Can It Be??

Yes, I am back! Well, not that I went anywhere...I can't believe I haven't posted since last Saturday. Basically, not all that much has gone on the past week. Oh, there have been some nice moments, and I have had some great chats, but nothing really to write about...yet.

Bears made it to the Conference Championship game with a win over Seattle last Sunday in overtime...it was a pacer game for me. I listen to the games over the Internet on the Chicago radio station WBBM. I about wore out the carpet in the hallway pacing...well, a lot came from the CT scan results waiting as well a few weeks back. So the Bears play New Orleans today at 2 pm. I will be here in the den listening. Also eating soup...

It's a rainy, cold morning here in Nashville. It started raining late, late last night. They were talking about sleet or ice perhaps. Nothing like that this morning. The temp right now is 37. Hope it gets warmer...I love snow, but not ice.

Mom and Dad came over Thursday afternoon because Thursday night was night #4 in my Nashville Symphony Ticket Package Classical B Series. Mom went with me. The featured artist was Leila Josefowicz, a violinist. She played the wonderful Shostakovitch Concerto in A minor. Keith Lockhart of Boston Pops fame was the conductor. The symphony also played a new work by Gabriela Frank Manchay Tiempo and selections from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. It was a great evening and Mom enjoyed herself. They spent the night and went back home Friday morning.

Work was rough this week. Since we had Monday off for MLK Day, a regular five-day week was crammed into 4. Meetings, meetings, meetings. Next week, more meetings.

Yesterday was Inauguration Day in Tennessee. Phil Bredesen was sworn in for his second term as governor. His inaugural address stressed the main theme of this upcoming four years...education reform. He's already talking about raising the cigarette tax and gasoline tax. Just what we need more taxes. Hey, I work in Revenue and see the figures of what we collect. It's more than some third world countries! A report came out this week about the Tennessee Lottery Scholarships. This is their third year and they've tracked the winners from the first two years. About 65% lost their funds due to not making the 3.0 grade point threshold. That 2/3! I think it may be a tough thing as to the requirements...to get the money you have to have a 2.75 GPA in high school and your first year in college, then bump it up to 3.0 your second year and maintain it. It might be tough to bump it up that much in your Freshman year with the emotional transitions. They need to either set the GPA benchmark at 2.75 or 3.0 and keep it consistent.

My bumbling Blackhawks came to town last night to play the Predators. Chicago has nosedived since their initial win streak under new coach Denis Savard. When I was in Chicago at the beginning of January, I went to the Jan 5th game between the Hawks and Preds. Nashville won 8 - 3. Last night, the Hawks were not bad. They stayed in the game until the very end. They lost 6 - 3, but it was much closer than the score indicates. It was 3 - 3 until the closing minutes of the third period. Nashville is now the number one team in the NHL! They have more wins and more points than any of the other 29 teams. Who'd a thunk it???

After the game last night, I came home and was flipping around the TV. When I was in Chicago, they advertised the inaugural game of the Chicago Shamrox, the professional lacrosse league team. The VERSUS channel last night had the NY Titans vs. Chicago Shamrox game on, so I watched a bit of it. It's like hockey with no ice. I'll have to read some more about this league and see where the teams are.

Yesterday was also the feast day of one of my favorite saints...St. Sebastian. I don't know why I have come to rely on his intercession so much. But he always seems to add that extra oomph! to my prayers. To read about him go to http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/SEBASTN.htm .

I found a good friend this week. I became acquainted with Jon from Jonesborough TN. We started chatting and I have really had fun talking with him. So if you're reading this Jon, thanks for making me laugh so much! I look forward to more.

Also, I haven't received many comments on my blogs. Is anyone reading them??? While this is a good journal for me to keep, I hope someone enjoys my writings as well. Send me an email at bell_1061@yahoo.com or nashlith@gmail.com or leave a comment on this blog. I think you may have to register with Blogger to do that.

Alright....let Sunday begin! GO BEARS!!! If they win this afternoon, they'll got to Miami for Super Bowl XLI!!!!

Ciao friends!