Today for Terry..

Happy Wednesday to all my ANGELS.  Today has a special place in my heart.  One of my bestest buddies for life..Terry Cunningham..would be celebrating his 41st birthday.  Sadly for us..he was gone too soon.  Terry died in August 2006 after battling cancer. 

Terry had one of the biggest impacts on my life.  It was always fun and entertaining with him.  A night out with Terry..club'n, picnic'n or some sport event..was going to be an experience.  I have to admit..before Terry came along..I had a bit of a shy side (yes, I really did).  That went out the window quick..as Terry just made you go with it.  Life was good and fun with that cat.  I miss him every day!

Prior to the time of his passing..I was not able to spend much time with him.  Some of it was out of respect for what he was going through..allowing his family total access to him.  Some was a busy schedule on my part.  And some was simply thinking he was going to beat this...and we'd pick up right where we left off.  Was I wrong.  And I've regretted the lack of time we spent together prior to his passing. 

I think I've made my peace with the RiverCity Redneck..as he would like to call himself.  His classic line to me..."Kevin, I bet there ain't a redneck bone in your body?"  Me.."No, there's not."  Terry.."Want one?"  He knows what he means to me...and I know I'm cool with him.  Miss you, Terry.


I want to share with you a blog that his fiance' put together at the time of his passing.  You can read my comments following hers.

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For those who don't know yet, Terry fought for 18 hours off the vent and we lost him at 6:39 AM on August 24th.(Nashville time). Funeral arrangments will be held at Bosse Funeral Home on 1355 Ellison Ave. at Barret. Visitation will be Sunday from noon to 8pm and Monday from 9:00 am to 1:00pm with a service at 1:00. In keeping with Terry's wishes, while anyone who knows him will be mourning, Terry wanted his funeral to be a party.....so were asking everyone to come celebrate his life- not his death. Bring your Terry attitude, your Terry stories, and your Terry memorabilia. Keep the blogs coming, these are great for all who love him and for his girls to read when the age is right. Words can't express how deeply they touch me! Thank you!


H

posted by Topline at 12:10 PM on Aug 25, 2006


Kevin Hale said...

It's Sunday evening (8/27). I was able to spend time at the funeral home with Terry's family and friends. Lots of laughs...lots of tears...lots of stories. It's incredible to actually see what kind of impact Terry had on us.

As I sit here writing this...I'm going through a lot of emotions. I'm hurting, confused, feelings of guilt, lots of things that made me realized that I should have been there for him so much more than I was. Truth is...I really thought this was going to pass...that he would beat and win this like other challenges in his life. I'm hurting so much now because I kind of took this thing for granted. How could one of my best friends...probably the most passionate guy..who lived life to it's fullest..fall to an illness? I'm going to struggle for a long time knowing that I should/could have been with him more the last few months...only to think that he would be back to his self in no time.

Fortunately, the family allowed me to spend last Wednesday (8/23) with him (and them) in Nashville. I remember walking into the room...and hearing him say (in my my mind) "where have you been? what took you so long?" I walked over to his side, kissed his head, kneeled down, held his hand, and cried...telling him how much I loved him and that I was sorry for not holding my end of the friendship. I can only hope that he heard me, felt me with him and forgave me. I genuinely loved and cared for him...like no other friend.

Terry, there have been so many things that we shared during our time together. Softball games, our "rasslin" show (the Rivercity Redneck will live on), the weekends, lots of good times. I cherish them all.

To my hero...lots of love,

Kevin

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CLICK THE TITLE to view Heather's blogs..


To this day..the first beer at every picnic..I toast to him.  Happy Birthday, Terry!


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

World Cup..half full or half empty?

Happy Tuesday to the ANGELS.  Hope all is well in the VILLE.  It is hotter than HELLo here.  The song says..SOME LIKE IT HOT.  Guess I'll take it over the cold and snow.  Stay cool my fellow ANGELS.

I'm taking a break from my spirituality blogs..and chatting about this world event going on known as the FIFA WORLD CUP.  The World Cup is like the Superbowl of soccer.  Its the grand stage for the most popular sport in the world...WORLD, not USA. 

inHALE..

I have to admit..I've never been a soccer guy or fan.  Never have..never will.  However..I did enjoy watching Claire and Mason during their soccer days.  It was fun to watch.  Mason actually looked pretty cool running up and down the field with his hair flopping.  I know the girls dug that.  I digress..

Again..the World Cup event going on has been a main event for ESPN.  Their programming appears to be covering the event pretty good.  As I said earlier..this is theee SUPERBOWL for soccer.  With that said..I just don't get it.

I can't relate to any sport that accepts a tie.  Maybe at the kid level..but surely not at the pro level.  Yeah, there can be ties in football...but not the playoffs or Superbowl.  SO..with soccer commanding the world's stage..why would soccer allow ties to occur within the world cup games.  Makes no sense.  I can accept little to no scoring.  I respect the players for their defensive efforts.  But to let a game end in a tie..i don't "FRICKIN" get it.  Then again..nor do I want too.

If soccer wants to grab to casual to novice fan...give me a "FRICKIN" winner.  Throw me a bone..

exHALE..

I feel better now..


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

My Spiritual Side..Part III

Happy Monday to my ANGELS. Hope everyone’s week has started well…and the rest of the week looks promising. Had a great weekend with the kiddos, family and friends of the family. We did the graduation party thing for Kelsey yesterday. It was a good time.

I’m continuing with my spirituality path…and kinda got sidetracked over the weekend. I had planned to visit a local church Saturday and just take it all in. That got postponed…as I needed to focus my time with the kids and the weekend plans for Kelsey. However, I plan to do the church thing next Saturday. I am really into taking this path…and see where it leads me.

Since I missed the church thing Saturday, I found myself tuning into “church shows” Sunday morning…and just shook my head during most of it.

I do believe some of the shows/preachers messages come from a good place…however, I can’t help to think I’m listening to a “sales pitch”…and to someone who thinks they are larger than life. From the few shows I watched…these were some of my thoughts.

Am I listening to a self proclaimed messiah…or maybe a blasphemes liar?

Am I witnessing some kind of clever hypnotic hoax?

Am I listening to someone speaking in distorted truths?

In no way am I saying that there is no God…or that he’s just a clever man's charade. But if I continued to watch these shows…then I would to start to wonder if God made man or man made God?

Bottom line…I can’t rely on TV for my spiritual growth. I couldn’t shut my mind off enough to listen. It just seemed so phony. I’ll resume my spiritual walk...and keep working on listening and not be so judgmental.

Tell me something I don’t know. Please tell me..



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

My spiritual side..Part II

Happy Wednesday evening to all my ANGELS. We're officially past the half way point of the week...so it's all good. I'm continuing MY SPIRITUAL SIDE blog that was previously posted. After chatting and doing some reading...one thing is for DAMN SURE. I need to steer clear of negativity...and those who live the cynical life...at least till I find me.

For the record...I think my "friend base" is more of the positive people than negative. I do know of some who bleed cynicism on a daily basis. So today’s blog is about the CYNICAL F*CKS…and how I perceive them. If you’re a RAY OF SUNSHINE on a daily basis…skip the rest of this blog. If you think that it LOOKS LIKE RAIN most days…you might want to continue and see if the shoe fits.

If you think the following...I would suspect you to be of the CYNICAL nature:

• today don't look so bad...compared to tomorrow
• the good ol' days...weren't always that much better
• whatever you do...someone's done it first
• if you can't take it with you...then what's the use
• looks like my brighter side...has gotten a bit darker
• i must have stepped over my four leaf clover
• someone drank my half-filled cup of water

Cynical???  Probably so...pretty damn sure so.  You guys need more love in your life.  Life, emotion and an open-mind are the first steps in nurturing your spiritual side...so I'm to understand.

My thinking...advice...live your day to its fullest.  Show some emotion during the day.  It really is OK to cry.  Purge yourself.  As they say in sports...leave it all on the playing field.  Until you see a u-haul on the back of a hearse...its a safe bet you can't take it to the next life.  Until then...I'm really trying to steer clear of you guys.  No offense.  I've been there and done that.  I'm just ready to do more..



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

My spiritual side..Part I

Happy Early Wednesday morning to all my ANGELS.  Hope all is well as we enter the middle of the week.  This blog is going to touch on a side of me that I know exists...but am really interested in pursuing more of it.  I'm talking about my spiritual side. 

In the past 10 years...I've dealt with personal losses.  Lost family and friends...and often found myself asking why?  I also questioned my faith...and my spirituality.  In God I do trust...but during the early part of the last 10 years...I tend to fear Him more than I believed in Him.  I oftened wanted the world to stop spinning around just so I could get off. I've come around a lot lately...and ready to take the next steps to finding out more of me and how I tick. 

I've had some conversations with those who I know are "full of it"...spirituality, that is.  And I mean that in a good way.  Here's my quick thinking of how I do this..

Getting in touch with your spiritual side involves examining your strengths and weaknesses with honesty.

This should enable me to develop within, by accepting myself as unique and capable, yet not anxious about my imperfections. It should make me feel comfortable in my own skin.

Spirituality is associated with peace and harmony.

My take…spiritual people tend to be content and happy in the presence of others and comfortable being with themselves.

Someone with a keen spiritual side is able to handle pretty much anything. They draw strength from any situation or event, in their desire for personal success and for growth and development.

The spiritual person is realistic in life yet optimistic. It is important to get the right balance between your hopes and desires and using your skills and abilities as an opportunity to improve yourself.

Planning ahead and being self-disciplined and persistent in what I want to achieve in my life improves self-confidence. This in turn should help me find solutions which should lead success. Avoiding negative thoughts and instead think about what I can do rather than what I cannot do...be positive!

The one that I know must happen...is for me to simply shut up and listen. Be open-minded to what is being said..and see how the words/thoughts can be incorporated into my life.  I will officially begin the quest Saturday, June 12 (thanks MK).  I'm going to embark on a notion and run with it.

Stay tuned.



Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Been there..done that..in a whole new way of thinking.

Happy Saturday to all my ANGELS.  Its another warm day..but fun is in the air.  Going to get out and enjoy some time with friends and my daughter Claire at a local church picnic.  The true way to identify that summer is here.  In the mean time..sitting here surfing the TV channels and something got me to thinking about the notion of a past life.  Here's my two-cents..

Many people believe they have lived before..their soul has lived and died in other physical bodies. You may even believe your past lives influence your present life. Do you believe you have earned your current circumstances with previous behavior? Do you intuit karmic credits and deficits that shape you? What can you discern from your soul?

If you sense time isn't linear or chronological, you may choose to view it as a spiral or infinite. If so, you may sense it surrounds you with everything happening simultaneously. You begin to understand how different kinds of information can be accessed and reviewed where you are. Learning then takes exciting twists and turns.

Some people believe karma is created and influenced with each action. It isn't necessarily a punishment for things you did in this life or others. What if you could alter the nature of your karma by regressing back and healing or resolving things? You would then sense value in each reflection. If you were to delve into what seem to be your past lives, this may offer you proof of reincarnation. Is it time to test yourself or, open your mind wider?

Exploring your views may trigger dreams that begin to unlock past life memories. Objects and symbols that stand out in dreams can also begin to uncover clues related to past identities. Would you be willing to learn more about who you are?  YES for me.

Let me know your thoughts..


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

From Perfection to Imperfection in a blink of an eye..

Happy Thursday to all my ANGELS.  Hope you are having a good week.  Its been good for me.  Got to see my Kelsey graduate yesterday.  Not to get to emotional..but it was a good day for Kelsey, her mom and dad, siblings and the rest of the family that attended.  Very nice Kels..

One of my daily passions is the world of sports.  One of my faves is baseball.  Last night..in what was to be the 21st ever perfect game thrown by a pitcher..was taken away from him in a split second.  As the pitcher was running to cover first place on a ground ball to the first basement..the pitcher..his foot on the bag..and the ball all arrived before the runner.  The last and 27th straight out of the game appeared to have happen. 

Then again..

CLICK TITLE TO WATCH VIDEO

It's hard to tell where umpire Jim Joyce's career goes after acknowledging he blew a call at first base that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game. The longtime umpire will find work, but will he find anything but infamy as the man who robbed Galarraga of his place in baseball's record books?

Tasteful discretion, of course, is the name of the game.

Commissioner Bud Selig must strike the proper balance between getting calls right and slowing down a game that already has a reputation for being slow and boring.

But, hey, the National Football League made replay work with few hitches. And the NFL's process for reviews could help Major League Baseball make the transition.

Review all questionable home run calls, give each manager an additional challenge and leave it to a replay official to review all calls after the eighth inning. If a play is truly crucial to the outcome of a game, it's covered under the umbrella of replay.

On paper, reviews would make the average game longer. But, I would make the argument that replays could actually SAVE time.

Managers are currently free to, within reason, leave the dugout and argue any and all questionable calls. While I'm as big a fan of a good old-fashioned Lou Piniella blowup as the next guy, these are futile wastes of time designed to help a team earn favorable calls later in the game. They're fighting inaccuracy with more inaccuracy.

Imagine a game where inaccuracy was no longer an option. Useless, on-field arguments would no longer be part of the game, and neither would botched calls.

Instead of Leyland leaving the dugout and getting in Joyce's face, he could push a button to review the call from the comfort of his own dugout. Umpires would take a look, get the call right, and everyone involved would move on with their lives.

The history of baseball suggests that 'human error is part of the game,' but baseball's future is one of higher stakes and higher scrutiny. Baseball must adapt to the higher demands for accuracy and use Joyce's blown call to usher in a new era of instant replay.

That's about the instant replay thing..

Should Major League Baseball overturn Jim Joyce's call and award Armando Galarraga a perfect game? ABSOLUTELY.

Did Baseball step up today and do the right thing? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Commissioner Bud Selig won't reverse an umpire's admitted blown call that cost Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game.

Here's some thoughts from a respected manager..

"I was thinking if the umpire says he made a mistake on replay, I'd call it a no-hitter, perfect game. Just scratch it," St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "If I was Mr. Selig, in the best interest of the game. The guy got it and I'd give him his perfect game. But here again, I should just shut my mouth."

Former Cub Milt Pappas, who lost a perfect game in 1972 when the home plate umpire called a ball on a full count on the 27th batter, ridiculed Selig for his refusal to reverse Joyce's decision.

"What an idiot. How the hell can [Selig] not do that? What is it, the integrity of the game? I can't believe that, after the umpire even admitted what he did," Pappas told ESPNChicago.com's Willie Weinbaum. "[Joyce] ruined the kid's perfect game and said so. Unbelievable. It's too bad."

Its even crossed over into politics..

Michigan lawmakers got into the act on Thursday, lobbying Selig to reverse the call and recognize Galarraga as having thrown a perfect game. Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued a proclamation declaring that Galarraga had indeed pitched a perfect game, while U.S. Rep. John D. Dingell said he'd introduce a congressional resolution asking Major League Baseball to overturn the blown call.

And U.S. Rep Thaddeus G. McCotter, in a letter to Selig obtained by ESPN.com's Amy K. Nelson, asked him to recognize it as a perfect game, saying...

"only the truth will uphold and honor the integrity of the game; and the truth is that this game was perfect."

Later, McCotter told Nelson...

"When this happened, the feeling here in Detroit was this could only happen to us; this was just one more thing on top of everything else."

McCotter was upset with Selig's decision. McCotter's letter was written before Selig said he would not reverse Joyce's call.

"I'm a conservative. I like the tradition of the game, I like the human dimension of the game," McCotter told Nelson, "but [Selig] cannot divorce imself from the human dimension of the game. What are they, automatons up there? Is it a computer that you just plug into? "Bottom line, I just wish that some of the character and moral courage that the umpire showed in admitting his honest mistake had been replicated by Major League Baseball."

It doesn't sound this call is really over.  We shall see..


Peace out my HALEYUNNS!

Cure for Breast Cancer??

Happy Tuesday to all my ANGELS.  Its still hot and humid in the VILLE..but its all good for the kiddos.  Today was their last day of school.  Happy for some..sad for others.  Kelsey will be graduating with her Atherton class tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12:00p.  Will have lots of emotions going through my head.  Its really been fun watching her grow into a lady.  Kelsey..all the love in the world to you.

This past weekend most of us celebrated the Memorial Day thing.  Some had a long weekend.  Some enjoyed the outdoor life.  Most thought of someone special.  I did the visit to the cemetary to show some love to my sis.  I know she knows I still think of her lots.  To you, Carol..my beautiful 'lil sis..I'll see you again one day.

I also called a friend to check up on her.  She has breast cancer.  Just wanted her to know that I was thinking about her and family.

As usual, she, the hubby and I had good conversation.  They are good people..and I love them dearly.  What continues to blow me away is her strength.  To go through this illness and not stress out like I do, over a paper cut, cracks me up.  She knows it..and of course calls me a sissy.  I can live with that..from her.  To sum up our conversation..this basically is her thinking. I'm paraphrasing..

"This Memorial Day weekend is a good time to celebrate surviving. It marks the start of another great summer season that usually involves holidays and fun, and it is already a day off from work and the daily routine."

The daily routine???  HEY YOU..you are my hero.  With that said..I know you're aware of this..but I wanted to post it..thinking of you..and any other person going through this illness.  There may be hope for a cure.  CLICK THE TITLE TO VIEW THE STORY.

Guys..it's catholic picnic season.  I hope to see you guys..drink and laugh..and I'll even let YOU make fun of me.  However..when YOU officially kick this thing...YOU'RE ASS is mine!  :-)

Here's hope to all with this dreaded disease.  God bless.

Peace out my HALEYUNNS!