Another 8 or 10 feet to the right and everything would have been OK.Is it just me, or are these Olympics a bit of a flop? It feels like the NBC family of stations is trying to hype things but it just ain't happening. Part of it is due to their decision to show everything on a tape delay. I already know Lindsey Vonn crashed, so why should I watch tonight's race?
Gerta's brake switches should have come today. They were mailed Priority Mail from Colorado on Tuesday. If they don't come tomorrow....
I got a call today from the oral surgeon reminding me of my appointment Monday afternoon. I'm having a tooth pulled and I am NOT looking forward to it. Not so much the procedure itself; the anesthetic means I won't feel anything except the pressure. But I did this routine last year and the days afterward are not fun, and the location of this tooth is more problematic.
Got my haircut this afternoon by a gal I've not seen there before. I tried to be more chatty, and asked questions of this 20-something about the tonsorial profession. In the course of the conversation I asked how much a woman typically spends to have her hair colored and cut.
A: "Now that I work here I get it free, but I used to pay $140."
What?????
I had no idea. And I am very thankful for a wife who is just fine with her gray hair!
Bless you, my dear!
Today I've been thinking about confessions. One reason is that I read an article this morning on Sports Illustrated online about Mark McGwire's presence at spring training as a hitting instructor for the St. Louis Cardinals. The press asked him about his return to baseball after his recent admission that he had used steroids. (This following his stonewalling while under oath before Congress.) He reiterated his apology, going on about how he knows he disappointed people. He insists, however, that it didn't improve his performance or contribute to his home run numbers. It only helped him stave off injuries. (right)
But one line caught my attention. About his apology several weeks ago he said, "It took a lot to do what I did. I spoke the truth. Let's move on and turn this into a really positive thing."
I didn't really need the confirmation, but that statement convinces me that McGwire a) doesn't get it, b) isn't really sorry or repentant and c) issued his apology in hopes of getting out from under the pressure from everyone knowing he was lying to us. When someone talks about how courageous it was for them to apologize they clearly are not humbled by their actions.
This further piques my interest re. Tiger's statement tomorrow. He will certainly "apologize" to his family, his sponsors, the tour, his fans and their pet Shih Tzu. The fact that he won't take questions and has made the event by "invitation only" suggests Tiger still wants to control his world. Hey, he does not owe me any apology! That's not my point. I'm just curious to see if he's more like McGwire or like Michael Vick.
Near as I can tell Vick has answered every question put to him by every reporter, and done so candidly. He has made no excuses for any of his behavior, taken full responsibility and has even admitted to failings the press would not otherwise have known about - using pot and dogging it during practices and games while for the Falcons. He gives every evidence of being a broken and humbled man.
But there's another reason the matter of confessions has been on my mind today. I made a difficult phone call this morning to apologize for acting very badly toward someone very, very important to me. I say it was a difficult call not because I worried about their acceptance of my apology but because I am extremely angry and disappointed with myself, to the extent that it kept me awake last night. It was difficult for me to think back and see myself behaving that insensitively. I did not like what I saw.
The apology was accepted with all the graciousness I expected. But I have to admit I'm still angry at Craig MacDonald. Ashamed. Confession may be good for the soul but it's a slow tonic.
Gerta's brake switches should have come today. They were mailed Priority Mail from Colorado on Tuesday. If they don't come tomorrow....
I got a call today from the oral surgeon reminding me of my appointment Monday afternoon. I'm having a tooth pulled and I am NOT looking forward to it. Not so much the procedure itself; the anesthetic means I won't feel anything except the pressure. But I did this routine last year and the days afterward are not fun, and the location of this tooth is more problematic.
Got my haircut this afternoon by a gal I've not seen there before. I tried to be more chatty, and asked questions of this 20-something about the tonsorial profession. In the course of the conversation I asked how much a woman typically spends to have her hair colored and cut.
A: "Now that I work here I get it free, but I used to pay $140."
What?????
I had no idea. And I am very thankful for a wife who is just fine with her gray hair!
Bless you, my dear!
Today I've been thinking about confessions. One reason is that I read an article this morning on Sports Illustrated online about Mark McGwire's presence at spring training as a hitting instructor for the St. Louis Cardinals. The press asked him about his return to baseball after his recent admission that he had used steroids. (This following his stonewalling while under oath before Congress.) He reiterated his apology, going on about how he knows he disappointed people. He insists, however, that it didn't improve his performance or contribute to his home run numbers. It only helped him stave off injuries. (right)
But one line caught my attention. About his apology several weeks ago he said, "It took a lot to do what I did. I spoke the truth. Let's move on and turn this into a really positive thing."
I didn't really need the confirmation, but that statement convinces me that McGwire a) doesn't get it, b) isn't really sorry or repentant and c) issued his apology in hopes of getting out from under the pressure from everyone knowing he was lying to us. When someone talks about how courageous it was for them to apologize they clearly are not humbled by their actions.
This further piques my interest re. Tiger's statement tomorrow. He will certainly "apologize" to his family, his sponsors, the tour, his fans and their pet Shih Tzu. The fact that he won't take questions and has made the event by "invitation only" suggests Tiger still wants to control his world. Hey, he does not owe me any apology! That's not my point. I'm just curious to see if he's more like McGwire or like Michael Vick.
Near as I can tell Vick has answered every question put to him by every reporter, and done so candidly. He has made no excuses for any of his behavior, taken full responsibility and has even admitted to failings the press would not otherwise have known about - using pot and dogging it during practices and games while for the Falcons. He gives every evidence of being a broken and humbled man.
But there's another reason the matter of confessions has been on my mind today. I made a difficult phone call this morning to apologize for acting very badly toward someone very, very important to me. I say it was a difficult call not because I worried about their acceptance of my apology but because I am extremely angry and disappointed with myself, to the extent that it kept me awake last night. It was difficult for me to think back and see myself behaving that insensitively. I did not like what I saw.
The apology was accepted with all the graciousness I expected. But I have to admit I'm still angry at Craig MacDonald. Ashamed. Confession may be good for the soul but it's a slow tonic.
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