Day 3

This is day 3.  I know it does not seem like much, but it is the most days in a row I have posted.  I don't have much to say tonight (surprisingly).

Tonight, I ate dinner with my nephew (son of my sister who passed away last year).  We always have a good time and today was no different.  Today we discussed his 12 year old daughter and some challenges she has been presenting.  As importantly, we discussed our up coming depositions for the law suit filed by my sister's husband related to her death.  I explained the deposition and how it will go.  We discussed how horrible it is going to be.

The other side wants to take my deposition and, frankly, I don't know why.  Rationally, I understand they have to depose everybody who might have relevant information related to my sister's death.  Emotionally, though, I have no interest in sitting through some inane deposition with jack off lawyers and their various assistants and associates.  I don't think my nephew or the rest of the family have any idea who emotionally draining it could be to relive relationships with Veronica and her illness, the mistakes, and her ultimate death.  Not good to say the least.  I assume the depos will be soon, and I really want them to be finished.  not so much for me, but for my nephews, neice, and Veronica's sister.  Hopefully, this will be over soon.  It seems like, though, it is going on forever...

On a lighter note, the Cardinals won again.  Good game, good timely hitting, and great result.  This team has the chance to be very good (certainly better than the Cubs).  I am really looking forward to this season.  I never did follow up with anybody about the businessman's special, but I think I'm going on the 19th.  Need to make a decision.

Finally, we had the parent-teacher conference for our oldest today (she is in pre-school, so its not like its 9th grade conferences), but it was nice to hear positive things about our daughter.  She misses the cut-off for kindergarten by 2 months so she'll do "junior kindergarten" next year.  She likes to go to school, so we are doing all right so far.  Seems to me, as long as she likes to learn, then we can keep her on the right path, and by right path, I mean off the pole.

As I mentioned in my last post, I am going to end every one of these with something that made me smile, laugh, or just something positive.  Today, I had dinner with my nephew.  We always have a good time together, and, though we don't spend enough time together, it is always a great time to hang out with him.

That's all I have tonight.  I hope everybody sleeps well.

Be Easy.

-cp

Its Just What I Think: Day 2

Its Just What I Think: Day 2: "It is day 2 of my 30 posts in 30 days. I am sure all of you are waiting with baited breath (all 4 of you that read this :) In any event, t..."

Day 2

It is day 2 of my 30 posts in 30 days.  I am sure all of you are waiting with baited breath (all 4 of you that read this :)  In any event, today was a fairly regular day.  Nothing too big happened, which I suppose is a good thing.  We had the normal battles with our 4 year old over bed time, but that is the norm right now.

I watched the Laker game yesterday and I was disgusted, as so many others, with the cheap shots taken by Odom and Bynum.  Unlike some of my friends though (or 1) I will not disavow my love of the Lakers over those missteps.  Clearly, it was dirty play, but it happens.  While some act like it is the end of the world, it is nothing more than frustrated people doing somethign the shouldn't do.  I am not going to lie here and say I haven't played a little dirty depending on teh circumstances. hell, I may have taken a cheap shot in my days on the court if frustrated enough.

The Cardinals are off today, as I assume most everybody with a computer knows.  They are playing extremely well and I am getting excited about this team.  I am considering going to the businessman's special on the 19th.  I need somebody to go with me, but I suppose even if nobody can go (which would be reasonable) I may go anyway.  I am getting excited over this team.  The young pitchers are exciting and the offense appears to have some staying power.  In a previous post, I predicted a win total of 70 - 75.  It appears my pessimism has motivated the team to play significantly better.  I have no doubt I have that type of control over the Cardinals and their record.

Finally, I have been waiting for a ruling from the 8th circuit on the owners request for a permanent stay pending the appeal in the matter now pending before the Court. As many know, the Court granted the request for a temporary stay, but has not ruled ont he request for a permanant stay.  I am thiking they are going to find for the Owners or not rule on the request.  I think, though, that will not predictive of whether the 8th Circuit will ultimately reverse the District Court's ruling.  I am not a labor lawyer (unions, and such), but the District Court's ruling was well reasoned.  It seems that many commentators are relying on the 8th Circuit's conservative bent (most of the judges were appointed by republican presidents) as a reason they will reverse the ruling.  The only think I know is the Judges some times change views while on the Court.  In addition, at their core, Judges are supposed to follow the law.  I am not so naive as to believe that is what Judges always do, in fact, I could probably argue they are more likely to determine the result they want and use what ever reasoning or logic (no matter how stretched) go get to the result they want.  m

My beliefs on that issue, though, has likely been shaped by the Courts opniins (and I mean all Courts from Supreme Court on down) regarding various criminal issues.  It seems the Courts determine what they want to happen (unless it is an eggregious violation or error) and use what they need to get there.

In any event, I am extremely interested in this issue and I look forward to discussing their various rulings as this moves forward.

I have more to say (shocking to those that know me), but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

One thing  I am going to begin on this blog every time I post is mentioning one thing that made me smile.  Today, like most days, it was my daughter, Lucy.  As usual, when I walked in the door, from her crib, she jumped up and began calling my name so I would give her a hug and kiss goodnight (this was before Lily threatened to get up).  I will not make every one of these about my kids, but I thought the first one should, appropriately, be about them.

Remember, this is just what I think.

Be easy

- cp
Today, my smile

37

I am 37 years old today.  Yes, today is my birthday. It is 5:21 AM.  I am quite amazed that I am 37 years old.  I don't know why, but it feels a older (which, of course, it is).  I have meant to post more frequently, so I am going to do.  now that I am 37 (such a milestone!), I am going to post 30 times in 30 days.  I do not expect all of them to be good or master pieces (not that my previous posts have been), but still, the posts are coming.  I like writing, whether it be short stories, my opinions on a wide range of topics, or simply stream of consciousness  musings about the goings on in a particular day.  

As for today, I am writing to declare that I can not celebrate death.  In the aftermath of the Osama  assassination, and let's not fool ourselves, it was an assassination, I can not join the thousands, if not millions, of people who celebrate the death.  After seeing the various videos that have been released, I am even more disgusted by the celebrations.  This is not to say that I do not understand why it was done, or that Osama's  death may, ultimately, be a very important step on the so called "war on terror" (war on terror seems similar to war on drugs, a lot of money going into a slogan that sounds great but gets us nowhere), but celebrating death is not something I will take part in.

The irony, of course, in the pictures of college students, and other citizens, hopping around in celebration is remarkably similar to the pictures from the Middle East after 9/11.  Does anybody involved in those celebrations recognize that?  do they see that perhaps we are not as different as we would like to make ourselves out to be?  Clearly, what we did was not a terrorist act, but celebrating death of anybody is wrong. I am uncomfortable by it and, frankly, it is disappointing that so many people celebrated his death. 

Earlier this week, I found this quote :

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"

Of course, now, there have been articles that show this quote is not from Martin Luther King.  Frankly, I don't give a shit whether it is an MLK quote or a quote from John the bum who lives under highway 40.  The point of the quote is the reason that I, and probably others, posted the quote.  It is interesting that articles come out proving it is not an MLK quotation, but no articles (I found) discussing the point of the quote and discussing if, perhaps, it is a quote that we should read, consider, and perhaps try to remember when we are celebrating the death of another human being.

Lastly, though Osama was clearly a man whose beliefs made him justify the deaths of thousands of innocent people, do we want to believe that certain deaths are justified?  do we want to be the judge and jury for those people we believe deserve to die?  I am not ready for that responsibility.  I won't take it on.  I will not celebrate death in any form or of anybody.  

I believe it is wrong to celebrate death.  

Remember, this is just what I think.

Be well.  

--cp