Comic Relief

Maybe Mork just went home!

Growing up I remember watching Comic Relief on television (I believe it was on HBO). While at the time many of the jokes went completely over my head I can still hear my parents laughing as Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams took the stage and proceeded to conduct an improv set the likes of which I had never seen. Even with my limited understanding, I couldn’t help but watch them go back and forth not missing a moment or opportunity to turn common responses into belly laughs. While Crystal and Goldberg were good, Robin Williams was always the one that took over the entire stage and the audience.

Recently I have been thinking about Robin Williams ever since we learned that we will be having a baby early next year. For some reason I have been thinking about a part of one of his stand up sets when he talks about becoming a father. It was one of those rare moments of honest vulnerability that he would occasionally touch upon during those wild times on stage. In the midst of clear chaos, it was those moments that made you stop and think about something so serious that it just sticks with you years later. Maybe that it why it has been on my mind during the last few weeks.

 

Of course, as I am certain you have heard, Robin Williams was once again on the forefront of all our minds. I am still shocked that he is gone. I am not one to dedicate an entire lost to the loss of a celebrity but Robin Williams was on a completely different level. As I have gotten older I have constantly looked forward to what he would do next… whenever he was on I was going to watch.

And as I have gotten older, caught up and now understand those jokes lost on me during my childhood, I have continued to become more and more envious of the ability to create at an instant no matter where he was, what he was given, or what was said. He is a talent that we will never fully understand let alone replace. He was a complicated man but one with unparalleled ability, talent, and passion. I will miss watching that complicated man both during those intense moments of improv and also during those subdued roles that showcased a complexity and range that few have possessed.

Unfortunately, we all have our flaws and our struggles and his death is a reminder that no matter how much we watch someone, or their outgoing personality, or the success that they have… we don’t know what is going on inside of them. It is the scariest part of life not knowing what can be just below the surface and the horrible way that people see themselves. We can only do so much but one thing that we can do is make sure that we are there for our friends and family regardless of whether they seem like they need someone or not from the outside. You just never know.

Dichotomy

Every month during our state meeting at the lodge we take a moment to recognize Masonic birthdays. Essentially, anyone who became a Mason in November would celebrate their Masonic birthday in November. Last night we decided to change things up a bit.

Rather than taking note of the Masonic birthdays for this month we took time to honor those who have served our country. All of our brothers who served in the armed forces lined up across the lodge and, one by one, stated their name, branch, and years of service. All branches were represented as well as service times ranging from 2 to 36 years and across generations from WWII to Iraq and Afghanistan.

All of these men stood tall for a few extra minutes last night. All of these men continued to take pride in themselves and the morals that have guided them through their Masonic lives. Each and every one of them deserves the respect of all those who enjoy the rights and freedoms that they fought to uphold and defend.

There was also some news being talked about yesterday and last night that lies in stark contrast to the integrity and honesty that these men embody. It seems as though there are some in Washington that do not hold those morals in such high regard. Some have outright lied to us for years despite knowing the falsehood that they preached. Yes, Mr. Obama, I am talking about you!

The entire healthcare debacle and the lies used to push the agenda has left many with little, if any, faith in the federal government. The utter deceit and disregard for consequence is a model that cannot unite a people under one cause. It is a political calculation that can only result in the division of the people.

Furthermore, the recent news released by the Food and Drug Administration is completely absurd and is a power grab by and agency with a severe case of Jan syndrome. The FDA feels that they should be the ones to focus on public health and police the people but now Obamacare and the cronies therein are grabbing all the headlines. Marsha! Marsha! Marsha!

The FDA should ban these two... they're worse for our health than trans fats.

The FDA announcement regarding trans fats in processed foods and the elimination thereof is, in my opinion, an extension of the Obamacare program and a means for the FDA administrators to participate in the potato sack race. It gives the FDA additional control over the decisions that people are allow to make which, in their eyes, will reduce the health and therefore insurance risk. Basically, the President (Obama) wants to be your daddy, HHS (Sebelius) wants to be your mommy, and the FDA wants to be your nanny. Yes, that means you are the child!

Change was promised and that it certainly what we are getting. Now you may even have someone to change your diaper in the new nanny state. I just really hope that this is all a big joke and that Robin Williams will get drunk and perform the Heimlich on a country gasping for air.

Just A Couple Minutes

Have you ever had one of those days when you are two minutes behind everything. Literally, two minutes behind schedule all day. That is the kind of day that I had today. Don’t misunderstand me, it was an excellent day. But no matter what I did I couldn’t make up those two minutes that escaped my grasp at 7:47 this morning. And that is especially bad when you day is full of meetings as mine was today.

Things could have been worse and I did make it to all my meetings within a reasonable margin. Two minutes is like the five second rule of scheduling. You can quickly drop the ball and fall a little behind but at some point you are going to pass the point of no return and you will get a look of disgust if you try and act like it’s no big deal.

At the end of the day I could have easily gotten back on schedule and home for the night but that is the most difficult time to stay on track and the reason is simple. We have way too much fun at the office. Nothing crazy we just all get along and share a similar sense of humor. Plus many of us, including me, can go off on a tangent like few others can. Get more than one of us in a room and you better buckle up. I’m like Robin Williams but not nearly as funny, with a little more sanity, and frequently boring.

Honestly, if you think I ramble on and on in writing you should meet me in person. I can usually keep myself in check (especially when I’m tired and/or have a really back headache) but when I get going it is really hard to stop me. Just ask some of the people I’ve gotten to know over the years. I am sure they will give and exhausted sounding sigh and confirm.

But I managed to get out of the office close to schedule today… only two minutes behind. And now I am sitting on the computer trying to make up for lost time by finishing up two Phillies blogs while keeping two eyes open and finishing my second beer in an office that is hotter than the second ring of hell. Don’t the old people in the building realize that cold preserves longer than heat. Just look at Ted Williams. Have you ever gotten an ice splinter? Those things hurt more than they should for something that size.