Reading a book about caring and relationships and other big boy stuff. I have people in my life who should read this book. The author writes of a man convinced women didn’t like him because of his appearance, when in fact it was his bad attitude that drove people away. Here are a few things that stood out:
1. Proverb: the man who thinks he knows everything, learns nothing.
2. When it’s a choice between whether everyone else is wrong or I am wrong, most often I am the one that’s wrong.
3. Texas proverb: it’s the smallest dog that barks the loudest.
Some people tell obvious lies, expecting others to believe them. Perhaps they think they can play some Jedi mind trick, like others will magically believe what they’re saying just because they said it. Perhaps they think what they’re saying is actually true. Either way it’s sad. Perhaps they should go into politics.
Like most people, I’m not the same person I was in college. Those years were a time of much learning and personal growth, well beyond my studies in class. Some people I know seem to have never moved on from that time in their life. I've learned and grown after college and before marriage, in my group of friends and working with the Suggs at Sepco. I've learned and grown from preachers like Marsh, Stanley, Giglio, and Clay. I've learned and grown in my various positions at Ryerson, and from being around coworkers and bosses like Apostle, Baldwin, Hinson, Garrett, and Eric, to name a few. Perhaps the wisest lesson has been to develop a small group of friends to do life with, friends to be there in times of strife, to help with in making big decisions. While my tendency to to keep to myself, I must continue to venture outside my comfort zone.
Leah Stephens passed away early this morning. Mark seems to be doing okay, according to friends. No other news just yet. She is in a better place, and will suffer no more. Mark has been an angel, a rock, taking care of her these past few years. I last saw Leah a year or two ago at Jimmy’s house. Saw Mark a few weeks ago without L, also at Jimmy’s. He was in good spirits. Understandably, Mark was not able to make it up to Margaret’s wedding this past weekend.
Beans and rice for supper last night, with bits of sausage. Watched the Braves. Lifted weights this morning at the gym.
Not sure exactly when I started emailing Reid. Around the year 2000 or 2001. At least 21 years, five days a week, at least two emails a day (one from me, one from him). Well over 11,000 emails. Probably over 22,000.
I never expect a tweet to go “viral”. Super 70s Sports already had over a thousand replies to the question “Who was a great player on a bad team?” so I almost didn’t give my go-to reply (Herschel). But when I did it received almost ten thousand views, 330 engagements, over 20 comments, and 25 profile views. Yes, a couple of mean responses as well, which is almost to be expected these days. One guy said I’d opened his eyes to how great Walker was. Herschel was so good, trading him for what turned out to be like 17 players & picks, which yielded hall of famers Emmitt and Irvin, launching the Cowboys dynasty. Not just me saying this – owner Jerry Jones said so during his hall of fame induction speech.
DON NEWCOMBE [SABR Bio] is the only pitcher credited with a steal of home in the 1950s, against the Pirates on 26-May-1955. In the 9th inning Newcombe hit a long fly ball misjudged by CF Tom Saffell and fell for a triple. While pitcher Roy Face was getting ready to deliver to the next batter, Newcombe broke for home. Face, caught flat-footed, threw wildly, almost hitting Newk, who slid in safely. Newk was ROY in 1949, the 1956 Cy Young Award (the first ever), and the 1956 NL MVP. – the only pitcher to win all three awards until Justin Verlander was AL ROY in 2006, AL MVP in 2011, and won CYAs in 2011 and 2019. He hit 15 HR, had 109 RBI, and hit .268 in his years in the NL & AL.
DENISON: in the eyes of the world, we are what we do. George Eliot: “Just as we define our actions, our actions define us.” Michael J. Fox noted: “Our challenges don’t define us, our actions do.” Tulsi Gabbard is leaving the Democratic Party, which she denounced as an “elitist cabal of warmongers.” Her announcement reminds us of Ronald Reagan’s statement, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The party left me.” Research shows that while many Americans like Jesus, they are skeptical of his followers. The research splits Americans into four categories: 19% non-Christians, 20% “spiritually open”, 34% “Jesus followers”, and 30% “engaged Christians”.
