Did Lysacek "channel" former UCLA Coach John Wooden?

I admit it...I'm a schmuck for watching men's figure skating.  My mom LOVED to ice skate...I, however, did not possess the ankles to handle it. I looked something like Bambi on the ice...it's okay.  I've learned to deal with it.

Maybe that's why I was overwhelmed with the grace and athleticism of Men's Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek.  (A shout out to the Illinois guy!)  It can't be easy to skate that well at the height of 6'2"!  Those are some long limbs to swing in spins...

I was most impressed with his statements after the short program and the following day. He stated he was just trying to do the best HE could...he wasn't watching to be better than Plushenko or better than anyone else, his goal was to set a personal best.  UCLA Coach John Wooden often pushed his players to be the best they could be personally.  To paraphrase his statements (I hope I'm accurate on this), he asked his players to play the best game they possibly could, ask themselves if they had done every thing possible to play the best game, and eliminate all the mistakes they could.  He said practice is where champions are made.  "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

Wasn't that what Evan was saying?  He was saying I did my best.  I worked hard every day.  I put everything into it I could.

On top of that, when the Russian Silver Medalist was critical of the performance Lysacek presented, Evan didn't respond back with any negative comments.  He was very cordial and kind and said, he too didn't like losing and no doubt that clouded some comments Plushenko made.  In his interview with Bob Costas, he emphasized that Plushenko had shook his hand and congratulated him after the announcement.  He never once claimed he was "disrespecting" him.  Evan knew he had given the best he had to offer and the judges agreed!

Congratulations for your class, Evan.  I hope you get a lot of endorsement jobs!  I could think of a few companies that need that character right now, but that's another blog!

Tuesday is important in Illinois

Illinois....Land of Lincoln.  That's our claim to fame and it's on our license plates, (we we tongue in cheek joke that our ex-governors could me making in prison) but corruption is also a dark cloud that hangs over our state.  George Ryan, Rod Blago, heck I even remember the infamous Paul Powell!  That's a name from Illinois' governing past!

How did a state that prides itself on having Abraham Lincoln as its native son get so far off track?  I wish I knew...because then I'd know how to fix it quickly.  I do know one way to help make it more honest and work to improve it....VOTE.

Tuesday is primary election day in Illinois.  I'm just like you....tired of the phone calls telling me to vote for this candidate or that candidate.  And while I'm at it, if you're a candidate don't tell me what the other guy is doing wrong.  Tell me what YOU'RE going to do.  Actions speak louder than words.  But we've got to take a step to move forward and sometimes that can be a little painful.

Just a side note to all of you elected officials.  I've noticed in life you get more done when you work with others.  You have to compromise a little; win the battle to later win the war.  Louis L'Amour once wrote, "Victory is won not in miles, but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later win a little more."   The people in Illinois would like you to remember that also!


Now we've got ourselves in one heck of a mess.  We can't pay our bills, we can't pay what we have promised to pay others, we've sat and argued and bickered and pointed fingers too long.  ("We" referring to the state of Illinois of which I am a concerned resident!)


It's not going to be easy.  It's not even going to be fun, but we'd better get our house in order and quit spending for things we can't pay for.  We can't make promises we can't fund.  We're going to have to be more independent and maybe turn down some programs that we may have to pay for later....but we're going to have to get it done.


So, as far as a candidate for Governor of the State of Illinois.  I'm looking for John Wayne.  Yep, JOHN WAYNE!  He'd better have some gumption and when he gives his word, he'd better mean it.  He better think of others first, not himself or herself (although we don't have any female candidates this time). He'd better be ready to fight hard for what he believes in and not worry if people "like him".  As my parents used to say, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."  He'd better be tall, strong and pretty darned independent.


To the rest of the 13 million people who live in this state, get busy.  Pitch in.  GO VOTE.  Don't take it for granted.  If you want to get us on track, THEN GO VOTE on Tuesday.  You can't sit idly by thinking someone else will fix your problems.


Enuf said....

Finishing 2009 in 2010

Last year (2009) in farming had to be one of the most difficult, challenging and tiring!  My mom and dad finally finished harvesting crops today!  We hope to finish soon.  

Are you kidding me?  TODAY! Yep today!  January 30, 2010...the rest of their 2009 corn crop was harvested.  

It's days like today when survival is the word that comes to mind.  Can we just hold on, survive, make it another day to finish up.  Can we just stay safe, not break anything, not lose our minds!

There's nothing quite as satisfying as sitting down after a LONG fall/winter harvest to know you've finished.

Crazy thing is...won't be long we'll be looking at planting again!  Here's to a more productive, less challenging and less wet 2010 crop year!

ipod, ipad, idunnoknow!

So yesterday Apple messes with our minds and shows what the new iPad is going to look like. (Please hold all jokes here...Heard them ALREADY!)

It's a very intriguing idea, but still doesn't have things I'd like....what no USB? Can't even attach an external hard drive or DVD player?

You mean I have to sync it to my other computer? But I thought it was supposed to replace my laptop?

No flash memory? Heck, I don't get it?

AT&T service? This is rural ILLINOIS, people! AT&T is like finding a leprechaun around here.

I want the BURGER KING iPad...you know...Have it your way. Maybe the King could deliver it to me with great fanfare and I could have it customized with a big picture of my family on the back of it.

Everybody wants us to compromise...can't have this, but you can have that.

Can't eat this, but you can eat that.

Well...there you go. I'm not willing to compromise away what I want. So when the day comes that I can put together my own computer/laptop/iPad...whatever you want to call it, I might actually want to buy one!

Another snow...

December 27, 2009 and Another Snow!

Snowing pretty steady today and looks like one of those "marshmellow" snows...where the snow looks like clumps of marshmellow on everything!

Didn't really need anymore snow....or rain...or moisture of any kind really!

Definitely makes it a challenge to get out and feed the animals and check on their well being.

You certainly understand the mentality behind a bear hibernating! Just makes either stir-crazy or lethargic.

I remember a particularly heavy snow in the winter of 1978...I believe that's the correct year...Christmas '77 - New Year's '78. We had so much snow we could only take hay to the cattle with a snowmobile pulling a car hood! CRAZY!

We were so stir crazy, my mom, dad, sister and I walked to the neighbors just to see somebody else for a day or two. I think we sang crazy songs on the way down to the driveway. That was pre-internet, pre-cell phone, pre-texting days! How did we survive??? haha

Hoping we can make it to the family's for a late Christmas today, but not taking anything for granted. Safety and safe animals are a big priority when we still don't have all the corn out.

Hoping for a more productive, less challenging 2010!

ENRICHMENT & CHRISTMAS

I read this quote this week and really, really like it

"The Litmus Test: If you are truly enriching someone's life, they will typically miss you in their past. They think their lives would have been even better if they had met you earlier." Rajesh Setty.

Isn't it true? How many times have we often thought, "Gosh, I wish I'd known them when I was younger. We would have done some major damage!" I know I do. I often appreciate perspective someone has given me over the years on subjects and I think I wish I'd known them and their wisdom earlier. I'm ever so grateful to have them in my life now, but feel like I with the ride had started earlier.

At Christmas, I often think of those who have enriched my life and those I hope to have enriched.

I have friends from so many areas of the country, so many ages, backgrounds, perspectives. What a rich tapestry my friends have woven for me. What interesting perspective I've gained from them.

Perhaps the world is a little safer because I didn't meet some of these friends earlier. We may have caused havoc....but..it is fun just to think about it!

To all our friends and family who have so enriched our lives and given us perspective and support, we love you . I hope we've given just a small amount back of all that you have given us.

Merry Christmas and love in Christ!

These are some of the purple coneflowers (echinacea) growing in my flower garden at home. Nothing extra special, but I'd like to think I'm kind of like them. First of all they are native to the prairies. They are very colorful and tall. (I think I fit that also) They are a very useful flower and spread a lot of seeds for regrowth the following year.
They are low maintenance, but in mass are absolutely gorgeous!

Purple coneflowers inspired those who established Western Illinois University to select purple and gold as our school colors! Cool, eh?