Happy Memorial Day Everybody!
This holiday has become known as the holiday where we kick off summer and have great barbecues. But it's so much more. It's a time to remember all those who have died in service to this country, to keep up safe and ensure our freedoms. And we have always been free in the United States, freer than in any other country in the world. To repay those who have died to keep us free and safe, let's do our part...we don't need to put ourselves in harm's way like they did...all we need to do is continue the fight to retain our God given freedoms. Right now that seems almost an insurmountable task. But it's the least we can do for those who died in our stead.
On this particular Memorial Day, I'd like to remember my father, Lt. Col. Earl M. Cheever, who served this country well as a young man of 18 in WW2, and continued to serve in the Air National Guard throughout his life. God bless you dad, and God Bless the USA!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Ask Dr. Sam - Week of May 11th
The Question:
Dear Dr. Sam,
My husband is a wonderful man and I love him dearly. But I have a problem. He wants to retire. While this might not sound like a problem, believe me it is. You see, my husband has no hobbies, no interests, no inclination to do anything at all but stare at me all day. When I tell him he can't retire until he gets a hobby, he tells me I'm his hobby. Eeek!!!! Please help me, Dr. Sam!
Terrified in Seattle.
Dr. Sam's Response:
Dear Terrified,
Dr. Sam has sweaty palms just thinking about it. But we must not panic! Here is what you need to do. First of all you need a crisis. If you do not have one, you must manufacture one. It is done in Washington DC all the time. How hard can it be?
So let's see...a crisis...hmmm...of course! Why create a new one when we have such a handy crisis right in front of us. I want you to go on the Internet and find every article you can about global warming. For our purposes, the kookier the science the better. See if you can find some that promise the wholesale destruction of the planet in 2 years if we don't stop using hairspray immediately. Then take all of these articles to your husband and, with a tear in each eye, explain to him how frightened you are that you and he are not prepared if the worst should happen with global warming, and how glad you are that you have a big, strong man to take care of you.
It must be his idea (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) to build an airtight, heatproof, bugproof, and especially snakeproof shelter in the deepest part of your back yard, and he must also choose to stock it liberally with supplies in case global warming occurs (don't forget the sunscreen and aloe!). An added benefit is that you'll also be prepared for locusts, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, tsunamis, the return of bell bottoms and wide belts, and any number of other crisis inducing natural occurrences.
The male of the species likes nothing better than to play in the dirt and make cement. He'll be happily making converse mudforts in your back yard in no time. The entire process should take him at least a year. During which time you'll be blissfully alone in the house!
Now, as with all good things, the peace will eventually end. At this point you'll have no choice but to sacrifice your children on the altar of your domestic harmony. He must be induced to create exact replicas of the shelter in your back yard for each of your 12 children (who hopefully DO NOT live in your basement!). What? You have no children...or you only have two...damn it woman! This is serious! ADOPT! Quickly.
If your children balk at having daddy ear deep in their backyards you must use age old parenting techniques to get them on board with the plan. Yes, of course I'm talking about threats and bribery! What else would work for this? Yeesh!
Viola! Problem solved.
Dr. Sam
Psychological Prognosticator Extraordinaire
www.samcheever.com
samcheever@samcheever.com
Dear Dr. Sam,
My husband is a wonderful man and I love him dearly. But I have a problem. He wants to retire. While this might not sound like a problem, believe me it is. You see, my husband has no hobbies, no interests, no inclination to do anything at all but stare at me all day. When I tell him he can't retire until he gets a hobby, he tells me I'm his hobby. Eeek!!!! Please help me, Dr. Sam!
Terrified in Seattle.
Dr. Sam's Response:
Dear Terrified,
Dr. Sam has sweaty palms just thinking about it. But we must not panic! Here is what you need to do. First of all you need a crisis. If you do not have one, you must manufacture one. It is done in Washington DC all the time. How hard can it be?
So let's see...a crisis...hmmm...of course! Why create a new one when we have such a handy crisis right in front of us. I want you to go on the Internet and find every article you can about global warming. For our purposes, the kookier the science the better. See if you can find some that promise the wholesale destruction of the planet in 2 years if we don't stop using hairspray immediately. Then take all of these articles to your husband and, with a tear in each eye, explain to him how frightened you are that you and he are not prepared if the worst should happen with global warming, and how glad you are that you have a big, strong man to take care of you.
It must be his idea (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) to build an airtight, heatproof, bugproof, and especially snakeproof shelter in the deepest part of your back yard, and he must also choose to stock it liberally with supplies in case global warming occurs (don't forget the sunscreen and aloe!). An added benefit is that you'll also be prepared for locusts, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, tsunamis, the return of bell bottoms and wide belts, and any number of other crisis inducing natural occurrences.
The male of the species likes nothing better than to play in the dirt and make cement. He'll be happily making converse mudforts in your back yard in no time. The entire process should take him at least a year. During which time you'll be blissfully alone in the house!
Now, as with all good things, the peace will eventually end. At this point you'll have no choice but to sacrifice your children on the altar of your domestic harmony. He must be induced to create exact replicas of the shelter in your back yard for each of your 12 children (who hopefully DO NOT live in your basement!). What? You have no children...or you only have two...damn it woman! This is serious! ADOPT! Quickly.
If your children balk at having daddy ear deep in their backyards you must use age old parenting techniques to get them on board with the plan. Yes, of course I'm talking about threats and bribery! What else would work for this? Yeesh!
Viola! Problem solved.
Dr. Sam
Psychological Prognosticator Extraordinaire
www.samcheever.com
samcheever@samcheever.com
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A Message to My Daughters on Mother's Day
On this Mother's Day eve, I'd like to celebrate the real reason we have Mother's Day...because we have children. The following is a letter I wrote a few years ago for my daughters. It says it all for me. No matter what I achieve in my life, there's nothing that compares to the magic that entered my life when my girls were born. Feel free to share it with your own daughters if you'd like.
Message to my daughters
Message to my daughters
If I could teach you one thing that would help you be happy throughout your life it would be this…Never stop looking for the magic.
There’s magic in a good friend’s smile, when you show her that you care.
There’s magic in a puppy’s squeaks, her pink tongue sliding kisses over your face.
Magic weaves through everything you touch, everything you do. It is only waiting for your recognition, your acceptance…to be yours.
If you give it a spot in your heart, magic stays with you through pain and sorrow. It touches you with tender fingers when you need reassurance, and flutters in your stomach when you’re too excited to breathe.
Magic comes to you in love, and supports you through the tough times. It gives you hope for good tomorrows, for strong memories, and a future filled with passion.
Magic walks with you as new life stirs within, and binds your heart when you look down into sweet, blue eyes, filled with surprise and wonder, and just a tiny bit of fear.
It caresses you as that fat, little fist curls around your finger, and tiny feet kick out briskly, raring to find a path to follow in the world, inexorably beginning that all too short journey…away from you.
Later, it folds itself around your heart when she grabs your hand or kisses you on the cheek because she has a spurt of love for you that comes out of nowhere.
It dances in your stomach as you help her move into the world so she can find her own magic…and leave yours behind.
But magic doesn’t die. It simply takes a different path, circles around, and comes back to you just as sweetly as before.
You were born my magic. You gave me millions of magic moments as you grew.
But you won’t take my magic with you when you leave. You’ll only build your own magic.
And I will happily share that magic with you. While cherishing the magic moments you’ve already given me.
Never settle for less than magic. Never sell yourself short.
I love you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)