Miracles not confined to Christmas

By Jeff Orvis

Merry Christmas! Yes, here is one proud liberal who is not ashamed to say those words this time of year. While I know there are millions of people around the world who follow a different faith or no faith at all, by saying “Merry Christmas,” I am doing my small part to profess my faith without jamming it down the throat of anybody else.

End of political statement.

This time of year, many people expect a “Christmas miracle.” Sometimes you wonder if God is saving up all his miracles for this season. In truth, I believe God performs miracles every day, whether we realize it or not.

 As I was wondering what to write for this holiday message, I thought about reviewing what has happened in my life this past year. But then I decided that might seem a bit selfish. But a couple of events did occur that had some impact on me, though only in a passing way.

There are two families who are undoubtedly thanking God for miracles that happened to their loved ones prior to the height of the holiday season. But as they gather together at their respective homes, they undoubtedly will look across the room and be thankful that their loved ones are still with them.

A few weeks before I moved back to Belle Plaine, I learned of a strange illness that hit Charles Johnson. For those of you who may not be from the Belle Plaine area, it's hard to describe Charles in a paragraph or two. A big, strapping man with an ever-present smile, Charles has always been quick with a hearty “Hello.” It usually takes only about 10 seconds to realize that this guy is your friend.

He came to Belle Plaine and married a woman who has four of the most beautiful, intelligent and gifted daughters I've ever met. That he would join a family of five females tells you something about his patience. Together he and Karen raised these young women, saw them through school, college, career starts and relationships that have led to marriages and some grandchildren.

Charles seems most comfortable outside. Maybe that's why he has been such a find for the city of Belle Plaine, where he has been the parks superintendent for several years. But he is also a spiritual man and several years ago, he made the decision to study for the ministry. Upon completion of his studies, he became the pastor at the Chelsea Methodist Church.

One morning this year, Charles said he woke up and experienced some ever-increasing symptoms of what was first thought to be a stroke. It turned out to be a virus that rendered him frustratingly inactive for several days. Fast forward a few months and after a hospital and rehabilitation unit stay, he is physically back to his old self.

That was one of two miracles I experienced. A week or two after I had moved back here, I happened to pass Franklin Park, where I saw Charles' pick-up truck. I stopped and he met me with a big bear-hug and that hearty hello. He explained what he had been through and also informed me that he was not only back in the parks, but back in the pulpit at his church. Talk about a “Praise God moment!”

The other miracle involves a man whom I met just once. But we have corresponded via e-mail a few times and to say he has been a professional inspiration to me would be an understatement.

For more than 65 years, Bill Wundram has been on the staff of what is now the Quad-City Times. For those of us who hope we can retire after 30 years, when we read about someone who has worked in the same profession for more than 65 years when he is well into his eighties, that's a true inspiration.

After doing just about everything on the editorial side of the paper over the years, Bill has settled into a spot on Page Two, where he writes a column most days of the week. For those of you who were familiar with my Ramblings columns over the years or who enjoy Jim Magdefrau's column in the Star Press Union each week, Bill does the same sort of thing. But his audience is just a little bigger – probably more than 300,000 loyal readers. But he often writes about the small stuff that makes life worth living.

So it was with a bit more than a little concern when readers read a notice in the paper that Bill was “taking some time off.” Finally, he returned and told us what happened.

He and his wife were out eating brunch one morning in celebration of their 61^st wedding anniversary when he was struck by a migraine headache. He wasn't too alarmed, until it kept getting worse and his wife took him to the local hospital. It was there that he was diagnosed with a stroke. By the time the diagnosis was made and the neurologist had arrived, the time frame for administering that drug that is supposed to stop the symptoms had passed. It was only through the insistence of Bill and Helen's son that he was given the injection anyway.

As he later wrote, by this time, he had lost most ability to speak and begged his wife and son not to let him go on living if this would be the result. For some reason, despite the delay in administering the drug, it began to work. By the next morning, when his wife returned to his bedside, he was again speaking clearly and was well on the road to recovery. In fact a few days after his release from the hospital, he was already attending a benefit gathering at Davenport's Outing Club and claims that he is well on the way to dancing the jig again!

So that's my second “Praise God” moment. I'm happy to share it with his family and the thousands of readers who think of Bill as a friend.

Sometimes at this time of year, we get caught up in a lot of preparations. Then we may feel guilty for the bounty we have when we hear about those less fortunate. Maybe one way to deal with this is to try to recognize one or two miracles that have occurred in your life and give thanks to the One responsible.

Have a Blessed Christmas and Wonderful New Year!

A different view on the holiday shopping frenzy

By Jeff Orvis

Gray Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. Here it is a couple of days after the initial madness of the holiday shopping frenzy. These are the times when I am somewhat grateful for living on a limited budget. Most of the members of my family who will be getting presents from me already have more material possessions than I do. I'm not complaining. I celebrate their good fortune and at the same time am thankful for what I have.

I suspect that at least some of the folks who waited all night on Thanksgiving Eve for the chance at a good buy on a TV or computer were attempting to impress those who would be receiving the gifts. But I've never attempted to buy a gift for someone where I would risk being knifed, shot or tazered for the item. Do these folks really believe that a $200 TV is worth a possible hospital bill or a criminal record for disorderly conduct?

I'll admit I enjoy shopping for bargains on those rare occasions when I go to a store. But if I'm in a grocery store and there's one can of beans left on a shelf at a sale price and somebody else grabs it just before I get there, I'll gladly pay the extra dime for another brand of beans.

We live in an incredibly competitive society. Some would even call it a desperate society. Many folks are unfortunately living on the economic edge. But why do they think their lives will be better if they pull out that credit card and spend much more than they can actually afford? Will they remember that warm feeling they had at gift giving time when, three months down the road they are contemplating bankruptcy when the bills are past due?

Corporate America lives on the gullibility and impatience of the public. That's a pretty strong statement and I realize that many corporations do a lot of good for all of us. But when I see a credit card commercial where the consumer is offered points or frequent flier miles for using a particular card, no where do I see that the consumer can be charged up to 24 percent or more annual interest for using the card. When Menard's, the home improvement giant, advertises a big rebate sale, only in the fine print do you notice that the rebate is actually a Menard's card, not cash.

I used to like to look at the newspaper ad inserts from Walgreen's and CVS pharmacies. They are both wonderful stores. But the advertised sale prices on virtually everything in those fliers come with a small print that says, “with card.” In order to receive that price, you have to present a card that indicates that you have filled out an application, probably including your address or e-mail address, professing your loyalty to that store and enabling corporate to send you all sorts of junk mail.

Just sell me the item at the posted price and don't make me flash a card.

I've told this story before. But when my family decided to spend a big portion of our tax refund on our first computer, we went to one of those big box stores and found a nice computer at a reasonable price. But the fine print stated that in order to get that price, we had to mail in a rebate form. So I asked the unfortunate salesman who waited on us to show us a computer that didn't come with a rebate. When he said that wasn't possible, we said “Thanks” and walked out. We went across the street to another store and bought a computer with no rebate attached. Apparently, more folks did the same thing. I notice now that the big box retailer has fewer rebate specials.

The only way all this will change is if the consumer starts taking more care when he or she makes a purchase. As long as you make purchases with those loyalty cards, buy big ticket items at stores where the sale price is only obtained with a rebate then maybe or maybe not remember to send in for the rebate or keep buying those 11 ounce cans of coffee that were were once 16 ounces – for the same price – without protesting to the corporations, nothing will change.

More importantly at this time of the year, if you believe that those certain presents are available for a “limited time only” and you spend your time and money trying to make someone else happy, you will lose sight of the real “reason for the season.” That babe in the manger in Bethlehem certainly didn't need a big screen TV. Those treasures presented by the Wise Men were nice, but I doubt they had to fight off crowds for them, or mail in rebate forms to pay for them.

So while I'll do a little shopping this holiday season, I'm vowing to spend more time in praise and thanksgiving for the One for whom we should all be celebrating this time of the year.

Although I hope to remember to post another message later this month, for now, have a merry, blessed and sane Christmas season!

A somber anniversary

By Jeff Orvis

It was a typically gray late fall day. For the only year of my first seven years in school, I was in a different building. But the novelty of climbing on a bus and traveling three or four miles to the top of the hill to the newer Pleasant View School had begun to wear off by that late November day and I suppose I had the same view as my classmates that a day off from classes for parent-teacher conferences, even if it was only a week until Thanksgiving, was a welcome change.

Dad was at work. Mom had a scheduled conference with my third grade teacher just after noon. Since we were too young to stay home alone and since the school allowed kids to hang out in the gym while their parents were in conference, my sister and I went along. It was a rare opportunity to have the gym virtually to ourselves – basketballs and indoor hoops! I vaguely remember that a radio was playing in the background and suddenly the music stopped and a newsman began talking.

It's been five decades since that day and memories sometimes are a big cloudy. But I remember that even then I felt it was my responsibility to tell Mom that the president had been shot in Dallas when she was finished with her conference. She may have already been told and I remember it was a quiet ride back to the house.

In those days, both Mom and Dad were big Kennedy supporters. Looking back and considering my mom's political leanings later in life, I don't know if she was a real fan or if she was simply attempting to keep harmony in the house as she was married to a lifelong Democrat. What I do remember is the rest of that day and for most of the next three days, she shed a lot of tears.

My folks were not politically active. They didn't volunteer at candidate headquarters or make phone calls on behalf of candidates. But they made sure we were exposed to the political process at an early age. My earliest memory was when we were living in Rock Island, IL early in 1960. We walked down to the corner along a busy street and watched as a motorcade carrying the future president passed by. I still think he smiled and waved at us. Later that summer, we drove from our house in the Quad-Cities to Monticello, IA, to hear a campaign speech by the future vice president (and later president) Lyndon Johnson. He was truly in his element, speaking in front of a grandstand on the grounds of a county fair.

So much has been written about the Kennedy years, especially in the days leading up to this fateful anniversary. President Kennedy still maintains an approval rating over 90 percent. We have heard that he may not have always been faithful in his marriage. We learned that he served in office despite a debilitating back ailment. But he overcame so much to lead this nation for such a short time. He came from a family of great wealth, but also one of great service. Despite that wealth, his parents never let him nor his brothers or sisters forget the responsibilities they had to help mankind. He was a war hero, scholar, member of Congress and author.

He broke the mold of what our parents and grandparents expected in their president. Most of those who came before him were old enough to be grandfathers. John Kennedy had two young children under the age of six. He was also a practicing Catholic, another fact that some tried to use against him.

As we remember the Kennedy legacy, it's often tough for me to remember that many of those who I may want to discuss this with weren't even born when he was president. But even if you were only six or seven years old at that time, the few seconds of terror branded our memory with something that stays with us today and will last forever.

Thanks and an apology to our military

By Jeff Orvis

Yesterday, many of us took at least a couple of minutes out of our day to thank and remember veterans and current members of our armed forces. Veterans Day has been around for many years. A lot of the time in the past, many of us probably simply viewed it as a day when the banks were closed and there was no mail delivery.

Most of us either served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard or had friends or relatives that had. But with only a few notable exceptions, the era since the end of the Vietnam War has been a time of peace and it became easier to forget that a very important function of our government has been to protect us and ensure that continued peace.

I came of age when we were eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War. It's been a long time ago and I won't go into my views of our participation in that conflict. All I knew is I had no desire to join the armed forces. I'd heard horror stories of what was happening on the other side of the world and I knew I wanted no part of it. Besides, due to at least a couple of glaring health conditions, I was deemed not fit to duty.

This country was sharply divided on the issue of whether we should be fighting in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, a lot of the negative feelings at that time was misdirected toward the returning soldiers. Many of them faced what we have now come to know as post traumatic stress syndrome, as well as exposure to poison that our military spread on the foliage over there. But that didn't seem to matter to the idiot fringe of the protest movement, who turned their venom toward the common foot soldier instead of toward our government.

Fast forward thirty or forty years and the attitude of the majority of us is gratitude toward the veterans of the conflicts in the Middle East, as well as those still on active duty. We may not all agree that our participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is the right thing, but we recognize that because we now have an all-volunteer military, they are serving in our stead.

So I can see why we should thank our military members. But I also think we owe them an apology as a nation. As I have commented in the past, the treatment that many of our military members receive from their government when they return is terrible. We may treat them as heroes when they step off the plane at the airport, then quickly forget where they've been and go about our lives. Meanwhile, many of them are struggling with wounds, visible and not-visible or simply struggling to return to a normal  life in a tough economy.

Even if you disagree with our government, most of us view members of our military as heroes. But they are often treated like second class citizens by a government that prides itself in enough red tape to decorate every Christmas tree in this country. By the time these men and women step into the combat zone or into their duties in a support role, they have received superior training. They are professionals. We should remember that. To put it in a sports term, we expect our military to perform like Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, yet at times our government treats the returning troops like a bunch of sandlot players.

An NFL team owner would never dream of sending his players out on the field without the best pads and uniforms and without a team of trainers and doctors on the sidelines. In fact, the courts are finally starting to force the owners to also give retired players the care they deserve. If you don't intend to play the game with the best resources, whether it is football or the deadly game of war, then you shouldn't play.

You had to know that I couldn't write a piece like this without at least one political comment. But this might surprise you. Maybe it's time we not only make age and citizenship a requirement for the presidency, but also a condition that the candidate must be a military veteran. I realize we have had some former members of the military who have sat in the Oval Office that have disappointed us and some that have not served that have made some wise decisions. But maybe if the next president is a military veteran and the members of Congress who sit on the armed services and appropriations committees also must have served in the military, then our men and women who have served and will serve in the future will have a better chance at a quality life when they return.

So, thank you past and current members of the military. We promise to do a better job of holding our leaders accountable for the medical and financial recognition you so richly deserve.

Moving back home from home

By Jeff Orvis

In the days leading up to the big day, I kept telling friends and family that a week after the move, I would have the chance to sit back and sigh with relief. Well, here it is, almost two weeks later and I missed that target by almost a week.

Long story short, I have moved from Davenport back to Belle Plaine and so far, it has been a very wise decision.

About three years ago, I made the tough decision to leave here and move back to the Quad-Cities, where Mom generously agreed to clean out the spare bedroom for me. I did my best to clean out a two-story, three bedroom house, moving some belongings to a storage unit and loading up the van for the trip to Davenport. It was my intention to look for work there and eventually move into an apartment. After a couple of frustrating years of searching, I began to come to grips with advancing age and I scaled back my search.

Then August, 2012 came along and my focus shifted to being chief decision maker for Mom. I don't want to repeat that month ever again from the standpoint of watching as she suffered through three major surgeries and we ultimately made the agonizing decision to give her back to God. But even as I reflect on that tough month, I realize that He has had a hand in my life all along, especially since I left here in 2010. I had the chance to to reconnect with Mom for nearly two years. We didn't always agree - especially on politics and religion. But on the whole, I will cherish those times and some great memories.

Since her passing in September, 2012, I have been devoted to settling her estate. When I agreed to be the executor, I really had no inkling of what was involved. But thanks to family, good friends and a patient attorney, the estate is almost settled. We sold her condo and I knew I had to find a new place to live.

I have to admit that there were many hours of doubt that all this would fall into place. But I truly believe that if you "let go and let God," good things can happen. My sister was one of the true champions in my corner when I finally decided to set my goal to return to a small town in east central Iowa, where many of my friends still lived. Although she has spent the majority of her adult life living in places where a reliable automobile becomes your best friend, she listened when I talked about some of the amazing relationships I had established in this great small town.

So many things had to fall into place in just the right order to make this move happen. I made one trip back here to look at the apartment I eventually rented. Although I hadn't met my eventual landlords before, having spent more than 10 years here helped. I know several of their sons and despite the fact that my reputation preceded me, they agreed to make me their tenant.

Then came the move arrangements. I have a couple of good friends in Davenport, Eric and Lynn, who looked after Mom before I moved back to Davenport like she was their mom. They transferred that care to me after Mom was gone, so I guess I was lucky to inherit an unofficial brother and sister. They helped me pack up stuff and Eric and their son, Aaron, sacrificed a Saturday to drive the truck and unload.

It's difficult to explain to some folks who have not experienced life in a small town. But the first day I began running errands here, people called out to me on the street, in the stores and the bank. They remembered me, even though I had only visited once in three years. You don't get that kind of attention in a larger city.

I left a neighborhood where you could get a sub sandwich at five different shops, groceries at one of at least four places or a hamburger at nearly a dozen restaurants within a two-mile radius of the condo. But not once did anyone at any of those places know my name. I have told my sister that if she needs to contact me and I don't answer the phone, she can call any one of a half-dozen folks here in Belle Plaine and they will find me. Try that in Davenport, or any other large city, where it's way too easy to disappear.

People I meet ask what my future plans are. I am not really sure. For now, I plan on taking time for rest and reflection and more frequent blog entries. I want to stay involved in this community, through church, occasional visits to City Hall and downtown businesses and maybe an occasional visit to a city council or school board meeting. I have not severed ties with my old hometown. I still subscribe to the electronic edition of the Davenport newspaper and check in several times a week with Eric and Lynn. And in this era of social networking, friends and family are only a couple of keystrokes away.

Baseball and Walker

By Jeff Orvis

This time, I decided to fore go any real heavy thoughts to give some random comments on a couple of totally unrelated subjects.

The other night, Tampa and Baltimore played an extra inning baseball game. In fact, it lasted parts of two days, 18 innings and nearly seven hours. Why anyone would want to sit through an American League game for that long, either in person or watching TV, is a bit of a mystery. I would bet that most of the players' parents, wives and girlfriends were in bed before it was over.

Part of the problem, aside from the fact that apparently neither team brought their best bats on this night, was that the two managers must have thought that whenever their pitcher sneezed, they needed to come out of the game. The two teams used a record 21 pitchers! When you consider that each pitching change probably took between three and five minutes and there were 36 interruptions between half-innings, you begin to understand why this took so long.

We live in a world of specialization. There was a time when a pitching staff might have five or six starting pitchers and two or three relievers. Now we have left-handed starters, right-handed starters, right or left handers who are closers and normally don't pitch more than one inning a day, middle relievers who might be good for two or three innings and set-up men who pitch the seventh or eighth inning ahead of the closers.

This is also supposed to be the age when major league baseball players are in better shape than in the “old days.” Fifty years ago, a lot of the players sneaked a hot dog or two between innings or perhaps a trip down the tunnel toward the locker room for a cigarette. Some of the best players of the 1960s spent their off-hours in the bar. If you were an opposing hitter in that era, would you want to face Whitey Ford if he had a hangover?

And yet, some of the statistics for the old-timers are almost beyond belief for younger fans of today. For example, the 1963 Chicago Cubs (it's my blog so I can pick my favorite team for comparison) had one 22-game winner, four pitchers with at least 10 victories, three who pitched over 200 innings, two others with at least 130 innings pitched and two who appeared in at least 50 games.

At last check, with less than a week left in the regular season, we have had one 20-game winner this season. In the 1963 season, there were 10 pitchers in the big leagues with 20 or more wins. And just so I'm not using only former Cub pitchers in my comparison, consider Bob Gibson, who pitched for the Cardinals for 17 years, He won at least 20 games five times and averaged 15 complete games per season. He finished with a career earned run average of 2.91, including one memorable season when he finished with an earned run average of 1.12 with 28 complete games and a record of 22-9 at age 33.

The discussion can go on for hours between fans who think today's players are better than they were 40 or more years ago. I just wonder how good some of my heroes from the past could have been if they took better care of themselves like so many of today's players do and if they were paid enough so that they didn't have to worry about jobs in the off-season.

Now on a totally different topic, I've had some times in these recent months to become acquainted with some daytime TV. One of my favorite shows is Walker Texas Ranger. Every episode has at least one or two scenes where Walker and his aides kick the stuffing out of the bad guys. There's plenty of added sounds to indicate just how hard the bad guy is being hit. Yet for some reason, even if he is kicked in the head, he stands there for one or two more big blows. I don't know about you, but if somebody wearing cowboy boots kicked me full-on in the face, the jaw would be broken and teeth would be scattered on the floor.

Aside from the assumed durability of the bad guys, you never see Walker and his chief deputy stay around to fill out paperwork. In fact, mere moments after they drop a dozen of the thugs and the marked squad cars arrive, they're off to their next adventure.

Just imagine what some of the actor-stunt men would put on their job resumes. They could probably say they were Walker's punching bag in six different episodes. Quite a fete!

Law enforcement is generally far less exciting than portrayed on TV. Reports have to be filed, witnesses have to be interviewed, there are appearances in court. Most times when I'm watching Walker, I'm trying to count the number of bad guys he's felled and just how few minutes he spends without wearing his beloved hat!

Some heavy thoughts on Syria and our judicial system

By Jeff Orvis

Time to weigh in on a couple of heavy subjects. Thoughts of Syria in the past few days have for some reason led me to think about our own judicial system.

As I write this on Monday afternoon, we are just over 24 hours away from a major address to the nation by President Obama. According to reports from the White House, he supposedly will be explaining why our country should take punitive action against the Syrian government in the wake of reports that its leader ordered the deaths of hundreds or thousands of men, women and children through chemical agents.

For those of you who know me, this next statement may seem out of character. But as much as I admire and support our president, I'm just not sure he is taking the right path on this one. Since news of this atrocity first surfaced, our military has sent a lot of resources to the region. They used to call it “saber rattling.” I don't know what the proper term would be when the “sabers” are surface to air missiles.

From a purely fiscal standpoint, this doesn't seem to make sense. We are still spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each week trying to untangle the mess we were handed by the misinformed last administration in Iraq. More resources are devoted to our war in Afghanistan. Surely just to float several ships in seas near Syria we are spending thousands of dollars a day in personnel costs, fuel, etc.

From a tactical standpoint, the president will have to do quite a selling job on the American people to convince us that even if we bombarded parts of Syria it would stop the killing by the Syrian government. It would be wonderful if we knew where the chemical weapon stockpiles were in that country and were able to neutralize them with some of those missiles. But it appears that any hit on those stockpiles would probably spread the poison, not destroy it.

There was a time when I suspect we alleviated the problem of ruthless dictators through covert assassination, either by American personnel or by agencies of some of our allies. Our leaders would report, “problem solved” and if someone asked, “how did you do that?” you would hear the equivalent of “you don't want to know,” or “it's classified.” Besides, it has been reported that the Syrian leader has a brother who is even more evil than his brother. So you would probably have to carry out more than one assassination to eliminate the problem.

It seems like we've had problems that originated in the Middle East, even long before Sept. 11, 2001. Quite naturally, when we hear of unrest in that area, the first thought might be if we had the means, we should just level the whole area, turn it into the world's largest parking lot and start over. And that leads us to the moral question.

While it might be easy to blame an entire race of people for terrorist activities around the world, all you have to do is look into the faces of some of the children of Syria, innocent, fun-loving and wide-eyed...until they are felled by poison from their government. For that reason, the president is correct when he says we can't just stand by and watch this continue. But if we can't cut off the head of the perpetrator and if we can't neutralize the poison, we should at least devote considerable resources on the short term to relief for the millions of refugees who are fleeing the country.

Some of our armed forces could facilitate the orderly and safe evacuation of those who are attempting to get away from the tyrant. Some of our warships could be used to block any further shipments of weapons to Syria. But I don't see any way any punitive missile strikes will be the answer.

Some people who oppose the president on this matter say we can no longer be the policeman of the world. That led to thoughts of recent developments in a well-known criminal case.

Ariel Castro, convicted of kidnapping, rape and many other charges involving three girls in Cleveland had begun serving a life sentence. But just weeks after the sentencing hearing Castro committed suicide. With this final act, he either did a favor for his victims, who will no longer have to live with the knowledge that he is no longer on this earth. Or some may view it as the ultimate final insult as he cheated those who demanded justice and wanted to see him put away for the rest of his life.

At least the tax payers of Ohio won't have to pay the $30,000 or more each year to house this beast.

I am not in favor of the death penalty. Since science has progressed to the point where DNA testing can either confirm the guilt or innocence of an accused person, I wonder how many people who professed that they didn't commit a crime all the way to the chair, chamber or needle were killed by mistake.

I will admit that before more Christian thoughts can wipe away my initial reaction, when I hear about a case of a child molester, I think he should be sentenced to prison and placed in a cell with some big guy who has a small son or daughter on the outside. Those thoughts stem from reports of inhumane conditions in some of our prisons in this country.

Put hundreds of men or women together in cramped quarters with little or no promise of release and it's a recipe for violence. It has been for thousands of years. But that's a whole other story for another time.

My hope is that President Obama can offer some clarity to a definitely complicated issue in Syria and my prayer is there is some way the killing of innocent citizens in that country can come to a quick end.

Of coping and the word search puzzles

By Jeff Orvis

I'm starting to enjoy word search puzzles again.

Big deal, you might say. I would ordinarily agree, but as we come up on the one-year mark since Mom died, I was trying to come up with a way to describe how I've tried to cope this past year. The word search puzzle books were my main companion during that fateful month of August, 2012, as I sat by Mom's bedside as she recovered from emergency abdominal surgery, keeping watch as she slept trying to recover.

In the early part of the month, we had reasons to be optimistic. We had complete faith in her surgeon and the entire medical team at the hospital was compassionate and very professional. Many folks who have experienced illness and surgery, especially when the patient has observed her 80^th birthday, might have thoughts about what life will be like without that loved one. But with her first-rate medical and spiritual teams, we had every reason to expect her to return home quickly.

Ultimately, that was not to be. A series of complications led to two more surgeries later in the month and finally her body signalled it had had enough.

Every day, spend five minutes with the TV and you can see all sorts of drama where actors depict dying moments. I've never personally watched someone die before. While nobody really likes the experience, I would like to think that if I'm ever put in that situation again, I'll have a better idea of how to react. It took more than 59 years for me to experience a death in person. Recently, I have been reminded that Mom watched both of her husbands die. In fact, Dad passed 32 years ago this month. My step-dad Ernie died at home late one night several years later.

My sister has chronicled her thoughts during Mom's final hours in her wonderfully-written blog.

http://meldow2012.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/mamas-final-journey-september-4-2012-by-melissa-dow/

The only thing I remember of those last minutes was when Mom, who had been heavily sedated for several days, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at me. It was not a look of alarm, but rather a look of assurance that she knew full well that this was just the beginning of her ultimate wonderful journey.

As we left the hospital that night, little did I know that a new journey was just beginning for me. I had agreed to be the executor of Mom's estate. I had no inkling of what I was agreeing to. I have never owned a home, nor have I had any financial investments. But I knew that being the executor was often a duty of the oldest child and Mom had complete confidence that I would be able to figure it out.

This journey is continuing as we try to sell Mom's condo and settle the estate. One thing I think I did right was enlist the help of a select number of friends and relatives to help with this process. As a journalist, I've learned that the only dumb question is the question not asked. So my thanks to those members of my team for answering some dumb questions this past year!

You might think that after spending hours working on something as simple as word search puzzles, I would never want to see one again. But in sorting through the mountain of paper her in the house, I came across a few books that hadn't been completely filled in. Strangely enough, those boxes of jumbled letters, where the object is to find a list of up to 40 words is once again a comfort. You can lose yourself mentally in those pages for a few minutes at a time, but can still use some compartments of your brain to ponder other things.

Perhaps in some small way, the puzzle books are a reminder that the days of puzzles and uncertainty and suffering are finally over for Mom and our other loved ones who have passed on. If you believe in God and salvation, you have a better idea of what they mean when they say that the departed have gone on to their reward, where they will finally learn all the answers.

My 'Ode to the Hummingbird'

By Jeff Orvis

Sometimes when my mind gets all jumbled with thoughts of an uncertain future, of the trials and tribulations you can see on almost any TV news channel or on dozens of other channels that feature what they call “reality TV,” it's often a good thing to stroll out onto the porch and ponder true reality.

Besides the occasional car or truck that drives by, there are often countless minutes of uninterrupted peace and quiet out there. I should say that the quiet is sometimes broken by the sounds of any number of birds of various species that seem to like our little corner of the world.

When I first moved here, Mom had a bird feeder for the general population and a smaller clear plastic globe for the hummingbirds. This spring, once the grass had started to turn green, I quit filling the bird feeder. It had been a popular gathering spot for noisy sparrows and other birds and I figured they could fend for themselves naturally, at least until fall arrives. But something told me I should maintain the hummingbird feeder all year long. And I'm glad I did.

I had never seen a hummingbird until I moved back here. There were some weeks when we might only see them once or twice. But this spring and summer, they apparently like my concoction of colored sugar water and are frequent visitors.

As I've been watching them, I came to realize that there's a lot to admire about the simple hummingbird. You might remember that a popular singing group of the '70s paid tribute to these little creatures. The memory of Seals and Crofts sometimes invades my mind when I'm sitting out there: “Oh hummingbird, mankind is waiting for you to come flying along.”

There are apparently several different species of hummingbirds and I don't pretend to know which one we have in our neighborhood. What I do know is they are some of the smallest birds in nature. It has been said that they are the only bird that can fly backward and they sure are fast! One article said they could fly up to 34 mph. They can also hover before darting away.

Using my sometimes strange writer's imagination, I like to think that they can communicate with us. There have been times when the feeder is getting low and I look out and there's a hummingbird hovering at about eye level and I swear he is looking at me, trying to tell me to fill the darn feeder!

Despite their speed and mobility, you would think that because of their size, they would have a short life span and might fall prey to some other wildlife. But some data indicates they may have a lifespan of five to 10 years. Although I have no way to identify them when they visit, there's one that is about two-thirds the size of a gold finch. Mom used to call him a “bully bird” because he would seem to think the feeder was his exclusive property and would chase away another smaller bird that tried to feed.

This season, I've noticed that he often has to stage air wars against honey bees that also seem to like the feeder. But he seems to have the ability to win out in the end, chasing away the insects and lingering around the feeder for several minutes at a time.

One of the things I'm looking forward to when I get to Heaven is getting answers to several questions on nature. I'm sure I'll be surprised at some of them. One of the questions I have is how, despite their incredibly small size, are hummingbirds able to migrate from Iowa to Mexico and beyond each fall and return to the same place in the spring. The hassle of commercial flight is something I'm glad I don't have to experience very often. Yet these little critters do it every year, without having to deal with the TSA or flight delays.

It's a tough life living in nature. But sometimes, when I realize that hummingbirds don't care about the trials of A-Rod, war, terrorism, the economy, politics or even reality TV, they lead a pretty charmed life.

Just keep that darned feeder filled!

NFL teams like former players from Iowa colleges

By Jeff Orvis

In just over two weeks, we will have NFL football again. The Hall of Fame game is set for Sunday night, Aug. 4, with Miami clashing with Dallas.

In anticipation of the pro and college football seasons, it's become a tradition of mine to scan the preseason rosters of the pro teams to see how many players who played their college ball in Iowa are getting a shot at a pro career. This is a time when the rosters are greatly bloated from what they will be when the official start of the regular season comes in September. The dreams of probably hundreds of young men who have to this point devoted 10 or more years to the goal of playing pro ball dissolve when their names appear on the cut list.

But it's still fun to see how much respect the league has for the caliber of college ball being played each Saturday in Iowa. Even though I'm a proud Chicago Bears fan, I'll still be following teams like the Eagles and Vikings, who currently have five players with Iowa ties on their rosters.

So a quick check of the rosters seems to indicate that this is still a Hawkeye state, in a big way. Thirty-five former Hawks are on pro rosters at this point. There are 13 former Iowa State players, six from Northern Iowa and one from Coe College. Of the 32 teams in the league, 25 have at least one player who played in Iowa. Aside from the aforementioned Vikings and Eagles, with five each, Green Bay and Carolina are next in line with four players each.

Eleven of the players are rookies, including five each for Iowa and Iowa State and one for Northern Iowa. But there are also a couple of real veterans. Brad Meester of UNI is a center for Jacksonville with 14 years of experience. And New Orleans quarterback Seneca Wallace, a proud Cyclone grad, has had 10 years in the league.

It seems like the state has produced a good share of quality linemen. There are 29 offensive players and 26 on defense. On offense, 16 are linemen, there are three quarterbacks, two running backs, four tight ends and four wide receivers. On the defensive side, six are tackles, two are ends, eight are linebackers and the remaining 10 play in the secondary.

I've included a rundown of teams who feature players with Iowa ties. So think cool thoughts, It may be 92 degrees as I write this, but football isn't too far away!

BUFFALO BILLS

Player Pos. Exp. School

Scott Chandler TE 7 Iowa

Fred Jackson RB 7 Coe

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Marvin McNutt WR 1 Iowa

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Markus Zusevics OL 2 Iowa

A.J. Edds LB 4 Iowa

Jeff Tarpinian LB 2 Iowa

NEW YORK JETS

Austin Howard OT 4 Northern Iowa

Jake McDonough DT R Iowa State

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Ricky Stanzi QB 3 Iowa

Tony Moeaki TE 4 Iowa

Greg Castillo S R Iowa

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Chad Rinehart G 6 Northern Iowa

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Reggie Stephens C 2 Iowa State

Kelechi Osemele G 2 Iowa State

Marshal Yanda G 7 Iowa

CINCINNATI BENGELS

Shaun Prater DB 2 Iowa

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Keenan Davis WR R Iowa

Ahtyba Rubins DL 6 Iowa State

L.J. Fort LB 2 Northern Iowa

HOUSTON TEXANS

Tim Dobbins LB 8 Iowa State

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Pat Angerer LB 4 Iowa

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Allen Reisner TE 2 Iowa

Brad Meester C 14 Northern Iowa

TENNESSEE TITANS

Shonn Greene RB 5 Iowa

Karl Klug DT 3 Iowa

NEW YORK GIANTS

Brandon Myers TE 5 Iowa

Tyler Sash S 3 Iowa

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Matt Tobin G R Iowa

Julian Vandervelde G 2 Iowa

Jake Knott LB R Iowa State

Bradley Fletcher CB 5 Iowa

David Sims S 2 Iowa State

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Adam Gettis G 2 Iowa

Jordan Morris S 2 Iowa

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

Carter Bykowski OL R Iowa State

CHICAGO BEARS

Josh Lenz WR R Iowa State

DETROIT LIONS

Riley Reiff OT 2 Iowa

Amari Spievey S 4 Iowa

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Terrell Sinkfeld WR R Northern Iowa

Bryan Bulaga OT 4 Iowa

Mike Daniels DE 2 Iowa

Micah Hyde CB R Iowa

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

James Vandenberg QB R Iowa

Seth Olsen G 4 Iowa

Brandon Keith OT 4 Northern Iowa

Christian Ballard DT 3 Iowa

Chad Greenway LB 8 Iowa

ATLANTA FALCONS

Jonathan Babineaux DT 9 Iowa

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Hayworth Hicks G 2 Iowa State

Colin Cole DT 7 Iowa

A.J. Klein LB R Iowa State

Charles Godfrey S 6 Iowa

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Seneca Wallace QB 10 Iowa State

TAMPA BAY BUCS

Adrian Clayborn DE 3 Iowa

Leonard Johnson CB 2 Iowa State

I'm glad I never worked in TV news!

By Jeff Orvis

“This just in to the CNN newsroom: George Zimmerman, recently acquitted of murder, released a statement through his attorney that reads, 'It sure is hot today!' CNN will explore the implications of this statement in a round-table including three prominent attorneys and two prominent meteorologists, three of whom will be blonde and former beauty queen contestants.

“Anderson Cooper and Piers Morgan will each present one-hour specials, sure to be repeated several times over the coming weeks, which will explore the far-reaching consequences of Zimmerman's statement and how it might affect all mankind.

“Stay tune for any additional breaking news on this subject, which we will bring to you live, unless it occurs after 10 p.m.”

I probably just dreamed the preceding scenario as I dozed off during today's coverage of the opening round of the British Open (nice job Zach Johnson!). But I don't think I'm alone in my disgust with the continuing beating of the dead horse that is this case in Sanford, FL. There was a time when you could rely on most of the news networks – well maybe except Fox – for concise, accurate reporting of the news. But 24 hours to fill each day, plus shrinking newsroom budgets, plus increasing competition from several sources more often than not result in the flood of repetition we have been subjected to over the past few months.

I predict the attention of the network folks will soon shift from Florida to Cleveland, where a kidnapping suspect has been charged with nearly 1,000 counts of rape and kidnapping. He is accused of holding and brutalizing three young women for 10 years. Of course he pleaded innocent. Many, if not all of these charges could result in the death penalty.

I wonder if his defense team will attempt to have the suspect tried individually on each of the 512 kidnapping and 446 rape charges? If this was possible, the way our judicial system operates, he could demand a jury trial on each of the charges. How in the world did the prosecution come up with this crazy number of charges? And how are they going to prove his guilt on charge number 307 or 412?

I certainly don't mean to trivialize this incident. By all accounts, the young women went through hell for a decade. But in light of how the national media focused it's attention for so long on the Zimmerman case, it almost seems like somebody at network headquarters had a hand in determining the final number of counts. At this rate, it almost guarantees that several news crews will grow old in Cleveland.

I know it's easy for someone who has never worked professionally in TV journalism to poke fun at his colleagues. But there are currently two other news events that would seem like the easiest, most boring assignments around. At this writing, we are still awaiting the birth of the next member of British royalty. The Today show, along with I suspect dozens of other outlets, have dispatched sweet, young correspondents to sit outside a hospital in London, waiting for the big day. As long as the weather is good and you can stake out a comfortable chair, I guess there are worst ways to make a few thousand dollars each week.

The reporters and crews I really feel sorry for are those who are currently staked out near the Moscow airport, waiting to see if Edward Snowden, alleged spy leaker, will leave the airport grounds. Day after day for several weeks now, there has been little or no news coming from that location. But you don't want to be the producer that has to explain to the executives why you decided to pull your crew the day before something happened!

Given my choice, I'd much rather spend the day along a London street than putting up with Moscow summer weather and dodging snarling Moscow policemen.

Those of us who grew up watching the evening network newscasts at the dinner hour have our favorites. Ever since I can remember, our household was tuned to NBC for the 5:30 national news. I grew up with Huntley and Brinkley, John Chancellor, Tom Brokaw and currently Brian Williams. It's not that CBS and ABC don't do the news as well. But for us, we had a comfort level with NBC.

It's nice to see in this era where there is so much sad, tragic news to report, that Brian Williams maintains a wonderful sense of humor. You can sometimes see hints of it during his broadcasts, but even more when he makes guest appearances on Letterman or Leno. Last night, before leaving the Letterman show, he did a wonderful spot-on impersonation of Regis Philbin. I thought Letterman was going to fall off his chair from laughter.

I guess Williams and many of his colleagues have learned that unless you have the benefit of a sense of humor, you won't last long in this business. Or else you will be sent to camp out near the Moscow airport!

There is money to be made in the school business

By Jeff Orvis

It's the middle of July and while thoughts of most of us center on how to keep cool during the current heat wave, young people around the country are preparing for their first year in college, or if they have already been in school for a year or two, are probably wondering what to declare as a major.

Many of these students are focused on a career in education. Even in this era of government deficits and layoffs in school districts across the country, some students have been so inspired by one or more of their teachers over their careers that they still want to join the ranks.

I have to admit that if I were that age, facing the educational crossroads of declaring a major and if I was a whole lot smarter than I was at that age, I would seriously consider becoming a teacher or a nurse or doctor. People continue to get sick and children are born each day that eventually will need to be educated.

There's that old saying that you will never get rich being a teacher. But a recent newspaper report indicated that there's still money to made in education, if you are willing to take the right path. The Muscatine School board recently hired a new superintendent at a starting annual salary of $192,000, plus 11 paid holidays, 25 days of vacation, up to 25 sick days and various paid health and life insurances. The new hire is coming to Eastern Iowa from a non-profit education position in Omaha and the board also included up to $35,000 for moving expenses.

While I didn't ascertain what the salary for a beginning teacher is in the Muscatine district, I'd be willing to bet that you could hire at least five first year teachers for what the superintendent will be making. And while I also hope this is not true in Muscatine, I do know that there are districts all across this country where teachers feel compelled to spend their own money to help pay for supplies for their classrooms.

Being the superintendent of a school district of any size is a tough job. They have to wear many hats, sometimes several in one day. They have to be experts in school finance, curriculum, human resources and public relations. They have to be diplomatic in their dealings with legislators as they fight for every dollar they can get for their schools. They also often have to be well-versed in school construction and upkeep. While many districts have other employees to initially take care of many of these areas, the superintendent must still know enough to make a final decision or an informed recommendation to his board.

During my years working in weekly news media, one of my favorite beats was covering the local schools. I've spent countless hours sitting in school board meetings and have seen various administrative styles of superintendents.

If I stopped to try and count the number of superintendents I have known over the years, it would make my head hurt. A vast majority of the men and women I've seen in that position started out as classroom teachers. Some of the best also had coaching backgrounds. I don't say this just because I'm a sports nut. But good coaches have to know how to inspire their athletes, work through tough times and develop winning game plans. Sounds like a typical day in the superintendent's office to me.

Unfortunately, I've also been acquainted with a few school leaders who seemed to take more pleasure in being the boss from their office than being directly involved with the education process. Those were the ones who evoked more fear than admiration from the staff and students.

Superintendents should be not only heard, but seen in their schools. The last superintendent I covered hit all of these points really well. When Belle Plaine decided to share a superintendent with the neighboring HLV district, there were doubts among residents of both districts on if this would work. But they picked the right guy to start this grand experiment. Bill Lynch, already a veteran school leader, is a financial wizard. He restored the school budget to good health and found a way to spearhead building projects in both of the districts he represents.

But he also realizes that he works in education and can often be found visiting the schools in each district. Every year he's found a way to attend commencements in both school districts, even though they are often held on the same day, within two hours of each other. He is a great supporter of extracurricular activities at both schools, sports, concerts, plays, etc.

I realize that recruiting good superintendents is a tough, expensive business. But I'm concerned that there might be a growing disconnect between our school leaders and the teachers and other staff they lead. If you are going to pay a leader upwards of $200,000 or more, you want to see that your money is being well spent. How will a leader making that kind of annual salary be able to successfully relate to the young teacher struggling to live a comfortable, simple life while repaying student loans and scrounging for pens and copy paper for their classroom?

As that high-paid superintendent struggles to justify his or her salary, more and more of his or her time is spent crunching numbers in the office. Those days of standing in front of a classroom or coaching a team become ever-decreasing memories.

Don't bypass that class reunion!

By Jeff Orvis

Hello faithful blog followers! I know it's been awhile since we last communicated and in a way that's the topic today.

I recently was a guest at the 40^th class reunion of the Pleasant Valley High School Class of 1973. My sister was visiting and since she was flying solo on this trip, since she knew I know a lot of those in her class and since she didn't want to go alone, I tagged along.

This is the season for class reunions around the country. While many folks look forward to the chance to catch up with friends they may not have seen for many years, secretly, I'll bet many of us face the night with a bit of trepidation. Will anyone notice how much weight I've gained? What if I'm the oldest-looking person in the room? What if my old girlfriend (boyfriend) is there (heart beginning to race)? Will he (she) recognize me? Will we have anything to talk about after all these years?

A person can go a bit crazy just in the preparation for the big night. Many spend hours picking out just the right thing to wear and general sprucing up, even if the reunion is not being held in a five-diamond restaurant but in a remodeled roadside bar.

Quite often, all those fears seem silly the minute you step into the room. That was the case on Saturday night. As soon as we opened the door, it was easy to follow the sound to the deck where the event was being held. The amount and level of conversation was quite high, indicating that a lot of us still had plenty to talk about.

It was a warm night and most of us were dressed for the occasion – no high heels for the women, no ties on the men. It seemed like more than half of us were soon drinking long-neck beers, domestic wine of soft drinks – no pretentious fancy drinks in sight.

There's always a fear that these events will be a chance for some people to brag about what they've done. There was a lot of good-natured bragging, but it had more to do with the number of children and grandchildren we have rather than how successful we had been in our professional lives.

I know there have been more than a few success stories coming out of this class. One friend, an engineer, talked about how he had overcome corporate downsizing several times to settle in various parts of the country before finally landing back in Eastern Iowa. Another very successful member of this class was missing and that's probably the only sad part of the evening for me. But the girl I considered my best friend during the final couple of years of my high school career couldn't make it this year. She may not even be in the country right now. She has combined a very successful medical practice in San Diego with the service of treating those in need in various parts of the world. Lynn if you are reading this, it is still my goal to someday have a chance to sit down with you so you can tell me just how you have been able to to accomplish everything you have in your life. But I will tell you now I'm certainly not surprised!

I guess that also sums up my feeling about this gathering. I really wasn't surprised that I immediately felt welcome and at home with these folks. While it's been 40 years since we saw each other every day, in some ways the years melted away for a couple of hours on a Saturday night. The Spartans of our era are a friendly, non-judgemental group who seemed genuinely glad to see each other. The grand and glorious class of '71 may get together in three years and I expect the same great evening.

There's a special place in Heaven for the members of the class who spent countless hours organizing this reunion. They know that while we all went our separate ways after graduation, we still share a common bond that can't and shouldn't be broken.

Not on my bucket list

By Jeff Orvis

In the past few years, making a bucket list has become popular. I don't know if it's a new term, but it was popularized by a movie where the characters decided to do things that they hadn't done. They wrote down these things and called it a “bucket list.” At least that's what I gather from hearing descriptions of the movie. I haven't seen it yet, but hope to.

This past weekend, I watched the Belmont Stakes horse race. It was the third jewel in the Triple Crown and will probably be the last time I watch a horse race until the 2014 Kentucky Derby. I know there are a lot of folks in this country who could probably tell you more about horses and horse racing in 30 seconds than I've ever known. The Derby, Preakness and Belmont draw hundreds of thousands of fans each year. Each of these races take less than five minutes, but the build-up lasts for days.

That got me thinking about some experiences I haven't had yet, but some I have no desire to accomplish. I've never ridden a horse. I never hope to ride one. Horses can be beautiful animals. Top-notch race horses are real athletes, as are their jockeys. There may be no more exciting five minutes in sport than a major stakes horse race, unless a horse goes down during the race. I've seen that happen once or twice over the years and even though I really don't understand what's involved in preparation for these races, I don't mind saying that when I saw that, I cried just a bit.

So riding a horse is definitely not on my bucket list. I can be old and gray and infirm without ever experiencing climbing on top of a horse. Not on my bucket list.

Those of you who have become devoted victims of reading my columns in the past probably already know what's next. As I've railed on before, I have no tattoos. I realize that I am fast becoming a member of the minority. But I have no intention of drawing attention to my outward appearance by inking up. I hope I can make a positive impression on people I meet by my mind, heart and attitude. The same goes for piercings. I've got enough holes in my head already. So tattoos and piercings are not on my bucket list.

I have never attended a mixed martial arts (MMA) show. There was a time when I had a passing interest in pro boxing, back when Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard were at their peak. I never had the urge to put the gloves on, but I understood that jabbing and dancing is a real art form. I also was once a fan of pro wrestling. In fact, I had the opportunity to interview some of the biggest stars of the show in their prime, including the future governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura. While I realized their moves in the ring were well rehearsed, I respected their athletic ability.

But this MMA thing is beyond my comprehension. Either punch the guy until he falls down or put a wrestling hold on him that will make him give up. But to punch a guy, then when he falls jump on top of him and punch him some more is ridiculous. MMA not on my bucket list.

Finally, at least for this time, I've never ridden on a motorcycle. I respect the folks who enjoy riding. I try to give riders wide berth when I see them on the road. I admire some of the big, classy, chrome-laden bikes I've seen. But the idea of racing down the road at highway speed with nothing between you and the pavement than a pair of jeans or leathers is not my idea of a good time. If I'm ever out on one of Iowa's rural roads at night and come up on a deer on the roadway, I know my chances are much better in my Buick or van than on two wheels. Motorcycle riding not on my bucket list.

That's it for this time. I don't spend a lot of time wondering what to put on a bucket list. It's easy to fall in the habit of regretting what you haven't done rather than being thankful for what you have done. It's good to have goals, but it's also good not to dwell on the past.

Armed forces, hockey and softball

By Jeff Orvis

In my last blog, I indicated that this country must do much more for our service men and women returning from war. I indicated that a good start would be to cut the red tape and long delays in getting medical care and assistance to those who have been wounded.

We have several private foundations that do a good job at raising money for the wounded veterans. Unfortunately, we also have a few who claim to have the best interest of the veteran in mind, but return only a small percentage of the dollars raised to those it was intended for.

It might make us feel good to give a few dollars to some of these causes. We might think it is a way to thank those who have served. But really, isn't it the job of the employer (the federal government) to take care of those injured while in its employ?

One way, as I've already mentioned, would be to streamline the time it takes from when the soldier is injured to when treatment and rehabilitation begins. But we should do more. If we really view these women and men as heroes, they should be rewarded. Thousands have returned as amputees or suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome. If they will never be able to return to the active lifestyle they experienced before they served, then they should be compensated. Permanent disability should mean a $100,000 annual pension. Make it tax-free. That would be start, along with lifetime medical care.

There are undoubtedly economists in the Pentagon who wrestle with the cost of equipping our soldiers and sailors. When they are projecting how much a war will cost, those projections should include the cost of caring for our wounded heroes.

On a lighter note, I'm not much of a hockey fan most of the season, but since the Blackhawks are still in the playoffs, I've started paying more attention to their games. I'm amazed that more players aren't hurt because of the brutal body checks into the boards surrounding the rink. Maybe the players should demand that the league install something like the safe barriers being used at many NASCAR race tracks. It might cut down the number of concussions, etc.

I've also been watching the NCAA Women's Softball postseason tournament. I am friends with Alabama's veteran coach, Patrick Murphy, who once coached the Independence baseball team. When the defending Crimson Tide was knocked out of a return bid to the World Series, I decided to find another team to follow.

Since I have a couple of friends from Oklahoma, since the Sooners were beaten in last year's finals by Alabama and since that state has faced plenty of recent tragedy because of the tornadoes, I decided to root for the Sooners. They didn't disappoint last night, as they came from behind, including tying the game with two outs and two strikes on the hitter, to beat Tennessee in 12 innings. That's the first of a best two-out-of-three series.

Women's softball is fun to watch. The cameras can get much better close-ups of the players and their reactions. Some of the best teams have the best cheerleaders on the bench. I've decided you truly have to lose your inhibitions to be a successful collegiate softball player.

It's a lot of fun. Game two is tonight and game three, if necessary, is tomorrow. Go Sooners!

Time for a national priority check

By Jeff Orvis

Two recent events in the news prompted today's soap box edition.

We recently commemorated Memorial Day. The thoughts of many of us centered on the sacrifices made by our men and women in the armed forces who defended this country throughout its history. The annual concert in Washington was especially moving this year, as we heard the story of two brothers. One was seriously wounded in combat and the other ultimately couldn't cope with his injuries and committed suicide.

Stories like this are repeated hundreds of times each day as we slowly begin drawing down our combat commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan. But for the many soldiers and sailors who return home and are able to pick up their lives, there are others who will spend months or years rehabilitating injuries that are apparent and others who wrestle with the trauma of what they have experienced.

Unfortunately, it is apparent that our government became much more efficient in sending troops off to war than they have been in taking care of them when they return. Unlike the Vietnam War, when many of the returning troops were viewed as second-class citizens by a lot of people who were against our involvement over there, many of us, regardless of how we feel about our longest war that is still underway, welcome the returning troops as heroes.

It's a little strange, since many who fought in Vietnam had no choice. There was a draft at that time and unless you had a physical problem or a student deferment, you were more than likely headed across the ocean. In our current situation, those who are fighting are volunteers. They didn't have to sign on the dotted line.

While our government may have done a poor job convincing a lot of us that we should be fighting in the Middle East, perhaps our view of the returning troops is partially based on our shame on how the troops were treated when they came back from Vietnam.

Even though they volunteered, I have no problem viewing the returning men and women as heroes. They had a job to do and they did it, sometimes time after time. They are trained and are willing to defend those of us who are far less able to do it ourselves.

The other recent event was the news that two bridges in this country collapsed. One was struck by a truck, another by a train. But both were older structures and it's still not clear whether the collisions would have caused the same damage if the bridges were in better condition in the first place.

It will take millions of dollars to repair or replace both of these bridges. And these incidents again brought to light the deteriorating condition of this nation's infrastructure. That includes bridges and roadways, but it also includes such things as water and sewer systems, some not upgraded for decades. Just ask some of the folks in a Davenport neighborhood who are still scooping mud and sludge from their basements after an inadequate sewer system, coupled by heavy rain, caused sewer back-up. When you sift through some of the understandable blue language, you will get a hint on what needs to be done, where the priorities for future funding should be.

That's the point. The time has come for this country to take a hard look at its present and future priorities. If we are viewing our returning troops as our protectors, our heroes, it's time we treat them like that. There's no reason why veterans should wait months for treatment. There's no reason why the veterans' support staff – spouses and children – should live in poverty and uncertainty while the soldier serves.

We have 535 men and women who must determine how our tax dollars are spent. Each member of Congress has to make the tough decisions on how those dollars are spent. I hope that most of them do so by taking into consideration the good of the people, not just in their own district or state, but across the nation. But unfortunately, with the rising cost of political campaigns, influence in the form of lobbyists flows through the halls of the Capitol like some of that sludge in the Davenport neighborhood.

Sometimes I wonder if we could suddenly pick three citizens, totally at random and have them determine how our tax money is spent if they might not do a better job. We've all had the “if I ruled the world” thoughts. Maybe they would decide we really don't need military bases in several European countries. The military show plane divisions, the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels, put on spectacular shows around the country and elsewhere. Their operations have been suspended during our current budget crisis. But when they resume, stop and think how many thousands of dollars are spent on jet fuel and personnel each afternoon and how many hours of rehabilitation for our wounded warriors those dollars could buy.

Maybe the best way to honor the service of our armed forces or to help our friends and neighbors recover from natural disasters is to ask the congressional candidates the tough questions on where their priorities truly lie.

Special words for the Class of 2013

By Jeff Orvis

Over the years as I have written columns in various formats, I've developed a tradition of writing pieces on specific topics at certain times of the year. As we close in on the end of May and the end of another school year, I usually make some comments, some reminders, for the graduates.

For many years, I had the pleasure of getting to know some remarkable students. Many of them were student athletes at the high school level. But some others may have excelled in other areas as they made that trek toward the high school diploma. As I worked in community journalism, I attended graduation every year. I could understand why teachers who had been associated with these students for four years or more may have shed a tear or two as they sent them out into the world. I could fully understand why most grandparents enjoy their grandchildren. As the old saying goes, grandparents have the opportunity to see their grandchildren for awhile, then give them back to their parents. The “parents” in this saying, the ones who had to cope with both the highs and lows of the daily lives of these students, would be their teachers. I would be the one who visited the school and interacted with the student for a story, then could leave, just like a grandparent.

One of the reminders I give to grads every time I write is to remember who got them to the point where they are crossing that stage and accepting that diploma. Remember to visit your teachers, or at least communicate with them, to thank them for all they had done and to let them know what they had accomplished. And don't just talk to the most popular teacher. My sophomore English teacher delighted in cultivating a climate of fear among many of her students. You knew not to cross Mrs. Hultgren. Of course, she was one of the teachers who taught me the most. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it at the time and didn't get a chance to thank her years later.

It's great to have one or two teachers you can relate to and who can help you during tough times. But sometimes some of the toughest teachers are the ones who mean the most to your ultimate success.

Members of the high school class of 2013 face some incredible obstacles I could never imagine. Many of you are heading off to a four-year college, where you will pay 10 times what I did when I was a high school freshman. If it had not been for various scholarships and grants, I would have never had a chance at college. That's the same for many incoming freshmen today. But the competition for those scholarships seems much more difficult today. In fact, gaining acceptance into many colleges is also tougher than it was back in my time.

The challenges that today's grads face seem far more difficult than those I faced when I was coming out of Pleasant Valley High School. The opportunities are there, but they are tougher to obtain. Thankfully, I've observed that many of today's grads are more mature and driven than my classmates were. They have to be. They work harder and, if some internet posts are to be believed, they play harder at some colleges.

So you've got your academics in order, you've chosen and been accepted at the college of your choice and have somehow lined up the funds to go there. One key ingredient to your success won't necessarily cost any money. It will, however, take some time and soul-searching. As you prepare to leave for school later this summer, many of you will be reminded to pack your Bible and find a church. Moms and grandmothers are good at making those reminders. But whether you can answer that alarm on Sundays to attend services or find time to crack open that Bible on a regular basis, don't forget to pack what I like to call your moral compass.

I was reminded of that last night as I chose to watch a couple of episodes of “The Waltons.” You may remember that TV series featured a big family growing up during the depression in the hills of Virginia. The large family was patterned from the real life family of Earl Hamner Jr. He created the show, wrote most, if not all of the stories and narrated each episode. Earl's character was the oldest son in the family, John Boy.

Naturally, after spending most of my adult life writing, I empathized with the John Boy character. My family situation was a lot different – I have just one sister instead of a houseful. We lived in much better circumstances than the Walton family, where grandparents also lived under the same roof. By the end of the show's run, there were four generations living in that house.

Of course, skeptics who watch an episode would be quick to point out that it is far from today's reality. The brothers and sisters would have their conflicts, but they were generally settled by the end of each episode. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer of today's households include two parents, let alone the availability of wise grandparents.

But watch closely with an open mind and you can usually learn some valuable life's lessons. As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, find someone you can lean on during tough times. Ideally, it will be a parent, grandparent or older aunt or uncle. It might be the pastor at your church. But it could also be one of those high school teachers who went the extra mile to lead you to success.

My best bit of advice is to find that special someone who can periodically tune that moral compass. Best of luck to the Class of 2013. Those of us who went before you are counting on you.