Chris Rodell's Blog, page 35
October 13, 2017
Echoes of loss: Missing Mom & Tom Petty
(752 words)
The admission will cause some to label me a real SOB, but I’m having trouble deciding who I’m missing more, my Mom or Tom Petty.
Mom, 84, died July 7. Petty, 66, died too soon.
Petty wrote “The Waiting,” “Refugee” and “Free Fallin’.”
Mom wrote grocery lists with detailed brand instructions involving feminine hygiene products.
I’m missing Mom more than I thought I
The admission will cause some to label me a real SOB, but I’m having trouble deciding who I’m missing more, my Mom or Tom Petty.
Mom, 84, died July 7. Petty, 66, died too soon.
Petty wrote “The Waiting,” “Refugee” and “Free Fallin’.”
Mom wrote grocery lists with detailed brand instructions involving feminine hygiene products.
I’m missing Mom more than I thought I
October 10, 2017
Keynoting in my beloved "pimp" shoes
(811 words)
It’s been almost two weeks and my sails are still filled by all the heady compliments I heard at my Columbus keystone before 200 associates of National Church Residences.
People said I was great.
Note the tense: I was great.
Nobody said I am great.
The only thing I can figure is someone in the audience must have been texting my family.
It’s a real joy to be
It’s been almost two weeks and my sails are still filled by all the heady compliments I heard at my Columbus keystone before 200 associates of National Church Residences.
People said I was great.
Note the tense: I was great.
Nobody said I am great.
The only thing I can figure is someone in the audience must have been texting my family.
It’s a real joy to be
September 30, 2017
Stellar tweets of the month(s)
August was the first month in five years of tweeting where I didn’t do an @8days2Amish monthly round-up. There was a huge outcry. Well, an outcry of one. A buddy said he missed it. So for Brent -- and you! -- here are two months worth!
Some of these made their way into my new “Use All The Crayons!” deluxe edition. More on that.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
• I used to
Some of these made their way into my new “Use All The Crayons!” deluxe edition. More on that.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
• I used to
September 22, 2017
Some productive writers finish one book a year; I finished two on Monday
(823 words)
People have from time-to-time asked what’s the longest I’ve ever gone without blogging.
That would be from 1963 through 2008.
Second longest? August 18 through Monday.
So what was I doing during those sabbaticals?
Well, during the first, I was truly living my life. I buried my father and became one. I started a promising career and abruptly abandoned it five slim
People have from time-to-time asked what’s the longest I’ve ever gone without blogging.
That would be from 1963 through 2008.
Second longest? August 18 through Monday.
So what was I doing during those sabbaticals?
Well, during the first, I was truly living my life. I buried my father and became one. I started a promising career and abruptly abandoned it five slim
September 19, 2017
Mourning the death of world's most cheerful man
(655 words)
I’ve lately been waking up angry Dick Guenther taught me to drive when I was 16.
I wish Dick Guenther hadn’t taught me to drive until I was 50.
I was thinking this as I was listening to loved ones memorialize this truly great man on Saturday at Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park near his Castle Shannon home.
See, I was just so stupid when I was 16. Stubborn,
I’ve lately been waking up angry Dick Guenther taught me to drive when I was 16.
I wish Dick Guenther hadn’t taught me to drive until I was 50.
I was thinking this as I was listening to loved ones memorialize this truly great man on Saturday at Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park near his Castle Shannon home.
See, I was just so stupid when I was 16. Stubborn,
August 18, 2017
When pull-my-finger is health care
(782 words)
I’ve for years been asking people to pull my finger strictly for comedic purposes. For those of us of juvenile bents, it’s always uproarious.
The key is to time a really loud, monstrous fart to the finger tug, leading the innocent finger puller to conclude there’s an obvious cause and effect. It’s something my wife and daughters find utterly hilarious.
At least they once
I’ve for years been asking people to pull my finger strictly for comedic purposes. For those of us of juvenile bents, it’s always uproarious.
The key is to time a really loud, monstrous fart to the finger tug, leading the innocent finger puller to conclude there’s an obvious cause and effect. It’s something my wife and daughters find utterly hilarious.
At least they once
August 10, 2017
Update: What if I suddenly become high energy?
(668 words)
The first thing I did upon awakening after last week’s partial thyroid extraction was text our 16-year-old daughter a good/bad news equation.
“The good news is I’m going to be fine. The bad news is I was going to give you my car.”
This was funny because my jalopy is in tragic condition, way worse than even me. It has 181,750 miles on it, has electrical short issues and
The first thing I did upon awakening after last week’s partial thyroid extraction was text our 16-year-old daughter a good/bad news equation.
“The good news is I’m going to be fine. The bad news is I was going to give you my car.”
This was funny because my jalopy is in tragic condition, way worse than even me. It has 181,750 miles on it, has electrical short issues and
August 1, 2017
Surgery today! Kissing my thyroid goodbye
(781 words)
It was with impeccably bad timing I decided June 6 to reduce my blog output from four or five times a week to once every week or so. My life’s been nothing but interesting ever since.
• My darling Mom died.
• I signed a contract to do a book about Arnold Palmer and why this man who could have been pampered in palaces around the planet never left Latrobe.
• I wrote
It was with impeccably bad timing I decided June 6 to reduce my blog output from four or five times a week to once every week or so. My life’s been nothing but interesting ever since.
• My darling Mom died.
• I signed a contract to do a book about Arnold Palmer and why this man who could have been pampered in palaces around the planet never left Latrobe.
• I wrote
July 30, 2017
Do not confuse my July tweets of the month with actual policy
Careful readers know my 8Days2Amish tweets of the month are fraudulent; they exceed the 140-character criteria. You are correct. For me, 140 characters is often too stingy, too confining. I rebel. So when I transfer the tweet to my blog, I permit myself some embroideries. You’ll see several examples of that here.
Have a great day!
• I wonder what Socrates used to say when people
Have a great day!
• I wonder what Socrates used to say when people
July 29, 2017
Front page of The Bulletin! I'm seeking your best local Arnold Palmer stories
A big thank you to Steve Kittey and The Latrobe Bulletin for allowing me to use their front page to announce my new book and to solicit their readers for the best local stories about Arnold Palmer. I encourage you to purchase copies at your local Latrobe newsstand. For out-of-towners, here’s what I wrote …
(500 words)
For professional reasons, I was pleased when an editor for Triumph
(500 words)
For professional reasons, I was pleased when an editor for Triumph
