Rhettorically Speaking

I will try to get better at posting...or at least more frequent. Today is the New Orleans Saints at the Atlanta Falcons football game. This is a time honored tradition for me growing up...historically mostly of pain and suffering as my Saints would find a way to lose a game that they had a two touchdown lead with less than two minutes remaining. To set some background, I am originally from New Orleans (born and grazed, as I say....due to all of the good food). My dad, also born and raised there, was a big Saints fan....season ticket holder from the beginning, I believe. I would watch the Saints each week sometimes win, often lose...and my mantra after a loss was not to watch'em anymore that season. Well, come the following Sunday, I was watching again...short memory or just one of those people that has to see the train wreck happen, not sure. Maybe a little of both. I now have three boys of my own and my eldest has taken up where I left off as a child and I have resumed the r

Well, I finally ran a road race....5K Run/Walk with my office in support of Kaiser Permanente. First, I gotta say that KP puts on a great event....sponsors, tents, power-bars, bananas, music, volunteers and a show ending fireworks display. It was a wonderful experience. Now, I have to first admit, I am not a runner. I signed on for this gig about 6 weeks ago fully intending to train properly for the run. Looking back, it sure would have been smart to do so. But what I did instead was let all the other important things in life take priority. The last three weeks have been more about sick kids and worrying about them than anything else. This is where my wife gets huge credit. When my 11 year old had a nasty flair up of his asthma with a cold on top (check out "The responsible one" blog), he would often wake up in the middle of the night (and usually two or three times on average) and Kath would be there quick as a flash. I however would wake up to see Kath heading to

Well, it only took 9 years to get around to it, but I (meaning "we") finally fixed the faucet of the tub in the kids' bathroom. When we first moved into our current home, the handles on the tub faucets all needed to be changed. They were the plastic "cut crystal" look that had lost its sparkle long ago. When I tried to take the old handles off, the plastic broke in my hands. Not a problem, until I tried to remove the screw that holds the handle....they were frozen (meaning rusted) in place. I tried the liquid wrench type oil hoping it would loosen the screw, but no way, no how. So, for the time being, I got a pair of the friction fit handles that have set screws to clamp onto the outside of the valve so we could turn water on and off. This worked fine for the first seven years, then the cogs on the end of the valves became stripped and the handles would not grip as they should. So....what do you do? Of course, you buy a new set of the same handles to gr

There are many things that I need to work on as I grow stronger in my faith. First, let me clarify that by my effort to be strong in faith has nothing do to with the strength of my beliefs in The Holy Trinity or Jesus' sacrifice for mankind, but rather it is a stronger faith in myself that I am living up to God's will and His plans for me to be a better Christian. One big step I made was about two years ago when I went to Kingston, Jamaica to work for a week with Missionaries of the Poor. While these wonderful men that carry on the work of Christ are well equipped spiritually for the efforts they willingly put in each day,there are many financial burdens that can be alleviated by all of us to help this Order reach out to more and more of Jamaica's sick, frail and forgotten of all ages. This mission trip opened my eyes and my heart more than I can fathom. I truly look at the poor and homeless within my own city with a much more sympathetic eye. Moving on to my topic. W

I found a clever way to take the 1/2 hour show and split it into snippets that I could post every once in a while. There are some select segments of the show that are funnier (at least to me) than other segments...so, since this is my blog, I get to choose what to show. This first one offers some insight into the tragedy and curse that is Jar-Jar. Enjoy!!

Okay....done! I have put the basics of the site together. Criticism is acceptable....constructive or otherwise. Presently, I am watching (rather listening) to the Lord of the Rings movie #3. I am a fan of the trilogy. And in case you are wondering, I am a Star Wars fan as well....except for Jar-Jar (the Rasta fish), but I think I am in the majority on that one; if only there could be Episode Seven - "The Ewoks Discover Jar-Jar Sushi." If you ever catch Robot Chicken - the Star Wars special, watch it....nuff said. Now that football season is upon us (hockey to my friend Robert). I will divulge my loyalty to the New Orleans Saints. I am originally from the Crescent City and attended many a game (in the not-too-glamourous era of the 60's, 70's and early 80's) with my dad, a season ticket-holder since the beginning. My eldest son, Sean, has grown a passion for them as well even though he has only lived in Atlanta all his life. Though I now see in him, what m

Well, I have delayed the inevitable. While I have often criticized my beautiful wife that she spends too much time blogging, I have now taken up the gauntlet to create my own digital diary of things that are either important to me, seem totally ridiculous (and therefore, must be made fun of), or fall into the category of rambling aimlessly. This first blog falls into the latter category (unless you find it worthy of something of which to make fun). I am surrounded by a cast of five....my loving wife (as well as intelligent, and I already mentioned the beauty part of the equation) and four kids....a daughter and three sons. Today is the first day of home life without my beautiful daughter under my roof. She has headed off into the new adventure of college and is quite ready to take on the world. To say the least, she is spirited (and full of the Holy Spirit). While I hope to have taught her a thing or two about the real world, she, in turn has taught me a few things about life. I h