“There are two great days in a person's life -- the day we are born and the day we discover why.” William Barclay

Let me be the first to give you a hearty greeting here on Tuesday, to the first day of November, 2011. How did November come so early this year? It seems like only yesterday I was applying for Medicare. Just joking. But this year has flown by or it at least seems that way. We all know the saying how that time flies when you are having fun. But that's not the only way some people think about time flying. Time flies when you are alive. Time flies when you are tweeting. I suppose we could add to that, texting, skyping, and here's a novel one, talking. Time flies when you don't have much of it. Time flies when you are on vacation. Time flies when you are working hard. And, there are plenty of others that came up when I Googled a search. How about: Time flies when you are 65 and you find yourself more and more showing up downstairs or upstairs but you are not sure for what reason. Yeah. It's not so funny when the comedian's jokes become a reality in your life. November. That's when we have Thanksgiving or as some might like to dream, that's when the first official kick off to the Christmas shopping frenzy begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. I'm trying real hard. I'm trying to remember if I ever was excited about shopping on that Friday after Thanksgiving. I've searched my memory banks and there are no hits and I don't feel bad at all about it. I do remember when I was a kid going with my mom to Jasper, Texas from our small rural town in Louisiana to do Christmas shopping. It seemed so different there. They all talked funny. Just kidding. This was before Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or most any other of the marts, and they actually had real stores in their downtown area. I suppose shopping can produce a great memory because I just shared one. I'll try not to let that happen again, anytime soon!

It does seem the older I get it is the longer I wait, all while time flies by. I'll work on deconstructing that and get back to you later. It might take a while and since time is getting away from us, I may have to put it on hold, and then I will probably forget about it, as if it was important to begin with, and I do know that some of you know exactly what I mean. Sure, it's scary but it's important that we all keep a stiff upper lip. I've heard that stiff upper lip idiom all my life and I know it has to do with showing fortitude in the midst of adversity, and self-restraint in the face of emotion. Along the way it became identified as a feature of the British people but it is thought to be American in origin appearing in print in 1815. One of my grandfather's favorite comebacks when someone questioned a smell would tell them they were only smelling their upper lip. Since the upper lip is immediately under the nose, the put down was intended to direct the person's question back to themselves. Some have taken it to be a way of saying the answer is closer to home, in fact, right in front of you. No wonder some of us turned out like we did. We lived in a perpetual state of confusion regarding our stiff but smelly upper lips. State of confusion? You thought I was from Louisiana? Well, those two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. But I try to soldier on and all of that. I won't even try to decipher his accusation that I woke up in a new world every day. Don't we all?

I couldn't help myself. I had to pull for St. Louis in the World Series. I was the only one in my home that rooted for them. I lived and breathed baseball as a kid. I even slept with my glove. The nearest professional team to us was the Cardinals. I grew up with baseball cards depicting men like Stan Musial, Ken Boyer, Curt Flood, and young free agent walk on catcher named Tim McCarver. McCarver was the color commentator who covered this year's series and has worked in the broadcast booth for many years. Even as I write this blog I can visualize that famous batting stance of Stan Musial, affectionately known as Stan the Man. In his last game played in September of 1963, in his last plate appearance he got a hit that zinged by the outstretched arm of a rookie, Pete Rose. That hit set the record that was eventually broken by, ironically, Pete Rose. Musial was overwhelmingly voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot of his first year of eligibility in 1969. I suppose I was a loyal fan and it even surprises me that I can still conjure up this emotional attachment. I also am a fan of Nolan Ryan and I would have been more than pleased had the Rangers won. I feel privileged to have played baseball as a kid up through my teens at a time when most professional baseball players did see themselves as role models. Now you know why I was so disgusted when they preempted the special recognition planned for the 88 year old Mr. Musial at the 2009 All Star Game. This happened because of TV time limitations which instead focused on parading President Obama around the stadium. I respect the President but his being there should have never taken one second off the recognition deserved by Stan Musial. Regarding this particular subject, inquiring minds didn't ask and you likely didn't want to know, but you got my word on it, anyway. As far as my baseball ability, I think I well fit that analogy that says I was a pygmy among giants, but a giant among pygmies. I did make the all star team a couple of times and it was a great time in my life as far as memories go. This most recent World Series was one of the most exciting in history and anytime that happens, it's good for the sport, as confirmed by the 25 million who watched game 7. Okay. Enough already. I'll quit for today but I encourage you to go out and have yourself a great day, and may God bless each one. Amen.         .......More later.