Hey Guys, what if you had to take down the Christmas tree each year?

When it is something you do often enough, people refer to it as a habit or ritual. For me, taking down our Christmas tree, is an honor. My three “girls” are usually visiting with Val’s mama…good thing I suppose, for my language can get…well…..interesting…as I take down the holiday decorations. I enjoy putting UP all of the “stuff”…partly because I love outdoing my neighbors, but taking DOWN the Christmas tree -- is what is really special to me.

Our main tree is eclectic, with a few ornaments dating back some 40 years. As I carefully remove each piece, a memory flashes by – so it takes me a considerable amount of time to finish – but it is time I cherish. You see – life is measured in years – but living is measured in moments…. and I gotta tell ya’ – mine have been pretty good. So if I seem a little sentimental – don’t call the “paddy wagon” for me – I am still just as hardnosed as usual. However, this one time a year simply forces me to appreciate my life.

There is a broken ornament on the tree, purchased at a Christmas time visit to Six Flags Over Georgia when Val and I lived in Atlanta. I was a little too much into being macho then – and I did not wear enough warm gear. It was the coldest time I can ever remember – Val and I still laugh about it ( she reminds our daughters that I am not near as tough as I think I am) . The ornament WAS a circle enclosing Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ. Dorothy has, (over the years), been lost. The circle remains however, and every year, I smile when I place it back in its storage box. That one stays with us – even if I have to duct tape it.

There are a couple of “stolen” ornaments on the tree – ones that once were a fixture on Val’s tree when she was a child. Not real sure her mother knows the ornaments are gone – so if you know my mother-in-law – don’t tell her…. Those two ornaments remind Val of her life as a child. I am extra careful when I place those back in the storage box…they are plastic…but the memory is important – so I treat “them” with care.

There are 2 engraved ornaments that Val gave me – back in the “poor old days”, when ornaments were about all we could afford. I promised her in 1984 – a richer future – poorer would have been tough. I think we have done ok, but the ornaments are a reminder of how thankful I should be for our life and her…sometimes (more than sometimes) I forget. Those ornaments are ones that usually go on the bottom – for those couple of pieces represent the foundations of our life.

Some of the more “interesting” ornaments are the ones our daughters have made. One is from Carlee’s pre-school days, another from MattiLynn’s pre-school days. Wow – how those girls have grown! Perhaps, our girls will want to “steal” their ornament when each one moves on with life. I will still be tough enough to grapple over ‘em– although I may have to use my cane to “fight” them off….for now the ornaments are wrapped with care and placed away until next year.

As I will be  "taking down the tree" this week, I saw a few of the ornaments given to Val from some of her Girl Scout “children” of recent years. I know some of the girls gave them out of sheer respect ( a GS honor) for Val being the troop leader for so long. Many though, gave the ornaments as a symbol of loving return for the guidance Val has shown them. Perhaps some of the girls may not even remember giving the ornaments to her – but I know we do. The memories those ornaments bring to me, as well as the times our home welcomed the girls and their joyous laughter, their youthful innocence and even the drama that a roomful of future women bring, is still a time in my life I will cherish each coming year. I may not always get the floor clear quickly – but the happiness is crystal. How long will the celebrations continue, since our oldest has begun to worry about “coolness”? I have no idea – but I will always have the ornaments to remind me – just in case we all get a little too caught up with life.

One of my all-time favorites is a picture ornament of Carlee and me, taken at the first concert she ever attended. People told me I overpaid for those Taylor Swift tickets – and if truth be told, I guess I thought I did too. However, when that young singer came down the aisle, walked to a rotating stage only 30 feet from our seats and played the song “Fifteen”, I knew I would have paid much more. Money cannot often buy moments like that.

There is a picture ornament of Chuck (my brother) and me when we were little. Christmas morning looks a lot different now than it did then – but he is still with us each Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Every year he is so generous to our family – this year perhaps we surprised him with a gift.  Sports Weekend - including NFL playoffs tix - in the works.

We have ornaments from our trips to Gatlinburg, from our Disney World trips, a couple from our trips to the beach, even a few from our MANY trips to Wal-Mart. We have old ones, new ones, ones that do not match the décor and a couple of which I have no idea how “they” ended up on our tree. We have ones showing involvement in school, cheerleading, soccer, ice skating, band and of course, Girl Scouts. Some include pics – but many do not. We decorate with lots of other stuff too –like a collection of stuffed bears – 1 (or more) of which I have given Val each year since 1987 – this year the date had the 25^th Anniversary imprinted on the foot – just seemed to fit….. All of this is just stuff to anyone else – but each ornament and decoration “paints” a memorable picture for me, with each movement I make, as I take down our Christmas tree.

Every year I choose a favorite ornament from the current year’s additions – although very few could top last year's ornanment card from MattiLynn's orthopedic doc (got another one this year  - THAT NEEDS TO STOP!!! :)...This year my favorite ornament was not even an ornament - it was more of a compliation of pics that I will piece together and make into an ornament.  Our lives were forever changed this past year with the passing of Val's grandmother.  This holiday season was full of activities - from skate shows to Girl Scout parties to Christmas parade floats to school events to BCPS tests and other events that seem to dominate our daily lives - all important - most enjoyable - few with the impact of a very special person missing from our Christmas celebration.  Through it all, Val stayed strong - mostly because she is - but partly because she senses I am not much for emotion.  What Val most likely will never understand - is that she is THE exception to every rule I have.  To quote my oldest daughter while talking with her little sister "Get Mama to ask Daddy - he just won't tell her no - he just won't."  So my ornament this year is really just the pics in my mind and some from a camera of Val, a woman who I know was grieving, yet never let it stop her quest to serve others - a trait she learned from a woman  - Val calls Mama Zander - who always did the same.  Those "ornaments"  I will leave out for everyone to see....

As some of you know – I have a questionnaire that I have been compiling for future, little, one-track minded, twerps who will come to my door wanting to see either of my daughters. Up until LAST year, the form was only 109 questions long.  Last year I added one more:

“Do you take down your Christmas tree?”

The answer to that question will say a lot about the Dad that little boy will need to be. Perhaps each Dad would be more involved in his child's life today if only he “HAD” to take down the Christmas tree each year.

May your "New Year" be as blessed as mine is now…..

Chip

Why I should be the Poster Child for Conservatives

Why I should be the Poster Child for Conservatives

College Grad  with honors

Graduate degree with honors

U.S. Army veteran

Been married to the same person ( a woman) for over 29 years

Two daughters

NEVER been unemployed – been C-suite level for over 18 years

NEVER received any government aid (even though we qualified when I was growing up)

Been in Church most of my life

NEVER been arrested (have had three speeding tickets in my life)

NEVER had a drug or alcohol dependency problem

NEVER been to rehab

Retirement funding (without SS) secure

Don't care about the mortgage interest reduction for it does not apply

SO – Why am I a real liberal (and not one like you see on TV – but a true  pragmatic Keynesian liberal) ?   BECAUSE -  EVERYONE cannot be me, I am ok with that  and I encourage people to be different.  It is NOT my place to tell them how to live, love and work.   I truly do feel MOST people cannot (or  just will not) do for themselves like I have done for me…..Perhaps I am wrong…but ask yourself – of the 100 people you will see (at work, the store, the dry cleaners, the school, etc.) today – how many of those can truly take charge of their life?  Is government the answer?  Maybe not.  Is the private sector the answer?  I cannot speak for everyone, but I do not think that is the primary function of business. The coming election is truly about two Americas.  The problem is the two Americas being portrayed by the candidates are not really the true options.  The two candidates running say America is either one way or the other.  NEWSFLASH:  Most people are average and 66% of the population is still the majority.  The majority are not single issue voters and take parts from the right AND the left.  We will see the voting results that Tuesday.  I doubt anything will change Wednesday, not because government is bad, but because people just like to complain about what someone else gets or does not get.  People vilify the rich, then complain because they are broke.  People scoff at the welfare recipients, but have always had their needs by someone else (parents, school, business).  Those issues are such an easy, emotional target, until one considers that all of those “others” are actually people.  Meet a few, new experiences are good for you.

My 12 year old wrote this as a math project and I just thought I would share it….

 

Centroid Axiom Pi

Yep, that’s my name…CAP for short. My name means center rule ‘approximately’ three (as I made the third in our family, but I was little so I wasn’t a whole number). I sometimes go by my alias which is Miss Hazel (not real fancy or mathy huh?). My dad calls my Mom a prime number, not sure what that means, but my mom blushes when he calls her that – I think it means she is special. My mom is named Value Perfect Number, an excellent name since she is very positive, actually the absolute value (no negative) of all of us and dad, Congruent Polygon, (actually a pretty good name too, since he has equal sides of nice and tough) formed me and we became an acute triangle - we are very close, always closer than 90 degrees. One day, someone knocked on our door, I call her THE DEMON. Her real name is Mode. Another excellent name since she is most frequently annoying on average, but eventually she became my sidekick, as well as my sister. Together our family makes a good product, since we are more than just integers, together we are exponents of 4. We have no other human like demons in our house on Jupiter which is located by the coordinates of Springville, our base home, in the Milky Way System where the temperature is -100 degrees or at least in that range ( give or take 5 degrees). That is not even close to a quadrant (or ¼) of the entire universe, but is still really big.

Now to tell you a little bit about me. While a super hero (at least a girl super hero) never likes to tell her weight, my mass is about 46 Kilograms and my length (when I am on the couch- which is a lot) is about 1.5748 meters, about that tall when I stand too. I have a good fashion sense. I’m very kind. I have a strong moral compass meaning that I understand the boundaries and direction for my life as a hero. Like every good hero, I have some weakness which are: 1) my math answers are best done with a calculator (that is when my sidekick comes in handy – she is good at math), not having a large circumference, I’m not always able to battle large enemies, and I don’t listen very well. My hobbies are: sewing, reading (for “fun of course”), drawing, and spending time with my grandmother (who is the one who got me into sewing). My day job as a cosmetologist on Jupiter is busy doing makeup, nails, and hair. One of my favorite things is to watch UTube videos about hair, make up tutorials, or nails.

On my planet, and around the universe, there are villains. The ones that cause me the most pain are: Algebra (I call her X for short), Axis (like in “of evil” and straight) and Least Common Denominator (he is the lowest of the lows).

 My BFFs are Miss Protractor (she knows all of the angles on how to do stuff), Mr. Median, just your average, everyday middle of the road guy and Coefficient –sorta the leader of our group sense she always is in front of the rest of us. If you ask them to describe me in 3 words they would say weird, loveable, and funny. The main reason they would say that is that I have many variables, because mostly I just change my mind (and my clothes) a lot. The thing I like best about them is neither one evaluates me.

 

Being a super hero is not really that tough. If you take away all the differences of the bad and simply add up all of the good things we do, the sum is really easy to calculate and really is the greatest common factor for all of us: DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN, BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN, IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN, IN ALL THE PLACES YOU CAN, AT ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN, TO EVERYONE YOU CAN. A GOOD QUOTE, EVEN IF MY DAD DID HELP ME FIND IT.!

 

The 12 Best Reasons Chip Prince will NEVER Be Governor of Alabama

12. I don’t care when the A day game is – for either school. Even though, I attended the Crimson one as a freshman. I won’t plan my day around the game –although I will admit I watch a few of them on TV – I just don’t wear a jersey with a number on it when I do – BUT….

11. I don’t have a number 3 or 8 or 88 on my wall either. My idea of a fast car is one that tops out @ 70 and can easily turn RIGHT. I would also wear a helmet on a motorcycle...:) My favorite driver? Uh…My “Danica Patrick is real cute in those Go Daddy commercials” comment could get me shot – BUT….

10. I don’t own a hand gun. Serves no real purpose. However, even @ 52, I do ok within 21 feet of anyone with a gun (don't know what that means?) Kinda my point.. – BUT…

9. I don’t have a Confederate flag flying in my yard or nailed on my garage wall. I don’t belong to any wanna be militia. I was a member of the United States of America Army NOT the Confederate Army (if you are reading this YOU did not EITHER) – “an Infantry soldier I was and I suppose will always be” – BUT….

8. I don’t believe I am a hero for serving. I am no hero for doing what I should. I will not be honored for dying for my country – making someone else die for theirs? Well – I can live with that – BUT…

7. I don’t think the death penalty deters anything. Many do think it provides for justice in accordance with their beliefs. I will leave those beliefs to the religious people for judgment (can they do that?) – BUT….

6. I don’t believe there is only way to get to heaven. I have my beliefs – and I will always believe in THE Christian God – however, unlike many Christians, I have actually read the Bible – many times. I have also read the Koran (Quran), Torah scroll (actually the Chumash I suppose), as well as the booklet on being a Pastafarian.  I have studied the teachings of many religions and I made my choice. Not really incumbent upon me to empirically state what another should do – BUT…..

5. I don’t think that whatever my belief is should EVER be a part of the governing of my Nation. You know - the Nation founded on the belief that Government shall …establish NO religion.. nor shall it prohibit one. A government needs to understand the will of ALL the people – even the stupid ones….BUT

4. I don’t believe the stupid ones should run the government. I define stupid as someone who does not possess the ability to either make a decision or find someone who can make a decision. I don’t have to like the decision or even be “all in” on it. Keynes, Friedman, Smith – each were smart – each were different and yet within each economic practice (once someone ACTUALLY reads the writings) one finds many similarities…BUT….

3. I don’t think everyone being alike is a good thing. I like diversity (is that still legal?). I enjoy hearing other views and then of course offering the truth to them….I love conversation, debate, challenging thought. I do like a chicken sandwich, but buying one or not buying one does not make me a better person.  Many people don’t agree with me – they get angry with me – they just can never say I lost my cool – emotion is for others – BUT…

2. I don’t like leaving people who either CANNOT or WILL NOT take care of themselves @ the mercy of their own endeavors. I feel most people are incapable of COMPLETELY caring for themselves and making appropriate life choices. I know – I know – life lessons learned – costs are enormous, blah, blah. I wonder what is the “non” empathic cost? BUT….

1. The #1 one reason I will never be elected “GUVNER” of the Great State of Alabama is that I am willing to accept those folks who believe in EVERYTHING and ANYTHING I don’t. Not only can I accept them, I just enjoy being around them – these folks simply make my ordinary life entertaining…and for that I applaud each of you….now – Buy me a beer and let’s talk! What you think drinking is a sin? Based on what? Why? You think Jesus turned water into grape juice? Even better - I have had these thoughts for over 50 years....J

The Circle of Influence

What a great life lesson this teaches.   For all the negative in the world, all the complaining, all the whining....this lesson from a man who has influenced millions.  May his soul rest and his influence never diminish.

Simple things...are everywhere and .....

                                                  The McGyver we all knew....video with a twist

I have all that I need.....

McGyver would never say "I just can't."  He seemed to never struggle with using what he had to get what he needed done. I will admit I did not watch all of the series, but I watched enough to know that his pragmatism and approach to situations is not one I see in many people today.  I did see a parody of McGyver where the guy is in a room and simply complains the whole time about not having the tools and things he needs to get out of the situation.  The stuff around him was obvious and it just illustrated a point to me...many people, who are vastly "rich" in so much, still complain about not having more.  I suppose it is common - human nature - some call it.  John Kenneth Galbraith (see I spelled it correctly) called it conventional wisdom, meaning most of us accept something as fact and it often is not true.  Many people long for the past or vividly dream about tomorrow.  Nothing wrong with some of that for nostalgia or preparedness.  The issues arise when those eras become a person's only focus.

Just a few short years ago, when my girls were very young, my favorite story to tell them was the story of the turtle and the rabbit (I know that the original had different animals - so you biology majors don't flame me).  Over the years, I have added characters to the story, I have added scenes to the story, I have even changed the story somewhat.  But...and there is always a but...the premise of the story remained..the methodical one with thick skin always wins.  Is that ALWAYS true in life?  Not always, but on average - I would say yes.  The turtle is not the smartest, the fastest, the cutest, or any other "est'.  He is however, in the story, always on a mission to finish.  Isn't that what we all really want?

I am not a rah rah guy.  I am not a "doomsdayer".  AND...I really have NO idea what  utopia is suppose to be.  I do know that with a few simple things around me I can make most anything happen.  I don't worry much about stuff that does not affect me.  Not because I am not somewhat concerned, but because as Dr. Covey writes...those things seem urgent - but really are not important.  In other words, I look at some thing or some issue or some person and I take 1 of 3 approaches:  1) I can do something about and set out to do it.  2)  I cannot do anything about it and so I move on.  3)  I really don't care - but I will just play along for entertainment (I do a lot of #3 - some say it is because I am full of #2 - not sure what that means :) .

Like MCGyver and the turtle, I see life as fairly clear and simple.  I take the task as it is.  I find a current solution to the issue.  I act now.  I get the results.  I measure the results.  I adjust as need be.  Then I repeat each day.  Would make a bad reality TV show...but is there a good one anyway?  McGyver would be boring in today's world and the turtle in the story would not be a star, but most people know who these "characters" are (not were) , even though both are "has beens" - I lot like me I guess.

                                I can live with that.....don't waste today on yesterday or tomorrow

Don't know much about philosopy or the French I took... but I do know.....

WARNING:  This video clip is from Good Will Hunting and may contain language you do not want to hear.  If you do not, please do NOT push play.....


I am not as smart as many people I know, although I do ok I guess.  I don't spend hours thinking of some arcane facts so that my thoughts seem learned or pointed.  Like Matt in the video, I am more of a guy who takes life serious, but knows that details are just a necessity - not a bragging point.  So many people I know have this wonderful concept of how life should be  --- full of religious conviction (their way of course) , personal responsibility (for everyone else of course) and ready for the rest of the world to change (to their way - what other?).  I have a few other friends that always talk so positively...so much so,  that I wonder if those folks  have ever done math...for they say things like "you can be CEO, President, or whatever" to just about everyone they know.   Well, that is positive, but positively untrue.  Few people will ever achieve "ultra" status, so maybe just living for right now and recognizing the slightest achievement - even the mere participation in trying something - is rewarded simply for playing in the game of life.  In my life experience,  effort trumps potential or talent in most endeavors anyway.  Of course, there is always the pessimist, who in the midst of a vault full of diamonds will find a way of dismissing those stones as having at one time been mere coal.

In the book, Good to Great, by Jim Collins, the author writes of the story of Admiral  James Stockdale's experience as a senior officer at the Hanoi Hilton - the POW camp in Vietnam.  The story goes that the first POWs to lose hope were the optimists...for the optimists were always so certain that they would all be out by Christmas.  Yet when Christmas passed and the POWs were still there, the optimist would go into a deep funk.  Of course, the pessimist did not fare much better.  There is not much mention of idealists in the prison camp.  I suppose that in the hell of a firefight or confinement of warriors by an enemy many Americans did not even know, the situation does not lend itself to perpetuate many Platos.  Seems the men that survived the best at the "Hilton" were the men who realized life as precious, but took it as it was.  While many had confidence that perhaps their lives would return to normal one day, most did not put a timeline to it or worry too much beyond the basics of everyday existence.  I don't know for certain, and those who have never experienced a POW camp do not know for certain either, but I bet I would adjust - kinda like I do everyday in the real world.  Perhaps you would do the same - but some of you are optimists, pessimists or idealists and like Admiral Stockdale wrote - your life (should you even survive) might be tougher than it needs to be - not because your life actually is tougher - but because you think it is.

I do not know what the coming years will bring.  Many people I know are certain they know however.   I hear everything from - the kids of today feel entitled   --- America has lost its way ---- our dollar is forever gone - taxes will end our democracy - our moral fiber has decayed.  What I notice about all of those comments is this:  "they are old".  Our great grandparents said all of them!  I bet their great grandparents did too!   You may agree with me or you may say - "Maybe, but today is different!"  I say "Most likely we are no different than any generation before us.  Our job is to live....not just talk about living."

In the early 80's I applied for an elite status in the U.S. Army.  I asked several people for references.  The best reference I got and to this day is still the best reference I have ever received was from a college professor who seemed to understand me fairly well.  The reference was short, but it was on point and I still have it today.  It read like this:

"Chip is neither the most intelligent nor the most creative student I have ever taught.  He lacks certain traits of philosophical logic and passionate excitement.  Further, he is not an exceptional orator or writer.  But, and there is always a but....I have never met another student who when given a task executes almost flawlessly and never (and I mean NEVER) gives even the slightest hint of excuse of why it should not be done.  Chip may never be able to articulate the need or lack of need for battle, but he will always make certain the soldiers under his command know that failure is not an option and questions are best left for those who cannot do what I know (and his senior officers will see)  he can and will do.  I always knew, even before our Department assigned  Senior projects, that the grade Chip would earn was simply DONE COMPLETELY AND ON TIME!  So, was Chip the best student?  No.  However, we all could learn a lot from him in regards to his focus on life - the end game is done the moment he starts.   The Army will be getting a warrior and that is no philosophy."

I suppose I have not changed much in 30 years....and I can live with that....life is not that complicated.