Among those whom I like and admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can; all of them make me laugh.
- W.H. Auden -
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there.
- Lewis Carroll -
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
We Are All Broken
This was a commentary by Bob Schieffer of CBS at the end of his Face The Nation show on April 8, 2007.
"I have some thoughts for this season of relection that began with Passover and ends with Easter.
Last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival, I interviewed a minister named T.D. Jakes. He is an African American pastor of a Dallas megachurch of more than 30,000 people. He said something that day I shall never forget.
He reminded us that no one is perfect, that we are all broken somewhere.
But he said that is not all bad. A key is broken in all the right places to fit a certain lock. When that key is placed in that lock. there is a quiet click. When we meet a person who is broken in the right places to accommodate our brokenness, there is a click.
It can happen in other ways; an introverted person hears that click when he finds a job that can only be done by a person who works well alone; or when we face a life-altering decision.
Whether it is a job, or a relationship or even faith, something clicks when we find the place that accommodates our uniqueness, or brokeness.
Some religions teach prayer - some call it meditation - but there is within each of us some mysterious, inner thing that tells us when something clicks - we don't know how or why, we just know.
We are all broken. But listening for that click can help us unlock many doors. The voice is always there - we only have to listen."
- Bob Schieffer -
"I have some thoughts for this season of relection that began with Passover and ends with Easter.
Last summer at the Aspen Ideas Festival, I interviewed a minister named T.D. Jakes. He is an African American pastor of a Dallas megachurch of more than 30,000 people. He said something that day I shall never forget.
He reminded us that no one is perfect, that we are all broken somewhere.
But he said that is not all bad. A key is broken in all the right places to fit a certain lock. When that key is placed in that lock. there is a quiet click. When we meet a person who is broken in the right places to accommodate our brokenness, there is a click.
It can happen in other ways; an introverted person hears that click when he finds a job that can only be done by a person who works well alone; or when we face a life-altering decision.
Whether it is a job, or a relationship or even faith, something clicks when we find the place that accommodates our uniqueness, or brokeness.
Some religions teach prayer - some call it meditation - but there is within each of us some mysterious, inner thing that tells us when something clicks - we don't know how or why, we just know.
We are all broken. But listening for that click can help us unlock many doors. The voice is always there - we only have to listen."
- Bob Schieffer -
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thought For The Day
I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart.
- e e cummings -
- e e cummings -
Calvin Coolidge
This is a great quote from Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States.
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
- Calvin Coolidge -
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
- Calvin Coolidge -
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Thought For The Day
Your imagination is your preview of lifes' coming attractions.
- Albert Einstein -
- Albert Einstein -
Weekly Basketball Rankings
This is the first of the "Capehiker Weekly College Basketball Rankings", the official beginning of the road to March Madness! The men's division I rankings will expand as the weeks go by and I get to see more games on TV. The women's rankings will never expand beyond the top five because only a few women's teams have a realistic chance of winning the national championship. The men's Div. II and Div. III rankings are a mix of my favorite teams and the really good teams.
Men's Division I
1. UCLA
2. Memphis
3. Michigan State
4. Georgetown
5. North Carolina
6. Texas
7. Kansas
8. Pittsburgh
9. Butler
10. Washington State
Women's Division I
1. UConn
2. Tennessee
3. Stanford
4. Maryland
5.Baylor
Men's Division II
1. Saint Anselm
2.Grand Valley St.
3. Virginia Union
4. Bentley
5. Winona State
Men's Division III
1. Framingham State
2. Elmhurst
3. UW-Stevens Point
4. Amherst
5. Wooster
Men's Division I
1. UCLA
2. Memphis
3. Michigan State
4. Georgetown
5. North Carolina
6. Texas
7. Kansas
8. Pittsburgh
9. Butler
10. Washington State
Women's Division I
1. UConn
2. Tennessee
3. Stanford
4. Maryland
5.Baylor
Men's Division II
1. Saint Anselm
2.Grand Valley St.
3. Virginia Union
4. Bentley
5. Winona State
Men's Division III
1. Framingham State
2. Elmhurst
3. UW-Stevens Point
4. Amherst
5. Wooster
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Thought For The Day
Middle age is when you've met so many people that every new person you meet reminds you of someone else.
- Ogden Nash -
- Ogden Nash -
Christmas To Remember
I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. Every Christmas spent with family, safe and sound, is a great Christmas. I was watching the guys in Iraq celebrating Christmas on TV. Some of them have been there for three or fours tours. What a disgrace.
It reminded me of Christmas, 1969, my first Christmas at home after a year in Vietnam and four years in the Navy. We flew from Tokyo, Japan, to Anchorage, Alaska, to San Francisco on December 16, 1969. Because we crossed the international date line, traveling west to east, we actually landed in San Francisco earlier than we left Tokyo; very strange. We were discharged from the service at the Navy base at Treasure Island on December 19th, and were given a plane ticket home. My father met me at South Station in Boston. It was one of the few times I ever traveled in full uniform. He was very proud.
It reminded me of Christmas, 1969, my first Christmas at home after a year in Vietnam and four years in the Navy. We flew from Tokyo, Japan, to Anchorage, Alaska, to San Francisco on December 16, 1969. Because we crossed the international date line, traveling west to east, we actually landed in San Francisco earlier than we left Tokyo; very strange. We were discharged from the service at the Navy base at Treasure Island on December 19th, and were given a plane ticket home. My father met me at South Station in Boston. It was one of the few times I ever traveled in full uniform. He was very proud.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Christmas Eve Thoughts
Just a nice quote and a poem today from two of my favorites, Henry David Thoreau, and my distant relative Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Merry Christmas to all!
Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.
- Thoreau -
Age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.
- Longfellow -
Merry Christmas to all!
Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.
- Thoreau -
Age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.
- Longfellow -
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Thought For The Day
In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.
- author unknown -
- author unknown -
Final Shopping Days
Now that we're done with the Steve Jobs trilogy, it's time to focus on Christmas and some last minute shopping. Last Friday at the Cape Cod Times we had another of our many traditions to celebrate certain holidays. It's called "little sandwiches day". They do serve food, catered by Ardeo's, one of the best restaurants on Cape Cod, but the real focus was raising money for the Needy Fund, a charity sponsored by the paper for many years. We had a raffle for some really nice prizes, autographed Red Sox baseballs, (Youkelis, Lowell, Varitek), gift baskets, framed original paintings, and many other Cape Cod items. Then we auctioned two more baseballs signed by Varitek, and they went for $300 each. Our publisher, Peter Meyer, awarded plaques and cash to emplyees celebrating many years at the paper. It was with mixed emotions because we have been sold, and the future is uncertain.
It was a very nice day but it doesn't compare to the two biggest days each year at the paper. Number one is Haloween, it's total chaos. Employees bring their children. There's a parade of costumes that goes out onto Main Street and through some of the local businesses, and of course, more food. The next best day is the Red Sox home opening game which is usually played at 1 PM on a weekday. We convert our large meeting room into "Fenway Park" with a large screen TV, hot dogs, peanuts, cold drinks - just like being at the park. New employees are stunned. Hopefully those traditions will continue for many more years.
It was a very nice day but it doesn't compare to the two biggest days each year at the paper. Number one is Haloween, it's total chaos. Employees bring their children. There's a parade of costumes that goes out onto Main Street and through some of the local businesses, and of course, more food. The next best day is the Red Sox home opening game which is usually played at 1 PM on a weekday. We convert our large meeting room into "Fenway Park" with a large screen TV, hot dogs, peanuts, cold drinks - just like being at the park. New employees are stunned. Hopefully those traditions will continue for many more years.