Poetry Page on Facebook

Nowadays since my poetry is becoming well known, I decided to dedicate a Facebook page to it. No need to have a Facebook account, you can just go there and check it out. If you do have an account, find it and like it. the page is called Random Acts of Poetry.

Hope you enjoy!

Goober..One special Cat

There have been blog posts, which I have written in the past, that I write to work out a bit of grief. This is one of them.

This morning, I had to make the decision to have our 12 year old cat, Goober, put down. It was not an easy decision, and I left the vet's clinic in tears. Never thought a 57 year old man would do that over a cat. But I have been told several times today that a pet is still part of the family. And in the 12 years that Goober was around, he was pretty special.

First point of I'd like to make is that Goober was not named after George Lindsay's character from the Andy Griffith Show.  I named him Goober because his mother's name is Peanut, named so by my daughter, Sylva, after she ate a peanut M&M. My reasoning was that another name for a peanut was a goober pea, hence the name.

Peanut came to us as a stray, and I was talked into keeping her because my family loves animals. Before we could get her spayed, she brought a litter into the world. We were able to find homes for all except one. goober happened to be the smallest one of the litter, but soon grew to be a good sized cat. And he had a special way of greeting you, sticking the top of his head in your face. And, like most pets, he soon got the run of the house. In the summertime, Kathy would be sitting outside reading. goober would decide when it was time for her to stop. Most of the time, he would not leave her side.

As long time readers of this blog are aware, I have sleep apnea and need to use a CPAP when I sleep. When Goober decided it was feeding time in the middle of the night, he would come in and turn of the CPAP, then nudge the mask off my face. He would get fed then allow me to go back to sleep.

For the past week, or so, Goober hadn't been feeling well. He wasn't eating, and was having problems breathing. When I got him into the vet's this morning, he was crying. The vet said that he was in bad shape and the choice was mine. Kathy and I decided that the humane thing to do was to have him euthanized. As I was leaving, I went to the desk to settle my bill. My eyes were red. I commented to the assistant at the desk that I wouldn't want her job at a time like this. she said that there are times that her job can suck.

I guess that had Goober not been as special as he was, I wouldn't feel as bad as I did. But like family members that have gone on, I can look back at the good memories we have of this special cat.

What's in a Name?

One of the benefits of  my award winning personality is that I have many friends who are around the same age as my kids or younger. One of my friends where I work is a young lady who shares a name with an MTV veejay from the 1980's. Her name is Julie Brown.

Julie's issue is not specifically with the name. It's with people who who constantly ask, "Have you ever heard of 'Downtown' Julie Brown?" She can't wait until she marries her boyfriend and can change the surname. I guess one of the reasons she likes me is that I never asked the stupid question. Cliff Note: There are times when one knows that there's an obvious obnoxious question that begs NOT to be asked.

I find that it's better to have the same name of someone who isn't famous, but is somewhat high profile. I have shared the story before about "the other Cliff", Cliff Feightner, who lives in Florida. When I was working as an electronics sales associate in the Akron, Ohio area, I had people ask me, if I was related to a Cliff Feightner who was a supervisor at a major company in Akron. He had people asking him if he was related to me and had made it a point to come and introduce himself and his wife to me. Since this time, we have become friends and communicate mainly through Facebook. And as a certain irony, Cliff had been hired as a management trainee for a certain retail chain, that I have mentioned many times in this blog.

One of my goals is for Cliff and his sons, Erik and Chip, to be someday asked if they are related to that "Random Acts of Poetry" guy.

Giving Birth To A Dream

In the coming week, I will be learning about infertility issues. My friend, Charlese Smith, has invited me to announce for a benefit 5K run that takes place in Copley, Ohio on April 27, 2013. The beneficiary of this event is the Giving Birth to a Dream Foundation.

Charlese and David Smith started this foundation when their daughter, Tashia Mingle, an RN with the Summa Health System, and her husband, Christopher, realized that they were facing infertility issues. They also realized that, in the views of the State of Ohio, infertility treatments are elective and very expensive.

Charlese and David, in starting the Giving Birth to a Dream foundation, wanted to give their daughter and son in law, and others who represent 10% of the population, a better chance to conceive children of their own. there has been other fund raisers and donations from local businesses.

This Saturday, the 5K will give many a chance to give to this very worthy organization. There will also be several great gift baskets raffled off. Most important, will be the hope offered through the event by funds and awareness raised.

The fun starts at 8:00am April 27, 2013
Copley High School
3807 Ridgewood Rd.
Copley, Ohio 44312

You can get more information about Giving Birth to a Dream by writing the foundation at this address:
3618 West Market St.
Suite #7
Fairlawn, Ohio 44333

(234)738-0133

Or by emailing charlese@givingbirthtoadream.org

Visit the website WWW.GIVINGBIRTHTOADREAM.ORG

Cliff Note: Click on images to enlarge and read all about the foundation and this great upcoming event!
                                                                                                                                                                                   

A Smile Goes A Long Way

I have mentioned in the past my little routine when I go into any retail establishment. I always end every transaction with "Thank you for working at...." I'm always amazed at the reaction I get. And those who are used to my routine are disappointed when I fail to say that.

I've been stopping at a certain convenience store lately to get a snack and soft drink. There are a couple of employees there who have a different reaction to the way I end the transaction. One person, an older gentleman and curmudgeon of sorts, tells me that he doesn't work for free. Another employee, a young lady, has a quite different reaction.

One day I was there getting a Coke Zero and pack of crackers. I was in line to pay the older guy when Mae told me that her register was open. I went over to her side, paid for my items and thanked her for working at the store. Next time I stopped there, I went to Mae's register. She told me that she enjoyed my positive attitude and my smile when I stopped by.

I'm proud to say that I have made a new friend. Mae is part of a growing list of friends I have made of people from my kids generation who have respect for their elders. Anymore that is becoming more the exception than the rule. Maybe if more of us older folk smiled at the younger folks and showed them some respect, we'll get it back.

Classic Post: And Whoo's Birthday is it Today?

Cliff Note: I originally wrote this poem a year ago for my poetry blog. It got some great response, so I'm posting it here. Enjoy!

Today's a birthday
Can't you see
And I will tell you
Now with glee

I know you want

To hear some more

This birthday man

Is Theodor

Who is this man

This Geisel guy

He now writes poems

Up in the sky

I will tell you

It is my plan

I will tell you

About the man

Growing up

You heard his rhymes

They are the greatest

Of all the times

All the rhymes

Wrote by the man

We all did read them

A dandy plan

But if you're puzzled

And need a clue

You might be stumped

And wonder whoo                                                                                                                  If Horton comes

And eats green ham

The Grinch might come

And hit you-BAM!

If red and blue fish

Will hop on pop

You'll guess this man

And you're on top

I now will say

I will let loose

This birthday guy

Is Doctor Seuss

I Like Jeff Kinzbach Because.......

When I was more actively blogging, I used to write these post quite often. Matter of fact, I was informed that one of them was printed and posted in the mail room at the Akron Radio Center. The subject was WQMX morning show co-host and program director, Sue Wilson. The informant was fellow band announcer and WONE program director, Tim Daugherty. Tim proposed to Sue on the air this morning. Congrats to them both.

My subject today is another radio veteran. Jeff Kinzbach is an area radio legend. For years he, and newsman Ed "Flash" Ferenc were part of the highly rated Buzzard Morning Zoo on WMMS. As all good things, this came to an end. For awhile, the duo had an afternoon talk show on WTAM. Once this ended, Jeff and Flash went their separate ways. Jeff's route took him, and his wife, Patti, to Dallas, where among other things, Jeff established himself in business and raised cattle. Jeff had sent me a very detailed response that I attached to the comments to a post I had written. He emphasized the need of a back up plan.

A bit of homesickness brought Jeff and Patti back to Ohio. I found out in the most unlikely of ways. I was not going to be announcing the band show for the Rittman game on a particular night, as the bus would leave before I could get off work. I had heard that Highland, the school I graduated from was having alumni night, complete with an alumni band. I sent the Highland band director an email offering to be the alumni announcer that night. His response was that he had a new announcer who was anxious to start. He was "Jeff from Jeff and Flash." I shot Jeff a friend request on Facebook, which he graciously accepted. We then messaged back and forth, pertaining to announcing halftime shows. I sent him a tongue in cheek message, giving him three bits of advice: One, listen to the band director. Two, the show is on the field, not in the pressbox. And three, don't piss off the parents, as the band boosters are a very hard working group of people who always have to take a back seat to the sports boosters.

Later in the season, Rittman and Highland appeared in the same band show. Jeff came looking for me and made it a point to introduce me and my daughter to his wife Patti. For a few minutes we had a good exchange. He also messaged me the next day, telling me how much he enjoyed the Rittman performance. To me, this is someone who appreciates what life has given him and is willing to give back.

Since coming back to the Buckeye State, Jeff has found his way back on the airwaves, first being a substitute host on WNCX. Two weeks ago, Tim Daugherty introduced Kinzbach as the new morning show host on WONE. There are many aging baby boomers who were excited about this news. I'm excited about this because it's always great when a nice guy is on the winning end. Two weeks into the morning show, I find myself entertained by someone who has been to the top and has found a way to reinvent himself. And I find myself listening mainly to two radio stations originating from the same building. Live and local still exists, you just have to look for it.

Also Ed Esposito is a solid news pro, who adds his own brand of entertainment to the new morning show.

Cliff Note: The photo in this post was stolen from Ohio Media Watch.

© 2013 Cliff Feightner

Simulpost: Going Over the Virtual Bridge

Cliff Note: This is a limerick I posted this morning on my Random Acts of Poetry, formerly known as Whattville is on the Other Side of the Tracks, blog

When dealing with internet trolls
You know they are there to fill holes
When they're raiding the fridge
Just go over the bridge
Ignoring them defeats their goals

© 2013 Cliff Feightner

Catching Up

It's been awhile since all my non Facebook have heard from me. So since I have a few extra minutes waiting for a doctor's appointment to end, I thought I would give my index finger a workout while starting this post on my iPhone. I will edit when I get back home on my laptop to make sure my auto correct didn't do any incorrect thinking for me.

First, a follow up on a previous post. Late last summer, I wrote a post about Bonnie, a Walmart cashier. Her general attitude and smile made me want to go through her line whenever possible. I had seen her in attendance at the Rittman football games. After halftime of the second game, I approached her. I told Bonnie that I thought she had looked familiar. Turns out that she has been a band mom for several years. Bonnie had not realized that I was the Rittman band announcer. She now  introduces me to her coworkers at Walmart as the best band announcer around. Just more of a reminder to be nice to those you meet. You never know when and where you will see them again. Cliff note: One of the trolls that has this obsession with me states on a forum that I harass Walmart employees. If saying "Have a great day, and thank you for working at Walmart" is harassment, then I'm guilty as charged.

New name for poetry blog: For the past few months, I've been writing at least one poem a day on my Facebook page. These are usually in the form of a limerick. In November, I took to writing limericks about my coworkers and it was about this time I came up with the term, "Random Act of Poetry." And as of February 3, the blog formally known as "Whattville is on the Other Side of the Tracks" has become known as "Random Acts of Poetry." Some of my work on Facebook will turn up there as well as exclusive content.

Hopefully I will be back here with other original content.

© 2013 Cliff Feightner

Repost: A christmas to remember

Cliff Note: I originally wrote this last year at Christmas time. Since I post links to Facebook whenever I post, I thought I would repost as the message remains the same.

As many of you know, my younger brother, Richard, passed away in March, 2008. He had been wheelchair bound for the last 20 years of his life and I thought it was somewhat poetic justice that the day he went home to be with the Lord was March 4th, or march forth.

I was thinking about Ricky today as it's a week before Christmas. He was always one of the easiest people to shop for as he was happy with just about anything you get for him. A true personification of "it's the thought that counts."

One of Ricky's life long passions was sports. The reason he became a sports fan was because I became a sports fan. You see, when we were growing up, Ricky was my shadow and my best friend. As he spent the last years of his life in a nursing home, people were amazed with his knowledge of all things sports. And on any given fall Sunday, he probably expressed the emotions of Browns backers everywhere.

In 1975, I decided that for his Christmas present, we would go see the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs were playing their games at the Richfield Coliseum, and we all were about to be witnesses to a miracle, the Miracle of Richfield. That season, the Cavs were a broken foot away from the NBA championship, that being suffered by center, Jim Chones. Other members of the 1975-76 Cavs included Austin Carr, Bobby "Bingo" Smith, Canton's own Dick Snyder, and newest member, the ever popular Nate Thurmond.

December 21, 1975, the LA Lakers, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gail Goodrich, and Pat Riley on their roster, came to Richfield. The game was originally supposed to be nationally broadcast on CBS. However, sports editor, Sonny Hill decided that the Cavs' play prior to the trade to Chicago for Thurmond didn't warrant a national broadcast. One of the give aways for the game was a Cavaliers pennant to all in attendance. Before Hill made his decision, I decided to buy royal courtside tickets to the game, two rows behind the basket. The tickets set me back $12.50 apiece. Cliff note: Nowadays you couldn't get one ticket in the nosebleed section for 25 dollars. I thought at the time it would cool to be in a position to be able to be on TV nationwide. But the important thing was that I got Ricky a present he would love.

Despite the fact that the game was not going to be televised, there were over 19,000 in the attendance, all armed with white pennants. I was offered 1000 bucks to do harm to Abdul-Jabbar when I told this person where my seat was. Needless to say, I declined. Time to go to our seats.

Being Cavaliers fans and not too bashful, we let the good guys know our allegiance to them. Others around us let us know how much they paid to sit in their seats. Obviously these folks were not future dawg pound occupants. Cliff Note: Unless you are fans of the Cleveland Browns fan, you don't get the last comment.

Well, back to the reason we were there. The Cavs and Lakers put on a game and then some. For awhile it looked as though the Lakers were going back to California with a win. Anytime coach Bill Fitch needed some defense, he would call on the capable veteran, reserve center, Nate Thurmond. Every time the 6 foot 11 12 year veteran entered the game, the ever popular Thurmond would hear the adulation of the crowd along with the chant "DEFENSE...DEFENSE!"

And as it became crunch time, all 19,000 plus got into the game, even those who chastised me and Ricky earlier in the game. Along with the cheers, there were over 19,000 white pennants waving back and forth. The terrible towel had nothing on the Cavalier pennants that afternoon. And I was yelling myself hoarse. And the good guys were cheered on to a 99-98 win.

The real loser that day was CBS. The rest of this memorable season, whenever CBS was broadcasting from the Coliseum, Sonny Hill was greeted with the boos that are now reserved for LeBron James.

The biggest winner December 21, 1975 was Cliff Feightner. I have had a winning memory now going on 36 years. I gave Ricky a Christmas gift that has kept on giving back to my memory banks.

A tribute to Zig

Today, the world lost one of it's greatest motivators ever.

I read in an email that Zig Ziglar passed away at the age of 86. He leaves a great legacy. I'm grateful that I have some of his recordings in my mp3 player. They are gold.

I first heard of Zig in the early 80's. He was the host of a radio feature called "Daily Christian Motivation." It was a five minute program, designed to make you feel better about yourself. A couple of years later, I picked up a copy of his book, See You at the Top. After much note taking and reading it through a few times,I became a fan of his. I also bought, and read..and read...and read, his book, Confessions of a Happy Christian. My wife loved the attitude adjustment the books gave me.

Although I never met Zig in person, I look forward to the day we will meet in glory. I say this because we are both born again Christians. Zig spent a year in the early 80's as the first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Zig left his mark there as well. He was a man of convictions and was never afraid to let the world know where he stood.

Thanks to modern technology, I can still listen to his recordings when I go for a walk. One of my favorite recordings is "Biscuits, Fleas, and Pump Handles." He recorded this in Dayton, Ohio in 1977. The recording is as relevant today as it was 35 years ago. It's worth a listen. Here's another message worth watching:

A phrase I once heard Zig say when someone asked him how he was doing was "Super good, but I'll get better." I use it often.

RIP Zig. the world is a better place because of you.

I Love Free Publications

This morning, Kathy and I were heading into Wooster to participate in early voting. We thought we would stop at the golden arches to have breakfast. Problem was that there was renovation going on at Mickey D's and half of the parking spaces were not available. So it was off to another place to eat.

We went to The Parlor, a restaurant on w. Liberty St. We have eaten there before, and the meals are very reasonably priced. And while I'm there, I always grab a copy of  The Vendor, a free magazine that gets most of it's revenue from advertising. And the magazine had some good articles. Most of the articles are faith based. I would guess the Amish community would be readers of this publication.

There are also recipes, factoids, and clean one liners throughout the magazine. But best of all, it's free. And like most folks, I like free.

The restaurant has some pretty good food as well. I had biscuits, gravy, home fries, and sausage. Kathy had corned beef hash and toast. With drinks, bill come to $12.45. They don't take credit or debit cards, so I had to,walk a block to the closest bank to get money out of the atm. The owner told me that that could have waited since he had plenty of dirty dishes and toilets to clean. Place definitely has a good atmosphere and worth return visits.

Cliff Note: After I wrote the post, I went to see if The Vendor had a web address. It doesn't. The publisher is located in Brinkhaven, Ohio. Does have a phone number, (330) 276-6508.

I'm Fat, But You're Ignorant!

Over the years, the main things I have had to deal with have been health problems, They are nagging, but chronic issues, such as diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis. I can probably attribute most of this to either heredity or obesity. It depends on how much I want to factor personal responsibility.

Being fat gave me a convenient excuse when I was losing my shirt as a retail salesman over 20 years ago. I would come home after not making any money on commissions and tell Kathy, "Nobody would buy from me because I was fat and ugly." Met a new friend back then too. His name was Prozac.

In the past year, I have lost over 30 pounds. I feel better and clothes fit better as well. I'm still overweight, and I need to get off my fat posterior and do some more about it. Truth is, I have been fighting a battle with my weight since I was 11 years old. As an adult, I have seen a high of 305 pounds and a low of 186. So I know what to do to lose. Just isn't as easy as some like to think.

A video which has gone viral in the past few days is from news reporter, Jennifer Livingston. If was in response to a comment made by someone who wasn't even a regular viewer.

All I have to say about that is "You Go Girl!" That's right. Most of us know we are fat, as we do have access to mirrors.

I would guess Jennifer Livingston has to work harder at her craft because she's not blonde and a size zero. I'm sure the station recognizes her hard work. Most of us who don't fit the typical Hollywood stereotype have to work harder to accomplish anything.

I was in an exchange with "the trolls." One had run out of ammo to shoot at me, so this person referred to a photo I posted of myself in an earlier blog post and told me that I should spend time on a treadmill. Yep, when all else fails, play the "you're fat" card.

Walk a mile in my shoes. Just make sure you are wearing diabetic socks and support hose. Also check out the latest stats on obesity in America. Also don't be so quick to judge.

About Forgiveness

This morning, I woke up to the news that former Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens owner, Art Modell, had passed away. He was a villain to the city of Cleveland for moving the franchise. Cliff Note: I know he was probably considered a hero to Baltimore for bringing football back and for getting them a Super Bowl ring before the Indianapolis (formerly Baltimore) Colts won one, but this post is about forgiveness.

Cleveland, like many other cities, lives and dies with it's sports franchises. Since the Browns left, northeast Ohio has also seen several top athletes leave and "take their talents" elsewhere. These folks go from being number one, as a show of the index finger will indicate, to not being number one with the next finger over also indicates.

Most decisions are made as financial decisions. We have seen this many times in business. People are either let go from their jobs, or jobs get outsourced. This gets plenty of ink, but people forget and move on. It's more personal decisions that get the grief over for the longest time. There are those who have a problem against a parent, siblings, an ex spouse, other relatives, or someone who did you dirty many years ago. You feel that you cannot forgive, or forget their actions. that's when you have to look up to a higher power. My higher power is a man named Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in Mark 11:26 "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." Sometime we have to realize that the same things committed against us are things that Jesus went to the cross and died for. Granted, there have been things done that you have a hard time wrapping your head around at the very concept of forgiveness. This is where the childlike faith that Christians are required to have comes into play.

In the grand scheme of things, something that took minutes to commit, should not end up controlling a lifetime of emotions. Also remember that eternity makes the time we spend on earth seem like less than a moment.

A Good Walmart Story

Okay, in the 6 years that I've been blogging, I have been somewhat harsh on the largest retailer in the world, Walmart. Most of it has been directed at the one I frequent the most, #2966, Wadsworth, Ohio. I have used the term Evil Big Box Store(tm) pretty much tongue in cheek. I do go there because I can save money and get what I need in one stop over the Giant Eagle one exit over.

Out of fairness to a good friend and distant relative, I have toned down the snarky posts. Cliff Feightner of Homassa, Fl. fame, works for Walmart in a management capacity and I don't want that Cliff Feightner to get into trouble because of what this Cliff Feightner writes.

Anyway, when I stop at Walmart on my way home from work, I like to go through a checkout of a cashier named Bonnie. The reason being is, no matter what, she always has a smile on her face and a good word for the customer.

First time I went through her line, she asked me how I was doing. I responded with "Better than I deserve." Most listeners of the Dave Ramsey show are familiar with that response. Bonnie correctly responded, "oh, Dave Ramsey." And so began a very pleasant checkout experience. And at the end of the experience I gave my usual "thank you for working at Walmart."

Everybody who would go through Bonnie's checkout will be in for a customer service treat. We all know shopping can be stressful and sometimes the last couple of minutes in the store could be the deal breaker concerning future visits. Bonnie's smile and her general attitude helps to ensure future visits for those who are fortunate to get her to ring them up.

And contrary to what one of the trolls reading this blog thinks, I do not harass Walmart cashiers. They are a very hard working bunch who don't get the recognition they deserve. I hope someone in Wadsworth reads this post and gives Bonnie a pat on the back for all who have the fortune of going through her line.