TeamCushman

Meet our new friends … The Steins. Oktoberfest is my favorite time of year. Weather is getting cooler, football is in the air, and the baseball playoffs are heating up. Went to a local Oktoberfest this weekend, they gave away free steins. Gotta love it! Notice the one on the left. Has it’s own coozy, that way the beer stays cold. I will make my way to Munich one of these days!  Here’s some Oktoberfest history …

Oktoberfest originated as a horse race honoring the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810.  Because the wedding and race took place, German Oktoberfest history begins on either the 12^th or the 17^th of October, depending on who you talk to.  By 1819, the race had been called off, replaced by beer carts and a carnival-like atmosphere, the leaders of Munich decided that Oktoberfest would be held each year, no exceptions.  And though Oktoberfest originated as a one-day commemoration, it was thereby extended to 16 days of revelry and heavy drinking.

Since then, the history of Oktoberfest has found itself interrupted only for war, cholera epidemics and the occasional financial hardship.  The festival has slowly changed into what one sees today in Munich – the inclusion of traditional music and dress, the special Oktoberfest beer served in one-liter steins, the ceremonial tapping of the first keg – and has turned these 16 days in early autumn into one of Germany’s biggest tourist draws.
German Oktoberfest history is on display everywhere - the beer tents, the swaying music, the ubiquitous German drinking songs, it’s Bavaria’s biggest party, and the whole world is invited.

Watching “The War” on PBS, there is a slight mention in the second episode about Japanese-American internments playing baseball in order to pass the time. In fact, an entire league was created. A movie came out this year about this, I never heard about it until recently. It’s called American Pastime. I don’t think it did well at the box office, since it’s already out on DVD. It’s amazing that thousands of Japanese-Americans that were forced to live in internment camps ended up fighting for the USA. When asked, they just signed up because it was the right thing to do. The story of Daniel Inouye fascinates me. I was captivated listening to him talk about how his father, who could barely speak english, gave him words of encouragement before he went off to war. “This country has been good to us. It’s given us two jobs. It’s given us education. We owe a lot to this country. Do not dishonor this country. Above all do not dishonor the family. And if you must die, die with honor.”

Rent this movie. See it with your kids, friends and family. As a nation, we are as polarized as I can remember. One nation, under god, indivisible ….

When did the phrase “no problem” take the place of “Thank you”?  I’ve noticed this for quite a while now, but it seems to be getting worse.  Of course that depends on your perspective.  There is going to come a day where they teach our kids their “Please and No Problems” in kindergarten.  No thank you!  I didn’t get this memo, nor do I want it.  This is not about slang or shorter version of saying thank you.  Either phrase is two words.  “Thank you” has 8 letters, the other 9, so we aren’t saving anytime.  So, what does this phrase really mean?  While I hear it being used as a replacement for thank you, I have also heard it as a replacement for “ok” or “sorry” or “pardon me” or even “sure”.  Sooner or later, it will become the new shalom or even aloha.  Perhaps its even the new generation’s shibboleth.  Now, I’m showing my age, but still don’t get it, nor do I want to.  Each generation has their own.  Growing up, we had our “Whatever!”  At the risk of sounding like my father, I can do without it.  I even will say its rude.  Would I rather people not say anything at all? sure, no problem.

Not because they are good at stopping the run or their pass rush, it’s because, well … you take a look yourself …

Yes, this is real. Senior Johnny Dingle and Freshman Scooter Berry are starters on the WVU defensive line.  At least they should not be allowed to sit next to each other.

and I ain’t talking about June 6th either!! Lets just say that my procreation days are over. With one daughter and one son, why bother. So its time that the boys get disconnected and rewired if you know what I mean. So I had my pre-op consultation. I mean, what is there to consult? I need a snip, what else is there to talk about? The doc comes in and introduces himself and then asks me to drop drawers. No relationship building, no chit chat, nothing. He’s all business. I guess when you got 20 people waiting to be seen, the chit chat can wait til later.

After giving me the shaving tutorial (the boys are going to be as bald as my dad), then the jokes start flying. I see no humor in the timing of seeing me in all my glory and then making jokes. Not funny. Scheduling the operation was another matter. The scheduler asks me if I have any “biological children.” When I asked why, she says that the “state wants to make sure about your decision, so if you don’t have any kids, they make you wait 30 days before the operation.” Look, I appreciate the state thinking of me, but can you please concentrate on the numerous pot holes that are killing my car’s alignment and what about the crime downtown? That could use a look see also. Don’t worry about my vasectomy, we adults don’t need elected officials to force us to wait to another 30 days for a decision that has already taken us a while. I mean, this wasn’t a last minute decision not unlike picking up some gum or chips at the grocery store! The big date is in October. More to come soon!!