Our Worst Fears Realized

Clara Grace turned 10 Wednesday, and her mother got her a dog for the occasion. This is especially nice since her mom is not even on the same hemisphere with dog lovers. So today was the big day when the new dog arrived. All we knew was that it was a 1 year old tea cup poodle. Now, for years I have indoctrinated the children in naming dogs. My ideal was to have the most harmless, insignificant animal ever placed on the planet by the Lord, and to name it Doom. (Childish I know, but funny none the less.)

So Quent and I have spent the last few days trying to talk Clara Grace a cool name for the animal. Here are a few of our favorites:
Brutus, Maximus (Max for short), and Wolfgang among others. Our favorite name, Quent and I, was to call the dog Frank after Clara Grace's uncle Frank. It was sort of a Pirates of the Caribbean "we named the monkey Jack" kind of thing. We even offered $20 bucks a piece, but she turned down the 40 francs in order to name the dog herself.

Finally, the big moment arrived, Clara Grace brought the dog to my house and introduced him as Pierre. That's right, Pierre - a name that makes even a French man snicker. Oh well, Clara Grace loves him, so we do too. We are happy to welcome (I can't believe I'm saying this) Pierre to the family.

Tivo Worthy Television

I got a Tivo a few months ago, and now I'm looking forward to using it to keep up with the new fall shows. The question I have as a Tivo rookie, is what are the fall shows that folks are thinking are Tivo worthy? Of course UT and Titan's football games goes without saying, and I'm also a big fan of The Bronx is Burning and Mad Men. Any other suggestions?

Another Step Closer

One step closer to Tennessee's 2007 football season is the annual purchasing of the Tennessee media guide. I'm the proud owner of every media guide since 1983.

Gracie Woman Decade

Clara Grace turned 10 today! She loves to laugh and play with Petey. I'm teaching her to be a Beatles expert. Happy birthday Gracie Woman!!

Welcome Home Charlotte!

Katie and Jon have welcomed home their new addition, Charlotte. Congratulations!

Happy Birthday! Rest In Peace

A friend had a birthday today, but it was not the usual celebration. While there were flowers, there were no balloons , candles, or cake. There was music and an impressive crowd, but the birthday girl did not smile once, and did not even get to make a wish. Though there was a little laughter, remembering old times, there were far more tears, and everyone wished that the event was not happening at all. The room was filled with family and friends who wished to be anywhere, but where they were tonight. Worst of all her mother and father did not get to celebrate their daughter's 21st birthday, because instead on that happy day they had to attend her funeral.

I HATE THIS DAMN DISEASE!!

The Walk

Hanson's new cd The Walk came out this week. That's right, Hanson. I took Hannah and a few of her girlfriends to see them at the Ryman Auditorium, and was blown away. I've really only heard one song, Great Divide, which I really like. Hannah's going to let me listen to the rest of the CD tomorrow. Here are some reviews. Indielondon, The Leak Source, Rolling Stone.

Too Sad to be funny

Though there are hundreds of bad jokes bouncing around my head, I just don't have the heart. If nothing else she seemed very strong and resilient.

Wrong on So Many Levels

Uncle Frank decided to let Clara Grace and Carly cut his hair. I knew teaching them to spell was dangerous, but I never imagined the horrors that would ensue.

White by Clara Grace

White
by
Clara Grace Willson

White is a blank surface,
a sea of imagination gives white it's own colors.
White is a story waiting to be made.
White stirs the imagination,
so you could go to a bridge leading to a magical kingdom,
or the underwater city of Atlantis.
White is a soft fluffy cloud,
or a cold clean snow.
White is a beauty white.

A Great day in the woods at The Woods

I went to a Chrysalis gathering today at Wesley Woods. I love being at the Woods. David Leach and crew do a super job. If you have a chance to send your hoodlums there, I highly recommend it.

A Very Quite Tempest

I went to see the Tennessee Stage Company's production of The Tempest. I enjoyed the staging, however, I could hardly hear the actors. I think I'll try a bit later in the summer and see if I can't get a seat closer to the front.

In the words of Michael Silence...

In the words of Michael Silence..
OUCH! Oklahoma.

Goodbye Lady Bird

Lady Bird Johnson has died. She was a Lady indeed.

The Middle Child Blues

It seems like no matter how hard you try sometimes things just happen anyway. Take my son Quent. I thought that being the only boy, and being seven years older than his baby sister, he would somehow escape the stereotypical middle child role. Wrong. Quent often is the silent child, escaping notice, stuck between a superstar, and an angel. But during his Nanny's birthday he was far from silent.

Here he is pictured with his cousin Parker. Quent is the first, and one of only four young men, that are part of my parent's thirteen grandchildren. At seventeen, he's into his ipod, job, Frisbee golf, long boarding (skateboards), and though he doesn't admit it to his dad, girls. The last thing a seventeen year old wants to do is hang out with his "boy cousins" ages 10, 6, and 8 months. But whenever they asked, he answered the call to play. I bet he spent at least 2 hours chasing errant Frisbee throws.

I hope Quent never feels overlooked. I'm very fortunate to have such a fine young man as my son.

Where's Harry?

I've been to three or four movies in the last month, and have yet to see a preview for the latest Harry Potter movie! What's up with that?

Cool Numbers

I've never been much on numerology, but I had a cool 07.07.07. I went to an AA meeting as part of a group of seven and saw a friend pick up her ...wait for it...seven year chip. Pretty cool!

See Rock City

Happy Birthday Nanny!

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday. As a surprise for Nanny (as she is now known) all my brothers and sisters and their children came in as a suprise. As an added suprise her sister Laura flew in from Charlottesville, Virginia. We had her husband, sister, five children, 12 of 13 grandchildren and three dogs. A splended time was had by all. Check out the photos.

Happy Birthday Nanny!

Seven Random Facts

I was tagged by Tish for the Seven Random Facts meme.

The Rules:

• Players start with 7 random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own blog posts with their 7 things as well as these rules.
• You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog.
• Remember to leave a comment for them letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Here facts seven random are.

1. I sleep with a 20 inch box fan mere inches from my bed. I love the white noise.
2. I my favorite dog was Herbie. We got him when I was 8, and he live until I was 20. He was 1/2 Beagle and 1/2 Dachshund. have been recognized by online friends several times while out in public.
3. My favorite movie is Lawrence of Arabia, which my kids hate, and when they were little I would hold over their heads if they were misbehaving. "Keep this up and we'll get to watch Lawrence again."
4. My favorite University of Tennessee football player of all time is Eddie Brown.
   
5. My favorite writer is is a toss up between John Irving, and Tom Wolfe.
6. Reggie White ran over me in high school. I was working as a photographer, and the play went out of bounds, and Reggie went over me.
7. I got to work White House Advance for President Ronald Reagan's trip to Athens and Knoxville, Tennessee in September 24, 1985.

Now I tag Michael, Barry, Doug, Cathy, Sarah, Newscoma, Lane

Bush Devalues Pardons

Yesterday, President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence and Democrats are hopping mad. Often accusing Mr. Bush of being an idiot, they now have firm economic data to support their claim. In letting Mr. Libby off the hook, Mr. Bush didn't collect a single dime. Democratic president Bill Clinton had pardoned as many people (9) as his three predecessors combined (Bush 4, Reagan 1, Carter 4), and made millions of dollars in the process. All his pardonees were democratic operatives, and one, Susan McDougal, will now take the truth of the Clinton's Whitewater involvement with her to the grave. After all that work to turn pardons into a cash cow, George Bush ruined the market in one measly commutation.

In a historical note, Ronald Reagan is credited with the most egregious pardon in US history, pardoning George Steinbrenner.

Chicken Little vs. Diabetes

Hypochondria has long run in my family, and though I don't want to seem immodest, we do it better than most I know. I had an uncle that claimed he suffered from PMS for almost 13 years. So when I went for my annual physical last Monday, I fully expected to have some medical mole hill I could turn into a mountain. Wednesday, I got a call from Dr. Bellingrath's nurse Tammy. "Me Willson, we have your blood tests back. Your cholesterol is a bit high, but nothing that requires medication. Your HDL and LDL levels are (whatever they were I wasn't listening.) and oh yeah, you've got dia...

Now here is where I would normally go into my best Chicken Little impersonation before I even heard the rest of the word. It didn't matter if she said diarrhea or diverticulitis I would have been off to the races with the whole sky is falling routine complete with woe is me, and funeral plans.

What Tammy told me was "you've got diabetes". She also said that Len wanted to see me as soon as was convenient. I was surprised at how calm I was at the time. I didn't even tell anyone for several hours. But by late Wednesday night, the kick in the pancreas had taken effect, and I had to leave work early and get in a meeting.

I saw Len again Friday, and he told me I have Type 2 Diabetes. I'm fortunate that we caught it before any symptoms had occurred. I will have to take metformin daily, but other than that should be able to go on as normal. I'm still working on losing weight (down 9lbs to date) and changing my diet. Sell your Mayfield's stock. And, I hope your sitting down, I've even started exercising. Something to which I was previously theologically opposed. The thunder you hear in West Knoxville will not be our much needed rain, just me working out.

Sicko

Katie recently went to see Sicko. Here is part of her thoughts on the movie:

It is my hope that this movie, which is as Cathy says MORE A FORM OF POLITICAL PROTEST than a documentary, will one day be seen as the watershed moment that finally galvanized Americans to action on this critical issue..

I have not seen the movie, and don't feel a need to. First of all, anyone who has spent anytime at all negotiating our health care system knows it to be a nightmare at best and death at it's worst. To say that America's health care system is broken and needs fixing is simply a statement of the obvious. Doug and Cathy have talked about this, and I will be posting soon about my own adventures down the yellow brick PPO road. We'll take whatever catalyst we can get to make the system better.

Secondly, having spent a day or twelve working around the old economic model, I find it preposterous that doing away with all profit motive will improve health care in this country. Especially when message comes from someone, Mr. Moore, making millions off the message itself. What the...? Somebody call Ripley's, cause this stuff can't be real.

Finally, what model does Mr. Moore offer as the solution to our medical woes? Cuba. Cuba? CUBA! You don't have free speech, but you do get free health care. However, if two or more of you gather in the doctor's office you could be arrested for subversion. How do we even know if Cuba's health care system is worth a damn. I don't watch a lot of TV, but to my knowledge folks are casting aside trips for consultations at the Mayo Clinic, or John Hopkins in order to find out what the folks in Havana think. Medical students aren't taking rafts from Miami hoping to get a better medical education from Fidel.

In America someone who rails against the inadequacies and inequities of the health care system is called a consumer advocate. In Cuba they are called prisoner #47625.

Lane's Journey

I recently came across Dr. Lane Cook's blog Journey to Wellness. Dr. Cook's blog documents his journey through prostate cancer. In addition to sharing a first name, I work with Dr. Cook (indirectly) at Cornerstone. It's weird sometimes to hear people refer to a conversation they had with "Lane" about a patient's schizoaffective disorder when I don't know what the hell that is. Then I remember that they are talking about the other Lane, hereafter referred to as Dr. Cook.

In addition to having a great first name, Dr. Cook is also a good writer as I have learned from reading his notes on my patients. I am always impressed that after all the schizowhatever clinical information he provides (after all why spend all that time and money on school if you can't show off a little) he normally includes a very personal as well as accurate impression of his time with the patient. It's obvious he views his time with them as time with a person, and not just a patient.

Thanks to HIPPA you can't read his notes, but you can read his blog.

My Roo Hoo!

Opening night for Seussical was tonight, and though I'm prejudice, I thought it was great! My Hannah Hoo plays the Sour Kangaroo. It's been quite a while since I've heard her sing, and the girl's got pipes! As she has matured, she's gone from first soprano to a high alto and her voice is so strong.

Hannah has been Hannah Hoo ever since playing Cindy Loo Hoo when she was part of the Knoxville Children's Choir. I am so proud of her! I think her greatest accomplishment has not been any role on stage or achievement in the classroom, but simply her courage to just be herself. One of the things I never expected when my kids were little is that they would one day be my heroes.

BTW, I didn't get to hug Barry's neck. He did a great job playing Thing 1. Hug him for me when you go see the show.

Fight TCS!

We recently found out that my nephew Hunter has been struck down with TCS - Terminal Cute Syndrome. While all children suffer from milder forms of the syndrome, they normally out grow their symptoms. In the more severe cases, permanant and painful damage can occur leading to it's most horrific form, DAMED, or Donnie and Marie Entertainment Disorder.

Hunter first started displaying symptoms at about age two. He couldn't say his own name and called himself "Hun Toe". Too cute. Like most TCS suffers, he is unaware of his cute actions, as evidenced by the above picture of his falling asleep on the family hound. We first became concerned that Hunter might have the more frightening form of TCS when after hearing a really good fart from uncle Frank, Hunter replied "That's common!". No scarier words have ever been uttered by a four year old boy.

His dad is doing all he can to combat the disease. He's teaching him the joy of "pull my finger" jokes, the convenience of not bathing, and the love of football. However, his mother (my sister Laura) is an enabler. As a little girl we worried that Laura might suffer from TCS. She referred to cows as "M&M's" and M&M candy as "TeePee TeePee's". As she got older her symptoms faded, but apparently she went on to be a carrier. Now she perpetuates the disease by sending out emails of his latest cute escapade, making sure his hair is always properly combed, and pointing out his cuteness whenever she can. She's all but dooming the boy to be a little bit rock & roll!

Barry Lied

Barry was lamenting a long rehearsal of Seussical and said his mantra was "I love theater, I love theatre..."

I don't think Barry was being honest. I've known Barry since 1994, and watched him work with kids of all ages for a long time. He does a fantastic job. Hannah is in Seussical, and worked with Barry a bunch while we are Bearden UMC. I think Barry puts himself through all this not so much for theater, but for the kids. Now sure, lied is probably too strong a word. Denial may be more accurate. Barry brings the same energy bare whether he's working with a group of kindergarteners or actors at the Oak Ridge Playhouse. Not an easy feat.

Ironically, Hannah's first time on stage was with Barry. We were doing a talent show at church as a fund raiser, and Hannah sang "Tomorrow". She thought Barry messed up, and made him start over. Humor.

Thanks Barry!

Go see Seussical! Or else...

Tish will be there.

I'm a Pour Editor

Clara Grace has been in Madisonville, and when she came home she wanted to see what I had posted. In showing her my recent posts, I found at least one mistake in every post. I normally post late at night, but truth be known, I just a bad editor.

Almost Kinda Like Near Death (Virtually)

On my way to a job Friday morning I look up to see a white car out of control. I could see the person inside trying to regain control flirting with the road's shoulder, and then the yellow line. Just before he reached me, the shoulder won the battle and he went crashing into the woods. I stopped and got out of my car to find his upside down. Fortunately, he was unhurt. The weird thing was I was listening to the Beatle's Sgt. Pepper album, specifically "A Day in the Life". Somebody get me Rod Serling.

Room Service At the Inn

Barry delivered a meme. This is my rookie meming since I didn't get to respond the last time Tish tagged me.
WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I am Elbert Lane Willson, IV. This means that my family is either really unimaginative or really lazy. My son Quent got his name for being number V.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Saturday. I was sad for a friend whose husband is very sick and her struggles to deal the stress of his illness. (He's much better now.)

DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I like my signature. Other than that, I've almost lost the ability to write in cursive. My script handwriting is mundane.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Roast Beef

DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Hannah (19), Quent (17), and Clara Grace (9) They are my beloved hoodlums.

IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Unfortunately I sometimes make it difficult for those trying to be my friend. I'm a likable enough bloke, but I tend to isolated and friends often seem to fade from my life like the colors in an old flag.

DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Me? Sarcasm? Surely you jest.


DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Negative. Ripped um out before I was 3.


WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I would like to think I would, but oddly the older I get the more heights bother me.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Frosted Flakes. They're great!

DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Rarely. I only one pair that even have laces.

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No. My back blew up in 1996, and since then I've been like Sampson after a trip to the barber.


WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Anything Mayfields. Growing up in Athens (Mayfield's home) it was against my religion to eat anything else. I must confess, that last few years I've grown to love Ben & Jerry's

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes and smile. I'm a sucker for a pretty smile.


RED OR PINK? Red

WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Being impulsive. It always gets me in trouble.

WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My grandparents. Like many folks I neglected them when they were alive.

WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? I am wearing neither. I'm currently boxer blogging.

WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A peanut butter Powerbar.

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? MASH.

IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Forest Green

FAVORITE SMELLS? The way Fall smells when the weather starts to get cold.

WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Hannah Hoo

FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football. I'll watch everything from high school football to arena football.

HAIR COLOR[S]? Brown with a touch of gray and a bunch of bald.

EYE COLOR? Green

DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Only when I'm trying to see.

FAVORITE FOOD? My mom's spaghetti.

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.

LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Mr. Brooks

WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Fur. (See the pants question.)

SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, by about 1000% (Barry's answer couldn't be improved upon.)

HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses

FAVORITE DESSERT? Ice Cream

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin Yalom.

WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I don't use them anymore.

WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? The State. I had Tivoed it earlier in the week from the History Channel.

FAVORITE SOUND[S]? My Vols running through the T!

ROLLING STONES OR THE BEATLES? The Beatles.

WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Egypt

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I've been told I'm fairly funny.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Fort Sanders- Knoxville, TN

Why I'm a Conservative.

I was on a date tonight (OK, stop laughing), and the young lady is a liberal. As I tried to tell her why I'm a conservative, I realized I did a really poor job. Some times you've believed something for so long your forget why you believe it. So here is why I'm a conservative.

I understand liberalism to be the idea that government should be used as a tool to do the greatest amount of good possible for those it serves. It is the instrument that can shape and define society to its fullest potential. I understand conservatism to be the idea that each person should be allowed the most freedom possible in order to shape their lives as they see fit. Standing alone, both are noble ideas, and both have merits and limits. No society can survive unless these ideas are balanced, and from time to time one will supersede the other. I choose conservatism for due to one word - freedom.

Freedom is a messy concept. Freedom has made America the greatest country in the history of our planet. Freedom has given us Thomas Edison, Bruce Springsteen, Ronald Reagan, Neil Armstrong, Babe Ruth, Billy Graham, Truman Capote, The Beach Boys, Bill Gates, and many others. But freedom has also allowed Ted Bundy, Richard Nixon, Roy Cohen, James Earl Ray, and Donnie and Marie. Freedom allows dreams to become reality, and despite its messiness, freedom holds open the gate of hope.

As usual, Mark Twain said it best.

"It is by the fortune of God that, in this country, we have three benefits: freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and the wisdom never to use either."

God's Man

My childhood pastor Ansell Baker died this weekend. He was a wonderful man, but his death brings back a lot of strange childhood memories.

Ansell had this incredible voice, and when you listened to him it seemed as though you were listening to God himself. He was also a very nice and compassionate man. As a kid he was always very kind, and his powerful voice could be equally as gentle. As a young adult being in his presence at the Kiwanis club around other men I found him to be tolerant, and pious, but not self righteous. As is often the case when a group of men get together, the humor is sometimes a bit raw to say the least, but Rev. Baker managed to stay above it without condemnation. In that respect he was a lot like MASH's Father Mulcahy.

However, I found much of his theology terrifying. All I remember of his preaching were his constant admonishing that the end was near, and his unceasing call for you to question your own salvation. I recall a study we did of Revelations, and it scared me so bad that to this day I have only read this book of the bible one other time. He often tied current events to the prophecies of the bible as evidence that those prophecies were being fulfilled and that Christ would soon return. I got to go to Egypt in 1977, and as a group of MIGs flew over the house in which I was staying, I thought God had waited until I was on hand to start Armageddon. I also recall Rev. Baker always asking at the end of the sermon if we were sure of are salvation, "Are you really sure", and I thought that if he wasn't sure then how could I be.

But most of all I think of how kind he was to my family. My Papaw thought the world of him even though he didn't go to his church, and he also was there when turmoil raised its head in our home. He was always kind, compassionate and loving, and I will always remember him most as simply a man of God.

Oh my God, I watched Nancy Grace!

This Paris Hilton thing has everybody going crazy. While I was at Buddy's with Gracie Woman for supper, I got to see a bit of the Sheriff Baca's explanation for his "transferring" Miss Hilton. Apparently overcrowding caused by 20,000 hardened, violent criminals (Yes, according to the sheriff, all 20,000 are dangerous) his only option to ease the burden was to release the one person in jail that had specific orders from the judge not to be transferred or released. Then the feed cut out, and I missed the rest.

After returning home and doing a few odd jobs I was looking for something to watch and began flipping around the old TV dial. Before I knew what hit me, I realized that I had stopped and been watching about 10 minutes of Nancy Grace! I hate Nancy Grace! I immediately got up and took a shower.

While we're on the Paris mass stupidity, I think the judge should have made two changes to his original order. He should have held Sheriff Baca and contempt, and made him serve the remainder of Miss Hilton's time. Sharing the cell with the sheriff should be Paris' mother for raising such a stupid, entitled, brat in the first place that she would believe herself to be above the law. The judge should then ban Paris from appearing on a red carpet, TV show, or any other public appearance for three years. In addition, should she be banned from posing for any photograph for the same period of time.

If nothing else, we would all get a rest from the Queen of the Vacuous.

The Power of Abject Humiliation

Now that Judge Michael T. Sauer has been made an ass of by an uneducated, shallow, bimbo, he is looking for someone's ass on a platter. It's amazing the motivation abject public humiliation provides.

Semi-Human Again!

My blood pressure is finally back to an almost normal range, and I'm as close to human as I've been in a week or two. I have found a tool I really like for tracking my blood pressure - bplog.com.

I've still got one Doctor's visit to go before being declared fully human.

208 / 136

My blood pressure is sky high! That's the main reason I haven't posted in so long. It really scared the crap out of me. It makes perfect sense. I'm 50 lbs over weight, I drink enough caffeine to make Juan Valdez say damn, and haven't exercised since the first Reagan administration, so that my blood pressure is out of whack is hardly news. Anyway, I haven't had any caffeine in over a week, I'm working really hard on cutting down on salt, and I've started on new meds. I've started to watch my diet, and I've gone so far as to actually THINK about exercising. If I last long enough to keep you updated I wi

Ding Dong the Witch is dead

Jerry Falwell passed away, and I could have sworn I heard Munchkins singing. Falwell gave many all the reason they needed to dismiss everything and everyone on the right. Extremism breeds extremism, and Falwell was conceived during the Democratic convention of 1968, germinated during the Nixon years, and finally born from the Carter administration.

For a whole bunch of folks Jimmy Carter was the last straw. They thought they have found a smart, honest, God fearing, Sunday School teaching, American loving, wife loving, agrarian, veteran, Southern Baptist, good ole boy, but instead found out all they got was just another liberal. Falwell was one of these folks.

To Falwell's credit he decided to not just whine about it, but to take action. For the first time in a long time, he told folks that they didn't have to leave their belief system at the voting booth door, but instead should find the person that best matched those beliefs and vote for them. And in 1980 they did, and put Ronald Reagan in the White House. In my mind this is the last, and only contribution Rev. Falwell made.

That success was all Falwell needed to appoint himself the grand inquisitor. He saw an * by the word neighbor in Jesus' words "love your neighbor as yourself", and wanted to determined who was qualified. He appeared to be in a search for the devil. His favorite two were abortion, and homosexuals. If Jerry had spent half as much time worrying about the condition of the born in this country as he did the unborn, he would have ranked right up there with mother Teresa. But hating gays was Jerry's special passion, and it was something he did better than just about anyone.

Jerry found homosexuals everywhere. Sponge Bob, and Tinky Winky, are probably the best two examples of those Jerry claimed were part of the great show tunes singing menace. And gays were responsible for seemingly everything that went wrong in America. The final straw was when he tried to pin 9/11 on gays. Even Bill Graham was thinking "Damn!".

But extremism breeds extremism and Rev. Falwell helped give us Bill and Hilary, Michael Moore, MoveOn.org, et al. Jerry forgot that they get to vote too.

I think Jerry Falwell can best be described from the words that precede the DC Talk song What if I Stumble -

[the greatest single cause of atheism in the world today
Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips
Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.]

It's Official

Now it's official.

Best and Worst of Mother's Day

I've been trying to remember the best and worst mother's day gifts I've been a party to. I'm not a very good gift giver. The desire is there, but not the imagination to bring a good gift to fruition. On the worst side has to be anything practical like dish towels (I know, it's sad.) I'm the oldest of five and often mom ended up cooking for our family plus grandparents, plus, plus, plus, and if we were at the lake add about three more pluses. By the time she got everything cooked and cleaned, father's day was upon us. I'm sure there were really bad perfumes - Old Spice for women kind of stuff that mom grinned, accepted but thankfully never wore. Probably the best gifts were those we made as little kids that truly expressed our love before we knew how to hide behind Hallmark's sugary fakeness. I'm sure a quite afternoon was also high on the list.

I don't remember much of the mother's days during my marriage. Divorce has a way of stealing memories by burying them where they can't be found. I know that I made the practical gift mistake on more than one occasion. I remember a portable phone, but that may have been for a birthday or Christmas - still a horrid gift for the day. I know the kids wrote songs, and poems that probably rank as the best.

Listening to the radio I've been amazed at all that qualifies as a possible mother's day gift. Oil changes, lawn mowers, custom jewelry (cause if you really love her it'll cost ya), flowers of course, an ATV, boats, vacations, and a nice meal out all vie for our selection as the way we tell mom thanks. But the worst gift, the very worst gift, given or contemplated, has to be the Adult Book store that wants you to remind your mother that "she's still the sexiest mom around". Even in East Tennessee, and probably in most parts of Kentucky, that's just wrong! (Now Alabama, well...)

A Damn Fine Point

Here's a damn fine point.

I'll take stupidity for $100, Alex...

In an effort to make Pacman Jones look semi-intelligent, Ricky Williams failed his latest drug screen. Pacman stopped by a New York strip club before meeting with NFL commish Roger Goodell to beg for mercy and promise that he would change his ways. Ricky was only weeks away from the end of his one year drug suspension when he again tested positive for banned substances. It's like Mother Gump always said, "Stupid is as stupid does".

Bring Back Torture!

I have long been against the death penalty, but I've changed my mind about torture. This was brought on by executives of Purdue Pharma L.P. pleading guilty to misleading the public about the addictive power of OxyContin.

According to the US Department Health and Human Services the growth of pain killer (opiate) addiction is staggering.

Over the past decade-and-a-half, the number of teen and young adult (ages 12 to 25) new abusers of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone (OxyContin) or hydrocodone (Vicodin) has grown five-fold (from 400,000 in the mid-eighties to 2 million in 2000).

These are lives of children! Children! I think these men should be forced to spend 60 days on a Young Adult residential rehab unit and witness the youth they have stolen, experience the suffering that has been endured, and look into the eyes of family members whose loved ones have been kidnapped by addiction.

Then we'll torture them. It won't do a damn thing for them, but it'll sure make us feel better. A little electricity, some mental exhaustion, a bit of humiliation, and all will be well. And after the torture, I think some long term shame would be in order. Maybe being forced to wear a T-shirt everywhere they go for a year that says "I deal drugs to kids". Or maybe something a little more creative, like having to clean Cheryl Crow's guitars.

Actually, forget the torture and all the rest. Instead, every time an Oxy addict dies, these folks should have to fly to the funeral, and offer their condolences to the family. That's not torture. That's just sharing the hell.

Yeah, Yeah, Spider-Man 3 Whatever

I went to see Spider-Man 3 today, and its the second best Spidy I've seen. I liked it better than 2, but I still didn't think it eclipsed the original. But in my mind the whole thing was eclipsed by the preview for Across the Universe. With the Beatles as a backdrop for their lives, it follows a group of young people across the 1960's. I'm trying not to get my hopes too high. I'm still seeing a therapist about my Sergeant Pepper's disappointment. It left a deep scar in my youth. (My personal belief is that the Bee Gees were real life Blue Meanies.) Anyway, I can't wait to see Across the Universe.

Stacking on the Kewl

Brother Frank is again stacking on the kool points. He was recently interviewed about his station's conversion to HD. Not bad for a bald, fat, white boy that looks like me.

He Shared the Common Dream

Wally Schirra has died. He was one of the original 7 astronauts and the only one that flew Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. I have an uncle, John Miller, that worked for NASA developing the guidance system for Apollo, so the space program was a huge part of my childhood. My grandfather's office was covered with pictures from the moon and other NASA memorabilia that uncle John sent him. It seems lost now, but NASA was a huge bright spot during that time when when chaos, assignations, and war darkened our world. As Schirra himself said "We shared a common dream to test the limits of man's imagination and daring", and by watching Schirra and the others at NASA fulfill their dreams, we knew that the darkness of the Kennedy assignations, Vietnam war, and Watergate would not extinguish our own.

25 Years Ago in a Knoxville Far, Far Away...

May 1st 1982 the Knoxville World's Fair opened. I remember everyone thinking millions of people were coming and tons of new hotels were built. They even renovated the Robert E. Lee Hotel in downtown Athens, TN. Mom and dad were excited about getting to go to the opening and see President Reagan. I was finishing up my freshman year of college and working at the DPA. I really didn't spend much time at the fair. I spent most of that summer on the lake, and in the darkroom, but fall brought frequent visits to the Australian pavilion. Carson Newman did not allow drinking on or off campus, so we would sing Men at Work songs down the halls of New Men's dorm as code for our down under adventures. The great debate was whether Fosters or KB (dubbed Killer Beer) was the better Australian export. The highlight of the fair for me was being in the Australian pavilion when Tennessee beat Bama for the first time in forever.

In celebration of the fair's anniversary, Gracie woman and I went to Petros for supper. Barry is trumpeting the fair, and WBIR is airing a special. It took 25 years to get that really bad techno theme song out of my head, and one commercial and the nightmare has returned. None the less, it will be fun to look back.

Deep Purple's Newest Disciple

Clara Grace ran for West Hills Elementary Student Body Treasurer. Each candidate had two minutes to make their case and Clara Grace wanted to play the guitar and write her own song. The only guitar we had time to teach her was Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water. You know, the classic one string version played by everyone from Clara Grace to Stevie Ray Vaughn. (OK, maybe not SRV.)

Sung to the Tune of Smoke on the Water
If you want
a rockin' treasurer
vote for Clara Grace.

Gracie ran a on a strict monetarist economic platform. Unfortunately, she was defeated by a Keynesian socialist 4Th grader.

Hannah's First Gig

My daughter Hannah is a freshman at Carson Newman, and an aspiring actor. She got her fist TV commercial and her performance is already being compared to Dustin Hoffman's Volkswagen ad. (At least by her dad.)


Commercial 1

Gravity!

O.K., I know I'm late to the party, but this past week Hannah shared with me John Mayer's Continuum cd and I was blown away. The whole cd is incredible, but there is one song in particular that reached me - Gravity.

"Oh I'll never know what makes this man
With all the love that his heart can stand
Dream of ways to throw it all away"

I know that a song's meaning is created and shared by its writer and listener, and I think that Gravity is one of the best songs about recovery I've heard in a long, long time. I have no idea if this is John's meaning, but it speaks to me.

Feel it for yourself.

Keep me where the light is.

Like Pac Man without the strippers

It's been a great day for Tennessee Football! The Vols had two go in the first round, and it looks like the Titans were able to fill some obvious holes.

I've got to admit that the Titans taking Michael Griffin first threw me for a loop since I thought they would go with a receiver. In addition to his skills and wheels he is suppose to be a "good character guy".

It was also great to see two Vols (Justin Harrell and Robert Meachem) go in the first round.

As an added bonus the SEC led all conferences with 11 players taken in the first round. Big 10 had 6, Big 12 had 4, and the ACC had 6.

Displace Me

Hannah is in Nashville this weekend to participate in Displace Me. Displace Me hopes to bring to light the stories of the children residing in Uganda's displacement camps. The Tennessean has it. Oh, to be young and socially conscious now that spring is here.

Titans are on the clock

I love the NFL draft. It's where college football meets pro football, and I love football. Not only do I get to pull for my team (s) (I love the Titans, Patriots, and Colts in that order), I also get to follow my favorite Tennessee players that I've watched the last four years.

This year Tennessee has two players projected to go in the first round Robert Meachem, and Justin Harrell. Many project that Meachem will get to stay in the Volunteer state and play for the Titans. Harrell is a great story, because he put off surgery on an injured arm in order to get to play against Florida, and try to help the Vols beat the Gators. Even though they weren't successful, you gotta love that kind of heart.

Oh Spoot! How I miss those days!

When my kids were younger there was no show we looked forward to more than The Angry Beavers. Now, Nick Turbo has many of the shows on their site. Hannah was 9, Quent was 7, and CG was a fetus. I love reliving my children's childhood.

Market Mania

The Dow marched past 13,000 today. This is quite a feat especially when you consider that only a couple of months ago the Dow took a one day 400 point plunge. I've often felt like that many market milestones are an excellent proof of mass psychosis. A bunch of fat old goats circle the old watering hole, taking their alcoholic gastritis out for a ride, and the talk turns to how close we are to the next mile marker (13,000). The next thing you know the market herd goes thundering past it. Tomorrow there will be a fair amount of back patting and self congratulation. Then some number will come out that reminds us the market is based on actual economic fact, and common sense and reality will return. As a capitalist from way back, I'm delighted to see the markets progress no matter the cause.

Loftin Staying In Orange!

WBIR is reporting that Chris Lofton will be retuning for his Sr. year! Bert Bertelkamp will have a lot to hollow about this year. Sweet! Money!

A Day That Will Almost Live in Infamy!

On this day in 1985 my life changed forever, for on that day Coca Cola changed its formula, and I became a Diet Coke drinker. I can still remember that horrid taste. (He shudders as he types.)

Boris is Dead

Boris Yeltsin is dead. He seems to be remember more fondly than I would have imagined. The Economist has a good piece on the Russian catalyst.

Vintage Vinyl

One of my former youth group members, Russell Smith, is now a DJ on Knoxville radio station 105.3 WFIV. He's got a great show on Sunday nights Vintage Vinyl. For a man of such few years, his taste and knowledge of good rock and roll is incredible. Give him a listen.

Trying to make Imus look good?

Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin have heaped abuse upon their daughter that would make even Drew Barrymore flinch. While Alec was ripping his "rude little pig" a new one, Kim was making sure that her daughter got to share her pain with the entire planet for all eternity. What was previously believed impossible by the thinking world, Baldsinger has accomplished in one brief instant - they made Don Imus and Mel Gibson look not quite so bad.

It's one thing to hurl despicable comments at some vague mass or group of unknown strangers, but its something completely different to rip the heart out of a little girl that you know and supposedly love just so her pain might be used as a weapon in a divorce.

In the words of Gomer Pyle "Shame shame shame shame shame!"

Just say "Yes, Dear"

After you read this, don't go waving it in your wife's face. Being right is rarely worth having to sleep outside. Repeat after me - Yes, dear.

Playing Games with Massacre

Yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech is still fresh on the hearts and minds of us all. With a daughter who is a college freshman, this horror sent an especially unpleasant chill down my spine. Sadly, these events seem to bring from the woodwork people who are willing to use death for political gain. Almost before the echos of the last gunshot faded away, various lobbyists, politicians, political action group lunatics begin posturing to leverage the death of these innocent people for their own purpose.

Gun control, media violence, and immigration are all on the table. Political cockroaches of all stripes will attempt to use these unfortunate dead as martyrs for their cause. While these issues are all important and should be given thoughtful debate and review, I hope that we can maintain respect for those whose lives were lost and their families, and squash all those who seek to play games with massacre.

Duke President Responds

Shortly after North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper tagged the Duke Rape case as "a tragic rush to accuse" Duke University President Richard H. Brodhead issued this statement:

"Hey, did you hear about that Imus guy? What a dick!"

Following the president's statement 88 Duke University professors jointly issued the following statement:

"Don Imus is a social disaster....and a dick!"

Durham District Attorney and life long Democrat Mike Nifong could not be reached for comment. According to his office, he was on his way to Pascataway, New Jersey to charge Don Imus with being a dick in front of black people. Nifong's office denied that he is simply trying to garner African American votes.

Diddy, Ice-T, Ludacris and 50 Cent issued a joint statement "We gonna kill that mutha#@*#ing cracker! Ain't nobody dis our ho's!"

Al Gore released a statement claiming that issuing statements is a contributing factor in global warming.

President Bush was said to be considering invading the Imus Ranch in an effort to locate weapons of mass destruction.

What did Don Imus say?

"My goal is to goad people into saying something that ruins their life. "

(He really did say that!)

Life well lived

Forgive me father, for I have sinned. According to Technorati it has been 55 days since my last post. Like my good friend Barry I have had difficulty lately finding the motivation to post. Barry laments a life that he fears may be boring, but having known Barry and the Swiss family Wallace since 1994, I find it more inspiring than boring. I have watched Barry grow as a husband, as a father, as a musician, as a Christian, as someone who loves his work, as an artist, and simply as a man. The cool thing about Barry's blog is watching him simply enjoy the things and people he loves.

A few days ago a long time family friend, Hugh Willson, passed away. Cousin Hugh was my father's mentor, my Papaw's fishing buddy, and a man who loved his family and community. As his son Paul mentioned at his father's funeral, Hugh was known to introduce himself as "a national banker, a farmer, a Southern Baptist, and a Democrat!" He found the things that he loved, and lived to love them.

Watching a man's life I expect is much like watching a tree grow. Watched on virtually any given day there is nothing at all to see, but viewed over time one is amazed at the miracle of its transformation, and the gifts it has grown to provide. Like any tree, a man's life becomes spectacular when it points to the awesome wonder of the one created it.

Move over Lord Byron

From time to time I come across something created by one of my children that just blows me away. Each of the kids has produced a song, a photograph, or a drawing that has displayed a talent I can't explain and am overwhelmed by. Now unlike other parents who might somehow overestimate the talent of their children, or boast and brag about even the slightest accomplishment, I've never been accused of such hyperbole.

The other day I came across a poem written by Clara Grace, and felt sure this was the germination of greatness. The poem talked of love and the angst of not being certain one is loved. I knew right away that one day, and one day soon, she would take her place along side the greats like Yeats, Byron, Keats, Blake, and dear Ole' Uncle Walt.

I went to her to ask what torments of a nine year old heart could bring about such profound languish and suffering. She informed me that it was not a poem at all but rather a song. What or who had been her muse I inquired. Turns out she was trying to right a song like the one she saw on the Naked Brothers Band.

Apparently Byron may be safe a bit longer.

Show Offs!

I hate when people show off. Not only is it rude, it points to the shallowness and insecurity of those doing the bragging. I got my quarterly high school magazine the other day, and sure enough, two such glory hounds had to tell us of their latest accomplishments.

Jamy Wheless was a year behind me and a hack artist at best. A couple of lucky breaks, a chance opportunity to wash George Lucas' car, and bam! he takes his talent for stick figures, and a Cray computer and becomes the lead animator for Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and The Chronicles of Narnia, among others. I bet the dude roams around Hollywood wearing an ascot.

Then there's Bill Dedman. Bill recently joined MSNBC. Somewhere along the way he found a Pulitzer Prize laying around and claimed it for his own. I bet he hangs out in bars with Keith Olberman trying to pick up wonkettes using words like gravitas, and politico.

Unlike these two who are trying to take more than their allotted fifteen minutes of fame, I have more compassion for my fellow human being. My concern for my co-inhabitants of the planet has allowed me to place the protection of my brother's self-esteem above any petty glory I might achieve for myself. I have forsaken Oscars, Pulitzers, and even a Noble Prize or two so those around me won't feel bad about themselves. I'm just a giver that way.

Now Jamy and Dedman couldn't pick me out of a lineup, but if I do run into them I'll remind them that nobody likes a showoff.

Class Leads to Class

Today we saw two men, inspired by champions, who followed the examples they had seen to become champions. Tony Dungy has often pointed to Eddie Robinson as the man who not only opened the door for him to be a head coach in the NFL, but also the man who illuminated the path.

Peyton has turned being "Archie's boy" from something that most have viewed as pressure, instead into the foundation for his success.

Class leads to class, and Tony and Peyton have shown us class leads to sucess.

Congratulations to them both and all those in the Colts organization.

Do it for Johnny U!

Even better, do it for Art Donovan!

Colts 38 Bears 21

Thank God they didn't name him Nimrod!

The Knoxville News-Sentinel set out the call and got almost 50 kids together that were named after Peyton Manning. Peyton's family is known to be one familiar with the Bible, and all I could think was thank God they didn't give him an Old Testament name.

Not surprisingly many are already setting Peyton up to be a loser. According to Jim Rome and other talk radio shows, Peyton not only has to win, but win in "Manning like fashion" in order to truly win. Remember, these are the same folks that gave Charles Woodson the Heisman.

What those of us who have followed Peyton since 1994 already know is that no matter the outcome of the game, Peyton is a winner. The reason so many young men and women have been named after him is not his arm, but rather his heart. I hope and pray that come Sunday Peyton earns a championship ring to go on one of the fingers attached to his golden arm. But no matter the Super Bowl's outcome, Peyton has already shown us what the definition of a winner is on and off the field.

Go Colts!

Snow Angel

This was today's only snow angel. The four inches of snow we were suppose to get turned out to be just an inch. No snowmen or sledding, but at least we got a daddy/Gracie day to eat waffles and hot chocolate, and watch Narnia and other movies. Gracie didn't get to make any snow angels, but I got to watch one.

Politicos reveal Stupidity

Yesterday, Scott Barker at the Knoxville News-Sentinel had a great piece about Knox County Commission's secret meetings in appointing the new county officers. After all fuss and expense to get us to this point, our great representatives decide to knowingly violate the state's open meeting law. Within a few hours of the votes, Knoxville attorney Herb Moncier had filed suit stating that the appointments weren't valid. Here we go again, and the tax payers get to shell out thousands of dollars to lawyers to sort out the mess. The commissioners themselves should be forced to pay any legal fees resulting from their stupidity. Too bad we can't just impeach the whole bunch for being idiots.

So how long have you been a black quarterback?

Sports Illustrated has a great piece on the dumbest questions asked during all the Super Bowl hype. While Doug Williams wasn't actually asked how long he had been a black QB, the Super Bowl does seem to bring out sports writer's best stupidity.

Free to Choose

PBS is running a documentary on Milton Friedman. He died this past year, and remains my favorite economist. (Oh my God! I have a favorite economist?) He is also one of the inspirations for one of my favorite blogs, the Chicago Boyz. This isn't PBS's first experience with Professor Friedman. For many years he hosted a show on PBS, Free to Choose.

Achievement

Our family is filled with GSD (Genetic Spelling Defick). It has gotten so bad that the entire lot of us spell Wilson with 2 L's - Willson. Though not curable, it can be managed, and I've been working hard with Clara Grace to overcome her GSD. With an N on her last report card, we set out to improve, and today she got her first 100. She was so excited! You would have thought she had won the Super Bowl. I'm very proud of her. Her achievement has inspired me to try to achieve some of my goals like posting at least six times a week. I've got a whole bunch of excuses for not posting in the last month and some of them are even reasonable, but I have a great example in my Gracie woman so I'm going to try to be like her.