Making The Most Of Each Day

-In our back yard this morning, we currently have light snow and 32 (freezing) degrees outside. Right here at our house it is just raining – but I am assuming it is snowing away from the city.

Color weather radar shows a small area of snow and rain from Duluth all the way down to Minneapolis, Minnesota – which seems to be moving now into Wiscosnin.

-Today’s northland weather forecast for our back yard and around the area is:

Cloudy. Light snow likely and areas of light freezing drizzle in the morning…then a slight chance of light rain and snow in the afternoon. Little or no snow accumulation. Highs 35 to 40. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.

-The past few days, except for our visiting relative – I’ve been bored. The weather is changing and it is getting colder out – and I find the days to be long and boring. It is unique to understand that my life is perpetuated by nice weather – but the colder weather seems to confine me to the house.

When it was warm I could have the doors and windows open and I could be inside or outside – and I was not restricted from doing anything.

Now, with being inside – I just felt “closed in” and it is not so much fun to be home. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, everyone who retires has to – but it will take me some time.

Steve asked me, when he phoned me about 5:10 p.m., what I was doing and he mentioned that I had not called or emailed him much during the day.

I wrote back, and said – “I didn’t really have much to talk about, after all my world was confined to the house” and that was about all I had to say.

It’s just that time of year … colder weather, darker days, the holidays coming – it’s a time of year when my life will change and there won’t be so much happening for me … and I’m just feeling the early affects of it – already.

I’m a positive guy … I’m a survivor, I’ll make it – I just need to realize I will have to do this by myself. You see, it took me years to realize that no matter what I do, or where I am in life – in the final analysis – I have to deal with each of life’s circumstances – all by myself.

No, I’m not depressed … just a bit feeling a bit blue and lonely … but I know I’ll do fine. Once my body and mind get accustomed to the darkness and cold of winter – and some snow hits the ground – I’ll be out and about, living my life and doing the best I can – for me. But right now, the days are lonely and I’m bored by the fact that I just can’t go out and do as much in the cold temperatures of the day.

Oh well, I’m making the most of each day!

-A legal group with ties to Liberty University, the college founded by the late evangelist Jerry Falwell, is seeking standing before the California Supreme Court in a challenge to Proposition 8 – the amendment to the state constitution barring same-sex marriage.

In a brief filed Monday with the Supreme Court the Virginia-based Liberty Counsel says the challenges to Prop 8 have no basis in law.

A day after voters agreed to amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriage, three separate briefs were filed with the high court, arguing the proposition was illegal because it conflicted with existing portions of the constitution.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed a writ petition before the California Supreme Court on Wednesday, a preliminary move to a suit. They were the lead groups that successfully argued the original marriage case before the court.

The second notice came from Dennis Herrera, the attorney for the City of San Francisco. The third was filed by Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred on behalf of a couple married in that city.

The petitions charge that Proposition 8 is invalid because the initiative process was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution’s core commitment to equality for everyone. They also say that Prop 8 improperly attempts to prevent the courts from exercising their essential constitutional role of protecting the equal protection rights of minorities.

Liberty Counsel is representing the Campaign for California Families, which organized Prop 8.

In its brief, Liberty Counsel said that the challengers are wrong in their basic assumptions and asks the court for the right to argue to allow Prop 8 to stand when the high court hears the case.

“The proponents of same-sex marriage have thrown a ‘Hail Mary’ pass with no receivers down field,” said Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law.

“The law suit seeking to block Proposition 8 is patently frivolous. The people have a right to amend their constitution,” Staver said in a statement.

“It is amazing how much effort has been put in this battle to keep the people from deciding the future of marriage. It makes no sense that four judges can re-write the historic definition of marriage and more than 5 million people cannot restore it to its common understanding as the union of one man and one woman.”

On Sunday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he hoped the Supreme Court would declare Proposition 8 illegal.

As a reminder from yesterday’s posting … help fight for YOUR rights … Join the Impact is a nationwide protest that will take place in front of city halls and state capitols all across America on Saturday – November 15 (10:30a.m./1:30 EST – 12:30 here in Minnesota) to rally against California’s Proposition 8, Florida’s Amendment 2, Arizona’s Amendment 102 and the other anti-gay measures that were passed this election and in the past.

Go to www.jointheimpact.com to find your protest location and learn how you can help.

Lastly, I read in today’s news that California’s gay-rights movement has been beset by infighting and finger-pointing since the defeat of gay marriage at the ballot box, with some activists questioning the campaign’s mild tactics, including the decision not to show same-sex couples in ads.

Don’t let them divide and conquer us!  Be united!

-Here’s a couple interesting “before” and “afters” that I came across…

Wow, haven’t they changed – but then so have all of us.

-Not to far from where we live … there are hundreds and hundreds of “deer hunters” dressed in blaze orange clothes and roaming the woods.

Dozens of Minnesota deer hunters who illegally tried to lure their quarry with bait during last weekend’s opener have had their guns confiscated, paid hundreds of dollars in fines and put their hunting privileges at risk.

This despite intensified efforts by the state Department of Natural Resources to snuff out the activity, which has been illegal since 1991 but continues to be widespread.

Go hunting guys, but just leave the food for the deer – at home.

-In Steve’s family football pool, where each of us tries to pick the winners for each weekend’s games here are the top standings this morning:

• First place – Steve
• Second place – Steve’s dad
• Third place – tied – Steve’s mom and (you guessed it) me

The race is on … the prize?  Nothing, just the joy of winning.

-Top five things that kill men…

1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Accidents
4. Stroke
5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases

In addition to these five killers, obesity raises a man’s risk for numerous diseases including heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke and many other chronic diseases. In addition to exercise, Wexler encourages overweight patients to stick with a new diet plan for six weeks. Whether it’s cutting out a certain food, lowering your saturated fat, or just eating less, it takes six weeks for the body to stop craving something.

So break out a calendar and pick one item — the payoff might just be a longer life.

-In the NBA … our Boston Celtics get a visit from Atlanta tonight.  Game time is 6:30 p.m. CST.

-Steve has one more full day of work today and just one half of a day tomorrow .. and then we are off to Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota for the weekend.

We are planning on going to a Minnesota Wld game tomorrow night, a horror convention, perhaps a Minnesota Timberwolves game on Saturday night, do some shopping and a host of other good things.

It will be good to get away from the day to day rigors of – just being at home for me and being at work for Steve.

-Things we’ve read…

• If you’re over 100 years old, there’s an 80% chance you’re a woman.
• Jimmy Hoffa’s middle name is, appropriately, Riddle.
• Butterflies taste with their feet.
• The man who created the Thighmaster was once a Bhuddist Monk.
• 85% of us will eat Spam this year. (Oh say I’m wrong about that one…please!)

-Wednesday – hump day and it’s 5:48 a.m., time for this dude to get movin and find some breakfast.

Steve’s getting up in just a few minutes and I’ve got to get into the bathroom and shower right after he does – he has to get ready for work! So things are starting to come to life around our house.  How about yours?

Have a great days guys and be kind and remember to be good!

-Until next time…