Monthly Archives: May 2015

That’s Some Hole in One

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“If you’re caught on a golf course during a storm
and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron.
Not even God can hit a 1-iron.”
Lee Trevino

That's Some Hole in One

A massive sinkhole on a golf course in Branson Missouri.

“The ‘Top of the Rock’ golf course is the sight of what may be the biggest playing hazard around.

In the early morning hours the ground collapsed, leaving a gaping hole nearly 100-feet deep and 100-yards wide.  And it may be growing.

Heavy rain in the area, combined with a possible cave below the course are the leading suspects.”

This news story reminded me of a funny story I heard a while back. It’s about a young man, Edward who was an exceptional golfer.

At the age of 26, Edward decided to become a priest, and joined a rather peculiar order. He took the usual vows of poverty, chastity, but his order also required that he quit golf and never play again. This was particularly difficult for Edward, but he agreed and was finally ordained a priest.

One Sunday morning, the Reverend Father Edward woke up and realizing it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf.

So… he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick and convinced him to say Mass for him that day. As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, Father Edward headed out-of-town to a golf course about forty miles away. This way he knew he wouldn’t accidentally meet anyone he knew from his parish.

Setting up on the first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday morning and everyone else was in church!

At about this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while looking down from the heavens and exclaimed, “You’re not going to let him get away with this, are you?”

The Lord sighed, and said, “No, I guess not.

“Just then Father Edward hit the ball and it shot straight towards the pin, dropping just short of it, rolled up and fell into the hole. It was a 420 yard hole in one!

St. Peter was astonished. He looked at the Lord and asked, “Why did you let him do that?”

The Lord smiled and replied,”Who is he going to tell?”

Shine On

My Memorial Day Poem

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“A hero is someone who has given his or her life
to something bigger than oneself.”
Joseph Campbell
Memorial Day

For centuries soldiers die
In the name of freedom
From all around the World
Mothers, daughters, sons and fathers
Mourn from wars death toll

The greatest thing the human race
Must accomplish is right now
To end all wars and live in peace
In hopes that all the lives war took
Were not lives that died in vain

We celebrate on Memorial Day
To honor all the fallen
They made the ultimate sacrifice
For all of us still living
We dedicate this day to say
Don’t forget all the lives that have fallen

By:   J R

Shine On

Homeless in Hollywood

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“People who are homeless are not social inadequates.
They are people without homes.”
Sheila McKechnie

Homeless in Hollywood

The homeless makeshift homes lining Hollywood Boulevard underpass.

The other day I visited the Hollyhock House. The Hollyhock House is the first house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles in the 1920s.

The house sits high above Hollywood Boulevard on over 26 acres, with views of the iconic Hollywood sign and Griffith Park Observatory.

I’ve been looking forward to this visit for quite some time. The tour was a disappointment. Mostly because you’re not allowed to take photos of the interior and because they only allow access to less than 1,000 square feet out of 5,000 square feet of the house.

But, the most disappointing part of the day was the sight of all the homelessness in and around Hollywood Boulevard. I haven’t been to Hollywood in almost three years and I was saddened and shocked to see the increase in the number of homeless people.

On any given day, at least 800,000 people are homeless in the United States, including about 200,000 children in homeless families. At least 2.3 million people experienced homelessness at some time during an average year. Because more families with children than unpartnered people enter and leave homelessness during a year, families represent a relatively large share of the annual population. As a result, during a typical year, between 900,000 and 1.4 million children are homeless with their families.

What will end homelessness? I don’t have the answer. I know there are organizations in every community to help the homeless. But, until this country decides to take steps to help the homeless, because most cannot help themselves, there will always be the homeless.

Thomas Jefferson had an interesting take on the homeless over two hundred years ago:

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.”

Shine On

Must See TV

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“Either write something worth reading or
do something worth writing.”
Benjamin Franklin

Well Read    BTL

I’ve been doing an excellent job this year of watching less television. What shows I do watch, I find taping them is the most productive way to enjoy television. Most of what is on TV I can live without. However, there are two shows that I have to watch every week:

One is Well Read, an author interview show on PBS. The hosts are, Terry Tazioli and Mary Ann Gwinn. Tazioli has interviewed authors such as Jodi Picoult, Jane Smiley, James McBride, Marlon James, David Mitchell, Louise Penny, Anne Lamott, William Gibson and many others. Most of the books on my “to read list” are because of an interview I saw on Well Read.

The other show I watch every week is, Between the Lines hosted by Barry Kibrick. Again, this show interviews award-winning authors.

If you’re serious about reading and writing, both these shows are must see TV.

Shine On