Mark's Thoughts

Man oh man, did I catch Ned from one loyal reader concerning yesterday's entry - I just posted a picture of fireworks in the sky and wished all a happy 4th. "Cheating," cried the listener! Jeesh, just trying to catch up here. But allllllll right, here we go down the road of Mark's Thoughts:

Steve McNair's sad saga is not quite final; the Nashville cops aren't sure what kind of grand opry this is going to turn out to be. At the least, he was in the company of a woman not his wife, and that woman has been DUI'ing around town in a car jointly registered to him and her. Someone shot him 4 times, which no one deserves. But whose gun? Who did the shooting? How does his wife explain to their four sons why Daddy had to die? Tough questions...Sarah Palin is leaving the governor's mansion because she is tired of seeing Russia from the kitchen window? Is that it? We have to wonder here too. Possibilities: she can't get the exposure she seeks for a run at the presidency in 2012 from way up north in Alaska...she can earn a pretty dollar with a mainland-based radio or TV show and get speaking fees in the six figures while freeing herself of the nagging day-to-day duties that she performed so very very well in the 49th State - and for so long! Why, she was elected in '06! She outlasted that Compaq pc I bought that fall. Her Facebook post today was almost lyrical in its prose:
"I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint."

I think I'll friend her. I hope I hope she friends me back. She's dreamy. Or dreaming. Something...We stopped by Drew and Laura's wonderful new house today, saw the girls and Laura's lovely sister Amy, in town from Hotlanta. It's been years since I pushed a kid in a swing, and let me tell you, it is fun! And guaranteed...even though I had two kids going on at once in two swings...the very SECOND you let one of 'em slow down, you get that head-turned baleful look like "C'mon Uncle Mark, push me higher!"...Everyone who lives at our house - that's me and the missus - is surprised that I am enjoying this movie we DVR'd called The Jane Austen Book Club. I recorded it mainly for Peggy's enjoyment, but find myself getting into the story. Peggy, the noted Austenphile, is quick to point out when the story takes a turn that seems to parallel one of old Jane's novels, and I am quick to snicker when someone uses profanity. I guess I'll be Beavis forever...In the midst of all this Grand Guignol drama over Michael Jackson's sad death, can we just take two minutes to remember that in his day, he was a helluva good entertainer?...Holden Caulfield and I both recommend reading "There Are Smiles," the great Ring Lardner short story about a New York traffic cop infatuated with a speeder. Two thumbs up - great summer reading (but not while you're driving.)