My final blog entry..

...for the month of April, anyway. It's been a crazy couple of months.

The great news last night was that some Judge ruled for the NFL players over the owners, and forbade a lockout. Of course, the owners are appealing and seeking a stay of the lower Court Judge's decision pending that appeal. So, nothing much changes.

Booooring.

But, there's sooo much I haven't written about....how about some quick hits? That sounds just lazy enough to appealing to me. And, if this sporadic blog is proving anything, it's that I'm lazy.

Donald Trump: is 3 years too late. OK, I'm frightened by how much he made sense to me in his first dew interviews. But, let us think a moment. Is he saying (in an odd, left-handed way) that Senator McCain and the RNC were too lazy, dumb, ignorant, or cheap to ATTEMPT to dig up this dirt on the now-President Obama in 2008? I can't tell. BUT, that said, why doesn't Mr. Obama simply offer the documents Trump keeps crowing about to any camera that will listen? Why not? I suppose that any reply by the White House would make Trump's day - and who wants to do that?

Not sure Trump would be a horrible President. We elected an actor once, so what the hell?

The Fukushima Reactor: nuclear power might sound great, but it sounds less great in my back yard. Next question. Besides, with the Royal Wedding this week, it seems like everyone's forgotten about it.

The Royal Wedding: don't give a sh&t, next. Oh, but test them both for hemophilia.

The Passion story: if you're Catholic like me you know the story of Jesus' brutal death at the hands of the Romans and Jews in Jerusalem, and if you go to Mass you more than likely hear the extended reading of what's called "The Passion" (yes, there's a movie, too). I guess I'm like everyone else, I find the story sad and miserable. But as I've aged I see a power in it that I didn't notice before. It's one of few times in the New Testament where Jesus exhibits very human tendencies ("let this cup pass", for example). Additionally, Jesus' teachings were all about sublimating the ego for the benefit of all - and he lived that teaching until his death.

Plus, it also reminds those of us who are death penalty advocates that the State can and will put innocent people to death. The mobs in the Bible story were as certain of Jesus' guilt as any of today's. To believe in the righteousness of dealing death is to believe in a very seductive evil.

Easter: ours was good, hope yours was too. And on the 3rd day I might come down from eating all this friggin' candy...

Hockey: There were some amazing games Saturday, where the hometown Capitals finally closed out a series early against the tough NY Rangers and the Boston Bruins drilled Montreal. Plus, for you left-coasters, the Chicago-Vancouver series is blowing up. Playoff hockey is the single most amazing spectator sport - I shall once more ascend upon my soapbox and exhort any and all who read this to tune in and check out its'.......awesomeness.

...as for my continued and very very amateurish hockey "career," my dislocated shoulder still needs to heal. Dammit.

Budgets: when last I wrote on this here blog-thingie I worried quite openly about the Dummies on Capitol Hill doing Their Jobs. They did, and therefore I love them all - they're just darling people. You hate them only because you don't know them.

that's all from here, it's time to meditate, ohm

Lordy, Lordy, she turned 40

My wife Carol hit #40 on the odometer Saturday morning. I know this is supposed to be a big deal but the state of our current existence just simply won't allow it. Our Saturday was booked solid with work, kids' activities, and a Childhood Diabetes walk.

Well, you say, a good husband would foresee all of that and plan something in advance.

Sure...a good husband would indeed do that. But she married me.

Compounding her lousy Friday was the impending government shutdown and the late-arriving news that she was deemed "non-essential" and would therefore not be paid. ATTENTION TEA PARTY DOUCHBAGS AND OTHER ASSORTED AS*HOLES-----thank you for all of the unnecessary stress.

[Here's a thought....the Fed employs many highly competent and well-educated persons who work very, very hard and take their taxpayer-funded jobs very, very seriously. If your elected representatives fire them they will be looking for new jobs, and these highly marketable types just might be looking at taking YOUR job. Federal workers aren't all bums, y'know]

I'm working on Friday and getting occasional updates from her regarding the aforementioned job stress and that she's not feeling well, and I also know that I've done nothing for her birthday. And - thus far- her 40th birthday is looking fairly AWFUL. I knock off at 4:30 and run home to start dropping kids off and doing the evening taxiing that I need to do, and just manage to carve out 20 minutes to stop at the local Wal-Mart. You read that right, I went to Wal- Mart.

And there, my daughter Camille and I found a first-gen 64 gig iPad for a reasonable-yet-still-high-price. Ugh. "Hey hon, heard about the lack of funding and your impending unemployment, but look-heeeere's an expensive toy I just charged!! Happy birthday!!"

What is the sound of one frying pan denting?

Or, a nearly 40-year old woman crying?

Well, I'm standing in the electronics section unwashed, with dirt stains all over my white tee-shirt and severely torn up and filthy jeans. The FIRST thing the guy asks for is I.D.

huh?

He quickly corrects himself and asks how I'm paying (credit, natch) and THEN requests the ID, looking at me like I'm a Somali pirate trying to take over the Lusitania with a toy pistol. Only when the charge goes through does he trust me enough to actually place the new iPad anywhere near me. I must've looked like hell.

We bought a pretty bag and a couple cards (one for kids, one from me) plus some Reese's Cups and rushed home too late - she was already home. We managed to smuggle in the gifts and get the cards signed, then presented her with them as we were leaving for my mom's Lenten Friday Fish dinner (where can 8 people eat for $25?).

She loved it. I wasn't a total loss of a husband.

Saturday was, as I mentioned, another busy one. So was Sunday. They're ALL busy right now. But what's very important for me to note here is that my extended family (mother and father-in-law, and my parents and brother and his wife) helped put together some nice meals and outstanding desserts that made her feel special and cared-for, the number on the AGE line be damned.

As for me, I feel like I did OK. My gift was unimaginative but well-liked. But the weekend was more enjoyable than anything else.

____________________________

I'm not doing well on my diet, lately.

You ever see Finding Nemo? There's a part of the movie where Marlin meets the sharks who are trying not to eat fish ("fish are friends, not food"), and Dory gets a nosebleed. When the blood hits the Great White's (Bruce) nose, his pupil dilates and he becomes a full-blown predator.

Well, that's been me lately. I smell donuts.....next thing I know I've inhaled 3. Meals consisting of burgers and fries are trumping the idea of a nice, healthy salad. I get a beer, then another. I can't blame increased physical activity, as I've been going easier on that to let my injured shoulder rest. Maybe it's just been the cloudy, cool weather we've been having on the East Coast lately.

Or it's all just so much self-destruction! God forbid I live to see 40

But, it can't be rainy and cold all the time. I guess this too shall pass.