A Dude Proposes a Playoff

This is no different from any other argument going on all over the country.  It's an annual rite when college football fans trash the BCS and propose how things REALLY should work.

The fact is, you can't get a consensus.  Even two people who agree on a correct number (3 teams, 4 teams, etc) will disagree on some point.  And the conferences are changing so rapidly, it is hard to come up with a qualifying criteria.  Nevertheless, it is always an interesting exercise to simply take a look at the way things ended and what games you could arrange, were you the czar of college football.

I should also mention, I don't really have a dog in the fight this year.  I do think it will be a shame if Alabama wins because it would seem to me like the issue was unsettled.  I am also of the opinion that LSU would SMOKE OSU and I'd really like to see that happen.  Without further adieu, here is what we COULD have if we had a playoff system.

FOUR TEAMS
Every year is different but this year, the way things have worked out, a four team playoff would be a nice fit, leaving the #5 team, Oregon, without much of an argument.  One of the things I like to consider is whether the last team allowed in a scenario has a comparable year to the top two teams.  Does Stanford (4) have comparable merit to Alabama (2)?  Since they both have one loss and both play in major conferences, I think so.  Stanford v LSU and OSU v Alabama would be very compelling matchups.  I doubt either game would be close, but at least we'd answer the questions everybody is asking.

SIX TEAMS
Four may be ideal this year but if you think back to some other seasons, you generally have 2-3 undefeateds.  Or none.  And a number of teams, seemingly deserving of a chance, who only have ONE loss.  A six team playoff rewards the top two teams by giving them a bye.  This year, it would have given us HALF the SEC West!  Ark vs. OSU in a game that might have been 60 - 59.  Stanford v Oregon.  Uh-oh.  Now we have an issue.  To avoid rematches, you might have to put a caveat in there.  OSU to play Oregon and Stanford to play Arkansas.  (see, these are the things that come up).  Assuming higher seeds win, you would have the same Final 4 as above.

EIGHT TEAMS
This is my personal favorite.  Not because I think the #8 team is usually deserving of a shot but because the WORST part about the system is leaving a team out that has a comparable year to the top 2 teams.  I would rather allow a team or two (in this case, admittedly, four) a shot that may not meet the comparable eye test than deny a deserving team an opportunity.  Plus, LSU v Kansas State means LSU rolls and probably gets to rest their starters :)  Bama v Boise also very compelling although a blowout for sure.  OSU v Arkansas and Stanford / Oregon.  There's that problem again.  Oh well, no system is perfect!

You Can't Make This Up

To summarize, she is against equality and change.  She's also upset that everywhere she goes, she sees Homeland Security and this is affecting everyone's ability to concentrate on getting a job and on their schoolwork.

Homeless Man Wants "Bad Element" to Leave Woodruff Park

Downtown Atlanta - Area homeless man Eddie "Eazy E" Morris wants you to know that these days, he's siding with City Hall.  "I don't know what these people want and I don't know where they come from," said Morris, expressing frustration with his new neighbors at Woodruff Park.  "I just want the mayor to do something about it so decent folks can get some peace and quiet around here."

'These people' are the Occupy Atlanta protesters fighting against what supporters call corporate greed and a lack of job creation.  “We are here until the civic problems that brought us here are changed,” group spokesman Tim Franzen vowed Saturday.

Mr. Morris has other thoughts.  "This Mr. Tranzin (sic) needs to find somewhere else for all his foolishness.  I haven't had a good night's sleep in I don't know how long.  They stay up all night, singing, dancing.  We tryin' to just ignore it but they's too many of them and they get pretty loud."  After thinking about that, he added, "And the smell!  You know it's bad if a homeless man complains.  These people make us poor folk smell like a bed of roses.  Mayor Reid needs to do something about this mess fo some people start throwin up from the stench."  Morris then compared the group's odor to that of the city zoo.  "If I wanted to smell something this awful, I'd be over at Grant Park." he alleged, then added, "This here Woodruff."

Morris' comments didn't stop there.  "I would like to know exactly how come the mayor sends the po-lice by every couple of hours and makes us change benches but these 'hoodlums' are allowed to stay here and stink up the whole neighborhood and they without a permit?"

Morris said the longtime 'residents' of Woodruff at first tried to encourage the protesters to leave but were unsuccessful.  "I even showed one of those boys my knife, although I hated to resort to that.  He weren't scared at all.  This boy went to college!  I don't know what they teaching in college but they ain't teaching these people to stay away from the homeless.  Asked me if he could hold hold my knife.  Acted like we on the same team or some such craziness."  Continued Morris, "There was a time back when I first moved down here, young people would be scared of the homeless," said Morris.  "In the 90s, all you'd have to do is ask them if they had something to smoke and they'd take off runnin,"  Morris said, with a toothy grin that recalled better days.  "Now, they gots weed alright and they ain't afraid of sellin' it either.  And you wouldn't believe how prices have gone up, just in the past month."  Morris added:  "I don't know what this world's coming to."

Told that Franzen only wants a fair shake for all the disenfranchised, including Mr. Morris, Morris rejected the connection.  "He needs to speak for himself, that's what he needs to do.  Seems to me all they interested in doing is finding an excuse the keep this party going.  What do they think they can accomplish by playing all that guitar music?  'Oh I'm sorry suh.  I didn't realize you was gonna play the guitar.  Come on in and let me give you all jobs.'  They crazy!"

Still, Morris contends, if the mayor won't step in, there are other peaceful ways to solve the problem.  "We may have to wait until January, I guess.  If they ain't gone by Christmas, January'll freeze 'em out.  It's just a shame - I don't know when we've had such a bad element around here.  Probably not since Georgia State let them Art majors take classes in the business building over there.  That was a freak show, too."

Darth Vader and Redemption

Look, I'm not a sci-fi geek.  But one of the greatest stories in pop culture is the story of redemption in Star Wars.  When I was a kid, there was one solitary figure that embodied evil.  Darth Vader.  (Whoever came up with that name, by the way, nice job.)  No one, and I mean NO ONE could strike as imposing a figure.  And the director did this thing in the original, in Empire, and in the finale, Return of the Jedi, where when he entered the room, it scared the crud out of you.

I'm an adult now and I'm no longer scared of the dark.  I no longer run up the stairs of the basement and I don't worry about what could be lurking in the closets.  But when the good guys leave a room in Star Wars and just seconds later, Darth Vader comes in, right on their heels, it still gives me a bit of a scare.  His entrance onto the Rebel ship in the original was our first glimpse.  Then later in the film, Obi-Wan walks around the corner and runs into him and while Obi-Wan knew exactly what he was doing, no one else is feeling real good about being in the room with the baddest dude on the planet.

Guest Blogger - Tucker Heaton

My Dad

By Tucker Heaton

I love my dad. He gives me so much that I don’t need. He is just one of the important people in my life.

One of the things he gives me is to live in our house. I live with my sister, my mom, myself, and my dad. He pays for the food I eat every day. Now do you see what dads do for everyone? One of my favorite privileges my dad gives me is the ability to play sports. I have now been playing for 7 years! And I’m 10 years old!

I love my dad and I know he loves me and is proud of me every day.

I'm Blogging Because My Readers Demand It

Catalogues - I requested a catalogue yesterday.  I don't know if I've ever done that before.  Nor have I done much typing of the word 'catalogue' because it is a very strange-looking word.  Like conscience.  Or conscious.  Can I just type catalog?  That felt more like a breakfast cereal.  Catalog.  Oh, cause it is similar to Kellogg.  We'll go with catalogue.

I remember how exciting it was to get those huge Sears catalogues in the mail when I was a kid.  We kept a stash under the sofa by the phonebooks.  By the way, did anyone else put the phonebooks under the sofa?  Growing up, I just assumed that was where they went.  I'm over at a friend's house and we're trying to find a number for the movie theater.  Sounds like I'm talking about Amish people, doesn't it?  Nevertheless, I needed a phonebook.

PGA Tournament Picks

With the tournament being less than 5 miles from the house, I thought I might offer my picks for the PGA tournament.  OH - and if you're going out there, look for me on Saturday.  I'll be the white guy wearing sunglasses :)

6.  Luke Donald - the world #1 is always a factor.  He's also one of my favorites because he seems like such a classy guy.  If Phil can't win it, I'm pulling for Luke.

5.  Lee Westwood - he's due.  Plain and simple there's no reason why he hasn't won a major yet.  Still, I'm guessing he comes up just short ... yet again.

4.  Adam Scott - last week's winner at Bridgestone is at the top of his game.  Perhaps a trendy pick because of the caddy situation.

3.  Phil Mickelson - the course seems to suit him.  In fact, it appears that the changes to the course were done to give him a little bit more of an advantage.  The crowd will be decidedly in his favor.  Phil should do what he normally does, which is contend, show flashes of brilliance coupled with moments of disaster.  I will be rooting for Phil ... but betting he comes up just short like he did 10 years ago on this very course.

2.  Rory McIlroy - after a great showing at Augusta (the blowup on Sunday notwithstanding) and a record performance at Congressional, what's not to love?  Perhaps the most talented golfer in the world should be in contention come Sunday in Atlanta.

1.  Dustin Johnson - my choice for golf's next superstar.  I'm going to keep picking him until he wins a big one!  It's bound to happen.

Why Daughters are Awesome, #541

I played this guy in tennis yesterday and while it was a competitive match, I won.  He was a super nice guy.  He brought two daughters along and they kept cheering for him.  He told me, he actually has FIVE daughters!  After the match he says, "I hope you don't mind, I'm going to tell the girls I won."

I smiled at his joke and said, "Of course, I would probably do the same thing."  Then I told him a story that happened that very same afternoon.

We have a golf tournament in our family called, The Bronco Invitational.  I am the only one to have only won it ONCE.  Everyone else has won at least twice.  Here's what happened.

Annie:  Dad, have you ever won the Bronco Invitational?
Me:  (sigh)  Yes, I won it.  Only one time and it was years ago.
Annie:  When did you win it?  (doesn't sound like she believes me)
Me:  When we all went to Jamaica the first time.  You were only a baby.  It was 2004.  Aunt A wasn't even married then.
Annie:  Oh!
Me:  For some reason, I come in second almost everytime.
Annie:  (thinking)  You know what Daddy?
Me:  What, baby?
Annie:  I think second is better than first!
Me:  Me too, Annie!
(Tucker looking at both of us like we're crazy)

Happy 10th Birthday to My Baby Boy!!!

We had a nice little birthday celebration last night and there's more to come.  For some reason, this is not sitting particularly well with Annie.  She was very emotional last night and as I went to put her to bed, she was bawling.
Dad:  What's wrong, baby?
Annie:  I don't want Tucker to be 10
Dad:  Why not?
Annie:  I like it when he's 9.

Actually, I understood exactly what she meant.

Dad:  When you were a baby, I used to always say, 'I hope they stay this age forever, this is the perfect age.'  And you know what?
Annie:  What?
Dad:  I keep saying that.  Every year, you get older and every year, it just keeps getting better.

That seemed to help.  Anyway, I put together a little album of Tucker as a 'little kid'.  Lots of photos on facebook ... enjoy.

The Heatons in the Big Apple

New York is a series of contradictions.  You will find, walking down the street or in the subway, the latest and greatest technology available in the world.  And yet, it is common to find a restaurant that only accepts cash.  I think this is why NY is so intriguing to me.  Well, that and the subway system for which I have this unexplainable affection.  There again, you may be sitting next to a very successful banker or you may be sitting next to a homeless guy.  You just never know what to expect.

The greatest personal contradiction is a 'guys' trip' and a 'family trip'.  With the guys, you can buy an airplane ticket ($200), split a hotel bill ($200ish), buy your subway pass ($30), and have a great time spending money on little else.  Grab some pizza on the street and go hang out in the park somewhere.  A family trip, even if it is just a couple days, is very expensive!

I just counted and this was my tenth visit to New York, maybe eleventh.  I haven't travelled very much either, which tells you how much I enjoy going.  If you're interested, here is a rundown of all we did.  Keep in mind, it was VERY hot, sometimes, 100 degrees!

Thoughts on Narcissism ... Seriously

Let's play Armchair Shrink.  Really long and good piece in Psychology Today.
It was so long, I mainly skimmed the article but thought a couple points were very thought-provoking.  First let me say I am fully aware of my shortcomings.  You don't need to point out to me how I might personally fit the mold.  As the article states, those with such tendencies "... knew exactly how others viewed them."  Also, they are "hypersensitive and insecure" so ...

Here is what I found most interesting as it might relate to younger people or people in general.

Wills Park Baseball - It Really is a Family

The Heatons are the poster family for the over-involved American lifestyle.  We have too much going on ... we know that.  Last week, we had a shower at the house and had a couple rooms painted in a rush and the AC broke - all while not stopping one minute in all of our regular stuff.  I can honestly say that it was a pretty typical week.

Heather and I are hyper-social.  And we can't say no to anyone or anything, especially if it sounds like fun.  Add to that a love for sports and you get one crazy summer.  We're Atlanta natives so we have lots of local relatives.  I can trace local roots back 200 years in DeKalb County so there's plenty of extended family in there as well.  (My 8x great grandfather fought in the American Revolution and is buried off Brockett Road in Tucker) 

Two Kinds of People

Thinking out loud this morning ... are you a person who puts people at ease or are you the one who makes people uncomfortable?  I can be either, depending on the situation, but I want to be the guy who puts people at ease.

I was actually around the uncomfortable kind the other night.  I mean, perhaps the most uncomfortable person I've ever been around.  The effect it had on me was it pushed me in the extreme direction of compliance and amiability.  Weird.

If you're the guy with whom people are comfortable, you're nice to be around.  And you don't get a lot of feedback because people assume you know.  They enjoy your company and feel good about themselves when they're around you.  In fact, chances are, you often find yourself surrounded by awkward people and awkward settings because people know they can count on you to ease the tension. 

If you don't put people at ease, you probably don't know it.  In fact, people are trying so hard to be easy-going around you because you're the one adding tension to the situation.  You're surrounded by folks with kid gloves because they are not quite sure how to take you.  The really bad news is, they don't look forward to interacting with you.

It usually boils down to how self-aware you are.  BUT not always!!!  My introspective nature might suggest that I have a strong sense of self-awareness and for argument's sake, I will accept that I am a self-aware person.  And sometimes, I know I am the one who adds pressure, adds tension, and makes people uncomfortable.  I won't go as far as to say that I do it on purpose, but I will admit that I am aware that I'm doing it.

So maybe there are three kinds of people :).  Easy-going people, difficult people who don't know they are difficult, and (the worst) people who are being difficult and are fully aware that they're acting that way!  It's a working theory ....

My Sunday

I have a confession to make stemming from yesterday.  Speaking of, I've always been fascinated by the Catholic church.  Catholic friends, please don't be offended by this, but I don't believe it is necessary to confess your sins to a priest.  But it really is a mysterious and strangely appealing concept.  In that spirit, I must tell you all that I think I have broken the commandment which calls us to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.

Oh, I went to church, unlike a lot of my Wills Park baseball family!  But yesterday was not, by any stretch, a day of rest.  Here it is, play by play, my Sunday...

I Hear Voices

Signed up to play in a singles' league.  No, this isn't a chance to meet women.  This is tennis played all by yourself.  Well, you play against another person, but you are the only one on your side of the net.

Anyway, I haven't played singles in a couple years and my neighbor and I agreed that we should both go out and hit before the season started.  We did this on Tuesday.  We started at around 9 PM and played two sets.  If you are not familiar with tennis, I will now draw an analagy between doubles and singles...

Doubles is to singles as walking around the mall and stopping for a Chick-fil-A biscuit is to running a 10K.

The Good King, Part I

The Good King

There was a certain king who lived a long time ago.  The king was indeed a rarity during the Age of Kings and in fact for any age; for it was said wide and far, by the rich and the poor, in the markets and in the planters’ fields … that he was a good, a just, and a wise king.

No matter the terminology, monarchies tend toward absolutism and absolutism in any form is always disastrous.  No man can be allowed unchecked authority.  This is perhaps the most profound and proven lesson of all history.  If you haven’t learned this in totality, pick up any textbook.  Read of Hitler, Stalin, Napoleon, Hussein, Lenin, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Ivan the Terrible, Edward I, Nero, Khan – these are just some examples of rulers who abused absolute authority.  One might even be able to reason that all truly notorious villains were only able to become notorious because they were first trusted, and given free reign.

Early Americans understood this.  In the 1770s, one of the popular signs in Patriotic Boston read, “We serve no sovereign here.”  Rule by the people was at once a revolutionary concept and a baldly obvious one.  It was understood in full, that rule by one is always lacking, always corrupt, always self-serving, and often cruel and murderous.

Even though the king of our story lived many years before the French and American revolutions, this king understood this just the same.  His understanding came not so much from history but from his knowledge of human nature.  Keenly, he saw that his best intentions were sullied by his own self-interests.  And at his very worst, he was capable of acting with malevolence and cruelty.  Yes, relatively speaking, he was a good and kind person.  But there was too much at stake to allow himself to fall for this ancient trick that has been the bane of so many.  A firm conviction in this absolute truth of the human condition shaped the man, forging him into a being of vigilance and constant self-inspection.  And so, with this belief held firm in his spirit, he painstakingly established the rule of law in his land.

In the field of psychology, doctors are sometimes compelled to constrain patients from hurting themselves.  A person who desires to hurt himself can quite be considered insane, or at the very least, irrational.  But a person who is a risk to hurt others is simply human – the very reason for police, armies, jails, and laws.  A very small part of these institutions protect the citizenry from crazy people.  Largely, they are to protect us from our very neighbors – the ones we trust and the ones we think would never wrong us … the reason why our king sought self-constraint.  He was wise enough to distrust himself. 

He began with the establishment of a national defense of which he was the commander-in-chief.  He added a police force and shrewdly appointed his most ardent and capable critic to manage it.  The final piece was communication.  An informed kingdom at least meant that they could see the need for tax and certainly the need for protection.  The king necessarily kept a small court, in order to ensure that his men held firm to the same principles as he.  That also meant the king and his most trusted advisers spent many hours organizing group meetings so that all would be informed and the subjects knew how there taxes were applied and how their kingdom was being run.  All in all, the king had designed a very clean system with a small government and very few laws.

In hindsight, the weakness was the lack of a systemized judiciary.  Basically, the laws were three:  do not kill or injure one another, do not damage another’s property by theft or by vandalism of any sort, and pay taxes as required by the crown.  Punishment for breaking these laws was swift and firm, (by today’s standard, rather Draconian) and usually handled by a local magistrate.  The king had reasoned that such a simple system would not require an elaborate court system and so one day a month, he sat as judge over the very few cases in the kingdom that required interpretation of the law.

Kings throughout history have had cronies and have provided favors to their friends.  Our king recognized this and decided, unhappily, that in order to avoid this trap, he would need to live a life of isolation.  He was very visible and recognized he needed to spend time among the people but he held that he couldn’t allow himself to become too close to any of them.  Any sign of an obsequious nature meant one was unfit for high office in the palace as the king needed honest dialogue, not spineless compliance.  And while these men were respected and trusted, they could not become close friends.  Once business had been conducted, he kept his distance from even his most capable and honorable advisors, out of a desire to remain impartial.

One can imagine that the king might’ve been profoundly sad, if dutiful.  And for a time, this was true.  Until the day his son was born. 

The king’s son was the most celebrated personage in the history of the kingdom.  The people loved their king and they loved this little prince who had brought such happiness to the palace.  Their sad and wise and good king who was always fair with his people had become passionate about the future of the kingdom.  The king was still stalwart and resolute, but the prince had come into the picture and the king eschewed his more robotic tendencies.  No longer merely seeing his role as a custodian over peace and justice, the king began to see the kingdom as a place for his son to inherit and the result was a brighter light to his countenance and a more hopeful, purposeful stride in his step.  In effect, it was the difference between maintaining a place for the landlord and maintaining a place that you own.  He saw each day as an opportunity to impart to his son, the beliefs and ethos of his rule – a system carefully developed and executed out of earnest and meticulous study of people and paradigms and natures ... what works, and what doesn’t.

END OF PART I

Perspectives - How I Met Your Mother Edition

How I Met Your Mother is one of my favorite shows.  This is a funny exchange where they discover Barney has a poster of Karate Kid in his room and they give him a hard time ...

Barney - Hey, The Karate Kid is a great movie.  It’s the story of a hopeful, young karate enthusiast whose dreams and moxie take him all the way to the All Valley Karate Championship. Of course, sadly he loses in the final round to that nerd kid. But, he learns an important lesson about gracefully accepting defeat.

Lily - Wait, when you watch The Karate Kid you actually root for that mean blonde boy?

Barney - No, I root for the scrawny loser from New Jersey who barely even knows karate. When I watch The Karate Kid I root for the karate kid, Johnny Lawrence from the Cobra Kai dojo.

Marshall - You're telling me that when you watch "The Karate Kid", you don't root for Daniel-san?
Ted - Who do you root for in "Die Hard"?
Barney - Hans Gruber. Charming international bandit. In the end, he dies hard. He's the title character.
Lily - What about "The Breakfast Club"?

Barney - The teacher running detention. He's the only guy in the whole movie wearing a suit.
Robin - I've got one. "The Terminator".
Barney - What's the name of the movie, Robin? Who among us did not shed a tear when his little red eye went out in the end, and he didn't get to kill all those people?

Number 13

Some say it is an unlucky number but I have always thought it looked good on a uniform.  As a kid, no one wore #31 better than Dave Winfield.  Granted that had more to do with his massive physique than anything else.  #31 was the best OF number and #13 was the best IF number.  Little boys think about things like that.

#13 has always been my choice for QB number as well.  But alas, no one ever asked me to play qb.  In fact, 3rd string split end ... in 8th grade ... on a team that exclusively ran Coach East's wishbone offense ... was as far up the depth chart as I ever got.  Incidentally, I wore #23 and weighed about what my 3rd grader weighs now.  I did have a huge noggin though, and so the only helmet that would fit me had the biggest cage (facemask) they made.  Picture a really skinny kid (I could've raised money for Feed the Hungry) with a helmet that fits your average professional nose tackle, and that was me.  The neck got a little tired at times.

What is it With the Shoes?

The other day Tucker got some new shoes.  My comfort level has always been around $50 for his shoes.  He is still growing really fast to where they don't fit for very long but more than that, he wears them flat out.  Got some Under Armour shoes for Christmas and they're pretty much trashed.

He wanted Reebok Zigs.  I can't tell you how much they cost because I see purchases on our account for $100 and another for $80.  I'm assuming one of those places is going to give us a refund for the shoes they never sent.  Anyway, Zigs are all the rage and in truth, there are a lot of kids his age that have them.  We live in Alpharetta, what do you want from me?  I originally told him, 'no', or that I would put $50 up and he could pay for the rest, but, he had a great school year and we decided to make that his reward for all A's and a 100 Spelling average. 

Pastors' Dialogue

A:  Dude, why the long face?
B:  Well, you know my issue.  We're losing members left and right.
A:  Yeah, I didn't want to tell you this, but some more of your people joined our church last Sunday.
B:  Let me guess, family with teenagers?
A:  Yep.  I'm telling you, B.  You've got to go contemporary.
B:  I don't know ...
A:  There's no reason for this!  Let's take a look at this objectively.  One of us graduated first in his class.  You.  One of us has his doctorate.  That would be you.  One of us publishes books on theology.  That would be you also.  One of us is still a legend at the seminary and a brilliant communicator.  You again.
B:  You're a great communicator.

Dr. T, Parenting Expert, what NOT to do

I'm pretty sure I was a bad parent over the weekend while my wife was at the beach.  There, I said it.  Had they followed me around with a camera, I might even be in some hot water where DFCS is concerned.  Not only did I allow my daughter to drag me to 6 different stores on Saturday, looking for shoes, I also allowed the kids to go swimming at 9:00 on Friday and again on Saturday until about 10:00.  Against my better judgement, I also couldn't say no on Friday when they both piled into my bed.  (Guess who ended up down the hall in the guest room?)

On our shopping excursion, I gave into some silly demands including getting Tucker some goofy Under Armour shoes.  According to him, "these are Beast" and who am I to stand in the way of his 'Beast-ness'.  (Yes, Beast is a verb among the Alpharetta 9/10 year old set)

But, the worst area of all is the nutrition they got (or didn't get) while Mom was away at the beach.  I'm afraid I'm sending the signal that when Mom is gone for the weekend, rules are relaxed.  That's probably not good parenting but you know what, we had so much fun together!!!

Mom is home so we will eat healthier moving forward.  Meanwhile, here is what we ate while she was gone.

Friday Night - Dominick's Italian followed by a sundae at DQ
Saturday AM - quick stop at Dunkin on the way to tennis match
Lunch - hotdog / pizza at Costco
Dinner - Taco Mac for a Fanta, then hotdogs and chips poolside.
Sunday AM - quick stop at McD's on the way to church
Lunch - Varsity!!!

I'm the poster child for bad food parenting!!!  It ends today!!!!

Someone You Should Know

Please get acquainted with David Brooks.  He writes for the New York Times.  He is one of the best thinkers in America today and he speaks with clarity and concision. 

"The Gray Lady" recently went to a fee-based online system but you can read something like 25 articles per month for free.  Here it is May 9th and I have about 3 left.  What can I say, the bin Laden stories were pretty compelling.

So, you can read Brooks' latest column and any of his archived columns here.  Today, he is talking about ... well .... a lot of things.  This is the great skill - well-clipped observations followed by sweeping pronouncements that speak directly to the CORE of our issues.  And HONEST liberals and conservatives will enjoy his political balance.

It's A Small World

TRUE STORY

Every Monday, I discuss the weekend's tennis with my friend in the office next to mine.  Here's how it went today...

 

Me:  You're not going to believe this - our tennis team won on Saturday and Sunday!  We're still in the playoffs!

Him:  Cool!  I didn't get to play yesterday and I am dying to hear how we did....  What team did you play?

Me:  (thinking) ... Sweet Bottom

Him:  (Pause, smile gone)  Sweet Bottom?  That's my team!

Me:  No! (awkward pause)  Aw man ... sorry 'bout that.

Him:  (dejected, starts typing on his computer and looks away) well ... congratulations.

Vengeance is MINE

There are a number of verses in the Bible which refer to this oft-repeated message:  'Vengeance is the Lord's'.  Most of which come back around to the fact that if we love our neighbor as we have been commanded to do, we can't also have a vengeful heart.  Sometimes, the Old Testament pronouncements are seemingly meant for the ancient Hebrews and sometimes they're meant for all people and sometimes, it isn't clear.  Paul states the case that THIS one is meant for all people.

Romans 12:19
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Our Secret Weapon: Eminem

So I'm piecing together some information today as reports continue to come in on the bin Laden story.

1.  Multiple news sources are reporting (AP, Boston Herald, etc) that CIA interrogation led to the killing of bin Laden.  Bush authorized 'harsh' interrogation inside CIA prisons in Poland and Romania.  (I imagine that just being in Poland or Romania put the interrogators in a bad mood.)

2.  Then there's this from a 2005 ABC story.

"They would not let you rest, day or night. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. Don't sleep. Don't lie on the floor," one prisoner said through a translator. The detainees were also forced to listen to rap artist Eminem's "Slim Shady" album. The music was so foreign to them it made them frantic, sources said.

Who knew?

I'm sure being sleep deprived really sucks but I have a hard time picturing Jack Bauer walking in the cell and cranking up some 'My Name Is'.  Then it got me thinking.  What song would make me spew every bit of information I had?  I came up with 2.  Poker Face - in fact, you could probably threaten me by showing me pictures of Lady Gaga and that would get the job done.  The 2nd is a song that comes on DisneyXM and has a little girl singing about whipping her hair back and forth.

Lists

Do you like lists?  On the aforementioned sportstalk radio, they sometimes mention that doing a "list show" is a lazy show, but you know what?  It's often very entertaining.  So, turning on the ever-charged stream of consciousness, I'm going to compose the first lists that come to mind.  Feel free to comment or join me.

Top Vacations (that I've been on) - not based on the place but purely on the fun factor
1.  Disney
2.  Amelia Island
3.  New York
4.  Vegas
5.  Skiing in Beaver Creek

It Ain't Braggin' if You Can Back It Up

Actually, this is flat-out bragging.  Coming off the heels of his Math Olympics victory last month, Tucker took the 3rd grade award today in the 'Oratory Recital'.  Basically, they have to memorize a poem and recite it in front of their classmates.  I'm proud he won the 3rd grade but I may be even more proud of this email we got from a parent of the kid who won the School-wide event.  (Quick setup:  Some of the kids go all out with a costume that somehow fits the poem)

Congrats on Tucker's win!  And he was the only one in uniform out of all the winners:-)  That's big.  It was our first year dressing the part.  Miles was in a suit or dress clothes in the classroom for all the other years (and the one year he made it to the school competition).  I went to congratulate Tucker and he said, "No, congratulations to you for Miles.  He did great."  I thought that was very sweet and so sincere.  Hate to see ya'll go.  You're a beautiful family...and he's a popular kid:-)  Those girls love him!

It's 4/20 Y'all!

And if you don't know what that is, I was right there with you until last year.  I learned that 4:20 is understood to be the time for pot smokers to light one up.  That same thought is now applied to April 20th, a day that some set aside for special 'observance'. 

I don't claim to know anything material about this topic but I did read some interesting things from the Office of National Drug Control Policy ...

- The average potency of marijuana has more than doubled since 1998
Are you kidding me?  How is that possible?  I mean, how is that scientifically possible?

- The use of marijuana can produce adverse physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral effects.
Uh.  Hm.  Moving on.

- According to a 2004 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of state and federal prisoners, approximately 12.7% of state prisoners and 12.4% of federal prisoners were serving time for a marijuana-related offense.
This is absurd.  I'm not saying we should legalize the stuff but with all the stories of violent offenders being let back out in the street because of over-crowding, we're filling the cells with "dudes"?

So I don't know why I thought of this but I suddenly imagined a Charlie Brown Special for April 20th.  Can't you see the kids at the end all yelling, "IT'S 4/20 CHARLIE BROWN!!!"?  Actually, I think that probably has something to do with the whole Great Pumpkin story!

Dr. T, Parenting expert - Part 3

OK.  So you're asking, "Dr. T, what is the big deal?  Sometimes the little bugger is persistent and in a moment of weakness, I give in."

Well, you're making life tougher on yourself.  Because while kids will always try to get their way to an extent, the more of an opening you leave there, the harder it will be to stay firm.

When Little JR is six, you'll try to put your foot down.  And he'll start crying.  And he's older now, and smarter.  And he has some weapons at his disposal and if he picks the right one, (he's learned) he will eventually win out.

Dr. T, Parenting expert - Part 2

What is the biggest mistake parents are making?  Remember, I'm only talking about 10 and under here but I think there's a wide application.  It is something so fundamentally EASY to see in others and yet even the best folks are out there messing it up at times.  Based PURELY on observation, fixing this issue (which is a lot harder to do than starting off right) will make everyone's life easier.

Picture a mountaintop.  /\  Imagine a pebble falling straight down on top of the mountain.  One inch to the left - one millimeter to the left, will mean that that pebble will end up at the bottom of the hill on the left.  One inch to the right and the pebble will end up at the bottom on the right.  That is the metaphor I think of when I think of this particular issue because the difference between right and wrong can be microscopic but the results are FAR, FAR apart.  Indeed this is why it is so surprising when parents who are so very similar in their approach but they differ on small things, end up with far different patterns of behavior.

Letter from Steve Brown

Here is the letter I received from Steve Brown.  The ENTIRE letter.

If you can help us financially, this would be a good time...I mean, a really good time.

If you can't.  Pray.

And, if for no other reason than the fact that this is the shortest fund raising letter you've ever received, your gift should be generous and will be appreciated big.

Not only is the guy really funny, but the thing I like most about him is his authenticity.  Most Christians understand on some level that all the people they see aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.  Most Christians realize that everyone has really tough stuff in their lives.  But Steve says it.  He calls you out.  He knows you're messed up because he's messed up but he understands people on such a profound level, it is refreshing to hear such bald honesty.

Check him out.  http://www.keylife.org/

Fun With Google Instant

Here's a fun little exercise.  But first you have to go to google and make sure instant search is turned on.  Think of it like someone is finishing your thoughts for you.  For example, I typed:

americans are

The different sites that google is guessing I want to see (based on relevance and poplularity, I suppose) were as follows:

Americans say mideast democratic reform good for US
Americans are not stupid
The 400 Richest Americans Are Now Richer Than the Bottom 50 Percent Combined
Why Americans are Fat
Americans are the most attractive people in the world, poll finds
Most Americans are Moderates (btw this is absolutely true)
Why Americans are more religious than Europeans

Dr. T, Parenting expert - Part 1

Save your breath because I know what you're thinking.  How can someone with a 9 year old and a 7 year old know much about parenting?  Well, I really don't, but I do have some strong opinions.  And I'm sure once I have teenagers, the wheels will come off.  But, there are a couple things I have a knack for and I seem to understand at a fundamental level.  I admit, I may come back one day and we can all laugh at how wrong I was.  But, I actually spend a good deal of time thinking about it, especially when I see some of these parents and their tragic mistakes.  Isn't it always easier to see the mistakes of others?

Nevertheless, I am a very intuitive thinker and when I have a strongly intuitive thought, I go with it.  It usually serves me very well.  Just so you know the real me, I can discuss such topics with you if you like but in the interest of full disclosure, you should know that I am firmly convinced that I am right and that time will ultimately prove it to everyone's satisfaction!  :)

Favorite Holes at Augusta

Alas, I have never played the course.  I only know a handful of people who have.  But I've been several times and every April, stay glued to the TV.  The back 9, with its risk/reward par 5s and par 3s that can turn an aggresive attempt at 2 into a 4 or worse, is the most exciting theatre in golf.  I recently read that Bobby Jones held to the philosophy that every par 5 should be reachable by the very best players.  That is evident at Augusta as I believe it is the par 5s that really separate this course from most all other courses.  A player can find himself (think Nicklaus in 86) 3 or 4 back from his playing partner and after playing 13-17, make up 5-6 strokes!  (Yesterday's winner finished with 4 straight birdies)

Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of walking these hallowed grounds gets a sense of the legendary architecture and is sure to find some holes that earn a soft spot in your heart.  So, here is a list of my favorites, hoping to one day report on the favorites to play!

Masters Predictions

Warm weather is predicted for the tournament this week but I'm guessing the players will be more concerned with what the wind decides to do.  As in most years, I think Saturday will set the players up to contend.  Go low early and hope your knees don't buckle on Sunday.  Possible rain on Saturday could slow things down and to me, I'm thinking scores will be low.  My prediction?  To get the green jacket this year will require lots of birdies.  11 under wins it.

In short, 3-time Champ Phil Mickelson has the upper hand.  It is simply not necessary to keep the ball in the fairway at Augusta, favoring the long hitters.  He is on record in saying he plans to get after it with the driver, keeping two in his bag for the tournament and nothing more than a 4 iron.  It is Phil's tournament to win as long as the putter holds up.

TC and Sport

Ah, friends!  Heather and I had dinner last night with two of our closest dearest friends.  No, really.  This is exactly how I mean to describe them.  Close and dear.  How do I explain ...

- Do you have any friends that when you see them, you simply can't get words out fast enough?  You want to know what's happening in their lives so badly because you MUST be a part of the very latest?  And they simply MUST know right away every important detail in your life?


- Do you have any friends that when you walk in their house, you feel like it is an extension of your own home?  They welcome you ... quite ... like family.  They listen about your children ... quite ... like those children are their children?  You want to know every particular detail

Something We Can All Agree On (I think)

I think we can all agree on the beauty and significance of the word, GRACE.  As I mentioned earlier, I like finding common ground and I particularly like it when we have something for Christians and non-Christians that unites rather than divides.  Perhaps when Christians see that this concept is far-reaching and can mean something beyond the meaning found in a Biblical / Christian context, communication is improved and relationships are broadened.  Likewise, a non-Christian who connects the dots somewhat, (without necessarily 'buying in') can see a concept stripped of its political / theological context and appreciate the Christian ideal, if taking issue with the application.

Let grace marinate for a moment.  Let it bounce around up there in your brain.  What does it connote for you?  I know I am part of the Christian sub-culture and certainly call myself a Christ-follower,

Not Sure What Made Me Think of This

but I laughed to myself and decided to post it!

Sometimes There's a Simple Answer

I listen to a lot of Sportstalk.  A LOT of Sportstalk.  I usually start the day with 790 the Zone and drive home listening to my friend Buck and his partner, Kincade.  I can't listen often but I also enjoy Chuck and Chernoff on 680 in the afternoon.

One of the questions that is consistently asked has to do with the ATL and its lack of passion for professional sports.  The answer is multi-faceted but also simple and straightforward.

I bring this up because it is a weird time of year.  College basketball is winding down and the Final Four is established and will be played out this weekend.  As a sports fan, I'd have to say that once UGA

So What's With the Title?

I tried lots of different titles and this was the one that wasn't taken.  I really wanted to call it 'Whatnot' because I know me and I know that I can't stay on one topic for very long.  I'm a 'generalist', which I have contended, gets me nowhere!  So, I tried "meandering".  That was also reserved.  I'm a dude and I hope to meander so that's the best I could do.  Speaking of general thoughts, my friend Juice recently shared the following article which I found thought-provoking.  http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2011/03/wendell-berrys-new-urbanism-agrarian-remedies-urban-prospects/

And any way, "life is not whatnot."

Pretend I'm a Columnist

Just pretend I'm a columnist with a readership of 1.  That's how I'd like to start.  Like I'm Lewis Grizzard and my editor says, "You're so talented, just write about whatever you want."  I'm not sure that ever happened to him but I do remember he sometimes wrote about UGA football (check).  Sometimes he wrote about his dog (check).  Sometimes, he'd write about church (check).  And sometimes, he'd write about what it means to be a son of the South and trying to understand what that means.

Like Lewis, I grew up in Georgia.  Tucker, Georgia, to be exact.  That was 'metro Atlanta' then and metro Atlanta consisted of 5 counties then.  The metro area is now something like 30 counties.  And the culture is definitely different.  Often I'll visit Nashville or Birmingham and say to myself or to whoever is listening, "This reminds me of how Atlanta was when I was a kid."  It was a regional city.  A