WIXY's Gone Bananas

We got a call yesterday evening. My great uncle had passed away. He was 94 years old. The best thing about this was that he was ready to go home to the Lord. He had been saved since he was 93. Of course getting to 94 took some doing. Perry had taken real good care of himself and told me to stay away from white bread. I'll miss him. It was neat to have my grandfather's brother around. It's getting lonely as my parents have passed on, and so have all their brothers and sisters. Also makes me the oldest Feightner on this branch of the family tree. Funny, I don't feel much like a patriarch.

Early February, my family was going through it's latest crisis. Liquid put a prayer request for me and my family on her site. One of the bloggers who saw this and came over here to give her support was Chelle . So, being the good guy blogger I am, I went to her blog, Life is What You Make it , to check her out. I found we have some things in common. She's a behavorial health worker and I'm a behavorial health recipient. We both also think the world of Liquid. Chelle is a cousin of Liquid's soon to be ex-husband, but even after the legal relationship ends the two intend to be closer than sisters. Soon after we got on each other's blog rolls, Chelle responded to a challenge to go through the alphabet, a letter a day. She was also supposed to post a picture for it. So when she got to "C" she originally posted about "creativity." I left a comment that she hadn't posted a picture and gave her a suggestion on a "c" post with a picture . ...

Yesterday evening, our daughter, Martha, of Welcome to My Crazy Life fame, came to visit. She brought our three wonderful grandchildren with her. Ben, the oldest, wanted to play outside, so he went in back to get a bicycle. He brought up a 13 inch bike, much too big for him. It had training wheels on it and his sister, Makenna, was trying to get on it. Ben saw that she was trying, so he decided he wanted to then get on that bike. after a struggle, Makenna backed up, started stomping her feet and screaming. I had to her mother that Makenna was having a "Martha fit," named after our oldest child who made this famous. Ahh yes. What goes around, comes around...

Usually I hand these out at the end of the year, but I made a new friend today and under the circumstances, I have to give her an award. This is the "You make me think" top Banana, and it goes to Cathouse Teri. Teri visited my Seek Him First blog today and brought up some good points about forgiveness. We also bantered back and forth on her blog The Road Lester Traveled . Teri, you gave me a few smiles and a few new wrinkles in my forehead today.

We're praying for you! Pause the playlist to listen to video.

This evening, Mrs74 and I went to the world's largest employer to get a few items. When we went to check out we decided to use the self check outs. Everything scanned fine, then come the time to pay. I had two 20 dollar bills. The bill accepter didn't want either. That struck me as funny that the Evil Big Box Store(tm) wouldn't take my money. Earlier in the day I was watching the NASCAR race. It was being run at Talladega, deep south, Dale Jr. country. Also very American. The race was won by Kyle Busch in the #18 M&M's Toyota . Second place was Juan Pablo Montoya. He's from Columbia , by the way. Must be a cold day in the place of eternal punishment.

Cliff Note: This post was originally written a little over a year ago. Because of the subject matter, and to remind us that words do hurt...a lot, I want to post it again. I think one problem with people today is that they lost respect for others. That is why we have the language problems I discussed in my last post. The death penalty was carried out in Ohio today(April 24, 2007). Some think it's a deterrent to crime. I think a bigger deterrent would be to teach children some good old fashioned respect. And applying the board of education to the seat of learning wouldn't hurt either, at least not in the long run. Catering to the least common denominator as your audience and dissing anyone who wishes to disagree with what you do certainly isn't respect. Remember you reap what you sow. You plant disrespect, you will harvest disrespect. Sometimes we promote disrespect when we talk to young people. I've been guilty of this in the past. Teenagers will say hi Mr. Jones, or he...

And so do thoughtless teenagers, and their parents who should have brought them up better. I'm proud of you Sindi, for sticking up for your friend. I am proud of your efforts so far, Stacy . And I apologize for the non Christian like tones of the title of this post.

Today we had to go into Wadsworth to take care of some business. No time to prepare supper, so it was dinner at Wendy's. Good thing there is no reservation required. Only problem was there was no specials and we had no coupons. I hear the Burger King in Meridian Ms. was having a fire sale. Anyway, I had to use the restroom (I would say little boys room, but Liquid gave that term a new meaning the past couple of days,) and I notice this sign on the mirror-"Please wash your hands before returning to work." Well I figure I didn't want to wait 12 hours before I washed my hands again, so I washed them there. However I have some common sense questions about hand washing in public restaurants. You see, at one time, I was a health care worker and had many in service classes on hand washing. Most public places shoot that all to blazes. First, when you have a hand dryer, how do you turn off the water, as you have no paper towels to turn the faucet handle with? Next thing is ho...

Like Diamond said in her A Day in the Zone blog, I am addicted to blogging. Yeah I promoted her again. She pays well. I originally started blogging because I have a desire to communicate. First, I wanted to be in radio. First as a disc jockey, then as a sportscaster, then back to being a disc jockey. Never happened. My fault. I never met a microphone I didn't like. First when I worked at Broadview Developmental Center, in a variety of things. Then when I later worked at Wal-Mart, people loved my announcements over the public address. Since the 2000 football season, I've been announcing halftime shows. I also enjoying answering the phone in professional situations. "Thank you for calling your Fretter Superstore. This is Cliff speaking, how can I help you?" When I was at Wal-Mart, when everybody else in the department would answer the phone, "Electronics" I would answer "Thak you for calling Wal-Mart Electronics. This is Cliff speaking, how can I help?...

Is the Burger King in your town having a special on flame broiled Whoppers ? Just curious.

Update 04/23/08: Diamond explains her "Nonsense" blog in one of her posts today. I have known for awhile that Diamond , of A Day in The Zone fame, is also known throughout Bloggerita-ville (copyright Liquid) as Diamond Sapphire and under that name has a blog called "Nonsense, Fun, Tears, Happiness, and Anger all rolled into one." This blog deals more into Diamond's personal life than A Day in the Zone . Since we all aim to lift each other up and are supportive to each other, I recommend you all check it out. I always like to support a fellow quality inspector. Also be in prayer for Diamond's family, as she has a sister in law who is in some legal trouble. That is the topic of Diamond's latest A Day in the Zone post. Oh and the "Nonsense" blog is Diamond's first blog. Enjoy your visit there while you catch up on her life as you get to know our friend better.

Thanks to John Gorman, author of "The Buzzard" Pause the music player to play video.

Cliff Note: One thing I neglected to mention when I originally wrote this post is the period of time covered in the book was from 1973-1988. I apologize for that omission. In northeast Ohio, John Gorman is either deified or demonized by those associated with radio. A large part of his legacy will be an FM radio station that he, and several other folks with a common vision helped build into a powerhouse-WMMS. WMMS/100.7 started out as a progressive, album oriented radio station and exploded into one of the most popular Cleveland radio stations of all time. The Buzzard is John Gorman's account of the glory days-1973-1988- of WMMS, the radio station that was very influential in launching the careers of many rock acts that would have possibly faded into obscurity. WMMS was also one of the many voices in the area that helped Cleveland land the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum. I write this post more as a fan of the station during it's glory years, than as a onetime broadcast ...

The other week I was looking on the message boards. Those I spend the most time on are the radio boards. One of these boards have been having an ongoing discussion on an incident which happened over 20 years ago. One of the people involved has been giving his account and others have been countering with what could be construed as hearsay. One of the posters, not involved in the discussion, posted that he thought the person involved in the incident was "full of himself." It's my belief that anyone in any broadcast medium has to be in some degree, full of themselves, if they are to do a credible job. I also feel that anyone using vocal talents has to have faith in their talents and feel that people want to hear what they want to say. I say that, being the loudest high school band announcer in northeast Ohio. I know people want to hear me, just sometimes not so loudly. I would even go as far as to say that us bloggers have to have enough self confidence to think that there ...

These signs were spotted on E55th St., between I-490 and Woodland Ave. Please make up your mind.

I was traveling between shops this morning as I had to take a defective bar over to my boss. On the return trip to my plant, I saw this car come out of a side street. The car ahead of me had to slam on his brakes to avoid broadsiding this car coming out of the side street. The WIXYmobile was maintaining an assured clear distance. I'm funny that way. Anyway, sitting across the intersection was a Cleveland Police car. How did this member of Cleveland's finest react to this incident of reckless operation? He sat there for a minute then turned. In the other direction. I guess Enos wasn't authorized to apprehend this scofflaw, since he didn't have a loud exhaust . And no I won't get over it yet. It still cost me 8 dollars to park and two hours pay-at time and a half.

My post on my doctor's visit caused a commentator to ask a question concerning depression. Happy Gram stated in her comment that her husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes and he has had constant depression. She wondered why. I can only speculate since I am not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, and I'm not going to pretend I'm one who writes a blog. But here are some basic facts. Diabetes is a condition where your body does not produce enough insulin. It could be caused by a number of things, heredity and obesity just being a couple of them. I have been overweight for much of my life and heredity wasn't on my side either. Those were probably the biggest factors in my being diabetic. Mine is type 2 diabetes, the most common type. And if you want to consider diabetes a disease, it is probably reaching epidemic proportions today. Now why is depression so common among diabetics? My thoughts are this. In order to manage your health, you have to change your life...

Today, I made sure tires were properly inflated and moving parts were well lubricated. Once I was done with that, I put my helmet on. Then I got on the WIXYcycle and started pedaling around the development. I knew I was doing something right when I felt my quads wanting to explode. This was my first time on a bicycle since my trip to Florida. However in Florida the roads I was pedaling on were all flat. Here in Rittman, I immediately started going uphill. Nice thing was when I got to the other side, which of course, was all downhill. I will now have to find meals to make that will be sensible and not want the rest of the family to want to kill me. Maybe I can get them on board. It would make all our lives easier.

I've been tagged by Chelle , of Life is What You Make it and Thoughts From My World fame. I have to come up with 5 one word descriptions that I would like to be remembered as when I'm gone. So here's my five: Christian Humorous Intelligent Considerate Friendly

Yesterday, I went to my Primary Care Provider, which is HMO speak for family doctor. Good news is my blood pressure is down. It was 134/76. The bad news is I gained three pounds since the last time, my blood glucose was high and my cholesetrol was high. I was given one more prescription for my diabetes. One thing that goes along with the territory when you have diabetes is depression. This is especially true when people tell you about others with diabetes who are having heart failure, kidney failure, etc. you wish for someone to tell you a story with a happy ending. I went into a depression yesterday evening and it carried into today. I called a health coach from the HMO, and they set up an appointment with my counselor. I had been putting off getting an appointment since the holidays, but felt that I needed this, especially since I've been treated for depression for over 1-1/2 years now. Another problem is changing habits. Fortunately I don't consume alcohol, so that is some...

Saturday eve ning, April 12 the World's Greatest Band Boosters served a tasty spaghetti dinner while Ed Sims direct the Rittman musicians to an evening of entertainment, all to raise money for the student musicians of Rittman High School. Members of the band boosters were on hand to serve dinner and sell mementos of the Rittman band past and present. Items on sale included com pact discs of the Jazz band and Steel Drum band as well as t-shirts and license plate frames. The most unusual of the items was a "buffalo" hat, last worn when my daughter, Sylva marched in 2001. The bands alternated between the jazz band, the steel drum band and the concert band. Each played two sets apiece, with some students playing for almost three hours before they got to eat their meal, which they all earned. The bands did their usual superb job. And seeing that this was the last official WGBB function for Brenda , as her son, Tyler, is graduating this year, I do have to put a gratuitous ph...

Melanie has been one of my most constant supporters here since I've added her to my blogroll. And every time I post one of these I Like...because... posts, she is one of the first, not only to comment here, but to go over to the blog I'm supporting. And she's also a caffeine freak! Melanie writes a blog called Monday Through Sunday . The title itself reminds us that we should behave like Christians 7 days a week. The blog is Christ centered and gives us something to think about whenever we go there, and usually it's in devotional form. I met Melanie through Pat Jenkins and Frasypoo. Melanie, like Frasypoo put great value in God and country and are politically active in the blogosphere. Story about Melanie: Last month, Melanie and her family was geting ready to move from Colorado to Florida. During all the necessary preparation, she took time out to visit everybody's blogs and also took the time to post a comment in the online guest book for my brother after he pas...

Tomorrow morning, April 12, my church the South Main Street Church of God is having their monthly fundraiser, country breakfast (yum yum) . It will take place from 6:30am to 11:00am. We will be serving eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fried apples, biscuits, gravy, ans a few other things. It's all you can eat for $6.00, take out $4.00. And tomorrow night at Rittman High School the World's Greatest Band Boosters (tm) will be having a spaghetti dinner . Cost will be $7.50. Entertainment will be provided by the jazz band, concert band, and the steel drum band . I hope to see you at both places.

The blogging bug has hit one of my friends. Scott S. Miller is a teacher in Wooster, Ohio, and desires to communicate with us in the blogosphere. His new blog is called the Remember Love Canal Blog . He has put up his first post, which is an introduction. It looks to be a structured blog, which is a foreign concept coming from this keyboard. Scott will have a little something for everybody. Check it out now and see the coming events. Then go back next week and prepare to be dazzled.

Tim Daugherty , morning show host at 97.5/WONE , part of the locally owned and operated Rubber City Radio Group, responded to an email I sent him. Last Friday, I was listening to an exchange between him and his co host, Christi Nichols . They were talking about the weather, and giving an impromptu forecast. Tim used to be the weather man at WAKC-TV 23, or as he once told me, he wasn't a weather man. He just played one on TV. He said it would be sunny on Sunday. Tim said when he was young he thought Sunday was named that because the day was always sunny. Christi said she thought because of the way it was spelled Wednesday was a day for weddings I emailed Tim, using the fact that we met during marching season, as he's the announcer for the St. Vincent-St. Mary high school marching band. I told him that with his sense of humor he would make a good blogger. His response was that his boss wants him to start a blog on AkronNewsNow.com . I responded back, telling him that I would pub...

Those who visit around my blogroll are familiar with the blog, Media Matters . Struke is a teacher who wishes to change the world in whatever way he can. He has allowed one of his students to post their views on a topic of their choice. This student rant appears once a week, and the chosen student receives extra credit for their efforts. This weeks rant has caught my eye and I wanted to post my response here. This is two fold. One is my response may be long and the most important reason I am posting it here is to promote a very well written rant. The rant is by Jayme from Mayfield . Her topic is exaggerated stereotypes in media . Jayme looks at these from a Christian point of view and how people take extreme examples and make them the rule, rather than the exception. In my opinion, Jayme is someone wishing to make a change in a medium that needs change. Jayme desires to be salt of the Earth, or as the late Bob Briner put it a Roaring Lamb . Roaring Lambs is a book written by Briner,...

Seeing that I am in a sarcastic mood today, I will post something I found on Wayne County Freecycle. wanted...carpit for my liveing room There were other bloopers in this posting, but I like the subject line. I would like to know what a "carpit" is? Is this a place to park your vehicle? Why would you want it in your "liveingroom"? When Kathy and I were first married, my 10 speed was in our living room. Of course if I had a carpit, I could have parked that along with both our cars there. I wish Yahoo Groups would have a spell check. Well, maybe not. It helps when you want to exercise your pet snark.

I have now added a prayer request list at my faith based blog, Seek Him First. I have a link on the upper right hand corner here to the post that will have the request list. If you need to post a request, use the comment section. I encourage those who want to pray for those of us who have needs, stop by for a reminder.

Cliff Note: To commemorate Liquid's blog going public once again I want to repost this, which was post 500 originally. I want to start this post with this fact: Most folks who read my blog that reside outside of Northeast Ohio would not be reading it if I hadn't discovered Liquid last June. Through Liquid Illuzion , I discovered Pilgrim, Frasypoo, Bella, Amias, Mel Kaye , and Ch elle . Through those blogs I discovered others and others discovered me. and I have had the privilege of introducing Liquid to my base here in Northeast Ohio. Those who I personally know that read my blog have mentioned that Liquid Illuzion is one of their blog stops after checking what I have to write. Liquid's fans include my oldest daughter, Martha . A great friendship begins: Lets back up to last July. I was surfing the blogs by clicking the "next blog" button. I come up to this blog called Liquid Cowgirl(this blog has since been retired). My first mention of Liquid was July 3 . ...

I belong to a Yahoo group called Wayne County Freecycle. Members of this group can either post messages to give away items they no longer need, or post a message if they want something in hopes another member has a like item they no longer need. Freecycle has many regional groups and has been written up in many publications and websites. I got this message in my email yesterday. "I have a small yard and need a pus lawn mower in working condition." Guess it was a harder winter than I thought. Wonder how their yard got infected?

Our good friend up north, Pilgrim needs our prayers. His eyesight is getting progressively worse and he desires to slow down the process. go over to his blog, Peace of My Mind and read the post titled Detox . Give him your support.

I guess this is one of the times when I can say my blog is about blogging. First, I have designated Cleveland Classic Media as the featured blog of the month of April. I have mentioned on many occasions that Tim Lones does a spectacular job of educating those of us interested in his hobby. One of Tim's latest posts is of a YouTube video featuring Mike Douglas and Patty Duke singing "Something Stupid." Tim has some classic material there. Check it out. It's very entertaining. And while you're there wish Tim a "happy bloggerversary." As of this past Friday, March 28, Tim has been doing his thing for us for one year. Sometimes you can expect company from someone else's good word about you. I got a visit from Jennifer today. She writes a blog called "Dust Bunny Hostage." From what I see this is a blog that caters mainly to my readers of the fair sex. Jennifer is a proud parent and a prouder Christian. She left a kind comment here, then l...

Well a town close by. I got this text message from my daughter that Terry Pluto is going to be at the Wadsworth Library this coming Saturday at 2pm. He's going to give a talk about his new book, "The Franchise- LeBron James and the Remaking of the Cleveland Cavaliers." I hope to be there, as I want Terry to autograph a book for a good friend. Many of us who live in northeast Ohio can really identify with Terry because he's one of us. A lifelong Cleveland sports fan, starved for a major championship. I have always felt at ease when I've communicated with Terry, either in person or via email. Like me, he's a born again Christian, and we are also close in age as he's about 4 months older than me. Terry writes a sports column for the Cleveland Plain Dealer . Twice a month he writes a column called "Faith and You," touching on faith topics from a layman's point of view. And since it's also the beginning of baseball season, I am going to make...

Diamond , of "A Day in the Zone" fame, has awarded me with this latest honor. As she bestowed this on me, here's what she had to say: "If you know Cliff then you know he has to be one of the most kind hearted bloggers I have met. He always has something nice to say or a great blog to promote. He has been one of, if not my biggest promoter for A Day In The Zone and for that I am sooo thankful." Thank you Diamond. As long as you put out a good blog I will promote you. Diamond has a very worthy mission in the writing of A Day in the Zone , and that is to help others, while she is trying to help herself. Once again, if you are looking for some inspiration in a quest to shed some pounds, or are looking for some tips to live a healthier lifestyle, give Diamond a visit. Or if you want to add a new friend on your blogroll, go on over and get to know her. She's a sweetheart.

*THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE. THIS IS FOR REAL* Our very own Green Nurse, Bella, of It Is What It Is fame, is turning the big four-oh today. Head on over to her blog and wish her a "happy birthday" today.