The older you get, the better you were

Or at least that is the way it is often told. It may be the weekend warrior trying to recapture their youth, the parent trying to relive (and improve upon) their life through their kids, or just the old codger spinning a yarn to impress the young folks and buttress a frail ego, but maybe for some it is just the gauze lens of nostalgia.

For you college students, don't be one of those who "peaked" in high school, doomed to forever tell tales of the big game, making the cheerleading squad, or whatever. It was high school; no one cares. When you write your resume, omit all mention of high school; no one cares. Your memories are precious and hold them dear, but it was high school and the last of your childhood. What you do in college and beyond is what matters..

I hope you get mad

y The title of this blog was also the subject line for the following email I received. Along with the photo was the text:

"Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harking stand during the national anthem. Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name)......the article said he REFUSED TO NOT ONLY PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART DURING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BUT REFUSED TO SAY THE PLEDGE.....

How in the hell can a man like this expect to be our next Commander-in-Chief????

I can't say that I got mad, but perhaps a bit disappointed, not in Obama, but in the stark ethnocentric fascism reflected in this message accompanying the photo. I don't know if the claim about the pledge of allegiance thing is accurate or not, and might concede the queery about the Senator's presidential aspirations (or at least political acumen in this instance), but do the thought police require Mr. Obama to wear a "brown shirt" (if you are not familiar with this reference, know that those who do not understand history may be condemned to repeat it) and change his name to something less ethnic/Islamic for you? A lot of people died for us to be free; must those who express their freedom in a manner different from you but harmful to no one be ostracized? It seems ironic that the writer criticizes Senator Obama for not publicly "pledging his allegiance" when the writer is contradicting the point of the pledge to protect the right to "liberty and justice for all."

Hallow-teen?

What should be the age limit for trick or treating? I think the correct answer is 12. Teenagers are too old for this, but when that something-teen "dressed" as a hobo comes to the door too late, I'll give him his candy and be pleasant about it so that my tires won't be slashed in the morning. Way back when (pretty tired of that "back-in-the-day" thing, aren't you?) we used to grab a pillow case and head out with our friends without a worry. Now, there seems to be almost as many parents out as little ones, who just guardedly cruise the immediate neighborhood with those sad little plastic pumpkins. Halloween is now the number two selling holiday, largely because of those who grew up that still want to play. And that's OK, but the teens and adults should be at their parties, and let the little kids do the trick-or-treating. I miss those days of innocence with the little ones in their homemade costumes, wandering the streets in their raucous way. Now it's a month of hype and the night taken over by teens and adults. Yeah, I'm getting old and sometimes get caught in the old man "Back in my day" thinking, but is Halloween better now? What's so fun about the "fun size?"