Playing the Lottery

Until recently, I've spent quite a bit of money on the lottery. Of course, I've never "won," but you can't win if you don't play.

Tonight, MegaMillions is worth something like $205 million. FantasyFive is over $200,000. When the jackpots get that big, I usually play. A lot of people who have won big jackpots have had a lot of problems. Julie says, given my age, I probably don't have enough time to screw-up $205 million.

It's fun to contemplate what I'd do with that much money. I know I would give enough to the Guild to pay off the loan. Naturally, I'd give some to my kids. If I gave them $20 million each, that would leave me about $50 million. I probably couldn't spend that in whatever time I have left.

It is fun to think about.

Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY — When Pope Francis met before Christmas with Vatican employees, mostly lay people with families, he asked them to do 10 things. The list sounded remarkably like suggestions for New Year’s resolutions:

– “Take care of your spiritual life, your relationship with God, because this is the backbone of everything we do and everything we are.”

– “Take care of your family life, giving your children and loved ones not just money, but most of all your time, attention and love.”

– “Take care of your relationships with others, transforming your faith into life and your words into good works, especially on behalf of the needy.”

– “Be careful how you speak, purify your tongue of offensive words, vulgarity and worldly decadence.”

– “Heal wounds of the heart with the oil of forgiveness, forgiving those who have hurt us and medicating the wounds we have caused others.”

– “Look after your work, doing it with enthusiasm, humility, competence, passion and with a spirit that knows how to thank the Lord.”

– “Be careful of envy, lust, hatred and negative feelings that devour our interior peace and transform us into destroyed and destructive people.”

– “Watch out for anger that can lead to vengeance; for laziness that leads to existential euthanasia; for pointing the finger at others, which leads to pride; and for complaining continually, which leads to desperation.”

– “Take care of brothers and sisters who are weaker … the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless and strangers, because we will be judged on this.”

I found this on FaceBook yesterday. I like this Pope. He seems to be "the real deal." Not long ago, he told a little boy who was grieving for his dead dog, that the dog went to heaven and that the boy would see him again there some day.

He has spoken out for gays and lesbians. 

He has railed about income inequality. Bernie Sanders quotes him a lot.

He has demoted Cardinals who disagree with him. He's gone after corruption in the Vatican.

I suspect someone will murder him someday.

Football and Greed

Yesterday, Michigan State scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the last one with seventeen seconds left, to beat Baylor, 42-41. It was a very exciting game. My sons were texting each other and me all the way through the game.

Joanne Gerstner had an interesting piece about college football in the New York Times yesterday. Here are some excerpts.

"After taking a sociology exam, Cardale Jones, a quarterback at Ohio State, posted a message on Twitter that echoed across college sports: 'Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain’t come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS.' "

Had I been the Ohio State Coach, I think Cardale might not have played for the Buckeyes anymore.

Gerstner went on to say, "Two years after publishing that provocative statement, Jones will be the starting quarterback on Thursday against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, (OSU won) the second semifinal game of college football’s new playoff system — and his words have renewed relevance. Never has the sport been so awash in money, a growth industry on campuses that some observers believe increasingly resembles professional football more than higher education."

"In some ways, even the N.F.L., that $10-billion-a-year enterprise, might be struggling to compete. The University of Michigan on Tuesday introduced its new coach, Jim Harbaugh, who left the N.F.L.’s San Francisco 49ers to join the Wolverines. His base salary — $5 million annually for seven years with 10 percent increases after three and five years — will eventually amount to more than what he was earning in the N.F.L."

I remember that several years ago I was critical of MSU's plans to expand their stadium to the point of writing the AD and complaining about it. His response was something like, "It's what the regents want."

Gerstner wrote, "Football is the main reason top-tier college programs have increased their revenue over recent decades at a rate that would make blue-chip companies blush. In constant dollars, the median Division I athletic department revenue in 1970 was $6.5 million, and in 2012, it was $56 million, according to one N.C.A.A.-commissioned study."

"And nearly every Big 5 program makes far more money than that figure. According to USA Today’s college financial database, Arizona State in 2013 had $65 million in revenue, Florida State $91 million, and Texas, one of the most marketable athletic departments in the country, made $165 million — 66 percent from football."

There have even been suggestions that college athletes should be able to unionize. In fact, the Michigan Legislature passed a law during their recent lame duck session that prohibits that from happening, at least in the public schools.

The whole phenomenon is a reflection of what's wrong with our society. Greed influences everything and causes us to want more, bigger, fancier, more comfortable, faster, shinier, and on and on. Look at U of M with their Schemblechler Hall complete with a big, bronze statue of him. Where is the statue of "the good professor," or "the famous scientist?"

Jeez. Maybe I've lived too long.

Here We Go, Again

Well, I said that I was going to try and write something every day. So, here I am on January 1 of 2015.

The furnace died yesterday and we've been heating the place with the gas stove in the family room and the oven and stove. It was cold when I got out of bed around 6:00am, but it's cozy in here now with the temperature in the kitchen at about 77. Julie says it's 57 in the bedroom.

In 2014 I turned 80. I find that hard to understand or accept. I remember talking about 80-year-olds when I was younger and bitching about their families letting them drive long distances. Yep. I drove to Atlanta, Georgia and back last week without any problems. Oh, I did get overly excited when I didn't know where I was supposed to go, but, generally it was all OK.

I never thought I'd live to be 80. In the Summer before Ernie Zenzen died he frequently said, "I won't see 80." He was 79 when he died. When I was younger I frequently said what Ernie said.  "I won't see 80." But, here I am. My Dad died at 67. Mom was 81. Why am I living so long?

I took one of those silly FaceBook tests the other day and it said I would live for another 19 years. Pretty funny.

I don't feel like I'm 80 ... although I'm not sure what that's supposed to feel like. I don't feel much different than I did when I was 50 ... except getting dressed is harder ... shooting baskets is almost impossible ... can't get the ball up there. My hearing is getting worse. Eyesight, too, especially in the night and in darker spaces in the house.

I'm not sure how far ahead I should plan. But, when I stop to think about it, I guess that's true for everyone. So, I plan for Mockingbird auditions, New York around Easter, and Maine next Summer.

The Memorial Mass

The memorial mass for Rosie was Monday, January 20. It was at St. Sebastian's church in Dearborn Heights.

I don't care much for funerals or memorial services. I want nothing like that when I go. Go some place and have a party.

I did think the priest, Father Aaron, did a decent job. He told us that he had been a Chrysler engineer for 12 years before becoming a priest. He seemed to have some difficulty finding the right place in the readings book, but, all in all, he did OK.

Afterwards, during the luncheon, two older woman of the church approached me and were asking about Rosie. When I told them that I thought the priest did a decent job, the oldest one (she might even be older than I) said, "He's a little green."

He spoke a lot about loving each other. I think he's paying close attention to Pope Francis. That's OK, too.

Death

We've been dealing with death over the last several days. It is not a pleasant experience. At times sad. At times ghoulish.

In the hospital, the doctors essentially pronounced Rosie “brain dead.” They said her type of stroke is almost always fatal. She died this morning a bit before six. It was a blessing and we're happy she went “home” rather quickly. The doctors had said some patients with similar symptoms linger for months.

The hospital or the undertaker discovered that Rosie Was a “donor” of eyes and other useable parts. So, apparently, they will take her to the donor facility and, from there, back to the funeral home.

Julie's been dealing with Joanne, Rosie's “cousin” and with Greg, Rosie's Godson. So far they all seem to be on the same page with respect to “what happens next.”

Death makes you wonder about the afterlife. Does death just end it, or is there something more? One famous atheist said that the most exciting time of his life will be the first few minutes after dies. I guess it will be exciting. Today, Julie wondered if there was an “orientation.”

Not A Very Good Start to the Year

This morning Julie kept trying to get ahold of her friend, Rosie. She didn't answer her cell, her landline, or her text messages. Finally, we went over there. When we drove up we knew that something was wrong as her car was in the driveway, she hadn't been out of the house, and both screen doors were locked.

Fortunately, Rosie's next door neighbor, Joe Patrick, was home. He had a key to the screen doors. We went in and found Rosie on the living room floor. It looked as though she had fallen against the door and bruised her face. She was moving and breathing, but was otherwise unresponsive.

We decided not to try and move her and called 911. The paramedics made good time coming, especially considering that we've had about six inches of snow and all of the roads are snow-covered and slippery. Rosie seemed to be physically responsive, she squeezed the medics hand and straightened her leg in response to a request from one of the firemen, but I didn't hear her talk.

They took her to Oakwood Hospital. Julie just (1510) went to the hospital to see what she could find out.

Glenn and Dianne were supposed to come over tonight, but we cancelled that. I also decided to postpone my colonoscopy which was scheduled for Friday, as we're not sure what Rosie's situation will bring.