Bark ruff grr bark bark! (My trip to Baton Rouge)

by Bear
Hi everyone, it's me Bear again and I am going to write about my recent trip to Baton Rouge for my dad to run in a marathon.

Photos of the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon

It all started on Friday afternoon. Mom and dad came home from work early and immediately started doing different things. Mom started warming up food and dad started pulling out suitcases and getting his toys together in one spot in front of the door.

I didn't know what to do. I wanted to watch mom and beg for food, but dad was making me nervous. I was getting that sinking feeling that we were going to go separate ways again. Dad took me for a walk and that calmed me down some. When we came home mom and dad ate spaghetti. Usually on Friday they go out to dinner with their friends the Murphys.

After the early supper, mom started fooling with the suitcases too. Dad poured some of my food in a bowl and put a lid on it, he took my bed blanket and put it over the back seat of the car, and he put my ball in the car too.

Finally, we all went outside and got in the car. I was still nervous, but when we passed up the vet's office I began to relax, for me.

After a long ride, dad said about an hour and 15 minutes, we stopped and got out of the car. I knew where we were right off. We were at John's apartment where I went during the hurricane with mama.

We went inside and John was there. I like it when the whole family is together. John had a Christmas tree up and it was the only light on in the living room except for the TV. Dad was busy digging through his bags and doing things. He had to put a big number on his shirt and tie a micro chip on his shoe. I guess the chip is in case he gets lost.

After we watched TV, mom unfolded the futon bed in the living room and we turned off the lights. Mom and dad said the bed was real hard. There were lots of strange noises in John's house, but I made sure everything was OK. Dad kept waking up. He said the bed was hard as the floors he slept on during the hurricane.

When it was still dark, dad's watch started beeping, then he got up. He stretched some like he usually does, then we went outside for a little walk. I pooped on the curb by accident, but it was so early, no one will know it was me. It was warm and breezy and I had fun smelling all of the new smells.

Mom finally got up and after she stirred around, mom and dad left WITHOUT ME. I was crying and nervous. LJ had to get up and pet me to make me feel better. After a while though, mama came back WITHOUT DAD. I hope dad tied that chip on his shoe good. Mama took a shower and did all of her usual stuff, then her, me, and LJ got in the car and drove to a nice place with a lake.

LJ had me on the leash and I was sniffing all over the place. There were lots of people and little people all over the place. I got petted by lots of strangers and I got to kiss little people that were about my height. They liked it and laughed when I kissed them.

One nice lady gave me some ginger bread. Mom and LJ said dad was running in a race. I guess that is what he does in the morning when he leaves WITHOUT ME. I got to walk down to the water and watch ducks. There were all kinds of animals out in the lake. Big white birds called egrets and all different kinds of ducks were flying and swimming all over the place. I wanted to jump in the water too, but LJ wouldn't let me.

Before I knew it, mom said, "Look! there's daddy." I saw dad running down the street toward me and my tail started wagging so fast, the wind from it blew things off of tables 50 feet away. Not really, but my tail did wag fast. Dad was tired, but he petted me right off. I posed with him right after the race. Make sure to look at the pictures mom and LJ took by clicking on my picture or the link at the beginning of this post.

We walked around some more and more people and little kids petted me. Dad drank a beer but didn't have any of the alligator sauce piquant. He said he can't eat right after a hard race.

I sure liked being outside with my family. I got to see lots of people, sniff lots of things, get petted a lot, and I even got some treats. I like marathons they are real fun.

We went back to LJ's, packed up, and hit the road. Another fun thing was pulling up to buildings where people give you food. I like mama to roll down my window so I can look at the people in the building. They always say nice things to me. Dad says if I beg well enough, one day they might give me a treat. I am going to work on my pitiful look to see if it works.

I hope I get to go to the next marathon if they are this fun.

Have a nice day folks, I will be watching the Chiefs and Broncos with my dad today.

Until the next time
Bear

Baton Rouge Beach Marathon

Photos of the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon

I ran the marathon in 3:46:46. I was gunning for a 3:30 like last year, but I ran out of gas. The weather was pretty warm - mid 70's.

Bear was there and he is going to post his impressions of the event so I won't steal his thunder.

Now, I am going to watch the SEC championship. Geaux Tigers!

Until the next time
John Strain

On the run

In about an hour I will be on the run. Today is the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon. It is currently 61 degrees headed for 80. That is a little warmer than I prefer, but I can't control the weather. Later on I will post the results.

Barb, Bear, and I are staying with LJ at his apartment. Bear loves to go byby.

Have a nice Saturday.

Until the next time
John Strain

A pendulum swings

I was born in 1957. I grew up in "Leave it to Beaver" like conditions. Politeness ruled. Things made sense. There was right and wrong and everyone knew the difference. People were modest. The words were responsibility, loyalty, discipline, and hard work.

In those days, Christmas memories were Norman Rockwell like in my mind. These were the Christmases of my childhood.

In the 60's, hippies were the antithesis of their conservative parents. They were still polite though. One could argue that the communes and free love were evidence of an even greater politeness. A cauldron of unrest was brewing in the 60's. The struggle for civil rights by the blacks, the war in Viet Nam, and social change was blowing apart the order of the "Leave it to Beaver" days.

Blacks were more vocal. Afros, Black Panthers, and the phrase "Black is Beautiful," came on the scene. John, Bobby, and Martin were assisinated in the 60's. It was a time of extremes, protests, and a realigning of societal roles.

The establishment was rejected, draft cards were burned, and the younger generation was searching for a soul. They thought it was in sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

In 1970 I was 13. The decade of the 70's were another pendulum swing from the protests and political involvement of the 60's to an "I don't care" attitude and a belief that nothing really matters anyway.

We were encouraged in school to "find ourselves." The focus shifted from "us" and "we" to "I" and "me." Viet Nam was over, but the Russians and Communism were enemies still to fear. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll continued to garner most of the attention and energy of the young people.

In those days, Christmas was not as special. People griped about how commercial it was all becoming, but I hung on to memories of better times past.

The 80's sported Alex P. Keaton and a new wave of conservativism. Reagan was the President. Money was being made and people were becoming more and more self-absorbed. Sports figures and celebrities enjoyed a new kind of fame only cable television could provide.

The 90's were more of the same. Making money, more self-absorption, more obsession with the rich and famous. The 80's and 90's also saw the vanquishing of an enemy as the Cold War ended. I guess Americans need an enemy, because in the absence of an outside threat, we chose to fight each other.

Democrats and Republicans have been at it in an updated civil war. Conservatives and liberals spar on the shows with the talking heads. Battle lines are drawn and nobody listens to the other side.

Anger has grown and politeness is once again gone. We fight about religion, the environment, politics, and everything else.

Along with the times, even Christmas has fallen victim to the anger. It is a rope in a cultural tug-of-war. It is ironic that the phrase, "Peace, good will to men," has eroded into angry protests and court cases.

Christmas is big business and big politics. The "true meaning" of Christmas is lost in the politics and commercialism; or is it?

I have memories of people saying things like, "I love the Christmas time of year, because people seem so much nicer." It really seemed that way. Just like Scrooge or the Grinch, even the biggest grouch found a heart around Christmas. The ringing bell of the Salvation Army brought tight wads to its red kettle like the Sirens luring sailors to the rocks. People lightened up and discovered the good feelings of acting with a pure heart.

The Christmas season does not have to be a stressful, hurried, anxious, financially crippling time. It can be a time of peace. Nothing has to happen in the world to make this possible. It only has to happen in your own heart.

Just ask yourself what is important. If you were going to die in two hours, who would you call? What would you say to them? The answers to those two questions will tell you what is important.

This Christmas season, do something for someone totally unexpected. Go out of your way to help someone, but do it without fanfare, maybe even secretly. Take time to be with friends and family. Worry less about how the house and yard look and worry more about the time you get to visit with your loved ones. Go to a church service. Sing a Christmas carol. Eat some Christmas candy. Hang around some children. Go to a school Christmas play (if they haven't been cancelled.)

Christmas will come and go. On December 26 will you have regrets or will it be an anti climax? Will you be savoring special memories? It is up to you.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
-Luke 2:10-11

Until the next time
John Strain

Tookie

If you haven't heard of Stanley "Tookie" Williams by now, just wait. He is the founder of the Crips street gang and currently on death row in California for the 1979 murders of four people in two separate robberies.

Tookie has gotten some fame by writing a children's book about avoiding gangs, he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and a movie was made about his life starring Jamie Foxx.

He is supposed to die December 13, but Governor Schwarzenegger has set a clemency hearing for December 8 bowing to pressure.

Hollywood is coming out in favor of sparing Tookie and the media is speculating about violence and rioting if Tookie is executed as scheduled. Here are some of Tookie's groupies:

Snoop Dogg, Bianca Jagger, Jesse Jackson, Margaret Cho, Mike Farrell, Jason Alexander, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Glover, Anjelica Huston, Bonnie Raitt, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, and Noah Wyle.

Read about Tookie yourself:

For Tookie:
Tookie's Home Page
The fight to save Tookie Williams

Against Tookie:
Fry Tookie
Michelle Malkin: The Tookie Files
Tookie Philes

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What we have here is a man who started a gang that spread throughout the world. I wonder how many crimes and murders his crip children perpetrated. On his site is an apology to crips. He does not mention any victims of the crip violence.

I don't care how many books he writes or how he says he turned his life around. He was convicted and sentenced for other behaviors.

I continue to be baffled by who the famous choose as their cause de jour. Tookie is a murderer and does not deserve this celebrity treatment. A Nobel Peace Prize nomination makes a mockery of the Nobel Prize.

Potential violence: I am hearing suggestions in the media that Tookie's death could spark violence throughout the country. If this is true, we will know that he had no influence. I would think that followers of Tookie have laid that kind of life down.

If Tookie were any kind of leader, he would take his punishment like a man and instruct his followers to live not as he did, but as he said. Any moron can commit a crime, go to jail, then pontificate about how others should live.

Maybe the rioting threat is just an excuse to get some more looting in before Christmas. These days folks don't need much of an excuse. A hurricane, Nazi's marching in Toledo, and now terminating the life of a convicted murderer.

Jail is not a place to make people better or to hold them until they are nice boys and girls so they can be set free to continue being nice to everyone. Jail is there to keep people who cannot control their behavior away from people who can control their behavior. Jail protects society from dangerous people.

Tookie is no celebrity. He is not the only person who cares about young people. There are many who work in obscurity much more deserving of recognition and award.

Tookie's victims deserve justice, Hollywood needs to find a real hero to support, and the media needs to stop fanning the flames of violence for some good video on the nightly newscast.

Until the next time
John Strain