November 23rd--Time is flying!

Man, I just cannot keep up anymore! Either I'm having too much fun, or I'm getting old! Don't say it!

Having a wonderful time! Wish you were here! Wish someone was here to help me through the holidays!

Life is abuzz right now with little jobs, big jobs, and the like. My job at work is going good--always busy and the day flies by. Getting a look at state government from a different perspective. Whether I can accept some things is a different story. No one wants to make a decision.

So tonight I sit comtemplating the meetings I had today--two of them; their implications (no one to replace me in my old position and a time managment report project) ; and what the hell my next move is to lessen my load and divvy the work out to those who have the skills to do it.

And also, I need to make a pumpkin pie cake, Lithuanian sauteed mushrooms, spinach dip, a maple pecan pie and halusky (Polish noodles and cabbage) for Thursday. So I'm getting a headstart and doing some easy stuff tonight. Tomorrow will be the push!

I wish I could entertain some political thoughts for the day, but I haven't had a quiet time to think about them. Maybe by the end here, I'll have some shots!

I did find out that one of the Kotzman cousins died back in July. Kenneth King was the son of my great-great-aunt Annie Kotzman King, my great-grandfather's younger sister. They lived in St. Louis for years until moving to the Gulf side of Florida. Aunt Annie died in 1992. Ken was unmarried and the administrator of his estate is looking for Ken's nephew Jeffrey. If any of my Kotzman cousins know where Jeffrey is in Florida, let me know. The man is supposed to follow up with an e-mail or phone call in the future. He did say that Ken was buried in St. Louis in the family plot.

Tennessee politics is getting very interesting! This last election saw the Republicans take control in the State Senate for the 1st time since the Civil War. They have a slight majority at 17-16. Tennessee hierarchy is strange in that the populace does not elect the Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer or Attorney General. The Senate elects their Speaker, who also becomes Lt. Governor. The Supreme Court appoints the Attorney General. And the General Assembly elects the Treasurer and Secretary of State. The current Lt. Governor is John Wilder, naturally a Democrat. Amazing fact is that he has been Senate Speaker/Lt. Governor since 1970! He is 83 years old and won another four-year term a few weeks back. During his tenure, he has appointed both Democrats and Republicans to committee chairmanships and boards. He has been pretty bi-partisan.

So now is the dilemma---with the split at 17-16, it's easy math, a Republican Speaker/Lt. Governor. Nope! At least two Republican State Senators have come out saying they will vote for the Democrat Wilder to remain Speaker. Fuses are short here in the TN GOP. Even US Senator Bill Frist has called up looking to change minds.

I wouldn't mind if the choice is a fair, good choice. But Gov. Wilder has seen his better days. He has really come up with some idiotic ideas and legislation. These Republican senators (in name only I ascertain), need to realize that the people of Tennessee wanted a change. For them to change the system after 140 years of one-party control must mean something. All it boils down to is that these two senbators are committee chairs and know that if Wilder is re-elected, they will retain their chairmanship. With theor turncoat tactics, if the Republican Senator Ramsey wins, they will probably be replaced for their "treason".

So in January, we will see how the game plays out...

Well, time to go and see whats happening in the world.

I will try to put in some thoughts during cooking tomorrow night. Maybe even a recipe or two!

Have a great night and a fantastic 'day before a holiday' tomorrow!

Mark