8-31 Heroes Still

8-30 DNA Testing for Family History

8-29 Driving Your First Car

My wife’s brother, Steve, is a truck driver, a long haul truck driver. He drives around 5,000

miles per week. My wife will get a call from him one day and he’s in Chicago and then a few

days later he’s in some town in Florida or Texas or Colorado. He crosses from one part of

the country to the other on a regular basis. We get to spend some time with him once

about every six weeks. During one conversation, he began to share some of his

experiences. Truck drivers have to follow more laws than I ever imagined. They clock in

and out and do it through a computer software program in the truck. It keeps track of his

driving time and mileage and reports it back so he doesn’t violate any of the rules of the

road for truckers. He was sharing with me that as good as technology and GPS systems are,

on at least one occasion, the computer showed his truck in one city but he was actually in

another city. He was flagged for a minor violation because, as the computer tech said, the

“computer GPS is never wrong and you can’t be 15 miles from where it says you are.” Now

I don’t always know exactly where I am but I always know when I’m not somewhere I’m not.

I’m so glad that Steve loves his job and doesn’t even mind taking a load of computers with

GPS systems from LA to New Orleans, or was it Chicago or Cleveland. It’s always good to

know where you are even when technology does not. A big thanks to all the long-haul truck

drivers who keep Americans supplies with everything we need. Now that’s Good News.

My mom’s one of the smartest people I know. She’s well-read, witty, and stays up with

what’s happening in the world. She has knowledge, insight, and interest in a variety of

subjects and topics. She was born in the roaring twenties, lived through the Great

Depression of the 30’s, World War II, the Happy Days of the 50’s, the Hippies of the 60’s, the

bad fashions of the 70’s, the rockers in spandex in the 80’s, the irrational exuberance of the

90’s, the economic collapse of 2000’s, and the digital natives of the aught 10s and now the

upside down world of the 2020s. She can speak intelligently on almost any subject as a

member of the greatest generation. She grew up poor but didn’t act poor. She grew up

with a zest for life that belied the challenges she faced. She had to take care of an invalid

mother and was not allowed to finish high school…and she loved high school. So several

years back I decided to contact the current Superintendent of her high school, Willow

Springs High School in Willow Springs, Missouri and tell him about my mom and her love of

school. I requested that the high school issue her a high school diploma on her 90 th

birthday. A few days before she turned 90, I received that diploma in the mail and was able

to give it to my mom on her birthday, signed by the Superintendent and Board of Education

members. Thank you Willow Springs Bears for making a native daughter so happy. Now

that’s Good News.

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is one of the most interesting places each year

to physically see the next generation of digital health devices. We’ve all seen or even used

pedometers to measure how many steps we take or apps that track our calorie

consumption. The next generation of wearable health technology has concentrated on

gathering individual data that is automatically be transmitted to our doctor. The future is

here now with a new industry of personal health monitoring. There are health apps that do

nothing but gather health data and notify us of an impending heart condition or high blood

pressure and all of it remotely. The devices also monitor our personal behavior and give us

immediate feedback with regard to the nutrients being released into our bloodstream as

they are broken down during and after eating a meal. There are devices that tell us what

we are about the food we are about to eat by sending a message to our smartphones with a

list of ingredients, healthy and unhealthy. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want an

electronic monitor beeping or buzzing and telling me the composition of my food. I don’t

know what’s in a polish sausage, but I do know I like it grilled and butterflied with mustard

and relish on a toasted bun. Think I’ll get one for dinner and text in my order with my

smartphone. Now that’s Good news.

I have a friend, Bob Greco, who is an Orthotist. You must be thinking: What is an Orthotist?

For anyone who has ever suffered from Polio, you know! He is the guy who builds and

repairs your brace, that unique device that gives you the ability to walk and move around

without crutches or a wheelchair. He is your mobility man and very essential to your sense

of freedom. Back in the 70’s I had only one brace and if it broke, it meant that I was home

bound and unable to do anything about it. My whole life was turned on its head. My brace

was a very important part of who I was and allowed me to move. When I was a kid, Johnny

Aliano was my first Orthotist. And of course I didn’t know him as anyone but the brace man.

One of the two braces I have today was built by Johnny in the late 60s. It is about 55 years

old. Back in those days, they built things to last. It was custom made out of steel and leather

and springs. Not much has changed today except that Bob made my newest brace out of

steel and aluminum in order to make it lighter and easier to move in. He also reduced the

amount of leather and saved me from those hot summer days in Fresno when that leather

would get all sweaty and created its own sauna right on my leg. I recently went back to Bob

to get my brace tuned up for what I believe will be my last time. You see the brace I have

now was built by Bob almost 20 years ago and just needs new leather now and then. It was

somewhat nostalgic knowing that the brace I have now will probably last me the rest of my

life. Johnny, Bob, and my brace have been great friends and given me an opportunity at

mobility and a great life. Now that’s Good News.

As an educator and involved in education for over 50 years, I have poured my heart, soul,

and energy into the education and care of thousands of students and their families. I have

been invited into their lives and for all intents and purposes became a part of their families. I

celebrated when they succeeded and achieved and I hurt when students suffered failures and

didn’t reach their full potential. There have been some amazing stories of struggles and

challenges that families have overcome. I have been given a place of honor and trust by

these families so when I read of an educator who violates that trust by abusing a child, I am

outraged. Educators are routinely placed on a pedestal that requires a level of trust that few

in society are given so freely. That trust is a sacred trust and carries an obligation to conduct

ourselves with the highest level of integrity and an unwavering duty to do only good and

never harm. I also know how hard it is to express a concern when an employee suspects an

administrator at a school has violated that trust. So I was thrilled recently when a staff

member contacted the Sheriff’s office with their suspicions and they turned out to be right. It

is so much better to report a suspicion and be wrong then to have done nothing. This

employee is a hero who faced fear and chose protecting kids rather than worrying about

losing a job. That’s dedication to kids! Now that’s Good News.

If I were to poll 100 of my friends, I would be hard-pressed to find one that said that they

liked going to the dentist. In fact, I would be hard-pressed to find any of my enemies that

would express pleasure at being in the dentist’s chair. I get it. That needle looks like it is 6

inches long and I know it is supposed to take the pain away. But that is assuming that you

don’t faint or scream or have your eyes fill with tears when the dentist injects you with

novacaine or lidocaine or whatever caine that is supposed to dull the pain. I also know that

just hearing that high pitch whine of the drill can send most people into spasms. Those

dental chairs often have grips at their tips for a reason. It is hard to have a relaxed attitude in

that chair and if there was nothing to grip, they might do something with their hands to the

dentist that would be very unpleasant. Then there is the conversation that is supposed to take

place between the patient and the dentist. It is usually a very one syllabic response to a

multifaceted question. You know what I’m talking about. The dentist asks you a question

knowing full well that all you can do is grunt out a response. Even though I don’t swear,

there have been times in that chair I felt it would be better to go ahead and swear and then

later ask God for forgiveness. In spite of everything associated with going to the dentist, I

have a great dentist who really cares about me and takes care of me. I actually look forward

to seeing him. I also look forward to the day when that drill has a silencer on it. Now that’s

Good News.

I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I sometimes eat salad and a little bit of fruit. I have

been blessed with a very high metabolism and I can eat just about anything I want. I love

candy, ice cream, apple pie, and cake. I am hooked on fried chicken and chili beans. Just

thinking about it makes my mouth water. Throw in chips and salsa or cheese dip and I am in

heaven. I love cashews and almonds especially with carmel candy. I don’t gain weight or

have not been negatively impacted health wise. My good cholesterol is high and my bad

cholesterol is low. It obviously has nothing to do with my diet. It is the result of the genes I

was given at birth. My wife’s diet is one that is superbly healthy. She avoids everything that

is bad and eats fruits and vegetables like they are going out of style. She is careful about

everything she eats. She reads the labels and re-reads them. She studies food and ingredients

on the internet and is very well acquainted with every new health trend that comes along.

She is excited to try new food combinations that have been declared healthy and good for

you by one of the gurus of healthy food. My daughter is the queen of organic foods. She is

very disciplined when it comes to following a menu that is healthy. Even though I have

some great examples of how to eat, I am so glad that mom and dad gave me the ability to

enjoy food with little or no regard for my health. Now that’s Good News.