December 29th, 2021

 It will be important that everyone brings their own flashlight into 2022.

I’m not an economist, a clergyman or a politician…. just a blue eyed kid from the western suburbs. I’m not going to predict what the New Year will bring, BUTT (I like big buts)….

The challenges and limitations that we’ve felt the last twenty two months will continue into 2022.

I plan on forging a fresh sense of purpose and carrying a flashlight of my own. The winter of 2022 doesn’t seem Promising. So I’m using it to recharge the battery and prepare for an illustrious Spring.

December 28th, 2021

 I thought this quote was appropriate for the last Tuesday of 2021.

I’ve been fortunate not facing hardship in my life. I’m not worried about tomorrow because today is pretty good.

I just erased four horseshit paragraphs. Preachy crap!

It’s 5:30am…. I’m at work. I have a piece of cold Lou Mal’s on my desk and I slept well. All good!

Saturday brings a clean Slate!

2022: Faith, Family and Friends

December 27th, 2021

 Before you know it Monday has arrived.

The Christmas presents resting on the tree skirt are all unwrapped. I was greeted this morning to the glow of the Christmas tree lights, but those days are numbered and the darkness of January mornings are near.

I turned on 93.9fm while I drove over to work this morning and they are still milking Christmas music. The song playing was one of my favorites, but it didn’t have the spark it had several days ago.

Now we focus on finishing up the year and preparing for the new one.

Is today December 27th, 2021 or is it March 668th, 2020?

These last couple years have been a confusing situation and the impact might not be felt until the end of the decade.

I'm not talking about the economical or social impact, but a personal impact that 2020 and 2021 will make. Will we make it out to the other side better or worse?

Take the time this week to examine 2021... Examine 2020...

This is the week to focus on making us better so we can make the world around us better!

Don't focus on goals, resolutions or diets this week. Focus on what it will take to recharge the battery to your heart and soul!

This too shall pass!

December 26th, 2021

 Late start on this last Sunday of 2021. Sunday Funday is a bonus after Christmas Day.

I told a guy last March I wanted to come to his home as Santa Claus. We laughed the other day because I also said, “Christmas will be here before we know it.”

Now Christmas 2021 sits on the top of the pile of Christmas past.

So today I say, “The home opener will be here before we know it.”

Though it might be postponed…. Not because of the current lockout, but because of snow.

Yesterday I sat outside with the warm sun on my face. I smoked my Christmas cigar with just a sweater in fifty degree weather.

I’ll be sitting in Sox Park next May wearing a parka and long underwear!

Give and take…. That’s Life!

December 25th, 2021

 I am happy to report that Santa has arrived safely at his home around 6:47am Chicago time.

The journey had its usual bumps and sharp turns. The reindeer worked well together as a team. Landing safely at the NorthPole to the cheers of a tired bunch in Kringle Village.

Santa hasn’t written his 2021 Trip Log yet, but he told me he was saddened this year as the spirit of kindness and love felt smothered throughout the world.

He did find the glitter of hope in places he did not expect to find it.

Before he hung up the phone he said, “Big John! We’ll have another go at it next year! Though I’m worried for 2022…. People are not themselves. These last few years have been hard.”

He paused for a moment when Mrs. Claus brought in his scotch.

“Where were we Shep?”

I replied, “You sound tired Sir! You don’t seem like you’ve accomplished a successful journey… not like years past.”

“Oohhhh Ho Ho Ho….. I’m fine! We need to work harder this coming year at our kindness and understanding! We need to hold ourselves accountable and forge on!”

“Easier said than done Sir.”

“Keep on Keepin’ on Shep! I’m going to enjoy my scotch, smoke this cigar and listen to some Hendrix!”

Pretty much the same conversation we have every Christmas morning. Next time we talk, usually around Epiphany he will be optimistic and in his normal jolly mood.

So Happy Christmas to all of you Morning Chalkheads!

FORGE ON!

December 24th, 2021

 Uncertainty and ugliness loom beyond our front door, but as long as we keep it out of our heart we will muddle through somehow.

Let this all soak in today…. No matter how big or small. How happy or sad you may be. If you love Christmas or despise it.

It is the time of year that our memories are the strongest. We often say to let go of the past. Don’t live in the past. Don’t dwell on the past….. BUTT (that’s a big but)

Not on this holy of holidays. Let the memories unwrap and bring joy to your heart. Wipe tears off your face and smile through it! Because someday we will all be home together!

My trusty Day Calculator tells me it’s been 737,791 days since a carpenter took his young bride on a journey that stopped in a barn. 737,791 days since the Christ child brought light to the world.

December 23rd, 2021

 I was sitting on the crapper early this morning. I just turned my shower radio on to WFMT 98.7FM. They’ve been playing classical Christmas music this week.

The King College Choir was singing “O come All Ye Faithful” when suddenly the radio switched to a different station.

The radio tuned in 97.9 which once was WLUP. The last couple years it’s been a Christian station, KLove.

The towel hanging next to the shower moved and a chill filled the bathroom.

“Alright dad! Quit jagging around when I’m sitting on the shitter!”

Some of you are sad. Christmas often brings back memories of our parents that are now in heaven. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a present under the Christmas tree from Mom and dad Christmas morning?

Let me tell you not to be sad! Though we won’t share a hug and kiss with mom and dad this Christmas ….. they are with you!

The reason my dad switched the radio station and interrupted my morning crap was to tell me something.

He told me all our parents are together. Keep being kind and don’t be sad! God let’s them visit us every moment we are apart.

Through the years we’ll all be together…. Happy Eve of the Eve!

December 22nd, 2021

 I think taking precautions is like crying wolf!

Don’t be too careful to miss opportunity, but make sure you’re not putting yourself into a shitshow!

This week we all will try to be together, but December 25th, 2021 seems to be turning back into March 665th, 2020.

That is the date that I use to track off March 13th, 2020. That is the day Covid started for me. The last day I stood on a trading floor.

We let our guard down. We got too sloppy. We had too many “know it alls” not take precautions!

“Oh what a tangled web we weave!”

December 21st, 2021

 On this shortest day of the year the long darkness has pressed the light of day into the corner. The shadows are long as they stretch down the path.

Christmas has been celebrated during glorious days and it’s been celebrated during dark days. There are years when the gifts are plenty and others when the tree skirt holds few.

The brightness of Christmas always shines forth no matter what the times bring.

The horrible storms that threatened to cancel Christmas that year Santa discovered Rudolph ‘s glorious nose or the year Santa was ill and he thought about skipping his trip. He didn’t give up and he pressed through.

The Year without a Santa Claus and Rudolph didn’t prepare me for the cancellations that Covid is bringing this year.

Someday soon we’ll all be together… if the Covid allows. Until then we’ll have to mask up somehow….

December 20th, 2021

 Not much to say this morning. It’s Christmas week!

December 19th, 2021

 Yesterday I used a trigger word and today I’ve chosen a quote with another powerful word, Freedom.

Freedom has a different meaning for many of us, but the angle I’m reaching for today is …. Taking freedom for granted.

We have grown complacent for the very things many have died and fought to achieve.

We need to exercise our liberties and build a better world for our families, our communities, and future generations that follow.

Fourth week of Advent and I do believe this week is Love.

So go give love to the world this week! Wrap it with paper and a bow, wrap it with your arms, with your lips, with your words and with your actions!

Joyful and Triumphant!

December 18th, 2021

 I told myself I was asking for trouble as the chalk hit the board this morning.

Science has become the “trigger” word these last eighteen months. That’s not my purpose. To me science should be trusted, but allowed to evolve and improve… by scientists.

I’m not a scientist….. science to me is the spiral on a football. The curve on a baseball and the trembles down an inner thigh.

When I do question science it’s usually on strange things.

Like today… today Keith Richards turns 78. Keith definitely has proven some theories don’t apply.

This morning I enjoyed the gray morning daylight as the backdrop to the brightness of Christmas tree lights. I would have enjoyed the Saturday sunrise, but the clouds changed those plans. I hope the clouds go away so the full moon shines this evening.

A week from today is Christmas! It’s the most wonderful time of the year. So stop and enjoy it’s beauty. It will be gone next Monday and the uncertainty of 2022 will loom!

So take this week to glow in the Christmas lights!

December 17th, 2021

 We are all knitted together like an ugly Christmas sweater. The world is one big Christmas Unicorn flying Santa over a wintry rainbow.

That’s how I’m going to incorporate todays quote and todays day, National Ugly Sweater Day!

If you don’t own an ugly Christmas Sweater you’ll need to buy one after Christmas when they go on sale!

I wore an ugly argyle sweater today. I save my horrible sweater for Christmas!

Enjoy this last weekend before Christmas ! Don’t stress…. Don’t push yourself! Everything is going to fall into place… it will! It always does!

Do something nice for someone today and then reward yourself! You deserve it!

December 16th, 2021

 I have gotten better at drawing my swimming sperms for windy days.

Last April I celebrated 20,000 days on earth. Today is my 20,257th day. If I make it to Thanksgiving Day in 2051 I’ll have pounded out 31,191 days. 31,191 days of building a foundation on Faith, Family and Friends.

Gotta practice remembering my reindeer names. It’s always the main question when I make my Jumbo Claus visits.

The other day Hazel asked me if I could tell her a secret about My Big Boss, SANTA!

“Well Hazel… I’m not going to bullshit you Love! Rudolph? The red nose reindeer? It’s a made up story. Reindeer don’t have red lights for noses! It was made up by a department store!”

Her jaw hit the floor!

“Hazel… it’s a secret! Don’t ruin it for anyone, but Rudolph works in the toy shed. He hauls toys between the workshop and the storage sheds.”

Like Elwood told Jake, “I took the liberty of bullshitting you.”

The lesson learned…. These eight reindeer get all the F’ing glory, but it’s the reindeer behind the scenes that get things done. They move forward everyday and grind it out.

So let’s all grind it out together!

here is the day calculator if you want to count your days, but count your blessings as well!

https://www.timeanddate.com/date/durationresult.html..

December 15th, 2021

 Pride works well if it’s built on confidence and not cockiness.

Pride in your family, your career, your home, your country.

Humility often brings blessings after a lesson in humility is learned.

This quote doesn’t give me much room to create this morning.

Today is going to be warm. Later this afternoon it will be very windy. Pull your hat down tight….

December 14th, 2021

 It once was when I was a kid…. “Ohhhh when my parents find out about this I’m going to get killed.”

Since my parents are both in heaven now they see everything I do. There isn’t any WHEN my parents find out about this. They can see it in live technicolor!

Last week my parents had front row seats when I was called to the principal’s office. Yes….that’s right I said LAST WEEK!

Last Wednesday an IT guy put a battery backup on my work computer. Thursday morning when I got into work at 5:15am I couldn’t open it up.

At 7:25am when I was on the phone with Mr Dungeons and Dragons I wasn’t a very good Christian.

….and right away my oldman let me know I was being an assclown. My mom was embarrassed which meant I just embarrassed my boss.

I didn’t handle myself well and I got called into my bosses office Friday morning.

I think it actually fell on the same date in 1981 when I was in the Principal’s office getting a dozen detentions. That day I was making farting noises in Father Turner’s Religion class.

I figured a loud fart would be suitable while we studied the acts of the apostles. Father Turner thought otherwise.

Nothing has changed but the distance from 1966. Just an older version of a Catholic school kid.

e.e. Cummins was right… I took the courage to grow up and be me. Still getting called to the principal’s office after all these years!

The lesson learned… don’t question the sleeping habits of the guy who fixes your computer! They have a right to stay up late and watch “Star trek.”

esiree Scully

December 13th, 2021

 Many of us are looking at the Christmas ornament hanging on our tree that we made in third grade.

We made that ornament for our parents at school the week before Christmas.

They were more excited getting it than we were making it. From that Christmas and probably the next thirty years they proudly hung that ornament on their tree.

The ornament faded through time, the tree got smaller and our parents grew older.

Finally one day you opened a box of things that once belonged to them. Sitting proudly on top is the Christmas ornament you made for mommy and daddy all those years ago.

…and on your tree are the ornaments your children made just recently. Tucked away towards the bottom rear branches is yours.

The circle of life…..

Christmas is a time to look back. Look back and remember the time that made you who you are…. Sensitive, grumpy, sentimental or humbug.

We look back and remember the white snowy Christmas mornings and the rainy Christmas eves. The road trips to Gramma’s or the walk through the neighborhood to Uncle Joe’s.

For many of us our memories evoke the love of our parents. This is a good thing….

It was just yesterday my dad had WGN on and Muppets “Twelve Days of Christmas” came on the radio. He turned it up and said it was the best rendition of this song ever made…. Christmas Memories!

Or the Christmas I served mass and my mom directed the choir. She had children ring bells on “Glory of the Bells,” the whole church applauded my mom…. Christmas Memories!

Never forget to put the faded ornament on your tree and please, hug everyone that you love. It might be the last Christmas hug you have with them…

December 12th, 2021

 It is the third Sunday of Advent. Light your candle as it represents Joy.

I like today’s quote because it symbolizes where we need to be just before Christmas.

….Retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. So face the warmth of the sun because that is good and the evil represented by shadows will fall away from you.

Now let us step away from Mr Obergfell’s religion class and celebrate Sunday Funday!

December 11th, 2021

 I am a true believer in the Guardian Angel system. I use it to explain my faith to myself and all the mysteries involved.

My Grampa John was my first Guardian Angel. He died when I was five and got me out of some close calls in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

My Uncle Charlie, My Gramma, my parents and just recently I received Wags.

All of the above I mentioned have a front row seat at keeping me safe… keeping the Shepkids safe.

Last night I watched one of my favorite Christmas movies, “The Bishops Wife.” Cary Grant plays Dudley, who God sent down to help the Bishop.

Another favorite Christmas movie that most Of us watch every year has Clarence working to become an Angel with the help of George Bailey.

Everyday angels visit us… my dad is here waiting for me to finish this post so we can meet Foley for breakfast.

My mom is sleeping close to the redheads this morning. My Gramma, she’s with my George.

This is how I twist the mystery of my faith around. It gives me an understanding of heaven, but it helps me to stay close to those who left me here all alone.

I love Clarence, but Dudley is my favorite…. Who do you prefer?

Do you have an Angel on the top of your tree or a star?

Those spermies up on the top of the chalkboard this morning depict a windy day! So keep snug and pull your hat down tight……

December 10th, 2021

 I look at todays quote and the first thing that popped into my mind was…. Not everyday is a trip to Disneyland! Sometimes it’s the day to let someone cut into your lane. As long as they use their turn signal.

I put 47 as the high for Chicagoland because that high of 56 doesn’t happen until late tonight.

When you are running around this afternoon it’s gonna be 47 and raining!

If you’re getting sick of my sunset times this month… summer starts in 171 days and ends in 269 days.

I think some JumboNogs and some Handel fills this weekend. Don’t worry if ornaments fall off the tree!

December 9th, 2021

 

December 8th, 2021

 Attention cancel culture, there is a fat guy in a red suit stalking children as they dream!

This Santa Claus guy bullies reindeer and elfs. I can’t believe his sleigh isn’t locked in a room with a Columbus statue and a VHS tape of “Blazing Saddles!”

Luckily the majority of us know what Santa brings… Peace on earth will come to all if we just follow the light, so let’s give thanks to the lord above, ‘cause Santa Claus comes tonight!

Today is one of the Holiest Days in the Catholic Church. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Two things important to me all year long…. Santa Claus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. I talk to them both on a daily basis.

You can stop scratching your head! I believe in Santa and I say a “Hail Mary” with my mom and dad every Morning!

That reminds me…. I need to get my Santa suit pressed and cleaned….

December 7th, 2021

 The older I get the more past I pile up. The past is good, but it’s where it belongs.

I have twenty nine summers and thanksgivings to celebrate. I have thirty Christmas seasons to enjoy. Thirty more New Years Eves to avoid.

That’s the motivational tool that I’ve learned to use. If I can bang out thirty years, that will get me to 2051 and the ripe age of eighty five. Anything after that is either a bonus or God making me wait it out.

My responsibility is to raise my children and make them better than me. Basically leave the world a better place than when I showed up.

My responsibility to people is to cross their path without splashing mud on their outfit.

My responsibility to me is making sure I can put my socks on in 2051 without falling off the end of the bed.

Look at the past and history as two different things. You got drunk at your high school prom… that’s the past. Japs attacked an American military base in Hawaii… that is history!

Laugh at the past, Learn from history….

December 6th, 2021

 Quiet Monday

December 5th, 2021

 I’m sitting next to my Christmas tree at an angle that allows me to see the little red tree in the window across the street. This is my Advent wreath.

The second week of Advent and the end of Hanukkah. Not only is Christmas about ready to smack us in the face, but 2022 is poised with an uppercut.

Today we light the second candle on the Advent wreath. It represents Faith…. The message of Faith comes in many ways.

This late summer of ‘21 many of us had a friend who died twice. You read it right…. He died twice!

The first time he died he came back with the chance to talk about the Holy Spirit. He also talked about forgiveness and working hard at loving each other. The second time he died he went to heaven……

….this man was one of the best I’ve crossed paths with in my life. Probably why God let him come back for a couple weeks to strengthen our Faith.

Today is our friends first birthday in heaven. He left behind a ton of people that love him down here, but he has a fair amount up there to buy him beers today.

If you go out on this cold rainy Sunday to watch the Bears or the Colts game, buy someone a beer and lift it to heaven and sing, “Happy Birthday Wags!”

December 4th, 2021

 Not much to say today. Late start and I’m on pancake duty this morning.

Wish me luck….. I have to go to Petco later and look at frogs. Hazel wants Santa to get her a green tree frog.

Seems they are so cute when studying about them in third grade. She’s going to freak when she dissects the little jumper in high school.

Santa is watching…. Don’t be a dick today!

December 3rd, 2021

 You look at today’s quote and you think, “I don’t play sports anymore so this quote is worthless to me today.”

We take risk everyday. We either have a winning day or a day of defeat. From the moment your feet hit the bedroom floor in the morning until lights out at nighttime, it’s game time!

The daily grind of life doesn’t offer a “You had a great Day” Parade.

They don’t hand out trophies if you get every green light coming home from work and hats don’t fall on your bed after a love making hat trick.

I gotta think I’ve scored more points than fumbles since 1966. Though I think the people I’ve pissed off linger in my memory more than those I made happy….. ahh…..shit…. I’m just rambling…. Just Paul McCartney the fucking day!

….and in the end… the love you take is equal to the love you make!

Christmas movie with my daughter

 The Shepkids were over tonight. Hazel wanted to watch a Christmas movie.

“Die Hard” is a Christmas movie!

“Dad, can we watch this movie?”

I saw the title and I started to go into convulsions.

“Dad?”

“Sure Hazel, but I needs to get some work done.”

Hazel called Bullshit and sat on my lap and hit play. We watched the Mariah Carey cartoon from 2017 that was ninety minutes long.

Needless to say the message at the end was beautiful and yes…. Dad was crying again!

The crazy thing about it?

Mariah was unselfish at the end! Yes! Mariah! Unselfish!

Wish me luck getting Hazel to watch one of my Christmas movies this Christmas season…..

“jeez, this movie is in black and white dad!”

“Yes it is HayHay! That is Cary Grant. He’s an Angel who God sent down to help this sorry bastard, I mean Bishop…”