Dangers Of Extremism

 I prefer to stay away from posting a great deal of political posts because I firmly believe that EVERYONE has a right to their own opinion. I also believe in the right to freely express that opinion. Unfortunately, too many have taken on an us vs them mentality away from political rallies and voting booths. People are basing friendships, business decisions, and family relations on whether someone shares their personal opinion. As soon as they do that, the opinion is no longer personal.

That being said, I cannot remain silent about what I have seen recently. I have seen influential Americans vocally supporting the terrorist organization of Hamas and their recent attack on Israel. It makes me shiver because it was only 22 years ago that WE were the victims of similar terrorist attacks. Would these people have supported those as well?? This is the danger we face when we allow extremists to become influential by electing them OR supporting them through financial donations or flashing their names.

I will not call out sides here because extremists are extremists. I don't care what side of the fence they're supporting politically. They are all dangerous to the United States as a whole because they are fueling the “us versus them” mentality. In closing, fight terrorism whomever they are attacking. Enjoy professional football with some Bud Light and Chik-Fil-A. Tell the terrorists and extremists that we're done letting them have a voice and controlling our lives.

National Football League - Week Two

 Every year, I like to predict the outcomes of the games and see how I do at it.  It's a fun exercise in mathematical analysis as well as staying current on injuries that could have an alternate impact.  Last week, I could only go off of pre-season stats and got 11 out of 16 correct.  I use a tabbed spreadsheet for the whole season.  Here is the link to that sheet.  Just click on Week Two to see who I'm taking for this week which starts tonight.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AxeMY7GC9z__mqoHB-NTWEPlG3TSqgq3WB68qN4BCz4/edit?usp=sharing

I Always Wake Up Before A Dream Gets Interesting

 This morning, my alarm clock chose to wake me up at the right time for its setting.  It was the completely wrong time for the dream I was having.  Here's the part of the dream that I was asleep during.  For some reason, my parents had decided to invite someone over for dinner.  This particular gentleman was a noted astrologer.  So, I ducked into my bedroom to change back into some regular clothes because my normal house clothes didn't seem quite appropriate with company for dinner.

Here's where things started to get interesting.  While changing, I decided I was going to have some fun with this guy.  I completely started to morph my personality into the most anti-Aries individual possible.  I actually really am an Aries.  I started to contort my voice into a cross between Frank Gorshin's Riddler with a little bit of Jack Nicholson's raspiness.  In short, I was going to be a raving lunatic.  I was walking out to the dining room when my dang alarm interrupted my dream.  I doubt I'll ever know just how that dinner went. 

The NFL Returns Tonight

 Tonight's Hall Of Fame Game in Canton, OH will start the 2023 NFL Pre-season.  This year, it's the New York Jets up against the Cleveland Browns which essentially makes it a home game for the Browns.  Whether the Dawg Pound will make the trip to Fawcett Stadium remains to be seen.  The telecast will be on NBC at 8PM EDT.

In some areas, kids are also going back to school.  Do you have students in your home who are also football and/or sports fans?  Use their interest to help facilitate their education whether you home-school or send them to school.  Simple things such as having them show you on a map or globe where the game is being played are neat ideas for younger kids.  High school kids could be asked to look up any major news stories specific to the area where the game is being played or to talk about how math and physics play a part in what is going to happen on the field.  Just be sure to do this before game time.  Then, sit back with them and enjoy the action.

What Will It Be Like?

I've realized that the next seven to seventeen years are going to bring some huge changes to my lifestyle. Since the years seem to be going by quicker these days, that's not that far away. At any point during that time frame, I could retire. The later I wait will obviously mean an increase in benefits. However, here's where the quandary hits. Will the life/work balance be worth waiting? Will waiting make a crucial difference like allowing me to travel more? Or, will it just mean I have a little more money to have some extra entertainment at home? I'd also point out that I don't plan on completely retiring. As long as I'm healthy, I plan to continue working as a tax professional because I really enjoy that job and my clients. It's also a good way to keep my brain active because I'm constantly learning something new due to the complexities and constant changes of our tax code. These last few years of working all year long for the majority of every week are certainly going to be interesting.

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Not My Typical Stroll

I had a fairly normal day at work. I heard some sirens, but, that's not unusual with my office being on one of the main paths to the local hospital. I thought they had just gone by on their way to someplace else. That someplace else happened to be the opposite end of my tiny strip mall. I walked out of work to head for the bus stop and encountered an active crime scene. It turns out that I was only four stores away from a shooting and never heard the gun shot. Thankfully, the suspect is in custody and I don't have to be back in the office until Monday morning. This is Saturday evening as I write this. This is the closest I have been to anything like this that will be in my memory. When I was really young, a neighbor of ours accidentally discharged his weapon because he was showing his kids how to clean a gun. The only issue was the guy had a live round in the chamber. Five minutes earlier and that bullet would have gone right between my Mom's eyes. Just hearing that story when I was old enough to remember her description of everything is enough to send chills down my spine. It's no wonder that I have never had an interest in even touching a firearm.