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guest post
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family, guest post
r.i.p., sparty
10.29.07 | Permalink | 2 Comments
by Scott Pohl
This is a follow-up to Zack’s post about Sparty’s condition. Sadly, I must report that she didn’t make it. After a night at the MSU Veterinary Center, her condition continued to deteriorate. Her prognosis was extremely poor, poor enough that it was actually a somewhat easy decision to have her euthanized.
At Christmas, almost 13 years ago, one of my gifts to Sherry was a simple card telling her that we could get a dog. I’d heard many times about the miniature schnauzer she’d had as a girl, named Gretel, and how much she’d meant to the Bass family. Sherry had a cat for a time after we got together, named Otter, and she’d given it to our friends John and Renee Gulliver after I’d gotten increasingly unhappy with having a cat in the house. It was with a combination of genuine interest in getting a dog, and guilt over having evicted Otter from the house, that I took this step.
I’d talked with friends of mine about what breeds to consider, hoping for a small dog that would be good around children, with little or no shedding. Miniature schnauzer was one of the breeds recommended to me.
We found a breeder named Deb Monroe, and decided to get a female from her next litter of puppies. She called us when Sparty was born, and she was so tiny I could hold her in the palm of one hand.
About six weeks later, she was weaned from her mother, and we picked her up. It was the weekend before Memorial Day, and we were headed to Houghton Lake with Zack. Quite an outing for a little puppy!
Sherry worked very hard to train Sparty, and their bond has been especially strong.
It’s always been nice to have her companionship, a true lapdog. It didn’t take much to get her to hop up onto the couch and snuggle. She eventually turned my recliner into HER chair; it became rare to kick her out of it to sit in it myself.
Like most pets, she could be exasperating at times. She’d lollygag outside when you wanted her to come in, and she actually wandered off and got lost a couple of times. We always got her back, though, which makes today especially tough.
Zack and I would play doggy tag outside with Sparty, and we’d laugh at her energy and her speed. She’d zigzag around us at full tilt. Being Detroit Lions fans, we called her “the Barry Sanders of dogs.”
The girls came later, so they’ve known Sparty all their lives. At this writing, they’re both at school and haven’t been told. I’m sure Morgan and Kyra will take this news hard. Many tears have already been shed here today, and there are many more to come.
I will always be grateful that Sherry acted on my gesture and proceeded to get Sparty, and for the many hours she spent training her. I will always be grateful that Zack, Morgan and Kyra were able to spend so much quality time with her. Lastly, I will forever be happy that this little dog…affectionately known by alternate nicknames like Pooper, Dogface, and yes, even Dumb-ass once in a while…brought so much love and happiness to my family.
This is a deeply sad day for all of us.
Rest In Peace, Bass-Pohl’s Sparty Girl!
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guest post
the eyes have it
by Maggie Schafer
My mom checks in with an update about her eye surgery.
WARNING: This is not for the squeamish.I always thought how great it would be to have the entire summer off work. Well, as they say, be careful what you wish for…
For those who don’t know, I had eye surgery again. My ever-optimistic eye doctor was doing a vitrecotomy. In layman’s terms, sucking out those floaters that pass over you eyes from time to time. In my case, the floaters had multiplied to the point that my eyeball appeared to be one of those microscope pictures you see in biology class with millions of sperms trying to penetrate the lone female ovum. Okay, maybe not millions but there were a lot.
I was awake during the surgery but didn’t want to distract my doctor. After all, he had inserted three needles in my eye and so I lay there like a corpse fearing that the slightest jolt on my part might cause one of the needles to poke my eyeball out. Not a good thing. As I lay there I heard the doctor say “this doesn’t look good” and “get me the gas”. I knew things weren’t going well. So I came out of surgery with another gas bubble, this time in my left eye.
The doctor had found another macular hole. For the hole to close, I must spend two weeks face down so that the bubble will rest on the retina and close it so I can see center vision again.
As I type this, I realize that I will have spent almost a month of my life staring at the fibers in my carpet. I got to thinking who was the poor soul that first had this surgery? Can you imagine having your doctor say, “okay, we haven’t tried this on anyone before but we think if we shoot a gas bubble in your eye and you lay face down for two weeks that hole is sure to close”. Thank God for medical research volunteers.
So as I enter my 10th day facing down I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. The bubble will remain in my eye until it deflates like an old mylar balloon. That takes about 6 to 8 weeks and that should take me to the end of summer.
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guest post, top five
top five: events i would NEVER attend
by el Scoot
A while ago, Zack started a thread here with the top five events he’d like to attend during his lifetime. I thought I’d follow up with my list of the top five events I wouldn’t attend under any circumstances. In descending order:
#5: The Major League Baseball All-Star Game. There was a time when I would have KILLED to go to the All-Star Game. I still love the GAME of baseball, but I haven’t spent a dime on a major league game since the strike in 1994 wiped out the World Series, and the tenth birthday outing I’d planned for Zack and some of his friends. I can hold a grudge, dammit!
#4: Mardi Gras. There also was a time when I would have jumped at the chance to be in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday. This has nothing to do with the current state of affairs in New Orleans; I’ve only been there once, but I had a ton of fun and ate some great meals. I’d love to go back…just not during Mardi Gras. I’ve gotten to an age where there’s no appeal in fighting that drunken throng.
#3: Running with the bulls in Pamplona. This always gave me one impression: really, really stupid. Dangerous. I don’t get it.
#2: The Republican National Convention. Would I COVER a GOP National Convention as a reporter? Sure I would. But, man…it would be tough.
And, #1: The Daytona 500. Tens of thousands of NASCAR fans, all still deeply mourning the death of Dale Earnhart while swilling their beer, sweating, dancing to country music, and cheering for Earnhart wanna-bes. (Does the “500″ mean the total number of teeth at the race?). I wouldn’t go there with a wheelbarrow full of free tickets.
There you have it. Other suggestions?
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family, guest post, top five
top five: events i would NEVER attend
by el Scoot
A while ago, Zack started a thread here with the top five events he’d like to attend during his lifetime. I thought I’d follow up with my list of the top five events I wouldn’t attend under any circumstances. In descending order:
#5: The Major League Baseball All-Star Game. There was a time when I would have KILLED to go to the All-Star Game. I still love the GAME of baseball, but I haven’t spent a dime on a major league game since the strike in 1994 wiped out the World Series, and the tenth birthday outing I’d planned for Zack and some of his friends. I can hold a grudge, dammit!
#4: Mardi Gras. There also was a time when I would have jumped at the chance to be in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday. This has nothing to do with the current state of affairs in New Orleans; I’ve only been there once, but I had a ton of fun and ate some great meals. I’d love to go back…just not during Mardi Gras. I’ve gotten to an age where there’s no appeal in fighting that drunken throng.
#3: Running with the bulls in Pamplona. This always gave me one impression: really, really stupid. Dangerous. I don’t get it.
#2: The Republican National Convention. Would I COVER a GOP National Convention as a reporter? Sure I would. But, man…it would be tough.
And, #1: The Daytona 500. Tens of thousands of NASCAR fans, all still deeply mourning the death of Dale Earnhart while swilling their beer, sweating, dancing to country music, and cheering for Earnhart wanna-bes. (Does the “500″ mean the total number of teeth at the race?). I wouldn’t go there with a wheelbarrow full of free tickets.
There you have it. Other suggestions?
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guest post, music
top five: protest songs
by Scooter
My criteria may differ from yours a bit in that not all of these songs directly address a particular war as much as the state of mind that leads to war…
1: “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye. Why is this on top? The message is so powerful that Motown, at first, didn’t want to release it. It addresses more than just Vietnam, but social/racial/economic divides as well. That would make it a great song no matter what, but combined with an irresistable dance groove…wow!
2: “Like A Rolling Stone,” Bob Dylan. He wrote other great protest songs, too, of course…”Masters of War” comes to mind…but this one is his finest hour. The live version with The Band on “Before the Flood” is incredible.
3: “War,” Edwin Starr. This song, along with others like “What’s Going On,” brought into sharp focus the role of black America in protesting Vietnam. Helluva funk groove (GREAT horns), and a great live cover version on Bruce Springsteen’s live box set.
4: “Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen. His most misunderstood and misused song. People hear the force of the arrangement with the E Street Band and consider it an anthem, when it’s really an indictment of Vietnam and the treatment of veterans of that war. It made him a superstar, but my gut tells me he regrets the original arrangement as a result.
5: “Imagine,” John Lennon. Speaks for itself.
Hard to leave Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” off this list; Pete Seeger’s “If I Had A Hammer” wants in, too.
I continue to wonder when the music artists of today will REALLY take on the current world situation in a way that captures the public. A few have at least tried, not the least of which is Neil Young’s “Living With War,” but it isn’t as though he’s well known among the younger generation. Bruce had a golden opportunity with “We Shall Overcome,” and it’s a great CD, but he left off some potential songs that would have made it even better.
Name the biggest stars in the world today, and none of them have really even tried to earn a spot on a list like this. Pity.
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family, guest post
what every woman wants
by Maggie Schafer
WHAT EVERY WOMAN WANTS (OR AT LEAST WHAT THIS ONE WANTS)
When I was stopped for a traffic violation recently here in Ohio, I wanted to ask the officer; “Are you a Buckeye?” Having been raised by a father who is a rabid Michigan fan, I was brought up to believe that Buckeyes are the reason for all the worlds’ evils. However, I chose not to use any “harmful” or “vitriolic” words. But hey, I wasn’t drunk either.
Okay, so everyone that knows me knows that I’m a diehard Mel Gibson fan. I endured some of his worst films. Think Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon IV. I kept his 1991 calendar hanging until at least the year 2000. So what am I to make of his crazy statements during his recent arrest? Was it because he was drunk? Was it because he turned 50 this year? Now, having turned 50 this year myself, I can understand how one starts to say and do crazy things.
I was watching MSNBC last night and even Tucker Carlson said that he didn’t think The Passion of the Christ was anti-Semitic, although in the same breath he said Mel was a lunatic.
Did Mel really mean what he said? Who knows? We all say and do things that we’re sorry for later. If he is truly sorry, and not just saying so as damage control for his film career, then I say let’s cut him some slack. I guess time will be the judge. I think I read in a book somewhere, “let he who is without sin…”
PS: Who uses the word “vitriolic” anyway????
Editor’s Note: Somehow I doubt my mom has seen these photos, taken less than an hour before his arrest, yet. Oh, Mel… WWJD?
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family, guest post
fifty years ago
by Maggie Schafer
So, yes, I’m approaching the half-century mark. It’s hard to hide your age when you have a son who, since the day he could talk, reminds the world how old I am.
Anyway, I did a little research to see what was happening 50 years ago.
Well, for starters I was born the same year as Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Randy Jackson, and my forever heartthrob, Mel Gibson. Although, in the most recent pictures of him, he looks like a member of ZZ Top.In 1956, Elvis released his first gold album and had his first hit song, “Heartbreak Hotel”. I did get to see Elvis in concert shortly before he died. I saw him in Kalamazoo of all places. In fact, I think someone saw him there last week.
In international news, Pakistan became the first Islamic republic. Labor riots broke out in Poland and Soviet troops fired at a crowd protesting high prices, killing 53 people. Heroin was banned in the United Kingdom. A little known fact, Bayer created heroin as a medicine 11 days after inventing aspirin. Bayer was afraid of the side effects of aspirin and registered Heroin as a trademark. It sold at one time as a non-addictive cough medicine for children. And I thought Nyquil was bad.
Fifty years ago the first videotape was demonstrated at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Chicago. I suppose it was a Betamax. Also, one of my favorite inventions of all time was introduced in 1956, the snooze alarm. Can you imagine having to get up with the alarm only ringing once? How did people survive before this was invented?
As far as entertainment, I Love Lucy, The Today Show, The Price is Right and As the World Turns were all big TV shows. Talk about staying power! The NBC peacock was also born in 1956. The top grossing films were Guys and Dolls and The King and I. Around the World in Eighty Days, Yul Brynner and Ingrid Bergman all won Oscars.
In April 1956 the worst tornado in the history of western Lower Michigan occurred, which caused devastation along a 50-mile path, taking 17 lives.
Finally, on a somewhat chilly day on April 9th, 1956, Joan Kujawa went into labor during the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings. Being the polite person that she is, she tried to stave off the labor pains until the end of the game. Unable to hold out any longer, Joan had her husband, Dan, take her to the hospital. She was in excruciating labor for at least 12 hours, and finally gave birth to an almost 9 lb. baby girl born face up rather than face down. Yes, yours truly, Margaret Mary Kujawa was born wanting to see what was going on and not having the patience to wait for the doctor to turn her over. And the rest is history…
PS: Montreal won the Stanley Cup 4 games to 1.
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