H.S. SPORTS {& side bar on names}

This morning, I had no intention of doing another blog/blug thing.  Sat. morn.  Nuthin' goin' on'.  We have no plans for today.  Could run into town to the farmer's market - cascade into Temple for a couple of estate sales - visit Belton Walmart to make fun of people - side trip to Killeen for Chinese food - slog over to Stillhouse Hollow Lake to look at the new sand bars (we are getting thirsty)  =  stay at home and not watch TV.  What's on TV on a Saturday?  Golf. Sports. Cooking Shows. Bad News. Cartoons. Must be something interesting on TV.  Jewelry sales?  Emeril hawking toaster ovens? Prostate shows?   Nah, none of these meet our standard.  We do have standards.

Got up.  Put on pants.  Walked out front to retrieve newspaper ( "i" B4 "e," except after "C" ).  Pulled a couple of Eggos from our deep Frozer.  Sugar free syrup + butter  and OJ.  Pretty good breakfast.  I'll be hungry by noon.  Opened newspaper to sports page.  3 articles on the  1st page that got my juices going.

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The first.  Wait.  I am not a sports fan except when it comes to Texas Tech.  That is only because I went there.  I want them to win because it makes ME look better when I apply for a job.  At 82 and 5/6ths, I apply for a lot of jobs ya know.  Still, granddots attend Tech.  I support them & Tech in every way except spending money and waving flags,

Back to regular subject:  the first article.  Two H.S. in Belton.  Belton HS (as you may have guessed) and Lake Belton HS north of town.  Interestingly, I believe Lake Belton is located in Temple city limits.  Hmmmm.  L.B.H.S. is pretty new.  They have only been playing competition ball for a couple of years or so.  or so.  SOOO, they played Leander Rouse last night, Friday, at LBHS.   One Minute before halftime,  L.B. is ahead 34-10.  WHAM!!!   BAM!!!!  Sparks Flew!! Everything went black.  A transformer serving the stadium blew up.  

As darkness settled on the stadium the moon was shining.  It was a cloudless night as most nights have been since it quit raining in central Texas last June.  Give your eyes a moment to adjust.  We have 2 hostile football teams lining the sidelines - 24 on the field facing each other with a (moon) gleam in their eyes.  Behind 34-10, I'm sure Rouse stood ready to play in the moonlight.  

It was just 1 minute before halftime.  Two bands are poised on the sidelines ready to march forth and demonstrate their wares.  Moms sitting in the stands wringing their widdle hands afraid their 6' 5" linebacker will somehow be electrocuted - maybe Chicken Fried if you will.  The good thing about dying at the game:  the school will dedicate the yearbook to you in the spring.  That is worthy of consideration.

I can see it now.  Nobody is moving except a lone hawk soaring over the stadium looking for a lost hot dog slathered in mustard.  The coaches meet the refs in the middle of the field.  Here comes the Superintendents and Principals and various other important figures (in their mind, important).  Much talking.  Much gesturing.   Much  looking at flaming transformer, sparking its heart out.   They called the game.  Right there.  It's over.  Nobody volunteered to climb the pole and spray water on the flame.

As the stadium empties - there must be no P.A. system to announce anything I would guess - all grope for belongings - teams scour the area to find all equipment and Gatoraide bottles - the bands tramp back to the stands to retrieve everything.  Their either head for their local bandroom or to the band buses.  Cheerleaders, not quite with the program, are still on the field making pyramids and flying through the air holding lit candles in their teeth.  

An hour later, all is quiet.  Not even the scoreboard is broadcasting the 34-10 first half score.  Band Directors are pleased to be getting home an hour and a half / maybe 2 hours / early.  I wonder if either band tried to do their halftime show in the moon light - just for practice of course.  It would have been a glorious - bring a tear to the eye.

The one redeeming factor:  everyone, NO, LET'S SAY EVERYBODY, turned on their cell phones, flashlights and all.  They could have aimed the phones towards the field and finished the game.  How fun would it have been to see a marching band flashing their phones to the rhythm of the music.

AND, THAT, was only # 1 from the sports page.

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#2  I'll try to keep this short.  Temple H.S. FOOTBALL team has entered the record books by winning its 800th game - that is 800 games since football started in Temple maybe ABOUT 100 years ago.  They scratched through records and reports until they found 799 games.  Playoffs last year provided the chance for number 800.  But, the tigers lost in the playoffs.  Eagerly, we held our breaths as one, together, awaiting the 2023 season in order to score that 800th game.  Now, it has been done.  The thrill still lingers for those who were part of this season ... we will remember it in our hearts for years to come.  I imagine that at least one of the players will have it listed in his obituary 60 years from now.  "Bubba had 12 children and was on the Temple football team that racked up their 800th win for all time.  Members of team were: ......"  No mention of his children's names.

There was an article in the Temple paper last week.  You can find it online if you want to know what other Texas schools have triumphed 800+ times.  I know Amarillo HS was one.  I think they used to hire oil field roustabouts to come into town on Friday night and play for them - before you sue me - I'm not really sure about that; it was a rumor I once heard when I was teaching across town.

It is interesting that only 4 teams have ever had 800+ wins in their entire existence.  

Just a quick calculation.  100 more wins to 900.  10 games a year not counting playoff games.  If they don't lose again, they can have 900 in 10 years....assuming they don't win any playoff games.  If you have a 7 yr old football player, move to Temple now so HE/SHE can be a part of the 900th win.  Oh, the anticipation.

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#3   I once read about a visiting team that took the opening kick and ran for a touchdown.  The home stands went silent.  On the next kickoff, the home team ran for a touchdown.  7 to 7    They began the game again, even.  Wish I had been there.

      Last year I read about a team that made the playoffs in Texas.  The locals were thrilled.  It was written up in the newspaper and the coach was praised.  Their record that year was 3-7.  In Texas, the top 4 teams in all districts advance to the playoffs.  Let's say there are 4, maybe 5, schools in your district.  All you have to do is beat ONE team to make the playoffs.  With only 4 teams in your district, your record could be 0-10 and still be in the playoffs.  Yes, we praise the coach.  I admire him for taking advantage of the situation to support his team (and his future job offers).  Wouldn't it be nice in life to be able to lose everything and still get a bonus?   I love sports (snicker).

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#4 Before I start this last epic, I would like to apologize to anyone who may be directly insulted.  I really mean no harm.  The chances of mentioned people seeing this note is very small.

I was reading another sports page story when I ran across some first names.  In the article in the order they appear, here are the mentioned football player's first names.

We have Ja'Quorius covering a fumble - Braylan throwing a touchdown pass - Kardias ran for a touchdown - Kason caused a fumble - Coach is Rick - Cody recovered a fumble - Elijah scored  a touchdown - Dominic scored - Homero kicked a field goal - and Cole covered a fumble.  Sure were a lot of fumbles.

Whoever did this report must have had a list of players.  First names are interesting to me.  Some day go find a list of the local cheerleaders or drill team members.  The names are so different than when I was a kid.  We had Pat - Mike - Jim - George - John - Jerry.   My wife was a Brenda in elementary school.  There were 2 other Brendas in the same classroom.  Thus, she became Brenda Joy.  Preferred loved names change over the years.  You can't find many Brendas anymore.

I read that Katrina and Ida use to be popular names until the hurricanes hit New Orleans.  Now, nobody wants to name their kid Katrina - ?? afraid the kid will be a hurricane in the house ??

I'm through.  Keep your first name.  It's okay with me.  In the future, the world will have to learn to spell it.  My middle name is Eugene.  My mother blessed me with that, naming me after Uncle Gene.  There have been some great Eugenes in the world.  Perhaps you have met a few.

see ya, love ya, don't do stupid things....

m

If you are looking for an intellectual conversation -

 If you are looking for an intellectual conversation, this is prolly not the place.

For example:  let's take up the names of the days of the week.  Right there should exemplify my title for this missive.  To save time, I will will list them all now:   Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and, finally Sunday.  I feel certain that our names somehow come from the Greeks.  I don't know that.  Greek or Latin roots seem to plague us.  I know certain females who have dark roots - my tree has dirty roots - then, there was that TV show Roots.  None are related to my conversation.

Question #1:  When creating week names, did they start with Sunday or Monday?  It is my belief that our answer lies in religion.  Most, I say MOST, Christians celebrate Sunday as the Sabbath.  There are those who really like Saturday.  7th Day Adventist have their thing.  The Jewish community use to shut down on Friday night - or was it Saturday?  I'd have to go back and watch Fiddler on the Roof to know for sure.  Then, we have the Catholics who seem to be able to have Mass on more than one day.  To me that seems the most logical.  Have it when it fits your schedule.  Not going to complain - any group who has to go through all that Confessing in a little booth - they have my utmost respect.  I don't think I could ever do that and be completely honest all the time.

God create earth.  On the 7th day he rested.  So, in your mind is the 7th day when?  Okay, let's say that a couple thousand years ago, I am creating the names of the week and I am Jewish.  Sunday becomes the first day of the week?  This is not meant to be accurate reporting on my part.  Frankly it doesn't matter to me right now.

Let's say, this guy Amos said, "The first day of the week is Sunday."   

Then comes Monday.    Why, why,  WHY was the 3rd day not named Tunday?  Wenday?  Thurnday? and so forth.  It makes sense to me.  Spelling is a whole "nother" issue.  Well, of course, part of the answer is simple:  Amos wasn't speaking English - or in my case, Texan.  Maybe in Yiddish these names are listed poetically somehow.

I'll leave you with this.  If dogs had named the weeks, they would be Barkday, Snortday, Growlday, Pantday, Ballday, Wagday, and Napday (this would have been the Sabbath),  It is obvious that dogs would have had an 8th day:   EAT or COOKIE day

You can make up your own cat named days, starting with:   Purrday (derivative of Purrfect - albeit Sabbath).

Lunch time for me.  Later Miss Gator  (bugeyeday)

m3

No Downer Wednesday

It makes sense.  At least one day out of seven should be a "no downer" day.  Thus, I, King Mike, proclaim that Wednesday is NO DOWNER WEDNESDAY.  

Monday had to be eliminated - why? because it's Monday - 1st day of the week back at school/work...c'mon, this was not too hard to figure.

Tuesday: too close to Monday - catch all the riff-raff left over from Monday.

Thursday:  use to be something about Green Thursday - sure would want to interfere with their day.

Friday: nope.  it already has its TGIF moniker.  Besides, I was a band director too long with Friday night football game hassles to proclaim Friday as worthy of anything worthy.  cute.  worthy of being worthy.  I like that.

Sat & Sun are weekend days.

So, ya see, Wednesday is the only day left.  I do have one downer thing about Wednesday; but, let's save that for a later date.  Surely don't want to hurt anyone's feelings especially on No Downer Wednesday, do I?

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TV:  I like television.  I have always liked television.  Some shows are not worth watching (worthy of being worthy)  in spite of what critics may say.  Others have been worth seeing frequently.   I love watching old Barney Miller (30 min.) shows.  It rarely dips into the slime pits - sure, a bit of a liberal message at times - but really nice entertainment.

The other night, the show opened with the [ Chinese ] Detective Nick Yamana  (really Jack Soo the actor) reading a Chinese language newspaper.  He shared that a Chinese thermometer factory was going out of business.  Yep.  Someone found swordfish in their mercury.    That joke haunts me; I love it.  Jack Soo died way too early in my opinion.  His dry delivery was special.

Lately, I have been watching Frasier reruns.  They do put out some great lines and situations.  Yes, the Frasier boys are totally disfunctional.  And, the show dips into too much sexy stuff at tiimes - but, overall it is a fun show.....just like the old Third Rock from the Sun series - which is not on anymore.  They have toooooo much hanky panky in the shows but fun to watch.

Now, for different reasons, on PBS I enjoy many of the British mystery shows.  Midsomer Murders is pretty good.  For me, what sets Midsomer above the others is the music.  I use a headset to listen to the TV.  My wife's hearing is so good, that I hurt her ears with the volumn even when I wear the hearing aids.  With headsets, you can hear the music so much better, each twist and turn and twirl.  There is a bassoonist on that show who is excellent.  All the music is well-played.  If you want to hear a good bassoon, tune in Midsomer.   It's not classical music - just good tunes.   (moving on....)

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Speaking of thermometers (see above with Jack Soo), I need one of those handheld ones that you can aim at foreheads.  Home depot had a bunch the other day at $45 plus some.  I don't guess I should have passed SUCH a bargain.  

We were in CVS yesterday - they are out of thermometers.  Really.   Are thermometers the next toilet paper?  We do have one of those "under the tongue" critters, and we have had the electronic mouth ones.  I was never smart enough to make the electronic ones function more than twice in a row.  

Ya see, someone gets sick - I have no thermometer - I go to store and buy the electronic/battery powered one - I read the instructions and use the thermometer.  The sick person gets well.  Many Many months later, somebody gets ill.  I dig out the battery machine - but I cannot find the instructions.  Worthless piece of equipment at that point.  I imagine we have owned at least 5 of those electronic ones over the past several years.  Don't get me wrong; this is not a Downer.  We are please that nobody is getting sick around my estate.

Can't you visualize walking down the street or through the hallowed halls of Wal*Mart pointing your thermometer gun at every stranger yelling "Gotcha!"  ?  Don't point it at the big guys with no shirts and covered with tattoos.  They might shoot back.  On we go to Amazon and to seek my new thermometer.

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Final bit - what have I done today?  It is about 11:45 a.m.  Up around 8 - ate breakfast and checked my blood sugar (155 this morning, the lowest it has been pre-breakfast since mid-June) - mowed the dog pit and a portion of the backyard with the hand pushed (power) mower - helped the wife a bit as she sandpapered our little metal bridge for future painting - played a moment with Oscar's ball until he set it down and wet on it ( that will stop me everytime ) - came inside - cleaned up and hit the computer.    

And we move on for the remainder of No Downer Wednesday...forgot didn't you?

I lied.  This is the final bit. My wife Brenda Joy just sent out a text message that today is National Middle Child Day - she texted it to our middle child Laura.   I was a middle child for several years too.  I celebrate!

later, Mtz

Jeans

JEANS:
Somebody came up with that name.  When you see the word, a vision - your vision of jeans springs into view.  I visualize blue denim trousers.  I do own a few pair of gray and/or black jeans.  I do not own Green Jeans.   That was a guy on TV.

Normally, if I plan to dress up in jeans - a concept that is somewhat flawed to start - I will wear the Gray or Black jeans.  To me, blue jeans fail miserably in the dress-up category.  Frankly, Gray & Black (or Green) jeans fail too.  But in my VIEW, in today's society, jeans are loved and respected in the strangest and "wrongest" places.  Must I even mention jeans that are torn or ripped by manufacturer and sold at twice the price?
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Our little Sadie is having stomach problems.  She is emitting a dark brown substance (liquid if you will) instead of well formed projectiles.  In other words, her poop is runny.  At times she has lost control and little brown droplets appear on the floor.  Out comes the mop.  She is not like our boy dogs who want to mark the world.  No self-respecting female dog would want to mark anything with droplets of brown poop.
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We gave her some Pepto-Bismo last night.  They say that a bit of pumpkin out of a can works too. We don't have pumpkin on our shelf right now.  Who keeps pumpkin in the merry month of May?  How does this relate to Jeans?
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When I held her to pump the Pepto down her throat, her bottom caressed the upper left leg of my blue jeans.  A three inch spot appeared.  Poor Sadie; she knows not what she does.
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Now, I have jeans which need immediate washing.  This morning I dug through the closet and came up with 8 pair of blue, gray, and black jeans to wash plus a pair from the wife (of recent Mother's Day fame) and several pair of dark socks.  Some of you won't believe this.  I washed my own jeans.  I put in the soap and pushed the start button.  Of course, Of course, the spouse (of recent....etc.) had to show me which button to push on the washer.  I suppose in my youth, I may have washed my own jeans.  I can't remember when.  My mother and later my wife have always handled this chore for me.  They understand washing machines.
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My first load is in the dryer;  the second load is finishing up in the washer.  Next, I will try to learn how to hang up trousers.  This may be over my pay scale.
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A couple years ago - it may have been 2 or 5 or whatever - I heard (or read or was told by somebody or saw on TV) that the CEO of Levi's said that he never washes his jeans.  Think on that for a bit.  The boss of the company that makes Levi's said --- I don't think I am confused here  ---  he said, "I never wash my jeans."  Surely it wasn't the CEO of Wranglers.  Who would interview the CEO of Wranglers?  Nope.  It had to be Levi's.
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So, here is what we got.  The guy who runs the jeans company never washes his pants.  Of course, he doesn't.  He throws them away and gets another new pair.  Does he even buy his own jeans?  I bet there is an Inspector #8 down on the line who pulls out his size every other day and delivers them to his closet - hung properly.  The Inspector #8 then removes the older (one week maybe) pair and throws them into a "recycle to the poor house" bin.
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I dug on a hole last week down by the lake edge.  The bottom three inches of my work jeans sucked up mud.  Can you imagine the CEO of Levi's digging a hole in his penthouse suite on top of the Blue Levi's High Rise building?  Of course the Levi bldg is blue.  What other color could it be?   Maybe he gets his jeans blemished when he climbs into the back of his Limo.  Wait.  In all fairness, his brake pedal on his Porsche sports car convertible might rub his left leg.  I don't know this gentleman.  I don't know his name or the color of his eyes.  He might be a wonderful feller.   I think his statement was - - - I love the concept.   
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Yep.  Until today, I can say that like the CEO of Levi's I never wash my jeans.
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In the spirit of fairness and openness, I need to report that my middle name is Eugene, oft times shortened to Gene by many, and my #2 daughter (by age) has a middle name of Jeanne.  These facts have had no bearing on the above account.  I do not show favoritism to anyone named or associated with Jeans.  Once had a student named Jean Dupy.  She was really a nice, sweet girl who was quite impish.

Next week:  Wearing Jeans to Church, Biblical or Cool  

October 1st

Here it is October 1st - 2018.  I see my last post was in 2017.  I understand this.  While I can write stuff, nobody listens.  If I am the only one who listens to me, why write?  I can tell myself things sitting on the back porch.  I rarely argue with myself.  The debate is minimum.  I have been considering printing a hard copy of all my posts, past and future; then, I'll create a notebook - 3 ring type - and keep it on a shelf.  Is it possible that one of my future great, great, great, great grand children will find it to be worthy of a read?

I have been doing some genealogy stuff this year.  I find it quite interesting even though I really cannot prove most of my results are valid.   I can go back to great grandparents with some certainty.  But, when I get further back, there are some questions.  Too often I reply on research done by others. One of my lines goes back to a year in B.C.   Minus 325 I believe.  I do roll my eyes when I type that.  

There is royalty in my family line.  King de Bruce of Scotland - the 3 King Edwards of England - a couple of French kings - the Plantagenets -  even a King  back into Switzerland - the list goes on including a Queen from somewhere in Spain... I seem to be lacking any Romans.  

Maybe, someday, if I feel like it, perhaps, or not, I'll find a way to post my family ancestors.  Of course, if someone's research was faulty, then I'm probably just fishing here.   

Henry Hudson of the Hudson Bay Colony shows up in one of my lines.  An aside:  my wife is doing the same.  She has a couple of the King Edwards too - which makes her my cousin, or aunt - depends - she is not my grandmother.  Daniel Boone is one of her uncles (she descends from Daniel's sister)  Her list goes on too.   Right now my wife is in the process of gaining membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Me thinks this would be "swell."

So, I got my paperwork started for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution.   If I get approved, THAT and a dollar will buy you a big gulp.    Right now, I have 59 great grandfathers who were alive in the USA in 1776.  It is logical some of those fought in the revolution.  

WHAR'S MAH BIG GULP? 
(insert a smiley face here for me)😁

Observation #1

It just came to me in a  hot flash*  that I have observations - no wait, the wife has had hot flashes - mine are more like a warming of my toes.  This will be my first one that is numbered.  Universally, we all can have brilliant observations or epiphany observations or "I just noticed" observations or, sometimes, "embarrassing to my family" observations      [those would be less-than-brilliant and spoken out loud in the presence of others  ].
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This morning I had a brilliant observation which may affect the way that I live.
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#1:   When you go to bed at night and leave a half glass  of***  tea in the frig because you are too cheap to throw it away...
         And when you get up the next morning and work  outside**  in the warm weather, coming in about 9:30 or 10:00 for a drink...
         That glass of tea is sooooo very very cold and goooood to drink.  Some might think it is wonderful. 
         You may choose to observe this on your own time.  Tonight, perhaps.
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   * hot flash:  Over my years I have learned not to downgrade a hot flash in any conversation.
   ** please note previous blog where wife went to Waxahachie and bought plants
   ***I was going to write "a half glass of undrunk tea"  but my spell check had a freakin' fit.  Then, I debated putting in:  "  a half glass of  { drinked, drunk, dranked, drunked, drained } tea - and let you choose the correct entry, like we all had to do in English grammar class many a year back.  I would have pretended I knew the right answer all the long.
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I have something else to add though it is unrelated to Hot Flash or Observations or Planting or Cold Iced Tea in the morning's rising heat.....
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As you may have noticed, I rarely use the word Blog.  Too many people have Blogs.  They write and rant   (that should be "right and rant" for the alliteration) - they do, talk talk talk.  Since this be da case, I prefer the term  Blug.  Don't you think Blug more accurately describes these tomes?
Then I  can be bluggy, not bloggy.   Anyway, a friend said that the term Blug was irritating.  
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And as with all BLUG writers, we do need a little drama to bring in the readers...so BLUG it is, and BLUG it shall continue.  Read heartily my lads.
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See ya guys on the next Bluggy Blug.
m