JUST WAITING

**** THIS MORNING I'M JUST WAITING ON MY RIDE TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE . THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TRIP THIS WEEK .

SOME HAVE ASKED ME HOW I SPEND MY TIME SINCE I RETIRED & I TELL THEM WAITING IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE .

I AM NOT VERY GOOD AT WAITING BUT I AM GETTING BETTER . SOMETIMES I READ OR WORK SUDOKU . BUT LATELY I HAVE STARTED PEOPLE WATCHING .

THE PEOPLE IN THE WAITING ROOM ARE FROM ALL STAGES OF LIFE . YOUNG /OLD , RICH/ POOR , BLACK / WHITE . EVERYONE IS REPRESENTED.

ONE THING TO NOTICE IS THE AMOUNT OF HOPE WRITTEN ON THEIR FACE . SOME ARE BEAMING KNOWING THIS VISIT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM . OTHERS ARE TIRED & WORN BATTLING A RELENTLESS FOE .

TALK ABOUT JESUS IS MORE WELCOME IN THE WAITING ROOM THAN AT MOST LUNCH TABLES . MOST FOLKS THERE KNOW WHO IS IN CONTROL.

IN SPITE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS, WE HAVE THE BEST HEALTH CARE IN THE WORLD . WE JUST HAVE TO FIND A WAY FOR MORE ACCESS & REDUCE COST .

I'M OPPOSED TO BIG GOVERNMENT BUT I DON'T THINK AN ILLNESS SHOULD DESTROY A FAMILY FINANCIALLY .AS AMERICA GROWS OLDER ,THIS PROBLEM WILL EXPLODE .

IF YOU WANT ACTION ON HEALTH CARE , REQUIRE CONGRESS TO HAVE THE SAME HEALTH CARE PLAN THEY PROVIDE THE PEOPLE . YOU WOULD SEE SOME CHANGES THEN .

WELL, BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM . THESE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS TO PASS THE ENDLESS HOURS IN THE WAITING ROOM .

NOW I AM THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THE WAITING ROOM . FOR A WHILE THERE IT SEEMED MY WAITING MIGHT BE OVER . AND IT IS STILL A LONG WAYS OUT OF THE WOODS FOR ME .

I AM NOT SURE WHAT JESUS HAS PLANNED FOR ME IN THIS EXTRA TIME BUT I AM SURE HE WILL MAKE IT KNOWN.


THANK YOU FOR READING !!!!!!

GRANDDADDY'S STORE

**** IN THE 1950'S MY GRANDDAD OWNED A STORE . IT WASN'T LIKE THE STORES OF TODAY .

IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A QUICK CHECK WERE PEOPLE STAYED AN HOUR OR TWO . PEOPLE EXCHANGED THE LATEST NEWS & GOSSIP.

THEY ALSO MADE SANDWICHES SUCH AS HOOP CHEESE & RAG BALONEY. THERE WAS ALSO A BIG JAR OF PICKLES. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY ANYBODY WANTED ONE .

THERE WAS A TABLE & A LOT OF CHAIRS IN THE CORNER BY THE COAL STOVE . DOMINOES & CHECKERS WERE PLAYED ALL THE TIME .

THE COKE BOTTLE GAME WAS AN ONGOING EVENT THROUGH OUT THE DAY . IT WORKED LIKE THIS ; WHERE THE DRINK WAS BOTTLED IS WRITTEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS. YOU COULD PLAY CLOSEST TO OR FURTHEREST AWAY.

THE GUYS REALLY GOT INTO THIS. THEY EVEN POSTED A BIG MAP OF THE USA ON THE WALL . WHEN THERE WAS A DISPUTE THEY WOULD GO TO THE MAP TO MEASURE WHO WAS CLOSEST OR FURTHEREST.

THE LOSER HAD TO BUY ALL THE COKES BUT THEY ONLY COST A NICKEL .

THE BEST OF ALL WAS STORYTELLING . THE MEN WOULD TELL THESE STORIES & THE OTHERS WOULD TRY TO PROVE HIM WRONG .

THE CHAMP WAS MR.SIMS WHO TOLD STORIES OF BEING WITH ADMIRAL BYRD AT THE NORTH POLE. ANYTIME ANYONE TALKED ABOUT COLD WEATHER MR SIMS WAS READY WITH A NORTH POLE STORY.

FINALLY THE STORE SETTERS HAD ENOUGH . THEY GOT A PICTURE FROM THE SMITHSONIAN OF ADMIRAL BYRD'S GROUP AT THE NORTH POLE. THERE WAS NO MR SIMS IN THE PICTURE.

WELL 'THEY SET HIM UP . THE NEXT TIME MR SIMS CRANKED UP A NORTH POLE STORY THEY PULLED OUT THE PICTURE.

WHERE ARE YOU IN THIS PICTURE THEY ASKED ? I'M NOT SAID MR SIMS .YOU SAID YOU WERE THERE THE BUNCH CHALLENGED.MR SIMS SAID "BOYS , WHO DO YOU THINK TOOK THIS PICTURE "

WITH THAT ANSWER MR SIMS BECAME THE STORYTELLING CHAMP OF ALL TIMES .

WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE MEN SPENT 2 OR 3 HOURS AT JIMMIE'S. BUT IF YOU EVER WENT IT WASN'T HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

JIMMIE'S CLOSED IN 1960 WHEN GRAN DADDY WAS KILLED IN A CAR WRECK .I CAN STILL SEE HIM IN THAT FANCY STRAW HAT , STRIPED SHIRT & THOSE TWO -TONE SHOES SITTING ON THE PORCH OF THE STORE. JIMMIE WAS 53 WHEN THE LORD CALLED HIS NAME .

I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE STORES LIKE JIMMIE'S ANYMORE.

**** STEELERS OVER JETS

**** PACKERS OVER BEARS

THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!!!!

WHAT A SHOW

**** THE NFL PUTS A GREAT PRODUCT ON THE FIELD . THE GAMES THIS WEEKEND WERE OUTSTANDING AS THEY HAVE BEEN ALL SEASON.

I HOPE BILLIONAIRES FIGHTING WITH MILLIONAIRES DOES NOT DESTROY THE LEAGUE . IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD .

I MISSED ON 3 OF 4 GAMES THIS WEEK BUT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

STEELERS / RAVENS

THE RAVENS WERE SAILING ALONG IN COMPLETE CONTROL UNTIL THE RAY RICE FUMBLE . THEN IT WAS LIKE A BIG JET PLANE LANDING & REVERSING THE ENGINES . ALL STEELERS THE REST OF THE WAY .

IT WILL BE HARD TO KEEP THE STEELERS FROM WINNING THE SUPER BOWL . THEY ARE THE BEST TEAM LEFT .

FALCONS / PACKERS

THE FALCONS CONTINUED THEIR PLAYOFF WOES . BUT AARON RODGERS WOULD GIVE ANYONE THE PLAYOFF BLUES WITH THE GAME HE HAD .

THE PACKERS ARE HOT AT THE RIGHT TIME . IF RODGERS CAN PLAY CLOSE TO THIS THE NEXT 3 WEEKS THE PACK COULD WIN SB45.

TO THE # 1 FALCON FAN : SORRY JULIE ,GET 'EM NEXT YEAR .

BEARS / SEAHAWKS

THE GOOD JAY CUTLER SHOWED UP & THE BEARS ROLLED . CAN WE COUNT ON THE GOOD JAY FOR 2 MORE GAMES ?

THE PACK VS THE BEARS AT SOLDIER FIELD IS A GAME FROM THE PAST . BACK TO THE FUTURE I GUESS .

PATS / JETS

I PULLED HARD IN THIS ONE . I WANTED LITTLE BILLY BELLS TO GET BEAT . WHAT'S WITH THIS HOODIE ? SOME OF BELICHICK'S STAFF LOOK LIKE MONKS WHO HAVE ESCAPED THE MONASTERY. ALFRED HITCHCOCK WOULD LOVE THESE BOYS.

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH BRADY ? I HAVE ONLY SEEN HIM LOOK THIS BAD ONCE BEFORE . TOM DID NOT APPEAR TO BE INTERESTED IN THE GAME . NO FIRE ,NO EMOTION .

A WORD TO THE JETS : SANCHEZ IS MUCH BETTER AT PLAY ACTION THAN DROP BACK .

REX RYAN & THE JETS . WHAT CAN YOU SAY BUT,

JETS- JETS - JETS

I WILL PICK THESE GAMES LATER THIS WEEK .

THANK YOU FOR READING !!!!

SCHOOLS SCHOOLS SCHOOLS

**** JUST SOME THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF THE SCHOOLS.

I SPENT 17 TO 18 YEARS AS A STUDENT, 32 YEARS AS A TEACHER & ADMINISTRATOR , & ABOUT 4 YEARS AS A HIRED COACH .

HERE ARE SOME THINGS I NOTICED ALONG THE WAY .

MEMPHIS CITY SCHOOLS ARE A FAILURE . THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE IS THE COLLAPSE OF THE FAMILY UNIT IN THEIR COMMUNITY .

THOSE CHILDREN ARE COMING TO SCHOOL TOO FAR BEHIND TO CATCH UP . THEY ARE NOT ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD .

THE SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE SOME BETTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE BETTER PREPARED STUDENTS WITH MORE HOME SUPPORT .

THE SCS STUDENTS HAVE A HEAD START IN THE RACE SO THEY SHOULD DO BETTER .

CONSOLIDATION WILL HURT BOTH SYSTEMS WHILE HELPING NEITHER ONE .

ONLY MEMPHIS VOTERS SHOULD DECIDE THE SURRENDER OF THE MEMPHIS CHARTER . THIS IS A MEMPHIS THING.

ONLY SHELBY COUNTY VOTERS SHOULD HAVE ANY SAY IN THE COUNTY SCHOOLS .

IF THERE IS ONE UNIFIED SCHOOL SYSTEM THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE WILLIE HERENDON .

THE ONLY WAY FOR SCHOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IS TO GIVE PARENTS A CHOICE , & SCHOOLS MUST COMPETE FOR STUDENTS .

THE UNITED STATES HAS THE WORST K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE WORLD , BUT HAS THE FINEST UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IN THE WORLD . THE REASON IS THE COLLEGES MUST COMPETE FOR STUDENTS SO THEY MUST GET RESULTS .

YOU LET SCHOOLS START COMPETING FOR STUDENTS , THEN YOU WILL SEE SCHOOLS GETTING RESULTS .

GIVE PARENTS A CHOICE & WATCH THE POOR SCHOOLS FADE AWAY . PRIVATE SCHOOLS KNOW THEY HAVE TO PRODUCE OR PERISH .

WHY SHOULD YOUR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY BE DETERMINED BY YOUR ZIP CODE ?


CHOICE & COMPETITION ARE THE ANSWERS .

THANK YOU FOR READING . !!!!

A STRANGE SEASON

**** HOORA to AUBURN FOR WINNING THE MAKE - BELIEVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

HOORA TO THE SEC FOR WINNING THE FANTASY CHAMPIONSHIP 5 YEARS IN A ROW .

HOORA TO THE NEWTON FAMILY FOR BEATING THE SYSTEM . CAM WAS PAID TO PLAY .

BOO TO THE NCAA FOR A 7 WEEK LAY-OFF BEFORE THE FANTASY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME .

THERE WILL BE NO REAL CHAMPION UNTIL THERE IS A PLAY-OFF.

YOU COULD HAVE A 12 TEAM PLAY-OFF IN THE 4 WEEKS FROM THANKSGIVING TO THE NEW YEAR .THAT IS 11 GAMES . YOU CAN USE THE CURRENT BOWL STRUCTURE . THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A REAL CHAMPION,NOT A FAVORITE .

THE BOWL SYSTEM IS A JOKE . A 6-6 TEAM DOES NOT BELONG IN A BOWL . A TEAM SHOULD HAVE TO WIN 8 TO PLAY IN A BOWL .

**** NFL PICKS

LAST WEEK I WAS 2-2 .

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT MANNING & BREES WOULD BOTH BE OUT .

RAVENS VS STEELERS
THE STEELERS HAVE THE BEST QB & ARE PLAYING AT HOME . THE RAVENS HAVE THE BETTER DEFENSE &THE BETTER RUSHING GAME . THE RAVENS IN AN UPSET .

JETS VS PATRIOTS
THE PATS HAVE THE BETTER QB , THE BETTER COACH , THE BETTER OFFENSE & ARE PLAYING AT HOME . ALL THE JETS HAVE GOING IS A BETTER DEFENSE & THEY COULD RUN THE BALL TO KEEP NEW ENGLAND OFF THE FIELD .
NEW ENGLAND IN A CLOSE ONE .

PACKERS VS FALCONS

THE QBS ARE ABOUT EVEN , THE PACK HAS A LITTLE BETTER DEFENSE BUT THE BIRDS ARE HARD TO BEAT AT HOME .
THE FALCONS MOVE ON .
ONE OF MY OLD QBS IS A COACH FOR THE FALCONS ; GERALD BROWN .

SEAHAWKS VS BEARS

IT IS HARD TO PICK THE WACKY BEARS IN ANY GAME BUT THE HAWKS SHOULD NOT BE HERE . THEY HAD THEIR MOMENT WHEN THEY BEAT THE SAINTS.

LOVIE SMITH OF BIG SANDY TEXAS WILL ADVANCE .

THANK YOU FOR READING !!!!

PREDICTIONS & REFLECTIONS

**** Here are your NFL playoff winners.

Jets vs Colts

A very dangerous game for the Colts. The Colts have the best QB & are playing at home . But so many players hurt.

The Jets have the better defense & the better running game .

MY PICK - Colts

Ravens vs Chiefs

Another tough call . The Ravens have the better defense but the Chiefs can run the ball .

The advantage at QB & on the sideline goes to the Ravens but the Chiefs are playing at home.

MY PICK - Ravens

Packers vs Eagles

The Eagles are playing at home ,have the better defense , & the stronger rushing game .

The Packers seem to be outmatched here . I just have a feeling .

MY PICK - Packers

Saints vs Seahawks

Every factor other than home field says Saints . Oh, sometimes Super Bowl winners tend to lose early in the playoffs the next year .

I think the West Coast Birds are lucky to be here . Look for Saint defense to dominate .

MY PICK - Saints


**** OOH ! Tigers

Can you play any worse than the Tigers did vs Tennessee ? Memphis needs some offensive focus instead of playing one on five .

**** Did Michigan fire Rich Rod one year too early ? He improved every year . Now they have a roster - 20 returning starters- to play spread football . Hope that is what the new man wants to do.

I say Brady Hoke will be the coach .

**** Can you believe it ?

The Titians chose Jeff Fisher over Vince Young

Marvin Lewis , Jack Del Rio , & Gary Kubiak still have jobs .

Al Davis is changing coaches again .

THANK YOU FOR READING !!!!

BOWLS,PLAYOFFS,& JOBS

**** I have not been fired up about the bowls this year . I'm not the only one . The ratings are down.

The networks are extending the bowls too far . Having the Championship on January 10th is crazy .It is hard for teams to stay sharp after a 6 week lay -off.


Derek Dooley sure has strange endings . UT had the Music Bowl won .then lost after the game was over .

Way to go TCU ! I have loved the Horned Frogs after reading Dan Jenkins novels many years ago..

It is remarkable what the Frogs have done the last decade.

Mississippi State closed out with a big bang beating Michigan .

Alabama looks like the best team up to Sunday .

**** Well.I picked 7 of the 12 NFL playoff teams . I missed on the Bears, Seahawks , Steelers ,Chiefs , & Eagles . I did not expect to see these teams in the play-offs .

The Falcons could go a long way playing at home . The Birds are tough to beat in the Dome

The Patriots are really playing well in the AFC. The Colts are just getting by .


I will pick all the NFL games later this week .

`**** Look for the NFL job changes to start today . There are 5 already & could be 5 or 7 more.

NYG & SD say they are keeping their Coaches . I look for Tennessee & Houston to change today .

THANK YOU FOR READING !!!1














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