Presidents and such

So with all the hoopla and hype we have experienced another peaceful exchange of power in Washington. I defer all comments on both 43th and 44th Presidents to present and future historians. What I relish in is that the system with all its' faults still works.

Sure there any lots of problems out there. I work in the lumber industry so you don't have to remind me there are problems.

I like to read about leaders of the past and draw on their experience to hopefully guide me in the future. I came across a quote by Margaret Thatcher tonight. "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't." I like that. I know a little about Thatcher but haven't read a book about her. So I did a little research and looked up some titles.

I'm reading a customer's review on Amazon on a Thatcher biography which starts out, " Not every British Prime Minister is a Thatcher or Churchill. Not every American President is a Lincoln, Kennedy, or Clinton." I have no clue what the rest of this review says. These two sentences stopped me dead in my tracks.

Thatcher and Churchill may be a good comparison, I know they are both highly regarded. I know more about Churchill and if I could have dinner with 8 people living or dead he would be one of them.

But putting Lincoln, Kennedy and Clinton in the same group!!!!!!!!!! As Phil Rizzuto put it "Holy Cow"

Let see Lincoln gets put on the ranking of President by historians oh first or second, right up there with Washington and FDR. Kennedy on average is in the mid-teens in the ranking. He didn't get a full term, so we will always wonder what if. Two things they have in common is they are both on coins and both caught a bullet in the head. Something neither one planned on, but links them forever in history. Now Clinton he is right around an average of 20 on the rankings.

Lincoln is remembered for freeing the slaves and guiding the country in the war between the states, preserving the Union. Clinton is best remembered for dropping his pants in the west wing and somehow preserving his Presidency.

Will Rogers put it best. "If we ever pass out as a great nation we ought to put on our tombstone, 'America died from a delusion that she has moral leadership."

2009 and beyond

It's a new year and my main goal for 2009 is to slow down and enjoy every day. Putting all the craziness of 2008 behind me I plan on staying in better touch with friends. I 'm off to a good start. Today I came across my next door neighbor from growing up days via Facebook. It was good to make contact after about 30 years. Here is a link to his web site. Check it out and throw him some work you won't be disappointed.

Nineteen days to the coronation, after that the media will be only reporting good news. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy already.

Christmas time

With all the rushing and shopping and checking lists it is always nice to slow down and remember what Christmas is all about.

Noah is a member of The Cathedral Choir of Boys and Adults at the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel, Springfield, MA. On Saturday night they performed A Candlelight Festival of Lessons and Carols at the Cathedral. The Choir performed various works by Elgar, traditional English and French carols, and an African American traditional carol titled " What' cha going call that pretty little baby".

With the lighting of candles and Scripture readings it was a nice way to bring the real meaning of Christmas back to center stage.


Charles Schultz had the same message back in the 1960's when he produced the best Christmas cartoon of all time.

Boston Car Show 2008

I went to the Boston Car Show on Saturday. This was my first chance to see the new 2010 Mustang, and the changes they made to the body. Overall the changes were minor from the 2005+ platform but I'm not a big fan of the rear end of the car. It has been rounded slightly and what's with the black plastic trim? I'm keeping my 2007.


It is fun to look at and sit in car that I'll never be able to afford. Like this ZR-1 Corvette, and this green Porsche.














And the really expensive ones they keep behind the ropes. Can you say Ferrari.

To sleep, perchance to dream Part 2

After four days on the road of not sleeping well in hotels I returned home Friday and had one good night of sleep. I was up early on Saturday to drive out to Noah's to spend the day with him. So I was really looking forward to sleeping in on Sunday morning. Sunday is usually my only day to sleep late and my body was telling me you really need a good rest.

Here's how that small dream was shattered like a sugar sculpture falling off a six story building.

What's that noise I hear? Hmm sounds like a vacuum cleaner, must be dreaming. NO what time is it???? 7:44 AM!!!! and one one my idiot neighbors is doing their best Felix Ungar imitation running the vacuum directly over my bedroom.

"O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!"

Who forgot to throw a log on the fire?

I returned home today after a four day business trip to Alabama and all I can say is I miss the warm weather already. It was chilly in the mornings in Alabama but the sun did its' job, and by the afternoon it was very pleasant.

The folks in Alabama are very happy with the their football team currently ranked number one in the nation.

On this trip our task was to take a physical inventory of lumber and plywood at an off site location for my company. Lumber and plywood is never easy to count because of the size of it. But it is one of those tasks that must be done. It kind of reminds me of what Rumpole used to say about his wife, "She who must be obeyed."

But in these tough times in the lumber business, I'm glad to still be needed to go count wood and that we have wood to count.

Cheezborger Cheezborger Cheezborger

I was on the road last week for business. I was outside of Atlanta Sunday to Tuesday then on to Chicago for the rest of the week. Chicago is a nice city to visit with a nice downtown area, many good places to eat, the lake and the river.




The second shot was taken from the 21 floor of the Hyatt looking down the Chicago river with lake Michigan in the distance. I also liked the older buildings that had character. Here is a shot of the Wrigley Building.
















Here is a shot of the new Trump Building that is just west of the Wrigley Building. It may be me but I don't think it fits into the skyline very well.

But my favorite spot I visited was the Billy Goat Tavern. It was neat to order a cheezborger and get asked "You want a double it's the best?" Cheeps? Coke no Pepsi. You get your cheezborger served on a grilled Kaiser roll on a piece of deli paper, a bag of cheeps, and a coke, pay your $8 and savor the history.