My brother called last night while I was away. He told my son that he’s coming to visit today. (I love my family, I love my family…) My brother has a tendency to do that-he will call and not ask but tell me when he is coming, and it is usually in the very near future. I have no time to try to clean the house or prepare for him. I often have my own plans or, most likely, have to work.

When my brother comes to my house, he often seems to use it as a hotel. He comes, spends the night, takes off the next day and sees the sights (although I’m not really sure what “sights” he sees here!), and comes back to spend the night again before going home. We don’t seem to do much together, although often I am working so I’m not free to spend a lot of time with him anyway. I don’t know whether I should feel guilty for being a poor hostess or angry that he put me in this position. (I love my family, I love my family…)

You must understand, my brother is basically a good person; he has a heart of gold. However, he is what I call a social moron; he often says or does exactly the wrong thing. Usually he doesn’t notice his faux pas, so he certainly can’t change them. This doesn’t make him the most charming companion, despite his good intentions.

Actually, I’ll be glad to have a chance to talk with him. I can tell him about Master Bennet’s impending visit and my plan to have a get together with the family on Father’s Day weekend. I have mentioned it to my father, but I’m willing to bet he hasn’t discussed it with my brothers. This will give me a chance to get the ball rolling on my plans for Master to meet my family.

So, anyway, I should have a houseguest in a few hours. I think. He didn’t mention when he would arrive. Nor how long he is staying. I suppose it would be rude of me to ask that first thing, wouldn’t it? (I love my family, I love my family…)

We all are bothered by insomnia once in a while. A few days ago, it was my turn.

Actually, my troubles began with a headache. The PA I see tells me that for the most part, all headaches are migraines. So, my trouble started with a migraine. I try not to take medication for a migraine if I can help it, because your body gets used to it and has rebound headaches. But by 5:30 or so that night, I had had enough. I took a couple of Excedrine Migraine and headed to bed to try to get rid of the pain. And I fell asleep.

So, at this point you’re thinking, what about the insomnia? Well, I woke up at 11:30, the headache gone, and bright eyed and bushy tailed. I got up and tried to avoid the refrigerator. I did some writing and went back to sleep. When I go to bed, I often put ESPN on. Well, after hearing for the 3rd or 4th time how Barry Bonds thinks he’s being black-balled, and how Kolby Bryant won the MVP award, I had had enough. I was up again. I got up once again, drank a little water with Crystal Light and spent some more time on my computer. I wasn’t the least bit tired.

I did try once again to go back to bed, and I did lay down, but sleep was just not to be that night. At 5:00 am my son came in, encouraging me to get up and greet the day. I grumbled like I usually do about having to get out of bed, by the truth was, I was not going to be getting any sleep anyway.

Well, I went through the day without any problems. I know myself by now. When I have a bad night, the next day is not going to be a problem. I breezed through the day like any other. But at about 6:00 pm or so, It started to hit. I was yawning. I was dragging. I was tired! It’s the day after that’s the worst. Despite getting plenty of sleep that night, the next day held plenty of yawns and times when body just didn’t want to keep up.

Hopefully it won’t take me too long to get back on track. All because of a damned headache!

Barry Bonds, career home run record holder and former San Francisco Giant, is concerned that he hasn’t gotten any offers to play professional baseball for any other teams. Some suspect collusion on the part of the owners. Did they get together and decide to black ball Bonds?

Think of the owner’s perspective. What would be gained by signing Barry Bonds? Admittedly, he would draw some more spectators, either in hopes of seeing him hit yet another homerun, or just to see the great Barry Bonds in action. That is one plus. He can still hit the homers. That is another plus.

Unfortunately for Barry Bonds, there are just too many negatives. Barry Bonds is 43 years old. Quite frankly, he ain’t what he used to be. I know. I’m 45, and I ain’t what I used to be, either. The Giants kept him until he broke the record last season, then they let him go. They knew what they were doing. Although he is a homerun hitter, his overall stats aren’t that great. Maybe that was okay at 23-you could expect improvement. But at 43, what do you expect? Decline. It happens to us all. A player’s contract is based on what he can do for his team. Will an owner really shell out the millions for a player in the sunset of his career? Sorry, but I doubt it. With a .276 batting average, an aging body and a contract worth millions a year, who would want to pick him up? Not me. Oh, and one more negative: Did Barry Bonds take steroids? What sort of legal troubles is he going to have due to allegations that he did? What teams wants that kind of bad publicity.

It’s sad to see sports figures who can’t/won’t let go. The love of the game and former success pushes them to go one more season, to try to recapture old glories. From Brett Farve to Michael Jordan and all the other greats from all the other sports, we have seen this story time and time again. But at some point, the best a play can do is hang it up and walk away.

Barry, it’s time.

Yes, cell phones. Do you love them, or do you hate them? I used to hate them. Why in the world would you want one? How can you get away from it all if you have one of them? Isn’t there a time and a place to be WITHOUT A PHONE? I would watch people walk down the street with one of those devices stuck to their ear and just shake my head. And what about all those crazy drivers out there paying more attention to whoever they are chatting with instead of the road ahead of them? And don’t forget those rude people who answer their phones at inappropriate times, like the movie theater. A cell phone, a necessity? I just didn’t get it.

Until, of course, I got a cell phone. I love it! And, like many people, I like to have it with me and check it often. Forget the fact that I rarely receive calls on it. As a matter of fact, generally speaking, the only two people who call me are my son and my Master. My son’s phone calls are pretty predictable: we are not together, and he wants to know when we will be, i.e., when I will be home. Master’s calls not so easy to foresee, but he is still the only other person who calls me. I need not check my phone as often as I do.

Many people think cell phones are a nuisance. They can be, if not used correctly. They can also be a wonderful device to have. On breaks at work, I can make whatever phone calls I need to without using the work phone. I am being responsible and taking care of the charges myself. And, of course, there is the number one reason people say you should have a cell phone: emergencies. Cell phones are used to call 911 or family or friends to help you out of a jam. That’s when KNOW how important they are.

Like anything else in this technological world of ours, the cell phone can be a great tool or a great nuisance. When used correctly (and not rudely) it is one of the most useful devices given to us by modern technology.

Wife convicted after husband fatally shoots lover

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/05/03/texas.slaying.ap/index.html

In Texas, a woman’s husband came home and caught her with her lover. In what I suppose was an attempt to cover her own ass, she cried rape. So her husband grabbed a gun and shot the man. She has now been convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Okay, I suppose I can buy that. After all, her recklessness caused the death of another. She is culpable in his death, and perhaps deserves the bulk of the blame. But what about her husband? He fired the shots. He was arrested at first, but murder charges were dropped and they went after the wife instead. The prosecutors showed evidence that the wife and the deceased were having an affair. This seems to be true. But does that mean she is more at fault then her husband, who actually shot the man? In Texas, apparently it does.

I suppose the man was protecting his home and his wife’s honor. I will grant that this is important, even noble. But is shooting a man dead the answer? Not only is it not the answer, it should not even be close to acceptable. The man was rapist/lover was DRIVING AWAY. He was no longer a threat. Instead of grabbing a gun, grab a pencil and paper and right down the license number. It might take a bit longer to bring the man to justice, but it would be more appropriate. And, in this case, an innocent man (innocent of rape, at least) would not have had to die.

Okay, wifey is guilt. But so is hubby. They should be in jail together.