ctaylor

March 31, 2009 Who knows where the time goes? It

Jean. I am absolutely enthralled with Coopers blog. Because of the creative ability you have with words I feel as though I do see through Coopers eyes and feel what he feels. I don't know who ever coined the phrase "Living the life of a dog" meaning I guess how unfortunate but had they read Coopers blog they would realize that nothing could be further from the truth. Cooper is one very remarkable pet but his owners are no less remarkable. Hang tough Cooper my friend I know you have much more time to make Mom and Dad's life a little more hectic and a lot more fun. Bow Wow Cooper wating for you next blog. Clark Taylor

Hey Jean it's great to hear from my favorite blogger. Glad things are going better and that Don seems to be on the rebound. Congrats on the writing award but I'm hardly surprised. Like I've stated before you are the Charles Dickens of the blog world. And I think I would hate it if you suddenly had the ability to write your thoughts in just a few words. You use words the same way a painter uses a brush. And I don't mean house painter however the metaphor remains the same. Jean I think that the biggest reward a writer can receive you got a long time ago and continue to receive every day. That reward being all those who faithfully read your blog as fast as you can write it, and because of that being allowed to share in your adventures both good and bad. So Jean thanks for the privilege of reading the words that you weave into a rich tapestry of life. Keep it up Girl your devoted fan Clark Taylor

I hear that you

Time really is relative when it comes to learning the lesson that life has to teach us. You never ever stop learning or at lest you should not. While I suffered from a dark, depression brought on by my stroke four years ago last July 4th. I began to feel that not only did I have nothing new to learn but that there wasn

Hello Gary I read your comment to my comment on Jeans blog and just wanted you to know I'm doing great. Sounds like your still busy all the time. That's great keeping busy not only makes a difference for yourself but undoubtedly has made a difference for many others. I know it did for me. Jean still hasn't posted in her blog and that some what worries me. I sure hope every thing's all right. Well Gary just wanted to let you know I've been on track with only a few sidings since my stroke in 04. The beat goes on. Stay well be happy your friend Clarke Taylor

Jean I'm really sorry to hear about Don's medical problems. Try not to worry and I do know that that is much easier said than done. But even though I believe you to be a total pragmatist , you also give off wonderful feelings of optimism and hope. Thinking of you and Don. your humble servant Clark Taylor

The N word . With the up- roar lately about the usage of the word African American, I wonder if America can ever be non-racist. The mere fact that when someone who is in the public eye whether it is the President of the United States or some third rate bounty hunter. The public outcry make me wonder if Americans can ever think of people of color as just other people or will the idea of political correctness outweigh and override every single remark anyone makes There are other words that people don

I love my country; however there are things about it that drive me completely nuts. In addition, most of these things seem to emanate from the White House and the hollow halls of Congress. Last month Mr. Bush our great leader. Proclaimed October 12 National Child Health Care Day. Later in the someday he vetoed the Child Health Care Bill. Is it just me or does anyone else see some terrible irony here. The great white Leaser explained that he had to do this in order to prevent the rich from taking advantage of the plan by dropping their good insurance policies and take the insurance offered by the government. Sure as if the rich would drop, their expensive coverage to get the minimal insurance this bill would offer some 20 million children. Why not take 30 minutes of what we are currently spending in Iraq. Every day and provide some health care for our kids. Oh, no that might be wasted money where does this man have a heartbeat. Will the answer to that question is easy it does not because this creature does not have a heart. Everything from not caring if the poor children of this country have decent health care to not providing adequate services for our brave men and woman who are coming home from his war against terror. Congress has blood on its hands too because they will not over ride this man

Yesterday I received word that a close friend

Bill I'm not sure you know me but I have followed your blog and feel as though I know you. I am sure sorry to hear of your mom's passing but at least she is no longer suffering. Cancer is a hard disease to battle. I lost both my parents to it. Hope things take a up swing for you I think you really deserve it. Tell Bud hello for me and try hard to keep fighting the fight of recovery. Bill you are an inspriation to me and I respect your courage and determination. Just wanted to let you know you have had a positive effect upon my life and I remain in your cornor. Don't take so long to blog next time I worry about you when you are silent. Take care. ctaylor

The World Series starts tonight and I find it somewhat comforting to feel the same the same excitement I felt almost 48 years ago on a warm September day in 1959 at the Los Angles Coliseum. My grandmother lived in L.A. around the University of Southern California campus. I would spend my summers there as well as a week every spring. The Brooklyn Dodgers had moved from Brooklyn to Los Angles the year before and since I was and still are a rabid fan of the Dodgers it was as though a 10 year-old boys dream had come true. Because this was before the Dodgers played in Dodger Stadium, they moved there in the spring of 1962, they played their home games in the Coliseum, which built in 1932 for the Olympic Games. It was huge seating a little over 90,000, even after being remodeled for professional baseball. My grandmother knowing how much I loved baseball was one of the first in LA to purchase seasons tickets. If I were to win the lottery in today

Wow Jean your description of the Great disabled deer hunt sure brought the memoirs for me especially the part about the camp fire and the tent. My dad had a tent custom sewed for our annual family trips each fall. Once again your distinctive style of description amazes me your one of the best author's I've ever read. It's been a while since I've commented on your blog but rest assured I read it almost daily. I can see the trees feel the crisp mountain air and smell the canvas and chile cooking. Thanks for the great read. keep up the great work you trully are the Charles Dickens of the Blog world. Tell Don Hello for me and tell him how lucky he is to have you for a caregiver Clark Taylor

Boy I must have been in a real fun place when I wrote those last few sentences. Today I

I try to stay current with my blogging but now that my depression seems to be in recession, I am finding that time seems more and more valuable and that now I enjoy doing things that while depressed I was completely indifferent to. Getting back in shape has now become a top priority of mine, and unfortunately, to accomplish this, unfortunately, means being able to endure a lot of pain. I suffered a spinal cord injury in the fall of 1998 and the emergency surgery I had resulted in a build-up of scar tissue, which occurred because my body has a tendency to heal to quickly now how that is for irony? This lump of scar tissue now presses upon my sciatic nerve resulting in a cramping of my left hamstring and gluts (butt). When this charley horse hit it quite literally drops me to the floor where I roll around stretching my leg and toes trying to get the muscle to relax, and allow me to stand upright. The doctors have informed me that further surgery is pointless because the scar tissue would just continue to build up. So here, I stand no pun intended. Trying to figure out how to commence a program of exercise that will not lay me out but will help me regain some endurance and muscle mass. My body fat percentage is up to almost 20% and that undoubtedly has lead to my waist gaining 4 inches even though my weight has remained the same. I realize that I will never return to the days of 6% body fat, but 10 or 12% would be great. I do have a great threshold for pain and hope I can mobilize my motivation to see me through to the finish. I do have access to a great gym right next door. I work at a university and the physical education building is right across the road from the building where my office is located. One of my good friends is an instructor in the fitness for life course and told me he would work up a program to strengthen my left leg without much impact on the muscles. I actually thought about steroids but realized that shorts cuts at this stage of my life would only lead to me pushing up daisy

I can still remember how I felt then I could make a difference that if the world needed to be changed then me and my generation were the ones to do it. Yes, I know this was all pre Vietnam. Pre Watergate, pre global warming pre energy crisis pre 9-11. However, upon reflection my generation did make a difference. I still had yet to find out that we preferred love to war honesty and integrity to cover ups and lying ecology to big business and convenience but would non the less make a lot of mistakes along that road like drugs and sexually transmitted diseases disco and reality television. Joking aside the reunion should be interesting it will be ten years since I have seen most of theses individuals. I think people have a tendency to change less and less as they grow older personality wise but of course, the physical changes can be quite stunning. More lines more wrinkles less height and more weight. In just the last four years, I have gained and lost about 35 pounds, gone from a 34-inch waist to a 38 and lost about an inch in height going from 6ft 6inchs to 6

What difference a short period? Can Make? Three Months ago On the Fourth of July I celebrated? The four- year anniversary of my brain attack. Wow four years. It is hard for it to sink in. I try to conceptualize how I felt then as to how I feel now and I am not sure I can. My self-concept and self-assuredness

Hence, the process begins. Just follow the yellow brick road Yes sure had I known where this journey would ultimately take me I would have jumped back into the ocean of pity and gladly drowned myself. What difference a short period? Can Make? Three Months ago On the Fourth of July I celebrated? The four- year anniversary of my brain attack. Wow four years. It is hard for it to sink in. I try to conceptualize how I felt then as to how I feel now and I am not sure I can. My self-concept and self-assuredness

Sometime later, I asked his mother if she thought I might be depressed. I told her of Hans

However, I digress; three weeks after I returned to work the Von Noys left Utah and returned to Europe. I owe them a debt that can be paid back only with love admiration and being there for them whenever the need may arise. This was going to be just another blog entry but its fast becoming a journal of who I am and how I got to where I am. About two or three weeks after returning home from the rehab center Hans asked if I felt I might be depressed. At first I was somewhat put off by the question. The thought that I might be suffering from some form of mental illness was not only offensive but condescending as well. No not at all, I responded but the more thought I gave to it the unsure of my answer I became. Sometime later, I asked his mother if she thought I might be depressed. I told her of Hans