Michael Showing Off

A Long Story

I've read War and Peace twice, and it doesn't come close to my recent literary experiences ...

The saga begins in Cape Cod. This spring, we were combing through the store at the local dump, and I picked up a copy of Winds of War by Herman Wouk. Price: free!

The book recounted the story of a fictional military family, the Henrys, during World War II. The historical details and insight are extensive, and as far as I can tell, wholly accurate. It was almost a thousand pages in length, and took me over a month to read. Worse, somewhere around page 800, I realized the story had barely progressed through a third of the war yet. That's when I learned about a second book, War and Remembrance, which constitute the continuation of the story!

I now find myself engrossed in a second 1000-page tome. No complaints, however, as the story is excellent, very interesting to me, and much exercise is derived from carrying the "project" everywhere.

The only problem: it may take me longer to read these books than it took the world to struugle through WWII the first time!

Sherlock 2010

Masterpiece Theater has added a new series to its stable of detectives, and this time they've selected the greatest detective of all time: Sherlock Holmes.

The twist this time is an updating of the setting to modern London. Despite the oddity of seeing Sherlock Holmes use an iPhone, the series stays true to the spirit of the Holmes saga. The character is based on the science of deduction, and the detective wields it with precision and a lack of social sensitivity. In other words, it's well executed.


My only complaint is with the length of each show. At 90 minutes, they're too long, and as a result, elements of the plot often seem contrived.

It's definitely a welcome addition to the Sherlock Holmes entertainment offerings.

Sunday nights on PBS.

Mood Swings

My son, Tommy, underwent an operation last week to remove part of his femur and knee, and replace them with artificial versions of the same. Thankfully, such things are possible today.

It was a day of crazy mood swings for me.

First, it was a time of good thoughts ... we had a great doctor, everything was on time, Tommy was 100% ready to get this done, and the operation was a total success! With no other cancer in sight, Tommy has now rid himself of this nuisance, and can move forward.

Here is a shot of his leg post-surgery. The work performed is hidden by yards and yards of ace bandages:

But days at the hospital (below) can be long, and negative thoughts crept in ...

Why did this need to happen at all? Why did we need to come here and have body parts removed which were healthy a year ago? Why this, and why that. If you've ever heard a child who annoyingly moans "but whyyyy?" time after time, you have a good mental picture of my thought process.

Thankfully, many remembrances helped re-establish some sanity ...

The truth is we're very fortunate. No one is born perfect, and no one escapes problems in our limited number of days. I'm just thankful that this issue was caught as early as it was. I'm thankful Tommy had the opportunity to complete his marathon in March and achieve the milestone he desired. I'm thankful he's so strong and ready to face this. But these aren't the biggest blessings for us ...

Our family and friends have been super supportive, and are a source of strength (see Britney visiting above). Tommy's faith is strong and the habits he's developed to see the positive in situations are helping him now.

Jena has been amazing, and it's hard to think of "Tommy" any longer; it's "TommyandJena". I'm thankful God gave him a mate who sees the same potential in him we as parents saw.

One more thing to be thankful for: the future.

A Study in Contrasts

The sports world is interesting as it often reveals the character and will of those involved. Last week provided another interesting study of character.

On one hand, there was Randy Moss ... a premier receiver with no Super Bowl rings, Randy can't seem to grasp the basic concept that football is the ultimate team sport. By taking plays off, haranguing coaches, insulting club staff, and mouthing off incessantly (without much to say), Randy has managed to squander his superior giftings. Imagine his impact on football if he strived to succeed! Minnesota stupidly gave up a third-round draft choice (to the Patriots, of course) before realizing their error. When he was placed on waivers after only four weeks with the Vikings, 22 teams passed before one claimed him.

On the other hand, there was Isaac Bruce ... Isaac recently retired from football, and in his retirement interview credited his teammates and faith for his success. Skill, combined with a strong work ethic and positive attitude, propelled Isaac to a platform in which he ranks above Moss in receptions and receiving yards. To most people, his 73-yard touchdown catch in the closing quarter of a winning Super Bowl effort was his most memorable career moment.

I get the feeling that if Isaac Bruce walked out of retirement today and offered his services to the NFL, he would be chosen long before the 22nd team passed on the offer!

Lombardi was right: character builds championships!

What the Elections Told Us

The 2010 elections brought massive turnover in the House of Representatives, and to a lesser degree, in the Senate and states. Clearly, there's a message here, but what is it?

Some would say it's normal - that off-year election turnover is the expected pattern. True enough, but this was the largest such turnover in 62 years, so something bigger was at play.

Some would say people are frustrated by the economy. The truth is, they were frustrated by the policies which led to the downturn (such as socialistic housing rules), and the failed bailouts which mortgaged our future and made things worse.

The administration suggests that this was a "communications problem", implying the American people don't get it. Huh?

To me, the answer is the exact opposite. Americans do get it, and they don't like it. 32 Democrats who voted for Obamacare were fired, and that should be as clear as it gets.

Most Americans desire a government which protects the American experience, provides opportunity, encourages the strong to do better, assists the weak, and manages our resources wisely. The constitution defines us as a people, and should be more repected as the underlying foundation of our government.

Every time the elected stray from these precepts, turnover will occur to the degree necessary to right things.

On the Cove Again

Son Tommy and daughter-in-law Jena recently moved in with us so he can continue his treatments in St. Louis. It's usually tougher than one expects to cohabitate with one's parents once you've established your own routines. Things tend to shift this way and that after seven years away, and they don't fit together exactly as expected. As Thomas Wolfe opined, "You can't go home again".

Nonetheless, we are thrilled to have Tommy and Jena with us under the same roof. Cancer impacts the whole family, and a unified effort can make things easier. My son Mike recently told me that families are people who help one another, and he's right.

I especially like the transformation of Tommy's old room from "teenage boy" motif to decidedly "married guy".

I view surgery and chemotherapy as an unexpected and unwanted interlude in Tommy's life. Cancer is evil, and as such, it will yield to better things. It will not define Tommy, as I believe he and Jena will advance past this to accomplish their life goals. Looking back from some future vantage point, this will likely be viewed as a blip. Perhaps in some way, it may lead to some higher level of blessing over the long haul.

The future is safe, but for now there are things to do, and it's great to have Tommy and Jena (and Lyla) here. Maybe next time they move out, it won't be so far!