May Farewell

How sweet your fragrances, they linger still. The magnolia, jasmine, and gardenia are your scents. It is during your serene beginnings, the bird songs surround me as I go walking, then running through your hazy, humid breath of morning. They are the first gentle touches of summer. The green foliage and oak canopies hide the spring sky, but the sunlight filters through the leafy green and luminous fingers reach the ground ferns through misty air. Light and shadows dance to an ancient song and those who notice are enchanted by a siren's tune and hypnotic movement. Your colors are green, blue, and yellow, but you masterfully blend the entire spectrum throughout your landscape.



In Mays gone by I have realized goals. Not only have I graduated a time or two myself, but I have lived to see my own son walk down an aisle on a warm May evening. It was not that long ago I was his age and my heart was ready to enter the world. I have fallen victim to time and many Mays have passed since that May morning, but I am perhaps more alive now, than I was then.



During your time we honor our mothers and I wish my own mother a happy birthday. I love the flowers your sister April's showers provides.



Our time for now has ended, but I will hold the memories in my heart and mind. The pungent magnolia perfume will comfort me some day and I will replay the sun and shadow dance in my mind to make myself smile.



Farewell May.



Until the next time

John Strain

Miracle

I recently watched the movie Miracle about the 1980 US Hockey Team which won the gold medal. I am always drawn to stories in which the underdog succeeds. The fact this movie was a true story made it even better. That win over the Soviets has to qualify for the all time upset win ever. Herb Brooks applied the formula of a good plan + hard work + single mindedness = success.



Herb was a good teacher. Once he assembled his team, he often asked a player three questions. "What is your name? Where are you from? Who do you play for?" From the first tryout to game play, the players would answer the third question with their college. There was a rivalry between Minnesota and the East Coast. I think it was after the US team tied the Norwegian team Herb Brooks kept the players on the ice after the game. He was angry, because he had observed them looking at girls in the stands and generally not taking the game seriously.



He made them skate from one end of the rink to the other in a common drill. The team stayed out there for a long time. In between sprints, Herb would say things to them. He reminded them of how important it was to give your all. The players were about to drop and most had thrown up from exertion. Finally, one of the players shouted out his name and the city from which he hailed. Herb Brooks asked him the third question, "Who do you play for?" Back came the response, "I play for the United States of America." The player "got it" and the team "got it." The coach could have stopped them on the first day and said something like this, "Boys, when I ask you who you play for, you are to say the USA. We need to put these rivalries behind us and be as one." Herb knew that lesson could not be conveyed in that way. The players would have to learn it on their own or it would not matter.



Miracle is a feel good movie. It is a welcome addition to what is out there. It is easy to see how it happened. The Soviets were over confident, but the US Team prepared. They paid the price in hard work and they were not in awe. You just never know what will happen.

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When it comes to accomplishing your miracles this movie sets down a solid approach. First, have a goal. In my case it is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Second, have a good plan. I am eating cottage cheese and peaches aren't I? Perhaps more importantly, I am paying for a coach and I will do what he tells me. Third, hard work. This is where a lot of goals crash and burn. It is one thing to have a goal and make a plan, but to do the day to day work of it separates the men form the boys. If you went to college you probably remember urges to quit maybe half way through. You have probably done the work for some goals and quit on others. That brings us to the next point. Single mindedness is necessary to accomplish the impossible. Fortunately, most of the things we want to do are not impossible, but it is nice to know you can do it if you apply single mindedness. I do not think I will have to quit my job to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I will have to forego some things. I will have to sacrifice.



It is comforting to know I can do just about anything I want to if I apply this formula. Others have proven its truth time and again. Movies like Miracle inspire and invite us to believe and to do. If we dare, we too will accomplish miracles.



Until the next time

John Strain

Name That Puppy

Those of you who suggested a name for this little guy may be interested to see the 12 finalist names. You can cast your vote for one of them here. This is a dog Other World Computing is sponsoring for "Working Class Dogs." He will be a service dog for someone.









I chose Yoda because he is going to be smart.

Jump Starting a Diet

Today is the day I was to begin the peaches and cottage cheese diet. My last regular meal was last night at Outback. About 2:00 AM I awoke to the sound of my wife Barbara throwing up in the bathroom. My immediate concern was, "Barbara's throwing up, I hope I don't get it." One of my nicknames is "Mr. Compassion." She threw up again and again about every 30 minutes. I could no longer ignore an uneasy feeling in my own stomach and before I knew it I was spewing diarrhea myself. "Well," I thought, "diarrhea is not so bad, at least I am not throwing up." Within a short period of time, I headed to the bathroom with a sense of nausea climbing beyond the limits of holding things down. I was doing a Linda Blair imitation that was a dead ringer. Few things are as disgusting as heaving your guts up into a toilet. I had not noticed how the hard water stains were beginning to collect around the rim. Between heaves I made a mental note to mention this to Barbara. Last night's supper exited my mouth with such pressure, it splashed in the toilet water and showered my face. The acid in my throat, snot dripping from my nose, tears streaming down my face, oh what misery. I had not had this sort of problem in a long time. There is temporary relief once you hurl like that, but it is short lived. I washed my face, brushed my teeth and crawled back in the bed.



Barbara and I took turns throwing up and expelling diarrhea most of the morning. I had a feeling of nausea that would not subside. I could not throw up to relieve it. It just stayed, then a headache accompanied it for laughs I guess. Eventually, by three or four, I began to feel a little better. I drank some Diet Coke, then some ice water. I went outside and watered my plants. Then I came inside and sorted through a few weeks of mail to pull out the bills. By now, I felt like I was on mile 22 of a marathon.



I am getting better. I figure tomorrow I will be back to normal. Outback said we were the only ones complaining of a problem from yesterday. I told them that they may not be able to yet. It is only now I managed the strength to pick up the telephone. I thought they might want to check things out. At this time, I am not really wanting meal coupons.



Oh, I got on the scales and I already lost four pounds from yesterday. I knew the cottage cheese and peaches diet would work.



Until the next time

John Strain

Thanks Everyone

For those of you taking time to wish my mother a happy birthday, I say thank you. You can see by her comments she was impressed. I love the fact that just leaving a message on a web page can lift the spirit and boost the confidence. Your attention is most appreciated.



John Strain