You Need to Pay Attention

the redhot poker or torch lily in our back garden

    

     Winter's face on the California central coast is a far cry from the snow, ice, sheets of lead gray skies and cold rain of my native Indiana. 

      Here nature adorns itself with festive color and blooms and cattle birth new calves. A few blogger friends have posted scenes of snow recently and while I enjoy the pictures, I'm pleased to no longer shovel, scrap or drive in it. I've become a weather wimp.

     As much as I've tried to ignore it, the color of this poker stirs a thought about the president-elect.

      Mr Trump you've got to pay attention and start attending or reading the daily intelligence briefings that are available to you. You are dealing with higher stakes than a real estate project. This is not reality television, it is the real world. It is a far cry more complicated, complex, historical and dangerous than anything you've ever wrapped your mind around. If you can Tweet all night about Alec Baldwin, you can listen to your director of national intelligence. You might learn something. Actually you need to learn, a lot. Grow up!

did the russians elect our president?

       While it sounds like the yarn of a le Carre', Ludlum, Clancy, Silva, Knebel or some other espionage writer there is now serious question about how the Russians may have engineered Trump's election. The CIA has briefed Congress. The administration now ponders how to respond to this historic violation of our democratic republic.  Maybe that's a reason the trumpster has taken only 3 intel briefings in over a month. You've got to pay attention. We all do. So should the electors on the electoral college.This is unexplored territory.

a real hero

NASA Photo 1962

   We lost a true American leader and hero with the passing of 95 year old John Glenn. The photo was taken aboard the recovery ship after Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth.

    On February 20, 1962 Owen Fisher, biology teacher and football and track coach turned on a radio in our science lab classroom and said, "today we are going to listen to history." Glenn's flight in Friendship 7 was not a sure thing. The success made us proud.

    He was already a decorated hero, a marine pilot who flew missions in World War II and Korea. A democrat he was elected to the US Senate in 1974 and served until 1999. In 98 he became the oldest American to fly in space when he returned aboard the shuttle Discovery. 

    The President elect called him a "great American hero."

It is hard to imagine two men more different in skill, courage, temperament, service and character.

    See you down the trail.

IN A TIME OF HEROES

SHAPE AND TEXTURE

A few scenes from around the house, including a lemon tree next to Indiana-
the raised bed of flat tillable soil on the hill side.
HEROES

    Are there enough heroes? Can kids find the real thing when the big screen rocks with fantasy creations and while game screens spew violent destroyers? Do they still matter?

      Here is an account of a down to earth superhero and inspiration. His name is Bud Goff. He's not a hulk, probably even a little shorter than average. He's got gray hair but his eyes sparkle with life. A smile is his normal visage. If you've been to the Farmer's Market in Cambria you've probably seen this hero, directing traffic and conversing with everyone driving in while he hands out sweet treats. He's human sunshine that way.

     For many years he's played a major role in the annual community festival, Pinedorado. He plans, he buys, he schedules, he lifts, he works and he's there.

     I see Bud in a different light, in fact in the early light of dawn every Thursday morning on the tennis court. Fog, cold, glaring sun peaking over the mountain, heat, no matter the weather or conditions he's the first at the court and waiting for the foursome to arrive. 

     He's a lefty and he's got a serve that can break right at you, or away from you in an exasperating bounce. He's fast, dashing from near the baseline for a volley at the net, or moving to get a shot breaking to the alley. At the net, Bud is one of the most tenacious and proficient I've seen. It's near impossible to score on him, but he can put away passing and cross court shots you can't get to. He's got a drop shot that can kill you. He has coached and still offers advice.

     Despite his considerable tennis skills, Bud just delights in being on the court and out in the morning. He'll notice hawks soaring, or the geometry of contrails, or notice the loping of calves on the grazing slope behind the court. No matter how close the match, or good or bad the play, Bud's incantation is "We're just out here having fun you know!"

      Between games he'll tell us about something new he's read, an oddity he's heard about, show us a new phone or tell us a joke. Just two weeks ago he gave us a demonstration of a new way to tie shoes!

      As we were heading out to the court this morning he asked, "Who do you think is the oldest person to play on these courts?" Jim and Ellie and I offered well it could have been Ed Simonsen, he played until he was 91.

      "Well…," Bud paused

      That's when Jim said "You just had a birthday!"

       "Yea, I'm 92."

       We all gave him a fist bump, wished him a happy birthday. He went out and started driving that left handed liner of a serve.

        In my book, Bud is a real hero, and an inspiration!

        Who are your heroes?

       See you down the trail.

      

       

GLEEKS, A HERO SHOT & OBAMA GET'S DOWN

RYAN MURPHY IS A GENIUS

     It takes extraordinary skill to mix teen suicide, sexual identity, bullying and the lethal potential of texting and driving and make it entertaining and joyful.  
     Murphy's Fox network hit Glee does that and more.  The jury is still out on the texting matter, it was last night's "winter finale" and we'll wait until April to learn "Quinn's"fate. But week after week we are treated to marvelous and even mind blowing entertainment ensembles of song and dance, all the while the through line of the soap like drama series embraces weighty matters with intelligence and a bold honesty that is hard to find anywhere else on network television.  

      Glee is not only one of the best programs, it is one of the most important because of the issues it confronts and it's primary target audience, generations much younger than us boomers. Murphy is a hot property with a string of hits but I feel a special kinship.  He's an Indiana lad.  His mother Andy and late father Jim were Indiana friends.  Andy, an extraordinary woman, and I have collaborated on writer's conferences, book promotion and other matters.
      If you haven't seen Glee, you've missed one of the best
shows in television history. Get with it, become a Gleek.

ANOTHER HERO

     I love this shot of John Glen, taken after his historic flight in February 1962.  This started making its way around the net and I thought it should be posted here in case you missed it.

     I remember listening to the launch and the flight while in a Owen Fisher's biology class.  It was a nerve wracking 15 minutes, but like many of you I sensed a new possibility after the successful flight of the first American in space.  

     Glen remains an advocate for space exploration.  I'm on board with that and continue to admire this true hero.  I think this picture represents "cool!"

ANOTHER KIND OF COOL

Get down Mr. Prez

Here's a great scene from the White House Blues Concert

What a great show it must have been!

DAY BOOK

 JUST A COOL WINTER DAY AT THE BEACH

Moonstone Beach at Shamel Park

Radio legend Mike Griffin and Toshi

A gathering.

See you down the trail.