Tuesday's Primaries

I dreaded voting yesterday, and a great deal of me was torn over who to vote for, for President. I have not ever felt compelled to vote in the primaries for anything before this, mostly because it never seemed important. Well after 8 years of Bushisms, Iraq, and WMA's...let's say I care. Of coarse for Democrats, like me, it comes down to 2 choices, Clinton or Obama. They are both strong candidates and they offer real choice to a degree. And if they both would hunt down John McCain with the ferocity that they are battling each other, then I would say they would both be fabulous Presidents. Maybe, they will really end up working for the good of all and the runner up take V.P. That's probably a pipe dream though.

So I voted for Obama for several really good reasons. Now, Y'all know I love my Hill's, but I just not convinced that she is the one to lead the Democratic Party into the 21st Century. I really want to believe that because Obama is younger, that he is trying to distance the lobbyists, and most significantly that he hasn't been associated with the White House before that he is the candidate to win the election in November.

I think once Clinton is history, his campaign will steam roll over McCain, because he will appeal to younger voters in a way that McCain just can't. You know the Republicans are on the mortality tables when they're putting up an old guy like McCain.

I also voted for Obama because he is from the Midwest and it's about time we have a real Midwesterner as President. I'm sick and tired of these people from down south running our country. Yeah, so Bill and George turned their crappy ass states around as governors, that doesn't mean they are the answer for a nation that needs real leadership, not a band aid. The Midwest is one of the hardest working areas of our country, and I really think we get overlooked in policy decisions. So yes, It's about time we get one of our own in there. Hillary might say she grew up in Chicago, but we all know where her heart really lies.

LastManOut

It's a good thing...

Here's a few things in to keep in mind that I've learned along the way:

Every room needs a little bit of red in it. Even if it's only something very small.

Nice is different than Good.

"It's not mean if it's true." - Michael Thomas Ford

Hard work is not required; but smart work is.

Ambition without purpose is dangerous.

Everyone deserves to have a good day, everyday.

A smile goes a lot farther than a frown.

In the real world, you really are graded on the end result, effort doesn't count for much.

There really is someone for everyone out there.

Remembering Betty Rose Meyer

Saturday, January 19th, 2008, 11:00 a.m., I had the honor of being chosen to sing at funeral of Betty Meyer, who had recently passed away. She was just shy of 95. Betty had requested a baritone to sing the show tunes that she had selected to be sung at her funeral. Our Choir director called me because she knew I would be just the one to do it. The music selections were all in all quite, "unforgetable." Betty had chosen as a reflection the song "I believe," for the Offertory "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel, and as a recessional, "Unforgettable," by Irving Gordon.

I have to say that since the funeral I have not been able to get the melody and words from "Unforgettable" out of my head. I think it has even been tormenting me in my sleep. Betty, I have you to blame. Truy, Betty, "Never before has someone been more.....Unforgetable...." The real clincher is that she was wheeled out of church to this song. You can imagine the image that comes to me. It's true, I'll never forget it as long as I live.

However, the other music selections seem to give a little more insight into the person that her family and friends knew so well. Three very different, and very insightful reflections were given by Steve Swan, UWGB, Mary Jane Herber, Friend, and Robert Meyer, Nephew.

Steve Swan spoke about Betty's generosity to the community, most notably the scholarship funds that she helped establish at UWGB. What touched me inside about this gift she gave was that she had said that she wanted the scholarships to go to regular students; people who maybe didn't have the highest grades, but had to work hard. She wanted them to go to people who exihbited leadership in their communities. That's a very profound observation Betty made; support the people who keep it all going in everyday life.

Mary Jane Herber told us very much about Betty as a person. She told the story of how at a dinner party she was introduced as being a bit "peppery." We were told how Betty was a very direct person who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Mary Jane Herber told us about Betty's humility and that while she generously supported almost every major project in Green Bay, she really didn't want the recognition for it.

Finally Robert Meyer, nephew, spoke on Betty's behalf. I don't recall how exactly it was worked in, but I did appreciate that Robert stated that she was "one classy broad." You got a huge sense of Betty's love for her family and her hospitality from Robert. Robert let us know that his "Milwaukee" side of the family was always received with openness and warmness whenever they would visit Green Bay. Also, He told a cheeky story that, as he accepted his Aunt's invitation to stay over in Green Bay when he was on business, she offered him her bed. He was elated of coarse because hers was much more confortable than the other option. Only to find, that along with her bed came her husband, who snored like a locomotive.

So really Betty, I have to hand it to you, I've been to a lot of funerals, and yours was quite...Unforgetable...

Yours Truly,

LastManOut

Read more about Betty Rose Meyer at:



http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/logarchive/logarchive39/2008jan15.htm



http://www.meyertheatre.org/about/index.html

Almost There

I go through these phases in life where I pretty much live the current day just to make it through to a not so distant event in the future. I'm experiencing that in like overdrive this year. There is the day by day count off to Christmas. Then there is the day by day count off to our vacation; Jerad and I are flying out to Steamboat, Co on Dec 26th. Then there is the count down to the end of Open Enrollment for Medicare Part D, in which I work. We are also counting down to New Year. The fact that I'm missing the end of open enrollment at my job and getting away from the Flower Shop at the same time is seriously unusual.

I first noticed this phase the week of our Christmas party, Dec 8th. I was busy trying to get the carpet replaced in our house, cleaning, and prepping for the big event. I remember saying to myself, I leave for vacation in three weeks, I just have to make it through this. Things just started to spiral downward from there.

Yesterday Lynn, my former voice teacher, now friend, got in a car accident and underwent surgery at St. Vincent. So, I'm filling in at church for Christmas Masses for Organ. It hit me today that It's just another thing that I'm just "trying to get through."

I find it really challenging to feel like it's Christmas. I mean I haven't had a stitch of time to reflect about anything. I know you're supposed to "live in the moment," but seriously, living in the moment is for people who do not have anything better to do. Christmas is increasingly meaning, just another thing. I honestly feel like this just gets worse every year. I'm hardly going to see my family, I have to cover all the bases in one day this year. I just feel like everyone around me deserves better.

My Pie Crust

I'm sharing it, so y'all better give me credit...

Pie Crust
(Especially for people who can't make pie crust!)

Ingredients:

3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. shortening
1 beaten egg
8 T. water (1/2 c.)
1 T. lemon juice (vinegar can be substituted)

Cream together flour, salt, and shortening. Mix together in another dish the beaten egg, water, and lemon juice. Add liquids to flour and shortening. Mix with fingers or pastry blender. Makes roughly 2 double crust pies.

Mom’s Stuffing

1 Package Sage & Onion Bread Crumbs
1 Tube of Pork Sausage
1lb of ground chicken or turkey
1 large apple – finely diced
1 onion – diced
3-4 stalks of celery – finely diced
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 egg
Season with garlic and herbs, salt & black pepper

Mix stuff together with hands in a large bowl. Patt into oven safe dish. Bake 1 – 1½ hours at 350F. Internal temp for stuffing should be about 165 degrees when fully cooked.

I've been busy

I know it's been forever since I've written a blog, but really It's not my fault. I'm not one of those people who likes to dwell on how busy I'm been or how hard I work. For me, even though those things are usually true, I don't like to focus on them like they're the only important things in my life. It's really hard to remember that you are still a multi-dimensional person even when your daily activities are in a unidirectional mode. Question: how do you avoid becoming a broken record of a chatter box when life is the same old?

For starters try to personalize your life experience. It's not too much to take that standardized, boring old situation at work, school, church, etc and make it your own. Tack up your personal photos and flare and really move in. Maybe you'll freshen things up by just expressing how you feel about something. You might in turn actually start talking with people and figure out how to make it better.

Also, make the experiences you have on a daily basis special by emphasizing what it is that makes that thing important. Mundane things are really not mundane at all, it's just our attitude towards them and how we approach it. Keeping the pep in things requires some creativity. My mom always made doing dishes better by having me help her. And she was right; it was one of the few times we really got to talk and spend time together. Plus we got a lot of work done and somehow something as mundane as dishes became a ritual, special in its own way.

Take care of yourself, you're special to a lot of people out there.

LastManOut

Sorry, I was the last one out.

So I completely forgot about National Comming Out Day. It was like two days ago and even though I had notice before hand that it was comming, it obviously didn't make waves with me.

National Comming Out Day is sort of like the gay Christmas. It's not how many people you tell on that day, but really how you live your life all year long. It's like you can have the spirit of Christmas for 24 hours, or you can spread Christ's love all year long. So, It's like this, love one another, accept people for who they are, and most importantly be honest with yourself. Love yourself, I'm sure your a more beautiful person than you really know.

Happy Pride, All Year Long!

LastManOut

Never Mind Me

I'm stressing lately for over many things. I feel like we are moving in that inevitable direction in which relationships are just getting to the point that things are going to change without anyone even really noticing. New things are emerging, such as the addition of Doris to the family, and some old things seem to have faded. I'm never really satisfied. This is the downside to having ambition. When you want things to continuously be better, you pay the price of never really being satisfied in the present. Looking to the future is some people's specialy. I suppose I've been peering into the crystal ball a little bit more lately. As always I see love in someone's future, the loss of it for someone else. I see magnificent things happening in the month of November. I see October as a time of atonement, best be on your guard for gobblins! I'm worried that things will not come out smoothly as we enter the New Year.

The planets are bitch slapping one another and Jupiter thinks Saturn's a Queen. What more can I say?

I'm starting to wear in my age.

Tree Joke

Two tall trees, a birch and a beech, are growing in the woods. A small tree begins to grow between them, and the beech says to the birch, "Is that a son of a beech or a son of a birch?" The birch says he cannot tell. Just then a woodpecker lands on the sapling. The birch says, "Woodpecker , you are a tree expert. Can you tell if that is a son of a beech or a son of a birch?" The woodpecker takes a taste of the small tree. He replies, "It is neither a son of a beech nor a son of a birch. It is, however, the best piece of ash I have ever put my pecker in."

The Nationality of Jesus

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:
1. He called everyone brother.
2. He liked Gospel.
3. He couldn't get a fair trial.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went in to His Father's business.
2. He lived at home until he was 33.
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with His hands.
2. He had wine with His meals.
3. He used olive oil.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut His hair.
2. He walked around barefoot all the time.
3. He started a new religion.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:
1. He was at peace with nature.
2. He ate a lot of fish.
3. He talked about the Great Spirit.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a WOMAN:
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food.
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was work to do.

The Wizard of Oz

Four United States Presidents get caught up in a tornado and off they whirled to the land of OZ. They finally made it to the Emerald City and went to find the Great Wizard.

"What brings the 4 of you before the great Wizard of Oz?"

Jimmy Carter stepped forward timidly and said:
"I've come for some courage."
"No Problem!" said the Wiz! ard. "Who' s next?"

Richard Nixon stepped forward,
"Well, I think I need a heart."
"Done!" says the Wizard.

Who comes next before the Great and Powerful Oz?
Up stepped Bush and said,
"Well, I'm told by some people that I need a brain."
"No problem," said the Wizard. "Consider it done."

Then there is a great silence in the hall.
Bill Clinton is just standing there, looking around, but he doesn't say a word.
Irritated, the Wizard finally asks, "Well, what do you want?"

"IS DOROTHY HERE?"

Abstinence

A young couple wanted to join the church, the pastor told them, "We have a special requirement for new member couples. You must abstain from sex for one whole month." The couple agreed, but after two-and-a-half weeks returned to the Church. When the Pastor ushered them into his office, the wife was crying and the husband was obviously very depressed.

"You are back so soon... Is there a problem?" the pastor inquired. We are terribly ashamed to admit that we did not manage to abstain from sex for the required month." the young man replied sadly. The pastor asked him what happened. "Well, the first week was difficult... However, we managed to abstain through sheer willpower." "The second week was terrible, but with the use of prayer, we managed to abstain." "However, the third week was unbearable. We tried cold showers, prayer, reading from the Bible...anything to keep our minds off carnal thoughts."

"One afternoon my wife reached for a can of paint and dropped it. When she bent over to pick it up, I was overcome with lust and I just had my way with her right then and there. It was lustful, loud, passionate sex. It lasted for over an hour and when we were done we were both drenched in sweat." admitted the man, shamefacedly. The pastor lowered his head and said sternly, "You understand this means you will not be welcome in our church." "We know." said the young man, hanging his head, "We're not welcome at Home Depot either."

I Confess, Your Attitude Sucks.

This blog entry is in response to an article publised in Time Magazine, July 30th, 2007, Pg 60. It is also available at, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1645160,00.html

The article disscussing one Catholic's opinion with respect to the lifting of restrictions on Mass in Latin by the Pope.

The following is what I sent to the editor.

Dear Editor,

I would find an article discussing the merits of English over Latin in Mass much more interesting if the premise was not, "I don't like what I hear in English." Reading this article, I see it for what it is. Here is a person unhappy with the Catholic Church's teachings and would like nothing more than to escape back into a time when those in the pew had no clue.

The allure of Mass is not in the language that it is spoken, but of the celebration itself. It says very little about the Christian faith to attend worship out of "habit and guilt." Worshiping together as a community, as a body of believers with a common voice, celebrating the Eucharist together, is much more powerful than the "allure" of a dead language.

The most important point is that you'll never understand your faith if you just ride along through mass and not make any attempt to understand what is being said and what is going on. The lack of understanding is still what is inherently wrong with the Catholic Church today and it is a direct result of having the Mass in Latin for so many centuries. The fact that Cullen can understand what is going on in English and disagree with it should be celebrated, not condemned. The common language of the people should remain because it is their faith that makes the Church more of a community than an institution.

Medicare Advice

The phone rings and the lady of the house answers,

"Hello."

"Mrs. Ward, please."

"Speaking"

"Mrs. Ward, this is Doctor Jones at the Medical Testing Laboratory. When your doctor sent your husband's biopsy to the lab yesterday, a biopsy from another Mr. Ward arrived as well. We are now uncertain which one is your husband's. Frankly, the results are either bad or terrible."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Ward asks nervously.

"Well, one of the specimens tested positive for Alzheimer's, and the other one tested positive for AIDS. We can't tell which is your husband's."

"That's dreadful! Can't you do the test again?" asked Mrs.Ward.

"Normally we can, but Medicare will only pay for these expensive tests one time."

"Well, what am I supposed to do now?"

"The people at Medicare recommend that you drop your husband off somewhere in the middle of town. If he finds his way home, don't sleep with him."

Fun With Medicare Part D!

I came up with this story problem to demonstrate how complicated it is to understand the Medicare Part D prescription plan, which many of our seniors deal with every day.

Carl has a medicare part D plan with no deductible. Part D covers drugs up to $2400 in total retail cost (rxspend). When you reach $2400 you enter the coverage gap where you pay for drugs at 100% of the cost. You get out of the gap and reach catastophic protection when you reach $3850 in true out of pocket costs (TROoP), what you have paid only. The plan pays $95% of the total drug cost in catastrophic.

1) If Carl has a monthly retail cost of $400, which month will he reach the coverage gap in if his plan begins in Jan? In April?


2) If Carl has a monthly retail cost of $950, of which $200 each month is copays in initial coverage, in which month will he reach catastophic protection?


3) If Carl's monthly retail cost is $950, of which $200 per month is copays in initial coverage, what will be his total retail cost (Rxspend) at the end of the year?


Answers:
1. Jan = July, April = October
2. July
3. Rxspend = $4135

Quote

“There’s this kid & he’s in his backyard digging a hole & the neighbor lady looks over the fence & says, ‘What you doing over there little Johnny?’ And he looks really sad & says, ‘My goldfish died & I’m having a funeral for him.’ And the lady says, “Um, that’s an ‘ofly big hole for a goldfish.’ And little Johnny says, ‘Well that’s because he’s inside your stupid cat.’”

-Oliver, A Lot Like Love
(movie, 2005), When asked to
“Just say anything.”

Sandals

A married couple walked into a tourist shop. The Jamaican said to them, "I have some special sandals I think you would be interested in. Dey make you wild at sex."

Well, the wife was really interested in buying the sandals after what the man claimed, but her husband felt he really didn't need them, being the sex god he was.

The husband asked the man, "How could sandals make you into a sex freak?"

The Jamaican replied, "Just try dem on, Mon." So, the husband, after some badgering from his wife, finally gave in,and tried them on.

As soon as he slipped them onto his feet, he got this wild look in his eyes, something his wife hadn't seen in many years!

In the blink of an eye, the husband grabbed the Jamaican, bent him violently over a table, yanked down his pants, ripped down his own pants, and grabbed a firm a hold of the Jamaican's hips.

The Jamaican then began screaming, "You got dem on the wrong feet! You got dem on de wrong feet!"

English Humour

The train was quite crowded, so a U. S. Marine walked the entire length looking for a seat, but the only seat left was taken by a well dressed, middle-aged, French woman's poodle. The war-weary Marine asked, "Ma'am, may I have that seat?" The French woman just sniffed and said to no one in particular, "Americans are so rude. My little Fifi is using that seat." The Marine walked the entire train again, but the only seat left was under that dog. "Please, ma'am. May I sit down? I'm very tired." She snorted, "Not only are you Americans rude, you are also arrogant!" This time the Marine didn't say a word; he just picked up the little dog, tossed it out the train window, and sat down. The woman shrieked, "Someone must defend my honour! Put this American in his place!" An English gentleman sitting nearby spoke up, "Sir, you Americans seem to have a penchant for doing the wrong thing. You hold the fork in the wrong hand. You drive your autos on the wrong side of the road. And now, sir, you seem to have thrown the wrong bitch out the window."

Mitt Romney: Really Irritating

I'm tired of reading in the news about Mitt Romney and what he has to say about where America should go. Basically, Romney is a walking contradiction. He has supported gay rights, but wants a constitutional amendment against gay marriage. He wants tougher security and more troops, but also lower taxes. He thinks he's better than Hilary because his univeral health care plan got passed in Mass. and Hilary's was shot down when she was First Lady. I am sick, sick and tired of this bull from Mitt Romney who can't deciede if he's comming or going. Can we at least turn the lime light on one of the other boring same old, same old Republican presidential candidates for a while? Election 2008 is already making me sick.