Super Bowl Sunday.
OK, I’ve got to tell you; in most respects this year the Super Bowl is a non-event for me. I’m doing odd-jobs around the house, recovering from a cold and generally laying low. The only football for the last two weeks has been on my game system, (I stink out loud at the game) and after this there will be a drought of the real thing until next September, unless I want to watch the CFL, which is occasionally interesting.
Mind you, now, I’m a Buffalo Bills fan… being from just east of Buffalo, so my interest in what was going on in the NFL waned quite a bit after the Bills got knocked out of the playoffs. Faintly disappointing but not a bad showing for a rebuilding year, particularly the last half of the season where they basically mopped up “the Ralph” with anyone who came calling, most weeks.
Still, the Bills aren’t in it, a result of the abysmal first half of the season, and so I’m not overly interested in who wins today, beyond being stoked on information for the water cooler chatter sure to occur during the next week.
All that said, I must also say that on some levels, I’m very satisfied by this match up; Both teams lack real star power, but do have a quality many in the game don’t understand the nature of; teamwork. These guys don’t play like stars, they play like TEAMS of guys, working together toward a goal. Playing like individuals instead of a team is what’s killing off the NBA, as I’ve said in previous weekly chats. Someone apparently got the memo in some of the NFL camps.
Be that as it may, I am still forced to watch two teams I really didn’t want to see in there….Philly… a team I have some respect for… and a QB, as I’ve indicated in the past, that’s not bad, but that he gets a laurels he gets from the press only proves what a dearth of talent at the QB position there is in the NFL. On the other hand, there’s New England… who I have a distinct dislike for, as a result of their being a potent division rival.
On the whole, though, being the follower of an AFC east team, I’m behind New England at this point.
It strikes me that this situation is similar to politics, where you generally don’t get exactly the candidate you want, and so are forced to support the lesser of two evils, with your vote. In my own case this meant I voted for George W. Bush in the last two elections, being in both cases by far the lesser of two evils… a point which the majority of the country seems in agreement on. I’m not suggesting with this comparison, that brand loyalty, or team loyalty if you will, is the central pillar of my voting strategy, nor, even, that it should be. I’m merely pointing up that there seem to me great similarities in the area of not always getting the perfect scenario, in elections.
I can think of several people, some of whom I consider friends, who withdraw their vote because the people being elected, are in their view less than perfect candidates on one issue or another. This, I think to be counter productive to their stated goals. Voting for someone that while less than perfect, is closer to the goal opposition’s positions is certainly preferable to not voting at all, and allowing someone even further away from your goals to attain power.
I guess I view voting in our country as being one tugboat of many, all nudging the bigger boat in the desired direction. It is true that perfect harmony with one’s own views is unattainable, that way… but you get it a lot closer than it would be without your pushing… without your vote.
It’s why I tend to get rather annoyed with some who abdicate this societal role of ‘voter’. They won’t participate in the nudging of the government to one side or the other, but will bitch a blue streak about how things do not go their way afterward. In short…If you’re not going to help push in the direction you think things ought to go, don’t bitch about which way the free ride’s going.
Enough about that; on to other matters.
I’m sitting here looking at around twenty of those “Support our troops” ribbon magnets stuck to the inside of our back door. No, I didn’t buy them all. We live near a carwash. They get sprayed off in the carwash. Hint; If you’ve got one, and want to keep it, pull it off before you go to the carwash. Good idea to pull if off anyway if you’re washing the car; dirt gets under the magnet and scratches the paint. I had thought about putting all those magnets on the camper, forgetting that the camper is made of Aluminum and therefore they won’t stick. Ah, well… I’ll work out something.
My wife is at the moment visiting my Mother- in-law at the hospital. I’d being going myself except I’m dealing with a rather nasty cold at the moment, and she doesn’t need that complication just now. Thanks to all of you for writing. I’ve taken the liberty of showing her some of the notes you’ve written. They brought a smile to her face. Your kindnesses are wonderful and will not be forgotten.
The doctors tell us she’ll make a full recovery, but I begin to wonder if she’ll be able to care for herself again. Because of the way this works out, Donna and myself end up being the primary caregivers to whatever degree necessary at the moment. Up to and including her living here at Casa De Bit if it gets to it. It’s not getting there just yet, but it’s one of the options we’re looking at. Donna’s mom while a wonderful person is an intensely private person, as well, so we’re not sure how that’s going to work. The kids, I fear, are leaning a hard lesson about family priorities this way. They tend to not get to see Grandma quite as often, and they also don’t travel around nearly as much as they used to; we’re needed here in Rochester. Donna, meanwhile, is under a fair amount of strain, as you can imagine. Not much I can do but be there, I suppose.
Ah, well. It’s sunny and 45 degrees out, an unusually warm day, and downright enjoyable after being so cold for the last several days. I’m rather enjoying pulling the snow off the roof. There’s a personal satisfaction to it, rather like adding to the battle against winter There’s wings in the fryer, and some burgers in the smoker for the kids, some beans and greens in the pan, and it all smells wonderful.
Life continues. Pass me a beer, hon… the game’s about to come on.