Saturday, March 03, 2007

Comments and Background

Books I believe everyone in the United States should read. “The Battle for Peace”; a frontline vision of America’s power and purpose, by General Tony Zinni and “White Guilt”; How Blacks and Whites together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era, by Shelby Steel. Steele is black in agreement with Bill Cosby and beyond and General Zinni spent three years as head of U.S. CENTCOM. If you have read them or do read them, I would like your comments.

I don’t have as much time to blog as I’d like because I read profusely to learn all I can to write informational blogs and to stay current with what is going on in my community and the world in general. My average reading is about 3 books a week including some fiction to relieve the stress of living in this chaotic world. I also read the WSJ thoroughly, Forbes, The Economist, Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic and all the other magazines from various sources such as the County News. I read all the local newspapers and news letters. An avid clipper on a large number of subjects and I have about 10 hours of filing sorted alpha and ready to file. Too often, I stop and reread most articles, which slows down the process, before I put them in labeled folders. I put all my blogs in with the clippings filed alphabetically as hard copy which allows me to keep track of the sources of my thoughts, expressions and blogs.

I try to read as many local bloggers as I can find time. In addition, I serve on five Peoria County Committees; Facilities, Tax and Legislation, Transportation and the Executive Committee, I also represent the County on the City/County Landfill Committee along with County Board member Eldon Polhemus, currently recovering from a health setback. I will be appointed along with County Board member “Bud Sous” by our Chairman to work with City Councilman George Jacob, Bill Spears and the City Manager to see how we can jointly save taxpayer’s dollars and render more efficient government. This appointment should be approved by the full board Thursday. Later this month, I’ve been informed I will be appointed to another community liaison committee. For those of you who don’t read me regularly, I was also reelected by my peers to serve another term as Vice-Chairman of the Peoria County Board.

Tomorrow, I leave for Washington, D.C with our administrator and Tax and Legislative Committee Chairman Tim Riggenbach. Tim helped bury his mother today and just suffered the passing of his father. We will be attending a National County Association Legislative Conference and will meet with Ray LaHood, Barrack Obama and Richard Durbin. I understand we will meet with Obama’s Legislative Aide but personally with LaHood and Durbin.

These are probably the best excuses I can come up with to apologize for my sporadic blogging. Neglected too much is my wife and my most ardent supporter. I love my three grown children and grand children and great grandchildren (they live about 160 miles away); I don’t see them often enough. I also have three sisters and one remaining brother-in-law, all living in this area. Also, I stay in touch with my brother’s widow who lives about 100 miles away. I also try to keep in touch with old classmates from Congerville and Normal and occasionally friends from Western University from which I graduated with a Bachelor of Education.

Maybe someday, I’ll get caught up and become more consistent in my writing which I usually enjoy. Did I say I get lazy and need to motivate myself? Sometimes that is hard to do. I left out my tennis which I try to play 3 days a week. Plus I handle my own investments; investments that took a small beating over the last few days. I try to stay in touch what is happening in the community by attending such things as the Judicial Forum, the Civic Center Expansion Opening and the Manual High School reception by the Workforce Network, ICC and School district #150. Plus I occasionally read to classes at Northmoor.

I had no idea when I sold my business in 1992 that I’d be doing what I am today. Am I enjoying my retirement? I guess I do or I wouldn’t be this active.

No comments: