Birthday No. 73: Happy to be here

     As I write this, it is mid-afternoon on June 16, which is a significant date in my life, as many of you know.

     Birthday and "get well" greetings have been coming in steadily in all sorts of forms. 

     Nice to have friends from all over the world. Nice of them to take a few seconds to acknowledge the birthday, and to offer good wishes.

     I am, as the headline says, happy to be here. Because it could have been different. 

     It is 27 days past open-heart surgery -- a triple bypass -- and I am on the mend. My chest is still sore to the touch, my right leg -- from which the doctors "harvested" the veins to place in my heart -- is almost rid of the deep-purple bruising and even the knots that were near the incision on the inside of my knee are not as troublesome as they were.

     We are walking a little, but not quickly, several times a day; I am eating well; my roommate of 43 years is taking good care of me with a watchful eye; I can read; I can write; and I can -- at some peril -- watch the news on TV.

     Began cardiac rehab at the hospital Monday morning, the first of at least 12 45-minute sessions and maybe as many as 36 sessions. 

     Felt good, actually, to walk on a short path for six minutes, use an elliptical machine (but without pressuring my healing sternum), to walk on a treadmill, and ride a stationary bicycle. All of it at a comfortable pace. Worked up a little sweat, which I needed to, and I look forward to increasing the efforts.

     But I vow not to push too hard too soon. Pushing too hard on long walks darned near cost me the ballgame.

     (Speaking of ballgames ... I repeat for those who have missed my posts on Facebook or e-mails, I don't care if there is major-league baseball this year or not. Let the players' union and the owners/commissioner's office battle over the billions of dollars and spare me the details.

     I can tell you that it's been a lot easier on my broken heart not to have to worry about my ballclub every day for 2 1/2 months, and I am not ready to resume that anxiety-filled habit. We'll consider football season when -- if -- it arrives.)

     Where was I? Oh, the birthday.

     If you ever have been hospitalized -- and if you haven't, bless you -- you know how many times you have to provide your name and birthdate. So, how in the heck, do you forget those? Had eight days worth of it, and just because, I tried to fake out the nurses at times. (It never works.)

     The birthday cards began arriving three days ago. Our around-the-corner neighbor, Dr. Lamar Smith, delivered in person -- and left me a shiny (fake) Lincoln penny because he didn't want to leave me his real car.

     Grandson Eli, with LSU in mind I think, drew me a tiger -- painted Tennessee orange. Granddaughter Josie drew her infamous alter-ego character, "CJ" (Cartoon Josie), delivering a balloon and birthday cake.

     So many of the residents here at Trinity Terrace took time to place a card in our in-house mailbox or slide it under our door, and one attached her note to a supply of ... toilet paper.

     Our next-door neighbor Harriette brought this hat (left).

     I am finding birthday messages in several forms -- and posts -- on Facebook. Didn't realize there was a "birthday story" site until about 30 minutes ago. 

     There already have been phone calls from friends and family, and I expect there will be more before the day is finished. A special call came from cousin Phillip in Jerusalem; that was a first. Quite a thrill.

     And, of course, the most special Facebook messages and cards came from Beatrice and Rachel, who are quite good at those kinds of gifts.

     I am wearing my new gray T-shirt with "OPA" on the front because, to my grandkids, that's who I am.

     Strange as it might sound, I am not one to relish my birthday nor the attention that comes with it. But as several people have mentioned, this was a birthday that several weeks ago we weren't certain I was going to see.      

      But it's been a good day, a fun day. 

      So, I thank you all, and hopefully I will be around for many more of these.

At 72, life is good

     This is the seventh edition of the birthday blog covering eight years, and that makes sense only because we skipped writing one last year.
     At that point, we were right in the middle of a major move; in fact, our one-year anniversary of living in this seniors retirement community will be two days from now.
     And we love it. No regrets.
     (Look, I know writing about myself and posting a screen shot of the first -- and only -- video I made is egocentric. Have written that disclaimer on some of these previous blog pieces. Please just excuse me.)
     So, as of today, that's 72 full years for me -- and these days, a mostly happy life. 
     This is also Father's Day, so I am hitting the daily double that way for the first time since 2013 (led the blog that year about this aspect). That day it had been 11 years since the birthday fell on Father's Day, and this is the seventh time since I became a father.
     Pretty cool.
     So is living where we live now. We have found many new friends and most of the people here are, well, seasoned, and accomplished, and still willing and wanting to put as much into their lives as they can.
     We have found the staff here excellent, willing to accommodate, and there are so many activities that we cannot possibly take part in all.
     My roommate of the past 42-plus years is in a couple of book clubs, does yoga and tai chi classes, is part of our facility's reading-to-first-graders contingent, and is a part of the White Elephant Store working group (a store that is of great benefit to employees here).
     My roles include yoga and strength-training classes, co-chairman of our in-house Country Store, occasional host of our Saturday Morning Coffee, recruiter -- so to speak -- of guest speakers (mostly those with Fort Worth Star-Telegram ties) for our weekly Thursday Social Hour, and generally trying to be helpful to people around the facilities.
     Not doing my lengthy walks as often as I did in past years; with the exercises here (and still at the Fort Worth Central YMCA, a six-block walk from here), my legs are not holding up as well.
     Not writing as much, either, although there were several lengthy pieces for our monthly in-house publication, the Terrace Talk (just like our old junior high newspaper), and the every Monday chapter of an online book, That's the Old Ballgame Shreveport. That was the result of about two years of research.
     Intended to publish a book from it, but an issue with photos -- copyright issues -- are a holdup, and while I have not given up completely on the idea, there are photos that need to be found and their origin needs to be identified.
     I enjoy writing -- more than I did for many, many years in newspapers -- but it never was the real reason I got into the business. It was merely an avenue, a way to stay close, to the sports world which always, from the time I was 4 or 5, my greatest love.

Here are our four "superstars" -- (from left), Kaden,
Eli,Josie, Jacob. This was Christmas time, 2018.

     Greatest loves now, of course, are family -- especially the kids and the four grandchildren. That's our world.
     Still as interested as ever in athletics, but do not watch games as diligently as for many years and realize -- as I have written -- how much hypocrisy and, well, crap there is in the world of athletics. 
      That's my cynical side, which was always there to some extent. But for many, many years, it coupled with a fascination and admiration of sports people and teams. That side, too, is still there, but not to the same level.
     And while I still care very much about how "my" teams fare, I refuse to dwell on it -- win or lose -- for very long these days. 
     For a real cynical side, let's go to politics. And that's all I want to say about that. Take it elsewhere. Just not going public with my views; arguing about it solves nothing.
     I will speak out -- and post on Facebook and e-mail -- on  Holocaust history and on the rise of anti-Semitism, the neo-Nazis, white supremacists, facists, whatever you call those fools. Have done presentations here at our facility and to a church Sunday School class, and have a couple more lined up. Yes, it's personal.
     The past year we have really enjoyed making many new friends, and happily resumed friendships with some folks from the past. That is a great part of life.
     But the greatest part is watching those grandkids -- Josie, Jacob, Kaden, Eli -- grow and seeing their personalities develop. And you are correct: They are all so darned cute.
     Bea and I -- surprise -- don't agree all the time. But we are battle-tested and not adverse to change, and we know how to get through this.
     With age does come health issues. They are a little more challenging each year. Nothing major or disastrous -- Bea has had more tests than I have -- but doctor visits do pile up. 
     But we keep a positive approach on those. We keep a positive view on most everything. I think it is important.
     So all those who saw my ugly side, my anger, so often, you can begin laughing now. I do not feel that anger much these days, and when I do, I try not to take it out on anybody.
I will deal silently with whatever feedback I get.
      (And most people know that they can still get me to laugh at just about anything. Doesn't take much.)
      Cannot stand mean-spirited people, mean-spirited thoughts. Will not deal with them (especially in e-mails or on Facebook). And I promise you, I will not respond in kind. That is why there is a "delete" button. Make a comment that I don't like on one of my posts, and it will be deleted.
     My goal simply is to be nice to people. And I know Bea feels the same way.
     We are far enough along in life that there is no time to waste on pettiness or issues that are out of our control. There is a lot of life to be lived, and we are going to enjoy it.     
---  
      And so, just for the record, here are the previous birthday blogs. To think, I was "only" 65 that first year of the blog -- and still working parttime.
     As long as my health holds out, I would prefer to keep writing these.     

https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2012/06/welcome-to-medicare-age-65.html
 
https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-double-happy-day.html

https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2014/06/gratitude-for-67-its-only-number.html

https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2015/06/another-year-another-birthday.html

https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2016/06/an-ideal-time-69-and-counting.html

https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2017/06/hitting-70-and-not-speeding.html

Hitting 70, and not speeding

     No problem turning 70 today. It happens to most people my age.
     Grateful for another birthday. They are all special, but the ones that end in zero are more meaningful, I suppose.

June 2017: The greatest joys of life today for Bea and me:
 Josie (9 1/2), Jacob (8), Kaden (6) and Eli (2 1/2).

     The feeling most prevalent today is gratitude. Mostly for my family -- Beatrice, the kids, the grandkids, my sister and her family. But also for my friends -- many as old or older than I am -- and for the journey, the road I've traveled. 
     It is a long way from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to Fort Worth, Texas, USA. It has been quite a ride.
     I was thinking about the "zero" birthdays. Here is a review:
     • At 10 (1957), we had been in the U.S. for 17 months, I was headed for fifth grade, and we were 18 days from moving to the first home my parents ever owned -- in the Sunset Acres neighborhood in Shreveport.

At 20, student assistant in sports
information at Louisiana Tech.

      • At 20 (1967), I was a junior-to-be at Louisiana Tech University, working summers for The Shreveport Times -- covering American Legion baseball and some nights helping on the sports desk, editing copy and writing headlines. We were in our last year in Sunset Acres; my parents soon moved to South Broadmoor.
       • At 30 (1977), Bea and I had been married four months and 10 days; I was "Daddy Nito" to 3-year-old Jason, and I was the sports information director at Centenary College, publicity contact for the Shreveport Captains' baseball team, and a parttimer for the Shreveport Journal sports department.
     • At 40 (1987), I was near the end of 5 1/2 really good years as executive sports editor for the Shreveport Journal, a fun, productive time professionally, a struggle personally (that's all you need to know). Bea and my old friend Casey -- we went through school together from Sunset Acres through Tech; he will be 70 late next month -- arranged to have a sign put up in front of the Chateau Hotel announcing that I was 40.
     • At 50 (1997), I was in my second year on the Knoxville News-Sentinel sports staff after six-plus years in Jacksonville and Orange Park, Fla. We loved the Knoxville years, and Rachel found a university (Tennessee), a home, and a husband and his family there.
    • At 60 (2007), I was halfway through an 11-year stint in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram sports department -- the most fulfilling, rewarding job I had (and it was my last job). We were four months from becoming grandparents for the first  time.
    • At 70 (2017), retired for 4 1/2 years and happy to be so. Still a writer (when I feel like it) -- a book writer, even --  and, as always, a deeply devoted sports fan. But I'm not as avid a sports fan as I was for most of my life and certainly much more cynical.
---
     Back to gratitude. It is the fifth year of my daily gratitude journal, which is -- believe me -- a daily exercise in positivity. (It's true, no matter what is going on in our country and the world.)
     Gratitude, too, for relatively good health. There are a few extra pounds, but only a few, and I do know now what a high triglycerides count means (but I had to look up how to spell triglycerides).
     The doctor and I agreed that I need to eat more wisely -- stop snacking after the early evening meal -- and keep exercising.
     There is enough energy for daily walks and regular yoga/stretching classes at the downtown Y, and there is still motivation for writing and researching (working on a couple of sports-related projects now).
     Don't much like driving any more, so the out-of-town trips are fewer and more taxing. But we find plenty to do in town. Just this week: grocery shopping (four stores), a bookstore stop, a jazz concert, a museum visit, a financial consultation, and birthday meal celebrations.

Our grown-up kids: Jason and Rachel

     That's plural celebrations because Rachel brought the two Smith grandchildren here from Tennessee for a four-day stay last week and Jason brought the two Key boys from Prosper -- they are an hour-and-a-half from us -- and so it was multiple meals.
     For me -- and I know Bea agrees -- the greatest joy these days is those grandchildren. We don't see enough of them, although FaceTime helps. They are such a delight, and I know many of our old friends have the same feeling about their families.    
     We are proud of the lives our kids have built, and we have such hopes for those grandchildren.
     One of those hopes is that we are around to see what becomes of them. Reality is that we will be fortunate to have one more birthday ending in a zero. Having two more, reaching 90, is not a likely possibility (my parents went to 89 and 88).
     For now, it is one lovely day at a time. We'll see where we are at 71.
          

An ideal time: 69 ... and counting

One of the joys of life these days: Spending time with the
youngest of our four grandchildren: Eli Smith, 1 1/2.

     So it's the annual birthday blog -- the fifth annual since the blog began in 2012 -- and let's start with my age today.

    I will begin with how my mother used to answer when someone asked how old she was. "Well, it starts with a 6 ..."
    Today will be the last time I am able to answer that way because this is birthday No. 69.
     The number 69 has, well, an unconventional definition you might know, but never mind that. I found a web site -- affinitynumerology.com -- with this:
    "... 69 is a number of idealism, family, and harmony. It's also a number of health and compassion.

    "The number 69 is a philosopher and an idealist. It tends to determine an ideal way of being or method of doing and sticks to it, yet is open to alternate points of view and may change its own ideal as a result."
    Now that is how I'd like to be this year ... and every year.
    That is what I wish for everyone -- it's the idealist in me -- but the reality, it seems to me, is that we're more divided, more contentious, in this country than we've been in a long while.
    I can't fix it, but I can try to fix my part in my world.
    I'd like to think I do fit some of that definition. But there's always room for improvement.
    My wife several times in the past week has quoted this verse to me:
    "Talk less. Smile more. Don't let them know what you're against or what you're for."
    This is from the musical/play Hamilton. You might have heard of it recently.
    Bea, as some people who follow my posts on Facebook and my e-mails might know, was Hamilton-obsessed a few months earlier than most of the world. So here she is borrowing from Aaron Burr's advice to Alexander Hamilton in their first meeting.
    Put it in hip-hop form, and you have the right rhythm.
    But the advice is pretty solid, don't you think? Talk less, smile more.
    Most people who know me know that I love to smile -- well, laugh -- a lot. But talk less? Ha. I probably should, but that'll be the day.
    Still, as for letting you know what I'm against or what I'm for, you won't find a lot of that from me on Facebook or in my e-mail posts -- at least not on politics or social issues.
    Again, people who know me well know I'm pretty darned opinionated. But, thinking of that harmony/compassion aspect of the number 69 -- and open to those alternative points of view -- I will leave the public opinions to others.

     You can guess what I'm against and what I'm for.
     I don't even post that many thoughts about the sports world -- and I know a helluva lot more about sports than I do politics and social issues. But arguing online, or in person, is not how I want to waste my time, or yours.
     Just don't feel like bashing anyone, or being bashed. No sense in it. There is too much negativity all around us.

---

     A year from being 70, I do think more and more about our mortality. Not planning to leave soon, but we're talking about living wills and emergency situations and, well, funeral plans.
     I figure, if I keep eating right and stay in relatively good physical condition and remaining fortunate, I will stay around. My parents -- who went through a lot of hardships -- lasted into their late 80s.
     So maybe I have a couple of decades left. That's a lot more birthday blogs. I welcome the thought.     

     I will keep smiling and living a day at a time, maybe talk less (and maybe not).

     I embrace family first, compassion and harmony, an open mind and others' point of view, and I'll try to be philosophical and even idealistic.
     I want to be optimistic and realistic and -- if possible -- idealistic. So here's hoping for the best ... for everyone, for our country, for the world.
     See you next June 16, birthday No. 70.
 

        
    

Another year, another birthday

     If someone would say to me today, "You don't look a day over 67," I would tell them they are wrong. That is exactly what I am.
     I am writing this as an annual June 16 exercise, kind of like a yearly check-up. But it's a heckuva lot easier writing this than my yearly physical. (No major problems, but I'll get to that in a moment.)

Our daughter posted this on Facebook this morning

     I don't mind having another birthday; I'll take as many as I can get ... in good health. And I intend to make each day of the year I am 68 a good day.
     That is the intention; the reality is that not all days go how we want. Yesterday, the last day I was 67, was one of those bittersweet days. Saw a lot of people that were part of a good time in life many years ago, but the occasion -- the Billy Laird funeral -- was a tough one.
     The best part of life these days, no question, is time with my wife -- well, most of the time -- and to see the kids and in-law kids doing well and, most of all, those beautiful, smart, energetic four grandchildren.
     We don't see those grandkids enough, but -- a lot of you can identify -- when we do, they ... wear ... us ... out.  We expect the same soon of Eli, who is almost nine months old and is the best gift I received in the year between birthdays.
     The most difficult part of life for me is the deaths of people who were friends for many years. They tend to come so quickly these days. My wife says I have difficulty with those, and maybe that's true.
     We are reminded each time of our mortality, and I need to remember -- I try to remember -- the good that these people left us. That, I believe, is why we're here; to make this world better for the people around us.
     Billy Laird did that for me. So did three other coaches who have died in the past couple of months -- Larry Little, Clem Henderson and Billy Wiggins.
      For the happier part of life ... Beatrice and I enjoy reading and watching our favorite shows on TV and the occasional outing for entertainment (Bass Hall, museums, the book store, a movie or two). There is not much watching of sports events in person, which is OK. We get enough of that on TV -- the Mavericks and NBA for Bea, a nice variety for me (much to her, let's say, annoyance.)
      And one of us -- I'm not saying who -- is stuck on a computer game.
      One of us -- that would be me -- probably spends too much time at the computer. But writing this blog, as I've said before, keeps me motivated and keeps my skills (what few I had) from eroding totally.
      We like our Facebook time, except when we don't (that would be the slanted political posts and the negativity about our country. Hey, it's not perfect, but darned if I am going to take a doomsday view, and I don't appreciate it from others.)
      I like to follow politics. Not in great detail, but we watch PBS for the NewsHour and the political discussions. And if we could fast-forward through the 2016 Presidential election cycle, that would be fine. This drags out forever, and I'm still looking for a candidate I think will satisfy our needs.
      Oh, back to happier subjects ... 
      We both like to exercise -- the daily walks, a little gym work, and lately, a class of two of yoga a week. And we need that because ... we both like to eat.
      But about eating, we have to be careful. To be honest, I'd gotten careless the past few months. Too many sweets (I love chocolate), too many potatoes, too many snacks. (And too many reminders from my wife about this).
      This brings me to the yearly physical exam. It's always fun.
      The doctor was satisfied with my weight and OK with the exercise routine, although I could do more. But ... the numbers on the cholesterol and triglycerides were so far "out of range," I can't count that high. As a PBS report last week informed me, I'm one of about 3 million people with high LDL cholesterol -- that's the bad one.
       So the doctor is talking use of statins. I will take that under advisement -- as a counselor once said to me. But the immediate goal is a stricter diet -- vegetables in place of chocolate, for instance -- and more exercise. Then we'll check those numbers again.
        My body aches more; right now, the ring finger and little finger on my right hand are revolting (arthritis? carpal tunnel?); and I stumble and bump into things a couple of times a day; and Bea and I each misplace things, and can't find names and places for our thoughts at times. The aging process, right?
         Still, it's nice to be here; life is good, and we know from our friends in our age range, and the recent losses, that it can all end so quickly. 
         So I love the birthdays, and I hope -- I intend -- to file the annual birthday blog again next year. I will look a day over 68 then.  

Gratitude for 67: It's only a number

Rachel posted this on Facebook two days ago ... one of the
two "selfies" I've ever taken; this one on her I-Pad.

       Rumor has it that today is my birthday. Rumor? Ha. Facebook has it, so obviously it's no secret.
        So thank you for all the birthday wishes. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to send greetings. Once a year, at least, we should feel special. I get more than my share of good feelings.
       This is my fourth Facebook birthday; it's funny -- a good funny -- to see the birthday messages begin coming in eight days ahead of time. It's my third birthday as a regular blogger, which is about all the work I do these days.
        And it's not really work; it's an incentive to continue writing and, as many of you know, to recount my life/work experiences and to share the story of my mother and father and their families -- especially as they relate to the days of the Holocaust.
         The previous two years I wrote blog pieces for my birthday; the first, at age 65, was about becoming eligible for Medicare and then turned into a Q&A with myself. Last year I wrote about my birthday and Father's Day falling on the same day -- first time that had happened in 11 years -- and I then listed a long series of birthday wishes, some serious, some whimsical. (OK, some stupid ... how's that?)
          Some of you might know that I do a daily gratitude journal and I generally keep it up to date. It is not for publication; no one has seen it but me ... and maybe someday my daughter and/or my wife will read through it and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.
          There is something to be grateful for every day. You don't have to think about it long.
          Many of my topics are family-oriented and sports-related, but the journal also extends to TV shows or movies or books or shows that I -- we, if Bea agrees -- have enjoyed.
          So I'm going to turn the rest of this blog into a gratitude journal, and I hope you can relate and enjoy it. Some of it will repeat thoughts of the previous birthday blogs (but then Bea reminds me that I tend to repeat myself repeatedly ... about everything).
          Here's what I'm grateful for ...
           -- Turning 67. Not so bad. Staying young mentally is a mindset and, except for days when I'm a little sore from exercising or after I didn't sleep well and feel tired, I get up with the intention of having a good day.
           -- Good health. (I know I'm repeating this from previous years). There is nothing like this, except ...
           -- My family. Bea, the kids, kids-in-law, three grandkids (my favorite role is being "Opa") ... and one to come in late August or early September. That baby boy already is on the gratitude list.
           -- Extended family ... my sister and her family, Bea's sisters and sister-in-law and all their crew. Fun to be around all of them, and it doesn't happen enough.
           -- Enough friends to last a lifetime -- the ones from Shreveport-Bossier and Sunset Acres, Oak Terrace, Woodlawn, Louisiana Tech, North Louisiana and the state in general, from Holland, those from the journalism/newspaper field, those from athletics, the Facebook friends ... and I still haven't covered them all. Nice to have.
           -- My teams. Oh, they all test me and -- no surprise here -- I detest losing as much as ever. But I think I've stayed loyal to them and I love following them as much as I always did. I also try more than ever not to let them dominate my life or my thinking. (Bea is laughing at this.)
           (That said, how about The Netherlands' opening game in this World Cup? Three days after my blog declaring the Oranje as "my first love in sports," that 5-1 rout of Spain -- defending champion Spain -- was glorious and unexpected. I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but ...)
           -- (Another aside: Forgive me if I'm not grateful for the Dallas Cowboys' owner and, damn, general manager. I don't want, or need, to elaborate. OK, so he's far from the worst owner in our major sports world -- there's this total whack job in the NBA, in Los Angeles -- but he's a big reason the fun is out of the NFL for me.)
            (Darn it, I meant to keep this positive. Sorry.)
           -- Journalism and athletics. For me, it was a perfect combination. I had passion for both, and they gave me a career. Yes, I have some regrets; no, there's not a thing I can do about it now, except look back with fondness at the positives.
           -- Books. I don't read daily newspapers anymore (I can explain, but don't want to here), so I've read more books in the past two years than maybe in 40 years combined. Plus, following daughter Rachel's example, we're doing audio books regularly. 
           -- A flat-screen TV. Our next addition, two weeks ago. Welcome to the 21st century. What now? Hi-def? Not yet.
           -- This country. We have our faults, we have our political battles, our social battles, there's too much division, too much poverty ... pick your complaints. I was so blessed to come here at age 8 1/2, with my family; I never take being an American -- naturalized -- lightly. I can't be President, so I don't have to worry about showing you my birth certificate.
           -- That birth certificate is written in Dutch. I also was blessed to be part of that little country seven hours to the east. I think it's at least the second-greatest country in the world.
           -- It's a year later, but my third trip back to The Netherlands -- but the first trip back with Bea -- is something for which I will always be grateful. That was a memorable two weeks.
           -- Speaking of trips, going back to Knoxville once or twice a year, to beautiful East Tennessee and to our girls up there, is a blessing. Plus, we go other places such as a wonderful (and long) journey to Savannah, Ga., recently.
           -- Being in Fort Worth has so many advantages. This is one of the best places to live in America -- a big place that's not overwhelming. Museums, the library, the symphony orchestra, Bass Hall, the zoo, Colonial Country Club, TCU, Stockyards, the libraries ... I could keep going. Everyday life here is good.
           -- My daily walks, whether it's hot or cold or windy (don't like it). I love the warm/hot weather, but I've gone in the snow or rain, too. Lately, at the physician's suggestion, I've added a little work (very little) in the gym several times a week. Plus, in the summer, there's some laps in the pool. I'm not terribly fit, but I'm not unfit.
           -- Facebook, Twitter. They're fun ... most days.
           -- The blog. It's fun to do and I've tried to do at least two pieces a week. Don't know how much longer I can do that, or want to. I'm trying to recap my career, but I also want to stay current. Some things I write will appeal to a wider audience; some things won't. Main goal is I want to stay mostly positive; no use being too critical of anybody or anything. (Don't bring up the Cowboys' owner, OK.)        
            I could go on and on, but I'll save some for my 68th birthday. But one more gratitude ...
           -- My parents. The blog has become a place to honor their lives, to recap their stories. I want the kids and grandkids to have these stories on record, so I hope the readers understand that. And the lessons of their lives, and of the Holocaust, should not be forgotten.  
           
                                 
        

 

It's a double "happy ..." day

The photo Rachel posted for Father's
 Day ... this was a little more than
eight years ago -- one of the great days.

       This is one of those rare June 16ths -- not only my birthday, but also Father's Day. Doesn't happen all that often.
       It's the first time June 16 has fallen on a Sunday in 11 years, since 2002. It's happened five times -- 1985, 1991, 1996, 2002 and today -- since I became a father.
       So that means double "happy ... " today. Double the cards and double the presents from my wife, my kids and my grandkids -- all my favorite people. And because this is my third Facebook birthday, I thank you in advance (because I'm posting this early this morning) for all the birthday wishes.
       (Actually, those began Sunday a week ago from my old Shreveport Times friends Gerry Robichaux and Jim McLain, who -- in newspaper parlance -- got their copy in early.)
        My mother, in her last couple of decades, used to joke, when asked about her age, that the number had a "7" -- later an "8" -- in it, but she couldn't remember the other number. Today, my birthday number has a "6" ... in fact, two 6s.
        Doesn't bother me; age really is just a stage of mind. But then my wife says she's waiting for me to act my age, and she's been waiting a long time. What are the chances?
        What does bother me is that my reflexes, flexibility and balance aren't as good as they once were. I don't hear as well on the phone, and I get tired more easily. Yet, because of daily walks and much healthier eating (not always, mind you, but most of the time), I'm still in decent shape.

With Jason in 2005 ... now it's
 Father's Day for him, too

         So it's OK to have another birthday, and I'll take as many more as I can. But I'm a lot prouder of the significance of Father's Day; being a dad and granddad is the best part of my life. No presents can equal that.
---
         A year ago on my birthday, I did a Q&A with myself for the blog. Today I will offer some birthday wishes.
         Some of these are sincere, some are folly, some are idealistic. Deep down I'm still an idealist, although I try to look at the world realistically. So please excuse what might be silly notions.
         Here goes ... here's what I wish for on my birthday:
         -- Continued good health. It's irreplaceable. We've been so blessed that Beatrice is going strong, 11 years after her first colon cancer scare/surgery.
         -- Much more time with the three grandkids. They give us the most joy, the best moments and memories.
         -- More success for our kids in their respective businesses, whether it's in plumbing construction supply, the Cajun Tailgators food truck, sports talk radio ("The Drive" in Knoxville) or the middle school resource center.
         -- More good blog topics.
         -- The resolution of confrontations through compromise in the U.S. Congress and in the Middle East (see, I told you some of this was idealism).
         -- Relief from our financial crisis/mess and a sensible way to solve the immigration issue that leaves everyone satisfied to an extent. Impossible, right?
         -- Cures for the physical ailments that rob years from so many people.
         -- No losses, ever, for the Yankees (this has been a bad week), LSU, Louisiana Tech and the Dutch national soccer team. (Don't wish anything bad for the Rangers and Astros ... except when they play the Yankees). If LSU and La. Tech face each other, in any sport, may the best team win.
         -- Convince Jerry Jones that the way to really improve the Cowboys is for him (and his family) to sell the team to someone who knows what they're doing. Stop trying to convince people that the Dallas Cowboys are still an elite franchise in the NFL. It just isn't so.
         -- Give Jason Garrett a personality to match what everyone says is his brainpower. As the head coach, he is just plain boring -- cliche-ridden, secretive, rote -- and his playcalling was as boring as his meetings with the media. And Tom Landry had a "plastic man" reputation?
         -- Make the careless and overrated Tony Romo stop sinking to the occasion when the Cowboys most need him to come through. Dez Bryant? Don't even want to start ...
         -- Renewed relevance for the Mavericks in the NBA and the Stars in the NHL. Some guards for the Mavs who can play with games on the line.
         -- A lot less media time for Nick Saban and Gary Patterson and several other college football coaches who take themselves much too seriously. (We'd like to hear from some other people.) A lot less goofiness and better in-game decisions for our man Les Miles; is that possible?
         -- Speaking of too seriously, a lot less media time, too, for Tiger Woods, who doesn't seem to enjoy himself as he's winning golf tournaments and who isn't much fun for me to watch. Sure, he's the greatest player going, but he could show a human side.
         -- While we're on golf ... happy birthday (43rd)/Father's Day, too, to Phil Mickelson, who -- if he can finish this off -- can give himself his first U.S. Open title today (after five second-place finishes).
         -- Make LeBron James and Dwyane Wade go away. Don't like watching them, either. In fact, I don't like watching the NBA, period. But Beatrice loves her Mavericks, and at least Dirk looks as if  he's having fun, most of the time.
         -- New faces in tennis ... tired of Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Serena. How about Patrick Harrison, or Christian Harrison? That way I might even watch tennis.
         -- Somehow, some way, new life for newspapers and continued employment for those who are still working in that field. Good luck to you people. I don't miss it.
         -- Happy retirement for Mariano Rivera, but plenty more saves for the Yankees' closer the rest of this season.
         -- A return to the field, in good physical shape, for Derek Jeter -- like Mo, a class act, always.
         -- Lots of change -- coins and dollar bills -- on the ground in the streets around the TCU area where I walk daily. I'll be looking for it and if I find it, it's mine.
         -- Enough exercise to make it worthwhile. And while it's hot in the summer, daily dips in the pool.
         -- Continued forms of entertainment for us in Fort Worth and/or Arlington -- concerts at Bass Hall, monthly old movies and jazz performances at the Central Library, the Concerts in the Garden, the Botanical Gardens, plays at the Jubilee Theater, the golf tournament at Colonial right down the street, even a ballgame now and then.
         -- More great meals, at home and elsewhere. But sensible ones -- cut the white bread and the potatoes and gravy, limit the cake and cookies and ice cream, no sweet tea, no soft drinks. Lots of fruits and greens, almond milk and low sodium vegetable juice.
         -- More good books. I've read about a dozen the last couple of months, some of which had been sitting near this computer for two-plus years. Our book club has taken me far beyond the realm of sports (seriously).
         -- For my friends who have loved ones with serious health challenges, prayers and best wishes and sympathy, and the strength to deal with whatever they face. Seems as if every day, we have a friend who has lost a parent or a spouse, and it's one aspect of growing older that I find difficult. We must accept that this is part of our experience on earth.
         -- For all my friends, old and new (on Facebook), good thoughts. There's lots to cherish in this world of ours.
         I didn't ask for too much, did I?            
                   
        
       

Welcome to Medicare ... age 65

        So here I am at 65. Today I'm officially in the Medicare generation, although I've been covered for a couple of weeks now.
       It's my birthday and Bea -- who is in charge here -- "suggested" I write about it because I've already written about Jason's, Rachel's and her birthdays.  And I thank you for the birthday wishes; they began arriving on Facebook last weekend.
         I used to think that, being born in 1947, I would be 53 in the year 2000, and I would be ready to retire when I turned 65 ... in 2012. And, gee, where have the years gone?
         So let me share some thoughts with you about reaching 65. Using a format I've never used before, I decided I would ... interview myself. Here goes ...
         How's it going? (Note: This is how I begin 95 percent of my conversations on the phone). Great. I'm grateful to be here. It's a great time of life; I try to enjoy every day.
          What keeps you busy these days? We read a lot, we try to exercise every day -- I love my walks through the neighborhood near TCU, and my occasional trip on the treadmill in the exercise room at our apartment complex  -- and Bea and I try to do things around the city. We've gone to the Botanical Gardens, to the Concert in the Park, to Bass Hall, to the museums, we spent much of late April and May on the road to Shreveport, Sulphur, Baton Rouge, Memphis, Knoxville. We eat well but also more carefully. We think about our lives and where we want to go in the near future.

Opa Nico, Granny Bea and the
grandkids -- Kaden, Josie and Jacob.

           What's the best part of life? No question -- the grandkids. We're so proud of our kids; they went through a lot when they were young, through many more tests than they should have, and they've become wonderful young adults. We love their spouses, but we are especially blessed to spend time with our Josie, Jacob and Kaden. They are the reward for a lot of difficult years.
           Why so difficult? Whatever problems I ran into, I usually caused them. Too many distractions, too many lapses in judgment, too demanding, too impatient, too hard on myself, too hard on others.
          What's changed? Bea says I've mellowed, thank you. I don't feel very mellow any time the Yankees, Cowboys, LSU, Louisiana Tech or the Dutch soccer team lose games, but ... they are games. Bea and I can still push each other's "mad" buttons, but we are time-tested and we are battle-tested.
          What about your career? What career?
           Seriously ... Well, I'm semi-retired. I worked in newspaper sports departments or in sports information for 40-plus years and I was laid off in May 2011. Since last fall, I have worked parttime in Dallas or Fort Worth a couple of times a week -- sometimes a day or two more -- but I work shorter shifts and mostly get to choose my spots. I want to cover high school football one more season this fall, and at the end of the year, I don't intend to work any more. Period.
          Satisfied with the career? Yes. I was never going to be a great everyday writer or reporter; it just didn't come that easily. I did try to be a great employee. Didn't always satisfy the people in charge, didn't meet their standards, but again, most of that was my fault. I was never all that compliant and I didn't always behave. But I say this with all sincerity -- I always gave it 100 percent. I didn't try to take shortcuts or the easy way. Tried my best on everything; tried to stay ahead. There were subjects I didn't know much about, but I learned to ask for help.
       The biggest lesson? There is so much in life you cannot control. I learned the hard way you cannot control how people think, you cannot control certain circumstances. I think, I hope, I've gotten a lot better at handling the things I could control, and accepting the rest of it. The Serenity Prayer is important to remember.
        The legacy? What does it matter? Well, I did leave a legacy of fun, I hope. I had fun, and I think the people around me did, if they got past the outbursts and the kicked trash cans and thrown objects. There's a legacy of perverse silliness ... the kind you get in every sports department. It was usually a pretty interesting mix of people, and I'd like to think I learned something from all of them.
       What about the friends? I've got so many, so many people I'm fond of. I was almost always able to make friends, and I've kept them. I never suffered fools easily, so you learn to weed. Often, though, I was the fool. But I value my friends -- so many of those people from Shreveport-Bossier, those kids from Sunset Acres and Oak Terrace and Woodlawn and La. Tech, those newspaper people, the coaches and the administrators from all over.
       Beatrice tops the list; she's been my best friend for 36 years now; she's my rock, my conscience, my advisor, my nemesis ... we are a team. She's the gutsiest person I know. And Casey Baker and John W. Marshall III know me better than anyone but Bea; we're close, and they've been there longer than Bea. So many others, though, that I consider close friends, too many to name.
        Who do you miss most? Oh, man. My parents, Bea's parents and her brother, my mentors (Pete Dosher, Bill McIntyre, Jack Fiser, Paul Manasseh), my great friend Ken Liberto ... Just to know I can't pick up the phone and talk to them, or see them in person again, it's tough.
         Regrets? It's not like My Way ... "regrets, I had a few, but then again too few to mention." No, I've got too many to mention. But the object is to not add any more.
          How lucky were you? Oh, I'm one of the luckiest people I know. Sure, things happened that weren't lucky. But I got so many breaks, none bigger than coming to the United States from Holland at age 8 1/2. When I failed -- and I did so many times -- people were always there to pick me up.  First my parents. Then mostly, Beatrice. She stayed with me when she had a lot of reasons not to. My kids stayed with me. When I needed jobs, along came McIntyre and Stanley Tiner, Mike Richey, John Adams, Celeste Williams.
        What about the blog? It's fun; it gets things on paper that I wanted to say. I know it's egocentric, but it gives me a chance to write. Hopefully, it entertains some people. Not trying to be too critical of anything or anyone. Trying to share some of my experiences, and some of my wisdom (there's a laugh there, as Dan Fleser would say).
       Where to from here? Many more good days with Miss Bea, Rachel and Jay, and their families. Hopefully, many more days with Josie, Jacob and Kaden. It is so fulfilling to watch them grow, watch them learn so rapidly, laugh with them, enjoy what they can do (revel in it, in fact). Many more good meals, and good times, and mostly, good health.
        OK, wrap it up -- this is getting too long. Not unusual for me to write long. The bottom line is that I feel very blessed. Life has been a great experience, and I hope there is a lot more to it. And I thank all of you.