There was something very positive about Saturday morning's White House press announcement featuring Obama, side by side with former presidents' Clinton and Bush, and getting to witness the best political leaders have to offer when politics are put aside, this time in support of Haitian relief. The Clinton/Bush team was first announced a few days ago and I happen to see it on Rachael Maddow's MSNBC's show, where true to her nature she could not pass up the opportunity to harshly disparage and ridicule Bush for past shortcomings. Honestly, its getting harder and harder to listen her and Keith Olbermann and believe they are any different or better than Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly. If you're still looking for a way to be helpful check out www.ClintBushHaitiFund.org.
McQuire..Busted Brother
January 12th 12:22
Baseball matters to me. I can forgive Mark McGuire's steroid use, although his atrocious performance before Congress a few years back was frankly embarrassing. His recent admission was long overdue, but his suggestion that he could have set the record anyway, is ridiculous. It was 34 years before Maris topped Babe Ruth's record of 60 with 61 in 1961.. It was a venerable record of value until two juiced plays, McGuire and Bonds did so in 1998 in 2006. Because of drugs who really cares how many home runs they hit. I remember both McGuire and Bonds lifting their young sons in the air after setting their respective records. Kind of sad, kind of pathetic. Like I said, I can forgive McGuire (and Bonds) but don't think that should have records or that we should care about them if they do. Those who love baseball, love baseball stats, as I do. While I am OK with putting baseball's drug era behind us and moving on, those records should be left behind as well.
Ted Kennedy
August 30th 10:54
I was surprised that Ted Kennedy’s wake and funeral evoked such a strong emotional response within me. Although I grew up in the era of Camelot and have been more in sync than not with the politics of the John, Bobby and Ted, I was not particularly drawn to lionize any of the Kennedys as political icons. But what I got from Ted’s wake and funeral was something entirely different...I got what a good friend he was to so many people in so many small and unheralded ways; I got what a for real incredibly good dad he was, not only for his own brood but for the rest of the all of the family as well; I got that he took the time to do small things for regular folk; and I got that he did not flee from or deny his short comings, but instead through atonement sought redemption. Being a good friend, a good dad, and a man humbled by his shortcoming was even larger for me than being the lion of the senate.
My Friend Susan
June 15th 11:48
I have a young friend named Susan that I am introducing to my small corner of the universe. A couple of years ago at age 30 Susan suffered the most severe level of brain aneurysm (a circumstance so foreign to my life experience that I had to learn to spell it), the kind from which 90% do not survive, and of those who do, 98% are not functional. Susan is amongst the “lucky” 10% who survived and amongst the very lucky 2% of those, who with significant neurological deficits, will lead a robust life and continue to bless the rest of us with her intelligence, grit and charm. Susan amazes me by her aura (yes, a few actually possess such a phenomenon), her optimism, her gratitude, her intellect and her good spirit. She does not indulge self pity in herself and others. Recently, she walked haltingly to the lectern in a large classroom at UCSF medical school and lectured 140 new medical students on recovering from severe neurological injury. No doubt all of those newbie doctors are better informed and will be better doctors for the experience. If you wish to be more informed of the possibilities for recovery from seemingly life shattering injury or you only wish to be inspired, I invite you to visit Susan’s website: http://aneugal.wordpress.com
