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WHY DON’T I LIKE FOOTBALL?

The Super Bowl is coming, and this is a very exciting event for most Americans.  Truthfully, I don’t even know what teams are playing this year.  Anyone with a life is either hosting or attending a party,  right?   In my younger days, I always attended these parties, feeling that  I had to feign interest while scarfing down a bunch of greasy, high calorie snacks.  What’s wrong with me?  Why don’t I like football?

Everyone has a superbowl party, but now everyone likes football
EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIKE FOOTBALL, YOU CAN ALWAYS ENJOY THE FOOD

Maybe it’s because I attended parochial schools for the first 12 years of my scholastic life.  At my Catholic girls’ school,  the nuns were more into Christian doctrine drills than football drills.

I didn’t play sports, and if I got sucked into some neighborhood game, I literally sucked.   The first time I got hit by a baseball was the last time I held a bat.    My interest in golf ended when i stood too close to someone swinging a club. This left me with a permanent scar on one eyebrow.  Once, some kids on my block decided we should all play football.  I got so confused that I walked to the park and played on the swings.

In college, I actually dated a football player for a while.  Not sure what that relationship was all about, but it didn’t last. (Dodged a bullet there.)  I went to a big ten school, and everyone in my dorm or sorority house went to the games.  I enjoyed that, because I had the place all to myself for a few hours.

I knew I should be more athletic, but it never worked out.   After college I tried to play tennis off and on through the years because it was the “in” thing to do and I thought it was an easy way to exercise.  I met some nice women who actually were good tennis players, but the most I  got out of the sport were some  cute tennis dresses which I later donated to the Goodwill.

In every job I ever held after college,  football  was very important.   Professional meetings never got off the ground until the discussion of last night’s game or this or that player had been thoroughly exhausted.  I tried to fit in by nodding and smiling but I don’t think I fooled anyone.

Fortunately, my husband of 31 years has little interest in sports.  He does root  for the Corn Huskers because of his home state, Nebraska.  And he  understands football, which helps me on the rare occasions when we do decide to watch.  Sometimes we get worked up about the Super Bowl, because there’s  an underdog that we’re rooting for.  Or, because we’re Hoosiers, we liked to brag about the Colts when they were in their heyday.

Some people don’t like football because the professionals make too much money.  I don’t really care what someone gets paid to get their head bashed, and it doesn’t bother me if they kneel during the national anthem.   It’s a brutal sport, and as far as I’m concerned, should be eliminated from all school athletic programs.

Happily, we are past the age where we get invited to Super Bowl parties..  Next Sunday, we’ll probably turn on the television for a while just to watch the commercials and halftime entertainment.  And then we’ll go back again toward the end of the game.  But the truth is, I’d rather read a good book

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IS MEGHAN A MODERN CINDERELLA?

Does anyone remember watching the wedding of Meghan & Harry?  The look on his face , as he whispered, “I’m so lucky?”  Yes, he is lucky, because he married a woman who is much stronger than he. She’s a  middle class , biracial American girl.   He’s the entitled British prince who  rescued her from an uncertain future.  That’s how it appears on the surface.  But is Meghan a Modern Cinderella?  I don’t think so.

Her parents divorced at an early age, and it appears she came from a dysfunctional step family.  In spite of those disadvantages, she  was a go getter from an early age.    She attended the prestigious Northwestern University and graduated with a double major.  From there, she went on to a successful acting career, culminating in a seven year run in the Canadian television show, Suits.  In 2014, she started a wildly successful lifestyle blog called Tig, which attracted millions of viewers,

Contrast that with Prince Harry.  He was born into privilege.   Safe to say he’s never worried about job interviews.   He hasn’t done anything on his own.  He didn’t graduate from college, but was handed a career in the Royal military.

Unlike Meghan,  he never  had to rely on his talents, or work his way up from nowhere.  If it weren’t for his royal family, he wouldn’t be much of a catch. He’s admitted to some serious  emotional problems due to his mother’s tragic death  at the age of  twelve.  Also, he’s  spent his entire adult life with  people questioning  his paternity.  Think  how upsetting to constantly see pictures of your supposed “real father,” in the tabloids, all the while wondering if you really are a royal.

Marrying Meghan was probably the best thing that ever happened to Harry
Harry knew he was lucky on the day he married Meghan.

Marrying Meghan was probably the best thing that ever happened to Harry.. She’s talented, but tough.   He needs her strength to bolster his fragile sense of self.  Emotionally, she appears to be the much stronger of the two.  And far more accomplished.

Meghan has been criticized for leaving the royal family.  Actually, it looks like she rescued Harry from a dreary, stilted life of performing royal duties.   If it weren’t for her, he would have spent the rest of his life in the shadow of his brother, doing what he was told, and watching his p’s and q’s.  Meghan has freed him from all of that and given him a chance to reinvent himself, and chart his own path.

Is Meghan Markle  really a Cinderella who was rescued by Prince Charming?   Or was Harry the prince who was rescued by Wonder Woman?

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Why Fly Rebel Flags Up North?

When I was a child, you seldom saw anyone flying a rebel flag up North.   But then, they began to appear after I moved to Chicago after college.  That was  when residents of the Appalachian states were migrating to industrial cities in the north.    We called the newcomers  hillbillies, and poked fun at them.  The flags weren’t seen as  racist, because at that time, the term  wasn’t even in use.  A rebel flag symbolized a poor white  southerner thumbing their nose at  haughty Yankees.  But lately, I’ve noticed more Confederate flags flying from trucks and homes, right here in my hometown. Why fly rebel flags up North?

Confederate flag bearers insist their flags aren’t racist.  When interviewed, they  claim the flag is  a sign of rebellion against an intrusive government, and politically correct liberals. They feel it’s a protest of a political system that puts the needs of minorities before whites.   Some say they have Southern ancestors who died in the Civil War.

There is a growing trend of flying the Confederate Flag up North
In Northern states, you sometimes see the American and Confederate flags flying side by side.

Often you will see the American  and Confederate flags side by side,  on either side of a truck.  Sometimes, there are two flags  flying proudly from residential flagpoles. You don’t see the Confederate flag  in upscale  neighborhoods in my city.   They seem to be  favored by middle class, working people.  Also,  you may see them taped to the windows of run down, low income housing . But confederate flags are often seen in rural areas in the western states.

You would be in trouble now if you flew a confederate flag in big southern cities.  There, too many people associate the flag with slavery and  oppression. You might even cause a riot or get your house burned down.

Sales of half and half flags are steadily climbing
Sales of half and half flags are steadily rising.

Retailers say sales of the confederate flags are strong and steadily increasing.  To me, those flags are a worrisome sign of divisiveness in our great nation.  And yes, I do believe the flags have a racist connotation.

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TV ADS HELP SPREAD VIRUSES

Stay home if you’re contagious. That’s the current advice from doctors. Decades ago, when  most working people lived paycheck to paycheck, people went to work sick.  Even bragged about it. You were tough and maybe even heroic to ignore your misery and punch the time clock.  Employers made things worse, docking people for too many sick days.  Perfect attendance translated to the perfect employee.  TV advertisements for various cold medicines bolstered this mentality. First, you saw a man coughing and sneezing before taking the advertised pill. Hours later, he would be pictured at work.  Even today, pharmaceutical commercials promote the idea of masking your symptoms and soldiering on.  That’s how TV ads help spread viruses.

Last week, I sat in a car dealership for two hours while my car was being repaired.  It was a lovely waiting room, with comfortable lounges, computers, WiFi,  free coffee and snacks. Luckily, I’d brought my kindle, while others were stuck with cell phone trivia.  The man across from me had a cough, and I prayed my immune system was up to speed.

Big Pharma makes big bucks during flu outbreaks
BIG PHARMA MAKES BIG BUCKS DURING FLU OUTBREAKS.

By the next afternoon, I felt lethargic and thought maybe the cold weather had worn me out.  But  the next day, I knew what had happened.  I’d caught a cold.  And I knew exactly how.  Just as it happens so often, when you go to a movie, and someone behind you is coughing or sneezing.  Why do people do this?  Why is it socially acceptable to go out in public when you ought to stay at home?

I’m thinking of the latest pharmaceutical ad for a cold remedy.  It’s a commercial I actually enjoy. First, the man is seen sneezing and looking miserable.   Suddenly, he takes the advertised capsule.  Fast forward to a treadmill, where he’s doing a little dance routine.  He’s smiling happily.  But what about the other people in the workout room who’s breathing in his contaminated air?

Outwardly,  he appears to be perfectly healthy.  He’s not sneezing or spreading his cold virus through coughing.  Nevertheless, he has a cold or the flu.  And he’s filling the air around him with the virus he’s carrying.  Recent studies have shown that we can get infected by the flu virus simply by breathing the same air as a carrier.

Who benefits when the cold and flu season is at its peak?  You guessed it, Big Pharma.  This year, their profits must be soaring.  Why should they want sick people to stay home?   More cold and flu in the population means more sales.  This is why you see aisles full of cold and flu remedies in pharmacies.  It’s probably the most profitable game in town during the flu season.

Television ads encouraging sick people to mask their symptoms and leave their house  should be banned. TV ads help spread cold and flu viruses

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6 Things You’ll Miss About January

Even if you’re a winter person, you reach a point where you are fed up with  cold weather.   You try to get over it by envisioning  a day in July.  Imagine :  Your  sweaty legs sticking to your car seat.  Tossing and turning all night, but it’s too hot and humid.  You’re simply exhausted.   Hold those images for 2 seconds.  There! Aren’t you glad it’s Winter? ? ?  Not really. Summer memories are cold comfort when it’s below zero.  But wait. here are 6 things you will miss about January next July.

In July, there are 6 things you will miss about Januay
Winter is the time to snuggle under warm sheets and get a good night’s sleep.

A good night’s sleep.  It’s an established fact that people sleep better in the winter. Turn down the thermostat, and snuggle under flannel sheets.  It stays dark  until about 8:30, so you’ll probably get an extra hour’s sleep.

You can always dress for cold weather, but not for hot.  When it’s snowing, you can pile on layers of clothing to keep you toasty warm.  Not so if you’re trying to enjoy a summer picnic. Even if if you’re in  a nudist colony , you are still going to sweat.   And get sunburned.

Productivity increases in winter months. You have more energy.   It’s been scientifically proven that people make better decisions in cold weather..  Hot weather slows down your brain. .  You don’t feel like studying or doing anything that’s mentally taxing when it’s 90 degrees outside. There’s a reason why countries with cold climates are more developed than tropical regions.

Skin and hair look better in cold weather. Your pores tighten,  and your complexion clears up.  Hair doesn’t get  greasy and frizzy like it does in hot, humid weather.

You don’t have to do as much laundry.  Because you sweat less,  outerwear stays clean  for a longer time between washings.

No insect bites.  You don’t have to slather on insect repellent every time you go outdoors.  You can take a walk outdoors without worrying  about bee stings or  West Nile Virus .

It may be cold comfort when its below zero, but you will miss these 6 things about January.

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PELOSI’S PENS WERE A CRASS ACT

Many pastimes, like bridge or golf, can be intensely competitive.  But when a  player high fives or gloats after winning, it’s  annoying to the losers. A winner  showing  pleasure at the other’s persons failure is seen as arrogant and offensive.  For awhile , it looked like Nancy Pelosi was a class act.  She appeared somber in a black dress, and declared she was praying for Trump. But her pious image changed when she signed the articles of impeachment.  She gloated and flaunted herself in a bright pink dress.  Then, she merrily  pulled out 30 gold pens with her name engraved on them. After signing impeachment papers, she  giddily handed out the pens as souvenirs.   Pelosi’s pens were a crass act.

Nancy Pelosi handed out impeachement pens engraved with her name
After signing the articles of impeachment, Pelosi handed out souvenir pens engraved with her signature.

Yes, I know.  Trump has made fun of her and called her names.  He’s been a boor.   She has every right to be happy she finally got him impeached.  But, just for the sake of decorum,  a  more dignified behavior would have been in order. Do  you pray for your enemies, or dance on their graves, Mother Nancy?  You can’t have it both ways.

The Speaker of the House  seems to forget that roughly half the citizens of the USA aren’t happy about the impeachment. But she made it clear that she doesn’t care about that “basket of deplorables” in this country who voted for Trump. Basically she was sticking out her tongue and jumping up and down like a rude little kid .    And she  trivialized the whole impeachment proceeding, as if it were just a party game.

“Do not gloat when you enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,  or the Lord will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him”

…..Proverb 24: 17, 18

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WINTER SCHADENFREUDE AT ITS PEAK

There’s some psychological competition between  Northerners and Southerners  each winter.  If you live in Florida or Arizona, or have spent mega bucks renting a condo, you tend to enjoy hearing about snowstorms up north.  Conversely,  Northerners who  stay at home laugh when their snow bird friends complain about a run of  cold weather Down South.    Right now, winter schadenfreude is at its peak.

Everyone enjoys a winter vacation in the South, except when the weather turns bad
Winter schadenfreude peaks out in January, when Southerners  laugh about snowstorms up North.

While living  in Florida year round, I remember the joy of basking in the sunshine while the media blasted horror stories about ice, snow, and  power outs up north.  That felt good for a few months.   But along came early summer, and when it  got hotter and more humid, and the greenery turned yellow,  I missed cool spring rains, deep green leaves, mysterious gray skies and daffodils in bloom.   I grew tired of the torrential rainfalls, and the searing heat of summer in Florida.

The thing I remember most clearly: you seldom saw children playing outside in residential neighborhoods.  Kids stayed inside in the air conditioning all summer.  Hard to believe, but the sameness of perpetual sunshine gets boring after a while.  Then, i yearned for the crisp cool air and brilliant foliage of an Indiana autumn.

Let’s say you’re spending $3,000 a week for a condo on the beach in January.  Your enjoyment of each expensive day is inversely proportional to how bad the weather is back home.    On the other hand, a week of cloudy, cool, days in your rental seems  like a wasted $3,000.   Added to that regret is the hassle of packing your car for days ahead of time and  staying in motels  along the way, which may have bedbugs and lumpy mattresses.

Of course, some very lucky people own homes or condos in resort areas, and can afford to fly back and forth at will.  I’m not talking about those fortunate folks.  I’m thinking of the millions of people who pack up the car and endure the discomforts of a very long journey for a relatively short winter vacation. Driving hundreds of miles back and forth can be hazardous.   Unexpected misery along the highways may include big city traffic hassles;  blinding rains;  snowstorms in March; Spring  tornadoes, hour long traffic stalls due to deadly accidents; and food poisoning in strange restaurants.

There's a psychological competition between northerners and southerners during the winter months. Winter schadenfreude is at its peak.
Northerners feel winter schadenfreude  when a cold spell hits the South.

Finally, one day, you decide that after a certain age,  going South for the winter isn’t really worth the effort.  You get in a load of wood or install an electric fireplace.  You invest in warm flannel sheets. And then, one night in  January, you find yourself comparing temperatures between here and there.  When you see a bad weather forecast in  your old resort city, you smile to yourself, thinking of all those folks shivering in cold damp condos and yes, you feel a bit of schadenfreude*.

 

*schadenfreude:   pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune