Saturday, January 28, 2012

Breaker 1-9

Double-clutchin' and dropping gears for 10 hours in truck driving school today.  Put 40 miles on an old Freightliner - half of them in reverse.  ~L

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Tebow, or Not Tebow, That is the Question:

Got a Tim Tebow jersey yesterday. Not because I'm a bandwagon Bronco fan (lifelong Packer-backer here) or a big Tebow fan - it's because I'm a sucker for a good story. Some will just call me a sucker.

Tim Tebow's precipitous rise to NFL and pop-culture notoriety polarizes most of us who bother to have an opinion about him. His name evokes an immediate love/hate response from those who hear it.

Football geeks are quick to knock him because of the "flaws" in his throwing mechanics and they inanely argue the Xs and Os of his ability to become a long-term success. Others could care less about him making ESPN's Top 50 Greatest Players of All-Time - as long as he keeps winning.

Monday morning theologians and armchair atheists debate whether his post-game genuflecting violates the Bible's teachings in Matthew 6:1, 6:5, and 6:6 for guidance concerning praying in public. Others could care less about where he prays, as long as he prays - and he keeps winning.

Today's purveyors of political correctness do their best to make it shameful to cheer for an articulate, humble, educated, hard-working, successful, wealthy, attractive, genuine, self-sufficient, charitable, honest, able-bodied, white, heterosexual, Christian male. Others don't care who he is - as long as he keeps winning.

Watch Tim Tebow and you'll see a man who wears his character on his sleeve - not tattooed on his arm.  You'll see someone who bows his head to give 'thanks' - not someone who thumps his chest and says 'look at me.'  Watch Tim Tebow and you'll see someone who carries a good book in his pocket - not a wad of bills for the strip club. You'll see someone who gives his paychecks to build a hospital - not someone who organizes a Saturday afternoon golf outing seeking donations and a photo-op.

I'm a sucker for a good story.  I don't even mind if his is a short story.  So far I like the first chapter - even if he doesn't keep winning.  Call me a sucker.  ~L

(Thank you to my sister, Michelle, who lives near Denver, and is a big shot for a national sporting goods chain, for hooking me up with the jersey.)

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Will Power

Remember when Will Ferrell was funny?  I don't.

Ever since my mid-40s I've wanted to be a comedian.  After many minutes of dedication to the art of well-crafted humor I realized I'd never be a beloved American humorist like Larry the Cable Guy.

But, I'm getting pretty good at being not funny - like Mr. Ferrell.  He's great at it.  He's almost the Kathy Griffin of unfunny.  Watch any of his movies or Saturday Night Live skits and witness the master of not making people laugh.

Our lives eerily parallel each other.  We're both tall, the same age, and we make fools of ourselves publicly.  My blog has almost 20 followers and his career has nearly twice that many. And, we both drink Old Milwaukee.

Will Ferrell recently filmed this beer commercial.  Watch him nail the essence of non-humor.  Pure genius.  I'm so jealous.  ~L