Do you wanna dance?

The lineup of celebrities appearing on ABC Network's "Dancing with the Stars" was announced Monday.

Here is a bold prediction. Florence Henderson (Carol Brady on the Brady Bunch) will top former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner in the finals.

Actor David Hasselhoff will be eliminated when KIT his car in "Knight Rider" runs over the judges.

Sorry to disappoint and not go with actress Jennifer Grey as the winner. "Baby" will be left in the corner because her "Dirty Dancing" moves will be ruled to exotic.

As for "The Hills"star (Audrina Patridge) and Jersey Shore cast member (Mike "The Siutation" Sorrentino), they are toast.

Bristol Palin will opt out of the competition when she becomes engaged for a third time to Levi Johnston.

Yes, I am hurt they did not ask this chair dancer to take center stage.

To the friends taking care of loved ones or parents

When you think you have it bad because you don't get recognized for doing something, think of a friend or a neighbor.

One who is taking care of a sick loved one.

These are the people who wish they could have back the times that were wasted arguing over silly stuff. Just so they can say, I'm sorry and fill that time with questions or stories.

I do not have hard days. I have days that make me grow.

There will come a time when I have to make tough choices about parents.

For those of you already there, I wish you power and love.

Keeping the faith is what we need to do in these times.

The dream still lives

On Aug. 28, 1963, Martin Luther King stood at the top of the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

He used the moment to talk about a dream. It was and is a key moment in the civil right movement.

The Lincoln Memorial was again the site of a big rally on Aug. 28, 2010. Political commentator Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally was held with tens of thousand in attendance.

At the same time a rally celebrating the anniversary of King's speech was held by Rev. Al Sharpton.

Is Beck really wanting to restore honor and God in the United States? Or was he trying to steal from King's moment on the National Mall lawn?

I see it as a time for all to practice their constitutional rights, expressing free speech.

It will be up to you to decide what to make of the marches and rallies.

One thing is for sure, people are realizing we need to have our voices heard again. Our leaders seem to have earplugs in their ears.

Another important thing for us to do is research the facts.

I get nervous when we take things without questioning or looking into claims by anyone.

In this technology age, it is easy for us to look up information and research.

I recommend we do that.

A sunset that was a beginning

I watched a sunset Wednesday night. It dipped into the water and as it left gave me beautiful reds that painted the clouds that hid the fire ball most of the day.

It was not the end of a day, but the sign that another exciting adventure awaited in a few hours.

This morning my friend el sol is back with me.

And it is dancing in a sky that is blue with a dash of clouds on the horizon.

It is a beautiful day.

The countdown to 50 has commenced

The countdown to the 50th birthday has started.

I quietly celebrated birthday No. 49 earlier this week.

It is the way I wanted it.

I said a birthday bash can be held in my honor when I turn 50. That doesn't mean I will be there. I could be wandering the Rocky Mountains in search of my real place in this world.

There are so many people I need and want to thank for helping become the person I am. So many who have been there at the time I most needed them.

It starts with Mom and Dad and includes grandparents, aunts and uncles, children, nieces and nephews, the parents of friends, teachers, employers, priest and pastors, teachers and people I only had the opportunity to meet once.

At times I wonder if I have let you all down. I have my moments.

But through those and the challenges and the battles, those lessons have helped me keep moving and keep living.

Over the next 300-plus days, I will celebrate all the lessons, journeys, adventures, heart break, triumphs and what the future will bring.

I am feeling fine at 49. I just forgot that when I was 25 it looked so far away.

Learning to be an ear

At the end of the work day, I talked to a co-worker.

He had been working on a project and doing another good job. He cares about his work.

I was looking over some of his work and kind of barked at him. I do it because he wants to get better. It was gruff people who taught me to grow and improve.

As I was explaining why I did something, I told him, "I know I can be an ass some times, but I am working on being a nose more often."

It drew a laugh from another co-worker.

As I was driving home, I thought about the statement.

It is true. I need to grow myself and that means learning to say tough things in a positive way. That does not mean to baby co-workers.

I am sure in time I will learn to be a big toe or even an elbow.

I feel I am a bad ass at times, but my bark is worst then my ass chewing.

I just have to learn more body parts.

These are the days

Here it is Sunday night. again.

Damn, where did my weekend go?

Oh, that's right, I slept part of it away. There was the yard work and then the lazy bug hit me.

No complaining.

I sat on the porch this afternoon looking out at the yard.

It was May just two weeks ago. My friends who are teachers were happy they were at the end of a school year. Other friends were making plans for vacations, baseball games and parties.

All right then. Who stole our summer?

As brutally hot as it has been this summer, I want to bottle up as much of this as I can for winter. Reports are coming in that it will be a snowy, cold one here in the Great Lakes region.

A 110 heat index will cut that 20-below wind chill as I am running the snow blower.

Again, no complaints.

A year after reconnecting with classmates and friends, I am very thankful to be here sitting at the kitchen table writing.

Life is marching on.

I just wish I could find the slowdown button.

Enjoy another work week.

Co-workers, friends and journeys

Friday was bittersweet at the newspaper.

It was the last day of work for a summer intern, who is the son of a co-worker. The day also marked the singing debut of another co-worker.

Both of these gentlemen I have worked with for 24 years.

We started in sports and one-by-one moved over to news side.

Through good and bad, we have been there.

This summer I had the pleasure of working closely with the one co-worker's son. The son is a gem.

Dad has been hard on him as an editor, but also has seen his son has talent that has helped us with our website. The young man is heading off to college for his freshman year.

For the first time, father and son will be apart. We will be there to get his father through.

As for the co-worker who is the aspiring singer, we in the newsroom have been entertained by him for years.

Now, with a web cast on the paper's website, he sings a song once a week.

Forget that he doesn't know how to read notes, or that he is three, four, five beats ahead of where the song is, he loves to belt it out. And he thinks a key is what you use to open a locked door.

We tease him but the entertainment value is priceless.

Friday was a good day.

I watched as our journeys continued and other ones were beginning.

Where do the weekends go?

Here is it almost 8 o'clock on Sunday night.

Can someone tell me what happened to my weekend?

They are just zipping by me.

Friday evening it was cut the grass and edge. Saturday to me was a blur.

Then Sunday rolls in and I start hearing the drums of Monday. Another work week starting.

Maybe, just maybe, I am relaxed and enjoying the time whether it is yard work or just sitting in the big lounger watching a movie.

Better yet, it probably has to do with reaching middle age. It is all down hill and that just speeds everything up.

Here's to another week of life, living and battling the evil empire.

Another place where leaks need plugged

Whenever they get done plugging the oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, the crew members are encouraged to head to Washington, D.C.

Since this mud and cement solution is pushing oil back, it appears this stuff can help plug the leaks that come out of the nation's capital on a daily basis.

This might just do the trick.

It has also been suggested they use this goop to clog the pipelines of special interest groups and lobbyists.

It's just a thought.

Pulling weeds

Late Sunday afternoon, armed with a small spade, I took to weeding the lawn.

Forget the weed killer.

Not only was it a way to go green. It was a way to sweat and enjoy quality time.

Some of the weeds can be pesky, but it reminds me that some times we have to be patient.

Then there are those weeds that have a strong root system. Taking time to get to the root of a problem makes us understand and maybe educates us.

Those weeds that are like an octopus challenge us to round up all the arms or shoots to corral the beast.

For an hour, I battled the weeds.

In that time, I also thought about life. We have to take time to clean things up to give us a better picture.

That's the lesson for today.

Wait until I prune a tree or two. Now that is some heavy lumber to talk about.