…And Wisdom to know the Difference
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“God, grant me Serenity to accept those things I cannot change… Courage to change the things I can… and Wisdom to know the Difference.”
I assume “everyone” has a favorite scene or line from It’s A Wonderful Life. My definition of “everybody” is “… that I am likely to have much, if anything, in common with”. Alas, that seems to exclude an ever-increasing % of Earth’s population…. sigh. Oh well…
One of my favorites is George Bailey’s on-going frustration with a loose pommel on their staircase. It serves as a constant reminder of how his life is out-of-control with no positive resolution in sight… which, of course, leads him to “the bridge on that snowy night” etc. Don’t we all have annoying “loose pommels on our staircase”… which can be easily fixed with minimal time/effort.
I replaced a faulty showerhead yesterday – $35 and five minutes VOILA – Life is Good.
The BIG STUFF like saving humanity from diving headlong into The Abyss is not so easily fixed.
Over the past year or so I have gotten a lot better at “fixing my loose pommels”. Whether it’s an annoying home repair… or decluttering a closet… or decrapitizing the BLSays HQ in general… or excluding unpleasant people from my life, or … … Daily annoyances that just take minimal effort to un-annoy. Then the next time you encounter whatever it was that used to frustrate you but doesn’t any more, it’s a satisfying feeling of accomplishment.
THAT is BobLee’s Life Advice for the day…
Since Sunday, my “primary TV” has been glued to ONE channel – MLB Network – for The MLB Winter Meetings.
(For those of you who perceive MLB like I perceive NFL – NBA – and College MBB – you oughta skip this segment.) 
Each “major sport” has its own 24/7 network now. In my opinion, MLB Network is The One that is actually enjoyable to watch. The “experts” really ARE. Former players and sportswriters who (1) “really know the game” – (2) can explain the nuances – (3) have intelligent conversations – (4) seem to enjoy each other. NO idiotic yelling matches… NO social justice posturings / political crap…
The worse day on MLB Network is better than the best day on ESPN or Fox Sports.
MLB Network has “a hottie” – Lauren Shehadi. She wears short tight skirts, stilettos, sits on a high stool… and giggles a lot. But manages to complement the show. And Kevin Millar could dial back his “class clown” act a few notches.
I know some of you HATE the big $$$ in MLB; but that is today’s pro sports. It’s “Monopoly Money”. If you HATE the game of Baseball “because”… OK, it is what it is. I like it. I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind, just telling you what I really enjoy.
Atlanta drew 70,000 to an MLS soccer game last week. There may be sea changes coming for America’s sports… MORE on this later.
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FWIW… over on Franklin Street there has been an old saying for MANY years that:
State fans HATE Carolina more than they love NC State.
Old sayings exist for a reason….
NC State has had very good FB teams for the past 2+ seasons and currently “own” UNC. … State is going to a “real bowl game” against “a real FB school” – a chance to showcase the Dave Doeren Era to a national audience. … State’s recruiting is going great and the program “reloads” rather than rebuilds. … Carter Stadium is rocking and the future is bright.
NC State is The Dominant College FB Program in NC with due respect to pesky little Wake Forest… OUCH! … and in “the Top Tier” of ACC FB programs.
Sooo… why is the “Willie LumpLump faction” of State fans so obsessed with what Ol’ Mack Brown has for breakfast each morning … Who is on Brown’s staff … and who he recruits? Nothing matter unless / until he can “beat State” which he can’t even try to do for eleven months.
The sizable adult faction of NC State fans might consider jerking a knot in those “Willie LumpLumps” that are embarrassing their school. … IMO. Or… maybe those folks on Franklin Street are correct?
Oh… and a similar gaggle of terminally constipated human hairballs on Franklin Street are 2nd-guessing every decision Ol’ Mack is making.
That I am constantly reminded that such low-wattage humanoids of any persuasion even exist is the price I must pay to be an influential socio-cultural commentator. Sigh!
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John Drescher’s New Job… I’ve mentioned on several occasions that I have two “friends” at The News & Observer – “That Damn 
Dan” Kane and longtime Executive Editor John Drescher. I’ve known John 10+ years … had lunch with him several times… and have always enjoyed our lively conversations. A genuine “nice guy” who works – IMO – for an arrogant and, quite contemptible organization.
It was announced some months ago that the financially imperiled media operation was reassigning John to “community opinion editor” or some such contrived “desk over in the corner” … and replacing him with some woman from another imperiled McClatchey paper in Dallas… (at considerably less $$$ than John was making)… In other words, “take the hint John and go away”… as have 70+% of N&O staff over the past few years.
This week it was made official that after 20+ years, John is leaving N&O. He is taking a new position at The Washington Post managing a special team of scroungy dumpster divers assigned to dig up (or, if necessary, just “make up”) dirt on President Donald Trump.
I would prefer a better fate for my old friend but jobs are scarce in the newspaper bizness these days. I hope John remembers to wash his hands after each day’s “work”. Digging in dumpsters can get yucky. … For those keeping count, I’m now down to ONE friend at The N&O.
At lunch Thursday… I ran into an old friend who for over 25 years was a senior administrator at UNCCH… retired for the past 15+ years. I noted…
“Would you PLEASE go over to South Building and take ten minutes to straighten out that ridiculous Silent Sam Mess… Little Chihuahua and those clueless Trustees can’t manage a one-car funeral…”
“I told’em how to fix it 20 years ago, but no one would listen” he replied.
He loves this website so YOU KNOW he is a very smart fellow.
My BOG Buddy “Very Mad Marty” Kotis is fit to be tied over the mess.
(1) Move “SSam” to an appropriate (i.e. non-radical left-wing hotbed) site in NC … (2) Replace the empty pedestal with “an obelisk or orb” honoring all UNC students / faculty / staff who have given their lives in defense of North Carolina / America thruout UNC’s history.
BREAKING NEWS: Today – Friday – The UNC BOG REJECTED Chihuahua/Trustees silly plan to build a $5.3M SSam Mausoleum on-campus. The BOG has “kicked the can” on down the road until March and appointed a BOG committee to “assist” Chihuahua and her merry little band of numbnuts to come up with a for-real proposal (IOW… Mine as outlined above).
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