Paula Jo Mirkle

My niece Paula is now a married woman. Wow, that’s pretty cool. I won’t go into all the “but it was just yesterday when Paula was a little girl” mush. She met the man of her dreams and smart girl, made sure he didn’t get way. Tom is a wonderful man and is going to take very good care of my niece. He is a great addition to the family.

The wedding took place in Van Wert, Ohio. Van Wert is famous for, uh, I don’t know, not being too far from Lima, Ohio, which is famous for, uh, okay never mind. Van Wert is a little Ohio town not too far from the Indiana border.

We stayed the night before in a motel in Van Wert. Dorene and the kids attended the rehearsal. I was supposed to, but didn’t make it. You see, Dorene gave me directions. I sort of listened to them, and sort of didn’t. The part I heard was that the church was right next to a drive-in theatre that had been destroyed by a tornado. I didn’t listen to the part where she gave the name of the church. Why? Because I’m a guy. No, because I knew where that theatre was at. So that’s where I went. Nope, no church here. I ultimately just went to the motel. Dorene’s explanation was that, well, the church was by “something” that had been destroyed. Okay, fine.

We got to the church the next morning extra early for the wedding, because the junior bridesmaid was none other than our very own Anna Lynn. Cameron was not part of the wedding, which is a very good thing, because at some point, he would have ended up trying to swim in the baptismal.

The wedding started with a prologue of sorts, which consisted of a slide show put together by my nephew Jonathon, who is pretty good at this stuff. This day was also Jonathon’s birthday, a fact that Paula took a lot of (evil) delight in. Then came the parade of the wedding party. The last two in were Anna, who was escorted by my nephew Curt, who on this day was not wearing his AC/DC by way of Metallica inspired by Ozzy Osborne circa Billy Idol attire. We were nervous about how Anna would handle being in front of everyone. But on the way down the aisle she gave a wink to Aunt Joyce, so we knew she would be just fine.

Officiating the ceremony was none other than Paula’s dad and my brother, Stu. I wasn’t sure how he’d get through it without tearing up. Hey, this was his little girl! But he did just fine. If he did get choked up, he hid it well. He did a great job officiating the wedding. My dad led the congregation in singing “To God be the Glory.” During the ceremony, Anna spotted Uncle Steve in the audience and gave an oh so subtle wave, that I’m not sure anyone else saw. She completely kept her composure, and did the wave kind of under her bouquet so it wasn’t obvious.

The wedding was just the right length. Afterwards, we gathered in the church fellowship hall for the reception, which Joyce and company did a bang-up job of decorating. Oh yes, then there was the extra touch that Curt added. They had this chocolate fountain, and next to it were several items for dipping into it, such as strawberries, cookies, marshmallows, cake, and fish sticks. Yes, Curt had threatened Paula for a long time about doing this, and sure enough, fish sticks were there by the chocolate fountain. Paula was (mock) horrified at this and they were taken away before someone actually decided to eat one. Anna and Cameron each ate about 3 pounds of chocolate between them, which meant bedtime would not be coming anytime soon.

We eventually made our way to the parking lot and saw Tom and Paula drive off together to begin their new life. Stu wasn’t showing it, but I’m sure this part kind of got to him, because at this point, his little girl was truly grown up now.

"Dennie Donates to Al Gore"

Yes, last night I donated money to Al Gore! It's okay, I haven't crossed over. I went and saw "An Inconvenient Truth," the documentary which basically consists of an Al Gore slide show on global warming. That may not sound like the most exciting way to spend your time in a movie theatre, but I have to admit, it was really good.

Does Gore make a case for global warming? Yes, he does. Although, it's not him making the case, but instead a litany of scientific facts that are presenting the case. I will admit to being rather skeptical of the whole global warming thing and have always seen it as something that will affect us in, oh, maybe about a 1000 years, so nothing to get too worked up about. But the facts are there. It's not the earth getting old on us, it's humans sending noxious gasses into the atmosphere. It is really hard to argue with the science presented here. Gore indicates that we can indeed do something about it, and cites the changes in regulations with aerosols that helped alleviate the problems with the depletion of the ozone layer. The problem with global warming is one that can be solved, but we have to want to do it. Yes, that means all those big bad corporations beloved by Republicans have to climb aboard. If you follow politics much, you'll know that global warming, and Al Gore's cause to alert us to it, have been the punchline of many a Republican gathering.

But what can we do about it? There were 6 of us in the theatre that night, and I don't think we all left deciding to make this our cause. The first thing I caught myself doing when I left the theatre was saying, "Hey look, there's a poster for the Pirate's sequel." I drove home in my non-hybrid car, turned up the air conditioning because I wanted it cool, and kept some lights on all night. Woke up the next day and went to work, kind of forgetting all I learned the previous night.

So even though I believe Al Gore and what he's talking about, I'm not sure what will happen. Republicans stay far away from global warming as a campaign issue and you didn't exactly see the Democrats embracing it during the Clinton/Gore years in the White House (the last major piece of environmental legislation was the amendments to the Clean Air Act during Bush I).

But, I see this as a potential issue . . . for the evangelical base of the Republicans! If they could get over the fact they'd be admitting to something that Al Gore has been warning us about, this is an issue they could basically steal from the left and make it their own. Gore says it's a moral issue, not a political one, and he's right. As Christians, are we not stewards of God's creation? What better way to express this than to get on board and make global warming our hot button issue (and for once, not abortion, gay rights, and school prayer).

Not sure if it would happen, but I would embrace such a seismic policy shift in the Republican Party. We'll have to wait and see, but I don't believe any significant change will take place unless it's the evangelicals leading the way, and wow, what a site that would be to have us at the forefront of this issue that truly affects millions, especially those in poor and underdeveloped areas of the world. Plus, this would just absolutely freak out the Greenpeace activists if the Republicans were suddenly at the forefront of the environmental issues.

A Pleasant Surprise

Today was staff appreciation day at IU South Bend. The whole day is set aside for fun and games. At the opening breakfast, the Chancellor gives some remarks and then employees are recognized for their years of service (those for 5 years, 10 years, etc). Then they give an award to a staff member called the Spirit Award. This is voted on by the professional staff and goes to a staff member that best exemplifies going that extra mile for students, staff and faculty alike.

Well, this year, the award went to me. I was pleasantly surprised and also quite honored that my fellow colleagues viewed me in this light. I am not one that seeks the spotlight or looks to have my deeds at work constantly confirmed or uplifted (no ego to stroke here). But knowing I have the respect and admiration of those I work with really was a nice gesture on their part.

Rick, Table Tennis King (for now)

For a year and a half, I have been going to the South Bend Table Tennis club on Thursday nights where they have a round robin tournament. I played for years and years growing up but took about a 20 year hiatus from playing regularly and have now gotten back into the swing of things.

This is really a fun club. Only for the serious player. It is run by Dan Seemiller, a former U.S. champion and coach of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team. There are some really, really good players that come out. One of them is Mark Hazinski, who was on our Olympic team in Athens in 2004. Another is AJ Brewer, who is one of the top junior players in the nation (he is I think, 10 or 11). Dan Seemiller has a son (Dan, Jr.) who is also very good.

You play against other guys within your own ranking. So no, I'll never play Mark. For a year, I've always basically stayed on the lowest table. I'll sometimes win and get to move up, but then quickly move back down. I've been doing this up and down thing for well over a year. Just can't seem to take it to the next level. So, I was getting kind of discouraged and hadn't been to the club for a couple months.

Well, something clicked last night. I was placed in a higher group this time because there were a lot of first timers there. I went up against guys that all had higher rankings than me. The first guy I played I had no business beating, but did, 3-0. The next one went down, 3-0. Then another one 3-2. Then another, 3-0. I am not sure what happened. One of the guys I beat commented that I must have been playing a lot lately since I was doing so well. Truth is, I hadn't been. I just got in the groove and was suddenly unstoppable.

What this means is the next time the club meets, I'll get to move up to Table 2, which is one step away from where the Olympic players compete. I'll get massacred, but it'll be fun. The unfortunate thing is, it'll be 2 or 3 months before this happens because the club takes a break during the summer.

So, I'll have to wait to continue my quest for glory. Although, maybe this is a good time to hang it up and go out on a high note. So, yes, maybe I'll announce my retirement. Look on ESPN 2 or maybe your local public access channel and see if they cover the live press conference.

A Day Not to Remember

Last Thursday was one of the stranger days I've experienced.

In the morning, I took our dog, Gabby, to the vet. On the way there, I stopped at BK to get something to eat. While there, I saw on the news that Al-Zarqawi had been killed. That is a huge development in Iraq. One can only hope that this finally helps stabilize things over there. But, I wasn't much in the mood to celebrate. Any other day, I've would've watched the news updates all day long to find out more.

But this morning, I was preoccupied as I was taking our dog to the vet. When I left Gabby, I figured it was the last time I'd see her (and in my post of June 9, that was indeed the case).

When I got to work, I had a messge to call Barbara, the secretary in the Social Work program. They were having an orientation for their new students that I was assisting with. I attempted to call her but she was not in. About a half-hour later, there was a lot of activity going on in the lobby. Something happened upstairs and the ambulance was brought in. What happened was that Barbara collapsed and was rushed to the hospital where she died shortly thereafter. One of our staff members, who is a nurse, ran upstairs to adminster CPR, but she was already too far gone.

Meanwhile, as this is going on, another co-worker had to rush out because her father was being taken to the hospital and as it turns out, needed open heart surgery.

Later in the afternoon, I get the call from my vet that Gabby has to be put down.

Then, we get a call from Chicago that Dorene's sister, Dianne, is not doing very good at all. She is in extreme, constant pain and the doctors are totally baffled as to why. She has been hospitalized all week and nothing seems to be working. She is on a pain-killer much more powerful than morphine and it doesn't seem to be helping. So, Dorene and her dad decide to head to Chicago the next day. In the midst of this, I call Dorene and give her the news on Gabby, which she expected, but still was hard.

Back at the office, I am helping the Director of the Social Work program with their orientation. All their students are huddled in our office area as they clear the main lobby to bring the stretcher through. When they asked us to clear out the whole lobby and shut the doors, you knew it was bad, and it was.

All of us are pretty rattled.

Another co-worker gets a call that a relative has lapsed into a coma in New York.

Back home, Dorene is experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. She isn't sure how much of this is physical or mental. She went to the doctor on Wednesday and got a clean bill of health, but she isn't absolutely convinced.

What a day, not one I wish to go through again.

Postscript:
On Monday, Dorene has not slept all night. She is still having the pains and is having a lot of panic attacks. I stay home so she can go to the doctor. Her regular doctor is not in because her father passed away over the weekend. Nothing is found wrong with Dorene. She is given some medication which only serves to make her very sick.

When I call in to work, I'm told that Jeff, in our career services office, will not be in because his mother passed away.

I get a call from my mom. She has been to the eye doctor and the bottom line is that she is going blind. Her left eye is beyond repair and her right away, while still healthy, is giving the doctors much to worry about. Could she have her sight for months or years? We don't know.

What is going on here? But a bit of good news. Diane is doing wonderful and is scheduled to be released today. It's been a wild few days with the steadiest stream of bad news I've ever encountered.

"Cars" Under the Stars

This past weekend, while Dorene was in Chicago visiting Diane, I took the kids to see the new Pixar movie, "Cars." To make it a little more fun, I took them to see it at the drive-in theatre in Plymouth, which is one of several in Indiana but one of only a few left nationwide.

This is a very family-friendly place. They search your car prior to entering for any alcoholic beverages. I have no problem submitting to that kind of search. Also, you have to pay $5.00 if you bring in outside food. The reason is that these theatres are strictly mom and pop operations and the vast majority of their revenue is based on concessions. So, if no one gets anything there to eat, they'll lose money. Also, to get in, it costs $7.00 per adult and $4.00 per kid, and that's for a double feature. So, the money is not rolling in with ticket sales.

We decided to help them out and get all our snacks at their concession stand. This is not your typical snack counter. They have the usual popcorn and stuff, but also burgers, brats, dogs, pizza, chicken tenders, cheese sticks and much more. They urge you to come early, which they claim is to get a good spot to see the screen, but it's actually so you'll also have dinner there.

They also have a playground, so the kids were very much entertained prior to the start of the movie, which got going around 9:15 p.m. (daylight savings time kinda reeks havoc on drive-ins). Prior to the start of the movie, they show theatre ads from the 50's and 60's, urging you to go to the snack bar, which is kinda cool. The one modern day touch is you no longer hear the movie from speakers attached to a pole that you place by your window. All the sound comes through your FM radio.

Back when I lived in Pixley, California, I went to the drive-in on occasion with my brother Stu and his wife Joyce. The one theatre we would go to was the Sequoia Auto Drive-in, which, if it still actually open, I'd be very surprised. It was a dump of rather epic proportions . . .but it was cheap. They charged by the carload, which I think at the time was $5.00. This was for a TRIPLE FEATURE. Of course, not a triple feature of first run movies. The first time I went there we saw the scintillating triple bill of "Love at First Bite," "Harper Valley PTA," and "Ffolkes." This was not the most family-friendly place. In fact, Stu would not let me go the snack bar by myself. But, for the money, definitely a bargain.

As for the movie "Cars," the kids enjoyed it, and I really enjoyed it. Not quite on par with "Finding Nemo" and "The Incredibles," but still top-notch entertainment. We didn't stay for the 2nd feature that night, which was "The Shaggy Dog." It wasn't starting until 11:30 p.m., which is just a little too late.

As for the drive-in, the kids absolutely loved it, so we'll be back. I enjoyed it too, brought back memories of the triple features at the Sequoia Auto. But at least at this place, when the kids get older, I think I'll be able to let them visit the snack bar without armed escort.

Farewell to Christine

Yesterday at work, we said farewell to Christine Richardson, who had been Director of Career Services for the past 6 years. She was headed off to Massachusetts to join her husband, who had gotten a job out there with a local symphony (he had at one time headed the South Bend Symphony).

Christine had a phenomenal tenure here at IU South Bend. She built the Career Services office into a little corner office with virtually no student traffic to a little corner office with non-stop student traffic (hey, this is higher education, job may change, but space doesn't, even if you are doing more). Her efforts and those of her staff resulted in a huge benefit for students and alumni alike. It was truly impressive to see just how much she built up the office. I had the privilege of having her as my supervisor during my brief tenure as Director of Graduate Programs, which was brief because the office was closed.

Christine was a blast to work with, to put it simply. In our weekly Director's meetings, Christine could always be counted on to liven things up. She weathered a lot of good times, and not so good times in the Career office, and we were with her every step of the way. She was never less than 100% professional and the Career Office was a hidden gem withing IUSB, never more so than each March when they hosted a huge career fair which brought in hundreds of employers and job seekers.

For her going away present, I gave her a set of bumper stickers which I felt would make her feel right at home in Massachusetts, which I described as a "freakin' liberal paradise." You see, Christine is a hard core Democrat and I'm, well, not. Needless to say, I had a little fun over the past few years with the election results. But, I told her that I wanted her to feel comfortable where she was going and to remember that us right wing wackos have a sense of humor. The bumper stickers I gave her said:

* Save Our Jobs, Outsource Bush!
* Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry.
* Bush, YOU'RE FIRED!
* Is it 2008 Yet?
* George W. Bush: No Millionaire Left Behind.
* I'm Tired of all the BUSHIT.

Needless to say, it wasn't hard finding these bumper stickers and there were lots and lots to choose from.

Gabby the Dog: 1997 - 2006

Just over a year ago, we had to put our cat, Max, to sleep. Yesterday, we had to do the same for Gabby, our collie mix that had been with us for 9 years. She had developed liver failure and other problemss which had caused her to stop eating and drinking, and the vet indicated there was no cure. The life expectancy for this breed was 10-12 years, so it was not a total shock.

We got Gabby in March of 1997. A colleague of Dorene's indicated she had a dog that had been abandoned along a roadside up in Michigan and they took it in. We went to visit to see if we wanted to take her home. At that time, her name was Callie. We immediately fell in love with her and brought her home.

Why the name switch? Well, she talked! When Britt, Dorene's colleague, called out for her to come in to the house, Gabby just stared at her and howled. This would be Gabby's trademark, and it was always funny to watch.

Although a full sized dog, Gabby liked nothing more than coming in at night and sleeping in our room. She did this every night. Never made a sound or got restless. When we opened the door at night and said "go to bed," she headed straight for the bedroom, plopped herself down on a blanked, and that was it. Same for trips. She loved going for a ride in the van. You asked her if she wanted to go "bye-bye" and she immediately got all excited.

We built a fence in our backyard so Gabby could run loose. She was not a dog that needed much entertaining. She just liked being outside and doing the usual dog things like barking at the mailman (which she did so ferociously). Although, her bark was likely worse than her bite. One day, she got out of the gate, barking at the mailman. The mailman yelled at her to get back in the yard, and Gabby slinked away. However, other people did not know if Gabby would indeed bite their arm off, so she was a good guard dog in that capacity. My grandma used to have a dog named King that I have no doubt would have bit my arm off, just for starters.

Gabby had a special bond with my brother Steve. When Steve would scratch her back, Gabby would just howl in delight. She did not do this with anyone else, just Steve. It was always hilarious to watch and Steve always got a kick out of it.

Last year, we got a puppy. A rat terrier named Daphne. Her and Gabby immediately bonded. We're glad that Gabby had a playmate for the last months of her life. They had a lot of fun together. When we visited Dorene's parents, Gabby loved to explore their big back yard. Daphne would just trail along, going wherever Gabby went like a faithful sidekick.

On Tuesday of this week, Dorene took Gabby to the vet and was told that we could choose to run some tests on her to diagnose the problem. We were given a 60/40 chance that it could come out okay. We were given some antibiotics to try out. After a couple days of this, it was obvious that the problems were very serious and the medicine was not going to work out. It was decided I would take her back in on Thursday to run the tests on her. On Wednesday, we both came to realization that this would be her last day with us. We spent a lot of time in the back yard with her, just sitting with her and petting her. Dorene took a midnight walk with her as her last activity. Going on a walk was what Gabby lived for.

On Thursday morning, Gabby was her usual excited self when I loaded her in the van. At the vet's office, she was very perky and wagging her tail the whole time. When it was time for her to go with the vet to begin her tests, she was very happy. Later that day, the vet called and told me the results of the tests were not very positive. We could choose to bring Gabby home and let her live this out for as long as we could, or, we could choose to remember Gabby as she was. It was clear that if we brought her home, her quality of life would be severely diminished. We don't believe in doing that to animals. So, I gave the go ahead to put her down.

Cameron asked me if Gabby was "smiling" when I left her at the vet's office. The truth is, she was. That was the last image I had of her and it's a good one.

A Daniel Wannabee

I read an article in USA Today about a guy in Russia that lowered himself into the lion pit at a local zoo. He claimed that "If there was a God, he'd keep him safe." The man was immediately mauled by the lion.

Okay, I guess you could go crazy with analogies here on how God will protect us, how we shouldn't test Him, etc. But how about some simple words of wisdom. Uh, stay out of the lion cage.

Are you ready for some futbol?

It's about that time again. The World Cup is set to begin. So, once more, we'll be hearing the following:

• Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Maybe so, but not here in the USA. Okay, so we haven't gotten on board with what the rest of the world likes. SO WHAT! We got the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, NASCAR and the Scripps Spelling Bee. In many countries, soccer is it. Soccer fever just isn't going to happen here.
• Millions of youngsters in the U.S. play soccer, which demonstrates just how popular the sport has become and is ready to take off as a spectator sport. Yes, many play it. But watch it? Not ever going to happen. Got that? Ain't never going to happen. Lots of people ride their bicycles. That doesn't mean we're going to have a "Tour de US" anytime soon that takes the country by storm.
• The U.S. is fielding a good team this year and could possibly make a run. Maybe so. If that's the case, I'll certainly watch, as many will, with interest. But after it's over, it's over. The Olympic hockey team winning the gold medal in 1980 didn't cause a spike in NHL attendance and overall hockey fever. The U.S. women's world cup victory in 1999 was one of the most exciting events I've ever watched, and then I didn't watch another soccer game for years. That particular game caused a brief spike in soccer interest, as a new league was formed. But that league recently folded.
• Soccer is the most exciting sport in the world. Even a 1-0 game is a thing of beauty. Yeah, it's real exciting. You ALMOST have a goal every so often. What sports fan in the U.S. doesn't hope for a 6-3 score in the Super Bowl, a 1-0 score in game 7 of the World Series, a 20-18 score in the NBA finals. Yeah, go defense!
• This will be the year soccer really takes off in the USA as a spectator sport. Uh huh. Kinda like back in the '70's when Pele came ashore and played here in the North American Soccer League. I do believe that league is defunct. Or in 1994, when the U.S. hosted the World Cup, nothing happened. Ever see Major League Soccer games broadcast in prime time? Soccer has been revived many times and it continues to fail as a spectator sport.
• Television ratings in the rest of the world would absolutely dwarf those of American Idol. Yeah, well I'd still rather watch Taylor v. Katherine than Ghana v. Czech Republic.

Once again, the U.S. will be chastised for not "getting it" as to the world-wide popularity of soccer. The thing is, we do get it, we're not interested. I'm not quite sure why we're supposed to feel guilty about that, but so be it.

Civil Political Discourse

Yesterday at work, during a reception for one of our fellow staff members that is leaving, several of us were talking politics. As to be expected in a state university, I was the lone Republican outnumbered by 6 Democrats.

We were talking about the 2008 election and who would run, what the issues would be, etc. All this was done in a very polite, non-confrontational manner. One of the staff members commented how nice it would be if all political debate could be like this, and not so divisive. I agree, it would be refreshing. But that will probably never happen, and both sides are equally to blame.

I did find it interesting that my fellow Democrats, which numbered 5 women and 1 man, all thought the idea of a Hillary candidacy in 2008 was a very bad idea. They don't think she can be elected. I agree, but figured that was just because most Republicans think that. I figured they'd all be in favor of her running, but they definitely do not feel that way. They are not sure who should run. I mentioned Al Gore, and they laughed. Someone mentioned Bill Clinton being allowed to run again, but no one wanted him back in either. I decided to have a little fun and said that maybe Jeb Bush will run in 2008. They obviously didn't think that was too good of an idea.