Rise and Shine --- What day is it?

Good Morning and welcome to one of those weird weeks!

Thanks to Memorial Day, today is Monday for must of us, even though it is Tuesday. By Thursday, we should have our bearings and be back on track.
Then again, Thursday is my Friday. So, now I'm really confused.
By the way, is there a more ridiculous story out there than the 'will she or won't she run' news about Sarah Palin. What, you think visiting the national archives and Saks Fifth Avenue will somehow make up for your clueless nature? Whatever.
If it was that easy to run for President, everybody would do it. Maybe here in Delco we can start a 'Paula Brown for President' movement.
Just imagine the possibilities...

Rise and Shine --- Sun and rain

Good Morning and how are we all doing today?

I don't know about you, but I think I've had enough of this spring rain. Rainy days are nice once in a while (preferably the ones my alarm doesn't go off at 3:30 a.m.), but every day is a bit much.
Sure, it's nice the flowers are growing, but so is the grass. I felt like I needed a guide to get through the front yard this weekend.
I know, there's not much that can be done about it. It's going to rain. It's not like my complaining will do anything about it.
Ah, but, if nothing else, complaining somehow makes it feel a little better. Or, it makes for some great music:

Rise and Shine --- The art of hitting

Good Morning and welcome to a brand, spanking-new week!

Somebody once said the hardest thing to do in sports was hit a baseball. Well, way back in the day, I lived through the statement. I probably would have done better not even taking a bat up to the plate. My Major League dreams died after the first pitch.
Still, I had fun. I remember the days of walking with my friends to the fields. I remember the first time I actually got a hit. I remember the last game I played.
Now, I see the perspective through other eyes. Each of the boys are playing baseball this year. They struggle with the bat. It's something I expected. I tried to give the warnings, but it looks so easy when somebody else is doing the hitting.
So, they practice. They get frustrated. They want to practice some more.
I did make the mistake of one day sitting them down in front of the television to watch the Phillies game.
"Look," I said, "see how they hold the bat. See how they swing. See, they don't get hits every time, either."
Well, in these days, most times.

Rise and Shine --- Tornadoes, hurricanes, oh my

Good Morning and welcome to another crazy weather day!

OK, for all those out there who say there isn't something funky going on with the world's weather patterns, explain how a tornado can hit Northeast Philly. Just an anomaly? Don't believe it really was a tornado?
No, it's much easier to just whistle past the graveyard than to admit that maybe, just maybe, we need to stop poisoning the air before it's too late.
Anyway, you would think if Armageddon was coming Saturday, we would be graced with a few nice days leading up to the end.
Oh well, guess you can't have everything. By the way, for some reason, with all this talk about Saturday, I have this stuck in my head:

Rise and Shine --- The end?

Good Morning and welcome to the last week?

OK, so there are these people who are talking about the end of the world. I'm sure you've seen the signs and/or stories telling us Judgement Day is this coming Saturday, May 21, 2011.
Um. Sure. OK. UH, huh. The end of the world. This Saturday.
Hey, if anybody has Phillies tickets for next Sunday, I'll gladly take them from you. Wouldn't want to have those things holding you down as the rapture comes from the skies.
You know, it's not that the belief is out there, it's how mainstream it has become. Years ago, there were those people who would carry the end-is-near signs through the streets. We would do our best to walk on the other side.
Now, those cable news channels have to to fill the time somehow.
It's better to laugh.

Rise and Shine --- The needle

Good Morning and here we are again!

Ever notice how the needle on your car's gas gauge seems to speed up once you hit a quarter tank? Leaving work last night after another riveting Live from the Newsroom, I glanced to see how much gas was left.
Well, there was a quarter tank. Plenty, I said, to get home and wait until this morning to fill up (by which I mean get about 10 bucks). So, I started the car this morning and suddenly the dial showed significantly less. By the time I got to work, I was afraid I might have to start walking. Which, after I saw the price at the Wawa on Baltimore Pike went up a couple more cents yesterday($4.05, really?), might just be the best option.
Speaking of those prices, ever notice how the price can jump seemingly every hour when we're told they need to go up. Yet, when we hear the price is dropping, it takes forever.
Now, not talking conspiracy here, but that doesn't seem right.

Rise and Shine --- I'm hungry

Good Morning oh great and loyal readers!

The pleading comes in early and often: I'm hungry.
Sometimes, I hear it moments after the breakfast dishes have been put into the sink.
I'm hungry.
OK, I'll say, how about a banana?
No.
Let's see, I'll continue, here's an apple?
No.
HMM, I'll let through the lips, there are some pretty good oranges here.
No. No. No. I want a treat.
Ahhh, so all you really want is something sweet and sugary. You aren't really hungry.
The problem is we are inundated by images of chocolate, fast food and cookies. Turn on any television aimed at children. If there's not a toy commercial, it's for some kind of sugar or salt covered food.
There aren't images of orange groves or apple trees.
So, we can talk about getting children to eat healthy all we want, but pulling it off is another battle.

Rise and Shine --- Things I found

Good Morning and welcome to another week in a long line of them!

So, check out these two commercials and tell me what they have in common:







OK, lost you for a minute? That's right, they both sell chocolate bars.
Which one makes you want to buy the chocolate, though?

Rise and Shine --- Selling?

Good Morning and welcome to another one of "those" days!

As part of our responsibility of being part of the baseball league this year is spending one shift in the snack bar.
I'm on the schedule for tonight. When I first heard about it, I figured it would be pretty easy. After all, a few people would ask for hot dogs. Maybe some ice cream. The hour would go pretty fast.
That was, until the other day when I was standing in line for the latest request. Somebody in the front actually said this: "I need a pack of gum, but all I have is $100 bill. Can you break it?"
Lady, it's a freaking snack bar at a youth baseball league. First of all, why would you bring $100 bill to the game. Second, most Wawa's wouldn't break $100 bill.
Some people are amazing.
So, tonight, I'm braced for the worst and hoping for the best. I'll have a posse of four manning the booth (unless it rains).
I just hope everybody leaves the $100 bill at home.

Rise and Shine --- Now what?

Good Morning and welcome back to the frying pan!

OK, there was jumping around and chanting after it was announced Osama bin Laden had been killed Sunday night.
There's now a lot of apprehension and plenty of questions.
Just heard an interview this morning where somebody asked: "Does this mean it's over? Does this mean we bring everybody back from Afghanistan?"
No and no. Let's just hope it doesn't bring another round of attacks.