RIP Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus

For those of you outside Wisconsin, the Badger State lost one of its best this week. Former Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus (R), passed away of respitory failure. He was 81.

Dreyfus was in office from 1979-1983, a one term governor who walked away from an almost certain re-election. He was a latecomer to the Republican party and politics in general, joining the party only after a mid-'70's trip to China convinced him a one-party system was abhorrent.

Wisconsin, at the time, was a Democratic stronghold bordering on absolute dominance. So Dreyfus joined the GOP.

"My mother always taught me it was polite to join a party before you take it over," he said.

He ran without special interest money or much advertising, but ran into luck when Pope John Paul II took office. Dreyfus, the former Chancellor of what would become UW - Stevens Point, had once met the new Pope when he toured the state as a Cardinal. 

In Wisconsin, the  news footage of the new Pope featured  Dreyfus alongside the Pontiff in many shots, burning the association into the minds of good Catholics across the state  - and nevermind that Dreyfus was Episcopalian.

Dreyfus, with his trademark red vests, was also quick with the one-liner. Madison, he said, "is 30 square miles surrounded by reality"

He found the concept of a budget surplus an 'immorality' because he believed it meant citizens were either being over-taxed, slighted on services, or both. He would leave a defecit behind for his successor.

A national economic downturn curtailed any grand plans for the administration, but he remained a popular figure that would go on to lead Sentry insurance.

Dreyfus is the first Governor I remember, primarily from his photo on the back of maps as a kid, and he's the first one I ever saw in person. It was nothing more than a passing glimpse. I think I was with my paternal Grandparent's and as we were leaving a restaurant he was walking in, or vice versa. He could tell I recognized him, smiled, and nodded. Maybe he even said hello. Maybe not.

Nothing more than that, but it was enough for me to remember him fondly.

He'll be missed.

 

The Inaugural 2008 SleepOver

One of YaYa's friends was in need of a babysitter for Friday and somehow it morphed into a large sleepover. Representing YaYa: Anna, AnnaBelle, Sophia. For LuLu: Amelia.

Friday afternoon Lisa took them sledding at South Shore while I watched Smiley and the baby.

Her's Sophia's Mom:

I believe YaYa is in the pink.

Later that night we watched Meet the Robinson's (an impressive Disney flick - Keep Moving Forward!) then bunked down for the night. There were some issues with kids afraid of the dark, but all in all it went smooth.

2

In the morning, waffles

Once some of the kids left we packed up the rest and went to Home Depot for the monthly kids craft project. This month was a hit - a princess castle bank - and so the line was super long (in fact, a verbal argument with open threats of physical violence erupted when someone tried to skip in line)

At any rate it was too long of a wait so I asked someone at the store to sneak some of the projects out to me. Later, when the rest of the kids went home and Lisa was at work (and after I made a great dinner of steak and potatoes that the kids ignored) I helped them put the projects together.

[note both Smiley's physique and the 40 Christmas cards we received, after sending out 55 (and having several returned for wrong addresses). Not a bad return on our investment.]

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Quote of the Day (Language Advisory)

True story:

I'm at work late on New Years Eve and some kids come up to get change. But I'm already dealing with a young couple in their early '20's. The male half of this couple comes up a little short and asks his girlfriend to front him the money.

"You'll have to work at paying me back," she says.

He scoffs. "You can have a taste of my balls. That'll be enough of a payback," he says.

She laughs.

""No, really; a taste of Balls is more than enough," he said.

At this point I'm a little p*ssed. "You want to watch your language around the kids?" I say.

They look incredulous.

"Balls is a drink," the guy says, and shows me a bottle. The woman bursts out laughing.

I'm still not sure if I was conned or not, but they sure seemed on the up and up.

* * * *

Again - thank God I no longer work nights in this business. Without going into detail (and I never have re: work) I mediated a physical argument between two groups. One accused the other of getting a child drunk; the other claimed the accusers were armed and going to retaliate.

All this and that before-mentioned headache too . .

100 minutes to go. . . and then all I have to worry about is driving home with all the drunks on the road.

Sigh. I shoulda been born rich.

My 2008 Resolutions

Why I bother with this self-defeating ritual is beyond me. Nah, that's not true. At the end of the year it gives me some means of gauging my personal successes and failure's, and it does preserve some idea of what struck me as important at a given point in my life.

So with that I present Slapinions List of Doable but Likely Unattainable New Year's Resolutions 2008 Edition.

I'm going to try to keep it simple, both in numbers (an even 10) and in scope.

 1. I will continue to eat healthier and treat my body better, with an ambitious but secondary goal of finishing '08 at 270# or lower (a drop of ~70 pounds)

  I quit smoking; now I just have to conquer this
 
 2. I will continue to place a stronger emphasis on attending church with the kids
  I value my religion and want to pass that on to the kids.

 3. I will make a serious and determined effort to secure publication of my writing

 4. I will try not to be an as**ole
    I have been more self-aware as late; in the past few years my temper has shortened and my standard-issue sarcasm is coming off wrong to others. Time to change that.
  
 5. I will continue to hammer away at my anxiety issues
    This would be a major victory

 6. I will organize my finances so every paycheck isn't worthy of panic
     I'd like to get a Christmas account going, some additional life insurance (esp. on the house), and a genu-ine 401K of worth

 7. I will try to limit my swearing
  Because frankly, I often sound like a sailor

 8. I will try to be nicer to my family (siblings/parents). 
     They make me all jittery and I get snappish. I should work on that.

 9. I will try to enjoy every moment I spend with my wife and kids
    I already do; but I want to remember each day in detail. They are growing up so fast.

10. I will seek fufillment and happiness in my professional life
     In whatever shape that takes.

To everyone; ahappy, safe, and blessed year ahead!

Happy New Year!

This (*^(*^& Cold/Flu

Really - this must be the cold/flu to end all colds/flus.

Here it is maybe 10 or 12 days after it began and I'm still victim of a horrendous sinus headache and I'm lucky to keep 1 meal in 3 down. Mind you I'm still ok 68% of the day and go about my business, but this is wicked.

Lauren is pretty sick with the cold aspect of this, Smiley's nose runs so much it looks like it should be replaced with a cartoon faucet, but Lu is much improved.

YaYa still seems ok but has taken up with a small fever. Worst thing: yesterday she complained about her chest and when I felt her her heart was beating it's way out of her ribcage. A call to the doc calmed me when he laid it at the feet of the fever, but I checked her several times overnight.

Today, the same thing. Out of nowhere, maybe an hour ago.

If she was older and had any cares at all I'd say it mimics a panic attack, but I'm sure the doctor is right and it's the onset of this cold/flu.

Here's hoping we all improve soon.

My 2007 Resolutions

Oh man am I a loser, if super-good looking/intelligent folks can ever truly bear that title. In a quest to compose a brief list of resolutions for the upcoming year I came across this post from exactly one year ago today.

Franky, I’d forgotten all about it. I’d thought I’d resolved NOT to make resolutions for 2007, as it was obvious the first part of the year would be taken up with remodeling my house, and the second part with a new baby – both of which preclude any real progress on things like taking trips, or for that matter even taking the chance on a new job.

Here’s the list, and how I did:

1. Continue losing weight, and stick with it.

 Yeah, uh, yeah, ya see . . technically I’ve lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 20+ pounds in the last three months, but that’s after gaining around 70 since New Years. So uh, no.

2. Finish the $3%#$ book

Next.

3. Transcribe all the interviews I've done over the years

Didn’t even look at ‘em.

4. Keep all my teeth

Success!

5. Find happiness in my employment

Let me see if I can put into words how miserably I failed on this score . . oh, no. I can’t.

6. Learn something new

Well, c’mon – try living one year and not learning something. Next.

7. Try to live by my adage "Try not to be an a**hole", as I notice I've been a jerk a lot of 2006 - I blame the job.

Opinions vary.

8. Spend time with my family whenever possible, and actually 'be' present, not just physically there. I've zoned out a lot as of late.

I think I accomplished this. I’ve certainly stepped up to the plate with the new baby.

9. Here's an iffy - see Gettysburg

The closest I got was Gurnee, Illiniois.

10. Resolve or minimize my anxiety, etc. issues

I’ve been much more aggressive on this score and in fairness, I think I have improved a bit.

11. Host a belated 10th anniversary/wife's 30th birthday bash

No money, honey.

12. Take up a physical activity

Well, now that we don’t live in a one-level flat I walk up the stairs several times a day. Does that count?

I guess I’ll have to sit down and come up with something doable for 2008 before the New Year begins. Let me mull it over.

Ugh

NE wins 38-35. Give the devils their due, the Patriots struck back hard, but c'mon - the Giants, each and every time I see them, come to a point where they hit a wall and fall apart.

Poor time management, dropped passes, fumbles . .

Ugh.

So for the 4th time an NFL team goes undefeated. Shitty year for the Packers to be so strong; even if they make the SuperBowl they'd probably come in as heavy underdogs.

End of 3rd

Again, missed most of it with the baby. Now's the time to shut NE down; give up a TD on this drive and I worry about the final outcome.

C'mon Giants, hold 'em!

Halftime

I missed most of the 2nd with a poopy diaper and a cranky baby, but the half-ending drive was phenomenal.

I can't believe how pumped I am. I get soo competitive, and never fail to quickly align myself with one opponent or another, even if I've never seen the teams before.  . testosterone and adrenaline just surging through my veins . . Wow.

Allright, Lauren's bawling. Time to go.

Go Giants!

End of 1st Quarter

First, the most important thing. What a crying shame that a game of such historical importance be voiced by Bryant Gumbel. There has never been a more boring, hesitant, dry announcer.

* * *

And Pi** on the NFL's pathetic attempts to pimp the NFL Network. No, I don't need my cable bill to go up for some slapped-together excuse of a network. I live and breathe baseball and I wouldn't want a 214/7/365 MLB channel either, you money hungry jack**ses.

* * *

I'm very anti-conspiracy, but that b.s. call that voided that 3rd and long sack reeked of micromanagment by the NFL.

* * *

Thanks for the dance in the end zone Randy, and for the TD it created for the Giants.

* * * *
Please, please, continue to pound Jan Brady on every down.