What do you write when you blog on the 4th of July?  Do you go with trivia, trivial, practical, sentimental, clever? Before I go there, I must remark that I suppose it's good that the holiday falls on a Friday this year giving us a 3 day weekend and all. Personally, however, I like when it come on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, allowing you to create a mini vacation. Trivia: the vote on the Declaration of Independence was on July 2nd and the Union was saved on that same day at Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg. 

I may be a News Junkie and, if so, I'd like to consider going on a twelve-step program.

Did you allow yourself the full experience?  Away on vacation with family, I convinced a bunch of people who weren't normally sports fans to go out to watch the U.S. World Cup soccer match versus Belgium in the knockout round.  It was met with lukewarm interest, but they all came out with us.    

Last Wednesday, my daughter graduated from high school. It was a memorable night in our family but even more memorable for another local family.

This past winter I cleaned out our storage closet.  Not only reorganized it, but got rid of stuff and made more room.  It looked much cleaner and less cluttered.  Not any more.  Now it is filled with baby stuff.  

My 2008 Saab 93 has over 157,000 miles and is showing signs of age. She is consuming oil and coolant and is a bit noisy while going over bumps.   We've been through a lot together. Trips as far south as South Carolina and as far north as Buffalo. I spend so much time in my car, it's kind of like a second home. It's also the preferred vehicle for the Traveling Willbury's...with all the lively banter and laughs that we enjoy.   Since I'm a stick shift guy, my choices are unfortunately limited. Here's the selection so far:  

Times sportswriter Harvey Araton wrote last week that "Suffering is good. It reinforces character, resolve and commitment. Experienced in public it exposes vulnerability. Handled with class, it heightens likability."Talk about imparting the Secrets of the Universe!  This is a one stop shop verity which resonates very strongly with me. After growing up in the carefree, "Happy Days" 1950s I took things for granted and as a consequence experienced a devastating failure in my early adulthood which changed my life and transformed me. And you?