Time marches on. And it also goes back. Fall, move your clocks back an hour. Still a foreign concept to me. I grew up in Arizona. The time never changed there.
The end of the election: No more ads and election news. Like everyone else: Tired of it. It floods everything. Let life go back to normal. The winner? To me, it should be obvious. People who are not liars, called liars. People who are liars, getting away with it. Today’s America. A world blinded by its politics. My best observation the past few weeks, a woman who said “I am a Democrat, voting for Trump.” Her take on it was: He’s the only one to vote for. Matching my own thoughts, enough people out there feel the same, it’s a landslide. A lot will just vote on their party lines. Hillary is sick to her stomach. I get the same way when I see a picture of her. The polls? Does anyone put any faith in the polls? Who wins, for some people it is the end of the world. Personally, I’ll live. I’ll count on Congress if one guy wins. But I don’t think it will happen.
I’m kind of a statistics guy. I looked. 7% of people I know are voting Biden. 99% of them are not pro Biden but anti Trump. So, the other 93% are for Trump. That’s my poll for you.
From one of the umpires: Today my vote was cast!!! I was raised by two terrific grandparents and to this day, I have no idea who they ever voted for. Voting was a privilege that was not taken for granted. They told me many times that we must vote because so many died to give us that right.
This may not be the democracy that we want at this time but it won’t change without every person making their vote count. If your vote didn’t matter then why do so many people try to make sure we don’t vote.
I don’t care who you vote for, only make sure you vote. On a side note, all of the political posts did not sway me in any direction. I take it seriously and did my own homework. This country deserves this from every citizen.
Who did I vote for? In my grandparents memory, you will never know.
An email from an acquaintance:
“This stupid election. It has been interesting to watch. I have, as usual, particularly enjoyed your take on it. You are the Most Fair person I have ever met. A guy who has spoken to my kid’s school classes multiple time. Former umpire. Premiere fishing guide. You have a resume. And, for me, I like to hear what you have to say. We agree on this election. We don’t agree other things. I’d just like to say: I wish you had a television show. For all sides, you would be good. You are even handed. You don’t take cheap shots. Better yet: You call it like it is. You don’t shy away from the truth. I wish I was voting for you for President. You are who I would like in there. I know: You didn’t want to have anything to do with it. I’m just saying, you would get the votes. And, you would do the job. What’s best. I just wanted to speak up because it is on my mind. Thanks for everything you have ever done for me. B.J.K. “
The virus: They still haven’t played a Pac 10 game yet. Messing up the NFL schedule slightly. Is it almost over? Time will tell. Interesting every week. Kasey won last week. Freddy’s son. He correctly picked Arizona over Seattle. How do people pick this week? I believe my picks will be pretty good.
53 years old. He was a senior. I was a freshman. I made the Varsity soccer squad. Haven’t seen him since then. He was in Phoenix. The way I understand it, he lost his wife. He was suicidal. He chose suicide by cop. He pretended to have a gun and they shot him dead. RIP: Paul Sarver, Agua Fria, 1985. I’d forgotten, he went out with my friend Kris. Some people choose their own demise. He fits the bill. Caught me a little off guard. But I’m not completely surprised. I’m surprised it hasn’t been a story that has already happened. I searched him out. His son died. His daughter lost her mother, father and brother. It’s not a happy one. Kris said she saw warning signs way back in high school. Nice photos of happier times. It was a nice-looking family. All torn apart.
Haven’t had a nightmare in a while. Usually I’m umpiring. Last night I was pitching. I gave up a home run, making it 24 to 21. I said “I need a hug.” Joe Biden starts walking out onto the field. I said “Not from you weirdo.” My mother starts yelling at him. It rains and I win 24 to 23. The after-game party is pretty much an orgy. John Spange: “if you gave up 23, I see why you turned to umpiring”. Me: That was pretty much an accurate dream.
I have left out the story I have. It’s not worth telling. Suffice it to say, I was earning respect.
The fishing: Back in action. It has been great. The past four months it has been easy to be a guide. More trips are falling in. It is almost a busier season. I’ll take. Easy, successful trip! Changes forthcoming. A large charter request I had to decline. Same day at The Kayak Fishing Academy. Probably be able to take them another day.
KFC Firelogs. What is that? Apparently in demand, I really don’t know what it is. I don’t know: I was always a Honey Baked Ham kind of guy. Hey: Fat Lives Matter! The best one I’ve seen yet.
I do see some good things. Caring people doing things right. A lot of what I see doesn’t fit that. But the ones I do see that are good, it’s uplifting. Now, I still see some things that are not good. It is happening and that’s life. But the good things outweigh the bad. The world is not completely terrible. There is still some good.
The English language, it’s just never going to get done right. Every day. Butchered. Making two words out of something that is one word. Every day. Everyday. Ducts, not ducks. You meant breaks but typed breaks. I guess it’s minor in the grand scheme of things. I just still don’t care to see the wrong word being typed, in a demonstration that someone doesn’t know the English language. No one really cares what I think. I just really don’t care for idiocy. And there are things I see that fit the category. Over and over and over. I’ve already covered that. To summarize: Go ahead and use to when you meant too. Loose when you mean lose. I don’t care anymore. As long as I’m not the one doing it, life it good. I think a lot of the errors I see, correctable if people would read what they have written before they submit it.
You lost your pet. OK. I’m sorry for you. But isn’t it your fault? And, if the animal was happy wouldn’t it just stay right there? I’m sorry your animal didn’t like living with you. Maybe your choice in fencing was inadequate? Whatever it is: I can’t relate. I’m going to get a dog. And it isn’t going anywhere.
Coming up on three years, life without my father, just not the same. My mother continues on. She isn’t doing it as well as she did but she’s still doing it.
The football pool: Tough weeks to pick. My pickers have done pretty well. I have done decent. I’m always just a game out. I won once. This week: Not so good. I was the only one to take Houston over Green Bay. That turned out to be a bad pick. I took the Cowboys: My second big mistake. Houston makes a late comeback effort; they were too far down. Dallas didn’t even put up a fight. Tennessee, coming on late. My Tennessee jinx: They lose when I pick them to win. Win when I pick them to lose. 49ers and Bears win, I’m close but probably can’t catch up. I’d say that the Browns game and the Ravens gave determine the week. So far, every sheet handed in has two or three different picks than mine. I’d say that someone is going to pick them really good this week. You just never know. Four upsets and everyone’s picks are so-so.
Life in general, better after Ryan’s visit. He helped with a bunch of stuff here. Lots improved with him here. Things to finish now that he is gone. A spot for the kayak trailer: It will be shell after I kill all the grass there. A little more concrete in one spot. A roof over the patio deck. All stuff to just keep working on. I’ve continued after he left. Making everything better every day. Mike will be the one I count on next: A roof over the back deck.
Six months time: He’ll be living here. Ryan being here would be great. It is likely.
The Neil Blog, spread out a little? Not much. I pump it out. There is enough to talk about, I keep publishing. My regular reports, the beginning of every month, four of them. I keep doing those. They get viewed. More stuff to put in pops up all the time. I’m amazed how I find out that people are reading it that I didn’t realize were taking the time to read it. I hope I don’t disappoint. It’s current stuff.
I got deleted from a Facebook page. After discussions with admin. I started a topic after this woman called me an asshole. Lots of support, they locked the topic. They couldn’t find the post. The guy they referred me to called me a troll. Found out later, Jim Bunch
had already been deleted from the page. They delete me and Jim, they’ve got problems. It really cleaned up my feed. Glad they dropped me. he admin they referred me to: Not good. He literally laughed at me when he said he thought I was a troll and he was removing me from the page. OK. So be it.
The more it happens, the better. Facebook is not life. For many people it is. For me, I could take another two-year break from it. No problem. Life was better those two years. I’m headed that direction.
Trump and Biden topwater lures on LinkedIn. My comment: I’ll bet the Biden lure doesn’t work. Best feedback on that one. A guy I grew up with, Eddie Richards said “The Biden lure was made in China.”
You are 42 years old. But you look 60. You are 60 years old but look 42. I’m 50. By pretty much all rights and means, I look about 50. People who pretend. They think they’re 25 years younger than they are. I’m OK with that. I don’t understand it but I am OK with it. Be whoever you want to be. You want to be 25 years old, go for it. Not me. I’m fine with being 50. It’s a shame what happens to some people with age. There were some beauties that it is just plain over now. That’s life. I was never any good looking so I’m good. Looks are a thing. The advantages someone has. It is real. You can argue with me all you want. It still happens almost daily. I see someone and I think “What did she look like 20 years ago?
Google remains the worst company in America. The ads on Capmel.com didn’t show for three weeks. Then they showed for one day then disappeared again. Requests for help, ignored. Just not done right. At all. Two more messages just sent. They just ignore them. Why do they have the “Feedback” feature if it isn’t used for anything?
Seasonal: There are dozens of articles by Terry, Frank and Mel that will publish and become part of the site. Waited for winter to post winter articles. I’m still waiting on Ron Berman to get me the rest of Mel’s files. All of this transpires shortly. When Ron gets me the rest of Mel’s files, even more to put up.
My articles are virtually complete. There isn’t much more I can write about. Book 5 is pending. That one doesn’t publish until life changes. It’s a big one. An American: The Neil Taylor Story.
The Super Bowl, it’s here. 20% capacity. Discussion. Lost revenue due to 80% under capacity. Neil’s take? Missed revenue, not true. The 20% that are allowed in are paying 1000% the ticket price of a regular game. There is not lost revenue. The real revenue comes from TV contracts and licensed products.
The struggles some people have. One guy, it’s the medications they make him take. The side effects of those hardly make it worth it. But he has to do what they say. I’m now on a second medication for blood pressure. Five years now and it’s not low enough, they are trying something else. Maybe it will work. I’m also trying some new things for cholesterol. Everything got harder when I turned 50. But I keep getting out of bed. I keep doing it. He keeps doing it. It’s hard but in life, you have to deal with the things that are not easy. And you move on.
The Devil Rays, season ends in game 6. Cash takes out Snell again when Snell was on top of his game. He did it to Morton too. Relievers fail, they lose. Lots of people upset. I would be but I don’t care. He belongs to that school of thought you pull your starters. He got away with it earlier. He got burned this time. The analytics: He went with his analytics and ignored the fact that Snell was getting guys out. Expert: “It was a big mistake.” The Dodgers scored runs. They won. He lifted Choi too. The guy he puts in: Just looks at strike three. Choi wouldn’t do that. I really enjoy my position in it all: I don’t care. Umpiring was very good the entire playoffs. The other stuff: Part of life. I predicted it. It’s the fourth time he did it. He’s burned for it this time. No one I have seen agrees with lifting Snell. That’s life. I enjoy my position: I don’t care.
Richard Jefferson, “If they leave Blake Snell in, it goes to a game 7.” He went on to say it wouldn’t happen tonight because the virus is positive with Dodgers. He also talked about the umpires. Smart guy. University of Arizona. My people.
The guys at the pub: So, you don’t care who wins the World Series. No. “But I should be for the Dodgers. They have a Taylor on their team and he could be a relative.” Not 20 minutes later, Taylor kicks the ball in the outfield. Devil Rays win. Me, “Yeah, he’s probably a relative.”
Grounds for a forfeit? Playing in game 6 knowing you have the virus? Curious. That could be a penalty.
My past. My options. My choices. What if I had done things different?
Television. Just seeing the name of a show, I know I don’t want to watch it. I still wonder, why it’s even an option. “I didn’t know I was pregnant. “Uh, am I supposed to be happy for you or is this a tragedy. Love After Lockup. I really don’t care to watch TV programs about people who went to prison. Or, who they are dating/marrying. I just don’t get it. Who does?
From my point of view: I don’t care. The programming choices are bad. That’s just one example. I could name 20 in a hurry. For me, it’s getting harder and harder because some shows I like: I’ve seen them all. Just not coming up with anything new. So, trying to watch the news more. But I wonder if I should save the money and cancel TV for a while?
Did enjoy watching Life Below Zero. Hadn’t watched that before. Liked how those people are living. The one guy he comes to town and he goes into the Pub. Never got into the Tuna show or any of the other ones. I do need some new things to watch.
Until next time: Stay out of the left lane if you are driving slow.
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
