handed her to me - the weight of her in my arms and how she felt.  She was absolutely perfect in that first night."

Thank you to Kylie Volavongsa, KC Star writer for the very nifty article.

Zoey is gonna soar.  In fact, she already has.

Love, Victurd

The Good, The Bad... and............. the Debate?

Wrongo........ I didn't watch a minute of it....  I exited (to watch baseball), stage left, before ever flipping it on.

1966.  Were you born?  Twas when the movie The Good, The Bad and The Ugly came out... that song..  talk about a song that gets in your brain....  and LUCKY FOR YOU, there really ain't many lyrics in it besides...... wah wah wah....   ha who....   ho ho....... who who... who who who who who... go go go eh go..  go go go ehgo...  go go ehko..    go go go..  ah-ah-ah-ah wah wah wah...

'

With just those lyrics, I couldn't name that tune in a hunnerd years... but... the whistling... yeah, the whistling... catchy...

After pee, coffee, Wordle, Sport's page, Daily Sudoku (VICTOR.. we don't wanna know about when you pee)... too bad so sad, women always announce it.  MISOGYNIST..  AM NOT.. ARE TOO...  let's don't do that.  But, it is true.  Noticed?  For some reason, and don't get me wrong, I LOVE WOMEN.. but, there seems to be this need for them to make sure we (everyone else in the room, cafeteria, auditorium, stadium) is aware, they're going to pee.

I bugged my sister 'outlaw' (inlaw when I was married to her sister) about it so much over the years, she now lovingly has added her own radio-like jingle/dance, 'Pee Pee in the Pot'tay'...Pee Pee in the Pot'tay.' before her exodus to the squatter. .

I know, but..  hey, at least it's better'n reading a Biden/Trump review.

And then.......and then it happened, It took me by surprise, , I knew that you felt it too, By the look in your eyes............ no, that ain't it.

And then..   and then it happened.  I Pavlov'ed my way thru several pages of The News.

Fans shot in Chief's rally finally starting to collect money from KC Strong Fund...

Johnson County wants, needs a homeless shelter.

Parents investigated for leaving toddler, baby in extreme heat in Clay County

Mother and son sentenced in Father's Day 2023 shootings at Swope Park...

Stop right there!
I gotta know right now!
Before we go any further!
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?

No that ain't it...  You'd kinda made up your mind to NOT read the news today, oh boy.

Oh yeah........ so I Googled 'Good News'........ found one.

Woman discovers Thrift Store vase she bought for $4 was made by Ancient Mayan potters over 1,200 years ago..... and volunteers to give it back.  Reckon that's good news.....

UK boy has brain implant fitted  to control seizures in World first. (The 13 year old boy has been battling seizures since age 3.  He needed 24 hour attention as some seizures were so strong they’d stop his heart and require him to be resuscitated. “For Oran and his family, epilepsy completely changed their lives and so to see him riding a horse and getting his independence back is absolutely astounding,” said the neurosurgeon..  “I definitely now have a teenager” remarking on Oran’s newfound ability to ignore his mother.  FAR OUT!

Kindergarten Student brings to tears remembering late mom in graduation speech.  Jaxon Carter lost his 'beautiful mommy' in an apartment fire in 2022.  “When I started kindergarten at New Dawn Academy in August 2022, I was a little 5-year-old who had lost my beautiful mother a month before,” Jaxon said, taking a long breath after delivering that line.... continued..

“I learned to play with other kids, read books, answer or ask questions like how or why, use correct grammar, and use my school tablet. My kindergarten year helped me grow braver, smarter, kind-hearted, and more grateful.” He went on to thank his father, his teacher, and his grandparents.

“I dedicate my speech, good grades, all school awards, and my Kindergarten graduation to my beautiful mommy, who I will always love and miss so very much,” he said. “I know she will always be with me in my heart.”

Holy guacamole.

Kansas City Star... that's what I are....  (usedta read.)

The Good.. (I found the Good News)

The Bad..  (Huh uh, ain't gonna read)

The Ugly.  I've gotta go Pee Pee in the Pot'tay  and I will probably look in the mirror (see ugly) before I do so.

Getting there......... may you have a joyous day...............

Love, Victurd

Thanks..........

 Once again, I made the dreaded mistake of, strolling, page by page thru the newspaper.  I do so virually every morning, and.... as I finally get to the Comics, I tell myself "I ain't gonna read that crap again", but... I do.

Not real sure why. I suppose, if all them fellers and ladies that 'rushed' West, the OODLES and OODLES of dirt, rock, silt hadn't been sorted, sifted, yada....... there'd never be gold.

Gold happens... but occasionally, can be hard to find.  Flip on The Discovery Channel virtually any night and you can eyeball modern day 'rushers' and their huge machines, that basically do the same thing the old pan-in-hand did............... sift.

For good.

For gold.

Thank you for good.  And you.  And you.

Of course there is the 'oh baby oh baby' gold, good.  I don't mean talk of a romp in the hay. I mean, when one is in the presence of 'her', or 'him' as the case may be - there's a euphoria unlike virtually anything in life.  It's been awhile for me to have felt that, but by golly, I sure do - and somehow life (finally) learnt me how lucky I was.

Friends.

The conveyor belt to screen all the sh*t of life.  As troubles, woes, money worries, health threats, yada...... roll down that conveyor of life -- friends sift it all out and bring us smile.

What better.

As the crap of life is sidestepped, friend comes forward to supply hug, smile, fistbump, handshake, words - to help 'warsh off' (for all my STL friends) ugly.  TAKE THAT ya damned ole Kansas City Star, NY Times, LA Time, WSJ,  Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, yada - any of you rags that bring tears, tummy aches and crap news.

Family euphoria.  Family and human (and blood) go hand in hand. Thank goodness for family,.  Mountains of memories.  You can huff and you can puff, but you'll never blow the family house down.  Sure, sure, sure, division, avoidance, bad feelings happen - but in general we go down our tributaries after riding the same Arc in.

Lest we forget, the 'regular ole regular' Jack and Jills of life who pop in for split seconds, spreading happy.  Akin to always having that can of Fix-A-Flat in the trunk of life. Rarely do we know their names, but 'good' is never forgotten, no matter how fleeting.

Lovers, friends, family, Jacks/Jills = gold.  The accelerators to help us get o'er that hill. The hand(s) to help us cross that brook.

I would say "Maybe it's just me", but I don't think so. I see it, you see it, we see it.  I feel it, you feel it, we feel it.

Life is golden, thanks to folks like you, them.

Love, Victurd

Goldilocks and climate............. weather you like it or not.

 The path from the 7th hole to the 8th hole where we play golf is an uphill kinda thing.. neatly woven between a creek and a neighborhood - basically hidden from everyone except the golfers, critters and birds above.  The trek is fairly long - long enough to bitch, moan about the 6 you just recorded on the toughest par 3 on the course... or mebbe, the spat you and she just had... or, like yesterday - enough time to get soaked from head to toe.

Uh huh, rain.  Everything is green, but, reckon we need it. The rain, like golf, got harder and harder and harder - eventually, nature's symphony kicked in, thunder boomers happened, we counted the seconds between the lightning and the thunder, but, we were all too old, too far to removed from schooling to remember how far the lightning was based on the seconds between.  Oh well.

Then, fog horn.  LOUD, fog horn.   That's akin to hearing "Git ur butt in here or I'll getta switch", or, where all three of your names are used in conjunction with same.  We didn't go in.  The fog horn, one smartass said, "reminds me of marriage."  I'M KIDDING I'M KIDDING....  neither #1 or #2 used a raised voice.

Where was I? Oh yeah, getting wet. Soaked, in fact.  Coupled with 94 degree heat, it felt perty darn good.  Didn't make a lotta sense being out there, holding a 4' lightning rod in our hands in attempt to "up and down" our 2nd, 3rd shots to save par - so, we hid under a tree.

"Does that foghorn thing mean we HAVE to go in?"...  We, us, of the born in fitty-something era - were among those that growed our hair out long, went and sat beside 50,000 other crazies - heard Richie start it, talkin' something about Freedom... Country Joe and 49,999 others of us basically saying "Hell no we won't go"...  Hippies, some called it.  Rebels. Freaks.  Love childs. Why?... Why not?...  How come?... and, "Huh uh" were among the favorite statements of the day. 

Long about the time we'd reminisced, were about the break out into Oye Como Va, two baby foghorn toots happened, the sky above turned blue, Mother Nature indicated "OK, you can play now." 

One of us geezers, his father was a farmer - said something like "Dad always usedta say, 'Never regret a good rain'" or something like that.  Today, as I Googled to see exactly what the quote was........... I couldn't find it.  That said, certain he was right on in hearing, and, fer sure, way more times farmers have been behind in rain than, too much.

That said, some Ag site learnt me "Too much rain can lead to rotting plants, and insufficient rainfall makes it difficult to grow crops and feed animals. Too much wind can make planting difficult, and freezing temperatures can stunt plant growth."    IE, Goldilocks and the porridge, chairs, beds.  Perty much gotta be just right.

Francis Albert Sinatra (uh huh, Frank) was fitty-four when Woodstock happened, so, me thinks he wasn't there in long hair, bellbottoms, weed in hand - BUT, he was dead on when he sang "That's Life."

That's life (that's life)
That's what all the people say
You're riding high in April, shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change that tuneWhen I'm back on top, back on top in June.

Well, I actually sucked in golf in all three (April, May, June) but, you know.  It (life, golf, farming, 'people'ing') is a balance.  Right Goldi?  Bears repeating (right Goldi?)

I've been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing
Each time I find myself
Flat on my face
I pick myself up and get
Back in the race.

Foghorns, longhorns, shoehorns, bullhorns, the horns (VICTOR! YOU PREVERT!)  Hey, I was talkin' sax, not sex, you know, tuba, trumpet, cornet, that stuff.

Balance.  It all.......... life, golf, marriage, crops, tires, rotation, juggling, driving, chipping, putting......

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."  Dolly Parton

Hello Dolly, this is Victurd, Dolly (and, Richie Havens, Jack Nicklaus, Country Joe, The Chairman of the Board, Santana, Foghorn Longhorn and Goldilocks.  We couldn't agree more.

"Save a boyfriend for a rainy day - and another, in case it doesn't rain."  Mae West

I wonder if she was at Yasgur's farm?

Love, Victurd

(VICTOR!  YOU UP AT UGLY-THIRTY WRITING AGAIN?  THIS DON'T AMOUNT TO A HILL OF BEANS!)...  Beans need rain too.. and sun... balance... all that.  Paul Harvey

Rabbit in a snowstorm.........

I know.  It's June.  Summer. 

Summertime and the livin' is easy.

Well..  mebbe... 'pends....... 'pends on howya look at it me thinks.  There's the little waitress at the joint I go to that I truly LOVE (no.......... not that way.)  She's justa damn good person.  'Justa' ain't the right word(s) to use.  She's a damn good person. Happy. Always.  Ass-u-me, it's a choice,  She's the one, I think it was the 423rd time she'd waited on me where I said............. OK, wait.  Before I say what I said... Questions....

Ain't she ever gotta itchy itchy rash?  Acid reflex?  Sent a text and whoever she sent it to never replied? Thrown a gutter ball in bowling?  Fallen, scraped a knee?  Had a tailgater on her butt from Topeka to Tonganoxie?  Experienced loss?  Had her purse stolen?  Check Engine light come on?  Hadta drive 150 miles with enough money to buy gas to go 75 miles?  Losta contact, earring, phone, boyfriend, where she parked at a big place, sporting event, yada?

Any ways... on that 423rd time... I finally said "Kendra....  you're always happy... you must be on drugs."

To which she replied "Vic...... it's not that bad."

Damnit darnit I love her, that.  I was gonna blog on the song Easy To Be Hard.  I reread it. Hell I didn't remember it was from Hair.  It was depressing.

I read the news today oh boy..........  It too was depressing...  WHY?  Why does news have to be depressing........  I Googled "What makes news news?" - read some roundtable thoughts from professors at heap big universities... I ain't that smart.  I got bored.

Bottomline - it's sad, a vast majority of the junk within the news is depressing.

And...... I usually do this at 'ugly-thirty-am'.... Wordle is first thing I do.. then.. Sport's page.. then, Daily Sudoku........... VICTOR?  We don't give a rats about the order you do stuff!  I know I know, I'm just trying to explain.............

After all that mostly fun stuff (Wordle, Sports, Sudoku) I backtrack to the News....read it.. sink lower and lower in my chair...............

So............... it ain't no wonder I gotta come here and type goofy songs like Good Vibrations,, Good Day To Have A Great Day.... Happy.....  I Feel Good (sing it James!).. Don't Stop Me Now...  that Larry guy.. he was worried about running outta songs from yesteryear.. hells bells there's plenty my friend.

The "Rabbit In A Snowstorm", certain you're aware... is a blank page. As in, what stares at me at ugly-thirty.

Prior to thinking about folks like Kendra........... I'd been staring at shootings.... (more) political arguments.. apartment evacuated, carbon monixide leak...  flooding.. .  overseas war..  FBI's list of 2023 active shooter cases tracks 48 incidents in 26 states (I reckon that's war that ain't overseas).......

Faces......... Smiling faces Victor?   NO!   You know the lyrics.......... Smiling faces, smiling faces, sometimes, they don't tell the truth...... you talking Kendra?  NO!  She's good as gold!

I'm talking the Wicked Witch of the East (or West, or wherever)..... Nurse Ratched...  Gladys Kravitz... MISOGYNIST!  THEM 'R ALL WOMEN!  AM NOT! ARE TOO!  AM NOT!   Ebenezer Scrooge, Squidward Tentacles, Archi Bunker, Moe Szyslak...... THERE!  See?!  

Oh, and in REAL LIFE.. Worked with a ground mechanic at an airline, we'd drive our equipment until it literally died  - versus taking into him with a leak, wobble, funny noise, yada where you might get eaten by a bear, no, that ain't it.. where you might get hit by a flying metric wrench, slobber from his cursing, that GLARE he had.,.. Deek (VICTOR!  DON'T USE HIS NAME!)  Deek (no, not the Liberty Deek).. at the enda the day, he'd walk over to the calendar on the wall, take his magic marker and draw a BIG, emphatic X on the date.. as if to say, "THERE, got that sum'bitch over with."

That............. all that........... is where ugly-thirty, rabbit in a snowstorm was.

Thank goodness for nice, happy people.  Kendra.  Rick.  Randy.  Rana.  Susan.  Mac.  Weasel.  Their (different names prolly) are in your world too. Thank goodness for them.

They are walking Rolaids, Mercurochrome, WD40............. but never in the news.  That part is sad.  They should be.

I guess that's about all about that.

Victor, don't preach.

OK.

jk

Choose wisely, I know I'm certainly gonna try. It really is a wonderful world, ain't it Louie? Kendra?

Love, Victurd

I am stuck on Band-Aids........

Perty much alla my life - oft times I have a really, really hard time locking in with full attention.

Reminds me of some kids in school back in the day........ in the chair.. outta the chair... scolded... yanked Susie's hair...   pushed Charlie down..  zip, zap, allover the place.  Eveready bunny on Red Bull.  "We're not real sure, but, give him this."

In writer's terms..  VICTOR~!  WHO said you were a writer?  OK, fair.  In blogger's terms, I not only have an itchy itchy rash, but, I can't thinka nuttin to write about, ie, "Blogger's block."

Stuck.

Last time I was really stuck (in my car) I tried alternating drive, reverse, drive, reverse, overdid it, (a bitta anger, frustration), shoulda had me onea them "we're not real sure, but, give him this" pills... car caught fire.. .toast.  liability only..  gambled... lost..  oh well.

VICTOR?  Yes?  If you are stuck, blogger's block, whatever, then simply, don't say nothing.

Good idea.  Don't say nothin', bad about my baby, oh no, don't say nothin' bad about my baby......

VICTOR?  Your last 'baby' left seven years ago!

Seven?  Seventy three men sailed out, from the San Francisco Bay.......

Keep it at bay Victor, criminy..........

Bay?  Sittin' in the morning sun, I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come.. watching the ships roll in.. and I watch em roll away again, yeah.,. I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away... I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay...... thinking of blog words I need to say.....

Say?

You say, "yes", I say, "no"... . you say "stop" (uh huh Victor I do) and I say "Go, go, go!"

 Go?

Go your own way......... Let's go crazy...  The show must go on... Don't let the sun go down on me..  Where did our love go?

Where?

Where, oh where, are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the world over,
And thought I found true love.
You met another and
Phht! you were gone.

Remember you phoned me a-sobbin' and cryin'
The dog bit your maw, and drug her around
You said she looked pale and thought she was dying
I said "Don't worry, I'll buy a new hound."

Hound?

You ain't nuthin'. VICTOR, DON'T.

Don't?

Don't stop thinkin' about tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

The sun'll come out..  NO!  NO MORE REDHEADED SNOTNOSES BESIDES YOURSELF.

Wow.

I'm sorry.. I truly am.  

Music helps in life.  Me anyways.

I know oft times these blogs are leftfield.. "Is he crazy?".. "What's he on?"

Thank you very much for your patience...  I truly do try to plan for an occasional smile, laugh.. that's all I want outta this...

I'm off to golf, start my day.. but first, I must take my "we don't know, but give him this" meds.

Happy day,

Love, Victurd

Calm water.....

Sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I'm in

I am everyday people, yeah, yeah

Calm water......... Ain't that pretty much onea our goals in life?

There is a blue one who can't accept
The green one for living with
A fat one tryin' to be a skinny one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby-dooby-dooby
We got to live together

Don't rock the boat baby........

I am no better and neither are you
We're all the same, whatever we do
You love me, you hate me
You know me and then
You can't figure out the bag I'm in

I am everyday people

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be....

There is a long hair
That doesn't like the short hair
For being such a rich one
That will not help the poor one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on, scooby-dooby-dooby
We got to live together

Don't stop thinkin' about tomorrow.......

There is a yellow one that won't
Accept the black one
That won't accept the red one
That won't accept the white one
Different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and
Scooby-dooby-dooby

I am everyday people

Good vibrations......... Lovely day....... Girls just wanna have fun (sure, guys too)......

Sorry - kinda, to "lyric you out this morning".....  I sincerely thought of calm water..  To me, it's important..

There are bumps in the road no matter what one drives.  Life, it be like a steeplechase. The steeplechase has 28 barriers and seven water jumps.  Easy peasy in comparison to the ovals of life.  Downhill Skiing, with all the flags to go around, the moguls, oh, the moguls, tain't nuttin' compared to life's daily grind.

Gimme onea them lazy rivers.  Yeah... that's what I like.  Ya got me going in circles - and I don't mind that at all.

Love, Peace and Soul, Victurd

PS.. I know I missed at least one yesterday..,. If I were to 'tag' him, I could see him saying "You mean, I get to teach psychology, AND, you're gonna pay me?"

For every action................

Awaken...                                                        Thank you!

Get out of bed........                                        Pirate noises......

Rolling Stones........                                           CRANK

Pop-up, infield             "YOU GOT IT!" (Moose Skowron, NY Yankees)

Brian Johnson/AC/DC singing Silent Night      Fake News

Child's smile                                                Adult's smile

You look familiar........                                    "I do porn"

 "I do porn"                                            Crickets  

After a really bad loss, Tampa Bay Head Coach John McVay was asked "How do you feel about your team's execution?"                "I'm all for it."                

Till Death Do Us Part...              Is there an echo in here?  (I AM NOT BITTER!)

TY for calling Spectrum Customer Service. I see you are calling from. .     Representative

So we (Spectrum) can better serve, could you give us your name, address and..  REPRESENTATIVE

OK, do you have your four digit code?          REPRESENTATIVE!!......

Are you calling about, Internet, TV..               REPRESENTATIVE!~

Hail, hail, (Kool and the) the gang's all here

Hail, hail, the gang's all here.
What the heck do we care,
What the heck do we care?
Hail, hail, the gang's all here.
What the heck do we care now?

Being part of a group.  A piecea the pie..  Put me in Coach, I'm ready to play, today. Sound off, 1, 2, 3, 4.

Hi, I'm Archie Bell of the Drells from Houston, Texas - we don't only sing, but we dance just as good as we walk.

If you're anywhere near here (the Heartland), or, ya ever lived here, stayed for awhile... it's no doubt you've heard of 'The Marching Cobras' - yum, an extremely talented group'a youths, instruments, precision marching, yeah baby dancing too.  Privilege to belong ot the group.

Yahoo!
This is your celebration
Yahoo!
This is your celebration
Celebrate good times, come on
Let's celebrate
Celebrate good times, come on
Let's celebrate

I'm a loser, I'm a loser, and I'm not what I appear to be.  Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely.  Lonely days, lonely nights...  

Ah, look at all the lonely people...  Ah, look at all the lonely people....

Oh sure, we're all unique'y... What's fun for some ain't for others.  Shut the front door, no TV, radidio.. gimme my mask to sleep, keep the light out..  Go away little girl.

But then............ "Mom, I'm #9!  My first uniform!"... It's all about the name on the fronta your uni' than it is on the back... (But... "I can't throw it and catch it too!" Elvis Grbac,, Mr. Sajak, I'd like by a vowel.)

If you're lucky enough to be in a group, you're lucky enough.

There's a party going on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you, come on
Celebration
Let's all celebrate and have a good time
Celebration'
We gonna celebrate and have a good time
It's time to come together
It's up to you
What's your pleasure
Everyone around the world, come on

Who are those guys?  They ain't in very good shape (mosta 'em), they can't hit a golf ball straight (95% of 'em), they limp, groan when they hit - why the hell do they smile to much?  Makes no sense to me!

Yahoo!
It's a celebration
Yahoo!
Celebrate good times, come on
It's a celebration
Celebrate good times, come on
Let's celebrate
There's a party going on right here
A dedication to last throughout the years

A group? WHO ME? I dunno.  Ohhhhh, count me in baby!.. I can dig it, he can dig it
She can dig it, we can dig it
They can dig it, you can dig it
Oh, let's dig it

No thanks, I've got an itchy itchy rash. Can't, sorry.. today is the day I've reserved for working on my car's extended warranty.  Nah, sorry - I'm gonna stay at home and catch up on all that's been going on, Biden, Trump - you know.

Me?  Hell to they yeah!

So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you
Come on now
Celebration
Let's all celebrate and have a good time, yeah, yeah
Celebration
We gonna celebrate and have a good time
It's time to come together
It's up to you
What's your pleasure
Everyone around the world, come on
Yahoo!
It's a celebration
Yahoo!
It's a celebration

I don't care who you are... well, that's not true, I do care.  I've seen you there... Part of a group.  The Jeep club.  The Gem and Mineral Club..  You, your Baptist Church brethren.. Send me to the Sun, Sonora that it, with my buddies..

Celebrate good times, come on
Let's celebrate, come on now
Celebrate good times, come on
Let's celebrate
We're gonna have a good time tonight
Let's celebrate, it's all right
We're gonna have a good time tonight
Let's celebrate, it's all right, baby
We're gonna have a good time tonight (Celebration)
Let's celebrate, it's all right
We're gonna have a good time tonight (Celebration)

Yep, me and Sam Walton proudly hail from Shelbina, MO!  Group that one baby!  Our group is pretty cool --> We are a non-profit that serves the handicapped, primarily through building wheelchair ramps..  There are four of us gals, we been runnin together since we all flipped that tassel in 1969. To heck with the Miracle Mile, we got THE BEST groupa dealerships in the City here up in the Northtowne!

Let's celebrate, it's all right
Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Celebrate good times, come on
Ooh, ooh, ooh, hoo
Celebrate good times, come on
It's a celebration
Celebrate good times, come on {Let's celebrate}
Come on and celebrate tonight
Celebrate good times, come on
'Cause everything's gonna be all right
Let's celebrate

Me and my grandkids. that's a dang good group!  Why, just the other day, we went to the Lilac Garden again. My 4 year old granddaughter sniffed a lilac and declared that “it smells like laughter “ My employees are my group. I love 'em. I guess I'm like the conductor, but, I ain't gotta raise my wand, guide 'em, they're awesome in their own right, on their own."

. Celebrate good times, come on {Let's celebrate}
Ooh, hoo, hoo
Celebrate good times, come on
Let's have a great time, celebrate
Celebrate good times, come on

If I missed ya, I'm a nerd, and sorry.  We all love groups (I think.)  Group are, will be, rear view mirrors to hella smiles, laughs, mems.

Yesterday, 72 golfers, (Sigma Nu's, William Jewell Colllege, circa, when there were Sigma Nu's at William Jewell College.. *Editor's note: curse 'the bastas' on 'were'.) plus a few of us too damned old, body ain't up for a long golf course, gathered.  Laughed.  Cried (due to laughing).  All at once, we were 20 with a 32 inch waistline, in spite'a the mirror, the photo, showing fitty/sixty/seventy- something, 40" waistline. (OK damnit, 42).

Ya can't go back.

HA!  Watch us.

Celebrate good times, come on

Love, Victurd

I couldn't sleep at all last night

Got to thinkin' of you
Baby things weren't right
Well I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all night

No, that ain't it. I have noticed.... when ya have onea them insomnia-infested nights, it's usually whenya gotta big day ahead....  ya needs sleep bad....  so's ya don't.  Go figure.

I kicked the blankets on the floor
Turned my pillow upside down
I never never did before
'Cause I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin
A-tossin' and turnin' all night

I sleep with a fan.  No, I ain't talkin' bout sleeping with a fan in the Joe Namath, or mebbe Wilt Chamberlin sense - I'm talking about the round thing with blades that electrically circulate the air. That, and the breeze, usually affords snoozing.

Not tonight Maynard.  No, that wasn't a female who'd donned a new nickname on me saying 'huh uh' to amore... It's the "not tonight Maynard" in that that fan, it's breeze, noise, usually works, but 'not tonight Maynard.'  Band camp, onea my favorite next door neighbors used 'Maynard' to refer to basically anyone. I kinda liked that.

Side note, (Band Camp 2), onea my favorite fellers to listen to, usually two barstools down, likes to say "Take my advice..... I never use it."

Jumped out of bed
Turned on the light
I pulled down the shade
Went to the kitchen for a bite
Rolled up the shade
Turned off the light
I jumped back into bed
It was the middle of the night

It actually was.  My son, vely long story, has no phone.  He borrows mine.  A lot.  My phone, besides allowing me to know whatinthehell time it is, is akin' to counting sheep as I play Sudoku both when I go to snooze, and, when insomnia (I couldn't sleep at all) happens.  Son, had phone.  "What time is it?"   11:15pm.  Damnit darnit, I was all ready to make coffee and head for Friday. Big day.

The clock downstairs was strikin' four
Couldn't get you off my mind
I heard the milkman at the door
'Cause I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'

Well, that's not true either.  I ain't gots no milkman.  I drive to Wally, buy the 'great-whatever they call it' brand, halfa gallon for like two bucks.  Speakino' milkman (DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON... anyone who still [somehow] has half'a dollar of respect for me, turn your head here.  Yes, that's prolly/maybe you, relatives, former students, players, yada.)........

Band Camp 3.  I had a buddy, a good buddy, that was actually onea the last ever door to door milkman deliverers.  He'd done it for a few years.  In spitea all the 'that baby looks kinda like the milkman' jokes, he once said nuttin like that ever happened..........

Well.............  until....

On his route...  there was a household...  his usual method (for each and every household) was to crack open the front door... place the milk inside, boot scoot to the next delivery.  In this specific house...  he'd noticed "very pretty lady"..... oh, and in the dining room, they didn't have a dining room table, instead - they had a pool table.

Like Monday thru Friday too damn early clockwork, he'd motor for his deliveries.  This specific lady was always cordial..  "hi howya doin?'...  'good.... you?'..  "have a nice day".. .  "yeah, you too."

Well.............. until..  

This specific day....... my buddy the milkman cracked open the door.. .and imagine his surprise when he noticed... she'd forgotten to put on her clothes for the day... also, she appeared to be mebbe taking a nap atop the pool table...  butt... er, I mean but, she was awake.

In fact, she uttered........ "Play a game?"

Where was I?  Oh yeah, insomnia......

A tossin' and turnin' all night

Jumped out of bed
Turned on the light
I pulled down the shade
Went to the kitchen for a bite
Rolled up the shade
Turned off the light
I jumped back into bed
It was the middle of the night

I was tossin' and turnin', prolly like my buddy the milkman who had to get up so dadgum early, and now..  due to his billiard acumen, it's for dadgum sure he had udder nights of insomnia.  I never asked him if they played 8 ball or 9 ball, who won or anything like that..  he just said "never happened again" so, I assume she remembered to get dressed.

The clock downstairs was strikin' four
I couldn't get you off my mind
I heard the milkman at the door
'Cause I was tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all, yay, yay, yay
I was a tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all night
I was a tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin'
A tossin' and turnin' all night

We'd done covered the milkman story, tyvm, we know too my son borrowed phone, so, no idea what time it was....... I jumped outta bed, grumpily (probably, certainly) asked "WHERE'S MY PHONE?".. oh, sorry.. .he'd put it back on my bed.

The clock hadn't struck 4.. it was 2:15am, damnit darnit, too early to make coffee... Looked again, 2:50, nope..  finally, 3:53am, I'd Sudoko'ed myself back to sleep for an hour...  jumped up (ha, groaned, weakly pushed up) out of bed.

I read the news today oh boy.  Victor, you do that everyday?  Uh huh, do. As long as I've made my relatives shocked, my former players students shudder, shake their heads, I ain't got nuttin to lose so I might as well tell another risque story.

I noticed you perverts are still here, everyone else 'closed the link' fitteen minutes ago.

I (sometimes) like to dig into, Google names, crosscheck, folks that write letters to the editor, have their own opine... just to see if they really are goody-two-shoes, or, if mebbe they too gotta skeleton in their closet.  Feller was writing about some inhumane things happening in the animal world.

Digging, Googling his name... hmmmm.... seems he had a pretty high up position (the top position actually) in a large group for hound dogs.  2018, forced resignation due to repeated allegations of sexual harassment. Sometimes I shake my head.  Uh huh, disbelief.  I tried to find if he was ever convicted, never found that he was.  You'll prolly never come back, and I wouldn't blame you...I'm certain his intent was good, but there was a touch of irony in that his letter to the editor was...........

Basically, about the evils of cockfighting.

I blame today's blog on insomnia.

I couldn't sleep at all last night.

Victurd, go to your room. I would but I can't sleep. And I ain't got my phone.

Love, Victurd

Going steady.........

Yarn,  and the whole ball of wax........

No, that ain't it.  If you're old, you remember.  A ring.  Usually a class ring, but, didn't haveta be. Usually the guy's hands, fingers are bigger'n the gals, sooooooooo... his ring..  some yarn wrapped around. There. Did it.  We're exclusive.  Whatever that means.

THE BEGINNING OF:            the end, some might say.  A beautiful thing, others would add. Who knows?  A family of twelve?  I'm old now, I can't even remember her first name....  He/she (drank,, bragged, worked, 'wandered', socialized, smothered, griped, controlled, spent) too much.  He/she was perfect there Goldilocks.  Slow down there with all that there Slim, I just learned how to spell sophomore!

Band camp. James Taylor, couple weeks ago. Gal from the crowd hollers out "I LOVE YOU!"......... James... smiled...  said...  "I never really know how to respond to that...   but, I think we should see others too." (Band camp, quite a few moons prior, same thing happened when Dolly Parton was singing at the arena in downtown KC, dude hollers "I LOVE YOU DOLLY!" and without missing a beat, she belts out "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE TRUCK!"

We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day

Infatuation, infatuation,
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

Remember?  Googly eyes.  Ya wrote their name on everything.  You tied up mom and dad's landline for hours talking about nothing.  Older/younger siblings would become incensed, begging mom/dad to make you get offa the phone.

And I tell you how easy it feels to be with you
And how right your arms feel around me
But I, I rehearsed those words just late last night
When I was thinkin' about how right tonight might be

Infatuation, infatuation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

And tomorrow we might not be together
I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways
So I'll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days

Agree there... no matta' the age.  Ya never know.  Ifn's ya do break up (I hope ya git ur class ring back, I ain't rightly sure where/who mine went, ha!).. all those books ya wrote on, the yearbooks ya notated "Jack loves Diane" (or Hank, Suzy, Bill, Sally, yada).. 

Gotta buddy.  I know I've told this before. Sorry, kinda.  Anyways, in his billfold, he kept a picture of his then girlfriend (Flash foward 40 years, they married, happy as can be).. anyways... he had a pic of her in his billfold..  in the pic was his gf, and, another dude.  He really really liked the pic of her, so, no problem.. a little masking tape to cover the dude.. he shows everyone how perty she looks.  Wonder if he's still got it in his billfold?

Holy crap can you think that far back?  I know, in our high school class there were couples who lived, breathed that infatuation into marriage. A few, very longterm. 

Que sera sera.  I don't know how you look back on those days, but I do so fondly. While it's a certainty, being head over heels, googly eyed, 'all I can think of', madly infatuated, is/can be, rewarding, unhealthy, very healthy, yummy, sweaty, petty.... the wonder of an interpersonal relationship. Oh I wonder wonder wonder wonder WHO, who wrote the book of love?

We all did.

Going steady was in fact, yummy.  We would go, go, go.  Couldn't wait for that first peek of the day. Grab em for a hug. Hand in hand down the hall. Math, science, English, Home Ec, PE.. who cares.. all I think of is............. her/him.

Nowadays, going steady kinda means something else.  If an old man is lucky (and I don't mean that kinda lucky) he is able to go steady...  go, go, go (without intermittence), can't wait for that first pee of the day..  then, ahem, the other thing..  then, be thankful for the grab bars. Hands on the wall down the hall.  What day is it?  Why'd I come into this room (den, living room, dining room, basement, attic, mancave, sheshed, yada). I think a nap is a wonderful idea. If only I could remember his/her name, I'd ask if he/she wanted to take a nap as well.

And stay right here 'cause these are the good old days
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)

Infatuation, infatuation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

As with much in growing older... I don't remember the purpose... why I thoughta that.. why I wrote about it.. I just remember how good it was... and, whilst I ain't presently coupled, how good it felt.  I hope your memories are as grand as well.

Keep going steady.. no matta how many real hips/knees ya got.  Smile, show them shiny teeth, even if they ain't urs.  

Have a lovely day........... you know, kinda like Bill said...  harken back, remember that initital infatuation... I hope it's still going steady......

Then I look at you
And the world's alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it's gonna be
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

Love, Victurd