Foster Child Wish List

I bumped into this last week.  Sure adds some perspective to life:

Who Won Last Night's Debate?

In an event designed to help voters discern who they might want to have lead us as the new US President, last night's debate just clouded things.  Hillary came off as smug, cliched, and unlikable.  Trump came off as rambling, incoherent, and flighty.  Neither forwarded their cause, and neither ended up convincing anyone that might have been on the fence.

The state of politics in US right now is a damned ugly picture.

So who won last night's debate?  I don't know.  I'd argue that is in the eye of the beholder.

But I also do know who lost, and that is our country.  Either one of these choices will be a train wreck as President.  

What Happened to My Duck Hunting Passion?

I used to live to duck hunt.  I'd be gone every weekend, starting with early goose season at Labor Day weekend, and I'd go all the way to freeze up sometime around Thanksgiving.  I was obsessed by it, and thoroughly enjoyed my time at camp.  Even if the birds weren't flying, it was a great time.

Moving 6 hours away has changed things.  Getting up there is more and more difficult, and given my job, my free time is getting less and less.  Unfortunately, weekends have become the time I can use to get caught up at work, and if I don't at least spend some time over the weekend working, I get further and further behind.  

Ditto sleep.  The weekend is when I can finally get a precious eight consecutive hours of sleep.  With hunting, when you throw driving 12 hours and getting up two hours before sunrise, there's not a lot of sleep to be had at duck camp.

Perhaps that is the reason why I feel the way I do.  I just think about all that unproductive driving and the exhaustion I'll have going into the week, and a tough situation at work gets even tougher.  

Not sure what to do with all of this, but when duck hunting isn't tripping my trigger anymore, I think that's a sign of some kind.

Saturday Song Share: Faith No More - Epic

One of the weirder videos from the 90's.  A rocking song that has aged well.

The video?  Eh, not so much...

Last 9/11 Search Dog Laid to Rest

Nearly 15 years after the horrific attack in New York, the last surviving search dog was put down in June.  

Dogs truly are amazing.

This has some creepy audio, but is a nice story nonetheless - 

Advice for My Niece on Her Sweet 16

Today marks the birthday of my beautiful, smart, talented niece.  It's a big one, too, as she turns sixteen.

I remember that age well.  It was tough, and given changes in our society, it's even more tough for today's kids.  Social media has put them on display and up for criticism 24/7.  Frankly, I have no idea how they get through it.

Based on years of learning the hard way, I'd like to impart some advice to her on her entry to adulthood:

• We've been blessed in this family with a good gut.  Trust it.  It is going to be right most of the time, and most of the time you'll be very happy you did.
• Know that you matter to so many people, and not just a little bit.  You matter a ton.  You may not feel that way, but you really, really do.  We care about you, we want to you to be a part of our lives, and we want to be a part of yours.  Please make time for it and we promise to do the same.
• A sincere "I love you" simply cannot be said enough.  Ditto a sincere "I'm sorry."
• The biggest choice you'll make in life is who you choose to love.  It matters on SO many levels, and is SO important.  Be choosy.  
• Bacon rocks.  Leave plenty of room in your life for it.
• The world is hard.  Damned hard.  There are way too many things that can pop up in which making the wrong choice can end in catastrophe.  This is real life, and there aren't any do-overs.  Be smart, even when all other signs are telling you not to be.
• Your family loves you more that you can even begin to know.  If you think they don't, know you're wrong.  That goes doubly true for your parents.  Triply true for God.
• Don't tolerate.  Life is way shorter than it feels like right now, and it is way too short to put up with dysfunction.  Moving on from crappy circumstances (at work, in relationships, etc.) always, always, always leads to better things.
• If you're not really laughing, you're not really living.
• Find reasons to go outside.  Walk, run, play sports, fish, ride bikes or horses, anything.  God's creation will fill your soul if you let it.
• Be a passionate fan of something.  Anything.  It's fun, and you'll always have something fun to share.
• A good nap is better than money.
• While the world might be telling you you're an idiot for thinking so, know that God is real.  He truly is.  He also listens.  Talk to Him - a lot.

Happy birthday, Kitty Cat.  I love you more than I can say.

What a Friend We Have in Muslims

This was the homepage of Sunday's StarTribune website:

Story after story.  And this from an entity that bends over backwards to not shine a light on Islamic extremism (ala Mayor de Blasio in the article above).

What is happening in my home state?

Hillary Low Energy

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with Hillary?  She looks, at worst, sick, and at best, in dire need of a long nap.

Her leadership optics are horrible:

Vikings Chant

I turned down a chance to go the game tonight.  Work reasons kept me from it, but if not for work I would not have had the opportunity in the first place, so there you go.

I so, so, so wish I could be there to see the Vikings Chant in person

SKOL!

We are all warriors of the North.#VikingsChant begins Sunday. pic.twitter.com/9nlJVrFmm8

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 16, 2016

Saturday Song Share: Paul Westerberg - Dyslexic Heart

One from the great Paul Westerberg.

Do I date you?
Do I hate you?
I got a dyslexic heart

The Power of the Meaning of the Cross

From Fr. Don yesterday:

The cross is everywhere today. We see it on walls and in paintings, of course, hanging in churches and homes but also from the ears and necks of rock stars. We see it so often that it loses its impact. In Christianity we celebrate it, too, at every Eucharist and in special feasts and seasons. It's also present more concretely, even emotionally, in the ills and pains of human life. John says in his Gospel that Jesus had to be lifted up on the cross "that all who believe may have eternal life in him" (John 3:13-14). Not simply that we will have eternal life but we may have it now. Eternal life begins now, it is not only for the world to come. It shows itself in healing, renewal of our spirit, in hope and joy. The cross of Christ saves us from death and also helps us now.

If we take the time in our next sorrow, bad mood, disappointment, discouragement, anxiety, bitterness even, to look at the Lord on the cross, we can find it says a lot to us. It tells us, whether we are crushed by our own sorrow or that of others, that God's own son has shared human sorrow. Not only has He shared it, He is still with us in every pain and danger, assuring us that through the cross we come finally to victory and joy. The cross tells us that the poor, the suffering, the homeless and ill, the abandoned, have a brother, a fellow sufferer in the Lord. In a most special way the Lord is with us and we are close to Him when we must suffer or undergo any of the difficulties and pains we call the cross. Our sharing in the remembrance of the Lord's passion at His supper goes on outside the church building in the unavoidable pains of daily life. So that we have even now eternal life.

Sage words to remember when we are suffering, regardless if our woes are small or massive.

Kevin Harlan Gives Play by Play for Drunk on the Field

Kevin Halan is one of the best announcers currently in the game.  Thus, when some idiot stormed onto the field, they play-by-play guy went to work:


Unfortunately, this call has kind of got a life of its own, hence I expect more of these episodes in our futures.

9/11 Firefighter Tribute

Last Sunday, a woman working at a Planet Fitness posted this on her Facebook page:

While some guys are taking a knee, some are out there actually being example.

All without a national audience.

Hillary's Health Worse than Expected

This imagery was taken as Clinton was forced to leave the 9/11 Memorial early yesterday.  It is claimed that she was "overheated" and "fainted."  You can clearly see that the excuse is absolutely a front story, and her condition was far more worse than what was being reported:


What is going on?  Why is the Clinton campaign lying about the physical condition of their candidate?  Why is Hillary still desperately running when it is obviously that she's a very sick woman?

This is pretty scary stuff.

What is Wrong with Hillary's Health?

This is just the latest episode of coughing fits that the candidate has suffered:



I'm sorry, folks, this isn't normal.  Somebody needs to be straight with us as to the physical condition of this person that seeks to have the most stressful job in the world.

Saturday Song Share: Josh Thompson - Way Out Here

We're about John Wayne, Johnny Cash, and John Deere
Way out here

Lambeau Fais Do-Do Recap

It has taken nearly a week to recover, but the Lambeau Fais Do-Do went off successfully last weekend.  The only thing that was missing was a LSU victory.  Beyond that, we had it all.  Family.  Friends.  Food.  Football.  

What else could one want?

The whole thing started with a gumbo, which my cousin and friend started putting together immediately upon arrival.  It was flat outstanding, and fed the 14 of us that had gathered for the event.  

I had some shirts made up for the event, and they were pretty much the hit of the weekend.  All weekend long we had people coming up to us asking about them.  Here's my cousin and Mrs. YDP sporting our look.

We took over the outside bar at Titletown, and had a lot of Badger fans worried.

We were fortunate to tailgate right at Lambeau Field, and had a heck of a party.  It was a great atmosphere, and was arguably the highlight of the weekend.

Yeah, the game didn't come out the way we wanted.  However, our time together as a group?  Frankly, I can't imagine it being much better.

Limited Updates

Gentle Reader,

I apologize for the lack of update here on this blog.  It has been a very busy time here in YDP land.  Between work (which has been off the charts in terms of pace, workload, and time spent working), the Fais Do Do, and a two-week illness, there has been very little open time for me to write.

Things aren't quite to normal, and as it pertains to work, perhaps this is the new normal.  Regardless, I intend on doing what I can to keep things updated and to respect your loyal readership.

More soon.  I promise.

Saturday Song Share: The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dark Necessities

From their latest album, this band shows that no only are they still relevant, they still bring the goods as well: