Religious and Eternal Questions

    This has been a good religious month for me, overall. I was able to help lead a Bible class, the second time in a row, from the month before, and there were good students with faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible. We prayed and communed together, and shared our faith in God.

    I went to church yesterday, and peace and... conviction, or resolve, were there. I was set apart to be a missionary.

    I have family members who are working for the Lord, representing Him worldwide.

    Things with work are all right, family is doing okay. Children are moving along.

    Close to, and working with things. Learning and growing, within my Christian faith and knowledge of the world and other beliefs. Other thinking, worship, philosophies.

    Political systems and governments, we all work and live to buy and be remunerated by the systems under which we work.

    Not so great in Israel and Palestine, Russia and Ukraine, and other countries, like Yemen and few others. Libya has done better lately, it seems. Some African countries always have problems, like Somalia. Nigeria has not been great lately, some bad kidnappings and their regular shenanigans.

    Haiti is a shambles, lately, I must not forget that. Ecuador has had its share of heavy happenings.

    My faith, my particular faith, is going forward well internationally, but we lose a lot of our youth over the last years. People in the media glom on to cases of extremists and bad examples, but the organizations and its members continue to grow and expand.

    And Christianity in general is still going forward, as the nones (those who claim no religion) are still growing stronger, day by day. Muslims grow, but the Taliban and ISIS and a few others give them and us real headaches. Moscow and Russia have been recent targets, and after Chechnya in the 1990s, it makes total sense to me.

    Hindus are being robustly strong in India, to the detriment of Muslims, and the Sikhs, who hold their grudges from many decades past.

    The streaming devices seem to attack beliefs and organized religions more than bolster or boost them. The bottom line (money) comes to light. Too much violence, way too much sleaze in language and sexual actions, pornography...

    These things take the place of our holy wishes. Some call it art.

    We are all pushed and pulled by these factors, some more than others.

    My friend Bobby was attracted and tempted. He died in LA, not long after arriving. I wonder if Jeremy was pulled that way...

    My battle buddy Gregory B. was killed three Sunday mornings ago.

    I hope to see all of them again.

    I have hope in eternal life.

 So Many Forgotten Islands

    I like to think of our planet and things in it and across it sometimes. It mostly has to do with features and places and peoples on the surface. Not too much the underwater seas and all that, or the subterranean caves, tectonic plates, and deeper recesses towards the core.

    I have maps of many places; sometimes I love them and peruse them. Each person, each family, each community is its own island unto itself. This is socio-cultural.

    Physically in our world, on the surface, we have so many islands in and around the seven (or six) continents and the major oceans. So many! Many are inhabited, and we forget about them, or never recognize them. Some are far flung departments of greater nations, like France or Britain, Belgium or the Netherlands. Others are independent. Each sea and ocean has its tremendous share. 

    I have been to small handful. There are many inland islands, too, meaning freshwater lakes and inlets have bodies of land surrounded by water. Rivers have islands.

    Hemingway has a posthumous book, Islands in the Stream, where the story ends up among islands of Cuba where the main characters are hunting Germans. Perhaps no humans live in those places, still.

    There are a hundred islands in almost any quadrant of the region of a good sized map that you look at.

    Have you see any? Do you know the biggest ones of northern Canada, like Ellesmere, or Brooks, or ... or ... the ones that ends with "ton"? I usually try to memorize these. Wellington? Effington? Baffin! Yes, Baffin Island.

    There are the Micronesian Islands, and so many more.

    I have rarely learned some, but on occasion tried to memorize or recognize, but mostly I have forgotten them.

    There are celestial bodies out there, outside our planet. Save those for another day.

    Thinking about the water-islands on just this planet...

 Generations Question and Push

    Our third child had names that were different, not the norm. I received pushback about these names, first and middle names, from both my father and my firstborn, a daughter. So, we added a name that made sense to both the older and the younger generation. This was in the late aughts of this century.

    It has been a decade and a half since then; I am grateful that the older and younger generations, older and younger, are still alive and kicking. They have different opinions than me, like back then with the naming of the child. However, the additional name may have helped the boy, now old enough to know a lot, and the generational squeeze may have been the best thing for all.

    Who knows? That is how it played out.

    Today, in 2024, we have some bad things going on in the world, beyond our closer problems and issues: climate change and environmental decline is one constant. But there are more pressing immediate matters, like a few million people in Gaza who are displaced and painfully perishing, there are millions fighting for their existence in Ukraine, there are terrorists creating mayhem in places like Moscow, Iran, and dozens of other countries. We know the United States is a constant target.

    There are ideologies, some of them religious-based, but not all, that are extremely threatening to the common society of us human cultures today. Yes, ISIS is bad, as is the Taliban and other Muslim extremists. They will not stop. Israeli extremists are proving dangerous now more than ever, and obviously the Russians, as always. China, Iran, North Korea has extremist governments and practices, plus a dozen or more demagogues and dictators, scattered across the continents. Authoritarian regimes exist in South America, Central America, Africa, and Asia. Plus Europe, if we consider the continental giant Russia.

    We have multiple problems and endemic challenges in the United States and North America. Crime, poverty, greed, moral issues. Mass shooting, drug abuse. Lots of freedom, perhaps too much of it.

    Problems of economics and government exist everywhere. Sickness and nutrition prove challenging to all people. Mental health.

    

    My older and younger counterparts give their complaints and bemoan their ineffective hopes against it all. We discuss, and I provide solutions or possibilities, many of which cannot be accepted or agreed upon.

    So be it. 

    Each generation must go through its fights and struggles. This who we are, this is what we are.

    As Americans, we are especially gifted and blessed at having stakes and options in these issues. We pay taxes, we vote, we voice opinions, we share information. We are free to share and we do influence others, hopefully for the better.

    We will get better, we will improve. There is reason, or reasons, to remain hopeful despite our ruinous and awful worst aspects of human tendencies.

    We will be better, every generation. So grateful that I can communicate, commune, and converse with mine.

    I love where I come from and I love where we can go.

    The older, the younger, and me in the middle. For now.

 The Perversion of Hunger and Starvation

    In 2024 there should be no hunger. Starvation should be out of the question.

    Alas, it is happening. Shame upon our human race. Shame on the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey, China, Russia, Israel, and all of them.

    Shame and guilt upon all your leaders' heads!

    Xi Jinping

Joe Biden

Vladimir Putin

All of you are fat, lazy, pampered, and unconscionably awful leaders.

    You let babies die of starvation.

    Good luck with God, my brethren.

    You will need it.

    All the mercy that you have not shown the least of all our human beings.

    Disgusting.

We have to do better.

Can we?

    I fear for all of us if we cannot feed the babies.

    Or if we do not even care that they perish of food deprivation.

    We, the followers and citizens and taxpayers depend on you to do the right thing.

    You all have failed.

    

Book of Mormon Prophecies: Contrasts With the Holy Bible?

    A friend asked me this question, more or less, yesterday, and I realized that I had not had a good or adequate immediate answer. So, I think it would be good to go over this question.

    First of all, the main prophecies or revelations of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, largely coincide and correspond with the Bible's prophecies, revelations, and doctrines. We believe that they align very well, thus making Christ's Gospel, the Anointed One's Good News, congruent and coherent. There is a bit there to absorb, predictions and happenings said of the future.

    The Book of Mormon has some specific revelations that are worth reviewing, though. I thank my friend for this question.

    There are some official Church of Jesus Christ, like this one:

What Unique Doctrines Did the Lord Reveal through the Book of Mormon? | Book of Mormon Central

    There are specific promises and revelations, some are doctrinal and general Christian blessings and truths that go along with the Holy Bible, the Old and New Testaments.

    Of course, the mere existence of the Book of Mormon suggests things that are not accepted by traditional Bible believers. That believers and prophets of the Lord came to the Americas and started civilizations on this side of the world. But apart from the lives and devotions and battles for righteousness that those peoples waged for a thousand years, and more, leaving their witness and testimony of faith in Jesus and His plan of redemption, salvation, and happiness, there are specific prophecies of the peoples of the Americas, who are of the tribes of Israel, who will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus, and bring God's kingdom back to the Earth through the Restoration of All Things. Restitution, Redemption, Glory, and Exaltation. Victory over death and the Adversary, allowing God's children to be one with God and Jesus once more, as were before.

    Christopher Columbus and the U.S. Constitution are alluded to; the American nations are suggested as the bulwark of strength and freedom, blessed through the loins or lineage of the Sons of Israel, Ephraim and Manasseh. Judah and Benjamin, Levites and the rest will be around as well, but particularly the two sons of Joseph will lead the way of the Master, the Holy One of Ancient Israel and the whole world.

    So, how to sum up?

    1. The New World, the Western Hemisphere, will play a large part in the unfolding of the end times of Christ and His imminent and eminent return, His Kingdom, His government, His and His peoples' eternal destiny and plan.

    2. The descendants of the Nephites and Lamanites, and other ancient American nations, the peoples of the Book of Mormon, will play a prominent part in the leading and gathering of all Israel, the Lost Tribes and other, from all the corners of the Earth.

    3. The Gentiles and the Europeans and later others would become the Covenant people of God, helping usher in the winding up scenes of Jesus' advent and reign. The New Millenium. The thousand years of peace.

    4. There are a few more specific prophecies to be mentioned, of which I have to re-visit. However, some distinct revelations are not contained in the Book of Mormon and claimed anciently, but are newer to the world in the modern Prophet Joseph Smith Junior, in the collections of revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants. Like the New Jerusalem to be established in Missouri, and the Saints of the Latter-days to be headquartered in the United States, more or less, the temple worship and redemption of all mankind, living and dead, would be centered in the New World.

    I need to do more homework and research to discover, or re-find and renew my knowledge of such matters. It all can blend, all the holy scriptures and prophecies. Revelations are there to be found.

    Thanks again, my brother in Jesus.

Late Night Poetry, or Thoughts

   We work and toil,

    Try to get some breaks

    Other times we are lazy,

    Or too focused on things of little matter

    I stay up late

    I think of her, I think of him

    I think of you

    I think of God, and the rest

    There are many

    Some real, some fake

    The real ones are the best

    Like you

    Need to sleep, don't really want to

    But must shut off the brain

    Good night.

    Love you.

    I think I love it all.

    Enough.

 Jon Clinch is a Good Writer - The Stories have their Own Spell

    I am finishing my third book of his. The General and Julia, is the title. Much history and Americana, and good vocabulary and thoughts. Great characterization.

    He digs into our history, fictional and non-fiction, and makes it more interesting, more curious, more possible. He is quite outstanding at fashioning his stories.

    I do not need, nor want to write like him, but he is a definite stand out.

    I read him for his last name, originally, I read more of his work because he does a good job. He has gotten to know his subject matter immaculately. And it is entertaining and educational. Best of all worlds.

Indiana Declines the NIT, Compounding their Problems

    The way you get better is playing together, developing chemistry, and becoming better individually and as a group. Mike Woodson of all people should know this. He played for Bobby Knight on an IU NIT champion in 1979, right? In between NCAA championship teams. The players on the 1979 team assuredly gelled more, developed better strengths

    Ugh. We cannot even repeat success as a pattern, let alone on the court. IU is pretty dumb! I hate that. I wish the coaches, players, and everyone related to Indiana University men's basketball could be smarter. Me, too.

    But no. The program seems to be in shambles upon further review. Can Jakai Newton hang around and be part of the answer? Is Gabe Cupps part of the answer? Will Malik Reneau come back 

as a junior, or Ke'lel Ware, or... We do have Leal and Galloway, but they may not be the answers.

    Our best and only commit for next year de-commited. What is going on?

    I have lost my faith in this system, after Mike Davis, Kelvin Sampson, Tom Crean, and Charlie Miller.

    Can Woodson right the ship?

    I have my serious doubts; I and the rest of Hoosier nation are growing older and grey as we wait for a resurgence of what happened under the General, Robert Montgomery Knight.

    He died last fall, but his great players and teams have been gone a lot longer.

    Wisconsin beat Purdue today. They are smart.

    IU, not even competing in the National Invitational Tournament?

    Yikes.

    We are kind of cursed, and we bring a lot of it on ourselves.

    I did not send after Friday night when I wrote this... No Saturday. In any regard, Indiana has been a loser for too long.

    Indiana has to be better. Please.

O for Nebraska - IU Hoosiers May Not Make NIT in 2024

    Not a bad run at the end, but many things were wrong this season.

    We need the NIT. Please, more experience for these young dudes.

    More later.

 Writing Helps - Sports are Safe[r]

    Some drink coffee, some drink booze. Others smoke or take drugs. Some do things in excess, like eat, or other things. Like watch a lot of different entertainment. I like watching certain live sports, perhaps that is a drug. My drug, or opiate, or stimulant. Some people like to fish, some hunt, some race, or drive. Or sail. Or read. Or pour over reports, or analysis, or investments, or trades and stocks and funds. Some people write and play music. Some have all kinds of hobbies. Some work more, or serve, or tinker. Some preach. Some minister. Others tinker, and others figure

    Making money makes sense. Good habits and actions if you can do it. Some of us poorer, less financially savvy schmucks pay attention to the vagaries of organized sports, like in college and professional levels. Me, I am a sucker and a chump, virtually an addict for college basketball. I love it, I hate, I want some more of it.

    However, what I do not want in college basketball at the end of this season is for seven teams, that are more or less good enough, to win the final night in April. No more championships for the following. And then I will explain why.

    The No-No No More List:

    North Carolina (6 all time)

    Kentucky (8 all time)

    Duke (5 all time)

    UConn (5 all time. Really?)

 

    Kansas (three all time?)

    Villanova (three all time)

    Baylor (One all time)

    Anyone else in the tourney would be all right with me. Purdue, Houston, Tennessee, Auburn. Who else threatens? Iowa State, St. Mary's, Creighton, Marquette. Of course, my BYU Cougars would be so awesome to go all the way, and on some streak of amazing luck my long shot Indiana Hoosiers would be incrediball. Anyone but the above seven. Why?

    The UNC Tar Heels of Chapel Hill, stealers and drug dealers:

    Enough of these Indiana talent stealers! They have won rings three times since Indiana last won its last ring in 1987, with Indiana big men. One from Indianapolis, the second from Bloomington, the last from Jasper. They won again without any Hoosier players more recently, but still. Enough, North Carolina! Enough of your rings. How many now? Six? Ugh. Stop. At least this year they have no Hoosiers either. Win the right way. Use your own guys. Not my home state's.

    The Duke Blue Devil barf bags:

    Ugh, they are so cool (read: gross) and All-Americans play there every single year for decades. ENOUGH! Bob Knight's protege Mike Coach K Krwzshevski -- I can never spell it, has fashioned them into a perennial power. Anyway, the legendary coach who recently retired, Coach K, got five championships, just him, which is a modern record since the Wizard of Westwood did his craziness in the 1960s and 70s. Krzyzewski was under our Indiana guy's tutelage and then went on to outdo him, especially in recruiting.

    The Kentucky Weasel Wildcat Whackos:

    When IU won its fifth NCAA championship when I was in high school (1987), we tied Kentucky with five all time. The Weasels have won three more since; but have had 95 percent better talent. Tired of you, you rodent swine! You guys cheat a lot, and luckily for the rest of us, you have not won more. I hope you know that IU and Indiana will play you again and again, and we are not afraid to visit your arena, as you have been with ours. More like Scaredy Cats. Yeah.

    The University of Connecticut Homer Hateful Huskies:

    Ugh, they win again and again, and make me feel old. They win it all, too much, consistently in the last quarter century. They had the miracle run back in 2011, and they won it before and since. Last year, too. Which would make it especially egregious if they won it all in 2024. Go back to Alaska and mush on up there, Husky dogs! 

 Existential Poetry - Dealing with Mortality, Thinking About Things

    Driving back home, I see a guy

    He reminded me of a man--

    That I was friends with the last few years

    Who was alive on this earth till Sunday morning

    Not so, now

    I'm sorry, that is blunt

    I'm sorry, that is real

    This is life, then comes death

    Edgar Allen Poe was haunted by it

    And continues to perpetuate across our minds and spheres and tomes

    Shelves of yesteryear present with us still

    

    Death

    The word does not say it all. And,

     Death connotates what once was living, 

    Which is a good thing.

    But death is there. It is a constant, a reminder, a friend and an enemy.

    It is the other side of the coin.

    

    The reminders and remembrances come from all directions.

    There are many more dead than there are living.

    Newborns come, and come, gratefully, but the dead steadily move on.

    And up.

    And down.

    Some disintegrate, either fast or slow.

    Not trying to be morbid,

    Just want to explain.

    Understand.

    Analyze. Figure out.

    The most times unknowable and mysterious.

    The immortal comes from mortal, many hope.

    Even Buddhists.

    Even pagans.

    The monotheistic or celestial religions have their heavens.

   But many Jewish folks have lost their faith in the afterlife, I have observed.

    This is too bad.

    

    The God of Abraham and Isaac do not promise death as a finality.

    Nor do the Buddha and all the Hindu gods and goddesses.

    Not sure about the Shinto, or even Taoists.

    So, what am I saying? 

    Shakespeare was not sure, and spoke of it through Hamlet and many others.

    Harold Bloom, the literature guru, rhapsodied of it,

    At least through his critical loves and languishing tastes

    We will all meet him again, perhaps.

    And see Kurt Vonnegut in heaven.

    For now, we have the now and living.

    The survivor recuperates in the hospital,

    A few roads away.

Tribute to a Co-Worker and Friend - Waiting on Website to Publish my Tribute

    In case it did not capture, perhaps it was too long, or was not accepted, I wanted to write about this man. I believe that I owe him this. Him, Gregory, his family, who I think deserves credit for the quality of person he was. I owe it to myself, as it hurts to lose such a fine person, we owe it to my Guard community, his friends and other colleagues, to my nation, to my race. The human race. Perhaps my original tribute entry was considered too preachy. I don't think so, but we shall see if it gets published on: Gregory Bruington Obituary - C. C. Carter Funeral Home, Inc. - Newport News - 2024 (legacy.com)

    I owe it to God, and His Son Jesus. I owe it to all I know and believe, and have faith in.

    Call me preachy. Sure.

    Background: I learned that he died Sunday morning in a car wreck or accident, and our mutual friend survived and she is in critical condition. Prayers and love to her and hers.

    I got to know Bruington in 2018, I think, probably the springtime. It was our drill to shoot on the range, especially the M-240, a crew-serve weapon. At Fort AP Hill, now known as Mary Walker.  We were partners on this weapon that uses two soldiers to maintain. I think it was likely we rode down in the same truck together, convoying with the rest of our company. He may have driven, but that first time it could have been me. I think we ended up both being drivers a lot for our unit. Dependable, safe. I think that is safe to say about he and me as drivers. 

    We were on one part of the range, and no one came to pick us up. We were told to walk the mile or more to the next range. We did. The spring day got warm, it was sunny; we de-bloused as we walked. We were hoofing it and not complaining too bad. I told him I had done this shooting exercise plenty of times before, and normally that is not part of the routine. Left to hike and hep the gear.  But he made no complaints. This was our job, we were paid to move and shoot, and we did.

    That is a decent, peaceful memory. The weapon, that we shared the burden of, the big dog, and me. On a warm spring Saturday. Or possibly Friday.

        I got to be Bruington's squad leader, as I was being groomed to promote and be a leader. I enjoyed the comradery; I am not sure how much Bru liked me as his leader, but he was good to me. Pleasant, solid, cool. I am an older soldier, either a relic or an odd outlier. I try my best, probably come up short a bit. But Bruington was cool and supportive to me. For years. I didn't stay his squad leader that long, we got separated. But we would we see each other and give warm greetings.

    He would come into our drill weekends early and stay overnight in favorite parts of the armory. He would sleep on a cot with no complaints. I learned some of the music that he enjoyed. New and different to me. Over the years he did his thing, always collected and smiling, little complaining as some of us like to do. And some quit. Not him. Not a quitter, this guy.

    He had a million-dollar smile, he was a kind person, he was gracious and sweet. I consider him a brother and friend for this life and the life to come.

    I expect to see him afresh and give him a good hug. I think we will rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    It occurs to me now that he could be Muslim, and if so, perhaps the family or website does not want to propagate my Christian message and utterances of faith and devotion to Jesus in his final eulogies.

    So be it. If he is Muslim, I accept and love him the same. I have other close friends in the Muslim community; I consider them my brothers and sisters, along with all of God's children.

    Us Christians, Muslims, Jewish, pagans, and quite a few atheists will all end up doing things together in the Hereafter, I believe.

    I could be wrong. But one thing that I cannot be wrong about is that I love this guy, and he will be missed by me and many others. 

    I will see this brother again, and there will be smiles and laughs, perhaps a bit more work and hoofing, with a pleasant disposition, and music and joy.

    See you in the next life, Mr. Bruington. You left me and us better than when you found us.

    

    

    

From Jason A. to Timothy W. - Conjuring Up Glimpses (Not to the Ws)

 From Jason A. to Timothy W. (Leora B.) - Conjuring Up Glimpses

    Jason A. - Nice guy, good guy. He joined the troop of my church's other congregation, Bloomington Second Ward. Not a member of our faith, but interested in Boy Scouting. I have images of buzzed hair, motivated blue eyes, well dressed kid, and joined up in high school in athletic causes, maybe swimming.

    Bryan A. - Like Jason, I likely first met Bryan in middle school, at Binford. Sixth grade. Blue eyes, blonde hair. He was skinny; he liked to play basketball, I recall, when me and others were lounging around after lunch. I did not follow up with him much, but I think he was a nice guy. I seem to remember him being critical of some teacher or something at school... Hazy memories; I think I remember some sharp words.

    Elizabeth A. - Perhaps she was one of the five new girls in my fifth-grade class. That seems right. She was smart, like Leora B., who comes next. I am not sure I had many classes with her 6th through 12th. Likely freshman and junior year honors English, maybe a couple others. I expect she went on to good academics somewhere, and maybe I used to know where.

    Leora B. - One of the five new young ladies in Mrs. Daniel's class. I recall Katherine and Becky, were like cousins, and moved on to University or Dyer Middle School. They, like the country kids bussed in to downtown area, more or less, by campus, diverged from us. Leora was precociously smart and skipped 4th grade to be with us in fifth. I spoke to her later in college. Already divorced from an Irani guy. Lost track since. But, I did see and talk to her after high school!

    This remembering specific things is hard to do! I think I would have been much fresher at this exercise at age 25. I mentioned hair of the young men. Elizabeth tended to have long hair, and Leora's was usually shorter. Brown or darker hue.

    Hair, eyes, skin, shapes. Words, actions, looks, classes. Attitudes. Clothing, tastes. 

    Gonna take a break there. Through Leora B.

 Missing Classmates, Missing Memories 

    There is a website that I visit on occasion--regularly--but perhaps with significant gaps between, like the phases and spaces of our lives. We go days, weeks, months, even years, between some of our life connections. This web page was created by some of my 1989 high school graduate cohorts, and it sums up a bit of us over time. 35 years since that day in May, the time has come and gone. It documents deaths of our classmates, and the missing ones who have not registered. 

    There are 195 of us who have registered on this site, to record a bit of our lives, to keep up with old cohorts and children turned adults from one year at the end of the Cold War to another. Most of went many separate ways. There have been some reunions. I missed the 10 year, missed the twenty year (which was well attended, I learned), made it to the small 25th year get together, and missed the 30th. I am not sure if there is a 35th, which would be in a few months.

    We are now of age! Most of us will have made or broke a career by now. Some of us are gone, the last being a sweet guy named Dave Parker. It was cancer, I have learned. Some 19 deaths are recounted on this page; I think I knew a majority-- they are part of life's footnotes now. Living or dead, most of us are in the footnotes anyway.

    If my valedictorian friend Jason is correct, there were 455 of us graduates of Bloomington South back in the last year of the 80s. He was proud of being number one in grades, and still is. Rightly so, not a bad achievement. We had some smart students. Some dumb ones, too, of which I could sometimes fit. We could be of both ilk, us Purple Panthers. Ilk, plural? I meant it that way. More than one ilk.

    By that math, 195 living accounted for, 19 passed on, subtracted from my memory of Jason's statement of 455, that leaves... 241 missing classmates. We are supposed to contact them, according to our page, and connect them to the administrators to be added to our active list of members. I have had contact with a few of them, and they are still not a part of our digital lair of names and notes. 

    I mentioned it to a couple, like Stacey, but to no avail. Yet. We shall see over time. At least I have accountability for some of my chums and mates.

    Why does it all matter? Good point. Well, for that matter, why does anything matter? For me, I am nostalgic and curious; I like to see differences and commonalities over time. I like history, and I enjoy to discover if I am a part of it or not, and no matter what, if I can observe and comment on the whole lot. Curious, our lives and doings. Or not. Take it as you will. 

    So, 241 potential missing mates and memories. Many of the names I do not know. Some of them I know vaguely. Some of the people I have keener recollections of from middle school, or even elementary school. We were a small class from my original Elm Heights, but most of us stayed the course till our senior year. And now, so separate, it seems to be. Never, or ever to be re-united? Seems less likely. Such is life, c'est la vie, and all other valid cliches.

    Who, or whom shall I list and mention some old yarns or glimpses of sketches of thoughts of yesteryear? This is from the list of 241, or 230, or whatever the March 11, 2024 queue contains:

    Jason A.

    Bryan A.

    Elizabeth A.

    Leora B.

    Julie B.

    Beth. B.

    Matthew B.

    Robert B.

    Tammy C. 

    Curtis C. 

    Samantha C.

    Wendy C.

    James C. 

    Eric D.

    Bena D.

    Jodi E.

    Greg E.

    Kristi E.

    David G.

    Stanley G.

    Molly G.

    Kimberly G.

    Manuel G.

    Peter H.

    Ric H.

    Daniel H.

    Kimberly J.

    Scott J.

    Christopher K.

    Hugh L. 

    Patrick L.

    Jennifer M.

    Amy M.

    Michelle M.

    David M.

    Kelli M.

    John M.

    Elizabeth N.

    Nicholas O.

    Katherine O.

    Lisanne P.

    Travis P.

    Frank P.

    Amy P.

    Linda P.

    Jennifer R.

    Mark R.

    Douglas R.

    Dalia R. 

    Steven R.

    Peter S.

    Brian S.

    Christopher S.

    Anthony S.

    Raymond S.

    Robert S.

    Mark T.

    Brian T.

    Jason V.

    Steve W.

    Anthony W.

    Margaret W.

    Brad W.    

    Scot W.

    Tom W.

    Timothy W.

    

    Not all are missing to me, but the memories are fading; some impressions will be shared. Maybe we can re-awake the 1980s in some way. For what cause or purpose? To remember some life.

Punching their Tickets to the Dance: Drake, Stetson, Longwood. Who? Where?

    Oh, yeah. And Morehead State, which is somewhere in Kentucky.

Drake beat Indiana State, which is a blow to Terre Haute fans and Indiana folks. Oh, Drake, wherefore art thou? 

    I looked it up in in my Lindy's Sports mag, purchased hopefully last fall. Des Moines, Iowa. I used to know that... I knew that! Like Butler is to Indy, or Belmont to Nashville, or something. Way to go, Drake. Crush the Sycamores for another decade, after finally making it to the top 25 for the first time since Larry Bird in 1979. The Missouri Valley Conference, by the way.

    Stetson. South Carolina, perhaps? Uhhh... Deland, Florida? The Atlantic Sun Conference. They were picked to finish in the top 2 to 4. Not bad... Still got to find out what their mascot is. They have a stud son of a former NBA baller, Blackmon..

    And where in Florida is Deland? It would be there where there is not so much Dewater, I suppose. Of course, we know that Florida pretty much has water every where you turn.

    Longwood! The Lancers! I know that this is the back Appalachian type way of southwest Virginia. They won the ... which conference? Lessee... The Big South Conference, of course. I knew some people who attended schools in this one.

    The name of the town is Longwood, I thin... Now, to get a map or geolocator!

    These might be the schools slaying the giants of hardwood in a few short weeks!

    PS: My formerly stinky Hoosiers eked out a win over Michigan State today. By a seven foot whisker.

    And March will move on, with more automatic qualifiers from little-known towns and areas and conferences. Long live the game, love the game.

    And perhaps the Sycamores of Vigo County, Indiana will have a respectable enough resume to be invited instead of automatically qualled. Ya never know.

    The Madness leaves us wondering.

    Maybe even the Boilermakers can win something nationally for once, since before World War II when they created this NCAA tournament.

    Basketball.