As the month is ending soon, “January Wanes” is today’s original entry
“January Wanes”
January ends
February is coming
Winter weather peak
Snow, ice, and cold air
Slick and slippery surfaces abound
Take it easy folks
Buckle up drive safe
Slow and steady wins the race
Home for the snow days
© Ryan Stroud 2021
Up, up, and away we go
If you’ve followed my blog for any time, you know that I have wanderlust. I have numerous boards on my Pinterest account dedicated to places I’ve been or want to go to on vacation. My travel ambitions are at least a family trait as my aunt also has several places on her travel bucket list and loves to plan vacations for the family.
As I look at many of the places I want to travel, the distance to the locations is one of the biggest factors in my deciding whether to travel. I’ve been fortunate to travel to Florida 5 out of 7 times on vacation by airplane and flying to San Diego almost 15 years ago. At least 3 of the long-distance vacations of more than 500 miles from home Ive been on with family have been by car, but we had to break up the travel in multi-day drives to the destination. Multi-day drives to a destination are a solution, but cuts into the actual amount of time spent in your vacation destination.
With that in mind, I’ve wondered why not fly by myself? Flying commercial isn’t necessarily as scary for me as you’d think considering I have acrophobia (fear of heights). The biggest hang-up for travel by airplane is available flights and money, but maybe if I chose when to depart and keep the money in my pocket it’d be worth it. I remember that at one point my brother was interested in earning private pilot experience, and admittedly I’d like to pursue the same training. Not helping my fascination is the ability to follow Instagram and TikTok accounts devoted to private pilots.
I don’t think I’m going to be like Pilot Pete of Bachelor fame but having the ability to travel more quickly than by automobile with one or two family members would be neat. I know that I’d have to save up money for the classes and licensing, but I’m sure that it’s doable if I’m really committed.
As I’m sure my parents are reading this, don’t fear that I’m pursuing a pilot’s license any time in the immediate future, it’s just a fascination right now much like learning how to drive a manual transmission automobile. Of course, my dad has some inclination as some of his classmates have their own pilot’s licenses and he mildly envies their Facebook posts showing their in-plane pictures. I’d guess that my mom understands that her sons are much like their father and she can’t prevent them from risky thoughts and behaviors especially since her sons have listened to their father’s childhood and young adult stories.
Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll find a girl that already has her pilot’s license, and we can both spend time on vacation in the air on the way to our destination. If social media is to be believed, the private aviation industry isn’t a boys’ club and there are plenty of females flying twin propeller or single engine small aircraft. So, if it works out that I meat one of those women, I can travel by plane like I would commercially but on a smaller scale.
Would you pilot a small aircraft with a private license or fly with someone who had the license?
Colombia has an outbreak, and scientists are divided on how to deal with it
The week comes to an end and that means everybody is intending to let their hair down and stop their worries. Friday also means it’s time for #CurrentEventFriday and today’s entry involves an outbreak in South America. Thankfully, this has nothing to do with the Coronavirus but instead non-native animals.
Strangely enough, during the height of Pablo Escobar’s reign in Colombia, he imported a couple hippopotamuses (hippopotami?) to his private zoo. After Escobar’s arrest and execution, the hippos were placed into the custody of the national zoological authority and sent to other zoos. A handful of the hippos escaped and populated the countryside. If you’ve read any of the plaques at the hippo exhibit at your local zoo, you’ll no doubt remember hippos are non-native to Colombia. Since they are non-native, the hippos are causing deforestation and agriculture maladies in the countryside.
These so-called ‘cocaine hippos’ destructive tendencies are worrying experts who want to capture the hippos. A dispute has now arisen between Mexican and Colombian scientists as the best course of action with the hippos—some argue for sterilization of some 80 hippos, while others are in favor of culling the hippo population. Earlier efforts after Escobar’s death resulted in culling the hippo numbers, but public outcry ended that policy.
Admittedly, the best option would be to find ways to return many of the hippos to Africa where they are an endangered species. This would be an undertaking since hippopotami are exceptionally large and can become dangerous when aggressive. Ultimately, the hippos must be dealt with or the problem will get worse exponentially. If you’ve ever traveled in the Southern United States, you know the problems with Kudzu and its invasive spread or Bart Simpson’s culpability in the invasive spread of toads in Australia.
Should the Colombian government organize a hippo hunt or sterilize the hippos?
Today the options are “Win, Lose, or Draw” for the original poem
“Win, Lose, or Draw”
Life is more than a game; it doesn’t end with win, lose, or draw Such are the rules from the giver of divine and moral law I’ve felt like a loser in life for so long Loved ones have to convince me my thinking is all wrong
Almost thought I’d found a girl who would be the winner But she moved on and I sat around too often alone eating my dinner Hate that people say I could have had love if I wasn’t so dumb As those people judged me, knew my misjudgment day would never come
You’ve given me a new life, and I don’t focus on all what I used to see My frame is better and attached at the shoulders now with a good head Dreams now are achievable and I don’t lie awake wondering in my bed I’ll win your heart as I’m lost in your eyes and drawing a deep breath asking you to marry me Success is defined as meeting your goals—mine are to lie, cheat, and steal Lie with you, cheat death, and steal your kisses; sounds like I get the better deal
© Ryan Stroud 2021
I’m a little more comfortable in my skin, but I still have some growth left
I started this blog three years ago with my first post, “In My Skin” leading the way. In that post I admitted that I wanted to share thoughts and reflections about my life and what was going on. Particularly, the post shared my insecurities and how too often I focused on them. Admittedly, I’m still a work in progress on my insecurities but I’m not where I’d really like to be with my attitudes yet. I’ve gotten better at forgiving and moving on from the negativity from my peers during my teenage years because I’m aware enough that I’m not the same person I was two decades ago, and neither are my peers. So, we’ll see when our 20-year class reunion rolls around in 2023 how much growth we’ve made and interactions we can have. Also, we will see if I get invited to the reunion since somehow I never got invitations for the last two reunions.
Additionally, some of the early posts dealt with my singleness, how I reacted to it, and a failed relationship that had led to my return to singleness. Luckily, in the last 3 years I’ve made more progress on dealing with singleness and relationships than the other insecurities mentioned in my first ever post. I will admit it wasn’t easy, but the biggest challenge was stopping my focus on my failed relationship just prior to blogging. I had a lot of resentment and unhealthy focus on my ex, but I realized I needed to forgive her and not focus on the relationship. Hopefully, the same can be said for my ex that she has forgiven me as well, and I’m fine without needing communication about that.
Luckily, this blog has allowed me to share many of my reflections and also allowed me my creative interests. I enjoy writing poetry for Poetry Wednesday and I also enjoy writing History and Current Events for #HistoryMonday and #CurrentEventFriday respectively. I know I’ve missed some of the History and Current Event posts this last year, and I’ll blame a lot of that on 2020 being a weird year that wrecked a lot of creativity, mental focus, and normalcy. I am hoping this year, we can return to normal and that will include more blogging.
What changes and/or growth have you seen in the last 3 years?
This is what happens with “Beaches ‘n’ Me” for today’s original poem
“Beaches ‘n’ Me”
Sitting in my beach chair in the sand
Cold rum drink at my right hand
Flipping my sandals in the beach grit
Chilling like the ice floating in my drink
Running on rum during the day, and tequila at night
Ocean sunrises and sunsets coloring most of my sight
Resting on the shade by the palm trees nearby
Cleared my head on this time away, not trying to think
Nothing better to do than drink in the liquor and the scenery
Nothing from home will distract or get to me
Each time the getaway was too short it seems
Beach to me is the topic lately of most of my dreams
© Ryan Stroud 2021
Baseball adds a 10th man on this day in 1973
A new week is upon us along with a new year, that means it’s time for another installment of #HistoryMonday. Today’s entry is a controversial decision for sports fans, and baseball fans in particular. So, let’s get into it and try to hope it doesn’t stir up too much controversy.
On this day in 1973, the American League (AL) owners of MLB voted to allow their teams to use a “designated pinch-hitter” that could bat for the pitcher, while still allowing the pitcher to stay in the game.
The idea of a 10th man to the baseball lineup to bat for the pitcher was not that recent, having been proposed in 1906 by Athletics’ manager Connie Mack. Charlie Finley, the colorful owner of the Oakland A’s suggested in the 1970’s that a Designated Hitter (DH) that played the game while the pitcher continued in the game could be a help in drawing fans and increasing revenue. Finley also pointed out that apart from pitchers like Bob Gibson & Babe Ruth, the player was not known for providing needed offense, and that the DH could contribute more to the team’s offensive output.
At a joint meeting of the two leagues in Chicago on January 11, 1973, the owners voted to allow the AL to test the DH rule. Given that the AL struggled in attendance and revenue, they were suggested to try the new rule. Now with two different styles of play, the two leagues would have to make adjustments during interleague play and offer options for minor and amateur leagues whether they wanted to use the DH.
On April 6, 1973 Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the league’s first ever Designated Hitter. In his first plate appearance, he was walked on a full count by the Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant.
Since the implementation of the DH, baseball purists have engaged in arguments with younger fans who appreciate the advantages of the DH. As the DH has become more implemented, it has allowed players who are suspect on defense but excel in offense to contribute to their team. Other players who are aging out of being productive defensively can extend their careers as DH’s. Additionally, AL Pitchers have been able to get more rest by not having to hit and extend their innings pitched and outs recorded while the offense has almost counter-intuitively risen by adding an extra hitter.
The DH has produced many favorite players who have played most of their career as a DH, including Edgar Martinez and David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz just to name a few of the more well-known DH’s.
Challenges during interleague and the World Series highlight the differences between the leagues and some executives have argued that these obvious differences are not a strength but rather a weakness. Most recently, as Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees was injured running the bases during an interleague game with the Astros, the Yankee’s owner Hank Steinbrenner slammed the ridiculousness of pitchers hitting and running.
During last year’s shortened MLB season, the league adopted a universal DH in both leagues, which many expected to be the end of AL-only DH play, but MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that the universal DH was only in effect for the 2020 season and that the DH will continue to be only in the AL. The NL nearly adopted the DH in 1980, but failed with five opposed, four in favor, and three abstentions. Those in favor could have been more, but the Phillies GM was unable to contact his boss who was on a fishing trip and unable to answer his phone. With no clear indication of how to vote, the Phillies abstained which triggered their in-state rivals the Pirates to abstain as well. So, if you want to know why the NL does not have the DH, it’s because of fishing.
Should the NL adopt the DH and make the leagues equal?
Have a great “Epiphany” with today’s original poem
“Epiphany”
It’s Epiphany
End of the Christmas season
Magi visit Christ
Comprehended truth
Altered plans for return trip
Celebrate their choice
© Ryan Stroud 2021
On the Radar 