The Things I Notice

What’s the real meaning of “Big Game?”

Should we only allow the term big game to be used for Game 7, championship games, or elimination games?

The Chicago Cubs had 5 million people at their World Series victory parade to celebrate their biggest win of all-time. And that’s great, good for the Cubbies. But, how do we get people together for important things with greater significance than winning a baseball game? How can we get people to vote in the next election with the same enthusiasm?

What’s wrong with football?

Am I the only one who thinks football is too dangerous? ….And that players are too socially irresponsible?

I think football is now the new boxing.

I’m not sure which is more insane, the celebration after every play (especially football, and basketball, too), regardless of if a team is winning or losing, or the complaining after every play by players and coaches? ....and every play is either a penalty or a review!

Actually, the real issue is the message our kids are getting from all of this. I’m not sure that sports were created way back to develop the art of the complaint.

Record Stores

Vinyl has made a comeback, and I love it. Parking meters, pay phones, people collecting tolls and bookstores have all gone by the wayside. Cashiers…and even checkout stations…are about to be extinct. 

Have we seen the last of big-box retailers?

We’ve got restaurants, drug stores, fast food, grocery stores, yoga studios and gyms. But big retailers? Nope. Amazon and the rest of ecommerce has changed that. We've definitely seen the last of the small boutique shops. Even Wal-Mart is closing down some locations. This can't be good.

Which thought will prevail?

Why shop in the store when I can easily buy online? 

OR

I love the fun and art of shopping.

I used to look forward to going to a store and looking around. Something tells me this new trend isn’t a good thing.

Michelle Obama

Am I the only one that thinks Michelle Obama might be the coolest First Lady ever. She definitely has added a different dynamic to that role that we have never seen. I hope the future First Lady follows her attitude and energy.

Some more thoughts

Do driverless cars mean you can work a little more before getting to the office? Could be good for employers and just getting a lot more done.

Baseball is more popular than ever. It will be a help if they can further cut down the time of games. One adjustment or two to get the games to between 2 – 2 ½ hours will help MLB compete with the NFL as the most popular sport in the country.

I think consumers are more price-conscious than ever and that it is held to a higher standard than quality service. It this wasn’t true we would all be buying a lot more things made in the USA.

Playoff hockey is the best sporting event that most people don’t ever experience. The NHL should cut down the regular season, putting more emphasis on the playoff games.

I think the silver lining with the elections, forgetting all of the issues, is that we have been talking about politics and world issues in the last six months more than we have in years. We may actually be able to get somewhere in the future. This was actually being talked about in classrooms! At some point we will see a lot more people voting and there will be a lot more people aware of what's going on in politics. 

I don’t think we should underestimate social media. Kids should be taught more about the real-world consequences they can suffer for doing something really stupid online. Maybe we all need a social media license (adults, too). You don’t see anybody on the road without a driver’s license.


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