Category: Uncategorized

Owen Groesser, Hero

owenHere is a young man who some would say didn’t get a fair shake in life. That’s not how Owen sees it.

You can read the article about Owen’s heroics here. He even made it on SportsCenter! But that’s not why he’s my hero. Owen is my hero because he’s taken the life he was given and made the most of it. No complaining, no whining, no quitting.

I’ve had the privilege to know several people with Down Syndrome and I can say that every one of them have this same attitude. They are not consumed with worry over what they can’t do. For them, the world is full of possibilities. Of the DS people I know, some are singers and composers, artists, poets, athletes, and even a congressional intern!

Some people in this world think that children like Owen should never have been born. They would counsel parents against going through with the pregnancy because of the many health problems the child will face, and the many sufferings and sacrifices the family will have as a result. Kids like Owen are not viable they say.

To them I say, a good life is not one without pain, a good life is a life well lived.

Airing of Grievances

I missed Festivus, but that’s not going to stop me from getting a fewfestivus pole things off my chest:

  • Dear Automakers, put the damn knobs and switches back in your cars. When I’m driving, I can’t tell what pictograph on your super hi-tech, touch-sensitive screen I’m jabbing at and still keep my eyes on the road. I try to turn the defroster on and get Foghat blaring from the stereo instead. People are distracted enough behind the wheel without playing Angry Birds on their nav system.
  • Band Aids, don’t get me started…
  • People, if you’re gonna walk your dog past my house, would you please clean up after it when it craps in my yard? Sure would make mowing my lawn more pleasant, unless you want to do it for me? Thought so.
  • Is there any reason why you restaurants feel the need to serve me a meal for six? I know I’m fat, but I don’t need you enabling me, thank you very much.
  • Why don’t they ever have enough receipt tape at the gas pump? You pay outside so you can fill up and go not fill up and go stand in line.
  • Hey church-talkers, yeah, you two old guys in the back, take it out in narthex huh? People in the pews might, you know, want to pray instead of listening to the details of your recent hernia operation.
  • Listen, it’s not heroic to drag yourself into work when you’re sick. Apart from being a total downer, you’re contaminating everyone else. Really, you’re not that essential to the operation that we can’t do without you for a day or two. Get a clue, m’k?
  • And you TV advertisers, as a representative male of the species, I resent that you think all men are stupid, lazy, thoughtless, Neanderthal creeps who care about nothing more in this world than beer and sports and hot women. Would you apply that template to your own fathers? I thought not.
  • What’s with all the semi-literate mopes out there who sit around all day in their bathrobes and fuzzy slippers blogging about how everyone else sucks? Man, those people are such losers!

And now, for the Feats of Strength!

Hmmm…

…seems we’re still here. Although, there is a whole mess of snow up in Madison.

Sorry New Agers, sorry History Channel.

I’m Hoping to Move Near the River

rivervan02

So, please, if you have any last minute Christmas shopping to do, hook a brother up, and do it at the Chewing Glass General Store. It’s all Amazon, all the time! Gift cards are a great idea too!

Carol of the Bells

Haven’t really gotten into the spirit of the holidays yet, but it’s gonna snow here tomorrow, so maybe a little music is in order. In keeping with the season, here’s a little Christmas treat from the John Carroll Catholic High School Choir…

 

Crass Commercial Announcement

‘Tis the season, as they say. For those of you who, like me, are scared to death of stores this time of year, and prefer to shop online, please consider doing it through the Chewing Glass General Store huh? It’s conveniently located at the top right of the page over there, and is open 24-7.

Your patronage will keep this starving author from shivering in the cold, in a van, down by the river. M’k? Thanks!

Aw, for Cryin’ Out Loud!

Another noted American dictator

Seems that some fat-headed, meatball, football fans in Texas are sick of the Cowboys losing, so they’ve started a petition to get the executive branch of the federal government to step in and remove Jerry Jones, the Cowboys owner, president, general manager, and night janitor.

I almost don’t know where to begin. There’s the basic lunacy of the idea, there’s the unhinged, sports fan angle, there’s the obvious, willful ignorance of how our republican form of democracy works, there’s the whole property rights issue I could address—can you say Lenin?—but I think this quote from the petition says it all:

We, the Citizens of the Great State of Texas, and Dallas Cowboys fans worldwide, have been oppressed by an over-controlling, delusional, oppressive dictator for way too long.

Hmmm…then they go on to request the removal of Jerry Jones because:

His incompetence and ego have not only been an extreme disappointment for way too long, but moreover, it has caused extreme mental and emotional duress.

Of course, this is probably a joke. So far, about 500 people have signed the petition. But with a tiny alteration, say substituting Jerry Jones’ name for the name of the guy the petition is addressed to, I’d sign it!