March 10th, 2022

 Not much cluttering my head this morning… I quoted Sir Winston Churchill this morning….

Life isn’t easy and there is always something potentially poised to ruin our day, our week, our month, the year or unfortunately the rest of

Our lives….

I’m not sure where I’m heading here…. Stay focused!

It’s not appropriate to complain about the upcoming baseball season when there is war in the world…. So I won’t.

March 9th, 2022

 These Russians are running around with “Z” on their tanks and armored vehicles.

It’s supposed to stand for victory… which is a premature statement since the courageous Ukrainian’s are standing up and fighting hard.

Too many similarities to the last Assclown that invaded European countries. Symbols of hatred will always linger around us, but courage and peace always win…

I’m seeing a fifty degree Sunday for my Southside Irish friends.

Clocks change Sunday morning.

It’s getting to the point that the MLB can go F**k themselves as they drag this lockout along…. and bigger bases?

Also, these memes that say, “quit bitching about higher gas prices. At least you’re not sleeping in a subway.”

STOP

My heart goes out for the innocent people being attacked, but these gas prices suck…. And they’re still going up another buck fifty!

March 8th, 2022

 I wrote this quote on the chalkboard last night after watching the network news.

I’ll admit the tears streamed down my face when they showed the video of the family lying dead in the street.

The little girl was wearing a winter coat that looked like something Hazel wore last winter.

They were trying to find a safe place. The mommy might have said to her children before Putin blew them up, “тримай мене за руку, ми повинні вижити.”

“Hold my hand, we must survive.”

When I was praying this morning it hit me that God doesn’t create the tragedy in our lives. God can’t prevent it either….

God gives us an eternal sanctuary the moment we die. That is the promise given to us in good faith.

Many of you have asked me to pray for you during my Sixty Days for my mom.

I want you to know a fat guy in the Divorced Dad’s District of Riverside was up this morning thinking about you.

Like my rugby brothers and sisters have taught me….. WITH YOU!

I’m your support in faith and friendship.

FOUNDATION: FAITH, FAMILY and FRIENDS

Who went out and bought cereal yesterday?

I’d give anything for a bowl of cereal and some “School House Rock.” this morning....

March 7th, 2022

 I heard a Ukrainian Rabbi say today’s quote over the weekend. It’s an old Yiddish Proverb.

Then I asked myself, “if I was forced into a difficult situation would I be able to survive?”

I haven’t faced a life threatening situation at any time in my life.

I look back at any tough situation that I faced and I’m still here. I’ve been lucky….

Many of you messaged me about putting you onto my prayer list during the next Sixty Days. I talked about you with my mom this morning.

My mom still doesn’t like how I drop F Bombs when I pray, but she has your back regardless.

National Cereal Day….. I buy a box of “Honeycombs” and a box of “Captain Crunch Peanut butter.” I mix them together for my go to cartoon cereal. I’ve been doing this since the Nixon Administration.

What is your go to cereal?

March 6th, 2022

 On March 6th, 2016 my mom told me she was dying. She passed away on May 6th… sixty days later.

So today I start my annual “Sixty Day Celebration for Cecilia.”

I take this time to put into perspective how long or actually how short the last sixty days of life can be…

I drove up and down I-65 between Chicago and Indianapolis a dozen times in those two months.

My marriage was failing and my mother was dying, but I was fortunate to have the time with Cecilia.

It gave us time for closure.

These next sixty days I’ll be fasting and I’ll be praying to my mom.

Message me if you’d like for me to pray for you…. My mom would love the opportunity to help you.

March 5th, 2022

 The last social event that I participated in before Covid changed our world was the 2020 Forest Park Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

I even marched in the parade with my dear friends Mike and Amy Grace.

I wore my kilt, kissed and hugged strangers and people that I’ve known most of my life.

The next week they closed my trading floor and changed the course of history.

TODAY is the 2022 parade… I’m not going to wear my kilt, but I will be hugging and kissing everyone today.

Since I quoted Peter Pan this morning…. Today is going to be a magical end to what we called the China Flu in March of 2020.

The weather will be spring like. The Guinness will be flowing. The bagpipes streaming and the Irish dancers will be stepping.

Today this Kraut/Limey will be a proud Mick!

Go out, bring the family! Spend money….. Shanahans, Skratch Kitchen, Old School……

March 4th, 2022

 The one thing I miss about taking public transportation to work is the chance to daydream.

I took the Lake Street el when I started working downtown and ended with the BNSF Metra until the trading floor was closed.

I won so many lottery’s on those morning trips into the Loop.

I received raises, scored touchdowns, slept with models and movie stars and traveled around the world. I traveled back to 1978 and told me to apply myself and not to worry so much.

Then I would hear the train announcement telling me that I arrived at my destination and it’s time to return to reality.

The older I’ve gotten the less I daydream. I don’t know why.

I drive to work now and can’t daydream when I have to watch my speed limit and use my directional.

Todays trip out to work was full of reality.

-The Russians tried blowing up the largest nuclear plant in Europe.

-two Chicago police officers were shot at the Polish sausage stand at Independence and the Eisenhower.

A Polish stand that I’ve been going to for thirty years.

-the Chicago mayor told a group of Italians they can’t have their Columbus statue back because she has the biggest dick in Chicago.

I’m happy it’s Friday… I’m going to pour a martini and hang out with Midge Maisel.

Today’s quote is from Nietzsche.

Tomorrow will be spring like for the Forest Park parade… I’ll be at Shanahans and Old School.

Pray for the officers, Pray for Ukraine, grab a hot dog this weekend and hug and kiss people…

March 3rd, 2022

 When I wrote todays quote this morning I was suddenly earwormed with a Prince song.

Currently we could talk about the people of Ukraine when we talk about something worth dying for.

This morning I walked up the block to get in my Truck. It was a little chilly and damp.

I thought to myself… “well this sucks!”

I got in and noticed that I have to get gas today.

I thought to myself…. “Fuck! Gas prices are probably near four bucks!”

I caught four red lights right off the bat. I caught a train in Lagrange Park. My truck was shifting hard and running rough.

I thought to myself… “This day is starting off shitty!”

I got into work, turned on the news and there was that building in Kyiv getting bombed. You know the building if you watched the news last night.

I thought about the buildings in my neighborhood and the building I work in.

What if next week we get attacked and these buildings get bombed? What if I’m forced to make Molotov cocktails and protect Riverside from a tank invasion?

The price of gas and waiting for a freight train isn’t so bad after all….

Hell…. I opened my phone this morning to take a picture of the Chalkboard and I find thirty selfies that Hazel took last night when she had my phone.

And suddenly that song triggered in my head again when I thought how much I love that little girl and her brothers….. l would die 4 U!

March 2nd, 2022

 Today is Ash Wednesday.

Working in the Loop all those years you could see who the Catholics were. They were walking around with ashes proudly on their forehead.

It was also the day many used to flaunt their religion and not understand the relationship with their faith on the first day of Lent.

I worked in a trading pit with a guy who was a miserable person 365 days a year. He treated people poorly.

Catholic guy… Catholic guy who never hesitated to call a Jewish guy a kike or a heeb.

Catholic guy… Catholic guy who’s wife called him on one of the red phones next to the pit (before cell phones). They had a conversation that went south… so this guy let his wife know she was a c**t numerous times.

Everyone standing around looked stunned! The phone conversation stopped trading because of the vulgarity. He hung up the phone, shrugged his shoulders and under his breath called her a c**t one more time.

Catholic guy…. Catholic guy who got into an argument with a guy in the pit. This guy was going through a divorce. His wife was cheating on him. The Catholic guy told the divorcee…. “Go f**k yourself! Just like your wife! She f**ks everyone!”

This is the same guy that walked on the floor at 7:00am every Ash Wednesday with the darkest cross on his forehead.

We joked every year that he tipped Father when he got his ashes.

I pray for those who still practice the Lenten season. I hope your relationship with God grows stronger. I hope your relationship with yourself becomes more clear.

Mardi Gras is over… I was home by 6:45…. I was in bed at 8:30…. I was selling beans at 9:30… I was back asleep by 9:45…. Laissez le bon temps roullier!

March 1st, 2022

 Fat Tuesday Baby!

“ Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

Put on your purple for Justice, green for Faith and gold for Power!

Mardi Gras next year is on February 21st…

It’s already March of 2022 or March 731st, 2020.

We’ve changed so much since March 13th, 2020. Society was put on hold and now that we start to emerge from Covid we enter a world in a horrible situation.

I say fuck it!

My parents didn’t leave me here to mope around and feel sorry for myself!

If this Is the post Covid world I’m gonna celebrate with kindness and bucket lists…. I have 29 summers left so let the good times roll!