I fished my bike out of the lake

One of my favorite summer activities is to go for a bike ride. Countless times Papa & I rode our bikes together. Whether we flew down the hills in Colorado, rode to lunch at Taco Bell, or dodged traffic on our way to Zarlengo’s, our rides usually are eventful. Among all our rides, two stand out, & both times, I got wet. This writing discusses a particular ride in Gobles.

After breakfast one morning, Papa & I went for a ride somewhere. On our return to the Brandywine, we turned left to Public Access for our customary dip the front tire in the lake stop. Although we previously dipped our bikes front tires in the lake many times, little did I know this instance would be different. As we approached the incline, Papa told me to slow down. I pedaled backwards; nothing happened. I pedaled backwards faster yet the bike did not stop. In the blink of an eye, I rode the whole bike into the lake! Papa, incredulous of what just happened, asked, “Are you alright? Why didn’t you stop? Did you lose the bike?” I responded, “I’m soaked & surprised but I’m fine. I pedaled backwards. I do not know why it did not stop. While I’m not on the bike, I feel it (Public Access initial depth is not deep).” Unfortunately, while I felt it, I could not pull it out by simply bending down into the water. One plunge underwater later & the bike & I surfaced.

Luckily, I did not lose my glasses in this whole endeavor. As we inspected if the bike received any damage, Papa realized the root of my brake failure. This bike had handlebar brakes; pedaling backwards would not stop the bike! Obviously, I never rode a bike with hand brakes before. How I successfully stopped before remains a mystery. Fortunately, the only change to the bike was its dryness. Both the bike & I were soaked. Thankfully, the temperature was rising, the sun was out, & the distance between Public Access & the cottage was not far. Getting back on our bikes, Papa & I finished our ride back. When we arrived, Mom saw us & immediately asked why my red shorts were dripping wet. Upon coming closer, she saw how wet the bike & I were, & Papa & I laughed. After hearing my explanation, Mom shook her head with a look of “Awww jeez.” I went inside, dried off, changed, hung my wet clothes on the clothesline, & placed the bike in a sunny spot to dry. Every time Papa & I dipped our front tires into the lake afterwards, Papa & I chuckle about that memory. I have successfully braked every time since then. On Brandywine Lake, most people swim, tube, waterski, drink, talk, etc. I fished my bike out of the lake.

Thank you, Duck Dynasty

Today is the series finale of Duck Dynasty. I pen this note as a thank you to the Robertson clan. For the last five years, Duck Dynasty redefined a successful reality show. Duck Dynasty episodes are set-up scenes, but the responses & actions are not scripted. Although the Robertsons are not perfect, & they will be the first to tell you, they have a three-word mantra to describe themselves: faith family ducks. They are a tight-knit Christian family who will not financially suffer or lose sleep without cameras in their faces. I began watching the show when I was in college, & A&E aired it seemingly every night. Thank you Duck Dynasty for being my college year’s binge-watch TV show.

Thank you Duck Dynasty for laughter. Almost every episode causes me to laugh, & & sometimes I rewind episodes just for the laughter. Whether it was Si, the brothers together, the husbands & wives moments, or the general situation, laughter ensued. I recall so many scenes with fondness. To name a few, the guys teaching Sadie to drive, Jase & his wedding ring, Sadie & the search for the perfect dress, Phil & Miss Kay looking for a new turtle, & Phil, Jase, Martin, & Godwin trying to dismantle the beaver dam. The episodes I greatly enjoy I need more than two hands to count. Outside of my three favorite episodes, three other episodes that immediately come to mind are cooling off at the redneck water park, the search for a vehicle for John Luke, & Jase running Duck Commander for the day. Thank you Duck Dynasty for a much-needed laugh.

Thank you Duck Dynasty for love. Love not only of family & friends, but also of life in general. There is a reason I am wearing a Happy Happy Happy t-shirt. Love of life came when the family celebrated July 4 with a massive fireworks display & Si choked up when honored for his military service. When Miss Kay & Phil renewed their vows, everybody worked together to celebrate. Love was evident, not just between Miss Kay & Phil, but also Alan returned to officiate the wedding, Mountain Man built the arbor, & Si distracted Miss Kay & Phil for the day. When Jase & Reed planned romantic gestures for their significant others, they not only displayed love for their women, but also each other. Jase loved Reed’s commitment to a perfect proposal, & upon reflecting on his own proposal, Jase realized he could have been more romantic. Rather than simply congratulate his son, Jase planned a welcome home party & then proposed to Missy, thanking her for all her love in their marriage thus far. When Reed returned home from Nashville for his album release party, his van needed many repairs. Proud of their sons’ accomplishments & wanting to see him continue in his journey, Missy & Jase paid for the repairs, demonstrating the love they have for their son. Lastly, in most episodes, someone laughs at themselves. For example, Willie & Jase laugh after their burger cook-off results in two terribly cooked burgers. You have to love yourself in order to laugh at yourself. Thank you Duck Dynasty for the love, of self, family, friends, & God.

Love of God is derived from faith. At the end of each episode, the family gathers around a table to eat together, but first someone leads them in prayer. For most people, this occurs in homes daily. Sit down for dinner, pray, & eat. In my family, we say a traditional prayer. Each episode ends with a slightly different prayer, usually thanking God for blessing them in some way relevant to the episode. Aside from watching Duck Dynasty in college, I was a member of Chi Rho. My senior year I became vice-president & sometimes led the group in prayer. Duck Dynasty taught me how to pray freestyle. In addition to Chi Rho prayer, my freestyle praying, learned from Duck Dynasty, became a part of my daily life. Two episodes featured weddings of Robertson children. For both John Luke & Reed, their respective fathers officiated. Each planned what they would say as a marital challenge for their sons. Willie described marriage as a house; Jase described it as a journey. Both metaphors convey the same message. Grow together with God. Thank you Duck Dynasty for prayer and teaching me how to freestyle pray.

The last thank you I want to make is for my three favorite episodes. The first one is duck season eve. The episode clearly hit all three parts of the Robertson mantra. The men’s excitement about duck hunting season revealed the TV show did not change them; they were going hunting! Jase’s eloquence in speaking about duck hunting reminded viewers the Robertsons are rednecks. I laugh when Si attempted to shoot the snake, I love how Miss Kay persuaded Phil to shower, & it is hilarious watching the men decide to head inside the RV with Willie rather than roughing it with Jase. To cap off the episode, the fellas awake to a Phil Robertson style alarm clock, gunshots.

The second episode is the family reunion before Mia undergoes surgery. Everybody helped, complete with Phil & Jep taking city slicker Gordon duck hunting, but not before soaking him with mud & dressing him in a disgusting camouflage jacket. Everyone, especially referee Si, enjoyed the wrestling scene. Mia’s prayer made the mood serious, but everyone prayed for her. The last scene brings a tear to anyone’s eyes. Mia going into surgery, the faces of Jase & Missy, & everybody waiting is something relevant for many people. The song, “Angel Child,” sung by Missy, is one of my all-time favorites. If you have listened to the song, you certainly agree. If you have not, I sincerely encourage you to do so. The album cover again brings joy to peoples’ hearts as it is such a beautiful picture of father & daughter.

The last episode I dearly love is when the Robertsons go to Hawaii. Before they leave for Hawaii, I crack up at Jase convincing Willie to take a vacation. Couple that with Si wiping barbecue sauce off his beard & then Willie & Korie revealing the vacation to everyone & the audience has already enjoyed the episode. The episode shows the family’s reaction to being out of Louisiana. Phil enjoys himself by watching the Bourne movies, only for Miss Kay to coax him into getting a massage, which he thoroughly enjoys. Watching Willie, Jase, Si, & Sadie surfing is hilarious; I would follow Si’s lead & enjoy lying on the surfboard rather than falling time after time. When the brothers & Si go on the segways & two of them fall, it is very relatable. Lastly, when they jump off a structure into the ocean, it was great to see Willie be playful & take the leap of faith into the ocean. In most episodes, there would be some conflict; here everyone simply enjoyed vacation. Thank you Duck Dynasty for many great moments, especially my three favorite episodes.

Thank you Duck Dynasty for being a show I looked forward to watching Wednesday nights. Yes, I own two Duck Dynasty t-shirts, a Duck Dynasty long sleeve t-shirt, a Duck Dynasty hat, the Robertson Christmas album, Missy’s song “Angel Child,” & Reed’s CD. I am a Duck Dynasty fan & will cherish watching the episodes. To their credit, after five years, the Robertsons made a successful TV show without changing themselves. While I will not cry after the finale, I will certainly miss the show. The best way to say goodbye is I’m happy happy happy to say thank you Duck Dynasty.

The Table

Tomorrow, the University of Dayton chapel will play host to the sacrament of holy matrimony.  Afterwards, all guests will travel to the wedding reception, & dinner will be served.  Usually, the guests at each table know each other, but they guaranteed have something in common.  They are either family or friend of either the bride or groom, or they are the significant other of someone who fits that description.  Conversation will flow, with life updates from each person a probable topic.  Not that I am opposed to that type of conversation.  Without it, the conversation will be brief, & people will want to head to the dance floor, the bar, or another table with their family or friends.  What I support is deeper questions in response to the life update story.  My thinking resulted from the readings a few weeks ago, where the word table encapsulated the readings.
The second reading, Hebrews 12: 18-19, 22-24A, & the Gospel, Luke 14: 1, 7-14, talk about the table.  At Mass we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by gathering around the table & partaking in the body & blood of Jesus.  The second reading discusses the ultimate table, heaven, or as the reading refers to it, Mount Zion.  Mount Zion seemingly reaches the heavens with its massive height.  While people cannot comprehend it with any of their senses, it is attainable & desirable to reach.  In the Gospel, the Pharisees watch Jesus like a hawk.  He instructs them to love EVERYONE.  Jesus then tells us to humble ourselves.  Tim McGraw instructs people how to do so in his recent chart topper “Humble and Kind.”  Personally, I enjoy when a story or connection to my life & current events is included in the homily.  Thankfully, the priest told two anecdotes about times he sat at tables, & I remembered two unique stories of my own.
The first story occurred shortly before I graduated from UD.  All graduating History majors attend a formal dinner, paid for by the History department, a week or two before graduation.  I sat at a table with two other History majors, Dr. Carter & Dr. Flockerzie, both whose classes I took, & another professor.  As the conversation progressed, & this mystery professor sat across from me, I felt bad & impolite I never introduced myself nor knew him.  I politely introduced myself & asked his name.  Dr. Carter chuckled & Dr. Flockerzie asked me, “Who don’t know who this is?”  I shook my head no & the other two students laughed.  Finally, Dr. Flockerzie told me that was the department head as the department head smiled.  Trying not to sound so oblivious, I responded I have never dealt with him before nor has he ever taught one of my classes.  As soon as I finished, I realized & told them he was supposed to teach History of the Caribbean which I took, but he did not.  When he asked how it was, I told him it would have been better if he taught it.  After the comedy of the situation dissipated, the conversation of the table became more enlightening, with a variety of topics.  When the dinner concluded & we readied to leave, I shook the department head’s hand & told him it was good to meet him.  He laughed as he shook my hand & said congratulations on my graduation.
The second story occurred soon after I moved to Philadelphia.  Nearby my residence was a house where every Thursday, young Catholics gathered every Thursday night for Mass & dinner.  Although work ended after Mass began, my coworkers & I attended dinner.  The first time we went there, I knew nobody.  Therefore, I filled my plate & sat down at a table.  I sat there mostly quiet, & as I listened to the conversation, I realized the rest of the table was full of couples, either dating or engaged.  I was the only single person at this table & it was my first time there.  I finally informed them of my discovery, & nearly everyone looked at me, wondering who I was.  I told them my name & that I just moved to Philadelphia.  I then jokingly remarked I would answer any question as if I was an open book.  Honest to God truth, the first question came from a fella who asked, “Have you ever had sex?”  I immediately laughed.  A group of people in our twenties & the first question that comes from a guy is about sex, to a person he just met to boot!  I said no, & the remaining questions were about topics you can probably guess, such as where I attended college, how do I like my new job, etc.
The two stories the priest told were also humorous, although he reminded us there was a point to his stories.  When you sit down at a table with someone, you immediately shared commonalities.  For one, you are both eating food.  As I previously said, you both also have an interest in the event.  In summation, if you are sitting at a table full of people you do not know, the conversation will probably start with some awkwardness.  Trust me, awkwardness can also breed some embarrassment into the conversation.  As evidenced from my two stories, the conversation can leave you with a smile on your face.  Plus, if you pay attention & ask questions deeper than surface level, you might learn something, all while sitting eating at a table. 

Stairs, Stairs, Stairs

Stairs, stairs, stairs.  What a truly unique human creation you are.  Coming in different sizes, shapes, & colors.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  I go to college & the notion of using you disappears.  In the Darkside & Ghetto houses, you return as you are the way to my bedroom.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  A single one in the ol’ cottage took out Jordan & several glasses with him.  People race you in the Sears Tower & they claim its fun.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  My new adventure in Philadelphia includes many of you.  Always worried I will fall down you with food in my hands.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  Many of you did Rocky gallop up.  My goodness he was in shape.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  Tired I was after walking down you, you the set Rocky effortlessly glided up.  Out of shape I know I was after running up you.  Stairs, stairs, stairs.  With new technology, old creations fade out.  Yet you I doubt we will ever lose.  Stairs, stairs, stairs

Farewell Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo

A fan is someone who cares about someone or something. What the word fails to inform you is the duration of someone’s fandom. When I moved to Philadelphia in September 2014, I lived in the Kensington neighborhood working on $100 stipend, & I knew neither anyone nor anywhere. As a result, I watched TV, & a coworker enjoyed watching NCIS reruns. Looking for something to occupy my time, I joined her. Additionally, Tuesday nights new NCIS episodes premiere & we watched the season 12 premier. We also watched NCIS: New Orleans series premier, & to this day I watch it, even convincing Dad to join me. When I first began watching NCIS, I was 11 seasons behind. Fortunately, USA Network shows NCIS reruns on Mondays, Wednesdays, & sometimes Saturdays. My work schedule allowed me to watch all day Monday if I desired as it was our off day, Wednesdays our work finished around lunch & we were free until community night dinner, & Saturdays our work lasted until about lunch as well. Commence Mark binge watching! I watched many episodes then & still often watch reruns now. Therefore, while I have not watched NCIS for many years, I have spent far too many hours watching NCIS since September 2014.

Today marks the last episode of Tony DiNozzo. Yes, Michael Weatherly is leaving NCIS. For millions of fans including myself, we are sad to say goodbye to Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. I guarantee tonight’s episode garners very high ratings, a fitting sendoff for the character & actor who love the limelight. Now, if you search online Tony DiNozzo you will find seemingly infinite links, discussions, highlights, etc. for him. After all, Michael Weatherly joins Mark Harmon, David McCallum, & Pauley Perrette as the only actors to appear on every NCIS episode, & Weatherly has appeared on all the franchises’ spinoffs. Totaled up, you can spend almost two straight weeks watching Tony DiNozzo! When NCIS showed its 300th episode earlier this season, a popular image displayed many statistics about the show. How many head slaps, how many nicknames DiNozzo bestowed upon McGee, how many bowties Ducky wore, & several others. DiNozzo plays a role in every statistic. How many head slaps he received, how many different episodes he gave McGee a new nickname, how many times he visited Gibbs basement. When Weatherly announced his departure, fans were shocked, & some even angrily said they are never watching the show anymore.

I can only speculate on the outcome of tonight’s episode. Based off last week’s episode & previews for tonight’s episode, it looks like DiNozzo leaves NCIS to find Ziva. I bet any monetary amount DiNozzo does not die by the end of the episode. As far as Ziva, it is a mystery. Perhaps even an unsolved mystery at tonight’s conclusion. Leaving the fate of Ziva unknown or showing her alive opens the possibility for Cote de Pablo to return, even if it is for a guest appearance such as for the series finale. If Ziva dies, the writers guarantee de Pablo never returns to NCIS, which she willingly left, so killing her character mirrors the death of Caitlin Todd. Sasha Alexander wanted to leave the show & NCIS subsequently killed seemingly someone nearly every season. Caitlin Todd, Jenny Shepard, Mike Franks, Ned Dorneget, & several other characters were killed, recently Tom Morrow. If NCIS did not kill a character, there is a strong attempt as all major characters have at least one near death experience. The death of Ziva also hypothetically ends those who clamor for the return of de Pablo. Lastly, Ziva’s death would scar DiNozzo as she arguably is his true love.

CBS renewed NCIS for two more seasons & cast two potential replacements for Weatherly. Sarah Clarke’s character Tess Monroe I disliked because her behavior appeared unprofessional at times, & if she took point for the injured Tobias Fornell, she became the FBI equivalent of Gibbs. Joining the NCIS team then is a step-down career wise for her. It also changes the dynamic of the show, which has maintained a healthy balance for 13 seasons. There have always been three major male agents & one major female agent. Gibbs is the surrogate team father, the two other men (DiNozzo & McGee) have a brotherly relationship, & the female is one the team deeply protects (Todd, Ziva, & Bishop). Wouldn’t Tess Monroe trump all the experience of McGee & discredit the hard work of Bishop? For both characters, it is an insult to all their success in the show thus far. The other possible replacement, Clayton Reeves, played by Duane Henry, I thought would be a suitable replacement. He is British which the writers could create into a unique friendship with Ducky, he brings comic relief to the show, & he has a police mindset to offset Gibbs’ military background, McGee’s tech savvy background, & Bishop’s intelligence. As with Ziva, his international background could allow the show to grow as he could teach the others different interrogation techniques, he could talk about popular British sports such as soccer & instead of movie references, the writers could show him walking into a crime scene joyful of a club’s victory. Additionally, because Michael Weatherly has stated he would love to return to NCIS in a guest role at some point, Clayton Reeves would be a friend to him just as the rest of the team is.

When DiNozzo returns, it could be for an episode such as when McGee gets married. For example, in such an episode, the team rushes to finish a case on time to make it to the church for the wedding. Upon their arrival, they see DiNozzo already at the church as the best man, & the first lines DiNozzo says are a movie quote about a wedding, & once he sees the team, he smiles & proclaims, “Hey guys!” Another possibility would be an episode concerning something international, & DiNozzo & Clayton Reeves would reconnect to share information, & viewers would see DiNozzo on the screen at MTAC. He could also come to bid farewell to the retirement of Ducky as David McCallum hinted his time on the show might be reaching its end. Lastly, DiNozzo could return for the funeral of a member, family, or friend of NCIS.

I will miss Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. While the shows’ writers wrote the character, the acting of Weatherly made the character a fan favorite. Michael Weatherly has acted brilliantly, transforming the character from a womanizer to a cautious leader to a loyal friend to a confident agent. DiNozzo brought comic relief to show, proved himself a capable leader in place of Gibbs, a mentor to other team members such as Bishop, & a failed womanizer who fans laughed at his struggles. The relationship between Tony & his father reminded fans that estranged relationships are not failed ones, only ones that required hard work. We felt sad for him when his relationship with Jeanne Benoit crumbled, & their reunion this season brought hope they would reconcile, only to leave each other on more civil terms. We hoped his relationship with Ziva would evolve into a romantic one, & we felt his pain when she chose to stay in Israel & he chose to return to NCIS. We laughed at every head slap, we enjoyed his endless movie quotes, & we loved how he pointed out the obvious. Tonight, enjoy the episode. Appreciate all the DiNozzo scenes, from movie quote, to a head slap, to a serious moment, to the heart wrenching goodbye scenes. At the end of the episode, when the credits begin to roll, give a goodbye nod. Farewell Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, we’re going to miss you.

My Last Semester at UD

It is Christmas Break & I have plenty of free time. So, watching a good deal of TV I have. Disney Channel has been showing the High School Musical trilogy. While the first is the only one plot-wise I can stomach, I admit first two movies’ soundtracks are above average. Yet I caught myself watching a part of the final film. Chad looked at Troy & said, “So I guess when they hand us that diploma, we’re actually done here?” Troy simply remarked, “What makes you thinking we’re getting diplomas?” While they were in high school, I can rather relate to Chad’s question. My last semester. My last birthday in college. My last St. Patty’s Day. My last Lent. My last Chi Rho meeting. My last class. My last paper. My last final exam. My last Marycrest Mass. My last piece of KU pizza. My last Ghetto Mass. My last time lectoring at Ghetto Mass, whenever that may be. My last work shift at Marycrest. My last Creative Monday Status, which will be an epic two weeks. My last alarm clock, which will probably come on graduation day itself. My last sign of peace at Ghetto & Marycrest Mass. My last retreat, which is yet to be determined. My last video game, which may be graduation day. My last night sleeping in my bed. My last day as a University of Dayton undergraduate student. So much to look forward to. The completion of my final exams. The blessing at the end of Ghetto Mass. The playing of “We Are Marching.” The joy of finishing my papers. The jubilation following the end of classes. The known laughter & tears. The unknown fear of the future & everything in between. The agony of late nights of homework & possibly of social life embarrassment. The delight in spending time with friends, God, & future accomplishments. May 4 is only a mere four & some change months away. This semester holds so much promise. I am excited, scared, & ready for it. My last semester at UD.

I guess I'll have to score a touchdown

I guess I’ll have to score a touchdown. Ok, here is the situation. I, Louisiana Tech full of improved Duck Dynasty members, am playing North Texas in my college football video game. Up 28-17 at the end of the 3rd quarter. North Texas scored a touchdown & converted the two pointer. Louisiana Tech 28 North Texas 25 4:57 remaining in the 4th quarter. After a Phil Robertson completion to Jase Robertson, Jase fumbled the ball & North Texas recovered. To quote Dad, “You’re going to need that.” North Texas methodically drove down the field & scored. North Texas 32 Louisiana Tech 28 3:10 left in the 4th quarter.

I drove down the field, both picking up yardage & trying to kill time to help my defense. One of those was a mistake. Nevertheless, touchdown run Jase Robertson. Louisiana Tech 35 North Texas 32 1:28 remaining. Quickly, though obviously taking time, North Texas quarterback shredded my defense & even ran in the touchdown himself. North Texas 39 Louisiana Tech 35 28 seconds left.

I had all timeouts remaining. In hindsight, I should have used at least one to calm my defense but I did not. I seriously doubt it would have made a difference. After the kickoff return, I needed 70 yards. I thought I would get it in two chunks. However, an incompletion cost me 6 seconds & I had 15 remaining. I called the next play. Right side, the receiver in the left slot does a straight sprint across the field. If he can beat the corner off the line & I hit him before the safety comes up, I have at least 15 yards & can use a timeout. What happened is the safety came in, looking to fake a blitz. I knew if my wide receiver beat the cornerback off the line, it might be a foot race with the safety as he has to turn around to catch him. Instead, the cornerback blitzed. I threw to the wide receiver. Open field for 70 yards. As I sprinted toward the end zone, I began to weave to kill time. I no longer trust my defense. Finally I scored. With 4 seconds left. Louisiana Tech 42 North Texas 39. On the squib kick off, I tackled the computer with zeroes across the scoreboard. I won!

It said Phil Robertson was the player of the game. I was unsure who would take home the honors. Certainly not anyone from my defense. I raced downstairs & showed Mom the highlights. It ranks as my second greatest game ever. Right behind my absurd comeback as Michigan I am sure. As I told Mom, I would score a touchdown & ask my defense for a stop. They would not oblige so there was only one thing to do. I guess I’ll have to score a touchdown