WooooHooooo!!! Football season is well and truly upon us.  Last night I watched two complete college games and parts (flipping back and forth) of 4 or 5 others.  Aren't all you guys jealous that you don't have a wife that indulges you the way mine does! 
Tonight DKW and I are being treated to a meal by a couple of friends of ours and afterwards we are going to the Starkville High home opener.  Since we are playing Oxford High, most of the area papers are dubbing the game "The Little Egg Bowl".  Which, in case you live under a rock and don't know, the annual game between Mississippi State (in Starkville) and Ole Miss (in Oxford) is called THE EGG BOWL.  There are even special shirts being made.  They are Maroon (MSU's primary color) with the SHS Yellowjacket on it.  Kinda cool!  At least I think so.  Last week SHS opened the season on the road at Noxubee County, who had a 16 game winning streak that started in the 2011 season, and won 17-0.  Now, SHS did catch a couple of breaks on offense, but our defense was AWESOME!  Four times NCHS was inside the twenty yard line and came away with "zilch".
MSU starts their season tomorrow.  They are playing #13 Oklahoma State in Houston, Texas.  Definitely a much tougher opponent to start this year.  OSU is favored by two touchdowns.  Those guys usually know what they are talking about.  So, while I'll  hope for the best and an MSU victory, I won't be devastated if we lose.
This is the last NFL pre-season weekend.  Next week the big boys start in earnest.  Thank goodness!
Everyone have a great day!

Football and more Doctor

My Tardis

The new Doctor is ............. Peter Capabaldi!  Not who I chose, but it makes perfect sense.  Matt Smith is the youngest actor to play the Doctor, so they kind of had to go older.  I think (hope) he will be a smashing success as the Doctor.  Rousing fun to start the second fifty years as the Doctor and some one old enough to have watched the "classic" shows in first run.  I hate to see Matt go, but I'm looking forward to the regeneration and more new episodes of Doctor Who!
The NFL pre-season kicked off Sunday and the "Callous Dowboys" edged the Fins 24-20 in what was obviously pre-season form.  Lots of fresh faces, but the plus for me was seeing new rookie Chad Bumphis (last year of MSU) catch a 45 yard pass.  Thursday night I will get to see his former teammate and also a new rookie, Johnthan (yes - that is how he spells it) Banks playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Everyone have a great day!

The Smell of Pigskin is filtering in!

Hard to believe it (but I am SOOOOOOO glad) that full sized, full contact Amur'can football is right around the corner.  I mean, Canadian Football (game tonight) and Arena football are only a stopgap measure and serve to sharpen the appetite even more.
July 29th (in 4 days) season tickets for Starkville High go on sale.  I will be getting mine.  I've had the same seats since the current facility opened in 2000, and before that had season tickets in the old stadium from the time I retired from the U.S. Coast Guard (Semper Paratus!) in 1992.  SHS won last seasons Mississippi 5A State Championship, but won't be able to defend because this year they move back to 6A.  Mississippi evaluates and assigns schools (every 2 years) to 1A thru 6A based on student population at the school.  This helps keep competition close and the playing field fairly level.
Also on the 29th, the movie "Mississippi Gridiron Gold" will be making its 2 night world premiere across the state.  I'm sure that in the not-too-distant future, a DVD will be available.
Then, on August 4th (only 10 days from now) the NFL will kick off its pre-season with the Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio.  The first HoF game was in 1963, so this year marks the 50th anniversary of the event.  It would be cool if Dr. Who was there too!  (If you don't get it - just move on - cause you Don't know me!)
The rest of the NFL pre-season will start in earnest on August 8th and the 2013 college season  won't be far behind.  (I'm bouncing on my seat and clapping like an id'jit - I'm so excited!)
'Til next time............

Memories - Important!

A little bit on the serious side this entry. 

Three years ago (June 11, 2010) I was in a very bad accident when an elderly gentleman turned his Caddy in front of my motorcycle.  (I know this because I saw the pictures and lots of family has told me about it.)  I have absolutely no memories of the day of the wreck or the 2 months afterwards.  From what family and friends have told me (and the pics I saw), its probably just as well - I was in a lot of pain.  Anyway, three years down the road I figured I was pretty well past it, except for lingering issues with my memory.
When it is work related, I apologize to my boss and then make notes on my desk calendar to remind me to do things so that I don't get embarrassed (yet again) for forgetting what should be routine/regularly done things.  At home, I apologize, but it bothers me even more then.  This is family and loved ones - I should be more attentive.  Everyone, myself included, gets frustrated.
So I've taken the step of making an appointment next week at Columbus (MS) Air Force Base Clinic to get a referral for a specialist.  Someone familiar with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and the resultant memory problems. (Cause I've come to realize that it is a problems and in 20 years  I don't want to be the old guy that forgets how to put his pants on - Its not a pretty sight!  Just ask the family that was around in the hospital after the wreck.)  Hopefully I can get a handle on it.  I don't want to end up like my grandmother (my father's mom) Arie, who didn't know any of her family during the last couple of years of her life.   Its sad, when those that love you most are almost relieved at your passing.  Not that they are bad people, they were just tired of seeing the sadness and frustration my grandmother experienced with the memory loss.
Memories are a big part of who we are and I, for one, want to hang on to that as long as possible.
Everyone Have A Great Day.

Happy 4th of July and more!

Thought I'd make a quick entry to wish everyone a happy Holiday!  Be safe if using fireworks!  Being a retired veteran myself, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to all who are serving, or have served in the past, this great nation of ours.
DKW and I will be having our moms and a couple of friends over for lunch on the Fourth.  Nothing fancy, just grilling some burgers, dogs, and corn-on-the-cob. While I'm cooking outside, I'm pretty sure we will partake of the meal inside.  (Gotta love A.C.)
Just a quick salute to my MSU Diamond Dogs!  Unfortunately we didn't win the College World Series,  (Congrats to UCLA) but we were one of the final two teams to be playing college baseball this year.  I'll just cross my fingers and hope that we can get back.
Now, everyone that knows me, knows that I am a huge "Doctor Who" fan.  I was first hooked when I caught the show on PBS stations in the 70's, but now know quite a bit about the show and its history.  (I get questions from folks all the time when they want to know something about it.  Well, Matt Smith is leaving the iconic role at the end of this year and there is a lot of speculation out there as to who will fill his shoes.  Among others, I've heard Hugh Laurie (of "House") and Jamie Baber (of "Battle Star Galactica").  The pro is they are both British, but the con is that they are very well known outside the UK.  One name that was thrown out in passing, is my "Spot-on, Number One" choice to play the twelfth Doctor and kick off the next (hopefully) 50 years of the show.  He is young enough (to fit in with the last 2 or 3 Docs) and quirky enough to bring a fresh take to the role.  AND, dare I say it, I think he would be a great one to rival the fantastic Tom Baker's longevity in the role.  So, without further ado (drum roll please) - my choice to play the next doctor is . . . . . . . Andrew Lee Potts.  Now, for those of us who were fans of the BBC show "Primeval", we know Andrew.  But he's not "extremely" well known and I think he would be a great Doctor.  Anyway, just throwing it out there and I'll put a pic of him at the end of this entry so that you can see who I'm talking about. 
Everyone have a great day - and a Great Holiday.

Andrew Lee Potts - My choice for DW12.

Ranting- A Little

Ok - this is just me ramblin' on for a bit.  I don't know if its because I'm getting older or genetics or what.  But I feel like I'm cold nearly all day.  I work in a branch library where the temp is 65-70 most of the day.  I make complaints and somebody does something, but it never gets any better. I think that's one of the reasons I ache all the time at work.  It's okay when I'm home - our house is a bit warmer than work.  I mean, I do want my wife to be comfortable, and I can always grab the blanket off the back of my chair if I get cool.  (Which I do when I need it.)
The thing that a lot of folks don't understand, and what I get asked frequently, is how can you work in that heat?  (When I'm doing my yard work and such.)   The answer, to be honest, is I like it.  I always have water available to stay hydrated and I cover my shaved head so it doesn't burn.  When I'm outside mowing, its one of the times I am relatively pain free.  I enjoy the sunny days and the sense of accomplishment I have when I'm done.  I also tan fairly quickly and easily, so I don't worry about burning.  I understand folks will continue to worry about me as I get older, but I like to think that I have enough sense to take breaks when I need it.  In the last couple of years I have reduced the area that I mow from around 6 acres, to just under 3 acres.  I make sure that my mom, mom-in-law, and DKW & I have nice yards and a walking path between our homes, but that's it. 
Okay, I'll climb down off my soapbox now.  Everyone have a great day.



Not ME! Just a retro pic.
 



Funny Pic - Just sharing!

Thought this was funny! Just had to share. (P.S. - I will comment on MSU Baseball once the CWS is over.  Don't want to jinx them.   GO DAWGS!