I've changed

I have definitely changed and I'd like to think it's for the better. Here is a photo of me with my friend and teaching colleague, Wendy. We were celebrating the retirement of another colleague in full Hawaiian regalia.

To give full disclosure here... This was during my fat days (and believe me, there were lots and lots of those days). I mainly grew the beard to cover up my double (maybe triple?) chin. I was not a handsome fella in those days. Compare the photo with today's version of a clean-shaven and markedly slimmer yours truly. Can't we all agree I am getting better with age?

***NOTE***

Upon seeing this photo, Abby said the following: "Oh, Daddy! You look TERRIBLE!". I'm inclined to agree with her :-)

This is me

I admit it. This is me right now...

Good Holiday!

My favorite holiday has come and gone. It was a really good day with my family. The most amusing part of the day was Sveta and Elliott's less-than-enthusiastic attitude toward the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. As you can see in this photo, they are paying absolutely no attention to the television (granted there is a commercial on, but apparently they weren't paying attention to the parade either). They are both completely captivated by an electronic device of some kind. My how times have changed. Watching the parade used to be one of the highlights of the day. Now the parade can't compete with iPads, iPods, iPhones and ieverything else.

I have also included one of the highlights of Elliott's day. He loves firetrucks, police cars and heavy machinery of all kinds. His daddy took him to see a bulldozer Thanksgiving morning while the girls got all prettied up at home.

Feeling ill

I think I might be getting sick. Better head to the store for some medicine...

Fitness Plan

After being on a diet the last 7 months, I decided to add a fitness plan to my routine. The fitness plan started on Thanksgiving Day and continued today.

Seasons Beatings!

Seasons Beatings! It's Black Friday!

I won't drone on and on about the insanity of getting in line in the middle of the night to shop for doorbuster sales and the COMPLETE INSANITY this reaches on so many different levels. The news is chock full of stories about crowds getting into fights and mob scenes getting out of control in order to save a few bucks on a flat screen TV. This country has lost its mind and I say shame on retailers for letting things get to this point. Complete Chaos! Utter insanity! Total depravity! Ignorance to the fullest! Stupidity reigning supreme!

Black Friday has become a black eye to this nation. So sad!

Look no further than this headline from Fox News...

Black-eye Friday: Mall brawls break out as shoppers seek the best deals

The Day After

The day after Thanksgiving. Enjoy the thoughts of these kids on Thanksgiving. Pretty amusing!

Happy Thanksgiving Part 3

And on a serious note---

This day deserves its due. This day is about thanking God for his provision. Thanking God for his boundless blessings he bestows upon us every day. His mercies, grace, faithfulness and love have no end. Let us all be thankful and remember what this day is really for. Turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie are fine, but remember our Creator today. For surely without him, we would not be.

I am thankful today.

Happy Thanksgiving Part 2

Of course no Thanksgiving would be complete without this timeless classic. Easily in the top 10 funniest moments in television history. "As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly".

Happy Thanksgiving Part 1

To all you dedicated people out there cooking for the rest of us... this one's for you!

Thanksgiving eve

Thanksgiving is only one day away. I would totally wear this. I am not kidding. If I could somehow get my hands on it without having to buy it, I would absolutely, 100% wear it.

10 Years

Here's a little tidbit that nobody will be interested in...

10 years ago today we moved into our house in Hidden Valley Lake. I cannot believe it has been that long. I remember Finneytown fondly, but we sure do love it here in The Valley!

The Tool Man

Can't wait to see this little guy on Thursday.

Elliott "The Tool Man" Morton.

Pretty pumped to see his big sister too!

Fill 'er up!

Talk about a blast from the past!

Gas at the Lawrenceburg Kroger is $1.73 a gallon. On top of that we had a 90 cent discount with our Kroger Plus card. This made our price $0.83 a gallon. Tami and I filled our tanks today for a grand total of $22. That's 26 gallons of gas for half the price it used to take to fill up just one car. Maybe if this keeps up we can make some headway on our financial situation. With continued belt tightening and lower gas prices, we may be able to do more than just barely keep our head above water.

It's dark!

Yet another delightful aspect of this time of year...

Oh the joy of it all!

Same Old, Same Old

Same old Bungles, same old Bungles.

(Sorry, Mom. You are NOT going to like this post).

The Bengals 8-0 start is now nothing but a distant memory and more than that, it was an aberration. The Bengals have come back to earth with a deafening thud. I'm not down on them because they are getting beaten. That's going to happen to all NFL teams (unless you happen to be the Patriots). I'm down on them because the same thing is sinking them that has sunk them since year one of the Marvin Lewis coaching regime. I'm referring to stupid penalties and lack of halftime adjustments.I'm not talking about your run of the mill penalties. Those happen to every team. I'm talking about personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Those penalties are a result of a lack of discipline and that starts with the coach. Marvin talks every week in his press conference about eliminating mistakes... but they never do. Same old, same old. Halftime adjustments (or lack thereof) have always been a problem for Marvin too. For some reason, the Bengals always seem to hold their own in the first half and come out in the second half and get outplayed every time. Look no further than tonight's game. The Bengals held the Cardinals to 7 points in the first half. Then the Cardinals came out in the second half and scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. Same old, same old.

The first half of the season was fun. There's no doubt about it. However, the honeymoon is over now. The hard road is here and also lies ahead. I'm not confident enough in Marvin Lewis' ability as a coach to think that he will right the ship. I'm not saying the bengals will lose the rest of their games. They won't. I'm not even saying the Bengals won't win the division. They will. I'm saying this team is not disciplined enough and does not have a head coach that is competent enough to take them to the level of the NFL elite. They are a good team, but they are not a great team.

Same old, same old!

Phones

The people of the younger generation are basically married to their electronic devices. No matter where you go, kids are glued to their iPhones. It has really gotten to the point of ridiculousness.

Chairs

I always see photos on the internet where people say, "I'd like to know what's going on in this photo..."

This is one that falls into that category.

Tami loves chairs. I think she'd have a field day here. But seriously... What's up with all the chairs? And why pitch them all into an empty space like this. There must be a logical explanation. I'd love to hear it.

The Countdown

I had a busy day today. Therefore, this comic is the best I can offer tonight.

With all the hullabaloo surrounding the upcoming release of the new Star Wars movie, and the impending Christmas holiday on a collision course, I thought this was appropriate.

Pure Evil

In regard to recent events, it seems ISIS is indeed NOT contained (contrary to what Mr. Obama claims). I don't see a weakening of the terror organization. In fact, they appear to be strengthening and growing in numbers. I mentioned in previous posts that trying to talk to these people is pointless. They don't want peace with the Western World, they want to annihilate it. They will stop short of nothing less.

There are many versions of the following quote and I'm not sure who's responsible for this particular one. No matter who said it, it's darned appropriate and spot on.

I miss you!

I haven't seen my grandkids in nearly a month and my heart is aching to see them. I'll have to wait another week until I see them on Thanksgiving. Until then, this photo of them in their new jammies will have to do:

Finally!

Finally! A mannequin for we middle aged guys. No more unrealistic expectations... this one is true to life.

I can hear my own thoughts at the mall right now. "I wonder how that shirt would look on me? Oh... like that. Looks good to me."

All for nothing...

Well, that was a stinker! I should have gone to bed. I can't believe I stayed up late to watch that garbage. Same old Bungles. Too many stupid penalties. No halftime adjustments. And hey, Marvin Lewis. Yeah, you. Head coach. Here's a novel idea... WHY DON'T YOU TRY THROWING THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD! Obviously the little dink and dunk passes were getting you nowhere. Perhaps trying something different would have helped?????? And while we're on the subject, Coach Lewis. Did you ever think of rolling out your QB to avoid pressure up the middle and to buy him more time? No? Maybe you ought to try it out sometime. Thanks for another Monday Night Debacle. You are not a big time coach, Mr. Lewis. I know, I know. You can't catch the ball for Tyler Eifert. I get it, but your poor coaching in this game cost your team way more than Eifert's drops. I am looking forward to finishing 12-4 and losing in the first round of the playoffs again. That's your M.O., right? Well, thanks again for nothing, Marv.

Thank you, channel 5

In a belt tightening move, the Meyer family dumped cable/satellite TV many months ago. 99% of the time I don't miss it at all. The only time I miss it is on nights like tonight. Nights when the Bengals play on Monday Night Football on ESPN. For many weeks I had resigned myself to following tonight's game on the internet or possibly catching snippets on the radio. Going out to a sports bar was out of the question (it is a school night after all). Then last night I saw an advertisement for the Bengals pre-game show on Channel 5. My first reaction was, "Oh great! I can taste the appetizer, but I will be deprived of the entree". But further into the advertisement, it was revealed the game will be shown locally on Channel 5. Glory be! Thank you, Channel 5! Now we rebels who don't have cable TV can see the game too. Looking forward to a big Who-Dey tonight!

Wine

I like wine... a lot. I am especially fond of sweet and semi-sweet wines. Tami and I don't drink it much anymore because it really bothers her stomach. That's the price of getting older, I guess. I also like making different crafts with wine corks. I will never drink enough wine to make the project below, but I still thought it was cool anyway.

The Morning After

The sun came up on a shocked and horrified Paris, France today. The stories of horror and terror are pouring out of the French capital faster than news outlets can report them. The current death toll is 127, but I can't imagine that number won't be rising throughout the weekend. French President Francois Hollande has declared this an "act of war". As expected, ISIS has claimed responsibility for these atrocities. As I mentioned last night, these animals need to be dealt with swiftly and harshly (although I doubt they will be). The terrorists have only one goal in mind and they will not stop until they achieve it. That goal is to completely obliterate western civilization... to wipe from the face of the earth all freedom loving nations. There is only one solution to this problem. I'll give you a hint. The solution does not involve sitting at a table and talking with these people. They are not interested in negotiating or compromise. The solution is elimination. It's sounds barbaric, but when dealing with barbarians, there really is no other way. The soft stance hasn't worked. It's time to get tough. Where's Ronald Reagan when you need him?

A sad night

I came home this evening to the sad news of the coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris, France. Terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda are becoming more bold and their attacks are becoming more frequent. Just last week a passenger jet was bombed out of the sky in Egypt. Tonight Paris is in a state of emergency and chaos reigns supreme. Unfortunately our nation's soft stance on terrorism is allowing these animals to inflict fear on a large portion of the free world. Until we get tough and bomb them into the stone age, these attacks will only continue and will only get worse. Wake up, America! These people have no interest in civil talks. They have no interest in compromise. They only want to inflict death on the infidels. Dialogue? I think not. It's time to fight fire with fire.

Home Alone

Yeah, I'm feeling old today. 25 years ago the movie "Home Alone" came out. Who among us hasn't seen this holiday classic? I was dating Tami at the time and we took Jessi to see it. Jessi was six years old at the time. She's 31 today. Wow! I was only 23 when this movie was released. So yeah, I'm feeling like an old guy today.

Veterans Day Part II

And this is another reason to love and support Chick-fil-A.

Not only do they give a free meal to veterans on Veterans Day (in fairness, lots of other restaurants do too), but they offer this "Missing Man Table" as a tribute to the fallen soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Well done, Chick-fil-A! Well done!

“This table is reserved to honor our missing comrades in arms. The tablecloth is white — symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call of duty. The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing and their loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep the faith, awaiting answers. The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to account for our missing. A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers. The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God. The glass is inverted — to symbolize their inability to share this evening’s toast. The chair is empty — they are missing.”

Veterans Day

I am off work today. I am sitting in my easy chair, drinking coffee after a good night's sleep in a comfortable bed. I'm in a nice house, looking out the window at a beautiful, foggy, autumn morning. It would be so easy to sit here and give myself credit for working hard and earning this relaxing morning. However, that's not where my mind is. My mind is on those who selflessly served this nation in the armed forces and fought (and continue to fight) for the freedoms we enjoy. My mind is on our veterans today. Thank you to all veterans today. I salute you and thank you for your service to this great nation.

Above all, I thank God this morning. He continues to bless this nation (even if it feels like its going down the dumper sometimes). Today I give thanks to the veterans, but all the glory to God.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Old Music

Back in my day, music was good because it sounded good. Period. Nowadays music is popular not necessarily because of its quality, but more because the "artist" is good looking and/or built. Seen any fat and ugly music stars lately? Nope. I didn't think so. Think Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Brittany Spears and all those hunky boy bands. As far as the looks of those back in the day... Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, Meatloaf, Aretha Franklin, ZZ Top, Tina Turner etc... not exactly an all-star lineup of lookers, huh? You get my drift, right? Years ago it was all about talent. Today it's more about being "hot" and computers covering up the lack of talent.

And this...

Home field advantage! Home sweet home! Home swee... Wait... what?

Stories of immense stupidity amuse me way more than they should.

Here's the story:

Major League Baseball is a multi-billion dollar industry, right? Please explain to me how this can happen? The Washington Nationals released their 2016 team calendar today. The cover photo features a beautiful photo of Fenway Park. What's the problem with that? Well, Fenway Park happens to be in BOSTON. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. The Washington Nationals put out a calendar promoting the home stadium of the Boston Red Sox. Didn't anybody think to check over the photos to be printed in the calendar before sending them to thousands of fans and hundreds of retail outlets? Where in the world has common sense and basic literacy gone? Sheesh! How embarrassing!

Here's the photo in question. Don't you think Fenway Park's most famous feature would be a tip off? The Green Monster (Left Field Wall) is clearly visible, albeit draped in a a huge flag. C'mon people! Even a casual baseball fan would notice this glaring error.

Am I gone?

I love stuff like this...

I'm no preacher

I preached a sermon today. On the surface, that sounds pretty impressive, doesn't it? Well before you get too impressed, let me tell you that I only preached to about a dozen people and most them either couldn't see or couldn't hear (and a few could do neither). Yeah, you guessed it. I didn't preach to a church full of people. I preached in a tiny chapel at the Western Hills Retirement Center. There weren't many in the room under the age of 80 and they were probably wondering what a young whippersnapper like me could possibly teach them. And they'd be right. I'm no preacher, but I did the best job I know how. I won't win any awards for eloquence or for biblical knowledge, but I did deliver a short meaningful sermon to people who otherwise can't get out to go to church. Hopefully my message and Tami's leading in the singing of hymns was a blessing to these people.

The busy-ness of life

I'm sure you've noticed how short some of my posts have been lately. This is not an indication of a lost interest in blogging. It's a direct result of how busy I've been lately. It has always been said if you want to know what's on my mind, just read my blog. Now we can add to that list. If you want to know how busy I am, just look at the blog. If you see some nice, long, thoughtful posts, I probably have some spare time on my hands. However, if you see shorter posts (like the ones you've seen lately), then you know I am going through a busy time.

We live in a fast paced world and it's easy to lose interest in something if it's not delivering what you expect. You all have come to expect a certain level of writing on this blog and lately I have not been up to that level. Please stay patient with me. It's not easy to post something wonderful every single day. Some days you may get a funny little quip or cartoon. Other days you may get a longer post if I have something on my mind. I have been blogging every day for 4 years now and sometimes the mojo just isn't there. In those 4 years I have written over 1,700 posts and have over 29,000 page views. I am committed to the blog. The numbers should reflect that. Stick around folks. There are more fun thoughts coming. For example, I have said very little about our beloved Cincinnati Bungles. They have quietly gotten off to the best start in franchise history. They have gone through half their season undefeated (8-0). They WILL lose at some point. Going 16-0 is a virtual impossibility for our normally lovable losers. I also haven't said much about my grandkids lately. The fact is, sadly I haven't seen them in a while. We desperately need to visit our grandkids. We also eagerly await #3 due in late January.

So stay with me everybody. I've been going through a busy time and maybe a little bit of a writing slump. But I'll be back. You can be sure of that.

November

So yeah, I dislike autumn and despise winter. However, there are few good things about November.

Who-Dey!

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days. It has been a very busy time. Now it's Thursday night and I am settling in to watch the Bengals obliterate the Cleveland Browns. Who-Dey!

Back to posting tomorrow. Stay with me, folks!

Indian Summer

We are experiencing Indian Summer right now. Any time you get temperatures in the 70's in November, it's a sweet bonus. At some point in the next few weeks, the weather WILL turn colder and we won't see warmer temperatures for a long, long time. Enjoy these last gasps of warmth. I promise you will be begging for the 70's in a few months.

Winter looms...

Fall Back

Spring forward, fall back. Sunday morning we set our clocks back an hour and we can feel the effects already. It starts getting dark late in the afternoon and is fully dark by early evening. It is SO blasted depressing! I know you know what I'm talking about.

364

Today is one of the best days of the year! 364 days until Halloween! I'm so happy it's over for another year :-)

You know what happens now, right? Visit any store and watch the magical transformation from Halloween to Christmas in less than two minutes. We go from Monster Mash to Jingle Bells in the blink of an eye!

Poor ol' Thanksgiving. One of the best holidays (and my particular favorite) seems to get lost in the rush to start the flow of Christmas revenue for retailers. This is what our nation has come to.