Sunday, January 28, 2007

"Pounding" Away

Our daughter graduated with her Associates Degree in Applied Sciences this past Friday in Nashville. The past 18 months have gone by very quickly. She is now awaiting her time to take the national certifying board exam to become a licensed massage therapist.

Now that she is home, she is part of our team that is focusing on the local "Get Fit Challenge" sponsored by FHN. Our unimaginative team name, Freeport Podiatry, consists of five folks trying to regain some semblance of fitness. Two are trying to get fit before their wedding in June. Two are trying to look and feel healthier before their daughter's wedding. One, recently married, is looking to get healthier (along with her new beau).

This past year was a revealing one for me as I was at a low point in health last January. Since that time I've been able to lose 25-30 pounds and regain better cardiovascular health. I still have room for improvement and look forward to getting to a more improved state of health. The Get Fit Challenge is a good way to maintain a level of accountability.

As the New Year morphs into its second month, it is a good reminder that it is necessary to take care of one's self if one is to be able to help others. Best of health in the New Year!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

What Will the New Year Bring? 2007

Way overdue in getting to this site. Thought that regular readers, if there are any left, would like to catch up on one of the most recent columns from "For the Love of Community." Two years ago this column (for 2005) had a far-reaching audience when it ended up in the "Best of the Web" from the online version of The Wall Street Journal. Anyways, Happy New Year!
And as for the Bears-Patriots prediction... I'll enjoy my crow now, but it sure makes it easier to maintain a single allegiance... GO BEARS!

What Will the New Year Bring? 2007

by

Roland Tolliver

Today we welcome back that pugnacious prognosticator, Mr. Al Bebach. He gained a smidgeon of notoriety two years ago by ending up in the Wall Street Journal’s online edition with his predictions. Let’s see how he does this year with his ancient Ouija board....

January

* Denver will be known as the Mile High City for the 5280 feet of snow that fall on the area. "Global warming my butt!" complains a stranded traveler.

* The Academy Awards announce that Will Ferrell has been nominated for the movie, "An Inconvenient Truth Stranger than Fiction." Al Gore complains that he "invented fiction."

* The Chicago Bears eke their way through the NFC playoffs with "Good Rex" at quarterback.

February

* The Chicago Bears meet the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl and promptly lose 46-10 with "Bad Rex" having a -20 quarterback rating.

* The Grammy Awards give the top record award to The Dixie Chicks, who attend the show with the Bush twins.

* The Academy Award for Best Picture goes to "The Deported." The backstage crew have all left before they realize "The Departed" was misspelled.

* John Walsh of "America’s Most Wanted" is an election judge for Freeport’s primary when he sees that there is an Alderman "At-Large."

March

* Osama Bin Laden receives a nomination form from the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest continuous game of "Hide and Seek."

* State laws change under pressure from the tobacco industry’s lobbyists and "No Breathing" sections are established in restaurants.

* The 700 Mile fence along the Mexican border is delayed until Halliburton can put in a bid.

April

* The Governor announces that mandatory health insurance will be free for all Illinois residents without raising taxes. A spokesman announces, "April Fool’s!"

* Hillary Clinton announces that she is forming a task force to study the results of her candidacy’s task force report. "I just want to be sure I can win," she says.

* Freeport’s general election results in four new city council members to balance the voting.

May

* Mother’s Day is celebrated throughout the world when an 80 year-old French woman gives birth to triplets. "We don’t like losing to ze Spaniards," she proclaims alongside her 60 year-old daughter.

* Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s record and immediately goes on the disabled list. No one hears from him again.

* Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani throws in his hat to become the Republican Presidential candidate. "I let Hilary win the Senate, but I’m not pulling out this time," he proclaims.

June

* Wal-Mart decides that 186,000 square feet is still too big and downscales our Super Center to 100,000 square feet. "It’s still plenty big for y’all," a spokesperson from Bentonville comments.

* The NBA playoffs conclude with the Detroit Pistons regaining the championship. Detroit catches on fire.

* The NHL playoffs end with the Detroit Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup. The stadium’s ice is used to quench the fire.

July

* Halliburton is announced as the general fence contractor by President Bush. Senator Kennedy calls for an investigation into "Border Gate."

* YouTube.com surpasses the CW and NBC to become the third most-watched network. Google’s stocks push the Dow past 16,000.

* Judy Baar Topinka plays "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch of a White Sox game. "She was available," explains a memo from the PR department.

August

* Bozo, Chuckles and Clarabelle the Clown are hired posthumously to promote a new line of designer meats. "That’s supposed to be ‘cloned’ meat, not ‘clown’ meat, you fool," a spokesman tells the ad agency.

* Senator Barack Obama officially enters the Democratic race for the presidential nomination. "If someone from Illinois is going to be President, they’re not going to be from New York," he declares.

* The Emmy for best show goes to "Betty’s 24 Ugly Heroes are Lost in a Desperate House. "We couldn’t come to a consensus," says the producer.

September

* The state legislature finally decides that school shouldn’t start until after Labor Day.

* The Cubs are in first place heading toward the playoffs when three starting pitchers go on the disabled list. Somewhere a goat is laughing.
"Wait’ll next year," everyone shouts.

* Osama is still hiding among the weapons of mass deception. Al Jazeera starts production of the game show, "Where’s Osama?"

October

* 12 inches of snow fall on Columbus Day. There won’t be another snow fall until January.

* It is announced that Paris, Lindsay, Nicole and Britney will join the cast of "The Biggest Loser" before they realize it is about weight loss. "Nevermind," they collectively say.

* The Christmas shopping season officially kicks Halloween off of the calendar.

November

* Palestine says that it will be at peace with Israel. "Just as soon as we’re sure that Iran has the bomb," announces their Prime Minister.

* The Detroit Tigers win the World Series when a rule change ensures that the pitchers are not allowed to field a ball in play.

* Nicholas Sparks releases his new book, "John Deere" about a forlorn Iowa farm girl who invites John Edwards to join her before the Iowa caucus. "You know y’all want a man from the South to run this country," she says.

December

* Osama Bin Laden is found only 30 years short of the "Hide and Seek" record set by Josef Mengele.

* John McCain enters the Republican Presidential race after being given the key to the Border Fence’s gate. "Remember the Alamo!" he shouts.

* Christmas is finally remembered as a time of peace and for once we experience a true, "Silent Night, Holy Night."