I hate Dogs, the Yankees, and Missed Opportunites!!

Easty had a great night at the cross-country award night. He cleaned up the JR. High MVP. All those miles and determination were definitely worth it today. Mom and I are so proud of him.

I hate dogs! I know it will come as a surprise to all you who have memories of me cuddling with our family dane but it's true. I hate shed hair; I hate deer body parts in our back yard; and I hate teeth marks in the back of our house. Someday they will win me over but it's not now!

Something greater is troubling my life right now. It's difficult to share but I have learned that by sharing your feelings, you find the ways to adapt and overcome those challenges in your life. So I am going to open up like Jaws and let the feelings spew like steamy, hot blood from a butchered sheep's throat. Here goes: I should be eating jerky right now and I have none. After spending good money on three deer tags and inch by inch pushing my body to the top of the tallest peak on Blue Mountain, I have el-zelch to show for it. Nothing to marinate and dry. Nothing to take to work and share with the boys. Nothing to send to the kids and see if they like dad's jerky this year. It's awful. Not that we shouldn't have a freezer full of young, tender venison. If only Marci could shoot quicker and Matt straighter, then, these feelings of failure and despairwould never have come. You think you bring kids up to be quick, straight shooters but only in a moment of truth at the top of a mountain only a few feet below heaven do you find out your children lack skills. Well as any true Redsox fan says, "There's always next year!"

Speaking of the Redsox. Can you believe the Damn Yankees won it all this year. Just in case anyone wonders why I hate the Yankess, let me explain. In sports, unlike life, we expect and even demand that the playing field be level. It is expected that all will have at least a similar equal chance at the highest level of success. Baseball has always struggled with this and the Yankees have always benefited from the advantage of the privileged while the less advantaged has always had an uphill climb to the top. Take the Cleveland Indians this year. Just two years ago they had both pitching stars of this year's world series on their team. They had both CC Sabatihia and Cliff Lee, but they couldn't afford to keep them. Consequently, they were forced trade them and sign less expensive players. Last year the Yankees were the only team that could afford to go after the three best free agents. Therefore, they get CC, Burnett, and Texeria all in one year and in essence buy their 27th world series. So if you like the yankess, there is a little bully in you somewhere. You definitely are not the person who pulls for the underdog. You have no problem with someone winning even when it's not fair. Well enough. It's not going to matter because next year the Redsox will win regardless. They will climb that up hill journey and find themselves at the top of that mountain. And when the opportunity is there, they won't blow it (like a couple of kids I know who can't shoot straight.) They will win it all. Maybe that's just the positive person in me coming out. You all know I can't hide that.

Love you all

Dad