My Personal Blog

For some sports fans like me, the playoffs can cause stress where we tend to eat more junk food than normal and drink more (whether alcoholic or not) than we normally do.  (I do not drink alcohol of any kind, by the way.)  The male fans could grow beards and not shave them until either their teams are eliminated or are crowned the champions. However, in my book, there are certain things that professional sports leagues should change regarding the playoffs.  If I manage to piss off fans of certain teams, then I apologize in advance. When it comes to the NFL playoffs, here is what should change: Get rid of the seventh seed in each conference because they almost never win wild card games. Any on field official who makes x amount of game changing officiating errors in one regular season should be deemed ineligible for consideration for officiating in the playoffs. When it comes to the NBA playoffs: Stop calling the first two rounds of the playoffs the conference quarterfinals...

Stage Ten at Sony Pictures Studios... it's been the longtime home studio of Jeopardy! since 1994. Since 2021, it's been officially known as The Alex Trebek Stage. It's also a place where I have been trying to get to for the last fifteen to twenty years. I've been attempting to get to the Alex Trebek Stage to be a contestant on Jeopardy! since 2008 when I was in college.  It seems that I can emcee the occasional tournament in my neighborhood, but I cannot seem to get an audition for the show as a contestant even by passing the online contestant test. Over the years, I have attempted to enlist help from Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, Rachael Ray, Bonnie Hunt, Anderson Cooper, Jeff Probst, Drew Barrymore, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson to get me to the Alex Trebek Stage as a contestant on Jeopardy! but nothing has worked.  (Even my aces in the hole, Anderson Cooper, Jeff Probst and Harry Connick Jr. were of no help.) My visions initially began with ...

Many years ago, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania judged me to be proficient in writing as part of the 2002 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. That was the same year that I spoke out in my junior year English class vehemently opposing the commonwealth’s plan to affix seals on the high school diplomas claiming that it could give folks with learning disabilities an unfair disadvantage.  After I spoke out, I would be asked each day if there were any new developments relevant to what I spoke out in opposition to.  Before the 2001-2002 school year was over, the commonwealth eventually abandoned their plans to affix seals on the high school diplomas in favor of awarding separate certificates marking a minimum of proficiency in math, reading and writing.  As I mentioned earlier, I was judged to be proficient in writing, so I did receive a certificate confirming that proficiency in writing. There was one day in the fall of 2003 when I sat down at my computer and I just star...

I get asked what interests me when I am not working. Well, today in part one of a multi-part entry about this subject, I am going to speak about the non-athletic things that interest me away from my work area. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for young children, and that is why I love giving them helium balloons at various events such as the Hermitage Arts Festival and Buhl Day. I have also had an interest in world affairs, so I enjoy paying attention to the news, whether tuning in each evening, or following the news on social media to keep up with the latest headlines. I also enjoy watching game shows such as Jeopardy!  And while I am on that subject, I have been attempting to get to the Alex Trebek Stage in Culver City for more than 15 years.  My only wish is that if there was a tournament each season with two person teams competing against other two person teams, then me and my longtime bestie Dr. Eaton could team up like old times and audition together. I have had...

In honor of today being the observance of Martin Luther King Jr's birthday, I want to speak today about serving the public. When I say serving the public, I do not mean the work that I do to earn a living.  I'm talking about serving the public away from my daily labors. Since 2009, I have been a constant presence at the Hermitage Arts Festival as the Balloon Man distributing helium balloons to the children.  Even after being recognized for these efforts as the grand marshal of the 2023 Holiday Light Parade, I plan on continuing in this role right up until the day that I die. I have also served in my role as the Balloon Man as Buhl Day on Labor Day in Buhl Park since 2013. And what have I learned in the fifteen years that I have been the Balloon Man?  You have to listen to your clientele, which in this case is the children of the community. And in those fifteen years in my role as the Balloon Man, I have estimated that I have handed out at least four thousand helium balloo...

If this entry manages to piss off fans of Michigan football, then I apologize in advance. The accomplishments that Michigan football achieved this past season are tainted just like the 1950s quiz shows and Sara Ganim's Pulitzer Prize for the following reasons: The NCAA investigation into illegal in person scouting of opponents led to the resignation of Connor Stallions, a Naval Academy grad and former Marine because if he was still a Marine then he would have been court-martialed. Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the three non-conference games over illegal recruiting during the pandemic-mandated dead period which he committed perjury to the NCAA investigators by denying the allegations.  He was further suspended for the final three regular season games as a result of Connor Stallions' illegal in person scouting. The NCAA is also investigating further recruiting violations unrelated to the sign stealing scandal. With the NCAA Committee on Infractions having sent Michigan notice of...

Some of our favorite game show hosts started out in the game show industry by accident.  But some had other jobs before becoming game show hosts. Ray Combs once sold furniture in Indianapolis before becoming host of Family Feud in 1988, while Allen Ludden was an English teacher long before The G.E. College Bowl and Password. Rolf Benirschke kicked field goals for the San Diego Chargers before his brief stint as host of daytime Wheel of Fortune, while Howie Mandel sold carpeting long before Deal or No Deal. Peter Tomarken was an advertising salesman for Women’s Wear Daily magazine before he became known as the host of Press Your Luck, while Bud Collyer tried his hand as a lawyer before hosting Beat the Clock and To Tell The Truth. Jack Barry worked for his father selling handkerchiefs before becoming host of shows such as Twenty One and The Joker’s Wild, and Wink Martindale worked as a soda jerk long before hosting Tic Tac Dough and Trivial Pursuit. Bob Eubanks owned a chain of nigh...

There are people who ask me why I hate Ohio State. The reasons as to why I hate Ohio State are: 1.  One of my cousins applied to college there and never heard back from them. 2.  I was born to hate Ohio State and I will die hating Ohio State. 3.  Ohio State is evil and are college football's version of the Kremlin. 4.  If Penn State is playing evil Ohio State, I tend to avoid watching the game because my doctor will never allow me to watch those games so as to avoid having undue stress put on me as a result of what happened to me in October 2018 following a heartbreaking loss when I could not do any work on my work computer and my supervisor allowed me to leave work early. 5.  If I was a member of the Penn State football team and learned about the losing skid against evil Ohio State, I would attempt to get hypnosis therapy to help end the losing skid. 6.  Every time evil Ohio State loses a football game, I take perverse delight in posting a meme on Facebook...

As part of my plans to slim down to my goal weight prior to Penn State football's first game of the 2024 season against West Virginia, I plan on attempting to get in as much physical activity as possible on weekends or whenever my schedule will allow during the week. I have a goal by then to shed around 50 pounds prior to the opening kickoff of the 2024 season.  However, the one thing that could hold me back is my penchant for snacking.  What I am thinking about doing to curb my cravings for junk food of any kind may potentially involve the use of a pacifier.  If at any time I feel that I have a craving for junk food, I will just reach for my pacifier and suck on it instead. You might be thinking that I am crazy because I said that I might suck a pacifier instead of satisfying a junk food craving.  However, I have read in online forums that some adults suck pacifiers to help them quit smoking.  However, because I do not smoke, I think that sucking on a pacifier ...

As 2024 begins, I take this opportunity to reflect on the past year that was. In 2023, I began my current employment where I basically assist folks in Pennsylvania receive medical benefits and food stamps.  What I enjoy the most about it is that I get to work from home so that I can achieve a work-life balance, which is something that I needed.  One thing that I have learned about my line of work is that no two Pennsylvanians have the same set of circumstances.  For instance, you might have a family of six living in Erie seeking medical coverage or you could have a 80 year old widower in Bowmanstown seeking home and community based services along with food stamps.  You could also have a couple in a common law marriage with one son living in State College seeking medical coverage for their son or you might have a 20 year old college student at Temple University in Philadelphia looking to apply for food stamps. Also in 2023, I attended three weddings.  In June I a...