You've Got Mail!

It started like any typical Monday morning. I headed to my den to check the morning mail - the e-mail that is. I was waiting for some replies to e-mails that I had sent over the weekend. I needed to check the tracking information on some products that I had ordered online. I needed to see if there were any prayer chain requests that I needed to send out to the prayer chain which we supervise. I wanted to check to see if my newest blog was online as scheduled. I wanted to update my website. I was hoping to get an update on my cousin who has been in the hospital for several weeks. I wanted to see if there were any updates and new verbals on the Penn State website which I check daily. And I wanted to see if there were any messages from friends, either by e-mail or on Facebook. But after my computer fired up I found that I couldn't get online. I tried our other computer with the same results. And I checked our new iPad and found the same problem. I tried a different browser and still couldn't get online. In frustration I checked all the connections. I unplugged the modem and the router, reset them, and rebooted with no change. Then I decided to call Verizon, our internet supplier. I finally waded through all their menus and finally received a message that there had been an outage in the Lancaster area but service was now restored. I was told to pull out the power supplies to the modem and router, wait 60 seconds, plug them back in and reboot. For the second time I did that and still had no service. Frustration was now building up. It was amazing to me how isolated I began to feel. I was not able to communicate with the outside world - at least by computer. It almost felt like we had a snowstorm or bad electrical storm and were housebound with no electricity. I then had a reality check and realized that it was just the internet and I could survive without it. But I kept trying, unsuccessfully, throughout the morning. Finally, early in the afternoon I decided to call Verizon once again. I spent 35 minutes going through their phone system. They required me to go through the routine of unplugging and rebooting once again before I could talk to a real person. Finally I reached what I guess was a real person who spoke in broken English. Despite their recorded message that all service was restored, I think he told me that their technicians were still working on the problem and that it would soon be restored. I gave up and decided just to wait. A few hours later it was restored and life returned to "normal". But the experience reminded me of how much we are learning to depend upon the modern technology. I was embarrassed to realize how isolated I felt when I couldn't use it. And yet I am not alone. I still am amazed to see folks everywhere - driving, shopping, walking - talking into their phones. Many others are listening to their iPods. How dependent we've become. I am convinced that one of the biggest terror threats to our country is the loss of electricity and internet service. We couldn't bank, we couldn't buy, we couldn't communicate, and we'd all feel isolated. And that might be devastating to many in today's technology dependent society. That's enough for now - I really need to check my e-mail.

How Our Lives Change

Recently we were talking to somebody about their new baby and the remark was made that children really change the lives of their parents, sometimes more than anticipated. We discovered that almost a half century ago. Recently somebody sent me an interesting e-mail that listed some of these changes. I enjoyed it enough to share with you. Parents, enjoy!

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful to have been born the USA, the most powerful free democracy in the world.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for Velcro tennis shoes. As well as saving valuable time, now I can hear the sound of my son taking off his shoes -- which gives me three extra seconds to activate the safety locks on the back seat windows right before he hurls them out of the car and onto the freeway.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the recycling program which will preserve our natural resources and prevent the overloading of landfills.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for swim diapers because every time my son wanders into water in plain disposables, he ends up wearing a blimp the size of, say, New Jersey, on his bottom.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for fresh, organic vegetables.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for microwaveable macaroni and cheese -- without which my children would be surviving on about three bites of cereal and their own spit.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the opportunity to obtain a college education and have a higher quality of life than my ancestors.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful to finish a complete thought without being interrupted.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for holistic medicine and natural herbs.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for pediatric cough syrup guaranteed to "cause drowsiness" in young children.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the opportunity to vacation in exotic foreign countries so I could experience a different way of life in a new culture.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful to have time to make it all the way down the driveway to get the mail.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for the Moosewood Vegetarian cookbook.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for the Butterball turkey hot line.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for a warm, cozy home to share with my loved ones.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for the lock on the bathroom door.

BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful for material objects like custom furniture, a nice car and trendy clothes.

AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful when the baby spits up and misses my good shoes.

Yes, life does change when you have children.

They're Back!

They are back! The cicada killers are invading our lawn once again. Last year was the first that they appeared at our house and they really dug up the lawn in our backyard. I worked hard to replant grass and this year it looked back to normal once again. But now they are back. Most folks don't know what I am even talking about. So here is some information about this unusual wasp. Adult eastern cicada killer wasps are large, 0.6 to 2.0 in long, robust wasps with hairy, reddish and black areas on the thorax (middle part), and are black to reddish brown marked with light yellow stripes on the abdominal (rear) segments. The wings are brownish. Cicada killer females use their sting to paralyze their prey (cicadas) rather than to defend their nests. Adults feed on flower nectar and other plant sap exudates. Adults emerge in summer, typically beginning around late June or early July and continuing throughout the summer months. They are present in a given area for 60 to 75 days, until mid-September. The large females are commonly seen in mid-to-late summer skimming around lawns seeking good sites to dig burrows and searching shrubs and trees for cicadas. The males are more often seen in groups, vigorously challenging one another for position on the breeding aggregation from which they emerged, and generally pursuing anything that moves or flies within proximity. It is not unusual to see two or three male wasps locked together in midair combat, the aggregate adopting an erratic and uncontrolled flight path until one of the wasps breaks away Females may share a burrow, digging their own nest cells off the main tunnel. A burrow is 6 - 10 in. deep and about 1.2 in. wide. The female dislodges the soil with her jaws and pushes loose soil behind her as she backs out of the burrow using her hind legs, which are equipped with special spines that help her push the dirt behind her. The excess soil pushed out of the burrow forms a mound with a trench through it at the burrow entrance. After digging a nest chamber in the burrow, female cicada killers capture cicadas, paralyzing them with a sting; the cicadas then serve as food to rear their young. After paralyzing a cicada, the female wasp straddles it and takes off toward her burrow; this return flight to the burrow is difficult for the wasp because the cicada is often more than twice her weight. After putting the cicada in the nest cell, the female deposits an egg on the cicada and closes the cell with dirt. Male eggs are laid on a single cicada but female eggs are given two or sometimes three cicadas; this is because the female wasp is twice as large as the male and must have more food. New nest cells are dug as necessary off the main burrow tunnel and a single burrow may eventually have 10 to 20 cells. The egg hatches in one or two days, and the cicadas serve as food for the grub. The larvae complete their development in about 2 weeks. Overwintering occurs as a mature larva within an earth-coated cocoon. Pupation occurs in the nest cell in the spring and lasts 25 to 30 days. There is only one generation per year and no adults overwinter. It is an incredible creation of God - I just wish that we could view it somewhere other than in our yard. Apparently there is no practical way to kill them or get rid of them. We have checked with several experts and they don't have a solution except to put up with them - while they dig up our lawn. However we did find a site on the internet that suggested swatting them with a tennis racket or a baseball bat. However that just stuns them. You really then need to crush them with something hard to complete the job. So if you go by our house and see us taking our swings in the backyard, you know what we are doing. And it really is a great way to improve your coordination and get some exercise several times a day. Come on over and try it. We don't charge for this recreation.

Tragic News

Sometimes the news just makes you sick. Such was the case last Saturday when I read the front page story of a fatal auto crash near us. A family from Delaware County had come to Lancaster County to purchase a puppy. They were headed home when a drunk driver who was speeding tried to pass on a double line and crashed into them. A young woman and the puppy were killed instantly. One of the preteen children was critically injured. The drunk driver was not hurt. Police reported that he had previously been charged with a DUI and he was driving with a suspended license. That just makes me sick. It is probably good that I can't make the laws because I have no time at all for people who drink and drive. I think that if a person is charged with a DUI it should result in at least ten years in prison and permanent loss of their license. It seems to me that if we got serious about this problem, strong enforced laws would reduce and maybe even eliminate this problem. And if a DUI causes an accident it should be twenty years in prison. And if it results in a fatality it should be life in prison. And if a person is caught driving with a suspended license it should be permanent loss of license. Few will agree with me, but possibly the family in this accident might. It will be interesting to see how easy the courts treat this murderer. I guess DUI gets me upset since my mother was killed in an auto accident when a teenager hit my parents broadside. I don't know if he was drinking but I know that his parents quickly whisked him away from the scene and he was never tested. And he never suffered any serious consequences. On the other hand, we lost mother. With drinking and drugs so common and accepted today, one risks his life each time he enters an auto to go somewhere. I guess that it just is not politically correct for our laws and courts to come down hard on such offenses. But I just can't help but wonder how much safer we would be with strict laws that were enforced. There is one other sad side to this fatal accident. The police said that the young woman who was killed did not have her seat belt on and she was holding the dog. For the life of me, I can't understand why people, especially young people, won't buckle up. That too should be an offense. However, I guess the difference is that when you fail to buckle up you are risking your life. When you drive under the influence you are risking the lives of others. But such is life today. Keep safe!

Number Four

My son and his family recently returned from a trip of a lifetime. They spent several weeks in South Africa and Botswana hunting. For our grandkids it was the second time they've made this trip, while my son and his wife have been there several times. They have become good friends with the families that own the hunting ranches there. The main purpose of this trip was for my son to notch the fourth animal in what is known by hunters as the "Big Five" - the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Previously he had shot his lion. Later it was the Cape Buffalo which is considered by many to be the most dangerous animal to hunt. Many hunters have been killed attempting to hunt it. He had also shot his leopard which is considered to be the most difficult to hunt. If you are interested, you can read the diary of that hunt on my website, fbfawana.com. He might not ever get a chance to get fifth, the black rhinoceros, since licenses for that animal are not presently available. But this hunt was to get his African Elephant, which despite its size, is very difficult to hunt because it is very dangerous and most likely to charge you. It is extremely difficult to track because it can hide in the tall grasses and trees. But after nine days of hunting, he was able to shot a very large elephant with tusks that probably weighed more than 50 pounds each. His daughter was with him when this was done and she was even able to take some video of the event. Hopefully he'll write his diary of this hunt and if he does it will also appear on my website. After the kill, area villagers came and claimed all the meat. This was a big event for them. My grandson went for a zebra and he was successful. My granddaughter went for an impala and she shot that and a zebra. My daughter-in-law took hundreds of pictures. If you see any of them ask them about their experiences since they have many stories to tell. Ask them about how much "fun" it was to sleep out in the wilderness in tents with wild animals and snakes all around. We are just glad that they've returned safely. Folks often ask us where they've picked up this desire to hunt. I really don't know. However, I have been very successful as a hunter ... killing things around the house like spiders and ants as well as catching mice and even squirrels. Do you think that counts?

Medical Visits

We don't qualify as experts on very much, but I do claim to be somewhat an authority on doctor visits. So far this year we have made 40 different visits to 13 different doctors, medical technicians, and dentists. I think that might be enough to claim that one is an authority. Doctor visits have changed. Today all records are being changed to computer records. Some of our doctors are now learning to type - they didn't take that course in high school or even medical school. But, concerning those records, we have learned to request all copies of tests and reports from specialists and we carry them in a folder to all our visits. With so many specialists who spend so little time with you, we are learning to take care of ourselves and our records. And that is an essential lesson for all to learn. But that isn't the main concern of this blog. When I was a child we went to Dr. Griswold. There weren't appointments. You just showed up and signed a list and they took you in the order of your name on the list. That meant you probably would sit and wait at least an hour and sometimes two or three hours to see the doctor. That was tough anytime, but especially when you had a fever or upset belly or worse yet, when you had a sick child. Of course he still did some home visits so if you were really ill you could wait at home until he could visit. Good old Dr. Heinbach in Selinsgrove was no different except that he probably didn't do home visits. But he did speed up notifications - he told my father-in-law that Dianne was pregnant before he told either of us. I guess that was pre-HIPA. Then came Dr. Bryson in Landisville. He was the first of our doctors who made and actually kept appointments. What a great change. Very short waiting times there. And since then all doctors that we know now use appointments. But there are often two major problems with appointments, waiting and waiting. The first "waiting" is waiting to get an appointment. Sometimes it is the same day, but if it is a specialist it might be a week, or a month, or two months or even in one case for me, six months. The second "waiting" is the waiting for the doctor to keep the appointment and actually see you. A few are very prompt. We have one who I like who is almost always on time. But he is on time because he doesn't spend much time with you. I don't mind that as long as he is able to help me. We have some where the wait is a little longer and then there are a few where you can still expect to wait an hour or more. Now that is where I have a major problem. I can only see three reasons that should happen - an emergency, a slow doctor, and poor scheduling procedures. This week I read on the website of a local practice that if you are 15 minutes late for your appointment it will need to be rescheduled and you may be charged for the missed appointment. We actually saw that happen in this practice when a lady was about 30 minutes late. Rather than try to work her in they suggested that she go to an urgent care facility. Now I understand that policy but I think the consumers should also have some protection. A few weeks ago we sat in that same practice for almost an hour past our appointment time just waiting to be seen. That should not happen. I think doctor's should have a policy that if a doctor is delayed more than 15 minutes by an emergency, waiting patients should be informed and given the opportunity to either reschedule or wait. Waiting patients deserve to know if this is happening. Second, if the doctor is more than 30 minutes late, without an emergency interruption, the waiting patient should not be billed for the visit. The practice should absorb the cost. After all, patients have responsibilities too and their time should be valued. If a doctor can't schedule properly and maintain his schedule properly, it should be at a cost to him. That should be a professional courtesy and practice. So another key lesson that I have learned is, since the doctor will probably be late, and maybe very late, carry something along to read. This is important because the Ladies Home Journal in the waiting room will probably be at least eight months old.

A Very Special Year

It was an interesting year ... Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain ... nylon stockings went on sale in New York City ... the first successful helicopter flight was held in the United States ... Italy joined the war as a member of the Axis power and declared war on France and Great Britain ... German troops entered Paris and marched down the Champs-Elysées ... the Battle of Britain began as the German Luftwaffe bombed London ... the first peacetime draft in the United States was held ... Disney's Fantasia became number one as it premiered at the Broadway Theater in New York ... Tiffany & Co. moved to a larger store, the first completely air-conditioned store of any kind ... Near Pasadena, Calif. McDonald hamburger stands had its beginning in a drive-in opened by movie theater co-owners Richard and Maurice McDonald of Glendora ... Forrest E. Mars developed m&m's candies with the idea that candies could be eaten in the summer if they did not melt from the heat ... For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway was published ... the Cincinnati Reds won the World Series ... the radio show Abbott and Costello began as a summer replacement for Fred Allen ... The Adventures of Superman was introduced on Mutual Radio ... A quiz show, Double or Nothing, started on Mutual Radio and ran for 12 years with a top prize of $80 ... Singing cowboy Gene Autry's Melody Ranch was introduced on CBS radio and ran for 16 years ... the number 1 song was In The Mood by Glenn Miller, then Frenesi by Arthur Shaw, Only Forever by Bing Crosby, I'll Never Smile Again by Tommy Dorsey and When You Wish Upon a Star by Cliff Edwards ... and many future musicians were born such as Smokey Robinson, Rick Nelson, Tom Jones, Ringo Starr, and Dionne Warwick ... Franklin Roosevelt beat Wendell Wilkie for an unprecedented third term ... and in Sunbury, PA, on this day in that year, a beautiful baby girl was born to Glenn and Mary Bickle. They named her Dianne Lee (if she had been a boy her name would have been Barry Lee). She grew up to be a wonderful beautiful lady, devoted mother, and loving wife. And her positive Christian influence and testimony has impacted many besides her family. So today we say "Happy Birthday Dianne!"... now if you correctly guessed the year then you know how young she is. I'm not going to reveal that to you. But she looks ten years younger than she actually is. If you really want to know her age, just ask her. She isn't like many women in that she is willing to share her age. So please join with me today in wishing her a very happy birthday.

Stars and Stripes

One of my favorite activities on the Fourth of July is watching, on television, the fireworks and listening to the Boston Pops holiday concert from Boston. I often wished that I could go and actually be part of that exciting event, but now that I am older it is just much easier to dream about it and to watch it on television. I was a little disappointed this year in that television only showed an hour of the program and several of my favorite holiday numbers were not even televised. My favorite march is "Stars and Stripes" and the usual rendition by the Boston Pops is by far my favorite. I love the part by the piccolos and then the triumphant ending featuring the brass. As a former trombone player I imagine myself playing along with them. I first fell in love with this number when we played it in marching band many, many years ago in high school. And it has been my favorite march since then, The Fourth of July is just not complete for me until I hear it played once again. I have always enjoyed the music of the Boston Pops. When I was teaching I was very fortunate to be able to attend, almost annually, the national conventions of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I think over the years Dianne and I attended about 30 of these in most of the major cities in the United States and Canada. I was actually on the program as a speaker at several of these conventions. Much of the funding for these trips came from the Presidential Award that I was honored to win from President Reagan. Some funding came from my school district but most of it came out of our own pockets. They were special trips with tremendous in-service training for me as well as the exposure to many national textbook and supply companies. I was able to broker many special deals and discounts for my district at these events. But back to my major thought - one of my most remembered conventions was held in Boston. Special arrangements were made by the NCTM to hold a special concert just for convention guests by the Boston Pops in a large hotel ballroom. We arrived early to scout out the location and when the doors opened, we were able to sit in the fourth row, right behind the conductor. There we had an excellent view of the entire orchestra. Their concert was tremendous with a wide variety of numbers. Unfortunately, it did not include their signature number, "Stars and Stripes". At the end of the concert the gathering gave the orchestra a standing ovation and began to beg for an encore. Now I am normally a very quiet guy, but this time I couldn't resist. I yelled out "Stars and Stripes" and soon all those around me joined in the chant. And guess what? For an unplanned encore the Boston Pops struck up my favorite. It was an event and a night that I shall never forget. And I can hardly wait to hear them play it once again next July Fourth.

P.S. - Some day I'll share another great experience - hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in person at a convention in Salt Lake City. But that time I was quiet and I behaved.

Ten Reasons Why Lititz Is A Special Town

I moved to Lititz when I was in fourth grade and I lived there until I got married, about 11 years later. My parents lived there about 60 years until dad recently died. As much as I would have liked to move back, it was never the Lord's will that this would happen. But as we returned last Friday for the annual Fourth of July parade, I realized again how great a town Lititz really is and how much I miss it. Here are my top ten reasons for saying that.

(1) It has great traditions - the Fourth of July parade is extra special as are other parades (Memorial Day, Halloween, etc.), the Candlelight Ceremony, fireworks, and especially the Trombone Choir and the Moravian traditions at Easter. It still maintains a community band (see picture).

(2) It has a rich history dating back well over 200 years. It was a key location in the Revolutionary War and even General Sutter who started the California Goldrush is buried there. Historical sights and markers can be seen throughout the town and very old tombstones can be found in the Moravian Cemetery.

(3) It has great architecture with many restored homes and buildings. It has many streets lined with houses with big front porches. Even the alleys are fun to explore with their old garages and apartments. I miss Sunday afternoon walks throughout the town.

(4) It has great facilities with excellent public and private schools, top notch athletic facilities, a community rec center and swimming pool, churches, a great library, museums, a wonderful park, retirement homes, and much more.

(5) It has a wonderful downtown with many small shops for antiques, specialty items, food, etc. and even an Inn. It is fun just to be able to walk around and explore. You can even stop to make a pretzel at the Sturgis Bakery.

(6) It has a religious heritage that was established by the early Moravians who settled there. While it is not immune to today's liberal agenda, the effects of this heritage are still seen in things like the Christmas Nativity display found in the town square each Christmas season. And few communities still allow churches to use chimes to broadcast hymns daily for the community to hear, but Lititz does.

(7) It has a weekly newspaper that covers the town news each week and promotes the community and school activities. I wrote for this paper for about six years while growing up and it is something special that few towns have been able to maintain in today's economy and technology.

(8) It has great community spirit. It may be hard to understand this unless you've lived there. But, Lititz folks support their local merchants, their community events and especially their athletic teams. Thousands turn out for their annual Craft Fair and Art Fair. I have now spent most of my life in a college community where such spirit does not exist and I really miss that. It is a special feeling.

(9) It has a chocolate factory and residents live with the daily smell of the chocolate. Many don't realize how special that is until they move away and miss that delicious smell. And Wilbur Buds just are a special treat.

(10) It is still my hometown. No matter how long I am gone from Lititz, memories of a great time in my life still frequent my thinking. I was blessed to be able to grow up there.

Now you might ask, why don't I move back. We never did move back because our present home was much more convenient to where I worked and and it is close to where we worship and serve. The one drawback to living in Lititz is the traffic, especially on 501. Sometimes it takes a long time to get in or out of this growing borough. Area highways have not kept up with the growth. We did seriously consider moving back when we had to sell my dad's house, but at this point it makes much more sense to stay here. Our next move will probably be to a retirement facility or to heaven. And as nice as Lititz is, it just doesn't compare to heaven.

Independence

I am running a one man campaign against two small issues that irritate me. I have mentioned one of them before, but since we are celebrating Independence Day I thought I'd share my approach to trying to get my independence from junk mail and advertisements. Everyday when I go to my mailbox I find that about 2/3 of it is junk (the other third are usually bills or J C Penney sales flyers for the greatest sale ever). It almost always includes an offer for a new credit card or an invitation to learn more about a medicare plan or an opportunity to buy insurance or borrow money. Many of these include postage paid, addressed return envelopes. So what I do is kindly write "No thank you" on the information, fold it all including the original envelope, stuff it in their return envelope, seal it with tape, and put it back in the mail. I feel that if they have the funds to send the offers to me, I should be "kind" enough to reply and decline, at their expense of course. And with all that is stuffed into the envelope I imagine that it may cost them more than normal to receive my reply. But that is just part of my campaign. I am also irritated when I go to read a magazine and all sorts of reply advertising cards fall out of the magazine - usually on to my lap or the floor. I now take those, which are also postage paid, "kindly" reply "no thank you" on the cards, and mail them back. After all if they really want me to react to their advertisements, why shouldn't I take the time to do so, again at their expense of course. Now I guess the junk mail is what is probably keeping the U.S. Postal System in business since most correspondence and even billing is now done electronically. So in returning all of these, I am helping to support the U.S. Postal Service, as every good American should want to do. I'm helping save jobs for my friend Mitch and for my local mail carrier. And that is a good cause. Now if you are bothered by junk mail or those irritating loose cards in magazines, maybe you might want to consider a campaign for independence from them as well. I don't know if I will ever achieve anything, but at least I am exercising one of the rights that I have as an American - freedom of speech. So shout it out - U S A ... U S A ... U S A ... U S A!

Phun or Phrustration?

Phun or Phrustration? That is the annual plight of a Philadelphia Phillies baseball fan. I have always been a Phillies fan. Growing up I collected all their cards. I rooted for the Whiz Kids in 1950. I loved Robin Roberts and saw him pitch against Brooklyn's Don Newcombe several times in old Connie Mack Stadium. I cheered for Richie Ashburn, Del Ennis and Curt Simmons. Later my favorites were Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and Pete Rose. But I, like other true Phillie fans, have suffered through many, many years of sad, average baseball including 1964 when leading by 6.5 games with only 12 to go, the Phils lost ten straight and once again blew the championship. But there have been some good years, especially recently. And all true Phillie diehards thought that finally this year we had the team of the ages, a sure bet to win the World Series. The team traded away their farm system to secure what might be the best five man pitching rotation ever. This was our year! But in Phillies history little has gone the way it was planned. Failure always seems to come through Philadelphia. Who expected the "Big Five" to have two of its members (Oswalt and Blanton) on the disabled list? But it happened! Who expected that one of the very best bullpens to have their three closers on the disabled list (Lidge, Contreras and Madson)? But that is where it stands now. Who expected one of the best second basemen in baseball (Utley) to spend a third of the year on the disabled list? But he did! Who expected that there would be nobody in the farm system with a bat to replace Jayson Werth when he wasn't resigned? But there isn't! Who expected that slugger Ryan Howard would become average after he signed a major longtime contract with the Phils? But he did and he has lost his spark at the plate! Who thought that Phillie favorite Jimmy Rollins would show his age so quickly and become an average hitter? But that appears to have happened. And who thought that Raul Ibanez's age would make him an offensive liability? But that appears to be the case. Today the team can't hit and can only score one or two runs a game. Mental mistakes have stood out and hurt because of the team's offensive drought. Their outfielders can't throw, their pitchers can't keep runners from stealing, their runners can't steal, and they can't or won't bunt and play "little-ball". Phrustration for fans almost every night. And yet, can you believe it, they still have the best record in baseball today! Amazing. But longtime Phillie fans wonder how long can their playing keep them in the lead? Can three great pitchers get them to the play-offs? Do they have a chance if they do get there? Phillie fans are hopeful but at the same time we've been there before and the bottom often falls out of our expectations. Some days they are amazing and Phun to watch, other days it is agony or Phrustration to try to do so. This team is now getting old in baseball years and the farm system is empty. What do following years hold? Well I guess we'll know that soon enough. The question now is, what does the remainder of this year hold? Will it be Phun to watch and support potentially one of the best teams ever, or, in typical Philadelphia fashion, will it again be Phrustration? Will the PHade or will they PHrolic? Stay tuned - we'll know in October.

Schools In Crisis?

I have spent 51 years in the public schools of Pennsylvania. They have been good years. Twelve of those were as a student in four different districts. I feel that I received a quality education that prepared me for the future. Thirty-nine of those were as a teacher/administrator. I am proud of those years. I believe that we provided a quality education, for all abilities, while being very frugal with our funds. My biggest problem during those years wasn't with the students, administrators, boards or parents. My biggest problem was with the legislators who were continually making decisions - often bad ones - that affected my classroom and my students. Each new administration would throw out the policies of the previous administration and implement new programs, often costly, of their own. We could expect major changes every four or eight years. And these changes were usually politically maneuvers made by folks who never spent a day teaching in a public classroom. But I guess because they were once students, they felt they knew all the answers. Now my present concern is that the politicians are killing our public school system in this state. Here are four reasons I feel that way. First, the legislators passed a new pension bill a decade ago to increase their own pensions. To get it passed they included the public teachers who never even asked for the change. But they never fully funded the new plan. With a funding crisis coming they again failed to solve the problem and passed the bill on to the local districts and future generations. The crisis is now hitting and local school districts are stuck trying to fund these huge deficits. Second, the new governor, in an effort to cut the state deficit, has cut drastically funds for the local districts. The new budget calls for $800 million dollars in cuts for K-12 schools. This comes at a time when schools are also faced with the pension funding crisis. And what is happening? Schools are making drastic cuts, eliminating programs and firing about 10,000 teachers throughout the state. I agree that cuts are needed to eliminate the state budget deficit but why make education bear the brunt of it? Why not cut the legislature which is one of the largest in the nation? Oh, but politicians would never cut their positions - especially with the fat pensions they have approved for themselves. Reason number three - the governor is pushing for a voucher system. And those of you who support private schools are probably excited about it. They are saying that it is just for the poor students, but once it is approved, like other government programs, it will expand. And again, the money will come from the local districts. More schools will be in financial distress if they lose students and funding. But, of course, if you have a strong athletic program, good athletes will want to move to your school. Without a voucher system, that already happens statewide with the parochial schools. If you don't believe that, just look at the teams who have won the state basketball play-offs the last few years. Fourth, there is a push to make school budgets subject to a vote by the local taxpayers. Now come on, who would ever vote for a tax hike no matter how necessary it may be. I think such votes have already happened a number of times around the state and only once did it pass. The secret is to elect good board members who will exercise proper control. But only about 12% of the voters take time to show up for such elections. But to vote against a tax hike, the turnout will be much higher. Well there is my basis for my concern. Schools will never again be what we remember. And as legislators continue to attack them, public education can only get worse. And that isn't a great prospect for our nation.

Facebook???

I am on Facebook. Most of the time I'm not sure why I am on it. The majority of my "friends" never post and never respond to my posts. But I do enjoy hearing from some friends every once in awhile and hearing what is happening in their lives. I do enjoy seeing some of the pictures of things happening to them. But there are many things that disturb me about posts I see. For example, I just don't enjoy seeing pregnant women post pictures of their bare enlarging stomachs. Now I grew up in a time when folks didn't even use the word "pregnant" and I guess I think such personal pictures are just for the couple - not for the world to see. Then there are those who share their plans to be away from home. That could be like telling a thief my home is wide open for you to visit while I am gone. Then there are the personal love messages to each other shared by married, engaged, or dating couples. Some how I think those messages should be shared privately with each other, not the world. But if that isn't enough, I've noticed that usually when men share such love messages publicly, loads of other women respond and tell him how great and thoughtful he is. Those responses bother me. Are these women wishing their boyfriend or husband would tell them such things? I think this could potentially be a dangerous situation. But then I am old-fashioned. I'm also bothered by the folks who appear to spend hours on Facebook playing games. I also note teens who are posting during school hours through their phones. Maybe the phones need to be confiscated unless they are earning straight A's. Don't folks have anything better to do with their time? And speaking about time, Facebook has become a major use of time in the lives of many in today's society. Yesterday we ate at Denny's. A young mother and her daughter - probably a second grader - sat in the booth next to us. They both had their laptops. They both were on Facebook. We ordered and ate before they were even ready to place their order. And during that time they didn't even talk to each other. What a sad waste of what could have been mother-daughter quality time together. Maybe my granddaughter has the right idea. She has closed her Facebook account because it was taking too much of her time. Now that might be the best reaction to Facebook.

It Has To Get Better!

This is our thirtieth year leading our Awana program. For many years I wished that I could attend the three levels of training called Commander College. But the costs were always too prohibitive and the locations not convenient. However, this winter the first level training was held in Hershey and Dianne and I decided to kick in the required fees and attend. We thoroughly enjoyed the three day training and met some very nice dedicated people. And we passed. Since I know that I don't have too many years left to serve as Commander, I decided that I would really like to try and attend the second of the three levels while I still can. The course was announced to be held this weekend in Pittsburgh. After much prayer and consideration we decided to again pay the $600 fee and attend. I thought it would also be good to extend our stay there, going one day prior and staying two additional nights after the training. I went on the internet and found a senior rate at the hotel which was actually less than the Awana rate and I booked these extra nights. Doing this also qualified us for an additional free night sometime in the future. Then the problems began. About two weeks before the conference I was notified that because we were part of the conference I would be required to pay the higher Awana room rate for all of our extra nights and I wouldn't be able to use my credit card. I would need to pay Awana directly. This made no sense to me - not only would it cost me additional money but I would not get the points towards a free night. Now here comes the problem. I believe in standing up for my rights. I often write letters when things are wrong. I'm not afraid to protest. But in this case I didn't want to ruin Awana's testimony or my testimony. So I felt in the middle. When we registered I was told that we couldn't do it any other way. I considered going to another hotel but it would have cost me almost twice as much and that was out of the question. I asked to meet with the manager and we finally reached a compromise. Then I was told that even though I had requested early check-in, our room wouldn't be available for two hours. So we "calmly" waited. Finally we were given a room only to find it was three floors down. There were no luggage carts and even if there were, it wouldn't have done any good because there were no elevators. I hadn't told them that Dianne is wearing a cast on her foot and is receiving physical therapy for her hip. So we hauled our luggage and food supplies down the long steps. It took several trips. And after the problems with the room rates I felt that I couldn't go back and complain again. At least we finally had a room. Then we found out that while there is a refrigerator, the rooms don't have microwaves. That wouldn't normally be a problem but since I am now off gluten we had brought things that I could make to eat in our room. But alas, I guess I will eat the gluten free food cold the next few days. We also found that the room had very limited electrical outlets which we needed for things like my computer. And the bathroom is very small. Oh yes, the door is very hard to open and bangs when it is closed. Sorry neighbors. I guess we are just spoiled since we normally choose to stay in Marriott family hotels which are guest friendly and in good shape. We're not used to places like this Comfort Inn and Conference Center in Monroeville. However, we did find that they have a beautiful, large indoor pool and we enjoyed using it - until a group of kids suddenly appeared. Then walking back to our room we had to wind our way through a group of teenage girls who were practicing to canned music for some sort of dancing performance. They are practicing just down the hall from us. And so we got back to our room and watched a movie - at least we were watching it when the cable, telephone and wireless systems crashed. I guess it was good that the phone was out so I couldn't call the desk and ruin my testimony. I wonder how that movie turned out. So we will soon head to bed - I don't know when I will be able to upload this blog. Tomorrow the conference begins and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. I guess the positive spin on this is that even with the higher room rates, it is still about half of what we would be paying at nearby Marriotts. Oh yes, we did check for signs of bed bugs!

The "Gravy Train"

In my past life - ten years ago - it was usually this time of the year that I would begin to hear the comments about how easy teachers had it with three months off. Now actually it was more like two months off (mid June to mid August) minus up to two weeks worth of required in-service days, probably a few weeks of grad school classes, and a few days to set up your classroom before the start of school. And people forgot that I couldn't ever take a cruise or a vacation to Florida in the winter and that I couldn't even count on other scheduled days off during the year because they would generally be replaced by making up snow days. And snow days weren't that great - what could you do but shovel snow knowing that the days would need to be made up. As far as sick days, to take one I would have to spend many hours in preparing detailed lesson plans for a probable non-math substitute - it was a pain to take a sick day. But rather than argue the point of how easy a teacher had it, it was just easier to say, "If it looks so great to you, then get on the "gravy train" (a very lucrative or rewarding situation or arrangement, likely to continue for some time) like the rest of us." Now I guess everybody feels that their job hours are tough and often inconvenient. But when you do the math most other jobs aren't quite as bad as one thinks. So you want a day off??? Let's take a look at what you are asking for: There are 365 days per year available for work. There are 52 weeks per year in which you already have 2 days off per week, leaving 261 days available for work. Since you spend 16 hours each day away from work, you have used up 170 days, leaving only 91 days available. You spend 30 minutes each day on coffee breaks, which counts for 23 days each year, leaving only 68 days available. With a 1 hour lunch each day, you used up another 46 days, leaving only 22 days available for work. You normally spend 2 days per year on sick leave. This leaves you only 20 days per year available for work. We are off 5 holidays per year, so your available working time is down to 15 days. We generously give 14 days vacation per year which leaves only 1 day available for work and there's NO way you're going to take that day off! So there you are. Maybe you better work harder today to earn your salary. Or, better yet, just retire. Except for the many days you have doctor visits and tests, you can then get up with nothing to do and go to bed with it half done. Maybe you want to join that "gravy train".

Ice Or Humidity? That Is The Question

What is your choice - the ice of winter or the humidity of summer? About five months ago we fretted about the ice. We were concerned about ice storms which would bring down power lines. We despised icy roads which kept us from traveling safely. Now heavy snow is bad enough, but ice just brings everything to a halt. And remember how we longed for warmer temperatures? Well now we have them. And like the snow, the temperature isn't that bad in itself, it is the humidity which brings us down. When I was attending Florida State in the summer, it was hot. But they never had the humidity which we have in good old Lancaster County. Florida was bearable in the summer, but sometimes Lancaster County isn't. And what can you do about it? Very little except to try and relax. Maybe swim if you have access to a pool. Pray that the air conditioning or power doesn't fail. In the winter you can put on more clothing to keep warm but in the summer there is a limit to what you can take off to keep cool - at least in public. In the winter I often need to make decisions about whether to cancel Awana and that is the leadership task I dislike the most. In the winter we pay huge and growing bills to heat our home - especially since we use oil. In the summer we pay huge and growing electric bills to pay for the air conditioning. You can't win either way. Of course then there is the spring - my second favorite season - when all you need to worry about are floods, hail storms and tornados. We've had three tornados hit within a few miles of our house and we've learned to move to the basement when we need to. But there is little else one can do about those. Maybe ice and humidity are better. Then there is the fall - my favorite season - with the tail end of the hurricane season and sometimes draught conditions. Not much you can do about that either. And of course at any season you can have earthquakes. Wow, this is quickly becoming a depressing blog. Sorry about that. But in between all these bad days and events are the many beautiful days that we experience. And maybe the bad days just help us appreciate even more the good days. I guess that is really true about all the bad things that happen to us in life - they should make the good days that much better. Then there is also the reminder summed up in that great hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness". It says "summer and winter and springtime and harvest .... join with all nature in manifold witness, to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. Great Is Thy Faithfulness ..." Sometimes I just need to be reminded that my days are really in God's hands and that He is with me every moment - in the good times and in the bad. He has promised never to leave me or forsake me. And that means that He will be with me even in the ice, humidity, tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes or whatever. Do you recognize His constant presence by your side? Now which do I really prefer, the ice or the humidity? That is easy. In the winter I prefer the humidity and in the summer I prefer the ice. With an answer like that, maybe I should be a politician. In the meantime, I think I'll fight the humidity with some ice - in my glass. Keep cool - at least for now!

Questions To Ponder

Sometimes I wish that I were bolder. When I walk at Park City I pass strangers with whom I would like to have a civil conversation. But I know that these conversations will never happen since these folks might feel threatened or embarrassed by my questions. But I think about them anyway. Here are five questions that I would like to ask. (1) Why do you always walk against the flow of walkers? There are a couple of people who always walk the opposite way, often walking through groups of walkers. Why? Do they just enjoy being different? Are they from England? Do they just want to observe everyone else? I guess there are people everywhere who just enjoy going against the flow. (2) There is a nail salon which has a statue of Buddha on its front counter. And every week there is a new piece of fruit or a flower in front of the statue. Is this a sacrifice for good luck? Has it done any good? What happens to the food when it gets old? When they opened, they had an altar outside of the salon and ladies in traditional garb were burning incense in the hallway. Now I would really like to stop and ask them about all of this ... not to argue or debate ... just to attempt to understand their beliefs and traditions. (3) Then there is the middle-aged man we see there each morning who appears to be homeless. Why is he homeless or is he actually homeless? Where does he stay when the mall is closed? He always has a bag with him that we assume must include some clothing or possessions. We often see him walking or sitting reading a newspaper. Now I wouldn't want to embarrass him, but if he is homeless I'd like to ask him about the circumstances that brought him to this point. (4) Then there are the regulars who buy lottery tickets at the mall and sit on the benches scrapping them off to see if they've won. I'd like to ask them how much they spend each day. I'd like to ask them how much they win. (5) Then there are the young people with brightly colored hair or baggy and torn clothing. A few weeks ago we saw a boy with pants so low that most of his blue underwear pants were exposed. Now he might be a member of some "gang" but I'd love to ask him how he keeps his pants on and how comfortable this really is. I just can't imagine that it is the least bit comfortable. (6) How do some of the "old" ladies walk so fast. A few of them almost sprint around the mall. I couldn't even move that fast when I was 40 years younger. And I don't see "old" men walking nearly that fast. But these are questions that I will only ever ask in my head. Of course there could be a seventh question I should ask. Why do I faithfully walk there six days a week? Actually, I do ask myself that question everyday as I begin to walk and I'm not sure that I ever come up with a good answer. Oh well, I guess having these questions gives me something to ponder while I trudge along and get passed by some of the sprinting women, some of them going the wrong way.

Still Waiting!

I hope that you read my blog for May 12, "Just Wait!" In case you did I thought that I should give some updates on what has happened in the past 22 days. (1) We are still waiting for our air conditioning service. That will come, hopefully, on June 28. Of course we are on a "waiting" list in case any earlier openings develop. Do I think that will happen? That has just about as much chance of happening as it does of snowing here on July 4. Or in probability terms - 0! (2) How about our plumber? We are still "patiently" waiting - for two months now. Despite three phone calls it is still "probably next week". It's good we don't have a broken pipe or we'd now have a gigantic swimming pool in our basement. (3) But there is a success - last week our tree trimmer did return to pick up the remaining limbs - it just took him a month and a half to return. (4) Our two new pine trees? We are still waiting - if they come by Christmas we can decorate them. (5) Our mulch - still waiting - hopefully before winter. (6) Our tombstone? Promised in April - still not done. But we aren't in a hurry for that yet. And if the rapture happens first, we won't pay the other half of the bill. (7) The Awana survey forms? The good news is that 10 have since been returned. The bad news is that we are still waiting for 21 others. The deadline was May 8. Oh well, they are volunteers. (8) Doctor appointments. Dianne will finally have one with the specialist next week. But in trying to make another appointment with a specialist she has been told that she will be placed on their September schedule and they will call when they have a date. (9) And then there is the May 20 predicted rapture. I'm still here, are you? But I am looking for that special day as believers have for thousands of years and only God knows when it will happen. But while I get impatient with those companies and workers that can't get around to doing the work that I will pay them to do, I do know that it is an important spiritual principle to learn to wait on the Lord. I think David must have learned this principle because he talks about waiting on the Lord so often throughout the Psalms. Meditate upon some of his thoughts as you read the following. Psalm 25:5 "Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." Psalm 25:21 "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee." Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 33:20 "Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield." Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Psalm 62:1 "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation."