This is Next Year

The Chicago Cubs are World Series Champions! Honestly, did you ever think that was something you could say in your lifetime?

Admittedly last night when the Cubs took game seven with an 8-7 Win over the Cleveland Indians my first thought, “Well Dad, they did it - finally the Cubs win the World Series. Wish you were here to see it.” But it was much more than that . . .

The names and faces of every Cubs fan I’ve known since boyhood exploded into my mind; Cocky Lyons, my fathers barber, The Heller boys, our neighbors where I played baseball as a small boy, Ole’ Tom, who ran the town pool hall, and so many more.

The Cubs, back then, were a team we could only listen to on Super Station WGN Chicago. That was over 50 years ago. But every season we listened, and prayed that someday the Cubs would be victorious.

For those who follow this blog you’ve read many of my baseball ramblings as a fan of this great game. And yes, this historic game seven was a most exciting game. Last night when the tension was at its peak no-one stopped the clock, no-one walked off the field, even with a rain delay the tension and suspense of the game sustained until the last out! Great game, great season, great series, and two great teams.

What can one say - I’m thrilled, so happy, our Chicago Cubs are World Series Champs - this is Next Year!

Comments

Feeling Human Again

In this episode, The Unexpected Thankfulness of Feeling Human Again I’ll be honest with you: My triumphant return from France was not the glamorous homecoming I had imagined. No graceful glide back into routine. No cinematic jet-setter moment where I lift my suitcase off the carousel and wink at life like we’re old pals. Instead? I came home and immediately launched into a two-week performance piece titled The Great American Couch Collapse. My days blurred together in a haze of soup, hot tea, tissues, and desperate negotiations with the universe for just one nostril—one!—to function properly. The living room sofa became my emotional support furniture. And any creative idea that dared tiptoe into my congested brain was gently shown the exit with a firm but courteous, “Not today, friend. Try again later.” When life hits the pause button like that—when you’re exhausted, sick, and mentally unplugged—how do you find your spark again? Somehow, today, I felt it. A tiny shift. A clearing of th...

Patience – the Only First-Class Ticket

In this episode, Why Patience is the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience, calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. ⌚ The Wristwatch Wars Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming...

Up the Rhône

Up the Rhône by Patrick Ball We booked a fine cruise up the Rhône — what a treat! With iPhones, lanyards, and schedules so neat. They promised us peace and a mind that would mend, But each calm beginning had chores at the end! "Now breakfast at seven! At eight, take the view!" At nine, there's a lecture on ' What Tourists Do!' At noon, there's a tasting (you must love the cheese), Then hurry to nap time — as corporate decrees! I followed that plan till my patience ran dry. The Rhône softly chuckled, "Oh my, oh my, my! You've missed half my sparkles, my ripples, my tone— You're busy pretending you've peacefully grown!" So I fired my planner and banished my clock. I tossed my agenda right off the dock! I let the wind tickle my schedule away, and drifted through hours that danced where they may. I chatted with swans, had no notion of when, I'd nibble, or nap, or go roaming again. No Wi-Fi! No meetings! No planning! No fuss! Just me and ...

When a Guitar Chooses You

In this episode - When a Guitar Chooses You — And a Musician Steals the Show. Every so often, something nudges you back into the wide-eyed wonder of being a kid again. It feels like it was just yesterday—for me—June 2, 2023—thanks to a guitar shop, a long drive, and one very talented musician. I finally made the pilgrimage to Norman’s Rare Guitars —the mythical land where famous guitarists roam and ordinary folks (like me) try not to look like we’re hyperventilating. I walked in clutching my humble Squier Strat like a kid carrying his lunchbox to the Oscars. Enter Brandon Soriano, encyclopedic guitar wizard and “Spec Check” champion. Within minutes, he had me test-driving Fender Strats like I was choosing a getaway car. Just as I settled on an American Ultra Strat , Michael Lemmo—yes, that Lemmo—walked in, the effortlessly cool host of Guitar of the Day . He plugged in the guitar I was thinking about buying . . . and suddenly I wasn’t thinking anymore. “Stevie Ray? He said, "Tr...

On The Fly

Search This Blog