About Johnny Manziel: "This guy is one of the greatest competitors in all the years I've coached, 40 years of coaching, that I've had the opportunity to play against. This guy does a fantastic job." ~ Alabama Coach Nick Saban

'Okie Dokie', we are off and running again where we come in from the cold to enjoy a piping hot cup of black and strong Community, here on this Friday, the 28th and very last day of this blurred by February, here in this year of 2014. Sometimes the NASCAR marketing folks know how to ring the bell. I already mentioned that the April 6th race at Texas Motor Speedway will carry the name Duck Commander 500 with sponsorship from the Robertson clan. Now I read that one of Jeff Gordon's primary sponsors has an attention getting novelty planned for that same race. As head of his company, he also happens to be an engineering graduate from Texas A&M, therefore, Jeff's car will be carrying the A&M maroon along with the appropriate Aggie designations. That likely will get Jeff some new A&M fans about as fast as Johnny Manziel ran the 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine. Let's just hope Jeff and his Number 24 impresses as many people on April 6 as Johnny did in showing the NFL scouts what he brings to the table.

Many of you who read my blog everyday know up close and personal the truth behind the statement that says aging is not for the fainthearted. I don't exactly know when I passed a particular threshold but I will tell you that nearly everywhere I go these days someone is giving me a sir here, a sir there, here a sir, there a sir, everywhere a sir...sir. The only thing I can conclude is that I have passed from getting ready to get there to having arrived. I just didn't expect to get there so suddenly and to find out I've already gotten the Platinum card for frequent flyer miles. Sure. I remember back in the day when I was the departmental director at the Fortune 500 company, and I certainly was given my fair share of sirs back then. But that was very different. Yes. I am aware that it is a sign of respect and, yes, I do appreciate it. Offering to help me up out of my seat? I may have to get back to you on how I feel about that one!

You do know that even though I perhaps embellished that little story it really has been interesting to see how things change the further down the road of life I get. I can remember sitting in a room where several older folks were discussing their medical histories. At the time I suppose I was blessed not to have one but I had in mind never to find myself sitting around doing the same thing. Hello? What changed? For one thing, most of us eventually do have a medical history and since it becomes an important part of our lives, well, we end up swapping stories about it. It's kind of like me hearing my boys say to their children what I said to them. When they were younger they declared that if they ever had children they would never say something like that. You know what I'm talking about. "You want me to give you something to cry about?" I rest my case along with my aging bones, I suppose. Just joking. Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday, and I'll do my best to see you next time. I wonder if they still make that Geritol stuff for tired blood. May God bless each one. Amen.  ....More later.