Forgiveness

Just preparing for the visual side of ross’ message on forgiveness. Once again, I slip gently into a reflective mood…

It aint easy to forgive…ironically ( a reference to last week’s message), it’s easier to hold a grudge. But I’m gonna jump the gun on Sunday, and start for givin now. Here is my list of people I want to forgive…

-NBC, for cancelling Star Trek in 1969.
-Dad, for making me tell my high school Coach I wanted in…not something coaches want to hear in the middle of a game.
-Denny’s, for doing away with free birthday dinners.
-JK Rowling, for turning my wife into an even more obsessive reader.
-Jamey, for making me read books that don’t include the phrases “Beam me up,”, or ‘Good grief, Charlie Brown.”
-Bill Clinton, for…well, you know! Someone’s got to forgive him!
-Jerry, my dog, for eating a turkey sandwich I made (I’ve been holding that grudge for 4 years).

You know, this list just goes on and on. Let’s just say, if you’re reading this and you “jacked” me up in some way…I forgive you!

Except, I may take that NBC one back…it still hurts.

What Is This World Coming To?

You know…

I can take increased gas prices. The ever widening gap between political parties is something i can live with. Almost every sports team I follow stinks to the highest reaches of heaven (pardon the expression), and I’m okay with that.

But now, it’s gone too far.

I just read this headline:FDA: Castleberry’s, Austex and Kroger Brands Chili Sauces Linked to Paralyzing Botulism.

Now they’ve screwed with something I love…the delicious canned chili sauces I use to cover a naked, vulnerable hot dog. First it was saccharin causes cancer, now this! Must everything I love try to kill me? I mean, if it was a virus that would just give me the flu, I could handle that. Or one that produced a nervous twitch, yes. But paralyzing botulism?

Well, now wait a minute…is paralyzing all that bad? And what’s a little botulism amongst friends?

Pass the can opener and nuke the dogs…I’m goin’ in!

Another Life Lesson

Why is it that when something doesn’t go your way, people (usually our fathers), tell us that it builds character? Why do all the things that suck build character?

For once, I’d like to win a million dollars, and have my dad come up to me and say, “Way to go, Son. That’s gonna build character!” Or have Publishers Clearinghouse knock on my door and say,”Mr. Whigham, we have a check for 100,000 character-building dollars for you!”

I just completed a 4 week script writing contest as some of you know. It was pretty grueling! Alot of late nights, alot of sweating out the final minutes before the weekly finalists were announced. Hard work!And today, the final 5 finalists were announced…I was not one of them.

At the moment of truth, I heard my dad standing over my shoulder saying, “Way to build character, Son!”

Now, it wasn’t all bad. It did help me to rekindle a dream, and i did meet some great people during the event (I hope we stay in touch!). But after 41 years, I would like to build character by winning something!

I would like to see if I could keep from becoming a jerk if I won a million bucks. I would like to see if I could handle fame and or fortune. I’d like to see how I could handle a posse, entourage and groupies…

Oh well…right now, I guess, I’m happy to have a posse of one…my wife. By the way…where is she? I haven’t seen her for about four weeks?

Apologies, then biz as usual…

I must apologize. It has been over a week since I last made an entry. While some may find that appealing, I find it appalling. I am sorry, and I am now back on schedule.

Alot has happened in the news since my last entry. The steroid related murder suicide of a wrestler and his family. The NCAA smackdown of a major football program (sorry Ross). The 10,000th loss of a MLB team (sorry Ross…again). The DOW hitting 14,000 for the frst time ever (yeah Capitalism!).

All I know is this. During a week that had so much happening, so many different things in the news…a week when I had questions that needed to be answered… I was reminded of something that we all forget on a daily basis: The opportunity to spread the word can be found in the most unlikely places. I won’t go into detail…I don’t want to embarass the person…but just remember this: When you least expect it, an opportunity will arise to let someone know why they are on this planet, and that they are loved.

To quote Ralph Waldo Emmerson:

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…to leave the world a better place…to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

I know. A little serious for Whigham. Deal with it.

It’ll Come Back…

In high school, one of my favorite people was our football coach/health teacher, Coach Spoerl. Coach would wear ties that were wider than his body (remember, this was the early 80’s). His reply to our muffled laughs was always the same: “I bought my ties in the 50’s, and every 8 or 9 years they keep comin’ back in style. Never throw anything away…they always come back.”

I generally don’t get rid of clothes. I’d like to say it’s due to Coach’s sage advice…however, I’m sure it’s do more to my cheapness. There are many times when my entire outfit on any given day was bought for $20 or less…including shoes! (Much to the chagrin of Jamey).

Flash forward 25 years. I’m sitting in a movie theater yesterday, watching the new movie Transformers. It was cool! Action, things gettin’ blowed up, pretty women, and some laughs. it had it all! Then, as if i was in the flashback sequence of a Kung Fu episode, I heard my menor from the past say, “Don’t throw things away…they always come back!”

Man! He was right! I was watching Transformer shows 25 years ago! All things do go round! That this movie is as popular as it is tells me several things: 1) People love retro, 2) I grew up in the coolest era in history, 3) Cars that turn into robots and destroy stuff are awesome!

There is one drawback to everything coming back: Three’s Company The Movie.

Happy 4th!

Happy July 4th!

I would just like for everyone, on this day, to think about how cool it is to live in this country. And, don’t forget to thank the men and women for our freedom…the soldiers and vets!

Capitalism Rules!

I love Capitalism!

There. I said it. I believe that anyone should be able to make as much money as they possibly can (as long as it’s not made in an ill-gotten fashion). I love money! Ithink it’s a cool thing to have…in fact, to quote Zig Zigler, “Money ain’t everything, but it’s right up there with oxygen!”

My only problem…I ain’t got none!

But that’s okay. We’re in America, and I believe anyone in this nation can overcome any obstacle. It’s the greatest nation in the world!

Why this topic? Well, I just saw a headline that said Bill Gates has just been knocked out of first place on the world’s richest person list. And guess what? I felt sorry for him. Yes, you heard right. He has my pity.

Bill’s (and I think I can call him Bill) estimated worth is only $59 billion dolloars. The new 1st place winner is at $67 billion. My initial reaction is: What can I do to help Bill get back in 1st?

Why the fervor for Bill’s title? The new guy is not American. I guess my strong national pride wants us to have the richest dude! Is that weird? We’re #1!

Maybe if I go out and buy the update for Windows might help put Bill back on top. But, that takes me back to my originial issue with money…I ain’t got none!

Why…?

As I compete furiously for a Star Trek-based contest, one glaring question pops into my head: Why does liking Star Trek make me a nerd?

For as long as I can remember, I could carry on a normal conversation with someone, including the ladies, and be somewhat captivating. Then, if I would let out with a reference to the greatest television show ever…Star Trek…the same thing would always happen: The other person would give a subtle eye roll, a slight smirk, and claim that they just remembered they had something else they had to do. This was okay…except for the times I was in the middle of a date!

Why can you be a Patriots or Yankees fan, a fan of any of the new Pop music stars, a fan of a great historical figure, or a fan of a brand of ice cream….and never be considered a social outcast. But, just quote Captain Picard once, or translate one piece of important literature into Klingon, and you are now a social outcast! Why?!?

Well, I need to go. There’s a three day Trekkie marathon starting and my Romulan popcorn is done.