15 minutes....

Coffee down (mosta the pot anyways)... yes yes, sure, peed.  Sitting (loafing) at computer, head to golf course soon, weather permitting, day of work.

Figure I got 15 minutes for a blog.  That ain't much.

Yet.......

In fitteen minutes, one could meet the love of their life on a work break.

Win (or lose) the State Baseball, Basketball, Football championship in the last inning, quarter.

A 'You know":....... I think I remember that anyways..... (VICTOR.. isn't '15 minutes' stretching it? Bite me!)

A salary review with your boss that either has you walking out with a puffy chest, or, mebbe indeedly heading to Indeed.  (15 minutes to spellcheck a blog.. they underlined indeedly, saying it ain't a word. Should be.)

Fifteen minutes of labor.  The lucky ones.

An Uber.

The front yard mowed.  

Burgers on the grill...... maybe even less....

A brisk walk.

A text chain with buddies, where, after five or six texts, ya get kinda one eye on phone, other eye on what you were doing (baby aggrevation?).  Mebbe even regret being on the text chain. Then, ya slap yourself and realize how damn lucky you are that folks think enough of you to include you.  Silence is perhaps a sad alternative.

Going for bread, milk at the Piggly.

Shower, shave, brush chops... no matter how bad it looks (I speak from experience) smile at that mirror as we're blessed to have awoken for another day.

Listen to the long version of You Can't Always Get What You Want........ twice.

"If you calculate 15 minutes a day shaving, that's 5,000 minutes a year shaving."  Fidel Castro (
I always remembered him having a beard.)

Close your eyes.......... devote 15 minutes of quiet to remember those gone, missed, loved.  Keep 'em 'alivc'.

Play Wordle (took about 15 minutes).. Compared scores via text with youngest niece who also gets  up at Ugly-30am.  Tie, "Great minds" we say anyways... I bemoaned about the fact I needed to clean house.. She suggested the Fifteen Minute Clean.  Commercials come on roughly every 15 minutes.. Dilute the time cleaning so it's not overwhelming by jumping up to clean, but only during the commercials.  First commercial came on.  I turned the TV off.  Took a 15 minute nap.

Play Sudoku in bed whilst trying to go to sleep. I don't Ewes counting sheep.  I look at Sudoku numbers instead.  Works.  I'm certain I can snore within fitteen minutes.

Read a stupid blog.

Write a stupid blog.

"Women are like ovens... we need 5 to 15 minutes to heat up."  Sandra Bullock.  Victor, you damn misogynist!  AM NOT, ARE TOO, AM NOT, ARE TOO!

Fifteen minutes of fame.  (No such luck for me, BUT, George Brett and I DID  go to different schools together.)

In fitteen minutes you can pass gas, of course run into another room.. turn the coffee off... eat a donut (or two if you think you got time).. hug someone.  Kiss someone.  Text someone.  Pet your dog, cat, rabbit (why?), turtle (careful), salamander (eww)... grab the mail... 

Worry (I much prefer another donut, but, worry happens.)

Smile (it's dayum hard to smile for fitteen minutes, but, I love them folks who smile all dayum day long.

Smoke a cig.  Actually, two. I KNOW I KNOW.

Smoke pot. I (honestly) don't, but I don't care if you do.

"I hate to go to the movies or watch a TV show and know the ending within 15 minutes."  Amaury Nolasco

Spend 15 minutes on Wiki trying to find out just whointheheck Amaury Nolasco is.

GO OVER 15 MINUTES WRITING A BLOG.  CRAP I GOTTA HURRY.  ie, woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head.. and looking up, I noticed I was late (enter heavy breathing here).. found my coat and grabbed my hat, made the bus in seconds flat.  (I don't wear a hat. It's 75 degrees, no coat. No bus, my 2002 Buick Century. Don't laugh damnit, it runs, looks awesome.)

Cuss Victurd for 15 minutes of your life you'll neva' eva' get back.

Sorry.

Kinda.

Hugs, smiles, well wishes, fitteen minutes of 'em.

Love, Victurd

Million dollar voice, but a ten-cent brain......

Howdy, nice to meet you folks.

The name's Hiram, and I was born in Mount Olive, Alabama almost a hunnerd and one years ago.....  I was the third baby born to Jessie Lillybelle (Lilly) and Elonzo Huble (Lon)...  My older brother, Ernest Huble, died two days after his birth in 1921.  My sister Irene was born the next year, then me, my turn, born in 1923.

My grandpappy fought in the Civil War on the Confederate side, then he was captured, joined the Union side. Dad was a railroad engineer until World War I broke out.. he was drafted, spent a year in the service, but, had a terrible fall, breaking his collarbone and a took a severe blow to his head.

When I was born, they determined I had spina bifida occulta and that caused me a lotta pain over the years.  When I was three, mom played the organ in the Mount Olive Baptist Church and I'd hop up on her lap and join in on the singin'.  Got my first harmonica when I was 6, so, my family actually ended up calling me "Harm".. .but my friends called me 'Herky' or 'Skeets'.

We moved a lot, what with dad chasin' jobs and all.. then, he started having facial paralysis when I was 7... they sent him to the VA hospital in Pensacola.. he stayed there 8 years, so I was pretty much grow'd up by the time he came home.

Momma had a boarding house in Georgiana, AL and around that time, my aunt Alice taught me how to strum some basic guitar chords.  It was tough times, what being in the Great Depression - in fact, momma also worked in a cannery and if that and the boarding house wasn't enough, she worked as a night shift nurse at the local hospital.  The boarding house burnt down, and we lost everything. A US Representative named Hill helped mamma to get dad's disability pension - so she was able to buy another boarding house for us to live in.

If you're keepin' up, that's a lotta life already and by now I'm only eight.  Hey, that's ok 'cause mamma bought me my first git-tar then, a second hand one for $3.50.  I'd grab my git-tar, follow ole Rufus 'Tee-Tot' Payne around town - he was a street performer.. he'd gimme lessons, and in return, mamma would fill his belly with good eats.

When I was fifteen, I had a little disagreement with my PE teacher about some exercises, we actually got into a fight..  mamma wanted the school board to fire him... they wouldn't, so we up and moved to Montgomery, AL.  I never saw Rufus again.  I guess later in life I had some pretty good luck in music, but ole Rufus is really the only training I ever had. Well, him, and Aunt Alice and those basic strums..

Age 15, I won $15 in a talent show at the Empire Theater singing my first ever original song, WPA Blues.. Long about that time, I changed my name from Hiram to _____.  (Sorry, you may know by now, but if I toldya that, it'd gimme away.)

Daddy came home for a short, mamma said "nope, I'm in charge now.".. he stayed for my birthday then went back to the medical center.  Me and Smith "Hezzie" Adair started a band called '______ and Hezzie and the Drifting Cowboys - and we'd play any, everywhere they'd have us - clubs, gatherings, and at the local dancehall, Thigpen's Log Cabin.

Mamma became our manager, I dropped outta High School so we could travel and play, and we went clear to Georgia and down to the Florida Panhandle.  World War II hit, and it brought good and bad for me. Due to my back, I was medically disqualified to serve, but, they took all the resta my bandmates.  Got replacements.. but.. I kinda liked to drink, that caused problems and many of them quit.

I'd had a radio show in Montgomery, but they fired me for the drinkin', and.. one time backstage at one of my concerts, I met Roy Acuff (he was a hero of mine) and he told me, "You've got a million dollar voice son, but a ten-cent brain."

Life was kinda a whirlwind.  I gotta job at a shipyard in Mobile, transferred to Portland, Oregon, did the same thing there.. soon back home to Alabama.. Met a perty lady, Audrey Sheppard at a medicine show.. we both worked at the shipyard, lived at the same hotel in Mobile, before ya know it, there we were in a Texico gas station in Andalusia, AL, getting married by the justice of the peace.

In '46, at the recommendation of Ernest Tubb, I auditioned for the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville but they said "Nope".   Did eventually get a 6-song record contract with Sterling Records, helped by Acoff-Rose Music.  Acoff-Rose liked the songs..  got me a contract with MGM Records, had my first hit "Move It On Over."   After that, I moved it on over to Shreveport, joined the Louisiana Hayride radio show, got me into living rooms in the entire Southeastern United States.. Ping-ponged between Louisiana and Eastern Texas performing.. then........

June 11, 1949, made my debut on the Grand Ole Opry.. I think they liked me.. I got six encores..  I could really never read music, but, I guess I could write songs and sing 'em ok - as, by the 50's, I was making $1000 a show.  Fast and furious the next three years were..  

Went on tour with Bob Hope.. signed a motion picture contract with MGM.. up to New York to be on Perry Como's show... March of '51, admitted to North Louisiana Sanitarium for alcoholism and my back.. out... I was squirrel huntin' with my fiddler, jumped a gully, didn't make it.. had a spinal fusion at Vanderbilt University Hosptital.. left "AMA" Christmas Eve.. 

As I'd mentioned, it was a whirlwind.  Back to NY (twice) to sing on The Kate Smith Evening Hour.. a brief affair with dancer Bobbie Jett... (that brought us a daughter, Jett Williams).. Audrey, of course, divorced me, so, I wrote "You Win Again" and "I Won't Be Home No More."

I had a whole buncha hits that I'll tellya about in a sec.. but.. on August 11, 1952 I was dismissed from  the Grand Ole Opry for "habitiual drunkeness and missing shows."  My back hurt!  Years of that back pain, booze, and some prescription drug abuse - it all finally caught up with me New Years Day, 1953 as I transpired from heart failure in the backseat of a car near Oak Hill, West Virginia - I was on my way to a concert in Canton, Ohio.

Of course there was a lot more in there of my life, but that's a basic glance..

Mebbe you remember some of my songs............   I Saw The Light...   Hey Good Lookin..    I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive..   I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry....    Cold, Cold Heart...      Lovesick Blues..   (I Heard) That Lonesome Whistle...   Your Cheatin' Heart..   Jambalaya..    Move It On Over.. 

Loveya, Hank

(Editor's note..  wow.. Sam Cooke, age 30.. Hank, 29.. and so, so many more BRILLIANT ones across music land gone way too early..  life is all about "If Only"......woulda, coulda, shoulda.. some we control, some, we don't.  There ain't never a day that should go by that we take for granted.  Sorry if that's preachin, I look at it more as "observing, and reasoning.")

Goodbye Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh,

Love, Victurd

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