"LIFE IS GOOD!!"

The daily news outlets scream that the world is rapidly going to hell in a gigantic hand basket. But for yours truly, I am content with my lot in life based on two events that occurred this past weekend.

First of all, our home town University of South Florida "Bulls" defeated convincingly the University of West Virginia "Mountaineers" this past Friday evening 21 - 13. I was among the 65,018 fans who filled Raymond James Stadium to witness this historic event. "Historic" not in the sense of this particular game, as we also defeated the "Mountaineers" as equally convincingly at their home last season. It rose to the level of historic because the game was televised nationally, because we were ranked 18th in the country and the "Mountaineers" were ranked number 5. Historic because the USF football program is only 11 years old. Historic because we jumped in the polls from number 18th last week to number 6 this week. Talk about your David and Goliath story! The entire Tampa Bay metropolitan area is ecstatic over the meteoric rise of the USF athletic fortunes. Included in that number is my daughter, Megan, who only a couple of weeks ago was employed by athletic department, and my fanatic wife, who has threatened to dye all of her underwear "green & gold!" I can live with that, but when she decides to paint her entire body green and gold and wear a bull's horn helmet...I may have a slight problem with that.

Secondly.... Previously I have posted about how thoroughly discouraged I have been over my woefully pitiful golf game. Yesterday I timidly ventured back onto the links in Orlando and broke 100! Admittedly my 98 score was still 26 strokes above par, but I managed to complete the round without maming or killing anyone, or destroying any private property. It's the little things in life that make me happy.

Did I mention that "Life Is Good!?!"