Obama wins

Where can I get in line for my free cheese? I'm a few days behind on my car payment as well, where do I sign up to get the government to pay for that? I guess we all get what ever we want now right?

A Gift from the Past

As I was digging in my sock drawer the other day (unsuccessfully I might add, I never found the black sock with the blue spots) I found a gift I had purchased for my uncle Randy about 15 years ago. It was a set of brass golf ball markers with an Indiana University logo on them, but the what is not nearly as important as the why. My family is great, both sides, we've been close all my life. My grandparents who are as good as it gets have taught me and loved me unconditionally (although my grandma does generally tell me how much I need to lose weight). My mother's mother has passed away but she was terrific, I called her mom-mom, she was better to me than I probably deserved. Grandma's are cool in the way they are totally okay with telling you where you could do better (hence mamaw telling me to shed the pounds), but let someone else talk bad about you and they will pinch their heads off. I'm rambling when I should be making the point I intended to - my family is cool. My parents are better than I could have asked for, and my extended family just rounds out the picture of a guy who had a great upbringing. We have our faults, I won't list them here out of respect for the fam, but all in all a good group.


So you ask what this has to do with my sock drawer, my dad's little brother, and ball markers? It just this, I remember one day about 15 years ago walking through the mall and stopping at a golf kiosk, I didn't like golf at the time but my uncle did so I bought them. Ten bucks! To a 15 year old that is major dough, at least in the late 1900's it was. My uncle had spent time with me, played catch with me, helped me learn to ride my bike, and watched ball games with me. Probably not a big deal to him, but to a kid when an adult takes time out of there life to spend with 'em it's valuable. So when I saw the ball markers, sorry Randy if you read this I never gave them to you I sort of misplaced them for a decade and a half, I thought what makes a teenager spend money on an uncle when it's not required? Time,time,time - we give our kids all kinds of stuff but are we, am I, forgetting the best gift of all.

My kids birthdays are coming up, my girls want Coach purses, Ipods, High Heels, and cell phones. I want to get them these things, but I don't want to neglect to give the gift that will outlast all the others. My time.

So for every time my Aunt Christie or Aunt Diane let me hang out at there place and watch movies or talk about stuff, or when my uncle Randy helped me ride Mike's old yellow bike, or for the times my uncle Mike Robertson had to climb up a tree to get me down, or for all the ball games my uncle Mike Watkins played with me, for every time my gradnma let me sit on her lap after I was way to big to do so, quite simply to my family who helped make me who I am; thanks.

To my folks who have done more for me as a child and even as an adult, for the camping trips, the baseball games, and the church services - thanks.

To every adult who has taken extra time to spend with a child remember it's not time wasted, it is an investment. An investment that you both will appreciate. To every parent or grandparent who reads this remember they aren't nuisances or bothers, they are the future. Do you best to spend some extra time with the little people and you never know you might get a set of IU ball markers for you trouble.

A few reasons why the Colts stink

I am an avid Colts fan, I have followed them most of my life, and I will always be a Colts fan. I was there in the years where we were in all reality aweful, dreadful - horrible games, bad drafts ( see Steve Entman, Quinton Coreyott, Trev Alberts, oh and lets not forget Jeff George)and the whole gamut of bad descisions. Then along came Bill Polian and the new Colts regime. They drafted Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning, Edgerin James, Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Bob Sanders, and Joseph Addia. Bill snagged Gary Brackett, Jeff Saturday, and Dominick Rhodes as college free agents (un drafted rookies) and built a perennial Super bowl contender. 5 seasons of 12 wins or more has never been eclipsed in the League, but this year the wheels fell off, let me tell you why:
1. The stupid Tampa Two Defense - Never blitz, give 8 yards of cushion to outside receivers and bend but don't break. The problem with the T2 is if you don't get a pass rush from the edges and up the middle in this one gap system then a smart veteran QB will hit his back foot on a 5 step drop and hit a receiver for 6 yards. It doesn't take many 6 yards to move the chains and keep the offense on the sidelines. I realize the zone scheme helps in ways, but lets blitz 4 or 5 times a game and man up on the outside receivers on obvious passing downs. IF you can't get people off the field on 3rd and 8 then your a going to loose a lot of games. The reason our T2 isn't working this year is in point #2
2 . Get a defensive take bigger than my son (he's 4, not really D-tackle material yet). I realize the Corey Simon experiment went badly, and Booger got hurt, and the kids from Penn State got high and kicked off the team, and 22 year old Quinn Pitcock retired, and John McCargo failed his physical but do something - get someone - exert some pressure up the middle on occasion. If you can't, bring a backer, or a saftey, or some pepper spray, but do something. The belly of the Colts Defense is as soft as mine. If we have to commit all 3 linebackers and a sfatey to the LOS to stop the run then we get the 6 to 8 yard passes referenced above. The corners stay too deep to stop that ball with out committing a LB underneath. If the LB is filling a gap left open by a teeny tiny D tackle then the underneath coverage is not there. This must be addressed in the draft, the plus is we should get a fairly high pick this year.
3. Coaching - Dungy is a great guy and a serious under achiever. I could have coached the Colts to at least one super bowl in this era. How hard is it to say "Hey Peyton throw it to Marvin or Reggie or Joseph or Gonzo or Dallas or Stokely (04 - 06)" or say "Hey Bob tackle everybody please". Tony makes seriously bad decisions in big games, gets conservative to easy, and fails to motivate his players. They never seem fired up or ready to play. It is just going to be more of the same with Jim Caldwell.
4. The offense - we can't run it, and we can't throw it. That doesn't leave a whole lot of options. Peyton has been off all year, and the receivers have seriously lost a step. Marvin is old and tired and will be gone after this season, Reggie is getting closer to old age as well and Gonzo is not a #1 receiver. Our running game is staggered at the loss of J Addia, but he has struggled this year as well. There are no holes to run through and the scheme seems off by miles. We have not clicked all year. The Baltimore game is an exception or you might say aberration.

It has been a good 7 years, but it is time to reload or rebuild or something because I can't take much more of this. If I wanted to see this kind of football I would watch reruns of the late 80's - where is Jeff George when you need him. RLR

Where do old TV's go when they die

This is not what I do at work all day, but it does comprise to most interesting part of my day. I have the privlidge of working with a flaming liberal artist named Geoff Hicks,who has become a very good friend of mine - he is the mastermind behind all of the destruction and meyham that happens in our shop - I am innocent of all wrong doing. These are videos of old CRT's with a 10lb transformer from an old reciever dropped on them from a 20 foot high roof. It does not get much better than this. For his next project we may light one on fire.






gravitation, part three from geoffrey hicks on Vimeo.


gravitation, part four from geoffrey hicks on Vimeo.

The Robertson Reviews

On a weekly basis I am going to try my hand in the reviewing business. This is not really a professional opinion in which you should trust, just my feelings on books, music, and food. I'll try to do one of each each week. I love books of every sort, music is a definite passion of mine, and food is the one thing I really know. So here goes.

Restaurant of the week: Red Robin
We ate at the RR in Jenks a week or two ago and were pleasantly surprised. The kids meals were reasonable including the healthy drink which for a dude with 4 kids is nice, and the adults menu had plenty of choices as well. Known for it's burgers they were dinner plates on the menu as well as a nice selection of appetizers and deserts. When my food came I was pleased I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on the top. The guy who came up with that menu selection is a very wise man indeed. There were draw backs, the $12.00 price tag for the burger was a little steep, and the service left some to be desired. When you drop a 50 dollar bill on burgers you want great service, we didn't get it. All in all great food, good atmosphere but the price is tough to swallow. 3 stars.

Album of the week: What life would be like - Big Daddy Weave
These guys a fun, not the soul stirring lyrics of Casting Crowns or Chris Rice - not the great music/vocals of Third Day, but if your driving with the kids just wanting to sing loud and bob your head BDW is my favorite. The 1st two songs on this album are the calling cards You found Me, and What Life Would Be Like. The chorus of You found Me is as follows:

When I saw a flash of light and I heard the sound

Of a voice like thunder shake the ground

it was the first time I remember ever feeling my heart beet

And the arms the gripped me felt like grace

And I realized in their embrace

To be held so tight I've never felt so free

Also known as the day that you found me

This is the only 5 star song on my iPod but the whole album is worth a listen. Overall 4 stars.

Book of the week: The Shack

The much acclaimed book that tries to rationalize why bad things happen to good people or even innocent children as well as explain the Trinity and their relationship to one another in a fictional form. For a popular book maybe the worst I have ever read. The story was sad but fairly gripping until a quarter of the way through the book we met poorly developed characters who a portraying the Trinity and from there on out it is almost completely dialogue. The topics are some that have been tackled in some of the stoutest Biblical Theology or Systematic Theology books ever written. In A fictional medium! On top of all that I have a hard time picturing God as a large black woman. I don't want to be overly critical, I am obviously not that bright and no writer for sure, I just felt the author grasped at to much in this genre. I do appreciate what he tried to do, and agreed with many of his points of doctrine ( not all mind you), but he lost me in all the dialogue with little or no action mingled in. Sorry 2 stars is the best I can do. RLR

DNC speech

Let me say a few things to start: 1. This will not be a comprehensive post covering the entire range of thoughts I have on this topic. 2. Barak Obama is a fantastic public speaker, if he looses the election then he has a future as a Pentecostal preacher. 3. I will not say SHUT YOUR STUPID FACE in this post, I put it in my last one as a joke, but evidently (according to my wife that is offensive and not funny)it was not a good joke.
After I listened to the speech a few things stuck out to me, mostly Mr. Obama's propensity to tell us what he was going to do. By and large the tone of the speech was two fold, the Republicans and the rich guys are out to hold you down, and if I'm president everything will be wonderful for everybody (except for Republicans and rich guys) all the time. Every child will go to Harvard and every poor family will suddenly be overwhelmed with all their opportunities, industry will be booming because guys with good ideas can own their own businesses and were all going to be lovey dovey in this world of change. I know what he is going to do, he told me last night, I never heard how he was going to do that. He is going to reduce our dependence on middle eastern oil, and create a 150 billion dollar industry for more efficient vehicles - How? The majority of our oil comes from Canada and Mexico anyway, I don' care much about the 30 % we import from the Middle East what about the other 70%. (see he did not say foreign oil, he said middle eastern oil)yet all this is going to be done without drilling in the shelf, or in the Alaskan tundra, or building new refineries. These are all measures he opposes. The other problem is why would a self respecting car company care about a 150 billion dollar industry to build more fuel efficient cars when they make 3 or 4 times that selling the gas guzzling behemoths they make now. They make them, we buy them, and we pay the gas prices all the while complaining, but as long as the the general public accepts it then it will continue. The problem is a little more complex as throwing 150 billion at it and hoping it goes away.
According to Mr. Obama lower and middle class citizens need tax breaks and none of them can afford college. He is going to fix all that, we are not sure how, but trust him he will. I've been poor before so I can speak from experience, you don't pay taxes if your poor - as a matter of fact I got several thousand extra back every year that went above and beyond what I paid in for the year. Until I recently jumped a tax bracket or two I had never paid a red cent into the federal system that I did not get triple back at the end of the year. As to college my wife is currently enrolled in the nursing program at the local community college, we never pay a dime. I make over 50,000 annually, I won't say how much over but it is more than that and there are enough grants available for her that with out ever taking out a student loan she gets her classes, books, and tuition paid for and some back besides. What more do we need really, someone to come to your house in the morning and get you dressed for class. Maybe the government should provide you with an entire wardrobe so you can wear the most fashionable clothes while you attend class. If you are poor you never pay federal income tax, and you can get paid to go to college the how are you going to cut taxes and make college more realistic for low income families than it already is.
I realize this is long and I am rambling but it is my blog and I am frustrated by the political process. Let me conclude with this point, Republicans primarily believe in a trickle down effect, take care of the higher income individuals ( the ones who own businesses and create jobs) and the Democrats at least preach a foundational doctrine of help these teaming Masses yearning to breath free with as much aid and assistance as possible to build a strong country. Although both ideas have merit in some ways there is one major flaw in the democratic plan. Generally low income families like it just fine where they are. Sure they want more money but there is no motivation there to take one of the many avenues already available to go get it. What makes us believe adding new avenues to better yourself will help. We can all agree that moving up the food chain is hard, it takes work, effort, and drive. We go back to school or work the overtime, we hone our skills in our free time or learn added skills to move up the ladder. Most people are just not willing to do that. I'll close with a little illustration, My partner and I had to go to North Tulsa to pick up a service TV. It was an old style 65 inch JVC bigscreen ( in urban pronunciation that is said behsreen) and it was heavy. An older lady answered the door and showed us in to where the set was, the wheels had been damaged so we were going to have to carry it the whole way. Since it weighed about 400 pounds (not an exaggeration) she tried to get her 20 something year old son and his three cohorts to help. I was the middle of the day they could not help because they were drinking 40's out of brown paper sacks and playing the game ( that is the urban description for Madden). We carried the hulking pile of junk all the way to the truck while those lazy bums sat there drinking and playing video games while their aging mother tried to help. She complained about their lack of desire to get a job or an education. This is not a problem that politics can fix, it will take an entire change of culture that may never come. I realize you say that this is the exception not the rule, but go to an urban area, check out the low income sections, see whats really going on and if the traits to move up the food chain we described above are exhibited in these places and get back with me. We don't need a government that is going to give away more free stuff or give a bunch of money to already rich people so they can pull the poor out of the gutter. We need a culture change back to core values and hard work. Accountability to all, and if you don't work you don't eat, but if you sincerely need help we take care of our own. This will never happen and I feel like those sailors who traveled with Paul when the great storm came upon them "all hope we should be saved was taken away". RLR

A Personal Message from Christ

I need to open with a disclaimer: Although I am a minister I have chosen not to write very many religious posts simply because the few people who read this blog all differ in opinion concerning matters of religion. I decided that friendship was more important that trying to be right, so I have been as non controversial as I feel is possible for me. This is a religious post, but I feel one that will not push any ones buttons in a negative way so read, enjoy, and comment if you like, but if you find something to argue about - SHUT YOUR STUPID FACE! Just kidding, have fun!

I was preaching this Sunday, and my aim was to cover doubt. I wanted to cover it on an individual basis, not collective doubt, or the way an entire movement seemingly gravitates away from previous beliefs and into a whole new arena. I have witnessed collective doubt before, have experienced it, but it is vastly different than the completely alone feeling of doubting all by your lonesome.
For my text I chose John the Baptist, in the Palace dungeon for nearly a year, isolated from what he felt his true calling was, and wondering that if Jesus was who he said he was then couldn't he break him out of jail fairly easily. I won't give you the entire sermon for a few reasons, but namely because you probably don't care to hear it, my outline was as follows 1. John was a man of Divine Privilege, 2. John was in a place where Doubt prevailed, 3. Christ then make a Dramatic Proclamation.
What I find interesting about the story is that a time of individual doubt that John had about his ministry and the choices he has made (which I experience on a regular basis) Jesus responds with an individual reply. "Go and shew John again", I love that, because all the sermons and beatitudes in the world don't do a lot of good when you are in this condition. Where did I go wrong? Has my life been wasted to this point? Should I have done things differently? All questions that John was asking, all are answered in the sufficiency of Christ. I am thankful for a collective response to our collective needs, the needs of the masses, but I also enjoy those personal messages I have received in my life that tell of the sufficiency of Christ. RLR

Richard the Isolationist

The definition of isolationism is as follows: the policy or doctrine of isolating one's country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances, foreign economic commitments, international agreements, etc., seeking to devote the entire efforts of one's country to its own advancement and remain at peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities.

America generally adhered to such practices predating WWI, but the clash of super powers drew us into the conflict and forever changed the scope of foreign affairs in our country. There were negative results that are directly linked to our isolationist practices, I am well aware of that, but I believe the gains far outweigh the losses. Before anyone cries out that "isolationism brought on the great depression" we have to admit that their were many factors that went into one of the darkest periods in US history, not simply our policy of seclusion.

Also understand I am not talking about Libertarian Isolationism that calls for uninhibited free trade. I want a 1000 foot high wall built around our country to keep them out and us in. If we can't build it, grow it, raise it, or invent it then we don't need it. I know there will be draw backs (Like how will we meet the rice demands), and we may have to make sacrifices, but to be honest I would rather drink homemade sassafras tea from a pottery bowl then deal with the countries of Eurasia. This is not a rant just because China is kicking our collective behinds in the Olympic medal count, because medals for pistol shooting and weigh lifting in the women's 48 kilo class shouldn't count anyway.

There are a few factors that have pushed me to this extreme political position, and the first of which is illegal immigration. In Oklahoma things have gotten better, but I still see the strain that is placed on our public assistance programs to take care of the families that are here illegally. I completely understand individuals wanting a better life for themselves, but you must play by the rules, and lets all agree a 1000 foot high wall would remove a lot of temptation to enter our country illegally. There is so much more that could be hashed over in a post about illegal immigration, but I will leave it for another time.

There also seems to be this world wide obligation to assist nations or people who have experienced trouble or disaster with no regard to a countries disposition toward the U.S. Just let some place have a mudslide, volcanic eruption, rioting chickens filling the streets armed with toothpicks and those tiny umbrellas that come from mixed drinks and here comes the U.S.A. with millions of dollars in aid and assistance. I'm sure our officials want to help, but it is the fact that most of these European and Asian countries think we are the enemy yet they expect us to help in times of trouble. I say let the chickens riot and leave them to their own devices.

After we send the aid, and all hold hands on on the beach covered in volcanic ash or mud from the slide and sing Kumbaya, or Hara Krishna, or "Allah loves me this I know" and rub Buddhas belly we go home and they all go back to hating us and calling us the great Satan or infidels. Does this seem okay to anyone else.

Finally I feel we have become so reliant on the products and services other nations provide we have ceased to manufacture and work out problems for our selves. We let China produce it, or Japan invent it, or Korea manufacture it when we are capable of producing and manufacturing the same things. I'm not against shipping jobs overseas, I'm really not - we send a $8.00

an hour manufacturing job to Zimbabwe, and Korea sends $18.00 per hour jobs for LG over here, the trade has been okay. We ship about 14% of all manufacturing jobs overseas or to Mexico, but we import 18% of the worlds higher income electronic and technical jobs so I'll take the trade in our current political model. This is not a economic thing, it is an Independence thing. Lets build our wall and severe the transatlantic phone lines, we will ride bikes, eat lentils, and wear homespun frocks and live happily ever after. Let the chicken riots begin. RLR

Some things I learned from Vacation

It is my final evening of vacational bliss, tomorrow in the AM we will be heading back to hot as hades Oklahoma and our normal lives. While here in cool and temperate, and beautiful might I add, Colorado I have had some time to ponder life, and the pursuit of happiness ( Liberty kind of left out of this post, Sorry) and have come to some interesting conclusions.
The first of which is that I am not as young as I used to be. Driving through the night and on into the next day used to be a snap, no problemo, now not so much. On the way to Colorado Springs on the 1st day I decided to pull an all nighter. It didn't go so well, I pulled in at a rest stop at about 3 in the morning and promptly fell asleep, I was just planning on resting my eyes really, at 6 AM a very non threatening man walking a poodle woke we up to inform me lights had been on for 3 hours. I didn't take the key out of the ignition due to my desire to leave quickly, but I didn't leave quickly and my battery was dead. The not scary old guy jumped me and we were on our way. On a side note the reason I have been referring to the guys non scariness is because when he woke us up my wife literally whimpered like a scared puppy and nearly crawled through the top of our SUV. He was 80, from Cali, and walking a poodle - not really a threat. The point is the 30 year old me is a much more tired version of the 22 year old me.
The second thing I learned is that fat people and extremely high altitude do not go well together. We rode up the Cog railway(expensive but worth it) to the top of Pikes peak, at about 12,000 feet I began to feel light headed, at 13,000 feet I was also short of breath, when we got to the top (14,110) I was ready to just jump off the top and end it all. My wife was fine, my kids were bouncing around like pin balls running right to the edge, the big fat lardo they call dad was in the john expelling everything in his system before going back out into the 40 degree air and begging God to end his misery. Other than the 30 minutes in the middle when we were so high I loved it, and so did the fam.
Another thing I noticed is that I like to eat, no I mean a lot - and on vacation you can find so many cool places to grub - The Sagebrush (had a Buffalo Brat, NICE), The Mason Jar, Denver's Downtown Aquarium Restaurant, The Vega ( it was on the roof of a 4 story building), and several others. I may have gained a few pounds on this little adventure, but again well worth it.
I also realized the Resort living and mountain living in general agree with me. On the way to Estes Park and on the way to Winter Park we stayed at some crummy Day's Inn's, but once we arrived at the Worldmark by Wyndham in Estes or The Pines @ Meadowridge in WP life was good. 2 Bedrooms, 2 full baths, full kitchen with all the extras. Fireplaces, stocked with what you need - Grills, picnic tables, pool, hot tubs, video rentals, and the Big Thompson River about ten feet from our front door. The pines wasn't as new or nice as Worldmark, and we liked the town of Estes Park better than WP but all of it was awesome. The snow capped mountains, the glacial rivers, the lakes and hiking trails, the water falls. It was all so entrancing that I find myself at a loss for words. I may try more later, but that is not the point of this post.
Finally I know now more that ever that the whole experience was made so much more exciting by the presence of my wife and kids. Hiking up to Alberta Falls my middle girl Morgann is holding my hand, she turns and looks at me with a gap toothed smile and says "Dad this must be the best vacation ever". When we were at the aquarium in Denver and my boy wants me to help him pet a sting ray I just plunged him completely in the tank to snag a feel of the little miscreants, I was worried how he would respond, he emerged smiling from ear to ear proclaiming victory. He had finally touched the elusive sting ray, and then proclaims " Dad, I am all wet". I got to sit on a rock with Taylor and fish in Sprague Lake long after all my other kids lost interest, we caught nothing but as she laid her head on my shoulder and we watched her bobber stay disgustingly above the water I was completely content. On the same trip to Alberta falls Raegann rode on my shoulders the whole way down and when we would get precariously close to the edge and look down to the white water hundreds of feet below us she would get scared and cover my eyes calling out, "scare me to death". I was also able to step back and watch my wife as she continually cared for, dressed, educated, navigated, and elevated our whole family. It's a shame it took a trip to the mountains to remind me how wonderful my family really is, but against such a majestic backdrop all else paled in comparison to my wife and kids. So I suggest you go to the Rockies, see the Garden of the Gods, The children's Museum of Denver, Focus on the Family HQ, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Fish, Hike, Grill Out, and relax, but do it all with your family. After while Crocodile. RLR

Getting ready for Vacation

The Robertson clan is making preparations for the ever popular family vacation. We are heading to Colorado Springs for a day, then on to Denver for a day, followed by 10 days in Estes Park, CO. We will take in Pikes Peak, the Royal Gorge, Cripple Creek, and of course Whit's end before we relax for a week and a half fishing and hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. We have been planning this vacation for a year, the place we will be staying is unbelievable (Worldmark Resort @ Estes Park), and I sooooo need to get away for a little while.
The interesting thing about all this is the preparation that goes into a venture such as this. We are installing a new stereo in the Suburban so that my iPod will hook up in the glove box and the satellite radio will be hard wired in as opposed to that stupid little receiver stuck to my windshield. Then I need three portable dvd players (still cheaper than having them installed in my headrests) because the single unit with double screens that I bought a few years ago is a matter of contention. My son wants a movie with stuff that explodes, Taylor wants princesses, and Morgie wants whatever the other two do not. I figured buying three with separate headphone will cure this one dilemma. Then I have to get someone to feed and water the dogs to keep our investments alive and puppies on the way. I have to go to the pet store and get time release fish food that will keep our 5 aquatic buddies bubbling happily along. Then is is off to Hibdon tire for an oil change and a new spare tire because I just don't want to deal with any major problems along the way - so I will be preemptive in this area.
After all this is accomplished we still must send all the netflix stuff back so we can get two new videos for the road, run to the library for our Nancy Drew, Junie B Jones, and Hank the Cowdog fixes as well as a little HP audio for late night driving. We have to purchase a laptop so my wife can do her homework while we are not at home through the wi-fi connection in our resort.
Then when those tasks are complete all we have left is to fill a few coolers with groceries (tip to the traveler - when going on Vay K you should by some groceries before you leave such as catsup, mustard, and mayo. Maybe the soda and chips, but we have found main courses such as beef and pork are usually of uniform price wherever you go, but the other stuff fluctuates wildly between the local Reasors and the tourist trap minimarts.), get somebody to preach for me while I'm gone, and pack all our earthly belongings into the back of my newly detailed SUV.
I'm sure I've left out some stuff we have to do, but the point is I will do so much getting ready to go I might be to exhausted to enjoy myself while I'm there. Everyone please be good while I'm away. RLR

Going to the grocery store

I bought two new dogs this week, and the purchase of these little brindle beauties gave me cause to go and get an extra bag of dog food, new collars, and some leashes. This may not seem like a major development to you, and at the time it wasn't a big deal to me either, but it turned into an evening of unanswered questions concerning some deep social issues. I hopped in the truck and headed toward our local SuperTarget, this is my favorite grocery store slash get what ya' need place to go. As I was cruising down 33rd W. ave I noticed the clock read 9:14. Now the bad thing with the ST is it closes at 9 (what a bad idea). I was faced with two options, neither of which suited my fancy, I could a) continue past ST and go to Wal-Mart, or b) turn around and go to the Warehouse market close to my house. Gasoline being a zillion dollars a gallon, I chose to go to the Warehouse Market. I knew I couldn't get the collars or the leash, I'd get them later at Petsmart, but I could get some Kibble and fix the little girls some dinner.

I try to avoid Warehouse Market because it seems to attract dirt, grime, and undesirable individuals, but I was just going in for a moment, and I needed dog food. It was here that I had a disturbing revelation - the class system of the ancient times is alive and well, and it is nowhere more evident than in our grocery stores. I am hard pressed to explain why the seemingly lower income individuals shop at a place where the prices are twice as high, the floors and isles are dirty and the employees seem as if they would rather rob you than ring up your $4.00 gallon of milk. It seems like people wold migrate to the cleaner, larger, and better priced places like Reasors, Food Pyramid, or even the ST. You would find it easy to believe that the upper and middle classes have a bias, or even prejudice against the lower income families of America, but I propose a different theory. I think the bias goes both ways. The only logical reason to go to such a (pardon me for being so blunt) trashy grocery store is open rebellion against upper/middle class. Individuals get in their cars and make a conscience decision to shop somewhere that costs them more, and looks much worse. This just speaks further of the division among people in our supposedly tolerant and understanding modern society. We don't want to admit it but cultural lines are drawn everywhere, I literally felt dirty shopping at this place, but others perused the shelves with indifference to their surroundings. It was an eye opening experience for me because I looked at these people with disdain for being grossly overweight ( I am with them on this one point), horribly dressed, decidedly under bathed, and an all around disheveled mess. I fancy myself above that type of thinking, but I found out I wasn't.
The assumption I wanted to make is; that I feel if they would come to my ST and see me shopping with my family they would have a lot of the same types of thoughts about us, stuck up, over dressed, self-absorbed, so on and so forth. Maybe they are right, maybe I am, whose to say? The point is we have come along way it society, but we still have a long way to go. In Tulsa you've got your Westsiders with their mobile homes, home made Koi ponds, and cars on blocks - then there is the South Tulsa crowd in their gated communities, and driving their BMW's sharing the city limits but that's about it. The bad news is with all our divisions and differences I see little hope for ever rectifying the problem of the class system. The good news is I got the Kibble, got it home and gave Boxie and Princess Blaze their first meal in the Robertson family. Someone remind me not to go to the store any time soon, it's to disturbing. RLR

Small Town USA

I recently took a trip home to visit my father in the hospital. While I was there I took the scenic drive out Hwy 45 to my grandparents home. Traveling through the "S" curves and 90 degree turns between Bloomington and Unionville my mind began to wander to my childhood and the little town of my youth. As I reminisced further I began to see such value in a place like Unionville. I drove down Bethel lane where the trees arc high over the road and join each other above the oncoming traffic like a covered bridge. In autumn when these change colors the reds, yellows, and oranges are amazing. I turned left on 45 and immediately on my right is Lakeside IGA. It is the quintessential little country store. The owner, Phil Fisher, and Elden the guy in the meat market all my life, both make excellent lunch meat sandwiches, everybody should have a cold cut sandwich from Lakeside. I passed houses where I knew the families, Fishers, Mobleys, Chitwoods, Smiths, Frileys, Richardsons, Moores, Fleeners,Durnals, and many more. I realized we all knew each other - our hardships were shared, our sorrow, or triumph. We were a community where values and Faith mattered.
I passed the Danny Smith memorial park where some of the greatest evenings of my life were spent. Baseball games, free snow cones if you retrieved a foul ball, 202 to center - that was every boy sluggers favorite place. I even bounced a ball off the concession stand roof in my final little league game. The may pole, the horse shoe pits, and the shelter house all played big parts in all of us Unionvillers small town lives. We played, laughed, and cried but we did it together.
If you continue on past my grandparents place you will pass Tunnel Road, it has a real tunnel under it that is a great place to spend time as an adolescent boy, unless there is a bum living in the little alcove then it gets a little scary. Trust me I know! You continue past Brenda Mullis' beauty parlor, which might really be her garage, where my mom got her hair done for her work banquets. On we go to Lynn Stephens barber shop, probably one of my favorite places on earth. You can go get a glass bottle of Coke and sit and talk with Lynn and the UPS guy, who is strangely always around, about life, politics, and basketball. Then you can talk about basketball, and after that did I mention we could talk a little while about basketball. In the middle of it all you can get a great haircut from an even better guy. Next door the fire station and the basketball goal where I spent about a quarter of my childhood,back in the day if you were lucky Lynn may bring his high school hall of fame game outside and beat you badly. Later in life, when I was 17 I beat him one on one and I realized I had arrived into adulthood a year early. It was one of the best days of my life. Years later some grumpy old woman in town office had the goal removed and a little part of me went with it. I cried that day, as a full grown, out of shape adult I realized that the next generation would miss out on what I had experienced.
When I arrived at my grandparents home I was greeted by a manicured lawn, beautiful flower beds and the houses on property all built by my grandfather. My grandma was quilting, my uncle and grandfather were studying a 100 year old tool deciding how it would best be used or sold. While I'm there I'm not Pastor Robertson or the Operations Manager @ VRI I am just one of the family. My grandma fixed me dinner and my grandfather and I discussed politics, family history and believe it or not basketball. They aren't famous or rich, but the people that know Max Leroy and Phyllis Gene Robertson are lucky indeed. My grandpa can fix anything, build anything, and knows just about everything there might be to know. If I turn out half the man he is my family will be lucky indeed. My grandmother is all a boy could ask for as a teacher, cook, disciplinarian, nurturer and friend. I spent so much time with her as a boy I attribute a lot of who I have turned out to be to her care. Oh, by the way she knows even more than my grandpa just ask her. They are wonderful people and I have been blessed to know them.
As I flew back to the city where it is all concrete and steel, where there aren't many small town grocers or barbers left, and community means so little I realize Unionville will always be a big part of who I am.
Small town America and the lessons it teaches ought to be known to all. In our town we knew and needed one another. When someone was sick people cared for and helped meet the needs. When folks died, we grieved and helped the grieving. When people rejoiced we joined right in with the celebration. Faith was important, not necessarily where you went to church or exactly what you believed but that we were governed by our beliefs and faith. People left their doors unlocked and their welcome mats out. Eventually Lakeside IGA will close down in favor of another Wal-Mart, and my son gets his hair cut at Supercuts instead of at Lynn's. Max and Phyllis ,or mamaw and papaw as I call 'em, will eventually pass from the scene but never be replaced. When that happens we will truly be the losers. The mold has been broken, not just for these types of small town heros but for that way of life.
Now I'm back home and the kids are on the Internet playing Webkinz, I have a Wiccan priest that lives down the street and 14 meth labs in our neighborhood. We are worried about getting to the Apple store and the Coach store ( Apple for me, Coach for my wife) and carrying on the regular hustle and bustle of our busy lives. All the while I wish I could shuttle back in time for one more game of round ball at the fire station with my buddies (even if we are infected with TRS) and drive the winding road of old Hwy 45. I wouldn't trade my wife and kids for anything in the world, but what I wouldn't trade to take 'em all back, away from the internet, away from the meth labs, and from the Wiccan priest and into a small town I call home.RLR

Let the Revolution Begin

As I was sitting at Cracker Barrel with my family last week one of the happiest moments of my life took place. I saw my 19 month old little angel scribbling with a crayon (blue in color) with her left hand. I have been waiting with baited breath during the development of each child to find out their dominant hand. Oh, for the joy of just one lefty in the group. When it happened my heart leaped within me, the heavens rolled back and an angel choir began to sing Handel's' Hallelujah Chorus. During my time of great joy my darling wife looks over and proclaims, "Oh, no I'm going to make her write with the right hand (meaning that the left hand is the incorrect hand) we want her to be normal." I was shocked, appalled, broken hearted, such a feeling of melancholy overtook my being that it completely ruined my Mama's french toast in which I paid a dollar extra to get the sugar cured ham. I could only bring myself to drink 2 glasses of sweet tea. Two glasses! I normally drink about 18, my night was ruined. That is when I began to notice the conspiracy. The world hates left handed people. Don't believe me? Just try using a pair of scissors with your left hand, I'll pause here while you go get some...................... Okay now try to cut something, I'll pause again.........................Hurts your thumb doesn't it? See what I mean, tools, musical instruments, and even household items are all crafted for the "normal" right handed person.

We in America have had many civil and social rights movements. Our country as a whole started when folks fled GB to come to the new world to have religious freedom. Then we had an entire revolution based primarily on discrimination between settlers and Torrie's, taxation without representation and all that jazz. Then there was the war between the states concerning states right and the oppressive North, the emancipation of the slaves, the women's suffrage movement, the civil rights movement of the 60's, the cry for tolerance to all people groups beginning in the 80's, and even the gay and lesbian agenda of recent note. All the things have the cry of equal rights for all. Anytime you see Our Flag or a church, when we remember Honest Abe or Susan B. Anthony, when we hear anyone say "I Have A Dream" for that matter when we see an Indian casino we are reminded that people can effect change concerning equality in our great nation.

All this being said I ask you, where are the equal rights for the southpaw, I realize we can buy special scissors, but I want more than that. I am not a weirdo or oddball. Equality for all lefties, liberty for all southpaws. I am not ashamed of my paw orientation, I am lefty hear me roar. RLR

The Most Exciting Moment in Sports

There has long been an argument in the sporting realm as to the most exciting moment in a given sport or the sporting world as a whole. This argument has been around as long as people have been leaping to their feet in appreciation of some tremendous accomplishment on court, field, or in arena. As many less qualified individuals have pondered the topic so shall I.
1. The walk-off home run
This probably gets my vote for a few reasons, it is one on one batter against pitcher for all the marbles. The fact that it comes at a time when the flame throwing closer has entered the game makes it all the more exciting. It is also over quickly plays that develop in other sports that take much longer don't give you the quick adrenaline pumped "Wahoo!" that the long ball does.
2. The hole in one
Golf should probably not be on a list of articles in which the first one included the word adrenaline, but I have none the less. The difficulty factor elevates this above most others, I have gotten off my can for a well placed 6 iron before and so have many others. It deserves a place on this list.
3. Kick off/Punt Return
Improvisation, great blocking, and sheer unadulterated speed. This is what it is all about, taking it 97 yards for the score on determination, desire, and some great jukes. I love the run back.
4. Hail Mary
I guess this is the most publicized of all the great sporting moments and one of the most exciting to watch. Doug Flutie as well as a number of others have made this famous, but the reason it is so exciting is that it so rarely works. The few times a guy does come down with the ball it is a very memorable moment.
5. Last Second Buzzer Beater
This I believe is a little to common for it to rank, but the shot that M.Chalmers of Kansas hit this week puts it in new perspective. That .7 seconds the ball is on the air and 30,000 people stare at it rotate (or not rotate if you shoot like Tim Hardaway) through the air, and then the joy of victory or the agony of defeat as if falls through the net. It is still very nice.
Honorable Mention
The Suicide Squeeze - if you have been the pitcher, catcher, or the runner you know just how adrenaline laced this play really is.
Let the discussion begin, please feel free to add to the list. RLR

Tom Crean and other questions

With limited knowledge of the guy this seems like a good hire for the Hoosiers, maybe he can bring some respectability back to the program. There are many questions and hurdles for Crean lets talk about 'em shall we:

1. Can he convince Eric Gordon to stay - he is obviously not ready, but I think he believes he is. His draft stock is down and he would benefit from a few more years of college.

2. Can he convince Ebanks and Holloway to come - these were Kelvins guys, and they have decommited but IU is still on the list of schools they are considering.

3. How will he cope with the loss of at least one scholarship possible two if Myles Brand has anything to say about it. They football team has helped out in times past, but with their possible rise to respectability will that be an option.

4. What about JaMarcus and Armon - I think he needs to hear their side of the story, there must be more to this than just missing a practice and a run. The punishment dose not seem to fit the crime.

5. Who decided it was Okay to eat sour cream - I mean it's spoiled right? Same deal with cottage cheese, who looked at rotten milk and decided that this is something we should eat? Somebody actually got a hunk a cream that had gone bad and slapped on a baked potato and said it should be ingested. This is a question I have had for years so I thought I would throw it in.

The Resurection

What a topic - it is amazing and polarizing at the same time. Amazing because of the implications and polarizing because of individual opinions held by those who have read it. The real issue is not about the plausibility of the Son of God resurrecting from the dead, but in the truth of the Bible in general. If you hold that the Bible is absolute fact then it is no stretch of the imagination to believe in the bodily Resurrection of the Christ, but if the Bible is held in even the slightest uncertainty in your thinking then this, the greatest of the Bible stories, is shrouded by a cloud of doubt. So the question is not, "Did the Resurrection actually take place?", but "Is the Bible reliable?"

Three complaints generally surface when speaking with those who have questions about the validity of scripture. 1. The Bible is antiquated - too old to be relevant, God should send new revelation to our generation. 2. The archaeological record is not consistent with the what Scripture records. 3. The Bible is full of contradictions.



Fortunately for me there are ample reasons to believe the Bible is reliable. 1. The Historicity of the Bible - more manuscripts and ancient writings on this book than any other. In eastern and western texts the Bible is still 99% textually pure with the others being copy errors and misspellings. Yes there are a few parts of scripture that have come under serious question in recent decades, but all in all the text itself has for thousands of years remained remarkably pure. No matter what you believe you must admit the uniqueness of the text.
2. The longevity of scripture - It is the anvil that has worn out many a hammer. Just the fact it has stayed around when so many have tried to burn it, regulate it, or deny it right out of existence must say something.
3. The archaeological evidence in support of scripture. Read any reputable author on the subject, check numerous web sights, the evidence is mounting rapidly. The more anti-Bible archaeologists claim that certain evidence does not exist, and then poof somebody finds more stuff to validate scripture (see Hittite empire, throne of David, walls of Jericho).

Point is if the Bible is accurate then the Resurrection is a reality and there just may be a thread of hope for the world we live in. If the Bible is really a book of fairy tales then the Resurrection is just another one of those tales and life ends at the grave. We can quibble about all the details, and don't get me wrong I enjoy that as much as the next guy, but the reality of the Resurrection is a hope all should be able to embrace in faith.

It really all comes down to faith doesn't it - a monumental leap to believe in the fantastic account of scripture, or the equally gigantic choice not to believe. One of the saddest things I have ever read was in C.S. Lewis' book The Last Battle, Peter is speaking towards the close of the life of Narnia, all the Kings and Queens are present for the event. All except Susan, when questioned why she was not present Peter explains that she is, "no longer a friend of Narnia". Susan had no doubt grown up, got educated, and realized it was the cool thing to do to live without faith. Go figure that same thing happens right here on good old planet Earth. Later - RLR

Spring Sports

It seems spring might actually be sprung here in the average state of Oklahoma. Although still chilly, it even snowed a little yesterday, there are the tell tale signs of the new season everywhere. Birds a chirping and little bits a greenery are appearing scattered throughout my yard. Saturday it was 77 degrees and beautifully sunny.
This time of year always does something special to me, always excites me and sends me into an almost euphoric state of youthfulness. Four little words that in my youth meant the world to me
" MARCH MADNESS - SPRING TRAINING" as a Hoosier fan and horsehide hurler from way back this is by far my favorite time of year. Unfortunately there are numerous reasons why the season has lost it's luster. I will give you a comprehensive list of said issues, and you may feel free to add your own as well:
1. The early defection of College stars to the NBA - Do you believe that if great players stayed at least three years as they did a decade and a half ago we would be discussing Tyler Hansborough and Michael Beasley as national player of the year. A freshman and a, dare I it, white guy as colleges best players. The other nominations are Kevin Love (he is a freshman and a white guy), D.J. White, and Derrick Rose. I love D.J. because he's a Hoosier, but c'mon you know better than that. While Derrick Rose may be an outstanding pro prospect he has not been a dominant player at the college level yet. Doesn't he shoot like 50% from the line, okay for Shaq, not so good for a PG who handles the ball at the end of a close game. All this to make one little point - lack of star power in the NCAA's
2. The NBA influence! Pure basketball, pure shooters, pure point guards (D Rose might be an exception) all are become scarce in the NCAA. I really could care less about watching or listening to a bunch of thugs playing one on one. I can go to north Tulsa and get that for free. You would think that watching the Celtics ( should this be pronounced seltics or keltics)the Cavs and the Spurs that team basketball still works. Why dosen't anyone on the college level get it. Texas lost to Tech this weekend because Augistine and Abrahms forgot they could also throw the ball to other guys wearing the same color as them instead of just at the orange round thing.
Okay on to baseball....
1. At the risk of sounding like a coverall wearing hillbilly - are there any Americans playing America's favorite past time anymore. I love baseball, I love seeing a RHB's knees buckle when a LHP throws a wicked slider, seeing a lefty with his right arm extended over his head bat in hand as the ball edges past the right field foul pole. Man that is good stuff, I could go on for ages,a good pick off move, back to back homer, a blocked ball in the dirt that saves a run, and the mother of them all,the suicide squeeze, but all the Gonzalezes, Martinezes, and Rodriguezes are making it so you can't tell the players without a program.
2. The steroid scandals - I am sickened at this whole issue. The mess congress has made out of it, the fact that players partook and then lied, and the fact that the record book is now all amok with falsehoods and half-truths. Guys like Clemons and McGwire (neither of which did I ever really like) take so much away from guys like Maddux and Junior who did things the right way. They were not as dominant, but they were fun to watch, and never gave me a sick feeling in my stomach like I had just seen something perverse (see M McGwires forearms). You can have you freakish bald Barry Bonds give me a chubby Terry Pendleton playing the hot corner or fouling off pitches until he gets one he likes, Kruck, Gwynn, Puckett, or even the noble Chris Sabo. That was when baseball was a beautiful thing - now is a bunch of addicts and aliens (legal I hope) and it has lost my attention and my affection.
The green shoots of grass are nice, love to hear the birds sing, and while I will see what Dickie V has to say about the big dance, and I'll check on the Big Red Machine spring will just never be the same. RLR

An acorn or a Catterpillar

If you have ever been in a position of leadership you have definitely given the old "Acorn to a mighty Oak" or "Caterpillar into a Beautiful Butterfly" speech. All of us have been given the equivalent of this pep talk numerous times in our lives. Encouraging and inspiring us to be better. I am reminded of a time I heard this very speech at an educators convention while I was teaching 2nd and 3rd graders in Texas, it was encouraging me to go from fledgling acorn instructor to the mighty oak of a teacher this guy knew I could be. There was a problem with this - I was an awful educator, and I mean terrible in an astronomical way. It came to the place all I wanted to do was look for a reason to spank these children and send them home weeping. That is not good and I realize this, but I hated teaching kids. Don't get me wrong I like children but it would take Jesus Christ in visible, tangible form pleading with me to teach children mathematics and grammar again before I would even consider it.

Point is most acorns end up as squirrel poo, and most caterpillars end up on the bottom of someones K-Swiss. I have several oak trees in my back yard - I hate acorns they mess up my otherwise nicely manicured lawn and are an all around nuisance. I rake them, squash them, and discard them anyway possible. Caterpillars are a blight on our flower beds and back yard gardens cramming their ugly little gobs with all manner of vegetation and ruffage. One out of every 100,000 acorns or caterpillars actually becomes their destiny, the rest are losers.

Truth be told you and I will more than likely never mine all of our unearthed potential. So we are faced with a couple of options, we can a) Decide that when we reach maximum potential we will finally be happy or b) We can be happy right where we are at. I am not asking you to quit reaching for the stars or to aim low, but the problem is we have a nation full of depressed people because they are not the Butterflies they imagined they would be. They turn to alcohol or Prozac or Gambling( you pick the vice) to make themselves feel better and forget their shortcomings.

I say we need to be the best acorns or caterpillars possible - go ahead cram your face full of vegetation and fend off every encroaching squirrel. Do your best where you are, don't rely on thing or success to make you happy and one day just maybe you will become ..... Nah I'm not even going to say it because more than likely you won't. Take heart in who you are and maybe you'll become who you were meant to be. Later. RLR

Lava Lamps, Tape Guns, and Raspberry Candy

This particular post may indeed be an unusual way to begin my blogging career, but as I looked around my desk I found the few things left in life that make me truly happy. Happiness should not be based upon things, this is a fact that I readily admit, but I can not help but be overjoyed when I glance to my right and in my peripheral vision see a glimmer of my newly discovered pink lava lamp. It is exciting and has new and unexpected delights for me on a daily basis - I long to take the same carefree attitude to my desk as does my lava lamp.
After I feel all warm and fuzzy I turn and see my handy new tape gun ( black in color) sitting beside my left paw, it shocks me back into reality. There is work to be done, I can not waste away my time feeling groovy - I must waste my time doing other less fun things that make other people lots of money. Don’t get me wrong I love my tape gun, there is even a standing threat of bodily harm to anyone who messes with said gun. I had a nice red one that had a foam handle that felt all comfy in my hand and it was unceremoniously stolen from me and now blackie(for that is what I call him) has taken it’s place. He urges me to carry out menial tasks for a menial days wage because I was hired to do so, not to stare at a pink lava lamp.
It is the contrast of the ages - the urge to hang out, chill, and take it easy verses the never ending reminders that none of those things get the kitchen painted, the bathroom trim put up, Wednesdays lesson for church typed, or a myriad other things done. I am forever torn by my inner lazy bohemian and my inner restles, driven workaholic. How can there be room for both those individuals inside of my svelte 330 pound body.
That is where my precious raspberry hard candies come in. I work hard, do a good days labor to satisfy the driven side and make sure his needs are placated. Then every once in a while I sneak over to the file cabinet in front of the parts managers office where he and I have stashed 18 bags of Christmas raspberry candy ( I would give Mr. Brach a big kiss if I met him) and I indulge in a little groovy right in the middle of my stress filled day. Score one for the Bohemian/Candy lover.
I guess my point is we all have goals and work hard to get what we have. We are driven and every day as we look around we see the need to acquire more, work more, build more. Tear down our barns and build bigger ones is a phrase that comes to mind. I find my self putting in overtime, working extra jobs and constantly reminded that the things I have and the things I want cost me maybe more than I realize. As I listen to my 160 Gb Ipod classic, driving my new Suburban to pick up my new ‘fridge with ice in the door I ponder all these things and my heart cries out, “curse you tape gun” give my life a “little more lava lamp”. That is when I realize that the candy is the middle ground.
So I advise you - work hard - pay your bills - buy your stuff, but take some time out to relax and enjoy the small pleasures in life. I imagine if you put my tape gun, and my lava lamp in a large blender and mixed it all up you’d have a nice batch of raspberry candy hidden in a file cabinet at work. Later on. RLR