Monthly Archives: November 2016


So What Now?

So what now? Man, is that the question of the hour! Well nobody really knows. As we woke this morning after the election, probably 45% of the country was happy, excited and energized, 40% of the country was sad, fearful and angry, while sadly, 15% of the country just doesn’t care. (By the way, these numbers are mine. They are what I imagine is the case. (WARNING: Kids, don’t use these in a term paper at school as scientific fact!)

This country now faces the kind of divide that we have never faced before. We have a divided country that has gone through an election jeering at the “other side,” while living in a partisan bubble. That goes for all of us in one way or another. Well, that’s over now. If we want to move forward, the only way to do that is as the “UNITED” States of America.


Elect to Reach Out!

Across this Country, there are people who have severe anxiety conditions, panic attacks, others who have been scared by some of the things the candidates said or haven’t said. These are not just a few people. We all know folks who might fall into this category. And it is up to us to recognize these people.

What can we do to help? REACH OUT! If you know someone like this, please call them – just to say hi. Stop by their house “for no reason at all.” Let these people understand they are not alone! Reach out and let them know they matter.


Cubs Win…Cubs Win…Cubs Win…

                        Some thoughts on the Cubs winning the World Series from a guy who isn’t a Cubs fan. CONGRATULATIONS! I’m so happy for the players and personnel, fans and families of Cubs fans who aren’t here anymore. And that, brings me to my story. I am a Cardinals fan. I always have been since I was a kid. The other team I root for is the Red Sox because again, as a kid I liked Yaz and some of the others players and then in 1991, my son’s life was saved in Boston so that’s my story. My mom and dad were lifelong Cubs fans. Both of them have passed on. The first game they ever took me to was in Wrigley. I remember my mom always being a fan but in the last 20 years of her life, she listened to the radio broadcast and watched the WGN broadcasts of every CUBS game! She knew who won, the score, who did well and who didn’t. There was even an ornamental goose outside of her house that she bought a Cubs outfit for! As for my dad, uh yea, he was definitely a Cubs fan! If you knew him, you might have seen him walking around in his blue Chicago Cubs coaches jacket and if you knew him, you definitely saw him wearing his blue CUBS hat! As a matter of fact, that Cubs hat, is less than 10 feet away from me as I write this and of course was not far from the TV tonight. In the last years of his life, dad always talked about how cold his feet felt. So, when he died we made sure that his Cubs jacket was wrapped around his feet for warmth. Mom and dad both loved the Cubs and they lived and died with that team and the “Well, there’s always next year” saying. Well this year mom and dad, is “next” year! For the first time since 1908, the Chicago Cubs are the World Series Champions! For the first time in many years, families are having a happy conversation about the Cubs with their departed lived ones. I envisioned my dad, Ron Santo and the owner of the Billy Goat (who by the way died on this date in 1970!) all storming into the “Baseball Gods” office and screaming that enough is enough. My son watched the game tonight in “the Billy Goat” in Chicago…yes, that one! He watched with a collection of jaded fans from years past to the current owner. At one point, he said, “Dad, this is surreal.” I got goosebumps and cried when the Cubs won. I kept hearing my dad say “atta boy,” thinking of my friend Steve Goodman and his “Dying Cubs fan last request” to the new Anthem which is his too…”Go Cubs Go” and hearing Harry say “Cubs Win…Cubs Win” So, from this Cardinals fan, my hats off to the Cub […]