Curtains for 2012

This week between Christmas and New Year's Day always has the feel of finality.  Closure and the sense that "stuff" is wrapping up permeates just about everything.  Of course the country being poised to take a major fiscal cliff pratfall  offers an exclamation point to the end of 2012.

Some not so random thoughts as we ring down the curtain on the year…

Why is the greatest country in the world governed by an idiot in the White House and a congress too stupid to deal with the very real fact that we are OUT OF MONEY?  We have mortgaged the future of our children and grandchildren for handouts (sorry, they are NOT entitlements), today.  Our leaders have pandered to our greed in order to purchase their own political future.  It is repugnant,  immoral and unsustainable.  We are all to blame and we must FIX it.

Charles Durning and Jack Klugman exited this vale a couple of days ago.   Both in the pantheon of their profession,  they were extraordinary character actors who also served their country with honor in World War II.  We lose over 1500 veterans of that conflict every single day.  Thankfully we still have their movies.

Charles Durning

Rick Morgan

The Tampa Bay area lost a radio icon on Christmas day.  Rick Morgan, who had been on the air at several stations in Tampa/St. Petersburg died of cancer at 72.  I was lucky enough to work with Rick in 1975 and '76.  He was the afternoon drive jock on WDAE when I did the morning show on that station.  We discovered that we shared Springfield, Illinois as a hometown and were "touched in the head" in that special Midwestern way.  He was always down to clown.  I wish we had been better about staying connected.  Rick also spent time on Kansas City's WHB as "Dick Hudson" and in Washington, D.C. at WRC he was "Bobby McGee".  He is certain to have a prime time slot on that big stick in the sky.

To my surprise, this year we heard from just about everyone we sent a Christmas card.  Nothing puts a smile on my face like seeing who has blimped up since last year.  It helps me rationalize those five--or so--pounds that have hitched a ride around my equator. 

CAN WE STOP WITH THE BOWLS ALREADY??!!

For years there was the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and a couple of others.  I knew things were going to hell when something called The Astro Bluebonnet Bowl started turning up in the TV listings.  It has been downhill ever since.  Now we have college teams that nobody ever heard of playing in bowls with totally moronic names like:  Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, MAACO Bowl, Belk Bowl (sounds like a social disease), Mehneke Car Care Bowl, and my number one favorite…The Beef O'Brady's Bowl.

Note to the NCAA:  Enough!  Stop it!  You've proved your point.  Some fans will watch ANYTHING.

Always between the holidays it's anniversary time at the Copper hacienda.  Forty-four years ago today Linda took on the biggest baby-sitting job of her life.  The woman is a saint.  She still puts up with me but, in fairness, she did get two great daughters out of the deal.  There really IS compensation for everything.

Finally, it was a major treat to spend Christmas at the home of our youngest daughter Katie.  She and her husband, Doug, gave us the best present of all.  We got to spend the day with grandson, Dan.  Seeing Christmas with three year-old eyes is a gift without price.

He got a new scooter.  I'm still tired. 

"Watch me blow this up Grandpa!"