Got me an update of this here blogging software and it may take some getting used to. No matter, I’m plugged in and ready to roll. I missed blogging yesterday because Ev and I stayed up quite late on Friday night to watch the Celtics will the Eastern Conference Championship against the Pistons. It was well worth staying up for. Their prospects against the Lakers are not as good but that is what makes it so interesting. I’m big on underdogs so I’ll be pulling for the homies on Tuesday. Well, the next door neighbors anwyay since we do not live in Massachusetts. And on top of it all, Manny Ramirez hit his 500th career home run last night in the Red Sox game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. We all knew it was coming but we just didn’t know when. Good for Manny. Everyone needs milestones.

I guess I’m a little more of a sports guy these days than I used to be. Maybe it was all those late night steel cage death matches that got me adrenaline pumping. Maybe I’m getting a little more interested in getting behind the underdogs as I get older since being an underdog all my life I can finally appreciate what that’s all about. As life around me becomes more transparent, and some may refer to this as the kind of wisdom one accrues throughout a lifetime, I am less tolerant of the overbearing and those who think they are entitled. Whether it be Hillary Clinton or Big Brown, I expect battles to be waged on a fair and level playing field thereby giving the underdog a chance. When they are not, expect me to be weighing in on the side of the underdog. That is just who I am these days.

Hey, it’s June 1st. Who knew. Let’s give a shout out to brother Dave whose birthday is coming around on the 4th. God rest his soul. You have to wonder if he were still alive what he would be doing. Would he have a family of his own? Children? Dogs? Cats? Nah, Dave wasn’t a cat guy. Clark Wooley was a cat guy. Not Dave. A job he enjoyed and friends he could count on? As brothers and sisters, we would be there for him as we always were when he was alive. As much as I resisted giving in to his demands for things like cars, money, and favors, he knew I would relent. I don’t have a clear recollection of how reciprocal that relationship was but I think it was a bit of a one way street. A small price to pay for years of hand-me-downs and letting me tag along with his friends since my friends were not nearly as much fun and free wheeling as his. The closest I ever came to feeling cool as a yoot was when I was hanging out with he and his friends. They were never hanging out with me, but rather I with them. That was enough for me. I was the little brother that could. Dave was the man.

Thank you to brother Wally for the very nice pic of Carli and canine. I hope to post a slideshow today of Ev and his baseball ecxcitations so do pay a visit to see him. I read about layoffs at the hospital and hope that all is well with Denise. Jim called last night but I was not in to get his call so I’ll have to ring him up today to get the scoop. Yo, Mr. Clean. How’s life? Maybe he is Mr. Clean with a hairline. Mr. straight and narrow. Mr. lookin’ good and feeling fine. I hope Kathy is holding up under the stress of her circumstances. I guess she should have seen it coming. No matter, change is hard and there are seemingly few alternatives. Maybe, just maybe, it wil be the impetus she needs to find her footing once again. A new start as it were. Some people find it quickly. Some take a lifetime and never find it. We’ll hope only good things for Kathy and her family. I’m pleased to know as well that Lise is settled and just where she wants to be as I’m told. For those of us who want to know how to be true to who we are in this life, Lise is the shining example of that concept. Give her a hug for me the next time you see her.