Sounding Off, Again

As if it weren't enough that we are fighting an unwinnable war in Afghanistan, now we are virtually declaring war on Muslims in this country.  All they are trying to do is to build a mosque in NYC.  It is not on ground zero, as claimed, but on the spot once occupied by a Burlington Factory coat store.  And it is not even a mosque, but a cultural center.  And why is there no indignation that Muslims are praying at the Pentagon, which was also attacked on 9/11?

There should never have been such a discussion as this.  Some kind of memorial to the many world citizens who lost their lives in the World Trade Center attack should have been dedicated years ago.  It is shame on someone that this has not happened.  This is what the outcry should be about.

My church, in the little town where I grew up, has a cultural center.  It is called Luther Center.  No one, as far as I know, even blinked an eye when it was built as a gathering place and education center for the Lutherans.  Probably everyone in the town, and then some, has been inside that cultural center -- to play basketball, shop at a holiday bazaar or bake sale, or any number of other events that take place there.  I bring this up to remind us that cultural centers are not places of evil.

Frank Rich, an Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, makes a case that the virulent opposition to a mosque on this site in NYC will only hurt our chances of getting the citizens of Afghanistan to see that we are right in our fight against terrorism in their country.  Of course, he's right.

And what about this thing called the United States Constitution?  Doesn't the First Amendment guarantee something called freedom of religion?

Marcia Ball at the Beachland

If you ever get a chance to see Marcia Ball live in concert, go.  She plays the piano with such fun and authority, all while bouncing her knee, singing, and working her back up players.  We were lucky enough to see Ms. Ball and her band at the Beachland Ballroom in the Collinwood area of Cleveland on Thursday, and it was wonderful.  I don't think she stopped playing for longer than 30 seconds, and she performed for two hours.  The musicians behind her are excellent, proving that to be the best you have to surround yourself with the best.  All four members of her group seemed to be having a great time, as did Marcia herself.

This was the second time in as many years that we were in attendance ("attendance" is definitely the right word) to see her perform.  Her music is a blend of blues, rock, and cajon, as near as I can tell.  Listening to her latest album, "Peace. Love and BBQ," it is easy to see why she has been nominated four times for an Emmy, but hard to understand shy she hasn't won.

As you can see, I am putting a link on this site to Marcia Ball's blog, Ball Bearings.  I hope you check it out.

Book of conversations between Andrew Young and his godson

I have just finished reading the book Walk in my Shoes: Conversations Between a Civil Right Legend and His Godson on the Journey Ahead by Andrew Young and Kabir Sehgal.  It was very easy to read, but deceptively hard to understand.  One piece of advice that Mr. Young repeatedly gives to his godson is to be a contrarian.  Also, that you can always learn something from anyone, even if you disagree with him.  I am going to try to keep these two thoughts in mind.

Facebook

To all my Facebook friends, I apologize.  It is absolutely necessary that I close my Facebook account.  You see, I spend too much time just reading all the posts everyone puts up; even spending time only once a week, it takes at least two or three hours to catch up with everyone.  This is time that I have decided could be better spent elsewhere.

This is in no way a criticism of those who use and love Facebook.  It is simply a comment, and a sad one at that, on my inability to stay focused on one task -- my writing.  When I sit at the computer, I find myself doing everything else except what I should be doing.  I surf, I email, I look at my Facebook page, and I shop.  But I need to write, so I am trying to cut out these other distractions.  Believe me, it is a hard thing to do.

I don't want to lose touch with everyone, or anyone, again; but I think you all have my email address, or can get it or my phone number easily.  Please stay in touch.

Cleveland Sports Fan

It is difficult to be a sports fan in Cleveland.  If you want the home team to win, you will be disappointed more often than not.  If you like the Yankees or the Steelers or another out of town team, you will be harassed by everyone you know, and then some.

First, a word about the Cavaliers and LeBron James:  I hated to see LeBron leave Cleveland, and I think he did it in a repugnant and presumptuous way.  But I cannot blame him entirely.  If the Cavs owners and coaches, who had the luxury of having arguably the best player in basketball today on their team, could not put together a championship team, then shame on them.  That is not LeBron's fault.  And I for one cannot blame him for wanting to go where he has a chance of winning it all.

The Browns:  I will reserve any comment I have on them until the season gets underway.  Right now I am in the optimistic mood that usually precedes a losing season; but I can always hope.

Again this year, the Indians have broken my heart.  I have been an Indians fan as long as I can remember, even getting straight As in grade school so I could win tickets to games.  When the Indians were still playing at Municipal Stadium and were not very good, Den  and I would frequently decide at the last minute to go to a game.  Once we got to the stadium, we had adequate parking and our choice of almost any seat in the place.  We knew they probably were going to lose, but what the heck.  They were our Indians.

Now, it seems to me, the head honchos of the Indians have made a conscious decision to dismantle the team, put them in last place in their division (and maybe in all of baseball), and see what happens.  Is this a real life "Major League"?  Little by little, they have traded away the best pitchers in baseball -- two Cy Young Award winners in two years -- Sabathia and Lee -- and now Jake Westbrook.  When I heard about this last trade, my heart sank and I didn't think I wanted to listen to or see an Indians game ever again.  Not that Westbrook was going to win the Cy Young this year, but he was a good pitcher, the best on the team this year, unless you count Mitch Talbot.  And he was a team leader.  I have come to believe my reaction was to the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, me being the camel.

 For two days, I couldn't listen the the games, and I didn't care much who won.  But in the end, I am an Indians fan and always will be.  I know I will listen to the game tonight, and root for my team.  And even if they lose, there's always next year.

How Vacations have Changed

We just returned from a short, six-day vacation.   Years ago, well, not really that long ago, the success of a vacation was measured by how many books I was able to read.  How times have changed.  This last trip saw not even one book finished, and we were gone from Thursday to Tuesday.  Why the difference?  Was the book I was reading so boring that I just couldn't get through it?

Not at all. It was a very good book, interesting and not hard to read.  What has changed is me.  For one thing, my eyes are not what they should be, or used to be.  I cannot stare at a page of words for hours on end anymore; I need a break every 30 or 40 minutes.  Also, I have decided that Den needs me to talk to him to keep him alert as he drives; though, if you ask him, he will say it is not at all necessary.

Maybe the most important difference is that I have finally developed the ability to just let my mind go.   I can enjoy the scenery passing by the car's windows; or I can close my eyes, just for a few seconds.  When I do those things, it is amazing what happens in my head.  Sometimes, my thoughts go nowhere, or I may not even think coherently.  Other times, the wonderful world outside the car makes questions and observations just appear; things that I can share with Den.  But the biggest change of all is that I don't have to always be doing something, even if that something is reading.

Reunion

One of my high school classmates is coming into town in June to visit.  He has said that he would like to get together with as many classmates as can be rounded up in one place and at one time, so we are having a luncheon for him.  I know that I will end up going, although I will be uncomfortable.  It will be the same thing as high school -- everyone else will be so self assured and confident of doing the right things, of acting the right way, of saying the right words.  Then there will be me.  I never knew exactly what to say or how to act when we were in school a hundred years ago, and I know I will revert to that person all these years later.  Or maybe I still am that person.  I am afraid that I will sit by myself and not say much at all, and everyone will realize that I am as dull as ever.

 I also know it is important to keep in touch with people from your youth, but I'm not sure why. Maybe because they know you best -- scary thought.  Or maybe it's because they don't know you at all, and you want to prove that you have actually been successful in life, even if no one thought it would be possible.  Wouldn't that be the puzzle:  how could I, who is so dull and boring, have been fairly successful in my career?  How could I have had a career at all?

But I am going, and that is that.  I will get to see two or three people that I haven't seen for years; I hope I recognize them.  And, against all odds, I could even end up having a nice time.