Rise and Shine --- Words

Good Morning and welcome back to the only place on the Internet you can find this!

I've always been fascinated by words. Which, I guess, is why I am still in this business.
It amazes me how people can put words together and have a profound impact on your day, week, month, year.
For instance, you can hear or read a message that simply says 'Cut the grass.' Depending from where the message originates can make a difference between a laugh and a scowl. If your boss says it, well, it's just another annoyance (and if my boss says it, I'd have to raise my eyebrows). If it comes from a different person, it brings a smile (especially if it's at the end of a bunch of messages that make you smile).
I've listened to press conferences by Barack Obama and Tiger Woods recently. One knows how to make somebody listen, the other forces everybody to tune out.
We've recently been hearing a lot in the news about words that have hurt. About words that have caused havoc in the streets.
I've been lucky enough to read words that have made a big difference, that can only be described as, OK, epic (like the kid's say).
Of course, I've also heard other words lately, like 'Dad, can we play the computer' or 'Dad, can I watch TV' or 'Dad, I don't like this food' or 'Don't mix the colors with the whites.'
Can't do anything but listen.

Rise and Shine --- Water. It's always water

Good Morning and I don't care if it's raining, the sun is shining!

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. A nice breeze was blowing. Everybody was having a good time.
Then the water guns came out and everything changed.
Sure, the girls of the Pink Ladies softball team were laughing and chasing each other around, but the water was getting perilously close to the parents.
Watching the water being sprayed (and dumped) on and between screaming children is one thing. It's entirely another thing to get it on the table, because then you'll be in trouble.
Well, fun trouble, anyway. In previous parties, once the adults started getting sprayed, the hose came out. Think you're wet now? Oh, you don't know wet.
This time, the water stayed on the children (for the most part). I guess there is a certain age where walking around in wet clothes is fun.
For some reason, though, no matter the temperature or the sun, the water makes an appearance.
Oh, well, I guess it could be worse.

Rise and Shine: What's next?

Good Morning and it always seems odd when the Phillies are playing on the West Coast!

The question came moments after the everybody was in the house: "What are we going to do today?"
Uh, we were at the beach all weekend, how about a rest day?
"Yeah, but I'm bored. What are we going to do today?"
OK, we'll go see a movie. It's pretty darn hot out anyway, so how about that?
"Sure. At the theater?"
So, we trekked out to the Regal Cinema in Marple. Saw 'Monsters University' and started to go home.
(First, here's a quick review of 'Monsters University:' Kind of cute in a Pixar way. Kind of odd in a cartoon way. I kept being asked if that was what college was really like. 'Monsters Inc.' was much better, but Billy Crystal is still funny, so the movie works).
No sooner did the air conditioner go on in the car when I heard: "What are we going to do the rest of the day?"
Yes, summer is here. Yes, it is!

Rise and Shine --- Feet in the water

Good Morning and the sun is shining brighter these days (along with the moon)!

So, got to the beach for the first time this summer and, man, the water was cold. Well, it was at least cold to me. I set up the chairs, the umbrella and the towels, then raced the brood to the ocean.
Let's all jump in.
Ever see the scene in 'Vacation' when Chevy Chase jumps into the motel pool with Christie Brinkley? Aaahhh! It was cold.
A couple of days before, my brother had told me the water was warm. "It's like 69 degrees," he said. "Usually don't see that until July."
Yeah, that's the last time I trust his knowledge of the ocean.
Still, there was something magical about the beach. I was able to tune out the 100s of other people who had the same idea and just breath in the air.
Now, if I could only figure out how the sand got, uh, there.

Rise and Shine -- To Rain

Good Morning and welcome to U.S. Open week!

Not a very good start to things this morning. Noboby made it out to for an early practice round. Want to know why? Check this out

Or how about this:

Rise and Shine --- End of Days

Good Morning and why would I possibly need a jacket this morning?

In honor of school ending, there's this:

Letters to teachers from students

Rise and Shine --- Guess it's not like the movies

Good Morning and welcome to a few degrees cooler!

So, I guess it's not like the movie:

Rise and Shine --- Of life and death

Good Morning and welcome back to summer (at least for a few days)!

OK, tell me today how there isn't something wrong with our weather. Last week, I had to pull out the jackets and sweaters. This week, I'll be searching for a pool (or at least a sprinkler).
Speaking of last week, a few interesting things happened.
A friend of mine had to deal with the loss of a sister. Another was sitting in a hospital room with a child. A third is trying to deal with cancer.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Then I looked into the eyes of a boys celebrating his 14th birthday and the sun shined.
Sure, he's a handful at times (although not as much as other 14s I'm sure). He likes to get under the nerves of his sister and brother (especially his brother, no his sister, OK both).
He likes to pretend he doesn't hear me when I say simple things like: "Put away your socks" or "Set the table" or "Put your book bag away."
He plays too many video games and spends too much time texting (well, so I've heard).
If I leave him in the house alone for even like five minutes, all the cookies will be gone (so will everything else that isn't tied down).
Yeah, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Rise and Shine --- Oh, those Phillies

Good Morning and who's out there this early?

The first memories I have as a Phillies fan is listening to the radio with my grandmother as they lost yet another game. Those Phillies teams in the early 70s, though, were soon to become World Champs.
They put out a lineup with Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski and Bob Boone. There was Steve Carlton on the mound, which pretty much meant a win every time.
Those winning teams, though, were short-lived. They Phillies that followed put a new spin on terrible teams. When your season is pretty much over in May, well, it's tough to remain a Phillies fan.
My children's first real memories of the Phillies is a championship team. I reveled right along with them. Yes, finally, the Phillies were the best in the league. The best players wanted to be here.
My children don't know what it's like to see a bunch of losers run out there every day, collecting a paycheck, then heading off to the golf course in October.
Now, though, I'm afraid we are heading that way.
This year is going to be a tough one for Phillies fans. Yes, we have to admit Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz and Ryan Howard probably have to be traded and replaced.
Yes, it's time, but I, for one, just want to hang on a little longer.
I'll admit it would be tough to see Rollins in, say, a Cardinals uniform. I don't want to see Utley (even an injury-riddled Utley) legging out singles for the Dodgers. I remember how weird it was for a young fan to see Luzinski with the White Sox or Carlton with the Indians.
I remember when the last strong nucleus of Phillies faded. I hope this time it doesn't take as long to get back.

Rise and Shine --- Thanks, dude

Good Morning and welcome to a whole new year!

As he turns 11 today, I'd just like to say thank you to a boy named Brendan.
Sure, he can be a little tough at times. When it's time to put the video games away, well, let's just say I need a negotiator. When it's time to clean, well, let's just say it can get a little frustrating. When it's time to do homework, well, let's just say it's time to reach for the aspirin. When it's time to get up in the morning, well, let's just say it's better to count to 10.
When things get a little tough, well, let's just say Brendan's infectious smile makes things all better. When a bit of tiredness seeps into your brain, well, let's just say his energy is better than any coffee. When the rain clouds are gathering, well, let's just say his tenacious attitude clears it all up.
Saturday afternoon, after playing a baseball game, Brendan asked if he could practice catching fly balls. There were too many cars around the neighborhood, I said, let's eat dinner first then we'll see.
There's plenty of room, Brendan said.
He threw the ball into the air and it looked like it was on flight to smash through the window of the neighbor's new car. We all held our collective breaths. Instead, the ball fell just short, then bounced over the car. 
So, thank you Brendan, for keeping me guessing.

Rise and Shine --- More taxes? Really?

OK, so everybody who was calling on their Senators to pass an Internet sales-tax bill please raise your hands! Anybody? Hello? In a world where those running our government can't pass a gun background check that most of America thinks is pretty good, we get consensus on something that will cost us more money.
In the words of a great philosopher: 'Great. Just f------g great!'
Would somebody out there please explain to me how this is a great idea.
Instead of focusing on something that can get people back working, we have things like this.
Our government is so broken right now that common sense has no place in it. I fear most of our elected officials are just cashing paychecks and don't really know what's going on in the real world.
They focus on things like Internet sales-tax and ripping apart health care while the rest of us struggle to keep ends meet.
Then, if you try to contact them, you run into office workers who have an excuse why your Senator can't be reached today.
What's next from these fat cats? Regulation of the air?
Anything to take the focus off the real problems.

Rise and Shine --- Yawn

Good Morning or whatever this thing is!

I used to laugh at people who would complain about Monday's. The 'I Hate Monday' crowd didn't make much sense to me. I mean, after all, what's the difference? You have to get through Monday anyway, so just buck up and work.
Now, I might be coming around. Well, at least partly. I've decided the early-morning alarm is the work of the devil.
It always arrives too soon and it's never wanted. When that alarm starts ringing in my ear, the only thought I have is how to break it.
Now that I use my phone as my alarm, it would do no good to throw it against the wall, so I guess I have to get up (after hitting snooze about 10 times).
Yes, I hate mornings. Much like Monday's, though, it's just the way it goes.

Rise and Shine -- Get on out

Good Morning and how about those Clevelanders!!!
Really, I don't get into this too much because, well, there are certainly more important things in the world to worry about, but doesn't it seem odd that in 2013 we still see teams like the 'Indians,' 'Redskins' and 'Braves.' I mean, in Cleveland, there is still a guy who pounds a drum in the outfield (OK, he's no longer dressed like a Native American).
Just a little odd.
Anyway, I encourage the gang to get outside whenever possible. The usual retort is something like, "I've been outside all day in school. I want to watch TV/play video games/eat candy."
The convincing has been a little easier as the air has gotten warmer and more people are outside. Yesterday, the first question I got was "Can we play outside?" Sure, there's homework to do and stuff, but I can rarely answer in the negative to that question.
I don't know how long it will last, but it is nice.
Now, my next thing is to convince them it's really fun to cut the grass.

Rise and Shine --- Sublime to ridiculous

Good Morning and, man, those Phillies are getting hard to watch!

Anyway, with nothing much happening (I think we are in one of those weird world loops), I found these videos going around the Internet. Yeah, there's some foul language, but they are darn funny.

Cheech & Chong Count to 1 Minute from CheechAndChong

Michael Shannon Reads the Insane Delta Gamma Sorority Letter from Michael Shannon

Rise and Shine --- Why ruin things?

Good Morning and hope everybody is doing well today!

So, as I was watching the early coverage of the bombing at the Boston Marathon Monday, I was struck with one thought: Why do people have to ruin everything?
I mean, in the end, whoever did this is one of the most selfish people alive. The Boston Marathon (or New York or Philly or wherever) is one of the purest events around. It's just people pushing themselves to their limit, then reaching for a little more. It's about family and friends feeling a sense of pride as the one they know crosses the finish line.
Last November, I attended the Ironman competition in Arizona to cheer on my brother. We were able to wander around the course, check on him at certain points and give him a bit of a boost.
There was security around, but you could just feel a comraderie among the 10,000 people watching. There was no thought that somebody would do something to harm anybody.
Also, everybody (I mean everybody from the 2-year old to the 90-year old) were carrying backpacks. You are out there for a long time. You need water. You need snacks. To check everybody's bag (or ban them completely) would cause a bit of a problem.
Now, we have some whack-job up in Boston yet a little bit more of our innocence away. Yeah, I keep being reminded we live in a different world every day, but there should be some things we can all celebrate without fear.
I hope it's really not all gone.

Rise and Shine --- Waffles

Good Morning and let's keep this up!!

Sunday mornings in the house are a little busier than most. We don't have to get out to school or work, but its the one day a week we make the 'Big Breakfast.'
We make bacon, bread, eggs and either pancakes or waffles. Everybody chips in, whether it be setting the table, pouring the juice (OK, chocolate milk) or just keeping out of the way.
I usually make pancakes one week and waffles the next. That was, until the old waffle maker started shedding (you know, the non-stick stuff on the bottom was coming off on the waffles). So, we've been sticking with plain, old pancakes.
This weekend, though, we were given an new waffle maker.
It put an extra step in everybody's morning. Sure, it was the same, but it was different.
The 8-year old said she had a hard time sleeping, because she was looking forward to making breakfast.
 So, with that kind of kitchen help, it made things go easy. We sat down to the usual, plus some chocolate chip/banana/peanut butter waffles (yeah, we like different kinds every week).
It doesn't solve world peace, but it's the little things that make the day go smooth.

Rise and Shine --- Crack of the bat

Good Morning and finally some warm weather!

This weekend was the annual start of a busy spring. That's right, baseball/softball season officially began in our house.
We had the parade (why is it always so chilly?) and the first game.
The thing that always gets me is the enthusiasm. The players want to be out there on the field.
Here we have a group of 8 and 9-year old girls who want nothing more than to put on a glove and start playing.
Sure, there's the social aspect, but it's about getting outside. It's about breathing in some air after being stuck inside all winter.
The funny thing (at least I find it funny) is how the boys act the same way. For the most part, they would rather sit at home playing video games.
The spring, though, brings a change. Sure, they want to keep playing the video games, but they don't argue as much about going outside.
OK, they argue a little, but once they get there it's all smiles.
Yeah, it's only a couple nights a week, but it really sets things up nicely.

Rise and Shine --- It's a marathon

Good Morning and why has winter returned?

I was looking forward to the opening of the baseball season a little more this year. I don't know why. I think because it's a little bit unknown. I mean, if everything goes right the Phillies may be able to make the playoffs. I don't think they are good enough to win the World Series, but stranger things have happened.
I think it's just that the opening of the baseball season (no matter the weather) brings me thoughts of the summer and vacations and warm nights at the ballpark.
We can't afford to actually attend a game at Citizens Bank Park. The owners of baseball teams outpriced families years ago. Instead we'll hit the minor league circuit. I'm sure there will be more than a few trips to Wilmington. The plan is to get to the other stadiums within driving distance.
Now, if the Phils can win one game in Atlanta....

Rise and Shine --- The flu and the weekend

Good Morning and welcome to the beginning of baseball season!

For the first time I think ever, I got a flu show this year. The only reason I got one was because they were giving them out free during a community day.
Whatever, it seemed to work. I got a few stuffy noses and things like that during the winter, but managed to stay away from the flu.
That was until the shot wore off sometime last week. Then, I got knocked over. After a slow build up, I was knocked down by the flu. I had a sore throat, weakness in my bones, coughing, sneezing, you know, all the fun stuff.
The worst thing about it was we were on our annual trip to Ocean City for the Easter weekend. So, for the first day, instead of enjoying the beach (yeah, it was cold, but, come on, it's the beach), I was down for the count on the couch.
It's been a slow recovery though the weekend, but I might be able to see the other side.
Either that or it's time  for another shot.

Rise and Shine --- No phone?

Good Morning and welcome to the Internet!

So, I forgot my iPhone at home the other day.
I was already running late, so, instead of turning around, I figured I could survive the day. I mean, after all, I remember when there weren't any cell phones.
The first phone I got was in a bag and it only worked when connected through the cigarette lighter. I think I used it twice the whole time I had the thing.
Anyway, times change and now my phone is pretty much a little computer. I might get three calls a week, probably make about the same amount. Most of the time, I'm checking e-mail, texting, playing Words with Friends or just goofing around.
The day I didn't have the phone was actually kind of liberating. Not that it takes away from the work at hand, but do we really need every minute of every day connected?
I thought about leaving the phone at home while we went on an adventure Saturday, then thought better of it. The day I leave it home is the day I really need it (broken-down car, etc.).
Still, I think I'm going to start leaving it in the car each day. It's good to disconnect.
Now, I have to go. I have to figure out what kind of word I can make out of 'H-R-E-F-B-O-J'

Rise and Shine --- Madness?

Good Morning and don't you wish another storm would come tonight so the TV people can get all crazy?

Anyway, there used to be a time when I would study all the NCAA Tournament match-ups. I would break down the guard play of teams like Tulsa and how they could make a run through the tournament. I would recognize that a team like Butler would be poised to make some noise. I would go game-by-game all the way through.
You know what? None of it mattered. I never seemed to do any better than somebody who would pick by uniform color. Still, it was fun watching all the games.
It still is (again). I lost it for a few years. I didn't watch many games, mostly followed them through late-night highlights.
I won't watch them all this year. I find it kind of tough to be sitting inside watching games on a Saturday afternoon, but I'll catch my fair share.
Now, I have to ask my daughter which team's uniform is better.

Rise and Shine --- What schedule?

Good Morning and why did I have to turn the heat back up?
 Anyway, maybe I'm just remembering it wrong, but in year's past, didn't TV shows have new episodes every week.
Sure, there was a break in late December when everybody is busy wrapping instead of watching. Once we got into the dark or winter, though, I remember the season rolling through May.
 These days, it seems like most network shows put on a couple of new episodes, then follow with weeks of reruns, before another new one comes on. It's not like there's nothing else to watch while vegging out after a long day.
Still, I want the few shows I watch every week to keep the reruns for the summer.
Not that it's earth shattering or anything, just thought I'd share.

Rise and Shine --- Thinking

Good Morning and where was the panic for today's rain?

Just for today:

Rise and Shine --- Ice, Ice, Baby

Good Morning and it's almost here!

You know, I'm not a big fan of the snow. I really don't like being cold. Yeah, I have a pretty good winter coat that keeps me warm, but I don't usually get into running around during the winter.
Give me the spring and a baseball. Give me the summer with a Frisbee. Give me the fall with a football.
Like a bear, I'd rather just sleep through the whole winter. Wake me up when the flowers start to bloom.
A few weeks ago, I won passes to Sno Mountain in the Poconos. I asked the group if they wanted to do some snow tubing. The answer was the typical: "I don't know."
So, to me, that was a challenge. We were going to do it. We pulled out the boots, hats and gloves then made the long trip to the Poconos this past weekend (yeah, we cut it kind of close).
Luckily, the spring-like weather kept a lot of people off the mountain, so we didn't have to wait very long to get to the top and then to the top of the line.
Tell you what, it was liberating. After a winter of uncertainties, it was nice to just let loose.
Sure, it only took a couple of seconds to get down the slope, but it was awesome. Just let go, feel the air and speed.
OK, maybe it's a short thing, but I think we'll be heading back next winter.

Rise and Shine --- The problem is...

Good Morning and is Rand Paul still talking?!?

I have a fear that our government will never be fixed. The crazies on each end of the spectrum have shut it all down.
They can't even vote on a new director of the CIA, for gosh sakes. How can we have any confidence anything will get done?
We've been hijacked by special interest groups, big business and Congressman who are more worried about keeping their job instead of getting something (anything?) accomplished.
Is this why Mr. Smith wanted to go to Washington so bad?

Rise and Shine --- When new is old

Good Morning and what's that they are talking about this week?

Anyway, the house has recently discovered the joy of board games.
For years, we had games sitting around the house, everything from "Chutes & Ladders" to "Candyland" to "Operation."
We played the games maybe a couple of times a year or every other year or something like that. Somehow, the pieces have all disappeared. There are broken boards. There are missing cards, dice, whatever.
In January, we picked up "Monopoly" (actually a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer edition of the game). Since then, we've played probably ever other day.
As fun as that has become, we needed to branch out. I remember sitting around the table all those years ago playing games like "Clue" and "Life."
So, I picked up "Clue" a couple of weeks ago and now that's in the rotation.
It's actually kind of cool in this age of video games where we can gather around the table, laugh and have some fun.
Now, I have to find more games for everybody.

Rise and Shine --- Hey, Old Man Winter...

Good Morning and how about that wind?!?
Woke up this morning with a stuffed-up head. I didn't feel so bad last night. Just the normal run-down type of thing. This morning, though, the sniffles.
OK, I've officially had it. The cold, the wind, the rain, the short snowfalls.
 ENOUGH!
Bring on the spring. I guess it's always tough this time of year because we see the Phillies practicing in the Florida sunshine and we are shivering under our blankets.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it could be much worse. We could have snowflakes pelting our faces as we try to keep up with the shoveling. We could be outside scraping the windows down every morning. The heat could go out.
I'm not complaining about the winter. I actually find the cold somewhat exhilarating most days, but it's now time to go.
Old Man Winter, you've overstayed your welcome.
Bring me singing birds, growing grass and a couple of games of H-O-R-S-E in the driveway. I want to ride my bike without wearing gloves.
Bring me baseball that's played somewhere except on the television. I want to color Easter eggs. I want fresh tomatoes not grown in a hothouse in South America.
Then again, it is kind of nice to stay under the covers...

Rise and Shine --- Because we need to laugh

Good Morning and welcome to Fat Tuesday!

Sometimes, there's nothing else to say. So you just have to laugh.

Between Two Ferns: Oscar Buzz Edition Part 2 from Zach Galifianakis

Rise and Shine --- All about the music

Good Morning and I'm still trying to figure out exactly who Hunter Hayes is?

A few years ago, I watched the Grammy Awards and felt very out of touch. The voices were foreign to me, a person who thought he was keeping up with the times.
So, having dedicated myself over the past couple of years to at least give a listen to new stuff. My radio has been tuned mostly to WXPN (I slowly realized other stations were playing the same 10 songs over and over and over again).
I found some really good music being created. I knew who the Lumineers were before they hit the stage. I had listened to Halestorm before they ran up on stage. My morning routine normally includes the Alabama Shakes playing in the background.
I was glad to see Mumford & Sons win for one of the best albums put together in years.
I might not get fun., but they certainly seem to put on a good show.
In fact, the worst part of last night's show, was when Elton John took the stage. Sir Elton, yes, you are a legend, but let the new people sing.
So, maybe I'm not as out-of-touch as I used to be.
Then again, who the heck is Pitbull and how did he get up there?

Rise and Shine --- It was only a matter of time

Good Morning and how about those 76ers?!?

I got sick. My daughter got sick. I told the boys it was only a matter of time until it hits them.
That's the thing about these winter not-quite flu bugs. They spread around the house.
I sat at home yesterday with a sick 10-year old. Well, sitting maybe not, but we were home.
Usually a cast a weary eye when he says he is sick. He's been known to pull a fast one every now and again. This time, though, the temperature told me it was true.
I feel bad when it happens. I wish we could live in a house where nobody gets sick. That's just not the way it happens, though. Once the bug is introduced, it has to run through everybody.
I just hope it doesn't come back to me. The cough I came up with this morning, though, might be telling another story.

Rise and Shine --- Go away

Good Morning and it's another day of clearing off the car.

 Not that I'm complaining or anything.
It's much better to have these little snow squalls instead of those blizzards from a couple of years ago.
Remember that year, I think it was 2010 (a year I've decided to destroy from my memory), when there was one blizzard after another. We had like 20 inches one day, then less than a week later another dozen.
Yeah, that was a bad winter. This has not been a bad winter.
Sure, it's been cold and the PECO bill is out of hand, but I'll trade that for little snow.
Still, I'm sick of winter. I want it over. I want to get out and plant some flowers. I want to be able to walk around without bundling up. I am just sick of sitting around inside this winter. I'm sick of the complaints when I say 'No more video games.' I'm sick of watching bad TV because I've read all the books.
 In an attempt to just get out last weekend, we went bowling.
Now, I figured bowling was lost on this generation. I mean, do they even show bowling on ESPN any more? Little did I know that Saturday's are a big bowling birthday party day. So, after being turned away at two places, we were able to finally land a lane at the third.
A few things hit me as we tried to knock down the pins. First, the smell in the bowling alley has not changed since I was a child. Second, it's much better (cheaper) to go bowling on a Sunday morning than a Saturday afternoon. Third, it's much more fun to see an 8-year old get a strike than actually getting one yourself.
We weren't breaking any records in two games, but, for the most part, it was fun.
How do I know? Well, on the way out I was asked, "Can we go again next week?"

Rise and Shine --- Eat the rich

Good Morning and why exactly does the morning come so early?
So, it appears we are moving out of the economic funk we've been living in for the past 6 years. The stock market is rebounding (highest in like a decade). Unemployment is falling. People seem to be getting their feet back.
Then again, there's our corporate society. When the election rhetoric hinged on taxing the rich, it became obvious we only have two classes in this country. There's the rich and everybody else.
No matter what they say, the rich don't care about the rest of us.
Corporations have found out we will do more work with less people. We will take on other duties as some have been laid off. We will get it done no matter how long it takes and won't put in for overtime.
We'll keep packing the boxes until our fingers bleed.
Then, on a whim, corporate entities might just decide bleeding is not enough.
One quote out of the election was "Corporations are people too."
Uh, no they are not. Sorry. Doesn't work that way in the real world.

Rise and Shine --- Much ado...

Good Morning and welcome back to the Internet!

OK, I have a confession to make, I lip-synced yesterday's edition. I wrote it much earlier than was posted and pulled it out when the national audience was ready.
A lot of people might think that is wrong, but, so I wouldn't look bad by making a huge mistake, I felt the lip-syncing was warranted. People expect the best out of me every day and, with the Super Bowl coming up next week, the extra pressure was just too much.
I promise it will only happen on occasion and I hope this won't sway you from reading.
In other big news, it's cold. In Pennsylvania. In January.

Rise and Shine --- No avoiding it

Good Morning and when does spring training begin?
OK, I got the flu shot. I stayed away from people who were coughing or sneezing. I refrained from shaking hands. I kept out of the hospital (always a good thing).
Yet, for the first time in a couple of years, I got sick this winter. For the past week, I felt like the best course of action was to head to a Leper's island. Eating real food was not an option. Getting out of bed was the biggest battle of the week.
Went through a box of green tea. Ate mostly crackers.
When I finally started to feel better, I got the cough. Hacking up a lung would have been much easier than the constant coughing. I hurt my head. It hurt my chest.
I feel like I'm finally emerging out of the sick realm.
There was a story a few years ago about a bunch of parents who got together for a Chicken Pox Party. When one friend got the chicken pox, they parents would invite the whole class to a party so everybody could get it at the same time.
Sounds a little stupid (I don't want any of my kids to get chicken pox and I'm certainly not going to make it happen). When you can't avoid whatever is going around, though, it's better to just get it and be done.
At least that's what I'm saying now.

Rise and Shine --- Music

Good Morning and it sounds like another day better spent in bed!

So, I was sitting in the living room this past weekend listening to some music when the 8-year old said, "Can't you put on something good?"
Good? This is The Who. I'd think they are pretty good.
"I don't like it. Put something else on!"
Nah. That's all right. We'll listen to this for awhile.
"That's it! I'm going in my room to listen to something I like!"

Well, I guess we've hit that mark. I remember sitting my room listening to music. I had an old clock/radio and it pulled in the stations fine. Sometimes, I would read while listening. Sometimes I would just listen.
The boys don't seem to have much interest in music right now. Video games are holding their attention. Actually, they don't know Ozzy Osbourne, but know one of his songs is used on Madden.
I pulled out an old radio for the 8-year old to listen to 'her music.'
It was actually some of the same, but I could hear her dancing to the beat through the ceiling (not Dancing on the Ceiling)
Soon, she was going through my CD collection.
"Can I put some of these on."
Sure, anything you would like.
Soon, this was coming through the door:

Rise and Shine --- Stay home

Good Morning and when did we move to London?
So, there's been a lot of talk out there about the flu. For the first time, I got a flu shot and it's been pretty good so far.
Still, we are hearing about epidemics. We are hearing about hospitals telling people with the flu to stay away. If you have children in school, you know the drill, a leaky nose and he/she is home for the day.
Yet, if this office is any kind of barometer, people have no problem showing up for work with all kinds of illness.
I remember a few years ago somebody showing up with full-blown pink eye. Just this week, some were complaining about being sick. They are hacking up lungs while sitting 20 feet away.
Now, I'm no germaphobe, but, come on. I don't want to get sick because you have some reason to believe you need to come into work wheezing and blowing.
Now, I know there are different rules at different places, but let's use some common sense people.
Stay home for the day. Drink a lot of green tea. Stay in bed. Take a hot bath. Just don't come into work.

Rise and Shine --- Suit debate

Good Morning and does anybody really know what time it is?
So, our own Gil Spencer has been touted by the Governor over the last few days after his stand on the state's lawsuit against the NCAA. Gov. Corbett sent out an e-mail blast Sunday pointing to Gil's 'it's the right move' column. That was followed up by a Tweet yesterday morning (by the way, when have Governors starting Tweeting?).
From this seat, it sounds like much ado about nothing.
Did the NCAA overstep its bounds with such harsh sanctions against Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky scandal? Probably.
Did Penn State deserve to be sanctioned? Absolutely.
I just don't know if there aren't more pressing issues in Pennsylvania than spending time and money to protect a football program.
You know, just saying.

Rise and Shine --- What's new?

Good Morning and here we are again!

So, it's 2013 is it? Yeah, I know, the year changed last week. Somehow, though, with the New Year in the middle of the week, it seemed not real or something.
Now, it's back to the first full work week of  2013 and, well, I guess I have to be ready.
Start getting up before the crack of dawn. Start hitting that snooze button again. Start brewing the coffee.
When I turned on the television in the office this morning, I was greeted with a Viagra ad. I guess whatever gets you up in the morning...
So, I'll take 2013 head on. I firmly believe things get better every year. In 2012, the year got better as it went along. Let's keep the momentum going.

Rise and Shine --- Guns

Good Morning and, yes, it's only a week until Christmas!

So, everybody kept asking Friday if I was going to talk to the children about what happened in Connecticut. My first reaction was no. I didn't think there was a need. They watch the news. They'll see what happened and ask any questions if necessary.
I wasn't trying to shield them from bad news, I just didn't think they would have much to say or ask.
In the end, I told them they need to listen to teachers and take those drills to heart. If something happens, I want them to be safe.
On the same side, I don't want them living in fear. You can't live looking over your shoulder or worried about what might happen. Sure, you have to be diligent, but worrying all the time will cause you to miss out on a lot.
I don't know if the issue will be brought up at local schools today. I am pretty sure there will be some extra measures taken (making sure all doors are locked, etc.), but I hope there isn't extra security.
We don't need that.
Sure, we need to do something. We need to make sure everybody is safe.
What we don't need to do is give up.

Rise and Shine -- Fa la la la

Good Morning and how about those 76ers!

Anyway, while walking around the Springfield mall yesterday, I noticed the Christmas (holiday?) music coming through the speakers.
Suddenly, I had a flashback to just a couple of years ago. For three years, I worked at Macy's in King of Prussia during the holiday season. Once I got past just how messy customers can be, it wasn't so bad.
Sure, I folded a lot of sweaters and put way too many 3-piece boys outfits back on the racks to count, but the co-workers were nice and I was able to have some interesting conversations.
Then there was the music. The same songs over and over and over again.
I used to enjoy listening to the music of the season, but I think those hours in Macy's may have ruined my ears. I can take it in short bursts, but was actually thinking about buying a pair of headphones so I could listen to the music on my phone instead of those in the mall.
By the way, if I hear 'Baby it's cold outside' one more time I might just hunt those people down and put them out in the snow.

Rise and Shine --- Getting close

Good Morning and how about those Holiday Homes?

I always kind of chuckle at people who rush to get their Christmas shopping done early. I once knew somebody who made sure all the gifts were purchased (and most wrapped) by July. "Takes the stress out of the holidays," was the excuse.
Well, I'm the direct opposite. I don't wait until the last minute (most of the stuff is picked up by Dec. 24th), but I'm still not ready to hit the stores.
It's getting close, though.
This past weekend I saw a store that had 50 percent off Christmas decorations. I figure if I wait about a week, it'll hit 60 percent off.
Those Black Friday deals will pale in comparison to the last-minute shopping deals. Sure, I might know get the 'hottest' items, but that's OK.
There are still plenty of Barack Obama chia pets to be had.

Rise and Shine --- Christmas Specials

Good Morning and welcome to a whole, new ballgame!

So, I remember all those years ago waiting for the Christmas specials to come on television.
The thought of a Charlie Brown Christmas at 8 o'clock on Channel 6 was enough to get me to do my homework early.
I used to peruse the TV Guide to get a map for what was coming up.
Year Without a Santa Claus? Check.
Frosty the Snowman? Check
The Grinch? Check.
They were all there, spread out just enough through the weeks before Christmas to get a young heart into the spirit of the season.
Now? Well, I'm not one of those knee-slapping old fogies who say 'Everything was better in my time!!!' Still, now the shows are on all the time.
I could have watched the Grinch steal Christmas three times since Thanksgiving. Charlie Brown's search for the perfect tree has been on twice. Even SpongeBob's Christmas has had multi showings.
That's not to even mention the DVD set somebody gave me years ago that has Santa Claus is Coming to Town and the rest of the stop-motion classics.
Over saturation? Isn't that what we do now?
Then again, can't get enough of this:

Rise and Shine --- Sorry, wrong number (text)

Good Morning and finally got those Christmas lights up!

So, if you are going to communicate by text message, you better get the number right.
Over the past few weeks, I've gotten a couple of texts from numbers I don't recognize. One ended up being somebody I knew who had a new phone number.
The others, though, were just wrong numbers. I usually just send back they have the wrong number.
When I received another Friday (from a number I had responded), I decided to have a little fun.
The following is an actual Text conversation between me and an unknown mis-dialer:

Are you coming?
Only if you are paying. I used up all my cash.
Fine. I will (try)
Gee, don't sound too enthusiastic or anything!
Can't you just ask your parent?
They cut me off. Found the H in my underwear drawer.
H?
Yeah, and the meth :(
What are you talking about?
Dude, it's a side business. Thought I could make enough for the Jag.
Whhhhaaaatttt ... ? You're an .. Drug user?
Never use. Bad business.
Ohhh ... K. Yeah. Never mind, there is no paintball.
Just fooling. wrong number man.
God, thanks, i guess

So, make sure you get that number right.

Rise and Shine --- Huh?

Good Morning and I wish I had the $2 back!

So, this video is the most-watched clip in the history of YouTube.



This is the most downloaded tune on Spotify



Here's one I never heard until two days ago (despite it being like 30 years old)


Having heard all three, I fear I can never go back.

Rise and Shine --- Give snow a break

For the last two days, we've been hearing about this 'WINTER STORM' that is supposed to be around the area today.
"Watch out," we were warned from the talking heads, "this is going to get nasty. Winds. Rain. SNOW."
This morning, I woke up and looked out the window. Nothing on the streets. Nothing on the car. Nothing on the lawn.
OK, I thought, maybe it's just a little late.
Got into the office and turned on the morning news programs.
I was hit over the head with "Team Coverage" of the winter storm. One guy was standing on the street talking about how it was so dry out there.
Now, I don't blame these people. They are just doing the bidding of some higher power.
It's to the higher power I am pleading.
Please stop this dumb storm coverage stuff. To say you have "Team Coverage" on something that might just leave a coating on the ground makes your whole staff look stupid.
It's not like we don't overblow some things, but, come on, to have your reporter ask an official if they expect any delays when it's no more than a little mist, well, one can only laugh.
Or cry.

Rise and Shine --- Lights, camera, action

Good Morning and did you hear the news stations using that 4-letter word this morning?

Maybe I'm in the minority (and a look around the neighborhood says I am), but I can't pull out the Christmas decorations until December.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's nice to see the lights on houses. It's cool to see some of the new decorations people have purchased. I just can't do it.
I can't go into the back of the garage and pull those boxes out. Heck, I just finally put away the rest of the Halloween stuff.
The Christmas stuff? We are looking at this weekend or next (that's right, next!).
It's not that I don't like decorating. Someday, I want to be motivated enough to have a Griswald house. I want people driving past to slow down and take a look. I want the neighbors to knock on the door and say, "Wow, you really got me into the Christmas spirit!"
No matter when Thanksgiving falls, though, it won't happen until December.
Then I start thinking of the electric bill and, well, maybe it won't happen until mid-December.

Rise and Shine --- Sales? No such thing

Good Morning and wouldn't it be nice if we could one day get away from the political debate?

So, while watching TV last night, I saw several commercials talking about Black Friday sales. One, I think it was for Macy's, said Black Friday was already here. All right, I'm hopping in the car right now to get some overpriced perfume.
I worked for Macy's over the holidays for a few years. I met some amazing people who have a great work ethic. I met some people who were more interested in texting than working.
Whatever. That happens everywhere.
What I started to notice, though, was there was no such thing as a sale. The prices for the clothes and kitchen stuff pretty much stayed the same throughout the season.
Sure, if you wanted to sign up for a Macy's credit card, you could get it a little cheaper. For the most part, though, it was what it was.
If you wanted to pay more, you could find high-priced items. If you wanted something reasonable, it was there as well.
So, when you head out next Friday (or Thursday night I now see), just know there is no rush.

Rise and Shine --- Survival

Good Morning and here we are again.
So, late last week I was fortunate enough to check out the new Titanic exhibit at the Franklin Institute.
There are plenty of the usual things you expect, like pieces of the ship, jewelry, clothes, plates and other items picked up on the ocean floor.
What struck me, though, where a couple things, one visual and one thoughtful.
Those who put the exhibit together recreated parts of the ship that actually can make you feel like you are climbing aboard an ocean liner. The grand staircase made famous by the movie is there (they even had a fake ship captain and passenger walking down the steps). There is a first-class room and a third-class room. You can see the differences between having money and not were just as far apart 100 years ago as today.
There is one area where you are walking down a recreation of one of the ship's hallways. It's fascinating and eerie at the same time.
While I was driving home, though, something hit me. All these material things survived at the bottom of the ocean for nearly 100 years. There were postcards that actually look like they might have been purchased yesterday. There are full men's suits and more bottles than at a bottle shop.
If the Titanic went down today, I guess in 100 years they'd find a bunch of dead iPhones or laptops sinking into the sand. We wouldn't get the photos or the writings.
Blogs don't survive in salty water.
Will we be a lost society because of it? Will future archaeologists just joke about the cloud just floating away?
Something to think about.

Rise and Shine --- Oh, those commercials

Good Morning and, man, I'm glad tomorrow is election day!
Seriously, the next time I see Tom Smith's mother, she better be starring in the Estelle Getty role of a 'Golden Girls' remake. By the way, Tom, you are the single most annoying candidate in about 100 years and there is no 'w' in 'Bob.'
One more time I hear Mitt Romney say he's going to personally create 12 million jobs I might just crack. I don't care what Colin Powell thinks. I certainly don't have any interest in Bucks County or New Jersey.
Is it just me or have these political ads just been about the worst ever? There's no break either. It's one after the other after the other.
I just saw Bill Clinton campaigning for Kathleen Kane, followed by the Mittster telling me about jobs. By the way, Mitt, if the White House is going to create 12 million new jobs, isn't the government going to get a helluva lot bigger?
They are all just bad and annoying. I didn't think I could get any more annoyed until I saw the Pennsylvania Lottery commercial with the guy going around giving scratch-off tickets to his friends as Christmas (sorry, Holiday) gifts.
"Hey what a great gift ... you cheap bastard!"
I think I'm going to DVR all my shows until the end of the year.

Rise and Shine --- Storm chasing

Good Morning and how about that Sandy!
So, while talking about the upcoming 'SUPER STORM,' I mentioned at the breakfast table Sunday I was going to become a storm hunter.
You know, those people who drive around in SUVs and get some cool video of tornadoes and hurricanes.
"Good luck with that," said the teenager.
"Uh, I'm not going with you," said the 7-year old.
"Yeah, right," added the 10-year old.
OK, how about if I just do storm hunting from the backyard? That would be safer.
"Like anybody's going to pay for that," came the quick retort.
Yeah, but it will be better than driving into work through a storm. I could set up a camera under an umbrella and sit there as Sandy comes in.
"First, the umbrella would blow away," came the 2nd-grader's logic. "Can I watch TV?"
OK, so my first attempt at garnering excitement didn't go so well. Let's see what happens tonight.

Rise and Shine --- Movie night?

Good Morning and how about those Giants!



The movie viewers in the house range in ages from 13 to 7 (almost 8). Up until this weekend, I didn't think that matter too much.

After all, we kind of all agree on most movies we watch. There is a lot of animation and mostly dumb comedies that are family friendly. You know, like those goofy Eddie Murphy movies with talking animals or the latest Pixar fare.

So, while riding around Saturday afternoon, we were talking about movies we could watch later that night.

How about Abbott and Costello Meet Dracula? That's a good one for Halloween!

"No, that's stupid," said the 13-year old.

Yeah, but it's funny.

"I want to watch 'The Terminator,'" the teenager continued.

Well, I think that's a little intense for the little guys. What do the other kids in school watch?

"They are watching 'The Terminator' or 'Friday the 13th' or good movies like that," came the complaint. "Nobody in school watches Abbott and Costello."

Well, that's their loss. I'm trying to show you some of the classics.

"They are just dumb. Nobody watches those movies. Nobody watches 'Duck Soup.' Nobody's even heard of it."

Now, as a way of explanation, a few months ago we were looking for something to watch and we stumbled on a showing of the Marx Brothers' great movie called 'Duck Soup.'

It's a major anti-war movie and it's laugh-out-loud funny, like most Marx Brothers movies. Apparently, though, it's lost on the teenage crowd.

Well, I said, maybe we should invite some of your friends over and watch 'Duck Soup.' We could even have some pizza.

"Nobody will come over. Nobody wants to watch that. Nobody's even heard of those movies. It's embarrassing."

OK, I'll call your teachers and see if I can come in and show the movie during school.

"Ahhhhh..."  

Rise and Shine --- Holiday overload

Good Morning and welcome to the only place on the Internet you want to be!
Like mostly everybody else, I like holidays. OK, that's not exactly the pull-you-in kind of opening loyal readers are used to, but I thought I would throw out some truth.

What I don't get is how we've advanced the holidays so far that there are pre-pre-pre-Christmas sales in July.

I like holiday shopping the old-fashioned way. Which means, I want to think about Halloween in October; Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December. (We'll discuss Arbor Day some other time).

So, while thinking about how to decorate the house for Halloween this year, I went out to a couple of local stores over the weekend.

That's when I found out I was behind the times. Halloween had been reduced to one aisle in most places. In one store, Halloween had been reduced to one end of the aisle and most of that stuff was broken.

So, I went home and pulled out the box of decorations before I thought, "Wait, I have over a week until Halloween. There's no rush."

So, I'll start to put the stuff up this week (as long as I get help from my helpers). Yeah, I guess I'm late. By the time I get all the ghosts floating the witches flying, I'll probably see commercials for bathing suit sales.

Rise and Shine --- Dealing with it

Good Morning and, really, frost today? It was like 70 yesterday.


Everybody deals with things differently. Some people go into a funk when something happens. Some people just ignore it. Some people try to find solutions.

So, when my Mom was rushed to the hospital after falling and banging her head, I didn't know how to feel. Should I rush down there, you know, just in case it's really serious. Should I wait around for updates. Should I just plug ahead.

After a couple of minutes of thinking, I jumped in the van and drove as fast as I could to to the hospital.

Once it became apparent she was OK, I couldn't help myself but try to find the humor in the situation.

Actually, we all did. We thought it was funny when the nurse asked if she used a worker.

We thought it was funny when the nurse was shocked Mom was still working full-time at 70.

We joked about getting one of those Hoverounds with the goofy commercials.

That's how we do it in our family. Try to find the light side and, bad taste and all, try to laugh a little bit.

Rise and Shine --- Politics and sunshine

Good Morning and, you know, sometimes you have good weekends and sometimes you have GOOD weekends!



Usually I leave this political talk to legends like Spencerblog, but, with another presidential debate just a day away, I'd thought I'd chime in on the subject.

OK, here goes: I hate political ads.

They bore me. They make me want to not vote for the person in the ad.

The worst this year are the ones being blasted on our TV screen by Tom Smith. Look, I don't know Tom Smith. Seems like he could be a nice enough guy, but, really, I don't care if you worked in the coal mines. I don't care, Tom, that you started your own energy company. I do know, Tom, like most corporate owners these days, I'm sure you're not paying your workers what they are worth.

That's neither here nor there, though. What I really want to know is who is swayed by these ads? What are their target audience?

Are there actually some who are watching TV, see a Tom Smith ad that says Bob Casey is a career politician and think, 'Hey, he's right. I never thought of it that way.'

Who you vote for should be based on what these candidates really stand for, what they really believe. Hey, I know it's hard. You are basically begging for your job every couple of years, but, come on, get out of the commercial business.

Rise and Shine --- Soundtrack for the week

Good Morning and how about that rain?!?

Here's a little music to get you through the week (Yes, you're welcome):

Rise and Shine --- Shiny, red apple

Good Morning and here we are back again in the same place.
It's always kind of cool during the changing of the seasons.
You know, when you can catch the first whiff of flowers in the spring. When the grill is going (and the mosquitoes are biting here in Delco) during the summer.
Now that we are really into fall (I don't care what the calendar says, fall starts Oct. 1), it's apple season.
OK, OK, now that we have year-round deliveries to super markets, we can get apples any time during the year. It's the fall, though, when they seem to be the best.
So, it being the first weekend of fall, we all were looking forward to some fresh apples. Well, at least I was, the rest wanted to hunt down the perfect pumpkin.
We jumped in the car and went out to Linvilla Orchards (seems like everybody had the same idea Saturday). That's where we picked up four different kinds of apples.
The next morning, breakfast was apple pancakes, apple doughnuts, apple cider and apple coffee (yes, there is such a thing).
So, after eating it all, the first comment I got was: "Dad, this is good and all, but I'm kind of sick of apples."
Get used to it. Apple tacos Tuesday night.

Rise and Shine --- Stupid, but what if?

Good Morning and welcome back to the cool side of the pillow.




So, after much hype, the new TV show 'Revolution' premiered last week. The second episode is on tonight, I think. (It is Monday, right?)

Anyway, I checked out the show mostly because there wasn't anything else on Monday night. The premise, for those that stick with pro wrestling, is somehow all the power was lost around the world in one fell swoop. The lights went out, people went crazy, the whole world became the wild, wild west.

There were some cool shots of an overgrown Wrigley Field and stuff. The acting was kind of pedestrian, but, you know, we aren't looking for Oscar winners here.

If you buy into the fantasy that something like all the power going out at once and nobody can fix it, well, then it's not so bad. Sure, it could never happen.

Then again, as my Firefox browser shut down for the fourth time already this morning, I got to wondering where we would all be without computer access, cell phones and the rest.

Imagine if all the computers went out around the world after some kind of virus. We'd actually have to, gasp, pull out the vinyl to listen to music. We wouldn't know Bobo down the street was heading to the store. There would be no quick reviews of Wawa coffee.

Uh, I think we'd survive without Wrigley Field being overgrown, but you never know.

Rise and Shine --- YAWN

Good Morning and there's something about these rainy days that just make it too easy to go back to bed!




I remember these kind of days (since they didn't come all the time) were kind of cool while in grade school. Usually, we'd get dropped off by the bus and start running around until the bell rung.

We would race, play football, talk about the Phillies game or the latest edition of Sports Illustrated.

Rainy days, though, we were forced inside. We would wait in the cafeteria until the bell. Since nobody wanted to look uncool and carry an umbrella, we'd all be a little wet.

Somehow, though, those mornings with the rain coming down outside hold more memories to me than the ones spent running around outside.

It's probably because that was the days when we were always outside. We'd wake up on, say, a Saturday morning, eat a quick breakfast, then jump on our bikes.

Now, I have a hard time convincing the children to get outside. Ride bikes? Only if it's a miracle.

Rainy days today are celebrated because there is no choice. Back in the day, it was a welcome break.

Rise and Shine --- Doesn't make sense

Good Morning and, whew, that was a full weekend!


So, the violence continues to escalate in the Middle East.

What apparently was the catalyst to all this was some goofy looking movie made by an anti-Muslim filmmaker.

Not only does the movie make some in the Middle East angry, but it also looks badly made. Just watching the trailer, it's pretty obvious the actors weren't even saying the lines that showed up on film.

While, I wouldn't tell anybody their religious beliefs are wrong, I fear that at some point, the film will be just an excuse.

Unfortunately, we live in a world were violence just escalates. It doesn't slow down.

After a while, it's just the reason used to destroy things for the sake of destroying them. A week from now, there might be gangs still attacking embassies, but they probably won't remember the reason.

Look, here people turn over cars and light them on fire when their team wins a championship, so we shouldn't be pointing fingers.

Sometimes, though, cooler heads have to take over, right?

Rise and Shine -- Take your trains and ...

Good Morning! I had to put my heat on in the car this morning. It's too early for my tastes.



I'm sure you've all seen the commercials where a punch of people walk in front of a too-small screen to talk about how taking SEPTA is only way to get to a game.

Uh, no SEPTA. I tried it this past weekend. It was as horrible as I remember.

Now, I've given SEPTA plenty plenty of chances. I took the train down to the Live 8 concert. Then saw as they put too few trains on the line and had people actually jammed in the doorways to get home.

I jumped on SEPTA to take in the Phillies parade in 2008 (We getting another one this year?). After getting pushed and pulled all over the place, I felt it would be easier to walk.

Now, there wasn't much going on in the city this weekend. I had tickets to the Temple/Maryland football game (the 7-year old had been begging to go). Instead of driving down, I thought it would save some money and fun to take the train.

Uh, no. You can get by the rude attitude of the workers selling tickets. You can get by the train schedules that haven't been updated since the 1960s. What you can't get by, though, is the filth.

Have the trains on the Broad Street Line ever been cleaned? How about the stations for that matter? Do we really need the recordings to announce the next station to sound like a drive thru McDonald's?

From now on, it's back in the car.

Rise and Shine --- Nothing at all

Good Morning and, what's that you say, Fall is here?


So, we are a week into school and already I'm told there's been nothing going on.

Here's a typical conversation after the bus pulls away:

So, how was school today?

"OK"

Just OK. What did you do?

"Nothing really."

Nothing? You didn't learn anything new. You don't have some stories to tell about your new teachers?

"Nah. We didn't really do anything."



Now, I can understand the first week. Students and teachers are checking each other out. Both are still trying to shake the cobwebs of summer away.

This conversation could happen (and probably will) in December or April or June.

I know, I know, I'm sure I did the same thing many eons ago.

I would like to know, though, what's going on. Just give me a little bit. A small morsel would be enough to satiate.

Just don't ask what I did at work.

Rise and Shine --- Keeping it alive

Good Morning and when the Phillies are playing Game 1 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park, remember you heard it here first!!

So, we ran a story last week about the incoming college Class of 2016.

After getting over the fact they were born in 1994 (really? 1994?), there were some interesting trends.

For instance, if you didn't think we've morphed into a TV (or more likely video) society, then you'd be shocked the Class of 2016 get most of their news from "The Daily Show" or on YouTube.

According to the study, they have always lived in cyberspace. Computers are as likely to be as opened as the front door.

This new class of college students have probably never purchased a CD, let alone an album. Everything is quick hits, including music. I would imagine the song "American Pie" would be turned off the first time they went to the "levee, but the levee was dry."

Anyway, I've taken it upon myself to keep these old timey ways alive.

First, though, I had to take a quick survey. Having nobody from the Class of 2016 around, I had to use a member of the Class of 2021.

OK, where do you get your news?

Blank stare.

OK, where do you find out what's happening in the world?

"From you."

Good. Go to the CD cabinet and pick out something to listen to.

"That's all right."

Well, then, how about answering me this, who is Bill Clinton?

"Dad, I'm reading. Leave me alone."

I'll try again later.

Rise and Shine --- Those were the days?

Good Morning and isn't it nice to have the air conditioning turned off?


So, when the mosquitoes became too much Sunday night, we went inside and snapped on the TV.

Since I had control of the remote, I was able to bypass the usual fare of shows that melt the brain. OK, OK, all television melts the brain, but some make it go quicker than others.
Just to see what kind of reaction I would get, I stopped on PBS, which was showing a rerun of an old Lawrence Welk show.

After a couple of minutes, "What is this?"

It's an old TV show. My grandmom used to like watching it.

"Why are we watching it?"

Because it's a slice of Americana. They don't make them like this anymore.

"These people of weird. Isn't there anything else on?"

Nope, this is on every channel.

"I'm going to go read."

So, there you have it. Lawrence Welk is helping this generation of students keep up with their reading.

Rise and Shine --- Really? The 76ers?

Good Morning to all you insomniacs!
Was that really a couple thousand people cheering for the 76ers yesterday?

Really? People came out to the Constitution Center on a Thursday in the summer to get a look at new center Andrew Bynum?

Wait, aren't the Eagles getting ready for the season? Aren't the Phillies showing signs of life? Cheering for the 76ers in August? Why, I never...

The 76ers have always seemed like fourth-class citizens in the sports community. The Eagles ruled until the Phillies won, now they trade Nos. 1 and 2 depending on the time of year. The Flyers have always had a loyal following.

The 76ers, though, even in the glory years, seemed to pushed to the side.

Truth be told, my group of friends were always bigger 76ers fans. We went to games and listened to the 76ers on the radio (not every game was televised back then). We sat in the school cafeteria debating the merits of keeping Darryl Dawkins, then we cheered the signing of Moses Malone. We laughed at the drafting of Hersey Hawkins. We felt betrayed when Doug Moe made it look like coaching the team was taking too much time away from the beach.

Even the last few years, I've been able to get down to a couple of 76ers games (pro sports has totally outpriced the family, but that's for another time).

So, it was cool to see cheering for the 76ers in the middle of the summer.

Rise and Shine --- The heat is on

Good Morning and was that really George Michael singing during the Olympics Closing Ceremonies?

It was nice to open the door this morning and not be hit by a wall of heat. There virtually no humidity out there this morning.

What a wonderful feeling!

I was standing in the store the other day while the daughter tried on some clothes (her new favorite activity) and somebody standing outside the dressing room said, "It's like we really didn't have a summer this year. It was too hot to even walk outside."

Now, I wouldn't go that far. I mean, it is the Northeast. It's going to get hot, it's going to cool off. Sure, we had one of the hottest July's ever, but we weren't cooped up. I think it's a sign of the times.

When I hear these things, my mind immediately thinks back to my grandparents.

They didn't have any kind of air conditioning. It was hot, they dealt with it.

A few weeks ago, I was at my dad's boyhood home. He showed the children his old room on the third floor of one of those really old houses that have no air flow.

When they asked how he could sleep with it being so hot, he said he had a fan for the window.

I'll be the first to admit I thank the stars for the person who invented air conditioning.

I think, though, it kind of spoils us sometimes.

Not that I'll give it up or anything...

Rise and Shine --- Growing up

Good Morning and welcome to the only place on the Internet you need to be!



My parents have a real nice pool in their backyard. It was put in when I was in high school, but we always had some kind of pool in the backyard. So, I grew up going swimming every day throughout the summer.

About once a week now (sometimes more when it's as hot as it's been), I drive the three young ones over to enjoy a dip in the water.

OK, OK, I enjoy putting my toes in or doing a cannonball as well.

There is no diving board, but the children enjoyed jumping off the side and into the water. Last year at this time, I had to catch them as they jumped into the 4-foot part of the pool. They would jump, I'd catch and it would start all over again. And again. And again.

This year, they still were jumping in the shallower end, but didn't want me to catch them. I stood by, making sure nobody got hurt.

When we woke up yesterday and felt the heat, it was time to take the ride.

A few minutes after jumping in the first time, the 7-year old said to me: "Daddy, do you think I can swim in the deep end?"

Sure, I told her, if you can swim in the shallow end, you can swim in the deep end. I'll be there if you get nervous.

"No thanks," she said. "I can do it."

So, she got out of the pool, walked to the deep end (8 foot) and jumped in. She then swam over to me and said, "See. I could do it."

Yes, yes you can. It's a good thing I could blame the pool water for that tear in my eye.

Rise and Shine --- The cloud is scary

Good Morning and how about that Queen!
So, about 2 p.m. Friday, my iPhone took a dive. Well, actually, it was in a bathing suit pocket when the wearer took a dive.
We don't need to go into any depth there, but, suffice to say, the phone went to a watery grave.
Sure, I tried all the Internet hits. The now paperweight sat in a bag of rice for hours. It was left out in the sun. It was blow-dried. It was plugged in.
By midday Saturday, the obvious was becoming fact in my mind, the phone was dead. I was going to have to get a new one.
I tried going though my provider (cough, AT&T, cough), but, even though my next upgrade would be available in January, they refused to help me out. If I wanted to replace the iPhone, I was going to have to pay like $450.
Uh, it's not that important.
Then I remember a coworker talking about how his son's iPhone gets wet (OK, it gets beer spilled on it) every six months or so. He goes to the Apple store to get a new one.
I figured there was no way he was paying $450 every six months, so, it was off to Apple we went.
Got there about 11:30 and, yes, there was a line since the store doesn't open until Noon on Sundays. By the way, how can Apple cry poor when people line up in front of their store at 11:30 on a Sunday.
After talking to one of the store's resident 'Geniuses' (Wait, I thought they all worked here), I got a new phone for about $150.
It's not like I have $150 sitting around doing nothing, but I figured I needed the phone (don't have a landline) and it was better than waiting until January.
I turned the new phone on, went through the set up and, about 10 minutes later, it was like I had never dunked the old phone. All the photos, numbers and browsing history were there. A game I was playing 10 minutes before the water, was at the same place I left.
Forget big brother, it's the cloud that's scary.

Rise and Shine -- Blue & White Lie

Good Morning and if it's going to be this hot, it might as well be sunny!


So, the Penn State football program was effectively killed by the NCAA yesterday.

Sure, the Nittany Lions will be playing this season and for the foreseeable future, but the sanctions imposed probably sunk the program to the depths of the game.

The loss of scholarships, bowl ban and money lost will take at least a decade or more to overcome.

To which, I say, who cares?

Penn State for years, even before the Jerry Sandusky cover-up, has been putting out a lie.

Joe Paterno was not a nice man. He was condescending. He was nasty. He was not friendly.

He apparently was different to the players, but to the media and others who crossed his paths, well, forget about it.

I only had a couple of interactions with Paterno, both as a student at the University of Pittsburgh. My junior year I traveled to Penn State to cover the game. I saw Paterno at a Friday night get together the University hosted before home games.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed, I walked up to Paterno and, with my hand out, said, "Mr. Paterno it's an honor to meet you."

The response from the coach was, well, an eye-opener, "Well, it's not an honor to meet you."

He then turned away.

I've heard similar stories over the years. Sure, the school did a good PR job of portraying their coach as this down-to-earth person.

Now, more people can see the truth.

Rise and Shine --- Hide or not?

Good Morning and a big welcome back to Mr. Humidity!

So, at the end of a week away from the office, the shooting happened in Aurora, Colorado.

We had a lot to do Friday (cutting hedges, wash, cleaning), so I didn't really check the news of the day until around dinner time.

That's when a debate entered my mind. Do I tell the children (ages 13, 10, 7) what happened?

This debate wasn't about shielding them from the realities of a world sometimes gone crazy. It's just that I like to think I can protect them from bad things. Then again, if they don't know about the dark side, they can't stay away from the dark side.

So, over dinner, we talked about the shooting.

The first question, "Why would somebody do that?" had no answer that would be good enough. Nobody really knows why evil happens, it just does.

So, we talked about safety. We talked about going to the movies ("If I was in that town, I would never see a movie again."). We talked about guns and the reasons why they should all be melted down.

In the end, we talked about how we can't keep looking over our shoulders all the time, but we need to be aware bad things can happen.

In the end, the 10-year old philosopher said it best: "When bad things happen, it is better for our future. We'll be a little bit safer."

I hope so.

Easy cure

I'll talk slowly

Ban

All

Guns

Rise and Shine --- Going Fruity

Good Morning and what was that strange wet stuff falling from the sky?




I think we get spoiled some times.

You can pretty much walk into any supermarket at any time of the year and find strawberries, watermelons, cantaloupes and a plethora of other so-called 'summer' fruits.

Thanks to industrial agriculture and imports from South America, the time of year doesn't matter.

You have to admit, though, these fruits taste a little better in the summer.

The strawberries, since the ones in the stores are likely grown around here, are that much sweeter. Same for the blueberries. Taste a strawberry today and then one in December. There is a big difference.

The biggest difference is in watermelons. I have to tell the boys all the time I won't buy watermelon after September.

Now, practically any one you pick up is sweet and juicy. By October, well, there's a reason it's a summer fruit.

To me, there's no better summer dessert than a nice fruit salad (well, OK, ice cream is nice once in awhile).

I want to do a better job of taking advantage of these things during the next few months.

Now, pass the spoon.

Rise and Shine --- Really, that long?

Good Morning and how about that Sun, Ladies and Gentlemen!




Attended a funeral service Friday for my aunt on my father's side. Haven't seen that part of the family for about 20 years. The last time any of us could remember, it was a different funeral.

Yeah, not the greatest places to catch up.

To tell the truth, I always find the situation kind of awkward and, even at my advancing age, am somewhat perplexed on how to handle it.

On the one hand, I was happy to see my cousins again. We had fun times growing up. I remember playing ball. I remember running around. I remember walking to the corner store.

Then there was the little reason why everybody was getting together.

"Hey, great to see you. Oh yeah, sorry about your mother."

It's sad, but it's happy. Too many things going on at once.

By the end of the day, after eating too much, drinking too much and spending too much time in the sun, everybody seemed to be smiling.

Here's to hoping it's not another 20 years.

Rise and Shine --- Ahhh...

Good Morning and maybe we could mix in a little gentle rain this week?




Anyway, I'm already sick of the presidential election and things haven't even really started.

I'm sick of hearing Mitt Romney talk. I'm sick of hearing the rhetoric about the economy, jobs, global warming and healthcare.

I'm sick of being inundated with false report after false report. I'm sick of the commercials where they take one comment from something four, five, six years ago and try to make a point. I'm sick of hearing all these rich people tell me what I should be thinking.

Really, let's face it, most people have already decided who they are going to vote for in November. Those few still sitting on the fence aren't going to be swayed by attack ads.

Yes, it's going to a long stretch of politics.

By the way, saw this yesterday and it's pretty funny.

Rise and Shine --- Just saying...

Good Morning and there is always something calming about a thunderstorm in the summer!




OK, maybe I'm strange. I know storms, especially those summer ones, can cause a lot of trouble. I remember the one a few years ago that knocked out our power for nearly a week.

Still, when there's no damage coming, I like watching the lightning and hearing the thunder.

Like I said, I'm a little strange. I mean, I like to put peanut butter on those Sweetzels Spiced Wafers they sell in the fall.

By the way, speaking of cookies, who cares if Oreo offers multi-colored cream. It all tastes the same and the box doesn't last for more than an hour (at least at my house).

After years of watching the morning news programs in the office, I now pine for the days when I could turn on Curious George without getting funny looks. Really, is there any difference between Curious George's adventures and the stuff people like Steve Keeley at Fox29 try to tell us. It's only so much noise.

By the way, I am pretty sure in my journalism classes I was told there was no place for opinion in reporting the news. You know, just saying.

So, they are adding some red-light cameras along Baltimore Pike. Here are a couple of other cameras that should be added. That means a lot of people will be getting tickets in the mail all thanks to the idiot who decided it's a good idea to slow down to 3-mph when making a turn onto 320. Look, if you are going to turn, turn. It's not brain surgery.

Finally, I know it's old and I'm not a big fan of cats, but, if one can playing the keyboards, so be it:

Rise and Shine --- Summer's past

Good Morning and wasn't it nice to be able to leave the windows open last night?




A couple of weeks ago (on the last day of school), the little ones asked me what we were going to do this summer.

I gave my usual answer: "Depends on how everybody is going to act. A lot of fighting or arguing means a summer spent in a perpetual state of punishment. Acting good will mean more trips and more things to do."

Then, they asked what I did during the summer.

For some reason, I really don't know why, I flashed back to spending time with my cousins at their little farm (well, it had a barn) and tossing rocks into the creek.

It wasn't exactly a Mayberry time, but I remember having fun. The cousins were a little older than me and we didn't see them a whole lot, but every summer we'd spend a few times just 'messing around.'

My Aunt would make some kind of lunch, we'd eat, then head back and run around. We'd sneak in and get some ice cream or cookies, then do more of the same.

As the year's went by, I saw less and less of those cousins. As we got older and jobs or school got in the way, it went from a few times a year to once to none. They still lived in the area (my aunt continued to live in the old house), but I guess it's just the way some things go.

I haven't seen them in close to 20 years.

After I had told the stories of those summers to my children, my dad told me my aunt was sick and had to be hospitalized.

I found out she died yesterday.

I still don't know why I remembered those summer moments above others, but, maybe, it was a way of saying good bye.

Rise and Shine --- Get in the pool!

Good Morning and has anybody been able to hold off on the air conditioning yet?




When it gets hot and school's out, one of the first requests I get is "Can we go to a pool?"

I can pack everybody into the car and take a drive to Mom's house, but the pool is not open yet.

I can try to find somebody with a membership to a local pool who has some extra guest passes. With the work schedule and all, that's not the easiest thing to pull together.

So, I did the next best thing. We went out to a local store and picked up a little something to put in the yard.

"But, it's too small," was the first complaint.

Ah, you'll get wet and cooled off. That's all we need right now.

"But, it's too hard on the bottom," came the second.

We'll put in a little padding.

So, after what seemed like hours and hours air transfer, it was finally blown up and filled with water.

"The water's too cold."

Ahhhhh....

Rise and Shine --- Star Trek stuff

Good Morning and how about the Heat?!?
You know, I usually leave the cool space stuff to my co-worker in the Armageddon Watch blog
Then I saw something this morning that was too cool to wait.
Apparently, scientists believe the Voyager 1 spacecraft is about to leave our solar system.
The ship was launched in 1977 and is about 11 billion miles from earth. If the ship actually does leave the solar system, nobody really knows what kind of data or photos it will send back, but it's still really cool.
 I remember watching old Star Trek reruns when my Dad walked through the room.
"Think we'll ever have stuff like on this show?" I asked.
 "No way," he said. "It's just made up. "
Well, it's funny because we now have talking computers. tablets, holographic images and even more that was on the show.
Now, we have a ship that was made right here on earth about to find out what else is out there.
Sure, it's taken 35 years to get there, but what about the next one?
Then again, I don't think we are going to want to fight the Klingons.

Rise and Shine --- Summer's here

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

OK, school's done.


Summer, maybe not officially until Wednesday, is here.

Now, what am I going to do.

It would be very easy to let the children run free. Have a "Do what you want" kind of summer.

I think that would last about a day. Besides, if I really let them do what they wanted, it would be hiding in the basement all summer playing video games.

Sure, it would make the rest of the house quiet, but, you know, it's kind of nice outside.

How about we ride bikes? "No"

How about we throw a Frisbee? "No"

How about we put on the sprinkler and run around? "Water's too cold, so No"

OK, this is going to be a bit harder than I envision every June.

So, I'm in the process of planning out as many activities as possible. Keep them busy and they can't complain.

Yeah, right.

Rise and Shine --- Too much?

Good Morning and how about that sun!!

I think we've hit the end. If not the end, we can certainly see it from here:

Rise and Shine --- Ad break

Good Morning and wouldn't it be nice if we could all sleep in late?




Maybe we could make it a new holiday: National Sleep in Late Day.

Target could have a 'Sleep in Late Day Sale,' with doors not opening until noon. We could see Toyota commercials for the month leading up to the day.

Speaking of commercials, they have become really annoying of late.

Let's not even talk about the car ads where a bunch of people are running to the dealer to get the best buy. Now, I know cars might be selling a little better than 2 years ago, but, come on, don't insult me with a bunch of stupid people running to the dealer before the sale is over. I have a feeling if you go into the dealer a day after the sale is over, you can still get the same deal.

So, anyway, the one that is really annoying me right now is the credit card commercial where some town combines their points to watch 'the London Olympics in true London style.'

Excuse me, but the Olympics don't start for a month. How did this town watch them already? Are they in some kind of time vortex where they can live in today, but watch the Olympics in the future?

I know ad agency's are struggling to come up with ideas, but whoever green-lighted this one should be forced to watch hours of Angry Orange.

Never mind, that would probably be illegal torture.

Rise and Shine --- Win, lose, draw?

Good Morning and how about them Phillies!?!




You know, it's OK to laugh at professional athletes when they make mistakes. It's OK, because, well, they are making millions and should be held to a higher athletic standard. Besides, when you watch Ty Wigginton boot a ball it makes all those errors you made in high school seen kind of OK.

I played baseball until I left high school. I know I wasn't very good. By sixth grade, I knew I'd never become a professional player.

Through all those years, my teams only came in first one time. After winning, we went to the pizza shop that sponsored the team and, hoping to get some free pizza, told them we won. Great, the guy behind the counter said, that'll be 10 bucks.

This past spring, a 10-year old I know lucked out and was drafted by a pretty good team. He improved through the season and went all the way to the title game.

So, in the bright sunshine and the heat of Sunday afternoon, we were at the field for the league championship game.

We cheered for our team to win. When they did with an unlikely hit in the last inning, we smiled, yelled and gave them all high-5s.

Quickly, though, I looked over to the other side. Sure, we were happy, but there was another group of players who weren't so upbeat.

I know the feeling on both sides of the field. I know the elation of winning. I know the pain of losing.

We all want our children to know the first one, while hoping to take the sting out of the second.

In 15 years, it'll be OK to laugh at them if they mess up on TV. For now, though, the only laughing should be because they are having fun.

Rise and Shine --- School days...

Good Morning and do we really need a remake of the 'The Munsters?'


So, here we are about a week and a half away from the end of school and the homework wars continue.

I get it, homework is of the lowest priority. I know it ranks below sitting around on the couch or sneaking a couple of cookies out of the jar or even fighting with your brother, but it still has to get done.

It's not like the middle of the school year where you were burdened down with homework. The teachers understand it's getting near the end of the year, so they aren't giving as much.

That project weeks in the making? Yeah, that doesn't need to be done the night before.

The math worksheet? Uh, all that time you just spent arguing with me about doing the work could have been used to get it done.

Reading? Shouldn't we all be reading every day anyway?

So, let's just work out a truce, OK? Get the homework done and everybody will be happy.

Rise and Shine --- Alarming

Good Morning and what are the MTV Movie Awards supposed to be?




Anyway, I've found the sure way to be tired throughout the weekend: set the alarm every day.

I really hate to have to set the alarm on the weekends. It's one thing to have to get up early every day for work, but it's quite another to have that beep, beep, beep going on when you are off.

Unless, of course, you are going on an exciting trip or something. I wouldn't mind it if, say, I was traveling to London in the morning.

This weekend, though, I knew was going to be a long one. When the alarm went off Saturday morning it meant the whole day at the baseball fields. By the whole day, I mean the WHOLE DAY.

The first game started at 9 a.m., which meant we had to be at the fields by 8. That one stretched to 11. We then had an hour break before the next one.

A win there, would mean a game right after, a loss (which is what happened) forced a 3 p.m. game.

Then Sunday we had to be out at Rose Tree Park by 9 a.m. to set up for our live stream from the Italian festival.

Each event (events?) was fun, but I'll look forward to this weekend for one reason: No alarms.