"The people muddied, unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers." (Hamlet)

I've given a lot of thought to what amazing events have happened in my lifetime and I believed that landing a man on the moon was tops...until now. I find that having an African-American running for President of the United States to be the most amazing event ever in my life. I never thought that this could happen in this country because of deep-rooted prejudices; now I feel guilty about doubting this country--this America. I've heard and read all the negative arguments about Obama, both on the Internet, newspapers, and e-mails; I really don't care about any of those views. I feel very deeply that Baruch Obama is the man to lead the United States out of the funk we find ourselves in now, what with the war, gas and food prices, the economy, immigration, health costs, & etc. I hope the country can rally around Obama support his office and show the world what America is capable of doing. And I really don't want to read any more fire breathing, vitriolic, balderdash about Obama who really is a green man from outer space, who wears a turban to bed every night, who sucks the blood out of Jewish children, and anything else other than the fact that he is a United States Senator who is running for President of his country--and yours. Vote for the other guy if you wish, but please spare me your "facts" about Obama which have been dipped in hemlock. Try dippping them in chocolate syrup and whipped cream...and maybe a two-cents plain.

"Why should proud Summer boast before the birds have any cause to sing? Why should I joy? (Love's Labours Lost)

I just got off the phone with Celebrity Cruise Line because I needed to know if we could get off the ship on time for a land tour of Holland when the ship docks in Amsterdam. The ship docks at 5am and the tour begins at 10am. Of course, we need to get to the hotel first to drop off our luggage and perhaps have time to change our clothes if we need to. The answer I got wasn't too helpful. A lot depends on how much time we need to get through customs, and hopefully the transportation we requested would be waiting for us. Then again, I'll have my scooter and we don't have any way of knowing whether or not it will fit in the car/van??? Thus, we have some problems to solve with not much chance of knowing how to solve them. Any ideas?

Today I had another doctor's appointment with my neurologist, Dr. Blumenthal. When I got to the building I went directly to check in with Dr. Palumbo my pulmonologist. The receptionist said they had no record of my appointment at which time I realized I went to the wrong ....ologist. So, I waddled down the hall to the correct ...ologist. If I keep getting confused about my ...ologists as I grow older, then I'm going to need an archaeologist. Anyway, I had an x-ray of my foot because my achilles tendon was acting up and I had a lot of pain when I tried to walk. But the neurologist thought perhaps I had a fracture of some kind down there, hence the x-ray. No results yet. When I went back to the car, I found that I was in a reserved parking space for doctors instead of a handicap spot. Oh well, I rationalized, I'm a doctor and I just drove off.

"A friend should bear a friend's infirmities..." (J.Caesar)

If you read the comments on my last blog, you will see that there is a difference in perception of Baruch Obama between my good friend and colleague, Phil B. and me. I see Obama as the best choice to change the direction in which the current administration has led this country. And Phil is fervently opposed to him, and that's OK with me...he has one vote, same as I do. In so many ways Phil and I are alike; we think alike, we like the same people and dislike the same people; we love sports, and we love coaching. However, in this case, we approach whom we like as CinC for our country from the differences in our life experiences. I understand where Phil is coming from, and I hope that he knows where I've been. I'm voting the democratic ticket no matter who's on it. I do have a Hillary button and an Obama button. If I had a Phil button, I would wear it.

Yesterday, we went to a luncheon to say farewell to a great lady...and I mean a GREAT LADY. Merna Gordon is 95 years old. She played the piano here in Huntington Lakes for many of the shows that I've been in, like "HMS Pinafore", "The Mikado", "Music Man", & "Fiddler on the Roof". She is a woman with a great deal of class, and much loved by all who know her and by all who have had the pleasure of working with her on musicals. Of course, that was while she lived here in Huntington Lakes. A few years ago she moved into the home of a significant other and when he recently died, Merna's children insisted that she move out to Oregon to be near them. So yesterday we said a sad farewell to her, and I hope she'll be able to take her beloved piano with her.