I’m working as hard as I can to get my life and my cash to run out at the same time. If I can just die after lunch Tuesday, everything will be perfect.
Doug Sanders, professional golfer

All the fat guys watch me and say to their wives “See, there’s a fat guy doing okay. Bring me another beer.”
Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers Pitcher

Last year we couldn’t win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure as a coach was that I couldn’t think of anyplace else to play.
Harry Neale, professional hockey coach

When it’s third and ten, you can take the milk drinkers; I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time.
Max McGee, Green Bay Packers receiver

I found out that it’s not good to talk about my troubles. Eighty percent of the people who hear them don’t care and the other twenty percent are glad you’re having trouble.
Tommy LaSorda, LA Dodgers manager

My knees look like they lost a knife fight with a midget.
E. J. Holub, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker regarding his 12 knee operations

My theory is that if you buy an ice-cream cone and make it hit your mouth, you can learn to play. If you stick it on your forehead, your chances aren’t as good.
Vic Braden, tennis instructor

Blind people come to the ballpark just to listen to him pitch.
Reggie Jackson commenting on Tom Seaver

When they operated, I told them to put in a Koufax fastball. They did – but it was Mrs. Koufax’s.
Tommy John N.Y. Yankees recalling his 1974 arm surgery

I don’t know. I only played there for nine years.
Walt Garrison, Dallas Cowboys fullback when asked if Tom Landry ever smiles

We were tipping off our plays. Whenever we broke from the huddle, three backs were laughing and one was pale as a ghost.
John Breen, Houston Oilers

The film looks suspiciously like the game itself.
Bum Phillips, New Orleans Saints after viewing a lop-sided loss to the Atlanta Falcons

When I’m on the road, my greatest ambition is to get a standing boo.
Al Hrabosky, major league relief pitcher

The only difference between me and General Custer is that I have to watch the films on Sunday.
Rick Venturi, Northwestern football coach

I have discovered, in twenty years of moving around the ball park, that the knowledge of the game is usually in inverse proportion to the price of the seats.
Bill Veeck, Chicago White Sox owner

Because if it didn’t work out, I didn’t want to blow the whole day.
Paul Horning, Green Bay Packers running back on why his marriage ceremony was before noon.

I have a lifetime contract. That means I can’t be fired during the third quarter if we’re ahead and moving the ball.
Lou Holtz, Arkansas football coach

I won’t know until my barber tells me on Monday.
Knute Rockne, when asked why Notre Dame had lost a game

I tell him “Attaway to hit, George.”
Jim Frey, K.C. Royals manager when asked what advice he gives George Brett on hitting

I learned a long time ago that “minor surgery” is when they do the operation on someone else, not you.
Bill Walton, Portland Trial Blazers

Our biggest concern this season will be diaper rash.
George MacIntyre, Vanderbuilt football coach surveying the team roster that included 26 freshmen and 25 sophomores

Later days!

Thanksgiving is America’s preeminent day. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in the month of November. It has a very interesting history. Its origin can be traced back to the 16th century when the first thanksgiving dinner is said to have taken place.

The legendary pilgrims crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower-A 17th Century sailing vessel. About 102 people traveled for nearly two months with extreme difficulty. This was so because they were kept in the cargo space of the sailing vessel. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms- a sacred song.

The pilgrims reached Plymouth Rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Though the original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, they could not reach the place owing to winds blowing them off course. Nearly 46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food.

In the summer of 1621, owing to severe drought, pilgrims called for a day of fasting and prayer to please God and ask for a bountiful harvest in the coming season. God answered their prayers and it rained at the end of the day. It saved the corn crops.

It is said that Pilgrims learnt to grow corn, beans and pumpkins from the Indians, which helped all of them survive. In the autumn of 1621, they held a grand celebration where 90 people were invited including Indians. The grand feast was organized to thank god for his favors. This communal dinner is popularly known as “The first thanksgiving feast”. There is however, no evidence to prove if the dinner actually took place.

While some historians believe pilgrims were quite religious so, their thanksgiving would’ve included a day of fasting and praying, others say that the Thanksgiving dinner did take place.

There is no evidence to prove if the customary turkey was a part of the initial feast. According to the firsthand account written by the leader of the colony, the food included, ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries etc.

Pumpkin pie, a modern staple adorning every dinner table, is unlikely to have been a part of the first thanksgiving feast. Pilgrims however, did have boiled pumpkin. Diminishing supply of flour led to the absence of any kind of bread.

The feast continued for three days and was eaten outside due to lack of space. It was not repeated till 1623, which again witnessed a severe drought. Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in the year 1676. October of 1777 witnessed a time when all the 13 colonies joined in a communal celebration. It also marked the victory over the British.

After a number of events and changes, President Lincoln proclaimed last Thursday in November of thanksgiving in the year 1863. This was due to the continuous efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor. She wrote a number of articles for the cause.

: This article taken from http://www.thanksgiving-day.org/origin-thanksgiving-day.html

My trip to DC was uneventful. All business. By the time I was done on Wednesday, I was too tired to care, and had to be at the airport too early Thursday afternoon to get in any sightseeing. Weather was great, but oh well. Had fun at the airports though…Not.
Seriously the airports were not too bad. I was totally expecting the “naked body scanner”. I wasn’t surprised when KCI did not have one, but I was a little shocked that Reagan did not. I was still unsure if I was going to “opt out” or not. Guess I have to wait until next time.

Prepping for Thanksgiving, in my head anyway, if not physically. Folks and Gwen’s family coming. Maybe Greg, probably Katie. Should be a good time. First get together since “the event”, but we will probably get through it without too many incidents.

Although I fear that Mom will make Sky & I turn the ping pong table back into a dining room table…

Well, it will still be fun! Always is!

Sorry, no room for second guessing, now that she has found her soul mate, there can only be concern for the starving children who have no savior. After going through the last of the boxes from the past 16 years, I must disagree. There were good times, there was laughter, there was love, and there was a point. Shame it was blocked out by the haze and clouds of depression and pity.

Get a grip and move on because now only things that matter are the things that mattered all along.  Just forgotten in the endless abyss of trying to make someone happy that cannot be happy.

I want to be angry, but I get sad. I want to be sad, but I get jealous. I want to be jealous, but I get angry. Then, it stops.  Of course I could be a better man. But watch out if you want to blame me. There are only two who know what happened, and you’re not one of them…

Grip gotten. Life hands us choices. Our choices form who we are. Pick the road, walk the road. Never complain because you made a poor choice. And who is to say a choice is poor. Even falling feels like flying, for a little while. Land, dust off, Continue. Stay bitter, resentful and angry and you will live such a wonderful and fulfilling life! Or… Just live. Every day. Not like it’s your last, dumbass. But like you want it to count for something. To someone other than yourself.

Old dogs and old men can learn, have learned and will learn new tricks. They just have the earned the  right to choose when, where & how.