Point Made

If you were to migrate from the deep South to Wisconsin this year, you might be forgiven if you said that you were feeling cold. First of all, it's still hot in the South. Temps range from the mid-eighties to the nineties with high dew points creating humid conditions. The truth is, we in Wisconsin have been experiencing some below average temperatures with cloudy days. If you add a tablespoon of northerly breezes, the smart person starts looking for the sweaters in the back of the closet. I know a number of us like this kind of weather. I'd accept a little more, no make that a lot more, of the sun, but fall is a great season for me. I don't like the freezing and seemly endless days of winter.  On the other hand, while it's better than winter, the heat and humidity that we didn't get much of this summer weren't missed either. All Hail the early arrival of Fall! We can finally see the light after our move from our tree fallen experience on the south side of ...

After one week off from writing my blog, I've just returned from my visit to the Portland / Seattle area. We have two sons and three grandchildren living in Seattle. Our friend Dr. Anne lives in Portland. It is in the eclipse zone, so things are a little crazy up there.  The weather had moderated. The Northwest had been experiencing record high temperatures just a few days before we got there. In addition, the fires in the North, all along the US Canadian border, provided inhospitable air to crawl into the area. All of that, with the exception of a fine dusting of ash, had departed. We had couple eating out experiences that were noteworthy. We had three meals out n Portland. all of them featured lines of customers in the street waiting to get in. One of them wanted you to try their Chicken Waffle. The dish consists of three breaded chicken breasts secured to an 8-inch standard waffle with a steak knife. Since the price was $14.95, most customers were tak...

At one time or another, writers are challenged to explain why they do what they do. It can be an icebreaker at a writers retreat, an inquiry by a friend or family member, maybe even a self-examination or, if they are lucky, a media interviewer. Depending on our maturity and experience at the craft, the answer can change. If your favorite writer is Gresham or Patterson, you might be inclined to dreams about fame and fortune. If your ambition is literary legacy, you might be more interested in reading Roth or Irving. When a person thinks about writing, they have a story to tell. It might be a love story, an adventure or a journey. Detectives, space travelers, and ordinary people have these experiences. So there are a number of ways to tell your story. If you get this far, it soon becomes apparent to you that all of these stories have been told. It's hard to admit, but admit this you must, or you would never go to the next level. I tried to sell my photo...

This last weekend we had undoubtedly the two nicest summer days we ever get during July in Wisconsin. Warm sunshine, low humidity, and a cool breeze all added to something like perfection. I can attest that the traffic on Badger Ave, here in Appleton, indicated that every Harley was on the road. And likewise for Bicycles and mopeds. We kind of hung close to home, but I'm sure anyone with the freedom to chose, selected Outdoors on the options panel. This has been a mild summer. Most of us enjoy the every three or four-day rain we've been getting since it means we don't have to water our lawn. Unfortunately, my raspberries have cropped out, but they were good while they lasted. Next year, I've been told, by the lady of the castle, we will have raised beds that will provide a bounty of herbs, vegetables, and decorative flowers. We will see. Time draws nigh for our departure for the "Left Coast." My enthusiasm is dampened somewhat because of the bevy of new...

If it were possible to define heroism in sports, you have to give a nod to sports that are played as individuals. You are on center court, the final hole or the last lap. The goal and the outcome are in your hands. You are pursued or maybe even behind other competitors who want to win as badly as you do. All eyes are on you. Television sets around the world bring your effort to millions more onlookers. There is no Hail Mary in your play book unless you can throw and catch the ball yourself. It’s just suck it up and put it out there for better or worse. Last weekend, at the most prestigious Open Championship, a young American Golfer showed what courage, grit, and determination can yield. After spraying a tee shot over the crowd and into the utility area of the course, Jordan Spieth hit an acceptable shot to get back in play. He followed that with an excellent approach and nasty little putt. And for his efforts, he surrendered the lead for the first time in the tournament. Improba...

I once remarked to friend of mine that I often wondered how I got through those years of thoughtless drinking and yet never got a DWI. He, another alcoholic in remission, told me that he often wondered himself. And then to capitalize our good fortune, we told tales where, if there was justice in the world, we would have been charged and spent at least a night in jail. I know that for at least fifty per cent of my drinking life, (I quit drinking for at least the fourth time when I was forty, I've been sober since.) I was fairly safe because I was white, male and wore a suit and tie. Thanks to Mothers Against Drunk Driving MADD, and other organizations things changed. A tightening and an insistence on enforcement of the laws is the norm in many communties. We read of men, and it is usually men, who receive multiple DWI's and still drive. It's a great news story, but a rare event. Alcoholism is a terrible disease. Because for so many years, we looked on alcohol abuse as a ...

It's cool in the upstairs bedroom. A cool front has crept in over night and with the windows open it's almost cold. but that is not what wakes me up. I have mild but persistent pain in the lower left quadrant of my stomach. I've had this before. It's gas or maybe early signs of some problems in my bowel, either constipation or diarrhea. Normally the pain will abate and I can continue to function. I can't sleep an I don't want to wake up Maria, so I get up, make my coffee and start my day. As I sit reading the columns from Urban Milwaukee, The Guardian, Bloomberg, and Slate, I m getting more pain and concern. I gut it out until 8:30 and then ask Maria to take me to the ER at Thedacare. I'm laying on the exam table in room 10, gowned and in far more pain then my previous episodes exhibited. Nurse Wendy is going over some basic questions given my symptoms. Doctor McCloy comes in and does in indepth exam and postulates it's probably diverticulitis. The...