Huh? What's Up With That?

job$ somebody's gotta do...                                                                          The transition from education to a career can be a challenge for some of us, while others coast right along following their chosen occupation.  Pursuing a degree in a specialized field probably spells out what that person will be doing in the near future.     Some of us recognize from an early age how we are going to participate in the adult world.  Those lucky people don't go through the angst, worry, and, doubts the rest of us experience.  It is said those people have a calling.   HUH?  What's up with that?     From early childhood, I took care of family members when they were sick, Tina Dezarn said.  It seems I have always wanted to take care o...

 oddities, observations, & ?'s...#18                     Dolly Parton wasn't on my radar during my broadcast career.  Dolly jokes were cheap fodder for those who liked cheap fodder.  However, her longevity proved her genius.  She was a force who will be missed.        My Kroger supermarket has a 7 foot tall robot roaming the aisles.     HUH ?  What's up with that ?     The vertical spy has one eye and the body is cylindrical and sits on a round, motorized, disk.  It moves silently among the customers and supposedly is looking at inventory to determine what shelves need to be restocked.  Employees have named their newest member, Tally.   I am convinced only young people look good on FaceTime .  It must be a software issue.   Useless gibberish.  Why is backyard one word while front yard is two words?   I followed Po...

   a man called joe...                     Me and my three brothers, Dave, Carl, and, Ken, grew up in Indianapolis with a man named Joe.  He didn't want to be called Joseph or Josef, just J-O-E.  Joe.  I don't think he had a middle name, but, I never asked.  That seems remiss on my part.   Joe was a true character ( TC ) and that is what makes him so unique and special for those who knew him. There aren't many TCs in this world.  I describe a TC as someone who still resonates with those he or she left behind.  Someone whose words, phrases, and actions are long remembered and still discussed.  Someone who could light up a room or make the room go dark by his or her presence.   Joe was a complex man:  he was a high school All-American Football Player, but, he walked out of his free ride to the University of Illinois after just 24 hours;  he faced and conquered two different...

  an enlightening quiet lunch...                     The George Brothers, me, Dave, Carl, and, Ken, met for lunch at Daddy Jack's at 96th and Meridian in Indianapolis on a budding spring day last May.  My wife, Regina (RG), and, Ken's wife, Jody (JG), and, cousin Norma (Liz), were also there to break bread with us.  For as long as I can remember, I have referred to Norma as Liz because back in the day she reminded me of Elizabeth Taylor.    HUH ?  What's up with that ?    A short time after we were seated, we ordered appetizers and they arrived 15 minutes later.  Calamari is my favorite choice at this particular rendezvous.     Chit chat and small talk prevailed as we considered lunch options.  Fried cod from Daddy Jack's own seafood store next door, steak sandwiches, salads, and, Reubens were all bandied about by the seven of us.  Often heard while we perused the men...

the instigator...                                                                     We have all heard stories of someone who meddles in the love affairs of others.  Or, of an individual who is making very little effort to climb the corporate ladder, but, sabotages those who are working hard to reach the pinnacle.  The people in both instances are what I call, instigators.       HUH ?  WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?   An instigator could also be someone who asks questions of a person.  Someone who initiates a conversation or gets the conversation going.   A person who likes to ask questions as well as hear the answers.  And, that is me when I have donned my interview hat as I have done for several decades plus my blogging years.     I have been very fortunat...

  oddities, observations, & ?'s...#17                     Some of the following content was written four months prior to publishing this post.  I elected to keep the original work intact.   The White House portrayal of a former president and First Lady as monkeys is OBAMA-NA-BULL..     HUH ?  What's up with that ?   It was fun to follow Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers Football team through the national championship game.  A championship is incredible for IU, players, coaches, and, fans.   The word of the year for 2025?  Two numbers, 6 7.  I like the idea of younger people not giving 6 7 a meaning.  It keeps people like me mystified.     This may be the all time greatest line spoken in frustration by a First Grade student.  Regina and her colleague were praising a few students for their work when out of the blue from across the room, C...

have a gre..                  The 152nd Run for the Roses is tomorrow at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.     The two weeks leading up to the historic race are filled with glitz, glamour, challenges and fun.  One of the largest fireworks and air shows in America has finished for another year.  So has the mini-marathon, boat race on the Ohio River, parade and balloon race and a dozen other events.   All of the events leading up to the big day are almost sacred traditions.    In addition to things to do, there is a common phrase heard throughout the city during this time that is just as important as any other tradition... Have a Good (or Great) Derby.   HUH ?  What's up with that ?       Those three words plus a vowel are meant as a statement of commiseration and common celebration. Since my indoctrination into Derby life 48 years ago, I look forward each year to hear...

disappearing rapidly...                  One of mankind's most ardent forms of entertainment may well be disappearing from the face of the earth.  In fact, it is altogether possible this artform will be extinct by the time you read this blog, no matter how long it takes you to finish.   HUH ?  What's up with that ?      The remarkable characteristic about this uniquely personal experience is that it is so individualized, there is nothing known to science or medicine, including AI, that can serve as a replacement.  Therein lies the problem.      By some, in its most flattering form, this activity can serve as a warning or alarm to any individual to improve awareness.  By others, it could be considered as being judgmental.     If we participate in this human endeavor (almost all of us have done so), we can anticipate unwanted advances, see potential conflict, or even derive ...

  firsts ...                      The four George Brothers recently met at a popular cafeteria in the suburb of Castleton in Indianapolis.  I say popular, but, 95% of the patrons were either bald or had blue or gray hair.  Patronized by a certain age group for sure.  The brothers were a perfect fit.   Carl, Ken and Steve, were seated at a table for four in one of the two dining rooms.  The senior brother was still making his way through the line.       Looks like you have your hands full,  Ken said to a young mother holding a baby at the next table.     I do indeed,  she concurred.   This is our first time for taking the baby out .   My husband is looking for a baby seat.     Well, enjoy those first time moments,  Carl said as he smiled, then turned to us.    Jeez, guys, first time.  Takes you back ...

  in the air...                                                          My wife's Jazzercise group is often entertained by someone identified with a particular day or holiday.  Such was the case last August 16th when the franchise owner brought in a tribute artist to commemorate the death of the King of Rock and Roll.     Retired UPS pilot, Captain Gary Katz, 64, played the role of the man from Memphis.       This interview was conducted several weeks prior to the fatal UPS crash at Louisville's airport earlier this month.   Gary, my wife said you did a great job.   Thanks.  We had a good time.   Tell me about yourself.  Do you have a significant other?   I do , he said.  My wife and I will have been married 40 years next year.  We have two kids, a boy and a...

  oddities, observations, & ?'s...#16                       Most of this post was written last June.  Health issues prevented me from gathering content, researching and writing.  I am grateful to be pounding the keyboard to finish this post and for future publications.    A tribute to the most talented man I ever worked with in my radio career.  Gary Burbank passed away at the age of 84.  He was Earl Pitts, Eunice and Berniece, and, so many other rich and colorful characters.  He was a husband and a father.  He was memorable.   Brevard County, Florida, Sheriff, Wayne Ivey, held a press conference in Florida prior to President Donald Trump's military parade which was held in the nation's capitol last Father's Day.  In his speech, the peace officer warned protesters that anyone who threw a brick or any other object while protesting the parade would be ... shot graveyar...

more pos..#11                                                                                            When I think of retired folks, I am inclined to defer to those pretty much like myself....people who worked for decades and stepped down at their discretion.      I haven't dwelled on those with disabilities and sometimes overlook those who retired out of necessity.   John Wells, 77, is a Vietnam Veteran who has had his share of health issues all related to his time in the service.   I have Parkinson's Disease, he told me.  It is associated with Camp Lejeune when I was going through school down there for field medical training.  Then, I spent a year in Vietnam and was in contact with Agent Orange.     ...

tv repairs?...                                                                                 RCA, Zenith, Admiral, Crosley, Westinghouse, Philco , Motorola and others   were all television manufacturers in the days following the medium's introduction at the New York World's Fair in 1939.     Today, of that group, only RCA and Motorola produce   televisions.  Other companies like LG and Sony have taken the place of the original companies, and, in some cases, the old brands have melded into today's offerings such as Zenith becoming LG .   Donny Koch, 78, has been in the television repair business in Louisville, Kentucky for over 60 years.   My dad and his brother opened Clarksdale TV Repair back in 1938, he told me.  They started repai...